Chapter 1 B
“She’s pretty cool, huh?” Sarah said as they sat down, her eyes not leaving Khepri’s retreating form and lingering slightly on a specific part of said form.
“Uh huh.” Eve said, knowingly, causing Sarah to look back at her defensively.
“What?” She asked, knowing exactly what Eve was thinking.
“You like her.” Eve answered.
“Well yeah, she seems nice.” Sarah defended.
“And nice to look at.” Eve countered.
“Is there something wrong with that?” Sarah asked.
“Just be careful.” Eve said with concern. “She’s a lone woman in a bar, and judging by her clothing I’d say she looks a little more like a warrior than a simple village girl.”
“Um, if you hadn’t noticed we’re not exactly simple village girls either.” Sarah said.
“Yeah, but we’re not alone.” Eve countered. “She’s either incredibly naïve or she knows she can take care of herself.”
“What’s so wrong with that?” Sarah said. “Honestly it’s part of the appeal.”
“All I’m saying is keep your eyes…” She pulled Sarah’s eyes off the girl and made her look at her own. “…Open.”
Sarah rolled her eyes, but kept her attention on Eve. “What’s she gonna do, kill me?”
“Here we go.” Khepri said as she seated herself at the table.
“Thank you!” Sarah said, raising her mug and clinking it against Khepri’s wine glass. “So Khepri, tell us a little bit about yourself.”
She kicked Eve under the table as if to say ‘See, I’m playing it smart.’ Eve just looked at her and sighed then turned her attention toward the stranger.
“Well, let’s see…” Khepri said, looking at the table as if the answers would be there then looking back up. “I was born and raised just outside of town, haven’t ever really been anywhere else, my parents are dead so it’s up to me and my brother to keep the family together and take care of our affairs… pretty boring stuff really.” She took sip. “How ‘bout you two?”
“Umm. Well… Eve, you wanna start?” Sarah asked, realizing she was going to have to lie.
“Why not, because my story’s so easy to tell.” She said. “I was born Livia of Rome.”
“Livia?” Khepri looked at her with shock.
“And you’ve heard of me.” Eve said, nodding her head.
“But she’s like totally good now.” Sarah said. “She won’t fight or anything. Completely non-violent.”
Khepri still sat in awe. “Uh huh. So what changed?”
“My mother, Xena, helped me find my true path. Now I am Eve; I spread the message of Eli and promote peace all around the world.” Eve was still looking down at her cup. It was obvious that her past still hurt her greatly and Sarah suddenly felt terrible for all the times she’d given the messenger a hard time.
“Eve is one of the most loving and generous people you could ever meet.” Sarah said and Eve’s eyes rose to meet hers. “She also has more patience than anyone I’ve ever met. She doesn’t allow herself to be mean to people, even when they are total assholes to her.”
Eve smiled.
“What’s an asshole?” Khepri asked.
“Someone unpleasant.” Eve answered for Sarah.
“That’s an incredible story.” Khepri said, and then turned to Sarah. “What about you, Sarah? Do you have some deep, dark past? I know you’re at least from a distant land, I’ve never seen someone dress or talk the way you do before.”
“I’m kinda from all over. Mom died in childbirth, Dad was nowhere to be found. So, you could say with all the places I’ve been I’ve just lived in my own world for the most part.”
And that’s the closest to the truth that I could possibly get. Sarah thought.
“How’d you meet Eve?” Khepri asked.
“Well um… I got interested in possible family ties and started researching it. Seems somewhere down the line Eve and I are related, so I tried to find her and I did.” Sarah said, still amazed at her ability to stretch the truth.
“And she saved my life.” Eve said.
“Really?” Khepri asked.
“Yes several times, actually. The most recent was in a cave where she fought a tiger.” Eve said.
“A tiger? You’re kidding!” Khepri said. There was definitely shock on her face, but there was something else Sarah couldn’t place lurking behind her features as well.
“It really wasn’t a big deal.” Sarah said, finishing off her drink. “It was just my lucky day.”
“And she’s modest.” Khepri said.
No, I’m immortal. Sarah thought as she smiled and stood up.
“I’m gonna grab another, can I get you one?” She asked Khepri, who refused. “Eve?”
