BOOK 3 - Myth Ch. 03

Myth stood still in the center of her room. She had a bedroom, a private bathroom, a kitchen, and a library. She'd never had so much space that was her own.

She basked in feeling alone and safe for a moment, but her stomach roiled. Fable was still in danger. Myth had to hope Apan and Gajo couldn't contact Iqiohr. Eir, Clio and that other woman didn't seem worried, but no one had been on Myth's side before. It was hard to trust, but she wanted to, and the lure of stories compelled her to look for Clio.

Clio greeted her with a big smile. "I'm glad you decided to find me. Come on. I'm off work. Let's go to the pub. Gyges is working tonight, that's always fun to watch."

They entered the pub and Myth tried not to gape again. The bar was huge and packed with hundreds of people and creatures, A golden dragon lounged in the corner playing cards with four men dressed in colored suits of armor. Red, green, black, and white. At another table a man with a burned face and smelling of the ocean rolled dice against two women with black wings and avian facial features.

A huge circular bar stood in the middle of it all, and in the center stood a lone man. A giant with fifty heads and a hundred arms. Most of the crowd was gathered around the bar. They shouted out orders while the giant gave them fifty grins in return, but made no move to prepare a drink.

"What's he waiting for?"

"It's a game they play. Gyges gets bored with one order at a time, so every hour he takes orders for the whole bar at once. Would you like something to drink? Ambrosia, beer, cider-"

Uncomfortable with the idea of smacking Clio like Eir had, Myth touched Clio's hand instead.

Clio grinned. "Thank you."

"I'll try whatever you're going to drink."

Clio patted her hand. "Wait here. I'll put in our order."

Myth guessed the giant must be Gyges, and recognized the four horsemen of the apocalypse by the colors of their armor. She was trying to puzzle out who the man playing games with harpies was when her attention was drawn to a couple walking to the table next to her. A man with white hair drew a woman along with him, her hand tucked in his. Myth went rigid as the man sat down pulled the woman into his lap.

"What's wrong?" Clio asked when she returned. "You're stiff as a board."

"He's going to... He can't mean to..." Myth closed her eyes, bracing herself for the screams. It was bad enough when Iqiohr's men drained the witches in front of her in the throne room. To have it done here, in front of so many more people would be humiliating. People were supposed to be safe here.

"What?" Clio asked. "You're not worried about her, are you?"

"He works for a Mage. He'll drain her right here in front of everyone! I don't want to be here for this." Myth opened her eyes, averting them from the couple as she pushed her chair back.

Clio snorted, kept her grip on Myth's fingers, and leaned close. "Ha! Not likely. She'll be the one doing the draining."

"What?"

"She's a succubus," Clio whispered. "They feed on energy they drain from men."

Whipping her head around, Myth caught the amused gaze of the succubus, who curved her lips into a sultry smile and winked. "He's my third tonight." She licked her lips. "It's like an all I can eat buffet around here lately." The man stared up at the succubus, eyes glassy, oblivious to their surroundings.

"Sometimes karma's a lich," Clio said.

The succubus crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Clio over the man's head.

Myth clapped a hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh. Her mother hadn't told her any stories about a succubus, but she had told her stories about retribution and karma.

Clio nudged her. "The show is about to start."

Gyges' hundred hands joined together in fifty pairs, fingers intertwining and pushing out. Popping sounds filled the air as hundreds of knuckles cracked. The giant shook out his arms and crouched, hands at the ready, over bottles and chopped fruit arrayed all around him.

"Go! Go! Go!" Two massive ravens with gold and silver runes on their chests chanted and hopped up and down on an overhead branch.

The room erupted with more calls for drinks and cheers as the giant blurred into motion mixing drinks. Tankards, mugs, glasses and shots were filled and smacked onto the bar

Within minutes hundreds of people had been served and broke into applause. A creature picked up two mugs from the bar and brought them over, dropping them off on their table then rushing back to the bar to deliver more.

Clio lifted her drink, sipped it and sighed. "Ambrosia. Try it."

Myth took a cautious swallow from her mug. Her eyes widened as the sweet liquid slid over her tongue, heating up in her stomach and radiating out to the rest of her body.

