Page 60 of Across the Sapphire Sea
He’d walked for hours before cresting the tip of the water’s edge and circling back south along the other side. The shores were nearly uninhabited, he’d only passed two small settlements with primitive dwellings on his journey. No sign of vampires at all.
Valeri wouldn’t be discouraged so easily. His information came from a reliable source, and he’d tracked it down himself. He knew the ancients were close, and he’d find them tonight. He could practically taste the victory.
Though it had taken Valeri years to find the keeper of records, when he’d finally succeeded, he hadn’t been disappointed. An older woman by the name of Marta guarded chests of scrolls and drawings, mostly the legends of her own people, but also the history of his—vampires.
The Breodun had lived alongside the region’s vampires before the ancients cut themselves off from the rest of the world, and they’d seen strange half-breed vampires with powers Valeri hadn’t known existed. Gates at the Arctic Circle that led to another world but hadn’t appeared in centuries. The phenomenon had been right there by the banks of the Norvajarvi.
As he continued his moonlight trek, Valeri saw the telltale sign of civilized habitation in the distance. Straight lines and right angles. Nature didn’t create those, people did.
There, rising up from the ground, a stone wall beckoned like flame, and Valeri was the moth. He made straight for it. Still some ways off, the wall appeared no taller than an average adult. Not built for defense then, as it would keep no one out.
Drawing near, Valeri’s senses were on high alert. He didn’t want to be detected if he could help it. Find the ancients, get the hell out. That was his plan. He wouldn’t be able to acquire the cure by himself; he’d need The Dozen’s help for that.
A low stone building loomed behind the wall, shrouded by an immense spruce forest and for its size, well concealed along the landscape. This had to be what Valeri searched for. He crept closer and snuck onto the wall for a better look.
Perched perfectly still on the balls of his feet, Valeri scanned the area. Dark stones made up the squat structure, but though the building rose no higher than maybe ten feet, it sprawled to cover a large swath of ground. Valeri suspected an underground complex, perhaps running beneath this very wall. He listened, focusing his hearing beneath the earth herself, and confirmed the presence of vampires—they were breathing but had no heartbeats.
And if Valeri could hear them, then they could hear him.
Light on his feet, he fled the grounds inland as fast as he could. Though he heard no sounds of pursuit, the need to put distance between himself and this enthralling mystery drove him to run.
The farther he got from the ancients, the more his success sank in.
He’d found them. He’d done it. The location of the court of ancients was secure. Valeri had exactly what he needed to return to The Dozen with an offering they couldn’t resist.
Triumph expanded his chest and sent blood thrumming through his veins. His cock swelled in his breeches. His only thought was to share this success with Elias as soon as possible.
Directly in his path, a woman appeared out of nowhere.
Valeri skidded to a halt, a wave of unease rising in his throat like bile. “Who are you?”
She said nothing, merely looked him over with an intensity that made Valeri feel naked, as if she could see inside his soul. Her eyes had an odd, sunny yellow glow, and her skin had an otherworldly iridescent sheen. Bare arms went uncovered in her flowing sea-green satin shift, though it was cold as ice outside. She appeared perhaps twenty-five years old, though her true age was impossible to tell.
“I am Isla,” she said, voice musical and light. “You must be Valeri.”
He narrowed his gaze. Fear danced along his nerves, but he would not be intimidated. He’d done nothing wrong. “How do you know my name?”
Her expression turned thoughtful. She pushed a lock of long white-blonde hair behind her ear and stepped closer. Though she barely came up to his shoulder, Valeri had to fight the urge to step out of her reach.
“I know your name because you’ve made yourself a nuisance to us. Surely you’re aware of that, after all these years.”
Us, thought Valeri. She was one of them. An ancient! Maybe even one of the half-breeds.
“I bring you a warning,” said Isla. “One you must regard carefully. This is the end of your quest, Valeri, one way or another. Leave us in peace. Take your lover and go. Think no more of ancient secrets.”
Valeri opened his mouth to argue but found he was incapable of speech. His voice wouldn’t come. He wrapped his hand around his throat.
“I mean you no harm, but I could rain down upon you the ultimate harm if you choose not to heed my words.”
Isla didn’t move an inch, but she didn’t need to. She unleashed a burst of power, silent and invisible, though Valeri felt it rattle his bones. A wave of rippling ill-intent rumbled through his chest. Overhead, the evergreens swayed and pinecones plummeted from their branches to the forest floor en masse. The display left Valeri unharmed but wary.
When Valeri glanced from the treetops back to Isla, she’d vanished. He searched the landscape, but there was no sign of her. He let his hand drop from his throat and tried his voice.
“I’m going,” he said to no one, because Valeri was alone.
Though relieved he could speak, the experience had shaken him. These vampires had powers he’d never witnessed in the species. A passing thought of giving up, taking Elias and heading somewhere safe, rose and evaporated. He was too close to quit now. Bran Vigny had powerful witches with magic like Isla’s. That’s who he’d need on his side in order to confront them. The Dozen wouldn’t send him back empty-handed. Meeting Isla gave him an idea of what they’d be up against.
With fresh resolve, Valeri raced home to his lover.