“I’ll have another glass of water, thanks.” The messenger answered.
Left alone at the table, Eve and Khepri struggled to find something to talk about. Eve decided to go in for the kill.
“So, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but are you a warrior of some sort? Your manner of dress would suggest so.” She said.
Khepri looked at her as if she was not happy with the question, but managed to keep a smile on her face.
“The roads are not the safest place for a woman to travel, especially a woman carrying goods to trade. I sometimes find that looking tough helps me avoid violence I might otherwise have to face.” She said.
“And if you can’t avoid it?” Eve asked.
Khepri let out small chuckle and answered. “Let’s just say I’m pretty good at taking care of myself.”
She looked down at her boots and Eve noticed two sizeable knives on the side of each calf.
“I see.” Eve said.
She was feeling even worse about the prospect of this woman continuing to share the table with them. Luckily Sarah returned with the drinks before she had a chance to receive any more unpleasant answers.
“So what were we talking about?” Sarah asked as she took her seat.
“Nothing important.” Khepri answered quickly, before Eve had the chance. “I’d like to know more about you.” She said as her eyes bore into Sarah’s.
The girl swallowed hard. This was gonna require a lot more port.
“Black velvet and that little boy smile
Black velvet and that slow southern style
It’s a new religion that’ll bring ya to your knees
Black velvet if you please.”*
Sarah belted on the bards stage and the patrons roared with laughter and applause. She’d been supplementing her confidence with port and decided it was time for some improvised Karaoke. Two of the patrons helped her off the stage and she fell back into her seat, just a little out of breath. Someone else was heading up to sing right after her, and she was sure a trend was in the works.
“Explain to me again why you had to do that?” Eve asked.
“Eve,” Sarah said in that oh so familiar ‘drunk explaining something’ way. “It’s just what you do in a bar with a stage. You get up there and you sing Black Velvet. It’s like required in bar rules or some shit. I’m pretty sure no one has ever done that in this bar, so I took it upon myself to break her in.”
“Well I thought it was charming.” Khepri said.
“See.” Sarah said taking another sip.
“Charming in a drunk, semi-obnoxious, but ultimately cute kind of way.” Khepri amended with a mischievous smirk.
Eve laughed and so did Sarah.
“Oh, I see how it is. See if I ever sing you a song.” Sarah fired back. She wouldn’t dare admit it, but she loved being picked on by attractive women. She sometimes wondered if that spoke to the playground mentality of her maturity, but didn’t worry about it too much.
“I think you would.” Khepri said, taking a sip of her drink.
“Oh really?” Sarah said, defiantly.
“I can be very persuasive.” Khepri, eyes bore into hers on that one.
Sarah’s face became flushed and the alcohol wasn’t helping her battle that glare at all.
“Um…” She said with a smirk and stood. “You know I think I need to go hit the head, or the outhouse or whatever the hell that thing is.” She said as she walked away.
“You know I think I’ll go with her.” Khepri said as she followed Sarah’s exiting form.
Sarah stumbled out the door and tried to find the privy on the exterior of the inn.
She’s totally hitting on me. What the fuck am I supposed to do with some hot ancient Greek girl that’s hitting on me? As she went over this in her thought process, she felt a hand grab her wrist and turn her around.
“Hey.” A familiar voice said and Sarah looked up to see the very eyes she was trying to retreat from.
“Hey.” She said with a smile. “Did you um… need to go first?”
Khepri smiled and shook her head. “No, I just wanted to make sure you were ok. It’s a little more dangerous outside the inn.” She took a step forward and spoke again. “And I think you are running away from me.”
“Running away from you?” Sarah laughed and took a step back. “Me? Are you kidding? I take on fucking tigers, why would I be afraid of you?”
“Well, I don’t know,” she took another step closer and Sarah took another step back.
“Maybe because I think you like me.” Another step forward, another step back.
“And because you think I might like you.” Another step.
“And because I could probably hurt you in ways a Tiger can’t.” Khepri took another step forward, but Sarah’s back was now against a tree. She was trapped and wondering if the ‘hurt’ the woman was talking about was emotional or otherwise.
She knew one thing at this moment. The look in Khepri’s eyes was predatory; she didn’t know if she was out for blood or lust, but either way it was doing things to her body that she was sure needed to be addressed in therapy.
