83. Palmyra

Sita

Men weren’t really treated well on Palmyra. I felt terrible for Francis and Jack who just wanted to go back. They were really worked to the bone, like slaves. Some of the women were even borderline cruel. But something supernatural would happen. When a man made up his mind to serve one specific woman. It wasn’t even a sexual thing. They would just become servants. Other men were designated to manual labor and couldn’t enter a domestic situation.

Here on the planet, you were either prosperous or not. You were either clever or not. The poor people were shipped off to the outskirts of the planet. Where the military base was. Because of Nicholas, that’s where Francis and Jack ended up. There was no love lost between the women. There were no friends, just enemies. Just competition. Because the men outnumbered the women four to one. There really wasn’t any overpopulation either.

Everyone and everything was governed by one woman. She decided the laws, the structure, and the punishments. If there were any to be dealt with. No one ever saw her. Guarded by a multitude of soldiers and hidden away in a palace surrounded by high walls. It wasn’t like the queen of England. Who’s face was plastered on TV.

There was no tech, so I was bored. All I did was train. All Francis and Jack did was train. We studied and read. Oh, my soul, how much I had been reading the last few weeks.

The food here was delicious and eating a person had become the last thing on my mind.

When Liv came to see me and told me that Marcus and Qadir were on their way I jumped at the chance to just see a familiar face. I could not see Jack and Francis whenever I wanted. Seeing anyone from earth would be a rare occasion. The powers that be had decided that the three of us could help in the negotiations. Be liaisons for Caude.

***

When Marcus shook hands with the boys, and the three of them stepped aside to talk, it was all in hushed tones.

I wasn’t looking my best when I sat down across from Qadir. We were waiting for Liv and I kept quiet. The number one rule when it came to Qadir. He sat in his usual way, scrutinizing you. One leg draped over the other. His long coat and sleek hair always left him rakishly good-looking.

He lit a cigarette and drew in a puff squinting his eyes to stop the smoke from irritating him. He oozed rulership. We all knew who ruled this galaxy. It wasn’t the Werewolves, and it wasn’t the Riphath’s.

“How are you Sita?” I choked on the drink I had in my hand.

“Well, thank you. And you?” Surreal. Having a normal convo with the most feared man alive. Well, I would have to wait to meet his father. He had that look on his face that made you want to fall to the floor. There really was nothing else for his countenance. He also didn’t answer me.

“Want to come back to earth yet?” He drolled.

“Hell no. You can have it.”

“I do. It is why we are here. Negotiations have begun.” I was intrigued. Curious and desperate for a news article or a tablet. A tv screen to tell me the latest gossip on E-news.

“Do you think we have been too long among the humans?” He gestures to his cigarette, putting it up in the air. I had never been a smoker but I did miss coffee.

I nodded. “Maybe.” He respected my answer and held out the cigarette to me. I shook my head. “No, thank you.” He shrugged.

“You helped me get Marcus on the compound… You have keen insight into behavior.” Heavens! A compliment from the man that cut out his own wife’s tongue. My eyes darted to Marcus and wondered why they never had another child.

He would cut out her tongue but drew the line at rape? Likes a woman to do all the work and one that wasn’t interested and just laid there wasn’t something a self-important man like him would enjoy.

I watched Marcus making small talk. He didn’t know. By Marcus’s easy manner, he had no idea what we did. How we got Juliet back at the compound. I guess Qadir wouldn’t like me to blab about forcing her hand. My gaze traveled from him to his father.

“You ready?” He blinked his eyes slowly. Acknowledging my question. Would love to know your plans.” I was relaxing. Treading on dangerous territory. I felt like I had just crossed a line. How did I fix it?

“I would love to tell you.” My head snapped up, our gazes locked. What the hell was that? He was unflinching, taking a drag and blowing out the smoke.

Liv had come walking up and heard, but her game face was on. After that, we were in meetings the whole time. It went on for a few days. Small breaks in between and sightseeing. They had come to an agreement for the travel and transport of creatures that would be able to adapt on earth and feed the growing population of vampires.

Jack and Francis were even allowed to oversee that part of the negotiations.

They left as quickly as they came. The platform we were standing on was the only place anyone could come and go via a teleporter. The vampires were particular about creating just one location on each planet for more control.

Before they left, Qadir came over and held out his hand to me. “I feel a kindred spirit in you, Sita. Even if it just in the hate of that Chit.” Reluctantly I took his hand, and he shook mine for the first time.

He turned to Liv. “What are the chances of Sita being the new ambassador.”

Liv seemed surprised. “I will start her training.”

