By the time we made it back to the Sanctuary, Varden and I had been brought up to speed on what had been going on.
"We just got word about an hour ago that the African Sanctuary is under attack." Damaris told us as we were walking towards the main entrance. "Our communications watch picked up a distress call coming in and recorded fifteen seconds of visual and audio," she walked through the front door and strode through the scanner without even pausing.
"The sister on the other end said nothing more than that their Sanctuary was under attack and that they'd barricaded themselves into their secure communications room, then the line went dead."
"Was it Mother Brehana?" I as we entered the elevator.
"No, it was one of the sisters I'm not familiar with. But that's not important, what is is the fact that whoever is behind these attacks is able to strike two of our bases within a relatively short amount of time. Whoever is doing this knows how we operate far too well."
"It's coming from the Coven." I and Varden answered at the same time.
"The Vampires, why would they want to attack us? We've given them free rein to police their own, for years they've been as free as we could allow. This makes no sense."
"Ezekiel told me that there are some elements within the Yperfysikó Yfí̱lios that don't seem to appreciate us limiting their access to humans anymore." I told her.
"But that's insane! Don't they know the humans would destroy us? We can't fight them, even united all the races would die if the humans knew we existed, or worse."
"He agreed with me, but that still leaves us with someone who wants us dead, or at least weakened." I told her as we came to the ninth level.
"How long can the African Sanctuary hold out?" Varden asked when we were exiting the elevator.
"Their Sanctuary was built much like this one. If they were able to barricade themselves inside their war room, they could hold off a small army for days. Why, do you have an idea?" Damaris asked?
"We need to send a force to relieve them. If they're being attacked by a force no larger than the one that hit us, we could send three dozen of your warriors and end the threat before any more of us die." I was struck by the fact that he'd told 'us', he was identifying with mine and his race at last.
"We have only a little over five dozen warriors in shape to fight here. We can't spare that many, but you are correct, we need to do something." We reached the war room and saw that it had been hastily repaired. The debris had been pushed to the side and computer consoles had been placed on folding tables, but the communication equipment was up and running and that's what counted.
"Connect me with Zhao, we need to speak." Damaris ordered to no one in particular. Seconds later one of the technicians replied.
"Transmission received, the video link is fixed and holding." Damaris stepped up to the wall monitor and half a second later the screen was filled with Mother Zhao.
"What is it Damaris? As you might well imagine I have my hands full at the moment."
Damaris wasted no time on pleasantries but went straight to the point.
"We need a dozen of your sisters to meet my team outside the African Sanctuary. If we can get there fast enough, we should be able to save those who remain alive." Mother Zhao stilled her pacing and looked squarely into the monitor.
"And let me guess, you're already picked who's going to lead this little, relief force haven't you, your precious Varden." Contempt dripped from every word.
"Don't be insulting just because he beat you Zhao. It doesn't sit well with one of your station and age. But yes, he's the best choice to lead this mission and you know it, you just don't want to admit it."
"I do not think he's the right Shaper for this job, but not for the reason you think. He is not old enough to lead, my warriors will never follow him, and you know that. It has been too long since any of us has seen what a man of our race can do. We got a taste of that during the battle for your Sanctuary, but he hasn't even come into his full power yet. Maybe then, but for now a woman should lead this mission." Damaris looked over at Varden who was standing just beside her yet out of the camera. With a nod of his head, he agreed with Zhao. Too much was riding on this to let the women's sexism get in the way.
"Agreed Zhao, so who do you have in mind?"
"My weapons master is available and already on her way to South Africa. If your team leaves soon, they should arrive within hours of one another. They will be flying into Upington and staying at the Sun River Kalahari Lodge."
"Just send us their itinerary and we'll meet then there." With a jerk of her hand Damaris signaled for the link to be cut.
When the screen went black, she turned to Varden and I.
"I want you two to lead this mission from our end. We can only spare ten of our sisters from the work we still have to do here. Once you get to South Africa, you need to meet up with Zhao's sisters and get them all to the Sanctuary there. You will be meeting with her weapons master, her name if memory serves is Chunhua." She reached forward laying a hand on Vardens shoulder. "And she will not like you. She as most shapers will see you as inferior. But give her time, she's over a thousand years old and has never seen a male that can compare to the weakest of us. I'm sure Zhao will have told them about you, but she will need you to prove what you can do before she'll trust you in combat."
"And what, will ever one of you I meet want to spar with me before they'll trust me?" Varden asked.
"Would you? They'll be putting their lives in your hands. Would you be so quick to trust someone when the stakes are that high?" His shoulders slumped; Damaris had made her point.
"Your point is well taken high mother. But if this mission should in any way jeopardize my wife, I will not hesitate to take command of the situation, is that clear?" His voice had once again taken on that commanding tenor. Damaris took a step back, shocked.
"You married him? You two are married?" She looked from him to me then back again. "But if that means what I think it means, then she could be pregnant. Catherine you can't go on this mission, I will not allow it. If you're with child, you are now the most important sister in our race." She turned from Varden and rushed to me, gathering my hands in hers.
"I don't think I'm pregnant after only one night, and I guess a morning too, but if you think I'm going to stay here and let my husband go have all the fun, I mean danger." Damaris gave me a knowing smile but then became serious again.
"Catherine, you are the only woman he will sire a child with. If you were to be killed, we might never have a Shaper child."
"Have you ever considered what might happen if he were to die?" A tear formed and ran down my cheek. "I cannot leave him, I just can't. So please don't ask me to." Damaris stepped back a pace and stared at me with wide eyes.
I didn't understand her expression until I looked down at my hands. They were leaking azure colored smoke, it floated on the slight air conditioning breeze before dissipating. I turned to Varden as we fell into each other's arms.
"What is happening to you two?" Damaris asked in a hushed voice as every person in the room turned to watch as we both lit up like a sapphire bonfire.
"We have no idea high mother." Damaris took another step back as one voice came out of both of our mouths. "But it would seem that we have bonded at more than a superficial level." We turned and addressed the people that were hurrying in the room upon hearing what was happening.
"We don't know anything more about what is happening than you do, but there is nothing we do know. Where one of us goes we both go. Right now, we are going to the African Sanctuary to stop the attack on our sisters and brothers. Now who will join us, who is willing to exact our vengeance on these fools who would attack us. I will see none of you when battle comes, because I will be in the lead, now which of you is with me?" A deafening roar filled the room as everyone lifted their voice in a cry the like had not been heard in our Sanctuary in centuries.
In the end every person who was still able to walk came forward to volunteer to come with us. Varden picked ten of the sisters that seemed the least passionate to go. I asked him about it as we were leaving.
"Because no one should want to go into a fight. Killing someone, even an enemy mark your own soul. I wanted those who are willing to fight, not those who would enjoy it."
"What was happening to him?" I thought. Before my eyes he was becoming a leader that these people would follow to the gates of hell. I just hoped we wouldn't have to go there before this was all finished.
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