I grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where the only thing I ever really loved to do was sing and write about things that made the world beautiful. Today I am working on getting my first screenplays optioned along with launching my first traditionally published novel.
So far I've written over seven manuscripts, along with eight screenplays. I love writing and I hope that I can continue to do it for the rest of my life because nothing brings me more joy than storytelling.
Of course I have other interests, hopefully, one day I'll be able to direct my own films and maybe even open my own production company.
C.J Pona has been writing ever since he could put words into coherent sentences. He published his first book, Code Nine, at the age of 14, ran his middle school newspaper, and invested in a laptop so that he could get down to 'serious business'. Pona has completed over 5 years of successful NaNoWriMo novels and is working on his resume for work in the film industry. Pona enjoys watching Drama films, drinking tea, and dedicating poetry to his teenage years. C.J Pona has written over eight screenplays over the course of one year, and continues to refine his work in hopes of optioning with a massive film corporation.
Pona continues to work vigorously in writing novels for youth and fiction audiences. As Dawn Breaks aims to focus on female empowerment, male sensitivity, and the power dynamics within culture groups. His favorite novels include Where the Red Fern Grows, We Were Liars, and Mockingjay.
Pona strives to be a role model for future authors and writers who are part of minority groups. He is an advocate for representation within media and positive minority representation. Graduating early from high school, Pona is currently working more projects involving positive representation of minority groups, throughout the various spectrum.
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A Novel
Lilium Leroy faces the ultimate challenge as the Gods devastate her world and tear her life apart.
Share Post on X Threads LinkedIn Embed| Mystery, Thriller, Horror & Suspense Fantasy | |
| 70,000 words | |
| 75% complete | |
| 9 publishers interested |
This story originally comes from a mix of different short stories based on a very dark and mysterious Mythology and Judeo-Christian origins. It's based in the mortal world of Earth, where humans really have no part in the actions of the Supernatural. The Supernatural world, or the Immortal world consists of three powerful species, the Vampires, who are ruled by a Council and live their lives in complete and utter secrecy, the Angels, who live high above the clouds in massive floating sittings where they are ruled by a Queen, and the Sorcerers, though few of them claim earth as their home. The Three species have exclusively separated, segregation is extreme, and history begins to repeat itself.
Lilium Leroy, the illegitimate grandchild of the now deceased King of Angels, grew up thinking that she was actually the next Commander of the Evangelical Army, until one day she realizes that her memories have been replaced. With the help of an old friend and a long lost Godmother, she soon realizes she is none other than the daughter of Princess Anna, and is the rightful Queen of Angels.
Around this time, Gemness Overton finds out that his fiance, Guinevere Rue, is a contract killer. After the assassination attempt of the Queen of Angels, Mariel, Guinevere framed none other than Lilium Leroy for the attempted murder of the Royal Family, and the successful murder of Commander Leroy, Lilium's Husband's father.
All of these difficult and extreme situations lead Lilium to invoke the help of her father, the most powerful vampire alive. Angels and Vampires wage war as the lives of many are under attack. Will Lilium ascend to her rightful throne as the Queen? Will Guinevere Rue finally exact her revenge over the Royal Family? When family is turned against each other, all remnants of sanity are throne out of the window.
Lilium Leroy
Lilium is one of the few main characters within the novel that has the shared bloodline of a Vampire and an Angel. She was a born in the 1700s, raised on the Italian countryside, and lived out a good part of her early life in Lux, the capital city of Angels.
Lilium is reserved, subtle, and pretty acquainted with trouble. In the face of trouble, she put she her own feelings aside in order to protect the ones that she loves. Lilium is married to Sanctus Leroy, but problems arise throughout the novel once Lilium is fugitive on the run.
Gemness Overton
Gemness Overton is a very old vampire, his birth dates back to the Middle Ages, and his family tree is relatively unknown. Gemness is snarky, a hopeless romantic, and a bit of a heart breaker. Gemness owns a bar in Deadgrove, where he also runs a clientele service for magic potions.
Gemness leaves Deadgrove along with Lilium, though his fiancé is Guinevere Rue. They're love might be there for each other, but the secrets they keep could tear them apart.