Khepri put one hand on the tree behind Sarah, and the other on the side of the girl’s face as she leaned in slowly. Sarah’s breathing was completely erratic as she anticipated the kiss. Her eyes went back and forth between Khepri’s mouth and eyes.
“Sarah?”
They heard Eve calling her name just before the kiss was sealed and their eyes locked.
“Jesus Christ.” Sarah said dropping her head back against the tree. “I’m right here.” She yelled.
“You didn’t have to tell her, you know.” Khepri said. Her voice held a tinge of regret and a hint of annoyance with the messenger.
“I know. But it might be better this way.” Sarah said with a soft smile. “I wasn’t drunk when I took on the Tiger.” She referenced the woman’s prior remarks.
This forced a smile from Khepri and they both walked toward the one who’d ruined all the fun.
“What’s up Eve?” Sarah asked.
“I’m getting pretty tired.” She said, wondering what she’d just walked into.
“Yeah, I guess it is about time we turned in.” Sarah said. “We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”
“Where are you headed?” Khepri asked.
“We have to travel to the Amazon village tomorrow.” Eve said.
Khepri looked at them with surprise. “Really, wow, are you both Amazon’s as well as travelers?”
“Well I guess you could say I was born into the tribe, but this will be Sarah’s first visit.” Eve said.
“Maybe I’ll come look you up there then.” Khepri said. “How long do you plan on staying on?”
“Not sure.” Sarah said. “But I’d like to see you again if you wanted to come by. Just remember that they’re kind of protective of their lands. Do you know the Amazon stance of peace?”
“Yeah, I’ve seen it a couple of times.” Khepri answered.
“Great.” Eve said. “I guess this is goodnight then.”
“Yeah, sadly, I guess so.” Khepri said looking at Sarah. “I had a wonderful time getting to know you.”
“Me too.” Sarah said, putting her hand out.
Khepri accepted the appendage, and then brought it up to her lips for a kiss that was ever so soft.
“Until next time.” She said, releasing the hand. “Goodbye Eve.”
“Goodbye.” The messenger said, knowing she was not the woman’s favorite person at that moment.
As Khepri headed back inside, Eve just looked at Sarah.
“Not one word, Eve.” Sarah said as she cursed and made her way over to relieve herself. It was gonna be a long night.
Khepri entered the cave and found her brother, Asteri, behind the curtain of his personal cavern. He was sitting in a chair and talking to one of his favorite girls at his feet, but looked up upon her entrance.
“Sister. You had a good night out on the town, I trust?” He asked.
“Leave us.” She said to the woman on the floor, who complied immediately.
He rolled his eyes, and replied. “So I take it you didn’t have such a good time?”
“No, it was fine.” She said, pouring herself a glass of the dark red liquid he had sitting in a decanter on a small table.
“Couldn’t have been that ‘fine’. It looks like you didn’t feed.” He said.
She ignored his observation.
“I’m probably going to be gone for a few days.” She said, taking a sip.
“Well that’s not cryptic at all.” He gently tossed his long, dark, wavy hair out of his face. “Care to let me in on your plans?”
“I may have found a way to get rid of our little Amazon problem.” She said.
Asteri laughed. “Oh sister, I’d forgotten how impatient you are. The Amazon’s will be taken care of in time if we continue to catch them in the woods at night. Why push the progress? Are you becoming bored with our life in the cave?”
“No.” She said defensively. “I just think it might be a little fun to raise the stakes a bit. There was a girl that I met tonight; she’s headed into the village.” She paused thoughtfully then spoke again. “She was able to resist my thrall.”
“Oh… I see.” He said, moving over to pour himself a glass. “A challenge. I’m happy to see you taking an interest in something other than simple road brigands. Take as much time as you need, but be sure to stay in contact. I’d at least like to be clued into your plans as they progress.”
He offered his glass for a toast. “To your new conquest.”
“May it be just as sweet as I imagine.” She said as the glasses clinked together and she drew the blood into her mouth.
So very sweet. She thought before taking the glass and heading to her own cavern.
To be continued…
*Black Velvet obviously doesn’t belong to me. It belongs to Allanah Miles and Atlantic Records.