A New World (Open to Nadia & Uly)

[Nadia Delphi]

10 years ago…

It was the day that would change her life forever. The sun had just disappeared behind the horizon and crescent moon had risen to take its place across the sky. The seas were calm and overall, the night felt normal and the princess had just gotten use to traveling by sea. Sure, eating seagulls weren’t exactly ideal but anything to prove to the crew that she wasn’t a danger to them, and that she was on a strict all animal diet. She stood on the deck, absorbing the cool salty breeze that whisked on by. In the recent 300+ years, never had she felt so much peace. To be away from the man who had caused her nothing but pain and suffering. Nadia felt free.

Little did she know, that moment would be the last time she would feel something like that.

Lost in the dance of the waves and the rock of the ship, she hadn’t even noticed the bodies that had been tossed over board on the vessel behind her. But then, a familiar scent tickled her her nose. Something iron-y and sweet. Then there was another. It smelled of leather and tobacco. A smell she hadn’t even thought about since she left Italy. Narrowing her eyes, she tried to piece the scent together before two common things clicked in her brain at the same time.

You can’t hide from me, princess. I will find you. I will always find you.

She was instantly struck by fear, a gasp leaving her chest as she looked over at the vessel that followed hers. In an instant, the ship exploded! Her full lips parted as she rushed to the quarterdeck, to see the commotion. The crewmen on her ship, jumped out of their beds and scurried to the main deck like a mischief of mice. As wood, body parts and other debris fell from the sky, the woman stared at the blaze in a unfathomable horror. She knew who was the cause of this. She knew why he was here and what he planned on doing to her once he got his hands on her.

The men’s voices faded into her ears as they all pushed away from the deck and scattered to their positions as their Captain demanded. The smell of burning flesh and burning wood filled her sinuses which caused her to covered her nose and mouth. It was a foul stench and frankly it made her gag. But she wouldn’t take her eyes off of that ship. Suddenly, the captain walked up to her.

’Miss Nadia, I’m afraid he’s found us.’

Nadia couldn’t tear her eyes away from the sight before her. She was completely stricken by fear, unwavering and still. Suddenly, the third vessel that had been following both ships side by side had also exploded. It was in that moment where she had been scared out of her daze. Blinking once, bloody tears had fallen from her eyes.

’I—I have to go. I have to give myself up or everyone else on this ship will die.’

’You will not be doing no such thing! You’re going to jump off of this ship and swim to the closest shore you come across. We will keep this son of a bitch busy.’

’What?! I can’t allow you to do that! This is all my fault! Your crew, Captain Phillips and Captain Smith are in this because of me. You can’t risk your life on behalf—‘

Before she could continue, he shoved her back over the edge. It all happened so quickly, she didn’t even realize what was happening until she hit the water, and by then it was too late to scream. As she sunk below the surface, she allowed her eyes to take in the gruesome scene around her. Sinking splintered wood, limbs of the deceased floating in the abyss. The sight haunted her; causing her to close her eyes and swim up towards the surface.

After breaching, she shook the water off of her face, pushing her soaked curls out of her face as she kicked gently to stay afloat. Looking around her, Nadia took in the flames that ate down those two ships like they were nothing. All of this… all of this death, just to get her back. Suddenly, she heard the pained and frightened screams of more men. Quickly spinning her body, she watched as the man in dark blue began to rip those men apart. All because they refused to tell him where she was. She wanted to swim away but she was stuck.

That was until the Captain collapsed against the edge. Bloodied with his breathing labored; wheezing as if he had something lodged in his lungs. He mouthed the word “Go”. This hurt her spirit so badly in such a familiar way. These men had protected her for months. Made her feel at home. And they died for her. She would be sure to honor them once she made it to safety. Finally listening, she swiftly turned around, diving beneath the waves and swam til she couldn’t swim any more.

***
Once she made it to shore, she collapsed to her hands and knees into the cool sand. Letting out shuddered breathing, rage and grief began to settle within her. He’d truly taken everything away from her. The family she’d come from and every single family she tried to create with others. It was almost as if he lived to see her unhappy if she weren’t by his side. Finally sitting back against her legs, a loud scream ripped from her chest with an pained sob following suit. She had no idea where she was, where she was going to go, how she was going to survive. But she had to. After several moments of trying to gather herself, she brought herself to her feet and walked through the this jungle.

This place was unlike something she’d ever seen! The air was moist and the trees were as tall as the clouds. Vines wrapped around the trunks like snakes. Gorgeous bright colored flowers bloomed beneath the shroud of night. Ferns and other shrubs damn near covered the ground beneath her. Twinkling little bugs flew around her in wonder. And frankly, she’d never seen anything like it! Reaching out, she allowed a little bug to land on her index finger. It’s abdomen glowing yellow on and off like a dying star. The woman was absolutely fascinated and blown away by this discovery.

