97. Oopsydaisies

Louis

“Who took Michael? Didn’t you have a deal with him?” I asked Rodrigo.

“I don’t really have a say when the big guns show up. Would you believe me if I said that Ahasuerus came himself?”

I had to whistle. “So that’s going to be his next play?” The banging sound of my head on the table echoed through the small room, making the animals in the other room go crazy.

“But still. I don’t think they know about you and Juliet… So if I were you, I would keep some cards up my sleeve. Like you have been doing. And you know I’m not lying about that. I have told no one.”

“Yeah, but that’s the thing. If they think we will become zombies? What’s the play going to be? Why bother at all.”

“You should rather ask yourself… What could sever the connection of the brandings, so Marcus is safe….”

“How much of the branding rights do you know about?”

My head snapped to the side. Juliet’s figure emerged out from the corridor into the doorway. I couldn’t look at her.

“So what? You can love me, but I can’t love you?” I shook my head from side to side.

I read her thoughts. I needed to know how she really felt. She knew and let me run through that night in the tub and how she enjoyed it. It had her hotter than hell. She never once felt violated until the pregnancy became a problem. The previous night was the first and last time… And that’s why she stopped me.

My hand stretched out to her, and she took it. Sitting on a stool, Rodrigo had pushed closer. “Baby, there is something else.”

“Oh, my soul Juliet, how could there be anything else?”

She didn’t say it out loud. My eyes were on her.

I smiled and squeezed her hand. “I already knew about Soren, baby. His thoughts were really loud… We already talked about that… But… that was the last time you got to play the “no reading card.” You had forsaken those privileges.”

She agreed. “I should have known you were not yourself. I doubted you…”

“Oh baby no… I’m the grown-up here. I should have been more responsible. I had chosen to protect you, not to hurt you….” The lights went out. The drugs had finally kicked in.

***

Chris

Jamal had so much as moved into our home. He still had his own place. Keeping it for when he needed female companionship… I didn’t care about spooning a guy anymore. It was too cold. He didn’t care because he grew up there. I was wondering if I could cheat on Juliet with a guy. Would that get me out of it? Maybe I could convince her to take Jamal in after… I got home…

I chuckled as I pulled him closer. Both of us in our Riphath manifestations. It was warmer that way. Didn’t wolves sleep like that in the wild?

***

It was the first day we had to report for duty as Protectors.

The training we had to go through was rigorous. It took us more than a year to complete, and we only got to entry-level hunter. Our days were divided into drills… Manifesting in and out in different situations. In water as well. Teleporting and wielding our weapon.

Our gear was a little challenging to get used to in the winter. They assured us that the summer uniform would be better for maneuvering. We were in our Riphaith form at all times. And with that, the armor we wore covered most of our bodies. Elbow guards. Strong leathered breastplates. Almost impenetrable. We wore hoods for the sun and a scarf wrapped around our mouth and nose, like masks. The continual dust blown up by the soft wind was worse in the winter. An icy sting to it.

Our eyes were not black like Juliet with soft white irises. That spiraled around their pupils… Or dark red eyes like the werewolves with black cat-like irises and pupils all in one... Our eyes were more a menacing white with grey and a dark circle around our irises with a dark grey pupil. We painted a formidable picture with our gear on. When Silvanus was wearing his full uniform, even his horns were protected.

There were no weapons. No guns. No laser pointers… The only thing we carried was a staff with a carved-out gem attached, like a spear. I couldn’t figure out what it was made of, but it wasn’t rock or metal.

I was already a little ahead of all the other Riphath trainees. Seems like the earth had more of an effect on us than they thought. I was growing faster than the rest of the men my age. I was also bigger and stronger.

Silvanus came in to wake us up one morning. Caleb came running in and jumping on the bed. I picked him up, playing with him. He was clever and sweet like his mom. Time was going too slowly. I still had three years before I could even start fighting for going back to Earth.

Did Juliet know about the time? Did any of them know? Jamal and I had formed a good bond. He thought the same as me. Felt the same way.

In looks, we were completely opposite. His blond hair went into his eyebrows. Into all his body hair. Thin lips and a strong jaw. His eyes were almost identical to Juliet’s. Blue… very very blue. But behind his eyes, there was still that constant sadness. He was practically the only thing I would regret leaving behind.

We got up and dressed. I gave Caleb to Maya. She had also decided to stay after Jamal joined the household. I was glad. It gave me an out to be gone the whole day training. She just slept in the same bed as Caleb.

When it was freezing, we would all four huddle up. Caleb between us… He loved those nights. He waved at me. We headed out of the city, and they left the house to go play with the other kids.

***

Jamal and I would always be together. Stationed together out there. At the beginning of training, you had to choose who you wanted in your group. You needed to trust your partner.

