This story is a bit wordy and fairly long, so if you are looking for immediate gratification, you might want to look elsewhere.
The following story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance between these character and events and any real person or events is strictly coincidental . . . and pretty darn impressive seeing as it is a science fiction story. Do not reproduce or copy this story without the consent of the author.
In my magical, mixed-up world, characters don't worry about STDs or unwanted pregnancies except occasionally as a plot device. The author encourages the practice of safe (and hopefully satisfying) sex.
While this is a science-fiction story, it may at different points contain sexual behavior that might fall into other categories. You can rest assured however that there will be NO depictions of Non-Consent, Mind Control, or Incest for any purpose other than as plot devices, and certainly not for sexual arousal. Anything else is fair game.
------------- -------------------------
Jenna's hands were trembling as she lifted the coffee cup to her lips. She was insane for coming here, she knew that. Death knew she would be here, at a specific time. Any moment now, the Nightwalkers would pick her up. But she had to sit here, one more time, the sun on her face and warm coffee on her lips.
She had not slept a wink in the last twenty-four hours. The fear had kept her awake. She was afraid that they would come during the morning hours and drag her from her sanctuary like they had fifteen years earlier. She was afraid of the numbness that threatened to overtake her every nerve. She was afraid of what it would be like without hot showers and coffee, smoke and whiskey.
Jenna wanted to write Nessa a note, apologizing for her failure. The vampire deserved to know what was coming. She would find a way to send a message tonight, before the end came. She would not be taken from her home again. She watched the children leaving school while chatting on their comms units and laughing with their friends, then closed her eyes, fighting the pain that was welling up from deep inside.
"I will never understand why you chose this place," said a familiar voice. "Why this shop? Why this time?"
She slowly opened her eyes and fixed them on Nigel, who had taken his customary seat across from her. "I'm a creature of habit, I suppose. Where are the others? I'm assuming they are around somewhere."
Nigel leaned back and looked at the same school that she had been, briefly wondering if April was there thinking of him. "Actually, I came alone. No one else knows about this spot, so I figured that we could have a cup of coffee and a conversation."
She sighed. "You moved the sword, didn't you?"
"Moi? Help a prisoner escape? My dear Jenna, that would be treasonous."
"Why? You made it clear --"
"You are my friend," he interrupted. "You are a good person and a loyal soldier. I don't know what the Fool's plan is, but you do not deserve to die. Unfortunately, the Hanged Man is one of those dispatched to retrieve you, and I doubt that even you will stand against him."
She smiled, though she felt no warmth. "Go," she told him. "Don't throw your life and career away because of me."
"Why are you doing this?' he asked. "You could still make things right."
"The Fool wants to capture a real vampire, experiment on it, then kill the rest. He wants an edge over the corporations. It just shows that he is no better than they are. I won't betray Nessa," she said solemnly. "I will not be party to thoughts of genocide, however unlikely. You need to talk reason to him. If the Nightwalkers and the DoD follow through with the Fool's plan, then they will die. I truly believe that. This is a war that does not need to happen."
"I can try, but the Fool is somewhat incensed at the moment."
"Nigel, I'm sorry I doubted you. I'm sorry I sucker-punched you."
He smiled. "I should have expected it." He cocked his head. "So what do you want to do?"
"Have one last cup of coffee with an old friend," she whispered, looking away.
"We'll just call it a cup," he said, praying that it would in fact not be the last.
------------ -----------------
That evening . . .
------------ -----------------
The Five of Swords was ready for death. He had tried hard to be tough when these . . . things . . . had taken him the previous night. But they were patient, and they were cruel, and they had claws and teeth. He had never seen anything like them, but he had heard of them. Old stories, old movies, old legends. A fake vampire had been captured by real werewolves. It was almost funny. He would laugh if doing so would not cause more blood to come shooting out of his mouth.
"So what do we know?" Garon Pegg asked of one of his lieutenants.
"There are seventy-eight of them, funded and supported by the Department of Defense. They're named after the old Tarot decks, with Minor and Major Arcana. Created by bioengineering and advanced training. The Minor Arcana are foot soldiers, the Major Arcana are supposed to be the bad asses."
Another werewolf, Simon Glicker, stepped forward. "Apparently, someone called 'The Empress' had left the reservation, and they're hunting her down. She's supposed to be one of their most dangerous ones. Guy named 'The Fool' is in charge. We got an idea of who to keep an eye out for, but they all pretty much dress the same. We know where their headquarters is and what their patterns are."
"Excellent. I think that this informant has given us everything that he needs. Send samples of his blood back to the lab so that we can find out what they did to him. We may be able to use the technology." Garon then grabbed the man's head and ripped it off his shoulders. "Contact the Council and inform them of our progress. Heck, let that vampire bitch know as well. Her days of incompetent leadership are numbered."
--------- ---------------
Elsewhere . . .
--------- ---------------
Jenna had scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed, but all the cleansing agents and hot water in the world could not wash away the thin layer of ice she still felt. Ever since she had left the coffee shop, everything had been getting colder. Would tonight be the night they found her? Would the failed experiment known as her life finally end? Would she never see him again?
She stepped out of her shower and, for one of the few times in her life, she almost screamed like a girl.
"I thought you were going to broil yourself alive in there," Nessa said, sitting comfortably in Jenna's computer chair.
"How . . . but my security --" Jenna babbled, looking around to see how anyone could have gotten by the layers and layers of security precautions.
"Your security is impeccable," Nessa told her, staring at that long, lithe, muscular body that was dripping wet and delightfully naked. "But it isn't airtight. I can turn into mist, remember?"
Jenna realized that she was being viewed, and she actually blushed. She could not remember the last time she had blushed. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself.
"Don't do that on my account," Nessa purred in spite of herself. 'Damn, that is one beautiful woman.'
"You have no right to come here," Jenna hissed. "This is my home --"
"You've been to mine."
"You invited me. I didn't invite you."
"You hunted me there. Big difference." The redhead leaned back. "You're looking kind of hostile. Are we going to fight again, because there's other things I can think of that we could do with you in that state of undress."
"How dare you!" Jenna growled.
"Fine, no pleasure, so it's down to business. I needed to know how your visit with the boss went, and you had not checked in. Garon captured one of your people and tortured him. I'm assuming now that he knows everything about your organization. He and his men are pretty good at what they do."
"And you know this how?"
"He left the body in front of my bar and the head on a trashcan with a note in his mouth. He wanted to make a statement."
Jenna still felt very uncomfortable. No one besides her had been in the church since she purchased it. And she was mostly naked. And she did not like the way Nessa kept staring at her legs. "Well I'm not going to be of any help to you, so you can just go."
"Why?"
"Well, it's my home and --"
"No, why can't you be of help to me?"
"I gave my boss . . . former boss . . . the short and sweet version. No names, no places, and I didn't mention any other races besides vampires. He decided that he wants to capture one of you, use you in experiments, then kill off the rest so no one else can do the same."
Nessa raised an eyebrow. "So he's a complete a-hole. So why is he your ex-boss?"
"I . . . he . . . there was this problem --" Jenna was wondering when she completely lost her marbles. She had never had this kind of problem expressing herself before. Of course, she rarely expressed anything.
"You wouldn't do it, so he fired you."
"Put me in the brig and was probably arranging my execution, but yeah. Pretty much."
"So now what?"
Jenna leaned against her shower door. "It's only a matter of time before they find me. I figure that when they catch me . . . I want it to be here."
"A last stand?"
"It just seems appropriate," Jenna whispered. "Now please leave. I can't do anything for you."