Guinevere Rue
Guinevere Rue can be described in one word: self-serving. But what she lacks in proper social skills and gag reflex, she makes up in wit and overall prowess. Guin lives with Gemness, but is never home, she's also the cousin of Lilium Leroy, and Angelic family ties are nothing but complicated.
Guinevere Rue Is the instigator of the trouble that Lilium is undergoing, and though she's very selfish, the loss of her brother fuels her anger for not only the angels, but for people in general.
Sanctus Leroy
Sanctus Leroy, the son and successor of the Leroy Captain of the Guard, is a pure-blooded angel. Due to his kind and easily swayed heart, he has a hard time dealing with the troubles of being married to Lilium Leroy. On the other hand, he's had to deal with troubles of his own, due to mental trauma, and the fact that to get his love back, he must face his worst demons.
Jamiel Shadel
The crown prince of Angels, Jamiel has lived most of his life under the protection of the a Royal Guard. But all that has come to an end, after his knighting, he is almost killed. Believing that his Guardian, Lilium Leroy, had caused it, he attempts to find and capture her. Jamiel soon realizes that as a Knight, he's going to have to do things he was never meant to do. Jamiel begins to go through the growing pains, of death, love and war.
Chapter 1
Chapter 1 covers the literal beginning of our characters current history. Gemness Overton takes one of the first colonial ships to America, where he meets Guinevere Rue, a very rich landed gentry. In the first chapter, it becomes very apparent that Gemness is coming to America to escape something, whatever it may be.
Lilium's early life is reviewed in the first chapter, how she was taken away minutes after birth to her adopted father, Phireo, who lives in on the countryside of Italy. It's noted that Phireo and Lilum share similar qualities. Lilium has a gift for magic, and casts psionic spells on a whim. Phireo, an old powerful magician, sends her off hours before her 18th birthday for training in the Outer Realms, where she will learn how to command an Army.
She doesn't leave without being told of her true origins, which she will later forget. She is told that her mother and father were once very much in love, but because of feuding species and politics, they had to split up. Lilium was born without much weakness, and so she was sought after, for her blood.
After a wild bit of amnesia, Lilium wakes up in New York City, where she escapes her carriage and makes her way to a tailor shop, run by the mysterious being known as Validus. Validus has employed Gemness, who works as a tailor and suit maker. Lilium and Gemness share a few words before Validus appears, going on about some kind of prophecy that she must tell them. Validus reads their prophecy, warning them that they are about to embark on an epic and terrifying journey, a red ring appears in their vision, it signals something even worse to come.
Chapter 2
Harold the Great, a smart and sassy Sorcerer, gambles the fate of the world with an old acquaintance of his, who happens to be a Goddess. Harold asks for her help in getting the Kinsmen, the troublemakers of the Astral, to stop quarreling. Elaya, the Goddess, tells Harold to erase the memories of a very important Immortal group, the Everlasting Council. Erasing their memory would anger the Kinsmen enough to awaken, and to appease them, he'd need a sacrifice, Elaya tells him to kill the Red Ring People, pure evil beings, and bring them to the Kinsmen. In exchange for that, the Star Children, the second oldest beings in the universe, would be asked to come down and talk to them, then he would have his peace.
Harold is reminded that this could cost him not only his life, but his soul, in exchange for peace among the supernaturals. He agrees to this.
----
'Young' Guinevere Rue is on her first attempt to meet her cousin, the late King of Angels, who is under the impression that Guin is an impostor. Due to the utter disrespect that he gives her, such as not restoring her angelic citizenship, she kills him in cold blood. Guinevere from that point on is known as an Angel Killer, who cares nothing for them, even though she is one.
---
Back with Validus, Gem, and Lilium, the prophecy telling continues, Validus reveals the evils of the red ring, and even warns them that they will be forgetting pieces of their memory for a while. Then in flash they are all sent off.
When Lilium comes to, she's informed that she's in the year 1990, and is the daughter of the Prime Minister. With a fiance, Sanctus Leroy, and a sister, Bambi, who will ultimately ruin her life.
---
Back in 1820, Guinever kills more people.
A few days after such, she meets Gemness again after about eighty years, and they fall in love.
Chapter 3
Lilium begins to fall for the lovable Sanctus Leroy, whose heart is as pure as gold, but she holds many secrets from him.
---
Harold the Great continues to try and stop a massive world war.
