Chapter 13

SPARTA

DAY THIRTY-FIVE

Admiral Jamerl sat with Dilios and Panos in the Senate library, the stacks of data pads and scrolls piled high on the table around them. They had been here for thirty six hours now, going through the mounds of information pertaining to disappearances of individuals from Sparta over the years. Several pitchers of water, tea and coffee dotted the table as well as half empty mugs and empty plates of food.

Jamerl leaned back in his chair and rubbed his tanned face with both hands and let out a huge exhale. Dilios and Panos both looked at him.

"We have been at this a long time Jamerl." Dilios spoke. "You are an Admiral ... do you not have others who could do this with us?"

Jamerl nodded. "I do."

"Then why do it yourself?" Panos asked.

"I've been here for over a month now, and I have never felt so at home." Jamerl spoke leaning forward, "Your people ... my people ... here in Sparta. You are so much closer to your instincts here. You follow laws, strict laws, but you do not push aside what we are inside. What we can become. It is refreshing to not have to subdue completely what my natural instincts tell me to do."

"You have done this away from Sparta?" Dilios asked.

Jamerl nodded. "King Resumar ... when he first brought us out of the darkness, he taught us to harness and control our natural instincts like you have here. After his death and in our haste to continue along the path he laid for us we have forgotten what it means to be us."

"You do not think King Resumar would have wanted this I take it?" Dilios spoke.

Jamerl shook his head. "Not to the extent that we have buried our past. We are the same species, all of us, but here on earth in Sparta you chose to remain true to the nature of our people."

Panos nodded. "That is true ... but we also did not know who and what we truly were until King Leonidas discovered himself last year."

"Yes ... but you had the Oracle with you, and you grew out of a brutal past, the Spartan way of life was brutal wasn't it?" Jamerl asked.

Dilios and Panos both nodded. "Extremely so." Dilios spoke. "Yet over time we came to change and see that we needed to adapt or become extinct."

"You decided to change your ways just as we did." Jamerl said. "But in many ways you remained closer to our true nature than we did. The mating ritual, the Ceremony of the Centennial of the Moon for instance, we have not practiced that ritual in over seven thousand years! I doubt there are many who even know the significance of it anymore with the exception of Gorgo and some other scholars. How you deal justice is another; they are simple things that we have forgotten over the thousands of years."

"All things that can be relearned with time and patience," The female voice spoke.

They turned to see Thr'won standing behind them in the doorway holding a large tray and bag of food. All of them got to their feet and Dilios moved up to her.

"Thr'won ... it is good to see you." He spoke taking the bag from her.

Thr'won looked tired and disheveled, but her eyes were bright and alert. "They told me you were here so I stopped at Demetrius's café and got food and stronger drinks. He is rebuilding quickly with all the new technology and items we have discovered so far."

"The Oracle?" Panos asked.

"She is resting." Thr'won spoke. "I reinforced her psychic shields for the evening, but they want to try and begin to bring her out of the coma tomorrow. I decided I could do more here than waiting at her bedside with Lunta and the others."

Jamerl cleared a chair for her to sit down and motioned her over to the table. "Have a seat Chief Mage ... I am Admiral Jamerl. We've only met briefly."

Thr'won smiled as she settled into the chair. "Yes I know Admiral. Dysea speaks very highly of you. She seems to think that you are one of very few who has the 'balls' as she put it, to actually do something more than give mindless orders."

Jamerl looked taken aback. "I hope that is a good thing?" He asked as he took the chair next to her.

Thr'won chuckled as did Dilios and Panos. "You have not known Queen Dysea long Admiral, but you should know that while she is the most level headed of the King's Queens due to her elf heritage, once she reaches her point of explosion, it is best to be out of her line of sight. She is quite good with her Nehtes."

Jamerl smiled. "Why do I not find that hard to believe?" He spoke. "I'm coming to see why the King is so comfortable with those he calls friends. The elves I have met are much more passionate about things than those in the Union, something that is rubbing off on those within my fleet thankfully. This Colonel Nestor, the cloned Vampire colonel, he is as dedicated to his profession as any I have seen, and Chief Administrator Selene trusts him implicitly. The King certainly has chosen to surround himself with a diverse group of men and women of like mind, and that is the best thing of all."

