Shield of Innocence (Alternate Places Book 4) Read online

  Lyn looked too, as the woman got near the table, seeming a bit like she didn't know if she could sit with them or not. It was possible, her inner self spoke to him, looking much larger and more furry, that these women were part of some secret plan. Not that she couldn't be in on that, being the head of the Nation of Line Walkers security forces. It was clear that she was still putting in time at the power lifting gym, since she wore the gray sweats they all did there.

  Zack half stood, and gestured for her to get a chair from a different table.

  "Hey Hilda. These new people are Lyn, short of Kaitlyn, and Eve. They're from a different reality, but are line walkers, so we're getting them to join up with us here. They'll be going home in a few days."

  The big lady, looking like she could possibly go do a shoot for playboy, with very little makeup, smiled hugely.

  "Ah! That is very good then! I am Hildagarde of the Trollienkeine. You have such as I am there, in your strange and distant land?" She was making her face polite, but covertly sniffed toward the new Alede. They often smelled a bit to her people, but she seemed to think this new one wasn't too bad. She settled only three seats away from her, next to Troy.

  Lyn nodded.

  "Oh, sure. We even have a Hilda. She looks a little different than you do. I bet you're the same person from different places though. Nice to meet you."

  The larger woman nodded.

  "I too, am pleased to meet our new people. We should have a party, dancing and roasting meat on the fire pit, but this would strain those that are sensitive to cold. It is the chill season here. Soon we shall harvest the tress of sacrifice, and deck our halls with their severed limbs, as a warning to their kind. Then sing the sacred ballads of this season." She intoned this all solemnly. So seriously it was cute.

  Zack didn't smile over it, since it was also a pretty accurate description of the day, to his way of thinking. He did need to get some good decorations going. All the stores had a little, but it was time to get something flashy going.

  As he thought about that more food came, including a container of things for Lisa, in a Styrofoam container, with several napkins and real silverware on the top.

  "For Lisa, later?" Merry looked at the floor, shame creeping onto her face. About not doing the work herself.

  Zack got it, but Eve winked at her.

  "I can take that right now. Don't worry, I won't miss much of the conversation. I can hear what everyone is saying." She stood slowly, with a lot of grace, then turned, and moved so fast, she vanished. Less than two seconds later, she was back, settling back into her seat, with the food gone. Delivered, no doubt.

  Zack snorted.

  "All right, so you get to do the quick deliveries from now on. Good to know."

  Then he ate, since there wasn't a lot else he could really do at the moment.

  Chapter three

  That evening they all met in the front room after dinner. The reaction to having two new line walkers, ones that seemed to come from nowhere to a lot of people there, was generally positive. Zack had been afraid that it would seem like too much, coming in too quickly for some of them.

  After all, it was nearly impossible to do, so could feel wrong, or like a trick to the more paranoid people there. His big worry at the moment was Claire, who had been watching the new vampire woman Eve, with an intensity that nearly had to presage an attack. The big problem there was that if his wife did that, Zack didn't know if the girl he'd brought in would spare her life.

  His vampire's shadow was actually a good bit more polite, internally. Speaking questions as to what this new thing was. Finally, sitting very close to Zack on one of the large cream colored sofas, she smoothed her old fashioned long dress, and smiled at both of the new people.

  "Well, this is exciting, isn't it? It makes sense that a different version of Kaitlyn might manage the same feat. Learning to walk the lines like that is... Incredible isn't too small of a word for it. I wasn't aware that a vampire would be able to do the same thing, however." She made herself seem slightly troubled, then winced, playing it up a bit. "When I went into the lines my mind nearly broke after half a year. I'd feel bad about that, but most do no better. None of the other vampires have managed it so far. Can you explain that to me?" Her eyes tinged with blood red, but only in the center of them. It would get worse if she were really worked up.

  Eve titled her head a bit, forced a smile she didn't mean, and then shrugged.

  "To be totally honest, no. It could be a lot of different factors here. One of them was that I had training before I even became a vampire. I starved myself for days at a time, for years, learning to deal with hunger. In my first year... Well, I had to put down some troublemakers that were going to kill a bunch of Christian protestors. I... Are you all out here yet?" She looked around, but not one seemed to understand her at first.

  Rather, they got the idea, but no one could believe what she was trying to say.

  Over on the other sofa, sitting between Nikki and David, Betty made a skeptical face and shook her head.

  "Wait, people, like normal ones, know all about vampires in your world?"

  Lyn the Alede double of Kate snorted.

  "Oh, yeah. Not just them either. They know pretty much everything now. People there have a real block against being able to remember that kind of thing is real however. I mean, like you can show them powers and stuff, and the next day they just think they dreamed it. About two thirds of the time, anyway. It took real work to get them up to speed. You don't seem to have that here? Your Troy is way more accepting that way. Ours is good, and a vampire now, but until he changed, he really had to struggle at times to believe everything." She shrugged, looked at the real Troy, and winked. "Sorry, I got off topic. The point is that people do know about us. A greater demon set up some vampires to attack people about two weeks after the big announcement. At a night club that the Vampire Council owns, the Tarran 2 LA. So Eve killed a dozen of them, to protect the innocent people. Then the council ordered her to be locked up in a glass coffin. Alone. For six months, with no food, or company even."

