Page 36 of Sapphire Flame
She had a strange, wolfish iridescence on the backs of her.
Renee surfing on her table.
Grant and penguins and dreamglide-building.
And now, on Gabriel’s orders, she needed to go see Talya.
She couldn’t imagine what was going to happen next. At least, she’d be able to see for herself how Talya was doing.
~ ~ ~
Grant flew to Elegance Territory with clenched fists. His nails dug into the palms of his hands. The night was still warm in September as his gaze flitted across the sky in front of him. He checked to make sure his route over Savage was clear.
Mostaltercreatures couldn’t levitate. But Grant had been able to since his first year in Five Bridges, a sure sign even then he’d been alpha material.
As far as he could tell, he was alone in the skies.
Crossing the border between Savage and Elegance, he wasn’t far from Defiance Bridge, which formed a ‘T’with Phoenix and was the sole connection between the two territories. The Border Patrols of both worked this bridge heavily though at opposite ends. There were five such bridges separating the territories. At this hour, not far from dawn, there was just a trickle of humans driving out of their world and back to their safe homes in the U.S.
Below him, was a deep ditch full of broken concrete and topped with a thick barrier of barbed wire. The ditch was twenty feet wide and extended from the Graveyard all the way to the Five Bridges heavily-patrolled border with the U.S. proper.
In the early days, thirty years ago, the animosity between species had ended in a series of bloody massacres. Kryder had been part of that era which explained to some degree his persistent brutality. It was decided during the first year of their world that each species would have a territory and each territory would be separated from the others with ditches and barbed wire. It had helped diminish a good portion of the violence, but the mutual dislike among species remained to this day.
Humans visited Five Bridges by the thousands every night, using one of the five access points around the perimeter. They did so at their own risk. The FBI was rarely allowed into their world and dead humans were usually cremated before the evidence of their bodies could alert the U.S. authorities.
Each species entered other territories under the same conditions. He was putting himself in danger by flying into Elegance. He wasn’t too concerned, though. He’d been battling a long time and if he had to fight some unknown enemy in the skies over Elegance, so be it.
Heading east to Neil’s gated island community, he recalled the situation that had put him at odds with Neil.
Grant had known the warlock almost as long as he’d been in Five Bridges. They’d both served on their respective Border Patrols and had become friends, at least before the drunken altercation occurred.
The spell Neil had contrived that night had turned the woman’s head. She’d been ripe as hell and ready for plucking. Grant had excused himself to get some relief from too many beers. When he’d returned, Neil was kissing the bespelled woman.
Grant had levitated like a bullet in Neil’s direction and hauled him out of the booth. The woman had shrieked. Neil had tried to throw a spell at Grant, but it hadn’t worked.
Grant had plowed into him.
A drunken brawl had ensued ending when Grant’s skull connected with the wood bar. He’d awakened when one of the owners threw a glass of water over his face. Shortly after, Trib forces had taken him to their nearby drunk tank where he’d passed out. Later, he’d awakened, smelled urine and vomited then passed out again. He’d spent the entire next day in the same cell, repeating the process.
Good times.
Ryan had collected him just after full dark.
He hadn’t spoken to Neil in all that time.
He still didn’t trust him completely because of those damn, highly illegal spells he’d employed, or tried to.
Grant flew slowly, wondering how the hell this was going to work.
He knew the island community in which Neil had bought an upscale property. Rumors had it the area had underground levels as well. Neil was one of the wealthiest men in Elegance and Natalie had helped get him there.
Reaching the island, Grant hovered in the air above Neil’s modern home. Huge rocks and dozens of evergreens shaped the landscaping. There were stone pavers for paths, the occasional cactus, an absence of flowers. It was a man’s home.
Tall sissoos and pines separated the various properties of which there were only six in this exclusive development. But as a group they were surrounded by a large moat with two small stone bridges at either end that connected them to nearby residential streets.
He drew his cell from his pocket and texted Neil to let him know he’d arrived. He remained in the air a few yards away from the house and above the stone path.
A half-minute later, Neil opened the front door and stepped onto the walkway. He wasn’t smiling and didn’t invite him in.
