Political Liaisons
1112 Words
Ira
She stared at the scene unfolding in front of her.
Jade was all calm and serene, sitting on the forest floor in what appeared to be a yogic pose. She was the Visha Kanya that had helped her escape from Liam’s chambers in the afternoon. They had become friends during the escape. They were captured together and like her, Jade too had cat o' nines lashes on her back.
The moonlight gave an eerie glow to her silhouette and even though she was wearing filthy oversized clothes, she looked regal and ethereal.
Ira took a quick look at Bella and realised that she was stunned too. But she was not staring at Jade. Instead, she stood gawking at Lucas.
Ira knew the redhead, Lucas. Jade had been riding his wolf when she helped Ira.
Right now he was standing next to an impossibly handsome man with skin as pale as ghost. Both men ogled at Jade. The handsome man’s square jaw had a devilish grin on and his red eyes sparkled with pride.
Oh, Fuc*K! This is another vampire! How can they have such ungodly beauty!
She looked at Jade, mesmerised by her aura. She continued to admire the beautiful seductress. If Ira wasn’t mistaken, she was sitting in the Lotus Pose.
Ira practised Yoga intermittently. As Jade sat down on the forest floor looking as calm as a cucumber, she started chanting hymns in an ancient foreign language. Was that Sanskrit?
Snakes slowly slithered towards her. They hissed and covered her body. Huge palm-size spiders crawled on her arms and poisonous lizards licked her exposed skin.
Ira trembled to see the creepy crawlies rustling and moving around Jade and crawling up her body. Biting her, pouring lethal venom into her body while Jade looked pleased.
Her lips curled up in a hint of a smile even as she continued the chants. In time all the venomous creatures slinked away and a glowing Jade opened her eyes.
She revitalised dusky skin and bright sea-green eyes peered at Lucas. Did Ira catch a hint of longing in Lucas’ eyes?
Ira looked at Bella again and this time Bella’s eyes were trained on Jade. No one could miss a scene like this.
“What in the name of Moon Goddess was that?” Bella whistled.
“That's my friend Jade. She is a poisonous maiden from India!” Ira chirped happily as she bound towards Jade. Thank Moon God that Jade and Lucas were safe too!
Her exciting thoughts made her squeal in delight.
“OH MY GOD! That was super cool! How did you do it?” Ira shot question after question.
She needed to know what Ira was capable of. What were Jade’s powers? She was almost half a century old!
Surely she would have loads of powers!. She wanted to know of books written about Poisonous Maidens. She would read them all.
She waltzed into Jade’s arms hugging her tightly.
Everyone around appeared dumbfounded. Later Ira realised that Lucas and Jono the vampire had been wondering how Ira could tolerate Jade’s poison. She could almost feel Bella rolling her eyes at her back.
Ira did not make many friends but once she had one, the girl went all out! No inhibitions! Only pure love. Even at 30, Ira was just like an innocent puppy!
Bella was the level headed one. They were still in danger till the time they were in No Man’s land. So she decided to intervene. “Ira stop! We need to run. We aren’t out of danger yet!”
She disapproved of Ira’s trust in strangers, especially the ones that were so weird!
What was Visha Kanya anyways?
Ira noted the dislike in Bella’s tone and pulled herself away from Jade.
“See you later”. She blurted quickly and dashed off with Bels.
Bella took the lead. Bella was taking her to the Blood Moon Clan’s territory. Once there she had plans to explain to Ira about the mate bond and about Miriam, Liam’s mother.
Before that Ira had to know about Monike. Bella knew that Monike’s presence had hurt her best friend the most. After years and years of hiding her feelings Ira had become an expert, but what good is a best friend if she cannot see the real emotions behind the mask of indifference.
As they came slightly closer to the border, Bella slowed down. “You would be crossing over to the Blood Moon pack lands. I will show you the trail that you are supposed to follow. Take one more dose of herbs and do not turn back!”
Although Ira followed Bella, she had a frown on her face. “Bels, thinking of herbs, my pain in the back is gone. I don’t feel the clothes brushing against an open wound anymore.”
“Yes. Our top Doctor Maggie has witch blood. Her healing abilities are phenomenal. It's good that you have healed.” Bella nodded and continued to talk while walking.
“Liam is bound to Monike by a pact between him and the human Prime Minister.” She said slowly, waiting for Ira to react.
“Wh…what are you talking about?” Ira’s voice hitched. Monike’s name was enough to set a jealous monster roaring like a dragon in her head.
“He had to pledge his betrothal to continue to stay peacefully on these unclaimed reserved lands. He did this for the rogues. He wants to give them a better life.” Bella carried on.
“She is connected to Co- Ma?” Ira remarked, referring to the funny abbreviation that they had given their Prime Minister Cohen Marshall.
Bella giggled. “That sounds funny but yes. She is his second born. He is training the firstborn to take over his place in human politics and the secondborn is given away to Liam. They aren’t engaged yet. It was agreed that they should try dating each other and work on their compatibility. The engagement will be arranged ASAP.”
Bella did not hear Ira respond. She had stopped hearing the soft sounds of her light feet falling against the forest floor. So Bella turned around.
She stopped in her tracks and chided herself to be so caught up in talking to Ira that she hadn’t registered the scents of the hybrid warriors of her own Rogue team.
They were surrounded by a dozen hybrids who had glazed eyes which looked fiercely at them. One hybrid stood next to Ira with a gun pointed at her neck.
He sneered and the other wolves growled in unison.
Holy s**t! The two girls thought in unison.
*****
- Writer