Thr'won smiled. "We couldn't agree more with that Admiral," She said. "Now what exactly are we doing here?"

Panos handed her several data pads. "We are cross referencing those who have been in Sparta in the last five years and comparing them to a list of Lycavorians provided to us by Jamerl; Lycavorians that are smugglers, mercenaries and such and that would have access to Sparta and Apo Prime."

Thr'won looked at Jamerl. "But they would need access to a ship wouldn't they Admiral? A ship and a place to store that ship; land that ship, all without being detected?"

Jamerl nodded. "Whoever they are, we have determined at least that they were working for the High Coven." He spoke. "Many of the names you see on that list are Lycavorians that chose to work with the Coven in the years during our time as slaves. We have extensive files on many of them, and that is what we have been studying."

Thr'won looked at the pads and scrolls, "So many?" She asked.

Jamerl nodded. "There were thousands of our people who, for whatever reason, began working with the Coven. Veldruk was not above bribery. We..." The chime on his utility belt communicator echoed softly in the room. "Excuse me." He said. "This is Jamerl."

"Admiral it is Second Officer Bathias."

"Go ahead."

"Admiral ... I was running the requests that you asked for sir." The young voice spoke. "On planned travel routes that took ships close enough to Earth to launch small transports."

"It is finished already?" Jamerl asked.

"No Admiral ... something came through on the secondary searches that you asked me to conduct, sir, on the names and profiles of all those related to Talracian Ore research project."

Jamerl came forward in his chair. "You found something?" He asked surprised.

"Admiral may I transmit it to your secure data pad?"

"You can't transmit it openly?" Jamerl asked the alarms going off in his head now.

"It's probably better if I don't Admiral." The voice spoke.

Jamerl nodded and removed the data pad from the inside pocket of his jacket which was slung across the back of the chair. "Go ahead Bathias."

"Transmitting now Admiral,"

Dilios, Panos and Thr'won sat there quietly as they watched Jamerl's face start out impassive as ever and rapidly grow to one of astonishment.

"Jamerl ... what is wrong?" Dilios asked. "What have you found?"

Jamerl came to his feet. "Bathias ... has anyone detected this search on Apo Prime yet?"

"I don't believe so Admiral. I routed it through a lesser used security terminal in Fleet Headquarters." The man replied.

"Erase it Bathias!" Jamerl snapped. "Erase that this was ever done! And do it quickly!"

"Understood Admiral, I'm erasing the request and all backup files now." They could hear the young officer's hands working at his console.

"Bathias ... you make three copies of what you just sent me and then erase it from our databanks as well. Leave no trace that it was ever done. Then get on the first STRIKER coming to earth with your copies and meet me in Eden City." Jamerl ordered.

"As you order Admiral."

"Speak with no one Bathias; you are under direct orders from me now. Move son!" Jamerl spoke.

Dilios had come to his feet now, his face showing his confusion. "Jamerl what is going on? What have you discovered?"

Jamerl leaned over the table and began sifting through the data pads and scrolls, "The casualty list from the Battle of Eden City!" He exclaimed. "Where is it?"

Panos snatched the pad from the corner of the table near him and held it out. "Here!"

Jamerl took it from him and began sifting through the profiles and names. His face froze and he stopped. He thrust it back out to Dilios. "This man died in Eden City?" He demanded.

Dilios took the pad and looked at it. "Yes ... why?"

Jamerl held up his personal pad. "We must speak with Queen Dysea right now! This man reported for work this morning on Apo Prime, in the Talracian Research Project Headquarters!"

ENURRUA

"We supported you Chetak!" Lucvaun spoke in the transmission holoprojection. "When you told us you wished to fulfill your Blood Oath against the line of Resumar we supported you. We supported your plan to insinuate ourselves within the Union Chetak, using this female. You took the traitor King's woman, she chose Joric as her mate during the Lunmai, and now she is running around with dragons killing my men! And you have taken three days to return my call! Why?"

