A Reason to Live: A Shadowdance Variation Read online

  “And now you’re reticent?”

  “Let’s just say I have an interest in making sure my enemies do not get the Vyntari shards. I think Adriana can help me ensure they never do.”

  Illyana cared little for Shadowdance lore, but she knew of the Vyntari shards. They were the crux of the Shadowdance. The person who controlled all nine could summon some supposedly all-powerful shadow god to control.

  Two groups, the Order of Haroth and the Knights of Vyntari were the main forces pursuing the shards. The Order had once allied themselves with the Nazis. The Knights fought demons. To which group did Makeda belong?

  If she could help Adriana, did it matter?

  “You’re going to have to be more specific. Or, I can knock you unconscious and—”

  “You could try,” Makeda said with a smile.

  Illyana opened her mouth to counter but decided against it. She didn’t know if Makeda’s smile was a taunt or merely good humor. Illyana was too tired to figure either way.

  “I need to find Adriana,” Makeda said. “And I need to know what motivates her.”

  “So you can use her?” Illyana said. Reflexively, her fangs extended from her gums. Makeda recoiled slightly at seeing them.

  “So I can guide her to a better path,” Makeda said in a forced calm tone.

  Illyana’s tongue ran over one of her fangs. She drew back, only now realizing she’d extended them. Embarrassed, she looked away from Makeda.

  “What do you mean by a better path?” she asked.

  “All creatures can redeem themselves. They simply must be shown the path. I want to do this for Adriana.”

  “Why?” Illyana snapped.

  Makeda paused. She shrugged. “Honestly, helping Adriana is a side thing. My true goal is to crush my enemies once and for all. Adriana can help me do that.”

  Illyana started to ask another question, but Makeda held up a polite hand to silence her. “Again, if I give you details, you could be compromised. But I will allow you this: pursuing this path is a sacrifice that could very well end my days.”

  Staring at the woman, Illyana saw nothing in her that made her words a simple bluff. Illyana bowed her head. This Makeda meant to manipulate Adriana just as Cytheria, the former leader of the Daughters, had. It is what led to Adriana’s anger, her desire for revenge.

  Illyana turned from Makeda and walked toward the ledge. “Why should I tell you anything?” she asked.

  “According to legend, her life has been nothing but violence and bloodshed. Is that what you wanted for her when you made her your daughter?”

  It was a rhetorical question; they wouldn’t be here if Makeda hadn’t known how Illyana felt about Adriana. Illyana stepped up to the ledge. “She won’t listen to me,” she shouted back over the wind. “She damn well won’t listen to you.”

  “Which is why misdirection is the key. But I can’t do that if—”

  A gust of wind buffeted Illyana. The woman fought to hold her ground on the ledge. She stood silent for a moment.

  “I’m sorry I wasted your time,” Makeda said.

  Illyana looked behind her. Makeda had turned and started toward the elevator. Illyana turned to face Makeda.

  “Her sister!” Illyana called after her.

  Makeda stopped.

  “She wants to find her sister, Dominique,” Illyana continued. “She would listen to anyone with information on her whereabouts. Or the whereabouts of any living Navarre.”

  Makeda thought on this. She turned back to face Illyana.

  “You said it yourself, though. She won’t believe just anyone.”

  Illyana stepped down from the ledge and moved to Makeda.

  “Adriana has a scar, just above her heart,” Illyana said. “Her sister gave her that scar.”

  Makeda took this in. “Does Adriana want to kill her?”

  Illyana shook her head. “It’s far more complicated than that. But, armed with that knowledge, one could get Adriana to believe them about Dominique.”

  Makeda studied Illyana, eventually nodding in acknowledgment. She turned and headed for the elevator.

  “Promise me no harm will come to Adriana,” Illyana called after her.

  Makeda stopped at the elevator door. She pressed a keycard to a security panel. The panel lit up green. Machinery churned, bringing the elevator up. Makeda looked back at Illyana. “This is the Shadowdance. You know I can’t promise that.”

  Illyana frowned, but she understood.

  “I would recommend you go to ground,” Makeda added. “If Adriana sees you she could get spooked, and that would destroy the plan.”

  Illyana nodded. She used the little bit of blood magic in her system to move quickly, taking up a position in front of Makeda in the blink of an eye. She put a hand on the woman’s shoulder.

  “I never could do right by Adriana,” Illyana said in a sorrowful voice. “Promise me you will.”

  Makeda mirrored Illyana by placing her hand on the vampire’s shoulder.

  “I will.”

  The women stared at one another, sincerity in their eyes.

  The elevator door chimed and opened.

  “Coming?” Makeda asked.

  Illyana shook her head. “I’d like to enjoy the view.”

  “It’ll be dawn soon.”

  Illyana nodded.

  Makeda gave Illyana’s arm a compassionate, gentle squeeze and then entered the elevator.

  “This is such a fucking cliché.”

  Illyana recognized Geisa’s voice behind her. Sitting on the ledge, she stared across Tokyo, looking at the horizon as the first light of the sun crept up over the bay. It wasn’t enough to burn Illyana’s vampire skin. It wasn’t even enough to give her a slight irritation.

  Yet.

  “You have about another ten minutes and then I’m dragging you out of here,” Geisa said as she crossed the rooftop toward Illyana. “Or maybe I’ll let you stay, burn just enough to scar. For making me deal with that Yakuza bitch when I wanted to hit Club Atom.”

  Illyana smiled.

  Sometimes Geisa’s affection for the life of a bon vivant reminded her of Adriana in her mortal youth. Not that Illyana held the same affection for her watcher. It was only a fond memory of the girl she loved in a time when she was at her best.

  Standing, Illyana turned to Geisa. “We can go.”

  Geisa stared at Illyana as if she didn’t recognize the woman.

  Illyana walked past her and toward the elevator. “I hope there aren’t too many bodies between here and the exit,” she teased.

  “Just two.”

  Geisa looked to the horizon and back at Illyana. She shook her head and followed the other vampire to the elevator. Geisa had a passkey, one stained with a few specks of blood. She used it to call the elevator. Once inside, she took up a position behind Illyana. He elevator descended.

  After a few silent moments, Geisa asked, “So who is this Makeda Arsi person?”

  Illyana smiled, knowing Geisa couldn’t see it. “A friend,” she replied.

  “You know I’ll tell Kara and Fatale about this.”

  “As is your duty.”

  “Which means you probably just killed Adriana and this new friend.”

  Or, Illyana thought, this friend will look out for Adriana, maybe even convince her to curb her murderous ways.

  Maybe then…

  ###

  Adriana and Makeda’s stories continue in

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  About the Author

  The son of a sharecropper (not really), Mark Wooden has actively pursued the dream of being a Creative since his epic kindergarten work, "Ne-Ne the Vampire Panda.”

  He draws inspiration from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Blade,” decades of “Batman” and “X-Men” comic books and conspiracy epi
cs “24” and “The X-Files.” He'd be remiss if he didn't mention the influence of a certain Frank Miller-created assassin named Elektra.

  Mark mines his two decades of experiences in live entertainment to instill humanity into the vampires, demons, werewolves, sorcerers and other creatures of his “Shadowdance” urban fantasy saga. The novels allow readers to confront the evil that men and monsters do from the comfort of a book.

  “By Virtue Fall” is the first novel in the “Shadowdance” saga.

  Look into the shadows and see horror in action.