Olivia's Decision Read online

  A sense of déjà vu washed over Olivia. This—this was the same frightening scene which had appeared in her vision, just before she boarded the airship.

  Everything is as it was ordained. Valori's message was meant to comfort her. Still, Olivia felt uneasy. She knew life on BloodDark would never be quite the same again.

  Almost as soon as the wind manifested, it died. Olivia raised her head and blinked. "Everything's gone... It's all vanished."

  She accepted a hand from Hernando and stood. All around, the others regained their feet and brushed the dust off their clothes, No one had suffered even so much as a scratch, but all around them, where once there had been buildings and equipment and a tower of nanobots now was nothing, just a level plain in the middle of a dry desert valley.

  "Someone's missing." Olivia looked about and scratched her head. The Ancestor had vanished, too.

  The assembly murmured how rare it was to witness such an amazing phenomenon. The Earthlings stood in shocked silence, their jaws open, their eyes wide. Olivia nodded and grinned at their predicament. She knew from personal experience that it took some time to get used to life on an alien world.

  "The Ancestor has return to its slumber until such time as we are in need of guidance again," Drucinda announced. She nodded to Valori. "We must return our people to their homes and bring these soldiers to the council chambers for judgment."

  "Yes, we must." Valori tapped a finger against her lip. "I suppose we can't travel the way we came before?"

  Drucinda shook her head. "No, more conventional ways are best for the uninitiated, but we can help them regroup with the others at the foot of the mountains."

  Valori winked at Olivia and Hernando. "Let's see if I can use some of what I learned today from the Ancestor."

  She walked into the middle of the gathering. "Everyone hold hands," she instructed. "Be sure to include our Earth companions, too."

  "Ma'am, my superiors will want to know what's happened here today," Colonel North began then his mouth snapped shut and his eyes bulged.

  "We will tell you what we want you to tell them later," Valori said, tapping him on the forehead.

  Once all had gathered in a circle and clasped hands, Valori touched the ruby pendant and chanted an ancient-sounding phrase over and over. The crimson crystal glowed.

  "Do you see what I see?" Olivia whispered to Hernando. "Our Valori has really got some kind of—"

  One second, Olivia was standing beside Hernando and Annara, holding their hands, and the next... The desert landscape in front of them folded like a painting on origami paper. When it unfolded, they found themselves standing at the foot of the mesa.

  "Wow." Olivia blinked and rubbed her eyes. "I think we've experienced some kind of time warp without the benefit of the Portal device."

  "I agree with your assessment," Corporal Tennant said, nodding. "She folded time and space about us. We didn't move at all."

  "No, we did move." Annara narrowed her eyes and then smiled. "Hey, does this mean we don't have to take those oversized hot air balloons back to Penumbra City?"

  "Let's ask Valori." Olivia searched the faces of the group for her friend. "Hmm, she and Drucinda aren't here."

  We will meet up with you once you return to the council chambers, Valori's voice informed her. Till then, my child.

  Hernando whistled. "And to think, Earthers say we're not a very advanced civilization apart from the Portal technology. I can't wait to brag about this at the U.N."

  Olivia cringed. "Maybe not. Look over at Colonel North and his people. The vacant stares, the dropped jaws... The word 'shell-shocked' comes to mind. This has all been too much for them."

  "You're right. Perhaps it's better if we do keep this to ourselves." Hernando swept Olivia into his arms and kissed her. We need to build bridges between our worlds—not burn them.

  Chapter Sixteen

  "Why is it every time I return to Earth I feel like I'm leaving home?"

  Hernando smiled at Olivia as they walked the familiar route from the council chambers to the Portal. "I feel like I'm coming home every time I'm with you. Home is wherever you are, my beloved. Earth, BloodDark, the other side of the galaxy..."

  "Let's not move so far away. My parents will flip out enough when we tell them we’ve already had our 'bonding ceremony.'" Olivia sighed. "My mother always pictured a big church wedding for her only child."

  "There's no reason why we can't do both. I understand many Earth couples have more than one bonding ceremony to please their respective families. My parents were very pleased."

  She giggled. "They were. I've never seen anyone dance with such energy as your dad did at the reception afterwards. Your folks are the sweetest people in the universe. I'm happy it made them happy."

  "Does it make you happy?" he asked. "I know I couldn't be happier."

  Olivia squeezed Hernando's hand. "I'm very happy. So, what about your professional life? Are you happy to be a married ambassador? Your single days are over. The Earth tabloids and talk shows will be buzzing about it for months."

  "Oh, dear. I forgot about the media on Earth. I'm sure they won't let me forget about them." Hernando shook his head. "As ambassador, I'm happy you are now a citizen of BloodDark. You're officially one of us. This will prevent anyone from questioning your loyalty ever again. You can legally represent our government before any Earth court as well someday."

  Olivia snorted. "Yeah—if I make it all the way through law school, but I'm well on my way, what with interning for the BloodDark embassy this term. You'd better give me a passing grade."

  Hernando winked. "You'd better do your best so I can."

  Upon entering the pavilion which housed the Portal, Olivia sensed something was different. "Where is everyone?" she asked.

  "Surprise!"