"I have been busy insuring our future Lucvaun." Chetak spoke as he poured himself a large glass of ale. "Even now ... the Republic has acquired an additional three companies within the Union to expand our influence. Our Senator is preparing to have a bill passed that will give us access to their military and even more of their secrets! You must be patient." He said returning to the chair behind the large desk.

"What about my men?"

"Lucvaun you have thousands of soldiers in your family." Chetak said.

"The Firespitter cooked my youngest son alive!" Lucvaun screamed.

"Then have another son!" Chetak hissed at him angrily. "There are thousands of our women coming of age every week! Pick one and claim her and make her give you another son! We are Alphas ... that is what we do! Now start acting like it!"

Lucvaun was silent for a long moment. "And what of the upaee mate to your son?" Lucvaun asked.

"I have had our Senator informed Deia that she is dead so that we can hunt her without fear of Union interference." Chetak spoke. "We did not know she would have the skills she does Lucvaun. I also did not expect her to be so unreceptive to Joric's advances. Our information told us that she and those from this city of Sparta followed the old ways. That would apparently not be the case. I have tasted some of the young things my son Rommna was able to take from Sparta Lucvaun. They are not like our women. They are sweeter and much more compliant to us once you beat them two or three times, not like this Aricia. I will send you one."

Lucvaun looked at him in the transmission. "When I find this upaee I will nubous her until she begs me for death!"

Chetak nodded. "That is your right my friend. What of Isra and the she-elf wolf?"

"That was one of the hunting parties the upaee destroyed." Lucvaun spoke. "We detected them by chance really, moving into the leading edges of the southern mountain range. My men trailed them for a day, but Isra is no fool, regardless of what you and Joric think of him. They eluded us and disappeared once more. The group I had looking for them was destroyed the second day of the wench's rampage. We have not seen them since."

"Why the southern mountain ranges?" Chetak asked. "There is nothing there but barren wastes."

Lucvaun shook his head. "I don't know. I was preparing a larger force to move into the mountains themselves by the end of the week."

Chetak nodded. "Do that. I will send you a force of my men to assist."

"Chetak ... the Firespitter is mine!" Lucvaun spoke. "I will stuff its head and mount it on my wall!"

Chetak nodded. "I will look forward to seeing that. We will speak again in a few days Lucvaun. Good luck." Chetak ended the transmission and sat back in the chair looking at Joric who had seen it all sitting on the couch along the wall, "Igord!" (Fool)

"Father you promised I would have Aricia." Joric spoke.

Chetak looked at him. "Lucvaun is neither smart enough nor skilled enough to take her down. She will continue to torment him in the south while we grow stronger up here." He spoke. "She is malda Joric, in bloodlust, useless now for anything. You need to concentrate on discovering where your brother is and getting this she-elf under our control. She controls this planet Earth, and if she is mated to you then we control this planet. It is the richest Talracian Ore find in the universe in the last thousand years. With our connections now becoming firmer within the Union community and our spy in the government, we can begin to take control of many more things, as well as make ourselves rich."

"You want me to lead this contingent to the south and search for her?" Joric asked.

Chetak nodded. "Take some experienced men, perhaps thirty or forty and find her Joric." He said.

"You realize they have not officially announced that she is dead within the Union." Joric spoke getting to his feet.

Chetak nodded. "I know. It is something I am going to remedy soon. Our Senator is holding a conference today and he will announce it to the Senate and the Union. It will make this traitor King even more malda than he is now. Then we can petition to have him removed, according to the constitution."

"And Deia?"

Chetak sat back. "Deia is stronger than I thought and has powerful friends. We may not be able to get her removed, but our actions have limited her options considerably. She is neutralized for the time being."

Joric nodded and began heading for the door. "I will prepare the men."

"Joric..." Chetak waited until his son turned back to him. "Do not face her alone Joric. You are strong son, but her rage has made her unpredictable and dangerous, especially if she has found some way to tame the dragons. Be mindful of what we are trying to do. They will eventually corner her and take her back. She is like any wild animal. They will make a mistake and condemn themselves."

Joric nodded. "Don't worry father, after seeing the images of this she-elf, I have found I have developed a taste for elf flesh."

Chetak smiled as Joric turned and walked out. He got up and went to pour himself ale, not flinching when the faint scent filtered across his nostrils. He didn't turn as he lifted the mug to his lips and drank deeply.