---
Gemness propopes to Guinevere, one of the many mistakes he makes.
---
Validus saves a special someone from certain death
Chapter 4
Lilium gets married, the last good thing that'll ever happen to her in a long time.
---
Sanctus and Leroy share a very sad and difficult to write moment on a balcony.
---
Lilium asserts her power as the Commander of Angels
---
A foil is revealed in 1892
---
Trouble begins to stir rapidly for the vampires.
---
The Royal Angelic Family becomes the largest target in the world.
---
Harold and Validus continue to try and save the world.
Chapter 5
All hell breaks lose when Lilium escapes to Deadgrove to retrieve Gemness in a search for her father.
---
Validus encounters the Red Ring People, and helps Guinevere escape.
Chapter 6 & 7
A war begins to brew. Along with an affair. A few more murders. The unintentional creation of an alliance between Guinevere and the Angels, and of course, the reason Lilium is able to lead the Vampires to war.
Chapter 8
Emotions and heart boils over in this chapter. Love interests take form and enemies become arch nemesis. Ties and secrets are exposed as the climax begins to take shape.
Chapter 9
As a war begins to brew in the heart of New York City, terrible events arise in that will shake Lux and Nox in ways that will affect the species for life.
Chapter 10
The aftermath of the chaotic events in Lux and Nox, is introduced into the heat of the war within New York City. The battle ends, but the war the Supernaturals thought was over, has seemingly just begun.
Primary Audience
As Dawn Breaks diverges from the usual supernatural thriller by giving it's female protagonists actual drive and character while also allowing them to be sexual beings. It gives it male protagonists the ability to show the full human range of emotion, while still showing the resilience and strength they can create. Young adults, more than ever, need to see that to be strong, they don't always have to act strong. ADB really puts that into drive and shows it.
Secondary Audience
I set this book in multiple different time periods, the characters are for the most part immortal. Therefore, I was allowed to play with different styles of speech, from Shakespearean to Contemporary english. I was also able to mix the romance elements around, who doesn't love a love story set over a range of years? History (specifically American history) provides a huge outlet for me to add all those things and more.
The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare - Though I've never read or watched the books, I know that Cassandra Clare and I have similar premises in the fact that supernaturals wage war. We also both have New York City and angels. But other than that, ADB doesn't have any demons introduced, and our concept of demons is wildly different from each others.
The Twilight Chronicles by Stephanie Meyer - The only true thing Twilight and ADB share is the premise of vampires and how they are an actual society, with rules and regulations, everything else is different. ADB vampires don't shine in the light, they don't kill humans, and they surely don't repeat high school.
Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin - Both ADB and GoT have the same kind of throne plot, Lilium, Guin, and James are all royalty, feuding for crowns. The rest of premise is divergent, ADB isn't set in the middle ages, it doesn't have dragons, (they're all dead) and Angels don't want to rule over the Vampires, they just want them dead.
Fantastic Beasts (and Where to Find Them) J.K Rowling - New York (1920) is a huge premise in both of our stories. Newt Scamander reminds me quite distinctly of Harold the Great. But ADB was written over two years ago, they don't have the same ebb and flow, and wizards don't exist in ADB.
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Jamiel Shadel
St. Marvel’s Hospital
“I hadn't really seen what had happened, before the flash, I blacked out. But she was being choked by one of the Vampires, I had killed the other two, and all of a sudden, she started to flicker, and it wasn't really flames, her body just began to glow. I knew it wasn't natural, so I used my strength to build a light boundary. And then she blew up, I thought she was gone. But after I woke up, I saw her there. In the rubble of the burnt stadium, lying naked and-and covered by her dark wings.” I recounted
The officer jotted down everything. I'd only ever been to this hall twice before in my life. The halls seemed to whine with silence, as a few nurses walked into different rooms. It was nothing like the ones I'd toured in the city, those were flooded, wheels rolling, and teens crying as their wings began to sprout. I don't know why, but in that present moment, I felt a ting of disbelief that those hospitals were nothing more than clinics breaking fire codes.
This level was different It was actually made just for the Royal Angels and their beloved. The guards were allowed her too, not their families, that would be too expensive, but the guards themselves. Looking just like a 16th-century chapel, there were thousand-year-old statues, stained glass paintings, and Roman architecture. It was priceless, dustless, spotless and cream white. I hated it, in that moment, I hated it.