  That pronouncement got a bit of a cough from Eve and wide eyes from the other vampires present, including Claire.

  Eve didn't make them wait for an explanation of that part, thankfully. More than one of them looked like they were going to burst, trying to find out how she'd survived.

  "I learned how to keep the energy links to my hosts alive and strong, using magic. Then, to keep from going mad I meditated the entire time, more or less. Though, to be fair, the Council only ordered six weeks. The rest was set up by my friend Keeley, to get me out of the way, I think. She's never explained the whole thing, but greater demons don't always. So, that might be part of it, too. I've been alone with my thoughts for a long time before." She looked around the room, and let her eyes rest on Chris, the thin boy smiling at her a bit, and not looking away instantly.

  Zack would have at his age. Eve was pretty enough for the movies, and wasn't even acting like she held no interest in the kid. Not that either of them were that any longer.

  Troy waved at her a bit, and cleared his throat.

  "Wait. I don't think we should dash past the important part here. The other Troy is a bad assed master vampire now? I knew I'd be good at it." He smirked a bit, as the others all groaned, if softly.

  Next to him Claire chuckled, not meaning it.

  "She didn't say that. It takes hundreds of years for one to be a true master. You must walk the day, for one thing. Show discipline in how you feed as well. Though, Eve, you mentioned energy links? Don't you just take power from the blood directly?"

  That got a head shake.

  "No. We can do that, but it's a lot more efficient to form a link to an energy source, and draw on that. Don't you all do that? I don't know if that's a learned thing or not. I mean we have to teach the little vamps to understand they are doing that... Can I get back to you on that? As for the other thing... Troy is a master vampire. Also less than two years int
o the whole thing." She smirked, as the others looked at her, unbelieving.

  David, brushing at his curly black hair, rolled his eyes at her. He was good looking, for a guy, but Eve just looked at him, not all that interested for some reason.

  "Oh? I suppose I must be the Ambassador there then? I've been around for nearly fifty years. Over here at least." There was a bit too much derision in the words, which got Nikki to make a face at him.

  "Don't be rude, Dave. Different worlds are bound to have different things happening in them."

  Eve didn't attack, or even seem upset, just holding up two fingers. Then she grinned at the fellow, locking eyes until he looked away. On the shadow level there had been a rather impressive display of power and threats, the internal monsters yelling at each other. Eve's was vast and powerful however, David's much more modest seeming, so he went silent and sat there, not moving in the slightest.

  Then Eve chuckled.

  "Second in command of the Iowa Node, now. And yes, before you ask, also a master vampire. One of my skills is getting people through that, so they can stay up all day. I don't know if it will work here, but if I can learn to travel back and forth, so I don't miss too much work back home, I'd love to try it? We need to see if you all just missed out on forming links or not. I think that I can trace that down, but I'll need a volunteer..." She looked around the room, and cutely enough Chris raised his hand.

  "Oh, pick me, pick me!" His inner being did the same thing.

  At least to Zack's eyes. Everyone else saw things differently, he knew. The closest to him was actually Don, of all people. Then, they were related by blood, if very different inside.

  The hot vampire girl laughed and shook her head.

  "Not for that. I have other ideas for you, but let's talk about that later? Alone? For this I need to examine a vampire or two, while in a trance. Just to check their links, and all that." Her inner being turned to Zack then, and smiled, her fangs showing.

  I'll steal the boy for a while? I think he'd do well, working at our node.

  There was a lot more, in the subtext, but Zack ignored most of it. On purpose. The main point was that she wouldn't let him come to harm, and coddling him wasn't going to help him now. She could see that. Then, everything about what she'd said was counter to that. This wasn't a person that took it easy on others as a rule.

  A thing that they probably needed to get on board with, if it was possible for their people to be upgraded like that. The vampires at any rate.

  Looking at Eve, he saw her links, as she'd described them. Fine lines of flowing energy that worked backwards through the world, twisting and rippling with soft pink power. Life energy. When he looked at the others there, he saw that same thing going on. At least for the undead. It was fainter, but there. Then the new girl had said that she'd worked out how to make the things last longer.

  People had been speaking, and Lyn said his name, twice. He'd missed the whole conversation, having become too focused for the room he was in.

  "Sorry! I zoned out, looking at the energy links. It seems right to me, from the description. For the vampires?"

  Eve sat up, and then nodded three times. It was all very precise, and a little phony seeming.

  "Nifty! We can probably do a lot then, that way. I'll still need volunteers. Vampires that aren't afraid to die." She was hamming things up, playfully, and everyone except the vampires got the idea.

  Hilda smiled then, and stood, stretched a bit.

  "All of the beings here are most brave. We should hold contests to see who will be allowed to do this, and gain the powers of this far off strange world! It will be most entertaining. Should we move to back of house, in the well cared for field?"

  Zack smiled, getting that she meant the back yard, which was nice, and big enough for the wrestling and heavy lifting that she had in mind.

  He shook his head though.

  "I think... First, we should take people into the void. The one that lasts longest will earn the opportunity to try first?" That got a glance at Claire, since they were her people, and then Eve, who was offering that training.

