En-gannim

Ahasuerus

My head ached. Usually… days seem to drift into each other like the hundreds before the last one. I opened my eyes. My bed was filled with women. Sitting up, I tossed my legs over the edge. I stood naked and made my way to my ensuite dressing room. The door closed behind me. It was the day Raas would go to Earth to meet with that chit and Marcus… My Marcus. I punched the mirror in front of me, smashing it into a thousand pieces. I was coming up on a thousand that year, and my only grandson was stuck on some godforsaken planet, bound to some young female.

I smashed my fist into the mirror again, breaking through the wooden frame and ripping the white cabinet from the wall. I turned on the shower, stepped underneath the stream, and let the cold water run over. It shocked and dampened my temper. I wanted to wash away the filth from the previous night. I was tired and laid my head on the wall before me, letting the water run and run. I didn't want to think about Qadir coming back and taking over. I had banished him to that place because he killed all his brothers—I had only one son left… I never wanted to see him again, let alone give my planet to him—I nearly killed him the last time I saw him. He had killed Danny—ruthlessly. My Danny… my heart contracted when I thought about how he suffered and hit the wall in front of me. My already open flesh wounds were almost ripped down to the bone. The tiles shattered, and the wall cracked from the floor to the roof. I was that strong but felt… No, I knew I wasn't helpless, and if I really wanted to, I could do whatever was needed.

My temper had been like that for two weeks after I heard that girl had another man brand her. "If I get my hands on you, I will rip you apart!" I willed the words to reach her. I wanted her to be scared.

The water covered my mouth, and my spit hit the wall as I spoke to her, "Even if the consequences are what they are. I will just keep you alive so Marcus doesn't die. Or… I will sever that connection with as many sacrifices as it takes." I spat out the words loudly as if she could hear me.

I was so angry and could not get a hold of myself. I could not touch her because she was pregnant with that riphath's baby. The chances she would carry to full term was what… maybe one percent. A miracle would have to happen.

I rang the bell next to the shower. Three women came running, washing me. They worked fast. I rinsed off the soap. They held up towels for me as I covered myself from the waist down. Gesturing with my hand, they disappeared. The last one tried to scurry away. I grabbed her at the roots of her hair, flinging her back. I had some human women kidnapped to see what Marcus had to eat. It had grieved me; this thing in my hands was what he was surrounded with. A primitive species that could do nothing for themselves. I tossed her to the floor, a chunk of her hair stuck in my fingers. She crawled away as I flung the hair of my hand to the ground. "Stop!" I lifted her up by her neck, tilting her head to the side and biting into her flesh. I cracked the bones to make her stop kicking. My hands only needed to contract, and my prey was dead. I sucked out every last drop she had. Strangely, humans made me feel better… there was something in their blood. But just like every species of beast or thing, their blood affected us differently. I dropped the body. Feeding for a vampire was always a messy story. Taking the towel off my waist, I rubbed it over my face and tossed it next to the corps.

I made my way to sit in front of a mirror, looking at myself. I did not have much time left; wrinkles and blotches covered my face from my advanced years. My biggest problem was not knowing how to break Marcus… I needed him to come home on his own and take his place before I died. The only way was that chit of a girl. Getting up, I walked over to the window. My rooms were still dark. Our star had not risen yet. The dark skyline of the city spanned as far as I could see. A city I had built. Beyond that, a kingdom I ran. Everyone in its place.

All my problems began with a rebellion, and after all of them were captured… the overpopulation in the prisons became a problem. I needed space in the jails. We had more and more criminals, and our world needed a reprieve. We needed some more space, and the Earth seemed to be the best place. It wasn't worse than our world, just different. I sent all the convicts there, the useless men and women who couldn't cut En-gannim. The colony on earth had flourished... Marcus had proved himself by staying by his father's side. He was a filial child. I wanted him to come home and rule … On Earth, he was already the general of an army… ready to bring the planet into subjection. Until that morning… he surprised us all. It does lift up the corner of my mouth. Marcus was master of himself until he showed his hand. 