“Thank you, your Majesty.”
He walks off, and behind him, blocked from my view but now revealed to me was a violent tropical storm, in unkempt boots and scorched metal came Sanctus.
“Why the hell didn't you send for me, Jamiel!” He yelled.
I got up, “What the hell! You ran off with my Mother and left your damn wife there to fend for herself! And when you talk to me, you will speak to me with respect!”
He turned his head sideways and squinted his eyes at me, “What in good God’s green hell rubbed you the wrong way thinking that you could talk to me any kind of way?”
I folded my arms, “Why aren’t you in there with your wife?”
“That’s none of your business-”
“Why!” I repeated louder. “You say you love her, then you don’t leave her! You get in there and you be there when she wakes up because if it wasn’t for her god given abilities, she would be dead right now!”
He clenched his teeth, wanting to say something, but he knew he couldn’t. Not because I was the Prince, but because I was one thing he couldn’t be: right.
He turned around and stormed off.
Sanctus reminded me of this hospital, except backwards, upside down, and reversed. He could heal, mend and care, but he failed to loom in the mirror. As he walked down that hall and turned down another corridor, I could see that bestial rage about him in the most ironic way. He was a dove, but also, a wolf, and a hungry one at that.
Lilium must've known this too, a supernova was inside of him, and she could set him off.
But also contain him, and that boggled me, in ways I'd never have imagined. Now that I stand there.
And I breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down
~~~
Lilium
I awoke, and for the first time ever I felt a strong pain in my head, and throbbing spells rang all across the stone that was my body. I turned to my side to see Sanctus sitting down. He was away with himself, mad and angered in his thoughts. He'd always been that way, in his thoughts. But as soon as he saw me he got up and came over, pulling my frizzy hair back so that he could see my eyes.
“Lily … Lily are you alright.” He said.
Instantly I felt discomfort, “You left me.”
I could hear his heartbeat, how it stopped for only an inch of a moment.
He stuttered, “Lily … I-I had to do my job.”
He wasn't lying. But he wasn't telling the truth, no need for that around here.
“Sure, Sanctus.”
Slowly I sat up, looking at the IVs in my arms, you’d think with such ahead of time technology they wouldn’t have to use needles anymore. I looked down, avoiding Sanctus and his gaze. He touched my shoulder, but again, it felt wrong.
A shiver, and an odd rumble ran around my brain like a house party.
“Don’t … Sanctus.” I whispered.
“What’s wrong, Lily?” He asked.
He didn't need to know. His eyes were already old, his hands, they were aged. His voice masked itself to be warm but it's frozen rhetoric was heard.
If I told him that the Queen wanted me to be assassinated, I could only wonder what would happen to him.
Would they string him up, kill him in his sleep? Would they make him kill me? I guess the latter sounds inviting.
Living with a broken heart can't be living.
“Leave me alone,” I said.
There he went first, with his eyes, they darted themselves around me, trying to see if they were wrong. Then he looked lost. He didn't need to know.
“Lilium-”
“I said go!” I yelled.
It ran across my mind again, he didn't need to know. He wouldn't to know.
Sanctus, startled, backed up, turned around and stormed out of the room. There he went, away from me. The only person that ever gave me warmth, I laid back down and ran my hands across my face and through my hair. Angrily I slammed on the bed and let out a scream of frustration.
I heard footsteps into the room. A woman, in a kinky nurse suit, long curly black hair, and sparkling eyes walked into the room. She was pushing a big cart, which was covered by a white blanket. For a moment I was surprised nurses were allowed to wear such things.
But she was no nurse.
“Validus?”
She shot me that winning smile.
“Enough chit-chat darling, let’s go, stay here long enough and you’ll not only be killed, but you'll have expired on .” She explained.
She turned off my machines and unhooked my IVs. With a quick pull, she removed the white blanket to reveal a set of clothes. She clapped her hands and gestured to them.
“Chop chop. I won’t peek dear.” She said, then giggled, and then turned around looking at the white pasty walls. I think I saw her shiver while she looked at such uneven painting.
She groaned, "This must be what the walls in hell look like. You don't have torture me, just through me up against a poor man's wall."
