A Call of Vampires (A Shade of Vampire #51)(48)

She pointed at a giant marble, slightly bigger than Neraka, glazed in shades of blue and dark green, with white cloud streaks toward the middle.

“And the teal one?” I asked, looking at the sixth planet.

“Oh, that’s Fashen… It’s said to be nothing but frozen oceans and snowstorms. But we’ve never been there. Not worth the risk. It’s enough that we see it through our telescopes.”

“The last one has rings,” Scarlett said, and I looked at it again.

We were much closer now, and I could get a better look at the rings’ composition. I’d paid enough attention in science class to know that they were most likely remnants of a destroyed moon orbiting it.

“That’s Jewellis.” Rewa nodded. “It’s nothing but ice and dust. But it’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” I sighed. “It’s interesting to see how the destruction of a satellite could leave such a beautiful trace behind.”

“Yeah, gravity can be pretty cool when it’s not trying to kill you, huh?” Avril chuckled, making me grin.

We all stilled as the sphere jolted toward Neraka, humming. It slowed down again, passing through the dark purple asteroid belt. Several chunks knocked against our orb, but were gently pushed back as we moved farther down.

I looked around and couldn’t help but feel a little off. These were all indigo-colored crystals in different shapes and sizes, with multiple facets glistening in the sunlight. And yet, something tugged at my stomach, a quiet uneasiness that I had to push back so I could focus on the last part of our journey.

“We’ve never had the tools to further analyze these things,” Rewa said. “The swamp witches’ travel spell will only take us from point A to point B; it needs solid ground as a destination, unless we want to end up scorching on a sun or something, so we haven’t been able to get so close to the belt. But, like I said, we don’t really care much, either.”

She then looked around and noticed our concerned expressions as the orb pushed through Neraka’s atmosphere, billions of white and yellow sparks igniting in the process.

“Don’t worry, it sounds and looks worse than it is.” She smiled, then looked down at the thick layer of white clouds that we were bound to pass through. “I can’t wait to get back home to Azure Heights. You’ll love it, too… Trust me…”

I instinctively glanced over at Jax and Heron, who didn’t seem convinced yet. Their faces were hard, their jade eyes dark and their lips pressed tightly together, as the sphere broke through the clouds and the natural beauty of Neraka presented itself before us.

The oceans were huge, a deep and unsettling blue with foamy waves. The continent we were headed for was a crisp half-moon of rolling hills, slate-colored gorges, and sharp, tall mountains with deep forests and icy peaks.

There were seemingly endless plains in shades of emerald green, layers of colorful orchards, and crystal-clear lakes scattered across the land. It was truly a splendid world, with a perfect blue sky, calm winds, and a wide variety of terrains to work with. The Maras were truly lucky to have ended up here.

“My people will be so happy to see you,” Rewa added, pointing at a giant mountain resting on the edge of the continent, its western slopes vanishing into the deep ocean water. “You will be welcomed with arms wide open, and nothing but kindness and feasts.”

Jax stifled an eye roll, and we all stood up.

The sphere gently dropped closer to the mountain, where red brick rooftops and dark red awnings stretched over a network of brown cobblestone alleys and beautiful white buildings built on the entire eastern portion, from a couple hundred feet above ground level all the way to the top.

I breathed deeply as I watched it get bigger before me, its architecture unfolding in sharp lines and graceful curves, nothing like what I’d seen in the Maras’ White City, back on Calliope. This was truly something else, and it increased my interest in the creatures that had built it—Maras, still, but clearly different from their Eritopian counterparts.





Avril





(Daughter of Lucas & Marion)





Azure Heights was an interesting combination of sumptuous and rustic architecture, with flush white villas and houses and narrow streets. The red brick roofs and awnings provided enough shelter from the suns to allow any Mara or vampire to walk freely through the city, without worrying about burning to a crisp.

The dark brown cobblestone added another degree of warmth to the entire ensemble, while a myriad of steps and several lift systems carved into the stone wall of the mountain connected the multiple levels of the city. The broader levels held taller, two-to three-level buildings, and large squares with sculpted fountains. The upper levels were home to luxurious villas and lush flower gardens, thermal water pools and smaller, downright coquette town squares with blushing red flower arrangements and colorful storefronts.

The lower our sphere got, the more beautiful details I could take in, such as the dark red shutters on every window, the sculptural molding, and white marble statues mounted at the top and bottom of each set of stairs.

The fountains offered fresh water in glistening jets, their round bottoms decorated with a plethora of red, white, and black marbles, and home to a variety of small fish. The overhead shades were perfectly angled and moved gently as the suns’ movement progressed through the sky, making sure that the common areas were always shielded.