"Joric is ruled by his hormones Chetak. You should not trust him with your plans." The shadow spoke in a deep male voice.

Chetak smiled. "He has his uses and he is loyal to me as my son Veldruk." He replied turning slowly to gaze at the Vampire High Lord. "Something Xerxes was not, in regards to you."

"Xerxes was a fool." Veldruk spoke moving further into the light to reveal his gaunt features and alert eyes. "He allowed his emotions to overrule his head, not that it would have mattered against the son of Leonidas."

"You think highly of this fool son of a dead King Veldruk." Chetak spoke. "He is still a man ... and now he is in the grips of a rampage that is laying waste to your once invincible fortress on Ukwav."

Veldruk smiled. "He will not win on Ukwav. As we speak I have a dozen High Coven Fleet Groups moving towards Ukwav. I will not allow him to crack the seal. Pray he does not discover what you have done Chetak."

"I do not fear him." Chetak spoke. "And as long as your people do their jobs he will never learn of it."

Veldruk nodded. "Yuri has returned home with the plans and formulas of our clones. They will not discover the extent of the infiltration until it is too late. You have fulfilled your Blood Oath against Resumar, and you will have your victory."

Chetak nodded. "And you will have the formula and resources to build your new ships, just as we agreed."

Veldruk nodded. He stepped forward and placed the pad on the desk. "I recommend these two acquisitions next." He spoke moving to the side slowly.

Chetak went to the desk and lifted the pad, scanning it with his eyes, and "Interesting." He said turning to look at Veldruk. "Why?"

Veldruk's smile revealed his fangs, "A personal request."

"So now you wish to invest in Apo Prime Veldruk? You..." Chetak's eyes went wide when Veldruk wrapped himself in shadows and disappeared.

EARTH

SPARTA

Isabella walked back out of the small kitchen the tea in her hands and she stopped, her hazel/green eyes falling on Dysea. She watched her as she sat on the couch in the villa, her platinum blond hair cascading to the small of her back and shining in the light of the room. Isabella took in the deepness of her satiny tanned skin, the swell of her firm breasts under the thin robe she wore. Data pads and scrolls were scattered about her on the couch and the floor as she sat lotus style on the couch, her hazel/green eyes always drifting to the shadows that hid Dysea's center between her thighs.

Seventeen hundred years of life and Isabella had never once even entertained the thought of bedding another woman, let alone a woman of elf and now wolf blood. Now after meeting this she-elf who was now wolf, it was all she could think about. Isabella knew Lycavorians were much more open in regards to their sexuality, and it appeared the elves that Dymas had created here on earth were much the same way. Dysea had made it very clear that she wanted Isabella, the blistering kiss they had shared on the LEONIDAS I and then when they were returning here to Earth was testament to that. She knew Dysea shared a similar relationship with Anja and Aricia, and again she was not shy about admitting that or describing the pleasures the three of them had given and taken to and from each other. Isabella had no doubts that had none of this happened, she would have already surrendered to Dysea in that way. What astonished her most of all was that Dysea didn't care that she was a vampire. She didn't care that Isabella was from the same species that was currently oppressing over half the universe with an iron grip. And Dysea didn't care that Isabella needed blood to sustain her life.

Isabella was a pureblood vampire, and therefore her need to feed on blood was never a danger unless she denied it for too long. She could go two months without taking blood before the trembling got to be too much. Normal food and liquid could sustain her for that long. Isabella's life was one violent experience after another. She may have been the daughter of the High Vampire Lord, but Isabella inherited her mother's love of the arts and music and entertainment. She went to the finest schools and played the part of arrogant Vampire Princess to perfection. Until they day her father gave her to that vile excuse of a Vampire Overlord in a ploy to garner unyielding support. The man had been a putrid pretext for a vampire, and he had raped and brutalized her for nearly two years before Isabella could no longer take it and with her mother's help she escaped.

Her mother paid the ultimate price for that, and Isabella had watched her die in the street like an animal at her father's hand. That had begun the cycle of violence that until recently had become the center of her life.