In about two minutes I was wearing my first pair of black jeans, red flannel, and black flats. I immediately looked like I was nineteen again.
She turned back around after I gave the okay and smiled.
“You look just like a mortal now." She smiled.
I smiled.
"Not a bone of fashion in your body." She whipped.
"Rude." I said.
She grabbed my hand and guided me down the hall.
"Ever been teleporting before?” Validus said.
“No, Angels usually fly or bike,” I answered.
She rolled her eyes and laughed, “Then obviously you haven’t lived.”
She stretched her hand out and then turned it palm facing upwards. A medium sized portal opened. I waited for her to step through, but she turned back to me.
“Sorry dear, but where you’re going I can’t follow, too much energy means bad people follow you. So, just walk through, and you’ll be in Deadgrove, Washington. There’s a bar and restaurant right where you’re going to step out, it’s called Night Falls. Gemness will be there. Don’t tell them I sent you.” She explains.
“Thank you,” I said.
She smiles, opens her arms for a hug. I gladly accept it, and we embrace for a few seconds. She brushes my hair off my forehead, smiling at me.
“I take care of my kids.” She said. Then she pushes me through.
And in seconds, there I landed, in a town not quiet like any other. Where you were just as likely to see someone disappear before your very eyes as you were to see someone cross the street. Deadgrove was the human hub of supernatural life. Where magic thrived, the coffee tasted a bit like poison, and the bookstores seemed a twice as big on the outside as they did within.
The seasons seemed to be merging into fall. Though it was rather warm, the air had a crisp smell to it. I found myself on a corner street, adjacent from me, a neon sign read: "Night Falls Bar N' Grille"
Crossing the street, I saw the warm wooded palace that was Gemness' territory. The people seemed usual, they seemed normal, and just naive enough to be human. So I went in.
Straight into the most important period of my existence.
~~~
Gemness
1990
Night Falls Bar N’ Grille
I squeezed the remaining soap water out of the rag into the sink behind the bar until it was damp like Guinevere tended to squeeze the life out of me when she walks through the doors every single night smelling like wine and cigars. I then turned around and wiped the granite counters, today was quiet and it was almost closing time, with the exception of few regulars, who were always there. Such as Bob, the divorcee who was done with marriage, worshipped rugby, ordered his cold cuts in six inches and his coffee black. Also Janet, an extremely rich single woman who worked for the local bank as an accountant. Darek and Michael, the twins, who were around twenty-five and always had a new scar every time they came in for the last five years.
I walked over with a menu towards a table with a person I had never seen before.
“Hi welcome to Night-”
As soon as I saw her face I recognized her. Her hair was like soft morning dew as it ran down her shoulders. Her coffee brown eyes and bronze skin glowed under the dim lit lights. She didn't see it, the way she was. I saw it ... no, I felt it. I felt it like the rapture, inside of me and outside of me, and all around me.
I took the seat next to her. I couldn't help but smile as she looked around me, taking in everything new about me.
But she looked buried, her emotions had been hit deep, and they were dented, as she prepared to talk her smile began to fade. What words might've come out her mouth evaporated in the air.
In about two seconds she was in my arms weeping silently into my shoulder. I held her quietly, she shook and quivered in my arms for a few minutes. I took a napkin out of one of my apron pockets and gave it to her. She wiped her eyes, even through the tears they still shined like diamonds.
“I’m sorry.” She exhaled.
I shook my head, “For what, Lilium?”
“I walk in here looking like a hooligan and then collapse on your shoulder like I’m some helpless damsel.” She answers.
I smiled. “So after … the castle incident … where’d you go?”
“Into a hyper-trance.” She blew her nose. “It was like being on autopilot for a century. I woke up and got thrown into a whole big pile of horse crap.”
“I’m sorry,” I said.
She shook her head, “Don’t be, whatever happened was meant to happen.”
“What happened?” I asked eagerly.
She looked down at the table. Then she looked back up as if she was surprised that I actually wanted to listen.
“Do you have tea here?” She asked.
I giggled, "Of course."
I got up, but she grabbed my wrist. “Bring some whiskey too while you’re at it. I’ve one love and it fills my glass.”
I nod.
After I came back, she told me everything. From beginning to in, and all the terrible things in between.
“You were an Angel?” I said.