  No one even moved for a bit, except Hilda, who went serious and nodded somberly.

  "That is a most dangerous and hard testing! My people will have many ballads to sing about it. Those brave enough to risk death, to gain the prize of power and aid their people to greatness..."

  Still, no one moved for a long time, until Troy stood.

  "I... I don't know if I can do this, but I'll go first?" No one else had even moved, and his shadow spoke of going in, to show the others that it could be done. A lot of them had turned down the offer to try, from fear, including him.

  He wasn't a coward however, and could see what this might mean for the rest of them. If they took the chance.

  For some reason, Eve Benson, vampire from another world, smiled and started to nod.

  "Great plan. You can go and learn the line walking stuff first, too. I don't know, but I bet that if you can do that, you'll make the early training with no problem. It really does save a lot of time and effort. You know, after you change into a vampire? We should go get to that first, then the rest of you can try it."

  It was funny, but a small trickle of silver and pink flowed from her, to Troy then. It was different than what he'd seen or noticed before, but when she spoke the next line, there was power to it, that impressed itself onto the human she was looking at.

  "You can do this, Troy. Learn to walk the lines, and the rest. I have great faith in you."

  Zack stood up, and waved then.

  "Come on then. We'll be back in a day or two. Or, actually, a few hours. I'll start out in distorted time, so that it won't take that long. I want to make certain we have all the new line walkers off to work in the morning for training and practice. If we aren't back though, the rest of you can cover my shift for me?" He smiled, since there were five people that could give it a try now.

  If they couldn't manage it working as a group, then he'd have to find a hat to eat.

  His oldest friend looked at him, a bit of fear in his eyes, which he hid by walking toward the kitchen. Troy didn't speak at all, and there was no shaking, even though the whole thing was about as insane seeming to him as anything ever had been.

  Zack walked firmly, and took him by the arm to lead him from the shortcut that was just outside the kitchen door into the back of Something Wonderful, which was still opened. It would be until nine that night.

  Maryl and Libby were working it at the moment, since it was near Christmas enough that people were actually there trying to arrange massive amounts of baskets for people. In the back, at a long work table, Charli sat, working at filling orders. Making the actual baskets from people. That meant the place was a mess now, and would be for the rest of the month.

  Without speaking to her, he turned to Troy, and let his inner self rise up, becoming huge. Like the vampires did when they compelled people. Then he spoke gently on the outside, making sure his friend would do the best he possibly could.

  "All right, Troy. I want you to focus, and stay that way. Your mind won't stray and if it starts to, you'll instantly come back to a single point. Over and over." On the Shadow level, his giant, angry seeming self screamed at the poor, unsuspecting human man.

  DO IT! DO IT NOW! IF YOU FAIL, YOU DIE!

  Troy took a single deep breath and nodded. "Got it. You do know that I'm afraid of the dark, don't you? I mean, it isn't like I need a night light, but... Yeah. This void sounds like the exact opposite of what would be fun for me."

  The thing there was that he both meant it, and was willing to go and do what had to be done anyway. Of course he wasn't going for himself, but to help the others, so they'd know it wasn't that bad, and would be willing to try.

  Looking at the man, Zack felt really proud for a moment. He was a human too, but willing to face his greatest fears to help others. A thing that he had been doing for a long time now. Going off with the strange pale, tall vampire that
came, and helping the being find lost and abused children. Fighting, and even killing, to either get them back or avenge them.

  It was both brave, and needed. Someone had to speak for the innocent after all.

  Zack smiled.

  "You can do this. When it feels like you can't, keep moving back to a single point. I won't lie, this will be hard at times, but you're the strongest person I've ever met, Troy. I think that Eve was right about that. You can do this. I have great faith in you, too. Also, I'll be there the whole time, so, you know, other than it being dark, you won't have anything to worry about." Then, without saying anything more, and knowing that Charli was watching them closely, her eyes wide, Zack stepped through, dragging an unsuspecting Troy Lopez with him.

  Wrapping his best friend up in his own being, ready to move out of the line if he couldn't handle it. Keeping that part of his thoughts away from him.

  The sense of the nothingness around them was vast, and small at the same time. Comforting to him. Troy on the other hand had to fight back raw panic over the idea. It was so great that Zack nearly pulled him from the line, even as time slowed around them. Inside a few hours however, that was gone, and his pal was making it. Focusing like he'd told him to.

  Not giving up, like Eve had said.

  At about five years, earlier than anyone else had ever managed, Zack spoke to him, and then, carefully, set him adrift in the void, on his own. Waiting, in that timeless single moment that stretched out for decades, then over a hundred years. Finally, Troy moved back to him, butting into him gently with the dense and tight ball of intent that he'd become.

  What time is it? Outside?

  It was a first. Most of the others had barely remembered the outer world at that point in their training, but Troy had come to help others, so it seemed right that he'd worry about them.

  Let's go see? My best guess is that it will be an hour or two. Maybe less. I'll show you how to find the node points and open them? You can do that now. Then I'll abandon you here, and you can either become millions of years old, or work out how to escape. That sounds fun, right?