They disappeared with Marcus’s gaze boring into me. Either warning me or… Threatening me.

When they were out of sight, Liv turned to me. “That was a first. Careful there.”

“You don’t have to tell me? Did I just make a friend or an enemy in disguise?”

She patted my shoulder. “The latter my girl… Report here in two days. It’s time you three start the next stage in your education. Remember that notice is most important here. It seems like he got you off on a good start.”

She walked off looking so good that I felt like a complete failure. It wasn't like I brought anything with me. I had to work nights and study during the day just to get by.

***

Kubra

Charlene and I had been in Paris for almost two weeks. It was great. I was enjoying myself. No responsibilities. No cruelty. One thing I could say about Juliet and Charlene was. They respected people. There was always a thank you an acknowledgment of you as a person. Juliet was a little bit more volatile than Charlene but she also had a temper.

There was still no word from anyone. Not Carl or Louis. All we could do was watch the news closely. I was waiting for most of the negotiations to be done. So that we could see what was going to happen. They reported that Qadir had been released and even seen Marcus and him on TV together.

“Is Marcus ever going to go back? Is Juliet with Louis?” Charlene asked.

I shook my head slowly. “Not allowed. Let’s hope… Juliet is taking care of herself. She was pretty upset when I came to take him away five minutes after they arrived.”

Charlene pouted her lips and pretended to whistle. “She’s alone at the compound. I think I should have gone with her. At least we would have been together.”

***

Charlene

Kubra was silent. He was thinking… About taking me there? Would I really go with Miné? I would love to see Juliet. Would they eat me...? Feeling stupid that I didn’t just stay with her in the first place.

“Would it be allowed? Are vampires allowed to take human wives? Can we maybe fake it that I’m one of Marcus’s wives?”

He was quiet and playing with Katty at his feet. She was attacking his shoelaces. Sometimes he just didn’t answer me. Like he got lost in his thoughts. Not like Carl, that was too scared to speak, or Ben with the wrong motives. Kubra weighs every decision whichever way it could go. Calculating every outcome. The one thing he and Marcus shared.

“You know if you let me in… we could chat about it together.” His eyes moved away from the cat. He heard me. He heard everything. It wasn’t like he was absent.

“You want me to leave Charlene?” I was dumbstruck. My hands reached for the back pockets of my very white jeans. He smiled at the gesture watching me closely. Kubra watched me. All the time. Like he didn’t know what I would do next. Self-conscious, I took out my hands and sat down on the chair across from him.

“I… think we should both leave. Wouldn’t you want to see Marcus be at his side?”

“When I see him like that on the TV. All I’m going to do… is run around after him. Be kept busy with more stuff of my father and Qadir.”

“You don’t want to go back, and you’re using me as an excuse.” I thought he would look guilty, but the smirk on his face wasn’t what I expected.

“And what if I am…”

There really was nothing I could say. I understood where he was coming from.

***

Kubra

When I put the Tv on the following day, I heard that Marcus and his Father had traveled to Palmyra. Marcus was so clever that he had lengthy discussions with physicists and meteorologists and any kind of scientists they could throw at him. He was handling everything so well. I wondered if he might have gone to see Chris.

“Charlene!” I ran up the stairs, kind of excited. “Charlene!” I wasn’t thinking and pushed open her bedroom door. She was drying her hair naked. She spun around to the bed to grab her towel. My feet were too quick. It was two steps, and I had caught onto the other half of the white cotton. She pulled, and I pulled. My eyes couldn’t stop roaming over her body.

“Is that all you want from me…? You’ve been dancing around this… But I have to tell you that I’m really tired of putting out and getting nothing in return.”

My fingers opened, hearing her words and the tone in her voice. I dropped the towel. Spun on my heels and walked out of the room. Stopping at the door…

“Just know that I wouldn’t think twice… and No! That’s not all…”

I still didn’t leave, but I also didn’t turn around. “It's not been 2340… It’s more like under fifty… with everything that happened to Marcus and me… it really wasn’t a fun time Charlene. En-gannim isn’t a place where all the men just have sex all the time. And before I came to earth, there was no one. It happened maybe when we were drunk… And things… got really bad. Even less for Marcus…

“Why are you telling me this? What do you want, Kubra?”

“I like you, Charlene. I’m the one that sent you the message that first night. I was watching you. There was really nothing to be afraid of.”

She was quiet behind me.

“I… have been watching you. Getting to know you… It’s been a year. And all I looked forward to was seeing what you and Juliet got up to. You are just as naughty.” I slapped at the door frame and left, closing the door.