The day she had been branded with the Shi Viska, her life had taken a dramatic and quite abrupt turn in the opposite direction. Her discussions with Gorgo had revealed so much to her, Gorgo's immediate acceptance of her, and her desire to show her that not all life was violence and death. Gorgo had told her it wasn't her son who had chosen Isabella; it was Isabella who had chosen her son when she was branded with the Shi Viska. The day that weapon had become part of her, her once singular life became so much larger. She now had no doubts that one day she would sit as one of four Queens of the Lycavorian Union; she had no doubts that despite her misgivings and trepidations she would share Martin Leonidas's bed. She would share the bed of a pureblood wolf and break every tie to her vampire heritage and past. And despite her fear of that moment, Isabella strangely found herself wondering what it would be like, and hoping it was everything Dysea said sharing Martin's bed was like.

Then there was Dysea.

The platinum blond haired she-elf stirred her in a way that no one ever had. She made her feel things she could not explain, things that felt so very wonderful; the racing of her heart when Dysea was so close to her, the smell of her sweet blood in her veins; and the almost completely uncontrollable urge to have this she-elf taste her in a way no one ever had, and for Isabella to return that. She found herself wondering what Dysea tasted like more and more now, especially since she would watch Dysea return from her morning runs in wolf form and sink into the cool water of the pool outside the villa. Seeing the water glisten off her naked body and mingle with that thin strip of platinum hair above her pierced clit drove Isabella mad. Her body would become heated in a way she'd never felt, her own pierced clit and nipples becoming instantly aroused and begging to be fed upon.

Isabella knew she could no longer suppress the desire within her for this woman, and her heart raced as she moved towards her on the couch.

Dysea smelled her come into the room but didn't look up. "Bella ... I have found three transmissions of a kind I have never seen before." She spoke looking at the scroll in her hand. "One soon after Nauta Melme came here to Sparta, one just after we went to Thermopylae, and then just hours before the bombing at the café." She felt Isabella settle to the couch next to her and turned, "Bella?"

Isabella's eyes had changed to vampire cobalt blue in her rising desire and she stared at Dysea. "Dysea..."

Dysea lowered the scroll upon seeing her eyes and she caught the heavy scent of lilacs fill the air from Isabella's arousal. "Bella..." She spoke in a husky voice.

"I do not wish to wait any longer Dysea." Isabella spoke. "I ... I want to make you ussta she-elf now!"

Though they were only inches apart Isabella blurred for a second, using her vampire speed and then her lips were on Dysea's, grabbing for what she so desired. Dysea practically tossed the scroll to the floor, her hands going to Isabella's face and pulling her down on top of her as she returned the wildly erotic kiss from her vampire Princess, their tongues mingling and tasting new territory and new sensations. Her hands dropped from Isabella's porcelain face and tugged insistently at the shirt she wore, before finally in frustration she used her elfin wolf strength to simply tear open the front of the shirt. Isabella gasped as Dysea pulled their lips apart, her delicate hands coming up to knead Isabella's much larger breasts firmly yet lovingly. Dysea's emerald eyes grew in lust when she saw the nipples pierced and standing oh so very stiff.

Isabella's cobalt blue eyes grew wide and she reached up with a hand, filling her fingers with Dysea's platinum hair as her soft warm lips engulfed her nipple and nibbled on the silver stud piercing. Isabella had done the piercings as a means to remind her of pain, yet she never imagined the exquisite pleasure they would bring as Dysea's tongue flicked madly over her nipple. Dysea's hands dropped to Isabella's powerful ass and pulled her closer while she fed on Isabella's breasts like a starved puppy.

"Ohhhh ... Dysea!" Isabella gasped, pleasuring surging through her body like a slow burning fire.

The chime on the door interrupted their heated passion, Isabella's eyes coming up quickly to look at the hallway to the door. "A l' phraktos ele nin?" Isabella gasped in the ancient tongue of the vampire language. (By the gods why now?)

Dysea had her face pressed tightly to Isabella's breasts, her hands holding possessively to her firm ass, and she took deep breaths to cool the heated passion that was raging through her. She whispered unintelligible words, hoping that they would go away, but it wasn't to be as the chime rang once more.