We were on rounds and walked the length of the assigned space. It wasn’t so bad… I actually got out of the house and out of the city. Helping in some way.

“Do you think we will ever see any wild beasts in this lifetime?”

“It’s our first day… what did you expect… Fighting a new monster in an arena was obviously more exciting than working… But life sucks, and then you die.”

“You say the strangest things, Chris.”

His words weren’t cold, or we heard them stampeding in the distance.

“You just had to jinx us.”

“Jinx??”

Jamal and I were circling ourselves. Scanning into every direction.

“Where is the cloud of dust… these things are supposed to blow up.”

“It depends what’s coming,” Jamal said, low and quiet.

We used our teleporting. Fanning out in a big circle from where we started. There was nothing.

“I don’t see anything… maybe they went another way.”

I took a guess and looked up. I pointed. “Blow the alarm,” Jamal swore loudly as his eyes followed mine upward… “Chris, they are headed for the City.”

I was already teleporting, hearing the explosion in the air behind me. Jamal had used a giant slingshot to get that leathery pouch to explode in the sky. A second later, the watchtower bell rang. Followed by the alarm that rang throughout the city.

“Caleb.”

When I reached the gate, there was already one Ouyui swooping down into the streets. I teleported to a wall… Immediately up to the roof of a tall building and right onto the flying beast's back. All I had to do was extend and retract my claws through its face. It was my favorite way to finish an attack.

The brains and blood splattered all over my face. I didn’t mind I kind of liked Ouyui. I maneuvered the bird to have a starting point to teleport to the ground. The thing was falling down towards me. All I had to do was grapple it and make it fall where it didn’t hurt anyone.

I picked up my weapon and checked the sky… There was a flock of Ouyui flying hard and fast for the city. The one I had just killed was the scout.

I went to the city center to make sure it was empty. All the children were in their homes. I rushed for our house to make sure Maya had Caleb were there.

“Maya?!”

“Daddy!” Caleb came running towards me. Maya soon followed into my arms. I grabbed her upper arms and pushed her off.

“Where is Ira?”

“He is checking on the elders.”

“I have to go the flock is still coming. Stay hidden and don’t come out. Listen to Maya.” Caleb nodded, and I was out the door again.

There were two Ouyui in the air scanning the ground for prey.

I saw Silvanus out of the corner of my eye coming towards me. We worked well together. He signaled me into our next attack. One would be the prey… that was me… And the other would launch the attack as they swooped down.

The Ouyui spotted us… One dove right for me. Silvanus rolled from the side and gutted it. It dropped dead next to him. He was fast with his teleporting. In and out. Not even a speck of blood on him.

There were still at least twelve to contend with. It didn’t last long. We killed a few more, and the rest saw they were defeated. Retreating, the city alarm rang again. Most people came out of their houses. Cleaning and picking up the dead bodies… There would be feasts tonight, usually at the bars.

Even if we were big and robust, not all Riphaths were fighters. Those who didn’t fight knew how to work the meat. Skin beasts and salvage everything else.

I went back to the house to make sure Caleb was okay. They were on his bed. “Is Jamal not back yet?” She shook her head.

“Wait here, and don’t come out until Ira or Silvanus is back.”

***

I had to make my way out to where I last left Jamal. All I could see was him sitting covered in blood.

“What happened to you?” He pointed to the distance. It was the body of another beast. I was manifesting in and out next to it. Unable to control myself.

“Try fighting that thing when that happens.” I laughed, imagining him having to get the better of a delicacy. The thing lying dead was made for the desert. They were loners and thin. Ribs protruding. Light bodied and a long tail with stingers at the back. It sloped upwards. Short legs behind and long legs in the front. Big chest and their faces were almost just skeleton.

“Well, you and I won’t have to pay for drinks ever again.”

“It was following the Ouyui and crept up on me while trying to get that stupid bag in the air.”

“I feel you. On earth, it’s as easy as pulling a trigger, and it would have saved time.”

“I can’t wait till you are King and make changes to this place.”

“Oh please… You love it here. The whoring.”

“Yeah, but I could do that on Earth… couldn’t I.”

I chuckled. “You would be very popular.”

***

Months Later

“How did your day go?” Maya asked when we stepped through the door.

“Fine.” I took Caleb from her. “You can go… I have him for the rest of the night.”

“I don’t have anywhere to be. Can’t really work on my swatches at night.”

She was being weird. As if she thought I would budge and sleep with her eventually. Acting stranger and stranger. Jamal always stared at us when she tried talking to me.

I wasn’t a complete imbecile when it came to women. Over the last two years, I had to wave off many… And there really wasn’t anything special about Maya.

