Chapter 12: Old Answers and New Questions

The four of them soundly defeated the vampire reinforcements and let the other S.P.D. agents chase down the ones who tried to escape. Elise sighed and sheathed her weapons before approaching Julia. “Would you like to come back to our place for a drink? I have about a billion questions for you.”

Julia warmly smiled. “I would be delighted.” She noticed that Neferu and Chloe were not delighted by the invitation, which only amused her even more.

She hung her cloak up and sat on their couch. “This is better than that shack you called a home in Cairo.” Julia allowed herself a moment of reverie about her past with her dear friend.

“Right. Thanks,” Elise handed her a glass of juice and sat beside her. “So, what happened during the fight against Ptahmose and Setesh?”

Julia considered her words carefully. “You were deeply hurt, such that even the spell Pharaoh Kheperkare cast to reincarnate you could not compensate,” she answered. “However, it’s clear that you’re healing. It won’t be long until your past and present reunite. Until then,” she kissed the back of Elise’s hand. “I will be here should you need me.”

“What is the true nature of your relationship with Ahneith?” Neferu calmly asked.

“Yeah, we’re not doing this again, and I will not tolerate infidelity,” Chloe added.

“Nor will I, and you met when she was mine alone,” Neferu agreed.

There was a glint of mischief in Julia’s eyes when she set her glass down and grabbed Elise and pulled her close. “We were going to tell you about us, but Ptahmose just had to launch his coup.”

Elise profusely blushed and was too flustered to get out of Julia’s hold, while her girlfriends were incensed. Julia laughed once more and pushed Elise aside. “I’m joking. You girls are entirely too easy and fun to tease.” She gave Elise a playful wink. “Though I would entertain the idea of becoming romantic with such a beautiful and mighty warrior.”

Chloe and Neferu aimed their weapons at her, eyes ablaze with fury. “Okay, perhaps we can get back on topic,” Julia offered. “How did you and Ahneith return?”

Elise told Julia about her dreams, her enhanced physical abilities, and her urge to return to the museum where she fought Ptahmose and Setesh to free Neferu from her tablet.

“Ptahmose and Setesh are already free? Well, I’m disappointed,” Julia remarked. “Pharaoh Kheperkare and I continued the battle after you fell. We cornered Ptahmose and sealed him within a tomb. In fact, we combined our magic, his divine magic born of the Egyptian gods, and mine born of Rome,” she explained.

“Why not just kill him then and there, and save us the trouble?” Chloe asked.

“Would that we could, but he healed from every injury we inflicted. He absorbed the life force of his victims to gain power. Our only recourse at the time was to seal him away and wait for time to cleave him away to nothingness.”

“And Setesh?” Elise asked.

“A guard told me that she mimicked the same tablet sealing spell you and the pharaoh used on Neferu. She must have altered it so she could free herself from it. Ingenious little traitor, isn’t she?” The word ‘traitor’ stung Elise, and a feeling of sadness washed over her.

“How exactly did you come to know my father and my beloved?” Neferu questioned her.

Julia gave a fond smile. “I’m a traveler from Rome, and just happened to meet Ahneith near a tavern in Cairo. I asked her about the local tourist spots, and she offered to be my guide,” she began. “I think she was wary of the fact that I was a vampire. Regardless, we became fast friends and traded stories. Then she asked me for romantic advice. Apparently, she wanted to impress you and told me that even picnics near the Nile could lose their charm.”

Neferu was surprised. “She said the same thing to me. It seemed silly. I was happy just to be with her.”

Chloe chuckled. “Yeah, same here. I’m happy to get take-out and watch TV at home.”

Julia smirked at Elise. “Some things never change, do they?” She watched the poor girl blush and look down. “As I said, we were never romantically engaged. She only ever had eyes for you. I merely gave her dating advice. That was the last friendly conversation we had until she stopped my ship at the harbor to ask for my help to defend the palace from attack.”

She stood up and took her phone out of her pocket. “Let’s exchange numbers. I promised you that I would help defeat Ptahmose, and I intend to fulfill that promise no matter how many millennia pass.”

Elise happily stood up and exchanged numbers with her. “Thank you.”

Julia stepped away and grabbed her cloak. “I’m afraid I must take my leave. I have plenty of work to finish before the sun rises,” she announced. “Be well, Elise. Call me if you need anything, from a strong sword arm to a good listening ear.”

Chloe waited until Julia left to give Elise a piece of her mind. “Hun? You’re not allowed to build harems on a whim.”

“Indeed. You must seek our permission first before you seduce other women,” Neferu agreed. Chloe sighed and gave her a tired look.

Elise blushed and defended herself. “You heard her, we were just friends!” she argued. “Besides, I can’t be held accountable for things I did or did not do in a previous life I can’t even remember. So there. Case closed.”

She crossed her arms beneath her chest and continued to advance. “And don’t think I forgot that you kept your job a secret. How are vampire-hunting missions like that routine?”

Chloe gave her a wry grin. “Like I said, it’s the family business, and it’s classified. I was going to tell you as soon as I received permission from my uncle. Whom, by the way, gave the go-ahead to take you and Neferu out on hunts. You performed to his very strict standards tonight.” Her smile widened, like a cat who had cornered her prey. “Let’s not deflect the topic of conversation. That Ancient Roman vampire girl was a bit too friendly for ‘we’re just friends.’”

Elise felt trapped and decided to take the coward’s way out. She winced in pain, hunched over, and grabbed her stomach. “Urgh. Maybe I’ll take a break from hunting. One of them got me good.” She limped toward her bedroom and retreated from her girlfriends’ judging eyes.

“Man, that looked like a serious wound,” Chloe said in a monotone voice.

“Indeed. We should keep an eye on her tonight. Just in case it gets worse,” Neferu agreed. Chloe shut the lights and walked with Neferu as they invited themselves into Elise’s bedroom.