Selenity owns Fire Blossom, Annabellina, and Frank. Nyneve owns Saxen Maverick and Moksha.
Chapter 14:
Curious. Search. Vampires.
Duo and Fire Blossom sat on a bench. Beautiful pink cherry blossoms fell all around them in a sweet-smelling rain. They were in a city just outside of Tokyo. Students and adults alike laughed and strolled through the park. Duo watched the people passing by, then glanced over at Effie. She was reading Annabellina again.
"Explain the plan to me again."
"If we look like we're here together, we're less approachable. I'm the quiet bookworm, you're open and friendly."
"Yeah, but I'm bored too. Why don't we swap, and I be bookworm?
"Because…" she smiled at him, "I'm the one with a book."
"Speaking of-"
"Don't, Duo. Just don't." She looked down, the light-hearted mood gone. He sighed.
"Effie, I know you hate talking about yourself, but I just have one question. Can you give me an honest answer?" She bit her lip and closed her book.
"Shoot."
"Where did you get Annabellina and Frank? What's up with them?"
"A friend gave them to me." He arched his eyebrows and she smiled slightly. "A very close friend who I cared very much about who is no longer on this plane."
"And? What's up with them?"
"I agreed to one question, hon. You'll have to wait for the rest," her smile was teasing and Duo rolled his eyes in exaggerated exasperation. Suddenly, Effie sat up very straight.
"It's near." She looked around the park frantically.
"What? What's going on?"
"I can sense the Sacred One."
"What, now you're psychic too?"
"I just feel it, Duo. I don't know why."
"Yeah, right. There are about a million people here. Why are the Sacred Ones always in a huge crowd?"
"So now you're the expert, after just one?" She smirked at him. "For your information, Van Helsing was one of two people in the middle of a forest, and Dru was wandering in a desert and there probably wasn't another being for at least 10 miles. It was just Tabby and you who were hard to track down."
"Speaking of…why isn't Tabby fighting the good fight with us?"
"Tabby and low profile? Kinda un-mix-y, don't you think?"
Not too far from the bright sunny day, Drusilla was in the safe darkness of her cabin. It was, like the rest of the rooms on board Tsunami, it was perfectly suited to its occupant. There were no lamps or other forms of light, and it was nearly empty except for a large Victorian-style bed with an ornate metal head. The walls were a deep scarlet, and there was plush mulberry carpet covering the floor. It was on that carpet that the vampire now was sprawled across, giggling to herself.
"The deck has been shuffled and all the cards are in play. The Queen of Clubs will not be pleased, nor will her King. They cannot offer a sugar cube to the Queen of Spades, and the Jack cannot cross the line. The Queen of Hearts will be the guest of honor, and the game cannot continue without her. Croquet balls, and so much tea, it's a wonder we do not drown. Nothing to be done, nothing to change. The dice are cast and fate is sealed. Fate eternal…" She writhed with almost orgasmic pleasure and her shrill laughter filled the room. "Not a chance, ducky. Not a chance."
"Are you sure about this?" Duo looked around. It had gotten very dark and all the lights were on. But Effie refused to leave the park. She insisted that the Sacred One was still within their grasp.
"The Sacred One is here, I know it." The sound of a flute trilled from somewhere. The two turned around in search of the music and they spotted the only person in the park. A girl, younger than they were, maybe 13, wearing a short white kimono with a large violet bow. She was very pale, with large golden eyes.
"Greetings Shinma. I am afraid you will not be here much longer."
"Shinma?" Effie hissed at Duo. He shrugged and she rolled her eyes. Load of help he was. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about."
"You may not know, but it is time for you to return to the Shadows, Shinma."
"I don't understand. What's a Shinma?"
"You must have us mistaken for someone else," Duo put in. The girl shook her head silently. A small pink creature leaped onto her shoulder from out of the bushes. Effie stared. It look something like a rabbit, but it had some kind of spines instead of a usual tail.
"I'll check them out for you, Miyu!" A ear that had been hanging over one of the creature's eyes drew back and Effie gasped. It was large and yellow, bloodshot. "The boy is human but the girl…there's something in there I don't recognize, but it's sure not human!" Duo looked at Effie curiously. Not human?
"I am not a Shinma," Effie said a little louder and much more tense, "I belong here."
"Prepare to leave this plane," the girl ignored her and small ball of fire flared up in the palm of her hand.
"This is the plane I belong on! I have a short enough time here, and I am not going to allow you to make me leave," her eyes narrowed, she mirrored the girl with her own flame.
"You force my hand, Shinma. Do not worry about your human friend. He will be given happiness."
"I never thought the day would come." Drusilla drifted up next to Effie. Duo stared. Where had she come from? "My pleasure." She curtsied deeply to the girl.
"Vampire?" The girl asked curiously. "How have you escaped the Shadows?"
"Clever as a fox, I am. Just like the stars in the heavens," she spun around, arms spread wide, "And you? Command the high court from a lofty throne?"
"What the hell is she talking about?" Duo asked Effie quietly.
"Why should I have any better idea than you? At least she's distracting the little pyro."
"Speak for yourself," Duo smiled despite the seriousness of the situation.
"I don't understand you," the girl said.
"But I understand you perfectly, love. Just perfectly. I can see her smile, her heart and the lovely mess she made of your head. All there, plain as day. I never liked daytime. Nighttime is so much nicer, don't you think?"
"She's weird," the bunny-thing said. Effie arched her eyebrows doubtfully.
"Talk about the pot calling the kettle…a baking utensil or something like that."