a warning in his tone.
“Forgive us, milord,” I said, bowing again. “We’re simply curious, since the similarities between our species point to at least a common ancestor. Up until some months ago, we didn’t even think there were other inhabited planets in our galaxy, let alone people with whom we seem to have so much in common.”
Petra moved slowly toward us, stopping in front of Derek and Sofia for a moment. The guards seemed on edge, but they didn’t move or say a thing. I could hear their hearts drumming, though. Their pulses quickened. Their sharp eyes fixed on the high priestess as she measured Derek, then Sofia, from head to toe.
She circled our group once, her expression shifting from restraint to childish curiosity. “You are all quite fast, even though you’re not from the same species. You’re fighters, too. I presume good fighters.”
“What makes you say that?” Derek asked.
“Your posture. The confidence with which you speak. The mere fact that you came out of your shuttle unarmed. I’m inclined to believe you have physical abilities that give you an upper hand in combat, since you didn’t think you’d need weapons. I mean, let’s be honest here. Who is insane enough to walk up to a completely unknown civilization without some form of defense? What guarantee would you have for survival, unless you had something to rely on for your defense?”
Derek chuckled softly and nodded in agreement. “Your assessment is impressive, High Priestess. We do have our abilities, yes. But we do not wish to use them here. Not unless we have to defend ourselves,” he said, briefly acknowledging Corbin, in particular.
Petra followed his gaze. “Worry not about the master commander, Derek. He leads the armies of Visio, but he cannot harm you without the council’s consent. Besides, our lord and lady would be furious if you were hurt before they even had a chance to meet you.”
She and Corbin didn’t seem to like each other very much. Then again, Zoltan wasn’t her fan, either, as he rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “High Priestess, perhaps we should move this conversation somewhere else. I’m sure our guests don’t appreciate standing in the sun for too long, regardless of their protective garb.”
“We’re your guests now?” I asked, smiling.
“Well, you’ve come all the way here, haven’t you?” Petra replied. “It would be a shame to turn you away without getting to know you better.”
“Besides, I’m thinking that if we’re good hosts to you, then you might welcome us to your world, someday, should we become curious enough to get out of our broad comfort zone,” Kalon added.
His confidence was intriguing. The way he spoke carried scents of danger and mystery, and I was already wondering about methods of getting inside his head. I was willing to bet he had some of the best stories to tell, but his interest in me was a tad worrying. Part of me was on high alert—Kalon Visentis could be a deceitful figure in this quest of ours. He could become an ally and purveyor of precious information, or he could just as easily turn into a threat. For the sake of us all, I hoped for the former.
His coat fit him tightly, outlining his broad shoulders and narrow hips. He wasn’t of a muscular complexion, but I could tell he was an athlete. A fighter. Light on his feet, confident in his strikes. And if he had even five percent of our vampire abilities, or anything remotely resembling that, then Kalon was definitely a fearsome killing machine. But there was also beauty in those cold eyes, a playful glimmer lingering in the icy blue pools. Vivid thoughts behind his sly smile, inviting me to take a stab at untangling and revealing them.
“We are thankful for your kindness and hospitality,” Derek said, wrecking my train of thought. Only then did I notice Tristan staring at me in bewilderment. My eyes must’ve been stuck on Kalon for quite a while for my brother to give me such a look. “We will do our best to be equally gracious guests. Should you decide to visit Earth, rest assured, our people will be more than pleased to welcome you, as well.”
“Come, let us walk,” Petra said, motioning for the soldiers and the golden guards to step aside. Almost instantly, they all moved, lining the road that linked the landing strip to the rest of the city. The stone slabs fit neatly against one another, forming an asymmetric pattern up