Jamal, of course, did go there. He even asked me just before to keep the peace and all. He still didn’t understand my celibacy. Maya also reciprocated his attention. That put me off immediately. One harem was enough for me to handle. The planet had helped me not cheat. If I didn’t find anyone I had a connection with, it would probably never happen.

***

Marcus’s training had put me leagues above the other men on Zoreah. I was quickly climbing the ranks. Working closely with Silvanus and Jamal on the new recruits. Jamal had also asked me to train him, and it felt good. Silvanus and I had a better relationship than Ira and me.

So when Ira came to stand in the door of my room, I didn’t even lift my eyes.

“You have to come with me to a council meeting tomorrow, Chris.”

I nodded. I was playing with Caleb. I tried to spend time with him at night. We all just stayed awake until we were tired. I had become accustomed to the boredom. The conversations were also limited. It wasn’t like something new happened. Or that there was gossip or a scandal from a politician.

***

The next day I had to forsake my exercise and meditation to follow Ira. It would be a long day if I didn’t have at least something to keep me busy with.

To get all the energy I had out of my system.

A few men and women were sitting on the floor. Ira sat on a small stage in front of everyone. He gestured for me to take a seat next to him.

“Is there anything anyone wants to bring to light?”

Some men talked about farming issues. They put ideas together to solve it.

When all the agricultural issues were over, they talked about housing.

There were still many women that have not given birth. The pool for suiters that have not had a kid had also diminished. That meant that more people could not care for kids and needed something to do and a place to stay.

The population was declining. All eyes were on me… “Don’t look at me. I had my kid.”

“But not with a Riphath woman.” One lady commented.

“So what, Caleb isn’t in line for the throne because his mother is a vampire? Then I’m walking back right now and going earth. Giving myself to them.”

“Why are you so dramatic about everything.” Ira scolded.

“I’m not sleeping with twenty women just to see if I could maybe still have a kid with one of them. Ask Jamal… He hasn’t had a kid. He’s good from good stock.”

There was a strange silence over the room. It felt eerie. “What if we drug you.” My head snapped up at the woman on the ground.

“Why are you so bent up… on me taking a Riphath woman…?”

“Because we do not know where your loyalties lie, Chris.” The woman spoke softly. “If you have another child with a Riphath woman, you will think twice about giving our planet to some vamp….” My brow furrowed.

They left the subject there and went on to talk about housing. It would be a big enterprise, especially in Yaroon, where there was little water. The last time they had traded with Palmyra. The queen had only one request of the mighty Riphath’s. She wanted to conquer another planet or species or something….

I kept yawning. I didn’t really know why I was there. It was a tiresome exercise… “If we could only trade with earth. They have so much water. We wouldn’t have all these issues….” I whispered.

Ira and the others stared at me. “Don’t tell me there is not one other planet with a lot of water. What do we have to trade anyway? Except whoring out our bodies.”

“Silvanus has never lost one man in his battles.”

“How does that even work? We just fight in the summer months.” Ira shook his head. I took a deep breath… knowing I would hear something I wasn’t expecting…

“The vampires have a teleporter that can usher out a million entities for war. That one works in a specific location on Zoreah.”

I sat up suddenly awake.

“The most we have lent them was….” Ira looked at the one woman in the front... She was beautiful. Brunette. Long hair. Much older, though. Ira’s age.

“We gave them five-hundred thousand.” She said.

My interest was even more piqued.

“Who will fight? Will you let me fight?”

Ira was disappointed. “This is the army administrator and general Chris… General Sung.” I had never seen her before. My eyes fell on the older lady… Lately, Ira and I had drifted apart. It seemed that his idea of me was not what I was. Too much like my mother, Silvanus said.

“I will send someone back south to do the communications. We will send the five-hundred thousand soldiers east to the site.” Ira and the woman were talking. She nodded in agreement.

“I think we could do with a reprieve on the water for the next three years.”

“You are sending someone to the teleporter. And you will not send me with?”

“I’m sending someone used to the cold. Able to survive in extreme conditions. Teleport for great distances. He will make the trip we took three months walking… in a week… Can you do that Chris?”

Inside I was fuming. Thwarted at every turn by a freaking man that didn’t want me to be happy. I felt like screaming. Challenging him… Like Liam smirking at me for not choosing Juliet. He knew I couldn’t. I had two years to practice, but not once did he give me the training. How was I supposed to know we could cover greater distances with our teleportation.

“I will take the chance!” I spat out.

“You have a choice. Go fight with the army that will be gone for months. That means when you come back, it would have been years here. Or you go to the teleporter and go visit your Juliet… And remember, Caleb stays with me either way….”

“F-!” I screamed. Getting up and storming out.

Ira stood up, “Let’s see if you would choose years away from your son… or confusing Juliet even more…. Or will you choose like I had to live this life!”