The crowd broke apart, smaller bunches moving to sit at tables around the room. A group of eight men claimed a table near Myth and Clio. They all ran their eyes over her as they stepped past, and she felt their gazes boring into the back of her neck. Myth fidgeted, spinning her mug in her hands.

"What's wrong?"

"The men are staring."

"Of course they are. You're a beautiful woman. Own it."

"Own what?"

"Eh, people used to make fun of my lists, but now it's my thing. If someone doesn't get a list from me they're disappointed. When you own something about yourself no one can take that part of you or make you feel ashamed. So you turn right around and stare back at those boys and see what they do."

Myth took another sip of her drink and set it on the table. She wouldn't dare do something like this in Aztlan, but here, with Clio and the succubus nearby, and a belly full of ambrosia, she felt brave. She turned in her chair and stared at the men staring at her. She held each gaze until a few looked away, the others smiled and held up their glasses at her. One gave her a cheeky wink and blew her a kiss, but none of them did anything threatening. She turned back around.

Clio held up her mug. "To owning it."

Myth picked up her mug and clanked with Clio's. "To owning it."

<><><><><>

NORRIX

Norrix regarded his shredded shoelaces as he knocked on Stryx's door. He should have replaced them. "Let's go downstairs. The pre-auction is starting in a half hour. I'm curious to see what kinds of things they're auctioning, and who's running things."

"I'm ready. We're waiting on Ember." Stryx nodded to the closed bedroom door.

"I'm almost ready!" Ember called. "Selene isn't built like me. This isn't easy."

"Do you know what her disguise is yet?"

Stryx shook his head. "She says it's a surprise. I hope she and Selene know what they're doing. I don't care what the rules are here. If a Mage or an acolyte lay a hand on her, I'll kill them, neutral territory or not."

"Don't even think about it. You don't have to worry about her safety here. If someone attempts to hurt her, they'll be dealt with before you can move. They mean it about this being neutral, and they keep it that way by being ruthless about it. We need to worry more about someone realizing shes Strygoi. There's nothing stopping someone seeing that and leaving to tell the world Strygoi are back."

Ember emerged from the bedroom, clad neck to foot in a skintight black catsuit, complete with gloves and knee high boots. She wore a deep hood pulled up over her head. What could be seen of her face under her hood was covered by a mask.

"You can't go down there wearing that!" Stryx leapt from his seat. "Everyone will be staring at you. You're supposed to be incognito!"

Norrix burst out laughing. Her disguise was ideal to make people not want to look at her, in spite of how revealing the catsuit was. "Where did you come up with that? Turn around, let us see the back."

She spun to reveal a pattern of jewel-colored writhing snakes uncoiling from a circle.

"Perfect." Norrix said. "I should know better than to doubt Selene."

Ember peered over her shoulder. "Selene said Gorgons are treated like lepers. No one wants to get too close."

"It's true," Norrix said. "One story badly told turned them into pariahs. You should be fine. That crest isn't one that would usually be chosen freely. It's seen as a stigma Gorgons are forced to wear, as well as the keepers they travel with. And while they aren't numerous, there are still enough Gorgons around meeting one is rare but not unheard of. Especially in a place like this."

"What about your silver glow?" Stryx asked. "That's the main thing we have to hide."

Ember turned back around and lowered her hood. Silver magic shone like a beacon around her. "I'm Strygoi-ed out. I'm asking the magic to help me play a trick on everyone and hide." Her eyes unfocused, like she was listening to someone else. "Sora thinks that's a fun game, so I think we'll be fine."

<><><><><>

They entered the sunlit hall, crowded with hundreds of people and other-world denizens. The lots for sale were exhibited behind spelled ropes or under glass, and ranged in size from a single stone to a jumble of items that looked like they'd come from a garage sale.

Norrix took a deep breath and nodded to Stryx. "Do it. Be very specific with your words."

Stryx gestured to the room at large with a sweep of one arm and spoke in a low voice. "Witness, this marks the first time two vampires have walked in sunlight thanks to the magic of a strygoi dressed like a Gorgon to see what mages are selling at auction in Ashana."

Norrix shuddered as the power of the Witness awoke. His vampire senses heightened—every sound, smell, touch, sight, and taste would be Witnessed and available for him to recount in the future.

"What's happening?" Ember's fingers squeezed around his. "Are you all right?"