’What are you?’ She whispered softly before it flew away.

’What the hell is this place?’ She asked as she felt a strange urge surging through her. It felt rich and pure and also peaceful. Like this was what home was suppose to feel like really.

After of what had seem like hours of getting lost in this unfamiliar place, she had finally come across this strange figure. It hovered in the air, glowing bright. There was something about it though… she felt like she did when she first arrived here. It was alluring and pretty. Was this… magic?

As Nadia stared up at the the celestial doorway before her. Reaching out towards it, she was ready to sacrifice a limb to simply know what this was! But before she could, she could hear frantic footsteps. His scent had returned once again, causing her to immediately panic. He was here! That was it! She was absolutely done for. Even if he weren’t to kill her, he’d make her regret running away from home.

’NADIA! YOU CANT HIDE FROM ME FOREVER! YOURE MINE, YOU HEAR ME?!’

She froze at his voice. So much anger, malice and animosity in his voice. Oh he was definitely going to kill her. And if he was going to try to kill her, what did she have to lose if she jumped into this portal? If she were to die jumping into this thing, it would be more mercy on her than what he would show her that’s for sure. Before she knew it, he was standing behind her. His gaze was heavy and dark. ‘Princess…’ how could a word so pretty be said with so much hatred? He made it sound so ugly.

Nadia stood still for a moment.

’Ive finally found you. You don’t know the lengths I’ve gone… to get to this moment… to finally be right here … in front of you. Oh, my dearest Nadia… why must you be so disobedient?’ He asked as he stepped forward.

’come any closer and I jump in…’

’You wouldn’t dare…’

She took a step back once more, ‘You must not know me then. If it’s to get the hell away from you…’

The male gritted his teeth together in anger, his thick brows furrowing forward. ‘Oh no you don’t!’

As soon as he reached forward to grab her, she swiftly snatched away from him and fell back into the strange abyss. As soon as she fell in, she was immediately met with the floor. The portal closed almost as fast as she could even blink! Sitting up, her chest rose and fell quickly as she watched the now empty space before her. The woman didn’t even take notice of the shift in the room that she was now in.

She could only focus on her slow beating heart just simply ramming in her ears as more tears threatened to spill from them. Nadia managed to calm herself down slowly but surely. Now she could hear the multiple beating hearts in the room. The breathing that was now heightened from her random appearance. Guns we’re aimed at her backside as folks demanded to know who and what she was. Great, so she got away from trouble only to get herself into more fucking trouble. Just her luck.

’Look, I don’t know where I am alright.’ She lifted her hands. ‘I found this portal like.. thing and I jumped in… someone was after me.’

Turn around! Now!

The overlapping voices caused her to worry further. But she had to keep her cool. She needed to focus on staying alive. Getting out of here and getting to safety where he could never find her again. Finally, when she turned to face him, her bright red eyes zeroed in on the tall individual across the room. He had blonde hair and eyes that resembled the sea she’d once sailed. He truly was a beauty to behold. But out of respect, she cut her eyes away from his. ‘I’m not here to cause trouble al-alright? I just— I just need help.’ She whimpered, ‘Please… please help me! I know none of you know me and I could potentially pose a threat to everyone here. But I reassure you all, I am here on behalf of my ex-fiancé… he’s out to kill me. I— I just need help.’ 

[Ulysses Boyd]

On what appeared to be a routine Wednesday morning, Ulysses stood as the commanding presence during a drill for the new recruits, a group blissfully ignorant of the otherworldly terrors lurking just beyond their sheltered existence. With his arms crossed and a watchful eye, he scrutinized their stances and precision as they took aim at various targets. Each shot rang out, but his senses extended far beyond mere observation, attuned to the faint hum that danced on the edge of his awareness. An unsettling metallic taste crept into his mouth, a harbinger of something amiss. “Shit,” he muttered under his breath, just moments before a rift opened before him, heralding an unexpected arrival.

Before he could issue a commanding order, the recruits, fueled by youthful bravado and adrenaline, instinctively pointed their weapons at the figure emerging from the rift. Ulysses felt his jaw tighten in disapproval, frustration simmering just beneath the surface. He recognized the impending regret that would follow their reckless actions, but his gaze was drawn inexorably to the striking red eyes of the newcomer—a vampire. His extensive research had equipped him for many scenarios, but the sight before him was both captivating and perplexing.

“Stand down,” he commanded, his voice firm and resolute, leaving no room for ambiguity. The recruits complied immediately, lowering their weapons and snapping to attention, their bravado evaporating under the weight of his icy stare. Despite the absurdity of a vampire fleeing from an ex, he sensed no deception in her words. “Return to your training before you find yourselves scurrying home for your indiscretions,” he added, his tone brokering no dissent. Murmurs of discontent rippled through the group, but a mere glance from him silenced them, redirecting their focus back to their drills with newfound urgency.