Dysea tossed her head back on the couch, "Nubou!" She swore in the ancient Lycavorian language.

Isabella looked down at her beautiful face, Dysea's salvia rapidly drying on her breast. She stared at her with her cobalt blue eyes and smiled. "I see your relationship with Martin has granted you knowledge of the ancient Lycavorian tongue Dysea." She said with a seductive smile. "We ... we will continue this later ussta she-elf." She spoke her words dripping with desire and need.

Dysea pulled her face down for a breath stealing kiss, curling her legs up along Isabella's hips and feeling her large breasts pressing tightly against her own. After a long moment she pulled away and smiled up at her.

"I am so very glad you did not wait Bella." She spoke softly. "I was beside myself trying to control my desire."

"It takes longer for my blood to cool Dysea. Perhaps you should go get rid of them, whoever they are." Isabella spoke tracing her long finger up between Dysea's breasts.

Dysea moved quickly, springing from the couch and wrapping the robe around her tighter while moving for the door. She slammed her hand down on the panel in frustration and started to speak until she saw who was behind the door. Jamerl, Dilios and Panos stood three abreast, Thr'won in front of them. Dysea turned and looked at her Spartan Captain.

"Lexi?" She asked.

The woman shrugged. "They said it was urgent Milady." She spoke.

Jamerl stepped forward quickly, detecting the heightened scent of the Queen but disregarding it as the military officer he was. "Queen Dysea ... we must speak with you now!" He almost demanded.

Dysea smoothed back her hair and nodded. "Come in." She spoke motioning them into the villa.

Thr'won looked at her sheepishly as she came up. "Forgive the interruption Dysea ... but..."

Dysea shook her head quickly. "You would not have come here unless it was important." She spoke ushering her inside.

Dysea walked behind them, taking deep breaths to calm her still racing heart and the heat in her blood. She silently cursed her wolf blood at times like these because it took so long for the ache to leave once it was aroused. Her eyes found Isabella quickly; seeing her sitting on the couch holding the tea. She had refastened her shirt as much as possible considering Dysea and torn most of the buttons off when she ripped it open.

[Mindvoice Shielded] Bella I am so sorry.

Do not be sorry Dysea ussta she-elf. Knowing what I felt from just a graze of your touch will keep me wanting more and more. I am a vampire. I can be very patient.

It will be worth every moment I promise you.

Dysea turned to Jamerl. "Very well Admiral ... what is it that you have found." She spoke. "Actually I believe I may have found something as well, but since you are here now, go ahead."

Jamerl held up the data pad. "Our problem may be bigger than we thought." He spoke holding it out to her.

Dysea took the pad as Isabella got to her feet, detecting the tone of his voice and she moved to stand next to Dysea as they read the pad. It took only a few seconds before Dysea looked up at him. "This isn't possible." She spoke. "I saw the body."

Jamerl nodded. "Many saw the body my Queen. However ... the security footage does not lie."

"But how?" Dysea gasped.

Isabella's eyes grew wide as it came to her and she gripped Dysea's hand, "Cloning." She spoke.

Dysea looked at her. "Cloning? I thought Colonel Nestor and those like him were the first clones."

Isabella took the pad from her hand and paged through the information. "Does Deia know about this?" She asked quickly.

Jamerl shook his head. "Not yet." He answered. "I have my young lieutenant meeting us in Eden City. I've called Colonel Nestor as well, and he will meet us there. It is the only way to confirm this Lady Isabella, my Queen. I wish there was another way but there isn't. I ... I will need your permission."

Dysea turned away from them and moved to look out the glass doors onto the patio, her keen mind racing through hundreds of scenarios. "If this is true ... then it would mean there is another clone." She spoke turning to look at them. "Helen was targeted after the Battle of Eden City, after we left earth."

Panos stepped forward. "It all has to be tied together somehow Dysea." He spoke, "The events with the King, Aricia, this. It can not all be random."

"Dysea ... you said you found something?" Thr'won spoke.

Dysea nodded and moved to snatch the scroll she had been studying from the floor. "I was searching transmissions to and from Sparta on a carrier wave your communications officer gave to me Admiral. He said it would pick up residual iso ... iso..."