He nodded and tightened his fingers around hers. "The occurrence is singular. I will Witness the phenomenon."

"What does that mean?"

"It means he'll remember this event—every face he sees, every item for sale, who shows interest in and bids on what, who interacts with who, every word spoken within his hearing. He'll have perfect recall of everything."

Ember nudged him. "You're better than Karov's spy cams."

Norrix laughed. "I was a spy cam before spy cams were cool. Come on. Let's see what there is to Witness."

Ember received a number of stares and low mutters as they made their way through the aisles items up for bid were arrayed in, but none of the murmurings following them were about witches or strygoi. All but two pairs of eyes hurriedly looked pointedly away from her.

"We have a problem," Norrix said as they approached a tall set of double doors. "Those two guards are Haestratus' minions. See the snakes coiled around their necks? I have no doubt they'll inform the Snake-Mage a descendant of Gorgons just showed up."

"Do you think he's here?"

"I doubt it," Stryx said. "Mages don't like to leave their seats of power and protections. It's why they have so many acolytes and minions working for them."

"Ember, you are safe in Ashana." Norrix squeezed her hand. "I know what you are now will make it hard for anyone to kidnap you again, but don't become War here. They think there's a Gorgon as a prize, not a strygoi. Let them keep thinking it."

"I can see why they try to keep vampires out of this auction. I feel strygoi magic here." Halfway down the aisle, Ember's head snapped to the side. "We need to go this way."

Norrix kept his grip on Ember's hand as she wove them around people in the crowd, headed for a display containing a book and a black knife.

"We need this book. I can feel the magic in it. It's the kind of book I think your mother might like to read, Ebeneezer."

"I have a name."

"What about the knife?" A memory tried to surface, but remained out of reach. Norrix cursed Nabu again for breaking his mind. Being able to remember when he had perfect recall of everything but not being able to access it was maddening.

Ember shook her head. "No. I don't feel anything from the knife. It's not strygoi."

"This says the owner is willing to entertain private bids," Stryx said. "Let's see if we can make a deal before the auction starts. Do you feel pulled towards anything else, Gorgon?"

Ember tilted her head and closed her eyes. "No... Wait. There is something..." She stepped back into the aisle, eyes still closed, turning her head side to side, right into the path of another woman.

She and Ember crashed together and fell, pulling Norrix with them.

Stryx moved fast to catch Ember and Norrix reached for the other woman, catching her against him with his free arm. He cushioned her fall the best he could, ending up with her in his lap.

Embers eyes blazed silver, bright enough to show through her mask and under her hood for a brief moment.

The other woman gasped, her wide eyes staring at Ember, then meeting his gaze..

Norrix's heart beat once.

Draga.

<><><><><>

MYTH

Myth jolted, gaping in shock at the woman who'd bumped into her and knocked her to the ground. They were touching her! A strange man and a strange woman. Her heart thudded in her chest. Iqiohr would have them killed! The man held her so close against him. Iqiohr would make his suffering last.

Sora! a voice sang in Myth's head. Stunned, she let the stranger hold her.

Myth took a deep breath. This wasn't Iqiohr's house. This was a public place. The contact was an accident. He couldn't reach them here. Nobody had to lose body parts or be killed.

She shouldn't, but she enjoyed being touched. This man's arms felt right. He was strength and safety and something more, a foreign sensation she longed for but couldn't identify. Her heart beat fast, but not in terror anymore. Now it heated her blood. Magic she had promised not to use pulled at her soul, wanting to connect with the magic swirling around the woman with silver eyes.

The man touched her chin, turning her face to his. His eyes were so dark, a golden-brown color that darkened to black at the edges. His gaze burned into her, so opposite of Iqiohr's dead, white eyes.

She blinked, trying to tear her eyes away. He was big and strong, his muscles taut under her hands. Not at all like Iqiohr's spindly build. Her fingers twitched, wanting to touch the winding shapes the curls in his hair made. Why couldn't she look away?

Iqiohr was having her watched. This man might be safe here, but she would be punished when she returned. She shoved her magic back into its prison and tried to push away from this man, in some ways so much more dangerous to her than Iqiohr ever could be. "I'm sorry. I... I have to go."

He rose from the floor, bringing her with him. His hands were cool against her arms as he held her upright, but her heart pounded and heat spread from his fingers over her skin, sinking into her.