Crossing the distance that separated them, Ulysses held her crimson gaze, a blend of curiosity and concern etched into his features. “Why not simply tear out this ex’s throat?” he inquired, his tone flirted with playful sarcasm yet imbued with genuine intrigue. Without pausing for an answer, he gestured for her to follow him. He led the way to the HUMV, opening the passenger door with a courteous flourish before climbing in himself.

As he fired up the engine and drove away from the training grounds, his demeanor shifted back to seriousness. “I’m uncertain how much assistance we can truly provide. We are merely human, and while some among us possess abilities, we often find ourselves at a disadvantage against your kind.” A wistful smile briefly graced his lips, only to vanish as he refocused on the road ahead, the weight of their situation heavy in the air.

“I can offer you shelter and perhaps some advice on locating a more fortified realm,” he continued, recalling the fateful day when he had stumbled upon a rift to the veil, a discovery that had irrevocably altered his life. Stealing a glance in her direction, he added, “If you’re feeling peckish, I can grab a blood bag or two to tide you over.”

After about twenty minutes of navigating the winding roads, they arrived at a colossal door, intricately carved into the side of a mountain. The door opened slowly, responding to the vehicle's sensors, revealing the enigmatic secrets hidden within. Ulysses felt a surge of anticipation as they prepared to delve into this uncharted territory together, the weight of their shared circumstances hanging palpably in the air, hinting at the journey that lay ahead.

[Nadia Delphi]

An instant surge of relief filled her when the burly individual ordered his soldiers to lower their weapons. Sure she was a vampire could probably take a bullet but she was in an unfamiliar place. With unfamiliar people and since they had the disadvantage of being human… it would be silly to assume that they did not have any tricks up their sleeves. Her head fell for a second as her hands rested on her thighs. Her slow beating heart thudded so hard in her chest that it hurt. Nadia had the urge to cry just then. She’d been spared once again by whatever greater forces that were at play. But she had no idea how long she could keep this up. Running from an ex who at this point, would probably screw her head off if he had her in his grasp.

When the large individual approached her, she lifted her head and met his icy gaze. She felt the weight of them pin her down in that spot. But as heavy as they were, they felt warm, gentle and kind. He’d finally closed in the space between them and squat before her. Perhaps out of respect? But why would he show her that? He didn’t know her. Perhaps she was used to getting treated like shit and the world wasn’t exactly as kind as her parents made it out to be so long ago.

Why not simply tear out this ex’s throat?

It was the first time someone asked her something like that. And it wouldn’t be the last.

The question struck her! As if she’d come across a revelation or something of the nature! It made her chest tight but before she could react or rebuttal, he’d gestured her to follow him. And so she did. She wandered a little bit behind him, closely enough for safety and not to get lost. On their small foot journey, she took in the details of the facility. It was unlike something she’d ever seen. ‘Where are we… exactly? Like what realm?’ Then, they’d come across this big… ugly brown vehicle. She’d definitely never seen anything like that. But he pulled the side door open from little to no effort and offered her to climb in. ‘Where are we going?’

What do you have to lose idiot girl? Get in the damn car!

***
Luna rose slowly in the sky and the air was cool. Nadia poked her head out of the window to take in her surroundings. The moon had shimmered on the sand, creating a reflection like diamonds sparkling for many miles. It was mesmerizing to see. And the stars… even though being named after the sun god himself, Nadia did enjoy the night sky. Once she heard his voice once again, she looked back at him. ‘I know… I’m not asking for you or your men to fight for me or anything like that… I just have to get away. Far away.’ But how far could she get before she runs out of options? Before every corner of the world have been traced, every realm had been scoured… what will she do when he finally catches up to her?

Then, she was brought back to his question from earlier. Why didn’t she kill him?

Suddenly, his voice brought her out of her head, saving her from her own thoughts. ‘That would be kind… The quicker the better? I don’t necessarily know how your people feel about my kind so to please everyone, I’d like to get out of your hair before I become something of a burden.’ When he offered her the blood bag, her throat instantly began to burn. She hadn’t realized how long she’d gone without something to eat. Nadia winced in an uncomfortable pain and cleared her throat to try to ease the burning discomfort. ‘If you don’t mind… I haven’t eaten in weeks.’ It was a miracle that she was still alive and kicking! Vampires couldn’t last more than 2 weeks before they fall ill.

Once they’d finally made it to their destination, she could feel a greater force here. Great power. A mountain that had seem to be old as time, was strikingly similar to the one on her island. It was beautiful. Nadia stepped out of the car and just took a moment to admire it’s beauty. She could hear his footsteps approaching her before her gaze turned towards the enormous door before them. ‘What is this place?’ Well, to be fair, anything in this realm was quite new to her. This entire place was fascinating!