in the distance, with pointy towers and wrought-iron balconies, a dark gray giant overlooking the entire city. Around it, sumptuous villas and building complexes stretched for several miles, with parks and streams and stone bridges forming an elegant pattern. I was instantly struck by the gothic feel of it all.
There was grandeur on the outside, the wisdom of ages infused into each brick and stone block. I could only imagine what awaited on the inside…
“Preparing for landing,” Derek announced, flipping another set of switches before he steered the shuttle in its hovering position.
My heart was already stuck in my throat, my mind buzzing with anxiety and anticipation. What would they be like? Were they welcoming us, or were we landing in a trap?
“If they wanted us dead, they probably would’ve fired something more potent than red flares at us,” Sofia said, noticing my strained expression. I felt the sweat trickling down my face. All the experience and preparation in the world wasn’t enough for what would come next. This feeling would never change, and both Esme and I knew it.
The thrill of the unknown would forever be the same, whenever we set foot in a new and foreign world. Amal took deep breaths, closing her eyes for a few moments, as the shuttle finally reached the landing strip.
“Okay. Time to introduce ourselves,” Derek said.
He sucked in a breath, gawking at something outside, his lips moving slowly. I followed his gaze and understood his hesitation. As soon as we’d landed, uniformed soldiers had poured onto the landing strip, forming a thick line just outside our shuttle.
They looked a lot like us, and it startled me. Human-like, with athletic figures and tastefully tailored military garb. They didn’t carry any weapons, though, and I couldn’t stop myself from taking it as a good sign.
“They’re not armed,” Sofia said.
“We shouldn’t be, either,” Derek replied, giving us a brief glance. “Leave the weapons here, for now. You all have access cards for the shuttle.”
I nodded, not disagreeing with the decision. Unlike Esme, I wasn’t a fan of weapons in general. I’d done more damage with my claws and fangs when I’d had to.
“What are they doing?” Esme asked, carefully analyzing the soldiers.
“I believe they’re waiting for us to come out,” Nethissis murmured, clutching her satchel.
Derek and Sofia were the first to remove their safety straps as the shuttle’s engines quieted down. Esme and I followed, along with Nethissis and Amal. We stopped in front of the shuttle’s ramp, Derek’s hand hesitating over the control button to his side.
He nodded. “All right. This is it.”
Esme gave me a faint smile, and I braced myself for whatever might come next.
“Ready?” Derek asked, looking at us.
We both nodded back, waiting for a similar reaction from Amal and Nethissis. When they silently confirmed that they, too, were prepared, Derek pressed the control button and the ramp went down with a loud click.
Sofia, Esme, and I pulled on our head covers and masks, given the broad daylight awaiting us outside. Derek, the lucky bastard, had no need, much like Amal and Nethissis. For now, I was fine with that, as long as he did the talking first, like we’d discussed, and assured these people that we were not hostile in any way.
Just slightly light-sensitive.
Derek
My heart was pounding in a way I’d never felt before.
This wasn’t the first time I was making contact with a new civilization, but it was the first time I was doing it in order to get something that might elevate my entire species. Thousands of vampires relied on me and this prolific crew to succeed. Perhaps it was the pressure of this precise thought that made me sweat a little.
Then again, I could also blame it on the view expanding before me as we calmly and slowly came down the shuttle’s ramp. This city was incredible. It reminded me of old Renaissance and Victorian images of Paris and London—an architectural mixture that composed a true ode of love and worship to buildings such as Notre Dame, among many others. I couldn’t ignore the similarities in the design lines and the materials used to erect this city’s many wonders, but I could also see the differences. The line arching left, instead of right. The gargoyle-like beasts that held up the roofs, looking rather different—another kind of gnarly, I thought. There was an otherworldly feel to this world, this city… yet it was imbued with a sense of familiarity. I was confounded.
We’d need days to explore and understand