"You have your cover story memorized?" Annara called out from where she was gathering up the clothing from the bed. They'd gone through all Olivia's closet and drawers and decided what outfits worked well with her undercover character's back story. A preppy loner into Bram Stoker's Dracula and classic horror movies was how Olivia interpreted her "Lauren". The missing nose ring and other body piercings concerned her.
Olivia went back into her room and plopped on her bed. "I probably should see if I can buy one of those pretend nose rings and some more ear jewelry at the airport gift shop. Lauren did say in her bio she was into piercings, and other than my earlobes, I don't have anywhere near the number of holes in my body she has. Luckily she didn't say she had a belly-button ring or other painful places pierced."
Annara tossed in another one of Olivia's most boring sweaters into the suitcase and pursed her lips. "Will it take much time? If we leave now, we'll get to the embassy long before Hernando is scheduled to return from his trip to visit the mushroom farm in the old coal mines."
"See what excitement I got you out of today, Annara?" Olivia forced a laugh. "Mushrooms growing underground in Pennsylvania. Fun without a sun."
"As long as mushrooms don't have any ideas of kidnapping our ambassador again, I'll gladly take a mushroom farm kind of excitement."
She gulped. Stay safe Hernando while I'm away. After I've uncovered what the Alphans are up to, you will be much safer.
Annara zipped up the suitcase and placed it on the floor. "Done. Don't worry, I packed a pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt so you can return to Earth in style."
"Thanks." Olivia gestured Annara to go ahead of her and switched off the lights before dragging her bag down the stairs. "You are a better packing than I am. All that practice out in the field using backpacks and carrying equipment around, huh?"
"It does teach you how to pack lighter and more efficiently."
"Funny, this suitcase weighs a ton."
Annara shrugged as she came to the landing. "Your new persona's style of clothing is bulky. I hope you're not too warm in those thick sweaters."
Olivia groaned and put down the suitcase for a moment to catch her breath before opening the front door. "Me too. My grandmothers tend to go overboard every Christmas with the heavy cable-knit sweaters. At least Lauren will make good use of them. I'll donate them to a charity on BloodDark after I no longer have a use for them. Deal?"
"If you mean you'll give your sweaters to those in need of clothing, it will be appreciated."
"Very practical people, folks from BloodDark are, aren't they?"
Annara helped Olivia wrestle the oversized bag over the threshold, down the sidewalk and into the back of the airport shuttle van parked in the driveway. "We have to be practical on BloodDark. We realize our natural resources are limited. Everything has to be used wisely and not wasted. Our very lives depend upon this philosophy."
Olivia smiled at her friend. "Your ability to conserve and preserve your resources is one trait I admire in you all. We've got to clear up this funny business and get our two worlds on better terms. Humanity has a lot to learn from you guys."
"And we've learned a lot from you already." Annara hopped in the passenger seat and indicated for Olivia to sit in the back. "I call shotgun."
*****
Olivia breathed a sigh of relief. If the BloodDark embassy staff at the doors didn't recognize her as "Lauren" as she strolled into the building and into the reception hall, then she'd have no problems whatsoever convincing the Alphans she was just another lovesick Earth girl looking for a vampire mate and not Olivia Brown, the young woman who had kicked their butts in the rebellion.
"Lauren?" The obsequious Pure Blood raised a thin eyebrow, his dark eyes blazing, as he checked her fake name off the list. The toady pranced about the two dozen women and half dozen men for a half hour, double-checking each mail order spouse held the proper invitation and had been cleared for transportation.
"Yeah? Are we going to leave now?"
"Very soon, madame. Very soon."
Her foot beat a rapid rhythm. She bit her lip. Olivia felt anxious—anxious Hernando might show up at any minute and wish the group a safe journey and discover her in her brilliant blond disguise. Her nervous behavior must have convinced the Pure Blood of her genuine excitement to begin her new life. He flashed a crooked grin and then wandered off to speak with the others in the official entourage who had come to help transport their new charges.
"All right, ladies and gentlemen. Everyone has taken their motion sickness medicine? Good. We are set to go. If you will all form a circle as we explained previously, we will begin the transport process."
Mr. Sycophant switched off his translation wrist device at this point. Olivia stared at him. How odd. Didn't they want to continue conversing with their charges? What were they saying and wanting to keep to themselves? Things were happening too fast. Before she knew it, she found herself surrounded on all sides by Pure Bloods, their retinue encircling the humans, engulfing them as the familiar feeling of being ripped into a trillion tiny pieces began.
Chapter Twelve
Olivia didn't think she'd ever get used to having her atoms beamed across the universe. In spite of the medication to lessen the Portal's effect, she felt queasy and uncertain on her legs. Their Pure Blood hosts did their best to set their new charges at ease, however, and offered them water and comfortable seating while the effects of the transport wore off. Olivia accepted the glass of water with