"Open," I spoke; the doors obeyed and glided, each one to either side of the balcony. I took in a deep breath. I was so high in the sky that I looked down on everything around me. The air up there was crystal clear and clean. 

Once I felt like I could eat anything, I teleported from my quarters to the breakfast room. I stood as the silence washed over me. The quiet of the space assailed me every day, whereas it was once filled with boys. I only had second-wives kids other than Qadir; I have yet to meet one of them. There were hundreds, and they didn't signify. The door to my right 'swooshed' opened. Tabitha stopped in the doorway. Eyes cast down. "Come." She entered the room. A servant followed her in, and the door closed behind them. I didn't feel like sitting alone… eating alone. She sat looking down the whole time. She knew her place. The peace she afforded was priceless. I did not need to cut out her tongue… She had never said a word because she was trained before she was given me as a spouse. Our conditioning camps taught our women how to behave. On En-gannim, there was order, hierarchy, and obedience. Some things that happened on Earth would never even occur there. Looking over at Tabitha, I did not even know what she looked like. I never wanted to know. Covered from head to toe, it didn't really matter. I knew she would be beautiful. If I ever decided to lift up that veil… but so many men have given up kingdoms for a face.

The servants brought the food, and the feast was laid out as we ate in silence. The news was playing on the glass of the table next to my plate. I didn't have to look up and could eat and get things done while I ate. As I finished, it was almost mid-morning. Jabin came in, waiting just inside the door. Seeing him, I knew Raas was already there waiting. I took a deep breath, wiped my mouth on a napkin, and pushed out the chair behind me.

"Let's get this over with." I cleaned my teeth with my tongue. Scratching my forehead, running my hand over my beard. I was fidgeting. Whenever there was news of Marcus, it unsettled me.

Entering the office, Raas was already bowing on the ground. No one there had ever bowed before Marcus. Something I wanted to change. Show him where his place was. I frowned, my breathing ragged as I thought about the report of him bowing in front of that girl—apologizing.

Unfortunately, my reports came from the watchers, and they had everything animated. It was the first time he had seen a riphath, and I wanted to see how he reacted. He would have grown up with me if I had taken him when he was born. But Qadir is ruthless and evil, and I thought if anyone could make a child hard enough to take over, it would be him. It was also the only way to protect Marcus from his father, who would've killed him by any means necessary. Fortunately, Qadir understood his life was dependent on Marcus's survival. Unfortunately, neither of us had anticipated Marcus never getting greedy like I hoped he would. His self-control was unfathomable. Never any emotion. Total submission. Those traits had to be broken—and soon. I had raised Danny and his brothers… they were all greedy enough to get themselves killed. Qadir was the most desirous of them all.

"Get up!" I ordered Raas. He jumped up, head bowed. His body stayed tilted a little towards me so our eyes never had to meet.

"Play the meeting," the man actually shivered, and Jabin thinned his lips as I waited impatiently. Jabin grabbed the device from Raas's grip and waved the little black tube in front of us. The animation began when Marcus and that chit came through the teleporter. Soon, she had the upper hand, even over Raas. He was thwarted at every turn by that mouth of hers. My fists clenched at my sides as Marcus shut him up, explaining what was happening and yet lying to her. I hissed; this is why women wore veils. 

Marcus continued to relay the account of what happened when he branded her. They could have come back, but he chose not to because of her. My nails dug into my hands, piercing the skin. Marcus dismissed Raas. The feed stopped.

"Play the rest." Jabin waved through the air again.

I saw her making sure Marcus got fed with the riphath. He enjoyed the feast immensely. The two men are friends. They played with their food in that tiny room like two children. I smiled for the first time in years, seeing him enjoy himself. My anger rose as I thought about her taking care of him. Manipulating him. He was with another family. One I was going to crush. Walking over to Raas, I kicked him in the face. He toppled over. She was giving him what I couldn't. I should never have let him stay once he was born. "You are useless," I spat out, "That place is not run properly. You can't even control a little girl."