She smirked, “Out of all that, you’re surprised that I’m Angelic?”
I nodded and laughed.
“Yes, and I was happy. I just don’t know what I did wrong …” She looked down, her smile gone.
I grabbed her shoulder. Looking her in the eyes. “You did nothing wrong.”
“Sure, mighty Gemness.” She mocked.
She yawned. She turned to booth in the corner. “How comfy is that booth over there?”
I shook my head, “No friend of mine is going to sleep on a lumpy booth seat. There’s an apartment upstairs. Let me close up first.”
Everyone had left, it was midnight when we started talking and now it was three in the morning. I turned off all the lights, and guided her through a double door.
~~~
I lead her up a steep staircase and into a slightly larger house. I turned on the lights to reveal grey, white, black, and red furnishings.
I turned to Lilium who took the apartment in. “I could’ve sworn it wasn’t this big downstairs.”
“We have a guest bedroom, and I can get you some fresh clothes in the morning to sleep in,” I said.
She walked over to the large painting on the wall of Guinevere. It had to have been painted around 1827, when she went to Venice. She was wearing a dashing crimson red dress, staring intently away from the portrait. In fact, I'm pretty sure she was staring at me, I was there too.
“Who’s she?” Lily asked.
“My fiance,” I answered.
“She’s gorgeous!” She exclaimed.
Lily gasped.
She quickly turned towards me. “She’s alright with me staying here? Because if she’s not I’ll-”
“Perish the thought, Lilium!” I said quickly.
She smiled, brushing back her beautiful lively hair. “Thanks, Gem.”
I nod and point to the guest bedroom. She nods, walks in, and closes the door behind her. I take off my coat, stretch out my back, and take a moment to collect my thoughts.
The front door unlocks and in steps the one and only Guinevere Rue. She through her keys on the coat shelf, then began to unwrap her long red hair.
“It’s late,” I said.
She frowned at me. “Well sorry, father.”
“Guin … where were you?” I asked.
She rolled her eyes as she took off her coat and scarf. “Working.”
“What is ‘working’ exactly?” I asked again.
She groaned, “Can I have a life without you asking questions!”
I shushed her, which she took as a surprise. “We have a quest with us, Guin, and she is sleeping.”
“She?” Guin hissed.
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t get angry now, you’re the one who won’t answer my question.”
She closed her eyes, breathed in, and then breathed out, and then re-opened them.
“Fine.” She said.
Guin walked towards our room, and I started to walk behind her, but once she went through the door, I was pushed back.
She looked me up and down, “You’re sleeping on the couch.”
“Oh come on!” I groaned.
She then threw two pillows and a blanket at me. I dragged my feet towards the couch.
“At least it’s not as bad as your snoring.” I mumbled.
“What?” She came out, storming.
Damn Vampiric hearing.
“Nothing dear.” I gave a cheesy grin.
She smiled for a split second, and then turned back and closed the door behind her.
~~~
Guinevere Rue
Apt 421b
That morning I awoke to the sound of laughter.
My back was sore but I quickly put on an oversized sweatshirt and checked myself in the mirror for any eye boogers. Then I made my appearance into the living room. The sound was coming from our balcony. I could feel the warmth from the kitchen, which meant that someone must’ve cooked.
When I finally came into view I saw the happy couple laughing and drinking tea on the balcony. A banquet on the black table and a gorgeous view to look at. I had come to be, oversleep, alright with the presence of a guest within the house.
But this was not right, it was her. She was gorgeous, long curly hair, brown skin void of blemish, perfect posture, a British accent, and she was kicking it in all the right places.
Not to forget that she was laughing with my fiance.
I walked towards them. A place was set for me between them, so that was nice. I could easily guide the conversation from such a place.
“Wow, I haven’t seen a breakfast like this since the American Revolution,” I announced my presence.
The girl looked over at me and smiled. She got up, damn, she was tall too.
“My name is Lilium Leroy. Nice to meet you.” She said, reaching out her hand.
I shook it. “I believe we met, once in a blue moon.”
She nodded, smiling, “I crashed your Engagement Party.”
I looked over at Gemness with eyes made of burning hot coals. He turned his head and quickly sipped his tea.
I smiled. “Please, have a seat.”
