Change is sweeping through the world, as humanity fights for autonomy, discord tears apart the foundations of the vampire order, and dhampirs return to the world after centuries of war between two powerful peoples. Dhampirs, creatures known to heral...
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"My progeny is watching from the borders," the man answered the question she hadn't asked aloud, gesturing with his head towards a row of distant buildings. "This scuffle has attracted the attention of many, though not all are welcome. My name is Illiam Silver, and I do not wish this plane to crash into that of the dead. If you might lend me your vessel, I can help more than Tanya Zehir. The woman was a queen bee, larger than the rest but useless without a hive."
Was that some sort of riddle? The vampire should know she had a spectral concussion, and she was starting to wonder if there was more than mush left between her ears as her eyes drooped.
"Tanya's magic is useless now," Illiam spoke after she gave him the most intellectually devoid stare she could manage. "In life, she was able to marionette the bodies of her fallen, of which, there are none left. My magic is not reliant upon my people, but grown from within and more helpful in getting past Dev. That is what you want isn't it? To make it into the void?"
It was.
Spectral energy trailed her face, and Tara cringed as it sparked against her skin. Tara focused on Illiam, and his apologetic expression showed that he knew the gesture was uncomfortable. He'd wanted to touch her, to soothe her, but no ghost could do that. The regret of his condition showed on his face as he sat cross-legged right in her face where she was hunched over.
"I want my progeny to live. That is the only assurance I can provide that I am not here to harm you. If you are hesitant, it will be difficult to integrate with your body. I will need absolute acceptance of my will, or I will be unable to help you even if I manage to possess your body. My fighting style and magic are physical, and they will damage your frail form if there is resistance."
Tara sighed as she thumped her head on the ground right at the juncture where his legs overlapped. As much as she wanted to call bullshit, she knew he was right. Tanya moving her was painful enough, and Tara had never wanted her there. Accepted to a point, yes, but wanted, no. Perhaps the ghost hooker would have fared better if Tara had given her complete control, but she'd always held back enough that she could kick Tanya out if she thought to do anything nefarious.
If she gave her body to this man completely, she would not be able to expel him.
"Tara!" Jesse's voice snapped her out of the life or death decision she'd been about to make as their entire party surrounded her. Ice touched her face as Jesse carefully turned her on her back, allowing her to look up into his despairing blue eyes surrounding by all his wonderfully dark skin. Someone had hit him in the head, it seemed, because blood dripped down the side of his face and marred the smooth beauty she was used to.
A half turn of her head to the left showed Neil and Silvia were littered with scrapes and bruises. They'd only managed to move to her side because Falz and Vincent had surrounded them with light magic and silver threads to push the specters back. The break in the fighting would last seconds before the specters sling-shotted back.