My biggest mistake was having the werewolves piggyback on the planet with their own criminals, telling them about the Earth. A species that looked exactly like us but could not manifest at all. The repercussions were we had to be diplomatic towards the other races. The rules were different there than they would be on En-gannim. Regardless, back then, trade alliances were more important. They still didn't know it was us causing the werewolf population numbers to dwindle… or maybe Queen Brylee knew, and like me, she didn't care about her people on Earth, letting them do whatever they wanted. Qadir was given complete control of the compound and all operations on the planet. He decided to infiltrate from the inside, began negotiations with the humans, and established the watchers. So far, that route had not been his worst plan, and his other one was also not too bad… Seeing that girl suffer was my one consolation. "Is there anything else you are not showing me, Raas?" He took out another tube and hesitantly handed it to Jabin.

It was Marcus and that girl, and everything that had happened in the previous two weeks was condensed into clips. It angered me… Marcus unloading… everything that happened from his point of view after they met. The werewolves heard what was going on in the compound. The watchers knew things they shouldn't. His conduct confused me. Marcus wasn't talking to her, kissing her, touching her, unless she made him, and not even then did he always comply.

In the last clip, she transformed in his arms. I smiled happily as she changed into that creation of Rodrigo. It made me stand up from the table I was sitting on. My eyes were wide, scoffing at her, "Because you wanted to save a werewolf cub," I whispered to myself. "Play it back with Marcus's face close up." I stared at the rendered image playing out slowly in the air, and Jabin zoomed in on Marcus's face, every reaction visible. "Has he done anything physical with her?" Raas shook his head vigorously. "What is that boy up to? Is he there for her or for us?" When Marcus spoke to Chris, he had lied about a lot. Left out vital things.

Raas wanted to say something, lifting his hand in the air, "Speak."

"Marcus is having trouble with the other men. Her conduct and the way she dresses."

"Jealousy?" So, his weakness was not greed. I chuckled—Jealousy? My smile fell as I realized why he was there; if he left, she would have no problems letting him go; she even said so herself. Marcus had an out and didn't take it. I should have known after the branding his desire to have her would be worse. The vampiric need to control everyone, and everything might not have been kicked out of him just yet. I sighed; if this was how Marcus thought he was competing for her and going to make her submit, he was wrong. The boy was still young. Marcus always wanted her on the compound with him, ruled by the laws of Qadir; I would have allowed them to get married if she was not so dead set against every f—ing principle we had.

Luckily for me, it seemed that Louis was now suffering with her. Biting my lip, I thought about Louis du Pont; he was the thorn in my side that had become my biggest obstacle. That chit had taken a course no one had seen coming. The only ones to blame were Samuel and his brother; nevertheless, I did not go around killing everyone who showed me the slightest opposition. You never know when you might need them in the future. A lesson Qadir will never learn. "Watch him closer. Analyze every facial feature… Go now, Raas! You have many meetings to attend. Report to me before you return to Earth." He stood up, bowing, backing out a few steps, facing me before he dared turn around.

***

Michael

When I went into the army, I didn't imagine my life would turn out like that, especially not after my training and the countless hours I had slaved away. After running away from a gang, I entered the army as an escape... I quickly climbed the ranks. Did my tours. I was born and bred… I found I was… a patriot. I became an expert marksman. Special forces. Delta team at the age of twenty-three. Then… my world crumbled down around me. My career flushed in an afternoon. Taken from my flat in Brooklyn while on well-deserved leave, hauled into a room in the heart of New York, and stayed there for two months. During that time, I learned about aliens, all three planets, teleportation, and more technology that Earth could only dream of. America needed me; no, Earth needed me. The watchers were the best of the best all over the world. Unified as the first global army that needed to be prepared for when Earth suddenly faced an invasion. None of us could say no. The perks alone were worth it.

