Selenity owns Fire Blossom, Annabellina and Frank. Nyneve owns Saxen Maverick and Moksha.
Chapter 6
Past. Names. Egypt.
"If you asked, I'm sure Washu would stop in our dimension for a little while." Effie looked up in surprise.
"Why would we want to do that?"
"Well…you never told your family where you were going so…" she trailed off at the suddenly blank look on her partner's face.
"I don't tell my family anything."
"Oh." Awkward silence filled the cabin. Van Helsing glanced between the two women and sighed. He didn't have a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy with either of them, so he was going to ask his questions. Whether they liked it or not.
"Why not?"
"Why would I?"
"They're your family," he sounded stricken. She turned in the seat and stared back at him.
"So?"
"You should love your family. Take it from someone who doesn't have that option." Effie was going to give him another non-answer, but the pained look he was trying to conceal made her stop.
"I wasn't the one who stopped loving." Saxen stopped pretending she couldn't hear them and glanced back. She couldn't help it, she wondered about Effie's past. And if she wasn't going to ask, she might as well listen if someone else did.
"What does that mean?" Van Helsing was getting frustrated. Honestly, you just had to pry every tiny detail out of this girl.
"We'll say that my family wasn't happy with a choice I made."
"But what-"
"I don't wanna talk anymore."
"What kind of a name is Fire Blossom?" Van Helsing took one of the pretzels Effie offered him and leaned back into the chair.
"What kind of a name is Gabriel?" She shot him an exceedingly impish grin and he smiled slightly, "But seriously, did you really kill Dracula and all that other stuff Lil' Washu said?"
"I did."
"Cool."
"But back to my question," Van tried to bring the conversation back, but Effie firmly resisted.
"I should call you Gabby."
"I think not."
"Effie, Saxie and Gabby. It's cute."
"I don't want to be cute."
"But you're just so muscular and adorable! And stubbly." He rubbed his chin almost self-consciously. "But adorable stubbly," Effie reassured him, not doing a very good job of it.
"Pickles are green."
"Effie," Maverick closed her eyes and shook her head why me? "Stop messing with the computer."
"But it's fun, Saxie!" She typed rapidly.
"Pickles are green. Pickles are green. Pickles are green. Pickles are green. Pickles are green. Pickles are green. Pickles are green. Pickles are green. Pickles are-"
"Enough!" She slammed her hand onto the keyboard, which caused the dancing banana on the screen to die a very painful, pixilated death.
"Party pooper," Effie grumbled, crossing her arms. Maverick ignored her.
"She is, isn't she?" They all whirled around, searching for the source of Washu's voice. Finally they found it. This time she was spread across various keys on the keyboard.
"Lil Washu…you really have to find a more normal way to contact us," Effie sighed.
"But it's so much fun to freak you guys out!" Washu cried cheerfully. The keys her mouth was on moved up and down when she spoke, "Besides, I've found the new target! It's the Goddess of Majick, and she's on another Earth. Go figure."
"Another Earth…" Effie smiled slightly, "How much like mine is this one, Washu?"
"It's about half and half. The time period is extremely similar to your twenty-first century, but there are lots of things here that don't exist in your world."
"Like what?" Effie began, but Washu had already initiated the jump. In a few seconds, they were in another dimension.
"This is…sandy." And it was. They stared around their surroundings. There was a lot of sand. A whole lot of sand. It was also very dark, which may have been a blessing in disguise, because or else it would have been unbearable hot. But at the moment, it was annoying. Because all they could see was sand.
"We should pick a direction and walk."
"And get lost in the desert? Great plan."
"Well, excuse me Ms. Bossy Boots."
"Don't call me that."
"What about you Mr. Sacred One," Effie turned on Van Helsing, "Don't you have some kind of homing device or something?"
"What?"
"He doesn't know what that is, genius."
"You think up a better plan."
"Have the little sheep strayed from the flock?" They turned sharply at the soft voice. It was a young woman with long dark hair and large, distant eyes. From the sound of her voice, she was British. Her dress resembled a lacy white nightgown, and she wore a large floppy hat.
"Oh, umm, yeah. Can you point us in a direction? Any direction…" She smiled slightly.
"Little lost lambs, so far. So far away from all that beeps and whirs. Beep and whir, beep and whir," she twirled her hands and swayed back and forth to some silent song, "a lovely melody, but not for the frightened lambs. There shall be no raspberry tart for those who get out of line."
The three of them stared at each other, then back at her. There was something seriously wrong with this one. But…she was the only person in sight. Could she be the second Sacred One?
"I saw it," her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, "I saw all of you and your great and lofty quest. Knights on horses, covered in blood. I can see the blood on you," she turned to Maverick, "Blood dripping from your hands, and all in his name. All for him."
"Shut up," Maverick growled. The woman laughed, a high trill, then turned to Effie.
"And you. I can see it all, all of you, all the parts no one can find. I see the spark that blazes inside. But then, poof!" She pretended to blow out a flame, "The candle's out and no one has a spare match to light it up again." Effie stared at her, but the woman didn't seem to notice. She moved right on to Van Helsing.
"You're different. You've seen so much, but so little is in your head. It's chock full of lovely trinkets, but none for you. You're a naughty boy. Tsk tsk. Since you're so naughty…" her face contorted and changed. Sharp ridges formed on her forehead over blazing yellow eyes, with long fangs protruding from her mouth, "I think I'll eat you first."
"Get back!" Van Helsing shouted, leaping away himself, "I think she's this world's version of a vampire!"
"Vampires?! You think Washu could have mentioned there would be vampires!" Effie squeaked, hiding behind Maverick, who had drawn her pistols.
"She did say there were a lot things here that don't exist in our world," Maverick shrugged.
"But vampires?" Effie wailed, "Vampires are kind of an exception to the rule! Are they like the stories, Van?"
"Pretty much," Van Helsing grunted, throwing the woman backwards, "Why?"
"Well, ahh…"
"Spit it out!" Maverick aimed.
"How do we kill her without turning her into dust?"
It was a good question. Van Helsing paused for a moment. But it was a moment too long. The woman grabbed him and shoved him to the ground. She settled herself on top of his chest, so that his air was restricted. He couldn't move.
"Don't worry dearie, it doesn't hurt after a bit. Maybe I'll even let you be my new knight," she cooed, stroking his cheek with her talon like nails. Maverick shouted and shot. The woman did not even seem to notice.
"You can't kill a vampire with a gun!" Effie squealed. Maverick rolled her eyes. Fine time to let her in on all the vampire rules. The woman was leaning in for Van Helsing's throat. Effie shifted her weight from foot to foot, then sighed. She sprinted forward, and pulled something out of the pocket of her trench coat. She pressed it against the back of the woman's neck.
The vampire collapsed and, panting, Van pulled himself to his feet.
"What did you do?" He asked wonderingly. Effie held up a small plastic box.
"How to kill someone with a Tic-Tac container. Duh…don't you ever watch TV?" He frowned at her and she laughed, somewhat embarrassed, "No, I guess not, huh?"
"Is she dead then?" Maverick nudged her with a boot. She didn't move.
"I don't think so," Effie was suddenly serious, "Since she's not technically alive, I think it only knocked her out. But, I think it's enough to get her resurrected."
"That's…good." Van Helsing was still catching his breath. He rubbed his neck and winced. Just the thought…it was too horrible to contemplate for too long. To be a vampire. Killing innocents for your own survival. Killing innocents…