Aether Beasts

[Some of the next upcoming chapters will shed some light on things that occurred in chapters 203 and 204 and answer a lot of questions and concerns. Know this, all is not as it seems and there are clues and foreshadowing in recent chapters.]

"Those fools."

Juveria sat back down at her desk and leaned back, taking a deep breath and cursing those who had sent them here to act as bodyguards for an alchemist. It had been a shock, not just to them but to others as well. The Red Ribbon's track record was great, and they hadn't made any recent mistakes, yet there were being sent out with the expedition, something that was considered a punishment.

She had been furious of course, and when she had questioned the decision all she had been told was that it was for a very important purpose, that they needed to send a group they could trust and that she would find out more on the journey to the plains. She hadn't understood at first, especially not when they had met the alchemist.

Dylan had seemed average in their first meeting and she had started to believe the excuse she had been given had been only to placate her and the Red Ribbons. That was until mid-way through the expedition when she had discovered the true purpose, and what the alchemist had been sent for.

She remembered how close it had been, and that they were lucky to have only disturbed a few smaller beasts and nothing too powerful. Even luckier that none of the other groups had questioned it or found anything odd, at least none of them had voiced it.

All it would take was one wrong move, and someone finding out. Then they would be done for, and if their true purpose was discovered and the reasons, then war would be inevitable. A war or massacre she and those she worked for wouldn't survive.

"That damn philosophers tower," she muttered.

It was an insane thing, what the alchemist was doing, what her superiors were allowing to be done because it could lead to disaster.

She still wondered how exactly they had managed to do what had been done to the expedition and decrease interest, enough that they would be forced to use the safest path since there wouldn't be enough powerful arcanists to use the other paths. The location was easier to get to from the safest path, midway through the journey. They had somehow orchestrated it, and no one had noticed because no one really cared too much about the expedition. It had become more a tradition than anything.

It had worked the first time, but it also needed to work the second. The future of all those she cared for, of all her sisters, lay in the hands of a damn human alchemist. At least he seemed to know what he was doing. She had half expected all of them to die the first time, and then what would the rest do?

Not all of her sisters knew after all. Only Milenia, Vita, Hayley, and Hex knew, and they had all shown much worry and skepticism when she had revealed what the alchemist had told her. Even Vita had seemed worried and scared, which she knew had raised all of their worries in turn. Vita was fearless most of the time, walking into danger with a smile on her face even against those who were far stronger than her. If she was scared then it was serious.

She picked up the glass and drained it before getting up and grabbing the whole bottle. She plopped back down and began drinking straight from it. She needed a break and some time to relax. She hadn't gotten it after their last job which had been difficult, to say the least, especially since they had lost two sisters. That had been the greatest loss that had happened since their days in Blydar where the Red Ribbons had almost broken.

No time to mourn or to rest.

She knew it was a compliment in a way, that her team had been trusted with the information and was sure the reward would be great, but she wasn't sure if it was all worth it.

'Better be a damn good reward,' she thought to herself.

As she tried to drink the problems away for a short respite, she thought of Misty, the platinum blonde with the unique smell, and aura about her. Vampires could feel how powerful each other's bloodlines were unless it was being masked, and Misty had felt powerful, more so than her own, but also different from any other she had ever sensed.

Misty smelled old, very old, ancient, yet also young. It was like she both at once. Then there were the eyes. At first, they had seemed normal, black and crimson, common for stronger vampire bloodlines, but then when she had pulled aether from her core, the blue and white had appeared, colors she had never seen in the eyes of a vampire.

She wasn't sure if the others had noticed it, but there had been a subtle change when she had taken a step towards Milenia. Her body stance, voice, and aura had shifted from calm to a waiting beast. Juveria knew enough to know that it wasn't normal for Misty. Maybe it was something the verdant princess had taught her?

Juveria had heard about the famous jungle queen of course but had no idea how much knowledge she or the green court had on vampires, and it wasn't as if she could just go ahead and ask. She wouldn't be dealing with some dryad or even a lady or lord, but the daughter of the queen, and all it would take was some wrong words or an accidental threat on her part for the Red Ribbons to end. She had also heard the jungle queen was smart, very smart, and didn't want to risk her somehow finding out the reason they were here.

It was also that which had made her give the order for her vampires to stay far away from the lady Aeverie or any of her personal guards. Fae were tricky and observant. That matched with her intelligence made her finding out about what they were doing a serious threat.

The only good thing that had occurred during their task so far had been finding Misty and the potential she might join the sisterhood, though not for long if she did plan to only be a half-sister. Then again, maybe she would find herself enjoying life with their group better than with her lover and the jungle queen. The fight between her and Milenia should definitely be entertaining and in truth, Juveria didn't know what the outcome would be. Milenia was a level above Misty, but the platinum blonde vampire had been trained by the Zirani Atmore, and who knew what other unique traits she possessed.

'I wonder how she became a vampire. Vita said Misty didn't answer her when she asked.'

She finished the bottle off and was about to grab another when there was a knock at the door. She place the bottle underneath the desk and then straightened in her seat. "Who is it?"

"Hayley."

"Come in," Juveria said, relaxing. "What have you brought me?"

The short vampire with strawberry blonde pigtails grinned. "Some good news, some bad."

"Give me the bad first" Juveria said. "Get it out of the way."

"Well, our alchemist was being followed."

Juveria bolted up. "What! By who?"

"By one of Lady Aeverie's personal guards," Hayley replied. "I don't why, or for what reason, just that they were. They followed him until he reached the plaza again, that's it."

"You think they know?" Juveria asked, her mind racing with possibilities.

"Maybe," Hayley said. "Or maybe she suspects something, or it could be for another reason entirely."

Juveria held her head in her hands. "This isn't good. If we're discovered then all of us will be killed or worse. We can't fight them or run."

Juveria heard footsteps then two hands began massaging her shoulders.

"Relax, sister," Hayley said softly. "I've spoken to the alchemist and he's assured me he will take extra precautions and that there is no way she could have found out."

Juveria leaned back and let Hayley do her work. She had never asked the short vampire where she had learned how to give such excellent massages but she wasnt going to complain. She and Hayley had known each other the longest, and before she had asked Milenia to be her second, she had gone to Hayley who had declined, saying she'd rather remain as the intelligence gather and basically spymaster.

"The fae are clever," Juveria said. "We need to be careful."

"We will be," Hayley said leaning down and beginning to kiss up and down Juveria's neck. "I promise I will do my best. I haven't failed you yet."

Juveria turned and moved a hand to grasp Hayley's chin. She turned the blonde's head and met her lips in a soft kiss. "I know, Hayley. I just don't want to lose any of you. You're the only family I have ever known."

Hayley smiled and kissed her before spinning her chair around, and moving down onto her knees. "We will get through this, together. Now, relax, and let me help you relax."

Hayley grinned, and Juveria felt her body begin to heat up.