So, I was redeployed to sit behind a desk in the desert, on the border between Utah and Nevada, hidden away in the mountains. A secret army base underground. Covered by America's biggest Mormon community, the vampires live in their compound. For two hundred years, they were there, and we didn't know. Unfortunately, social media boomed, and there were meetings with leaders from all countries across the world. Peace treaties signed. Money exchanged… and lots of it. The vampires had money because of their technology and the selling of information the watchers acquired while watching all the children born at the compound. The vamps also owned two hundred years of oil, mining, and minerals and had their fingers in every pie Qadir could think of.

Of course, the men on Earth thought they controlled the situation. I sneered at them, sitting up there while they knew nothing about the s— the storm that would soon hit our world. Or they knew and thought they would be prepared with their secret bases and organizations. I didn't really care. When Juliet was born, I was twenty-three. When she was fifteen, I was a millionaire… a few times over… All I had to do was sit behind a screen and train my ass off every chance I got. Everything I did was paid for. I had all the luxury, the freedom… or would have one day, and all I had to do was watch a little girl's life… twenty-four-seven. I didn't want to know what they offered Jack, Kubra, and the others for doing it for so long, and they didn't have some girl to watch. Jack had it best being in Europe, away from prying eyes hidden away in the Alps for most of his life.

Kubra was the only vampire watcher because Qadir didn't trust us with his son. He didn't ever want a human on the compound. So we had the tech to watch, but I have never set foot on their soil. Never to intervene, only to study and make sure Qadir didn't plan anything. Of course, there was the interstellar travel that only took a moment, not that we were allowed anywhere else than En-gannim. Our alliance was with the vampires, not the werewolves or the riphaths. Their three worlds occupied another system with their own star, Sirius, a blue one when you looked at it with their own rules. I only went once. All of us only went once, and the watchers were all male.

The consequence of talking or drinking and spilling secrets was immediate death. Execution. Bullet to the head. All money and assets were taken away from any remaining family without question. When we signed those papers, we literally signed away our lives. I thought it was worth it in the beginning because I would live for nine hundred years.

I looked over to Juliet, who was lying on Chris's chest, ready to fall asleep. My life would have gone on. They would reset my biological clock, and I would be discharged and allowed to start a family. A life. You could choose the age you wanted to be frozen. I decided at thirty-two. At that time, Juliet was nine. Taking two months off wasn't an issue. I thought that if I needed to find a wife later in life and start a family, thirty-two was a good age for a man. That was the one time you went. You stayed until the treatment was done. In that time, you got to travel their world. All the vampires there were in a manifested state all the time unless you were still going through puberty. All the species looked like us in every way, yet underneath, their nature was different and not at all like humans. The universe played a sick joke on us, 'Who is really on top of the food chain?' Not us.

I rested my arms on my knees. I was tired. I sat back, my head resting on the glass behind me. Trained to sleep sitting up, waiting for my dependent to sleep. Programmed to sleep only when she slept. That meant I woke up when she did. A built-in alarm clock; nightmare, clubbing, staying awake at a sleepover when she was invited to one for the first time. She was so excited she couldn't close her eyes. Or when she slept for three days straight, I slept with her. After the branding, I got to leave the compound… and the desert. I was immersed in her world for weeks, just her and me… on Samuels's farm. A person I had never met but knew better than I did myself. For the longest time, I was the only one there for her… Well, not the only one. Carl came along and was there when she did stupid things and was drunk at parties. Boyfriend after boyfriend. They had placed him with her for a reason. The humans had freaked out about the branding and Marcus's actions afterward. We were suddenly surrounded by not only aliens but the supernatural.

I closed my eyes and slept. Raas would return the following morning with word from Ahasuerus and their courts and councils.