I sat down, but I didn’t grab for food, I just took the teapot and poured a cup. “So where are you from, Lily … mind I call you Lily?”
She smiled, putting down her fork, “No, I don’t mind. I’m originally from Oxford, but I moved to New York for a while, but recently I’ve been living in Italy.”
“Tuscany?” I said.
Gemness cleared his throat. “This tea is hot.”
“Yes,” She brushed her hair back, “But I needed the assistance from Gemness here.”
I smiled, “For what?”
“I’m homeless.” She blatantly said it, then she drank another.
Gemness tapped his cup with his finger. “Is this ginger or chamomile?”
“Chamomile.” We both said.
I turned back to Lily, “I’m sorry to hear that. What happened?”
Lily smiled, I could tell she was getting irritated. But she kept going, “Well, I had spent much of my time in … Tuscany … trying to fix, well, Tuscany. But I guess the governor of Tuscany, didn’t like me very much. So he had me hunted and I blew up my house, and through the course of events, I am now … I’m here.”
Gemness chimed in, “Guin how about you tell Lily about what you do.”
Lily raised her eyebrows and played with her food.
I looked at Gem, he thought he could make me shut up. But I was a Rue and one thing we didn’t do was shut up.
“I’m an assassin.” I sip my tea.
Gemness cleared his throat again, “Alright, Guin, haha! Why don’t you go draw the curtains in the apartment and take inventory of the bar that we both own?”
I nodded, happily, I went off. But I never strayed too far from earshot. Instead, I just sat behind the wall dividing the living room from the terrace.
~~~
Lilium
Damn.
“So you’re fiance … she’s-”
“A bitch.” He says without hesitation.
“No, she’s very confident. A really good catch.” I said.
Gem looked up at me with those pretty sea green eyes. “Yeah, please excuse her. At that party, well we had a bit of a massacre, and her brother, Oliver was his name, was killed right before her eyes.”
I immediately lost my appetite. “I have no recollection of that.”
Gem gave an extremely fake laugh. “Why are we talking about what happened almost a century ago. We need to be talking about you and how we’re going to fix this conundrum of yours.”
“It’s more than a conundrum, Gem. I’m being hunted. The Queen didn’t even dignify me with her own assassins. She literally paid damn vampires to kill me.”
Gem nodded, looking at the view. “Who do you think did it?”
“God, I don’t know,” I groaned. “I haven’t been to a Vampiric State. I don’t even know who contracts with Angels.”
“I do.” He said.
I raised my eyebrows. “Tell me, please, so that I can rip their heads off and drink their blood.”
“Nox is famous for it’s modernized society. But old ways and traditions still reverberate there. In a few days, we can take a trip there, just you and I.” He explains.
“What are we gonna do when we get there?” I asked.
“We’re gonna find out who’s behind this. We’re going to sort through all the garbage until we find the diamond in the ruff. Then, we’ll kill them.” He said.
I smiled, “Cheers.”
We clinked tea cups.
I took a sip, “Then we kill the Queen.”
Gem took a deep breath and nodded calmly.
I look out at the view with promise in my eyes.
Revenge was mine.
~~~
Guinever Rue
Quickly I ran to my room to get dressed, tying up my hair, putting on a bit of makeup, and equipping my regular outfit, a black morph suit unhooded with carbon fiber armor and reflex celestial steel knives strapped to both thighs. Then I put on my engagement ring and finished it off with a large black and red Chesterfield coat.
I hear Gem walk into the room. Unbuckling his belt and changing into new clothes.
“It's a bit hot for an overcoat, love.” He said solemnly.
I turned around, “I can tell.”
He put on some underwear and laughed.
“I'm going to Copper Town I'll be back tomorrow,” I said.
He looked at me oddly putting his hands on his hips.
“What?” I asked.
“Copper Town? The Bermuda Triangle. Really.” He said.
I sat down on the bed to put on my boots. “You wanted me to tell you where I'm going. I'm going to Copper Town, and I can do this because … well, I'm not married.”
I start walking towards the door, but underwear Gem grabs my arm.
“No … not without a kiss.” He demands.
I fake a smile and kiss him on the lips. Out the door, I go.
“I'll telephone you when I get their love,” I called.
He peeked out of the door, “Looking forward to it.”
Good riddance.
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