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“So, without further ado,” the Queen continues. “I’ll hand the floor over to Thea.”
No pressure.
Ren’s hold on my arm is firm, so I carefully pry his fingers away. I need to appear strong. Independent. Like an angel, or goddess. For these people to trust me, I need to radiate truth.
Despite allowing me the freedom to walk away from him, Ren follows, remaining a foot away from my body at all times. I step forward until I’m where Jeen once stood in the center of the room.
All eyes, both each a different shocking hue, stare at me expectantly.
I clear my throat. “Hello. I know none of you really know who I am, but I’m here to change that. My name is Thea, and I’ve come here on a mission. When the plagued vampiric species arrived on Earth, my family and I felt a shift on the surface. We normally don’t intervene, but-”
“What the Hell are you talking about?” The raven-haired girl asks, both brows raised. “Are you telling us God is real and you’re it?”
“I’m telling you there’s order on the other side, both before, during, and after death. We’re not a single God, nor are we anything man has defined in the past. We’re simply there to guide, listen, and lend a hand when possible.” I straighten. “That’s why I’ve come here. To help.”
Maggie steps forward. Her face is unreadable, but the crisp edge in her tone tells me she’s searching for the truth. “What is your plan, goddess girl?”
I focus on her, looking deep inside her red-ringed, brown eyes. “I’m curing my way through the states. We’ve set up a settlement a few hours south, and there are dhampir there willing to help your group with anything you need. There's a rumor of survivors toward the West. Ren and I are going to travel there and see if we can help.”
The room is stunned into silence. I count to three in my head before the first reaction surfaces.
A blonde announces herself, rising from her seat beside the pregnant girl. She lifts her hands, shaking them. “Whoa, hold the fuck up. You’re some sort ofgod?”
Ren places his hand on my shoulder. I’ve said my piece, and now he’s ready to comfort me again. “Thea is Thea. She’s like the Novian Queen, only brighter. I’m not sure defining her will answer any of your questions.”
Thank you.Aware that Ren cannot hear me, I praise him with a gentle surge through the bond.
The pregnant woman speaks next. She tucks a stray strand of her bleach white hair behind her ear, gnawing on her bottom lip. “If you want to find others, they’ll be underground. Aldeon and I discovered that the maddened primarily hunt with sound, and being below earth muffles our heartbeats. It’s how we survived so long.”
I smile at her.Thisis valuable knowledge. “Thank you. And your name?”
A pink blush creeps over the pale skin of her cheeks. “I’m Kora. This is Jezebel,” she jabs her finger to the side, pointing to the blonde girl who referred to me as a god. “Beside her is Harper.” The raven-haired woman half-smiles, and half grimaces at me. “And then there’s Alora, Evelyn, Lyra. You’ve already met Maggie.”
I greet each of them with a polite nod of my head, memorizing both their features and their names. I will not forget these humans. Not in this lifetime, nor in the otherworld. I’ll make sure they’re blessed.
“And the men? Are they mated to each of you?”
A few of the girls blush. One scoffs. Some of them grab the males at their sides and cling to them, making their claims known.
“A few of us met our other halves here, yes. Aldeon,” she glances upward, making eye contact with the stoic male with long dark hair. “Is my partner.”
The Queen speaks up again. “We have certain rules about mating now. Humans require courtship. The Calling is known and accepted, but since humans don’t feel their bond like our people, they must bedatedbefore mating.” Jeen speaks proudly about this, as if she’s won a battle.
A few of the Novians near the back of the room shuffle, and I can see why she feels such a way. It must be torture to know who your partner is while also knowing they don’t feel the same way.
Everything inside this place is ideal except for one aspect. I divide my attention between Kora and Maggie, sweeping the other women as I look between them. “Do any of you get to go outside? Other than the men, of course?”
Jezebel snorts. Kora’s brow knits, her smile turning downward. “Not anymore. If we were guaranteed safety, it wouldn’t be an issue, but-”
“It’s impossible. Without constant observation, our mates could be attacked, and even with it, there are always the risk ofhordes.” The dhampir, Aldeon, cuts his stare toward my mate as he speaks the last word.
Ren shuffles his feet, the warmth of his body pressing into my back.
“Would you be comfortable letting the women go on trips outside if I sent my army to help guard them?”
The dhampir Aldeon stares at me, calculating. “Army?”
“My friends. The ones I’ve cured. I’m sure they’d love to come and mingle with your group. When I leave on my journey West, I can send them to escort you all on a scheduled trip outdoors. It would be safe, and the girls need vitamin D. Especially you, Kora.” I direct my attention to the girl, darting a glance at her rounded stomach.