"Are you all right?" His voice was deep and made her shiver. His words felt like just as much of a caress as his fingers, spreading heat inside her.

Was he a Mage? He didn't have their colorless features, but what, other than magic, could be making her feel this way?

Myth ordered her body to step away, but her body didn't listen. She leaned towards him, wanting to be held even closer.

He did it, his hands slid over her, one moving to the back of her neck, the other around her waist and he pulled her closer so her head rested against his chest. His heart beat in her ear, a sound she somehow knew no one else would hear.

"Tell me your name, my Draga." His voice rolled over her, awakening parts of her that should never be awakened. Draga? What was a Draga? Was that another word for Esne? No, no, no. This couldn't be happening.

Against her will and better judgement, her mouth moved. "My name is Esne."

His arms stiffened around her. "That is not a name."

Iqiohr! His watcher. This would lead to so much punishment, and not just hers. She had to leave.

It went against everything in her to do it, but she lifted her head from that hypnotic heartbeat and shoved. He let her put space between them, but when she looked up, his black eyes were there, ready to recapture her.

She blinked. Black eyes? Hadn't his eyes been a different color before? It was hard to think with all the aches and feelings this man evoked in her. Her eyes filled with tears as all the things she could never have stood in front of her and yet so far out of her reach.

The tears helped, blurring the trance he held her in. She shoved again, breaking the circle of his arms around her.

He grasped one of her hands as she turned away from him.

"No, I can't. Please don't do this to me." Myth withdrew her fingers from his, closed her hand into a fist.

Then she fled.

Hurrying through the auction hall she let her tears fall. It was the only way to clear her vision, but her eyes kept filling up. She careened into people, muttering apologies as she went, somehow found the double doors and ran through. She kept running until she found her room, her only sanctuary, by the temperature of the key. But when she held up her hand, there were two key nestled in her palm. The shiny gold one was hot, not the ebony black one. She'd come to the wrong room.

<><><><><>

NORRIX

"What are you waiting for? Come on!" Ember closed her hand around Norrix's wrist in an iron grip and tried to pull him after her. "You know what she is to you. You have to go after her!"

Norrix used all his strength to stay rooted to the spot. He wanted to go after Myth more than anything in the world. If he moved an inch, he wouldn't be able to stop himself. "I can't. It will activate the defenses. She's scared."

Finding his Draga, he never thought he'd Witness that. His mind was still trying to process the overload of sensations—the scent of apples he could taste, the exact shade of her mahogany hair, the topaz color of her eyes, the feel of her skin and the way she felt in his arms when she'd allowed him to embrace her. The look of regret and horror on her face when she fled from him.

"What do you mean you can't? There was a creepy mage minion watching her and he went after her. You have to!"

"I can't go after her."

"He is too much the predator right now, my Draga," Stryx explained. "That is perilous in this place. Let him remain here a moment."

"I want nothing more than to go after her. But if I chase her and Ashana thinks I'm being aggressive or a danger to her it will kill me."

"But that minion is chasing her! What if he catches her? If you won't stop him, I will!"

A dark cloud of night rolled overhead across the room, trailing dread behind it. Out of the darkness a silver sword flew into the air, a stone in its hilt pulsing a blood red as it soared across the room.

"What is that?"

"The first line of defenses. Ember, put all thoughts of fighting and killing out of your head right now." Norrix kept his eyes on the sword. He'd Witnessed what the sword did before. "Do not take a single step towards that man."

The sword flew in a direct line at the minion who'd been chasing Norrix's Draga. He still ran, but seemed to be stuck in place. The blade swooped around in front of him and hovered in the air. The man came to an abrupt halt and reversed his steps. Turning, he fled from the sword. The sword flashed red ten times, like a countdown, then swerved around people to cut the man off again.

Stryx sucked in his breath. "I thought Jael was kidding when he said his swords weren't the most menacing."

"Did that sword just count to ten and hunt him down?" Ember asked.

"Yes." Norrix swallowed. "It enjoys playing with its food."

"Its food?"

"It eats souls."

Glowing a steady red, the sword advanced as the man back pedaled. It lunged and the man screamed as the tip of the blade touched his chest. The blade backed up, strobing bright silver, like it was laughing.

"It's toying with him." Ember sounded fascinated and horrified.