  They spun around and discovered their friends had organized a farewell party for them.

  "It's traditional for a new-bonded couple to have a send-off party when they move to their new home," Kate explained, giving them both a hug. "Mahvet and I are going to live at Clan Alpha House for now, but if and when we decide to move to Earth for a time, we expect you to come back and throw a gala for us."

  "Of course we will." Olivia smiled and hugged her back. "You're going to love working with Valori and the professor. All the history you guys can record and index... I just know you'll make no end of new discoveries."

  Kate laughed. "No doubt we will."

  Drinks and light refreshments were brought out from their hidden places and passed about by the Portal staff. Olivia enjoyed seeing many of her old Resistance cell colleagues again, but one in particular made her smile.

  "Get a load of Annara and the corporal in the corner," Hernando said under his breath, pointing at the couple standing shoulder to shoulder. "He surprised me by electing to stay on BloodDark. Is another bonding ceremony in the works there?"

  "Could be. She's very noncommittal, but then Annara doesn't like to admit when she's been conquered by anything—including love."

  From out of the blue, Olivia found herself and Hernando squeezed in an all-encompassing bear hug. "Congratulations, you two," Caveman told them for the hundredth time in a week. "Did I ever tell you how proud I was to officiate your ceremony?"

  "A few dozen times." Hernando laughed and elbowed his friend for release. "We were proud to have been bonded by someone of your high status. We've not done too badly for a couple of lowly servants, have we, Charles of the Cave Clan?"

  Caveman Charlie winked. "Not bad at all."

  The party began to break up after an hour, as the Portal technicians wanted to keep the schedule between Earth and BloodDark on track as much as possible.

  Olivia waved good-bye and blew kisses to her BloodDark family, sniffing back tears.

  "Don’t be sad," Hernando soothed her. "We will return regularly to perform our work duties and to see our friends and loved ones here."

  "I know, and I know Valori will be coming to Earth soon along with
the colonel to let the U. N. know the score about the... whatever it was. I just wanted to say good-bye to her before we left."

  He raised an eyebrow. "Have you called to her?"

  Olivia nodded. "I tried reaching her mentally just before we left council chambers, but I didn't hear anything. I suppose she's occupied dealing with Drucinda and all the other priests and priestesses. The Ancestor left them a lot of instructions, she told me. They need to catch up on their homework."

  He put an arm around her shoulders and led her toward the Portal staging area. "It's understandable she's too busy to answer." He stopped. "Did you remember to take your travel medication?"

  "Duh, I forgot." Olivia turned and returned to the control desk to ask for the small pill to keep her stomach and her body together when she rematerialized on Earth.

  Standing in front of the desk holding a pill bottle was Valori.

  "I'm so glad I got to see you one last time before we left for Earth!" Olivia ran into Valori's outstretched arms and hugged her with all her strength.

  "You know I wouldn't miss seeing you off, my dear child. It's good luck to wish the new-bonded couple a happy voyage of discovery." Valori squeezed her back and then let her go. "Take your pill and be on your way now. Your bond-partner awaits you."

  Olivia accepted the medication and smiled. "Thank you, Valori, for everything. See you on Earth soon?"

  "Sooner than you think." She took a step backward. "Good-bye, my dear child. Good luck when you see your parents."

  Olivia nodded. "Good-bye, Valori, and thanks. You know I'll be needing it."

  Olivia walked to the Portal staging area and took her place beside Hernando and several other passengers and cargo. She raised her hand to wave one last good-bye to her friend when she noticed Valori folding in half until she became a thin silvery line, fading and winking out of sight.

  "She bent time and space, didn't she?" Olivia pointed and laughed. "I'll say it again—I don't think I'll ever tire of the wild things I've experienced and the fantastic people I've encountered on BloodDark."

  Hernando gave her a loving look as the Portal began its countdown for transporting them back to Earth. "I hope you never tire of me, Olivia Brown."

  "How could I?" She returned his loving look. "Hernando, you're the most fantastic person I've met in my entire life."

  As she felt herself dissolve into a billion pieces to speed across the depths of space and time, Olivia knew fantastic couldn't even begin to describe her future with Hernando and her friends and family on both worlds.

  Continued in

  BloodDark Book Four: Fire on the Sands

  About Cindy A. and Adrian J. Matthews

  Cindy A. and Adrian J. Matthews are a married writing team who met through a mutual publisher. They have been published multiple times in SF/fantasy/paranormal and contemporary fiction. Cindy writes SF/Fantasy under the pen-name Cynthianna, notably her Doctor Who-inspired rom-com series Loving Who, and adult vampire fiction as Celine Chatillon. Adrian writes SF/paranormal/contemporary fiction as A. J. Matthews. His "Mr. Grey, Ghosthunter" series is intended for mature audiences. Together they have created the exciting world of BloodDark, a tidally-locked world inhabited by the Pure Bloods, a vampire-like race, along with abducted humans and their offspring.

  Cindy and Adrian regularly attend several science fiction conventions as panelists. They enjoy chatting on many writing/publishing and sci-fi fandom topics. Adrian also creates SF/fantasy/steampunk three-dimensional artwork for sale at cons and through his Smiling Assassin Productions.