"Hotep!"A woman yelled coming up the steps, her footfalls quick as lightning. When she got to the top of the stairs she shrieked and ran over to Barbara, hugging her profusely. Slightly taller than Barbara and much stronger than she appeared, she hugged her Guardian sister off her feet, laughing. The newcomer's almond-hued skin was tattooed with gorgeous spiraling dragons and Adinkra symbols across her shoulder blades that framed the edges of her olive-green tank top. Her beautiful brown eyes were merry, and her pretty mouth was set in a pout as she dropped Barbara down and flung her russet-toned dreadlocks over her shoulders. "Me and Lissa oughta not even speak to you, heifer. How you gonna come to the jazz fest and not tell the Chicago team and meet the Neterus!"
"Girl . . .see , what had happened was," Barbara said, laughing. "Aw, Jackie, don't be mad, for real-"
"No, for real, Lissa is coming up here to kick yo skinny little ass." Jackie put one hand on her hip, but her smile was wide as she wagged a finger at Barbara.
At the sound of the keys in the door, both Guardian sisters temporarily stopped arguing and raced to the steps as a six-foot-tall, black-linen-suited, statuesque brown beauty barreled into the multipurpose room, braids and M-16 swaying.
"Oh, shit, myglamazon sister is here!" Earl hollered. "Lee Lee, whassup,boo ?"
"Earl," she fussed with a big smile. "The onliest thing keeping you from getting your asses kicked for leaving me in Chicago when the Neterus was in the areais you giving me my props."
"You are glamorous and an Amazon, boo-you know I had to coin a phrase just for you, baby.Glamazon!"
She sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes at him, but then laughed as she flipped Barbara the bird."So, where they at?"
The Neteru team looked from one to the other, trying not to laugh as Barbara hid behind Jackie, playing around. Using Jackie as a body-shield, the tiny, curvaceous woman with the Halle Berry-style short haircut, white linen suit, and designer shades pointed at her six-foot, muscular brother who was just as fly. Earl was rocking tan linen and matching gators, and didn't look like he was ready in the least to go round-for-round or pound-for-pound with Lissa.
"It was all Earl's fault," Barbara said, laughing harder as Lissa lowered a weapon at her with a wide grin.
The moment Earl took a breath, Barbara, Alicia, Lissa, and Candace jumped on him, verbally pelting him. It was clear who had the verbal advantage, and after a while he simply gave up, smoothed a palm over his gleaming bald head with a sigh and shrugged.
"I can't do nothing with 'em, can't take 'em nowhere. I'm putting out a plea for a transfer with the Neteru team. Need some more male Guardians up in Chicago to have my back, feel me?"
"Humph," Barbara said, and finally turned her attention to the Neteru team. "It didn't have to beall that, Earl."
For two seconds the room was still and then suddenly it erupted into booming laughter.
"Okay," Owa said. "You have now met Detroit and some of the Chicago team. Initial looks mighta been deceiving, but you think we can handle some vampires up in the house?"
"Most definitely," Carlos said, pounding Shabazz's fist.
The transporter bats didn't screech, they shrieked as theywhirred Vlad the Impaler with his newly reclaimed wife into Vampire Council Chambers. Nuit was already sitting in his throne, tense, with Lucrezia at his side, her expression unreadable. Sebastian drew back within his as Vlad surveyed the environment with an air of familiarity, ignoring him to stride closer to the table.
Elizabeth hung back as Vlad approached Lilith and dropped to one knee before their councilwoman, not sure if her presumptuous actions to bring back her late husband would draw Lilith's approval or her wrath.
"Milady," Vlad said with old-world charm, "it has been eons."
"Indeed," Lilith said coolly. "But have you forgotten that entering chambers requires the protocol of a blood check at the doors?" She took a sip of blood from her goblet and motioned toward the massive, black marble doors. "The golden-fanged knockers need a bite . . . if you pass inspection, then we know you're the genuine article."
He looked up into her eyes, his burning black with lust. "I will endure the bite, as you wish . . . but I assure you, Madame Councilwoman, I am the genuine article."
"Then rather than trouble yourself with crossing so far from me to complete such a rudimentary task . . . perhaps I could sample and see? Or are you afraid that the Dark Lord's wife might smell a coup and rip your lungs out?"
"With daylight in my veins, the love of my life by my side . . . my army replenished and war at hand?" He dropped his voice to a gravelly rumble. "Lilith, tell me why I would be so impetuous?"
They both smiled and Elizabeth relaxed. Vlad tore away his breastplate and turned his head to the side to give Lilith access to his jugular. She slowly leaned forward and traced the pulsing surface of it with her index finger.
"Beautiful," Lilith murmured. "I don't know why we didn't do this earlier." Her strike was cobra-fast and brutal. Vlad released a groan of pleasure that made all witnessing councilmen swallow hard. When she came away from Vlad's throat, she wiped her lush mouth with the back of her hand and retracted her fangs, seeming almost pleasure-drunk. "You've gotten stronger while in the Sea of Perpetual Agony," she said, awed. "I think I'm in love." Then she laughed as she stood and offered him a goblet. "Your old throne awaits . . . you've yet to be properly installed in it."
"Welcome," Nuit said cautiously, finally finding his voice.
"Welcome," Lucrezia said in a nervous whisper.
Vlad nodded and walked over to the pentagram-shaped table, not immediately going to his throne. He downed his goblet and submitted to a fang strike by the crest to open it, and then began reading the minutes.
"Good," Vlad said, looking at Nuit. "You are on record as having no part in reanimating my wife without me. . . .Nor had your bride." He shot a threatening glare at Sebastian. "Not even the traitor, Yolando, was so foolish. For that, I will kill him swiftly rather than prolong his agony."
"You have exacted your revenge, Vlad," Lilith said evenly. "We cannot afford strife among us. Sebastian didn't have her that long, and trustme, there was assuredly no lasting impression. Therefore, by edict of Level Seven, there will be no more intracouncil assassinations, torture attempts, et al.Just for the record."