"Then learn," Ileana said. She put both hands on Harper's shoulders. "Learn them, because sooner or later, you're going to need to use them, and someone's life is going to depend on it."
Harper thought about this for a moment and then felt a wave of shame wash over her. "You're right," she said.
Ileana nodded.
"Thank you," Harper said.
"You're welcome," Ileana said. "If you ever need me, you know how to reach me. And please, don't think I'm insensitive to your situation. There was a time when I loved Alec more than the world itself. I would have gone to the ends of the earth for him."
Harper felt a tear slip down her face.
Ileana wiped it away. "You are stronger than this," she said. "You have my blood in your veins, Harper Perseca. Remember that, and you'll be fine."
Harper nodded, and then closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she was sitting on a toilet in a closed stall. She shook her head to clear it. Had she really been so blind and selfish? Brittney and Alec were both out there risking their lives, and she was worrying about who to have dinner with on Friday nights.
She made her way back out to the front of the coffee shop.
"Come on," she said. "We're going over there."
"That's not the plan," Conner said. "They wanted to meet alone."
"I don't care," Harper said. She headed for the door. She'd never felt so certain of something in her life. She didn't know how she knew, but she had a feeling that if they didn't get there soon, something was going to go wrong. Perhaps that was the precognition that Ileana had spoke of... or perhaps it was simply her intuition.
She didn't know if the others would follow her till they did. Chloe grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop.
"Harper," she said. "Talk to us."
"There's no time," Harper said.
Chloe looked at her face for a moment, and then nodded. Together, they ran towards the restaurant. Sarah morphed into a wolf as they ran.
When they got into the restaurant, the woman at the front stepped up to them, seemingly ignoring the wolf by their side. "Do you have a reservation?"
Harper ignored her, looking around. She finally spotted Brittney and Miriam not far away. They were both laughing at something, and eating what looked like lasagna. Brittney's purse was by her feet.
Ignoring the exclamation from the woman at the front of her to stop, Harper ran straight towards them.
"Brittney!" she shouted. She yanked out a stake as she went. Brittney looked up, caught Harper's eye, and yanked her chair back. She grabbed her purse, and freed her own stake.
"What is this?" Miriam asked.
The rest of the crew was right behind Harper, and all of them were armed except Sarah, who was baring her teeth.
"What is going on?" Miriam demanded. "I came in peace."
"So did we," Harper said. She turned to the rest of the restaurant, all of whom were watching. "But they didn't."
Suddenly more than three quarters of the guests stood, their eyes glowing a coal black, their fangs protruding. They gathered together, blocking off the exit and making a circle around the Afterlife crew and Miriam.
"What are you doing?" Miriam demanded.
A tall, blond vampire stepped forward. "We're removing you from your position, Miriam. We have decided you are no longer fit to lead us."
"What?"
"You talk of justice," the man said. "And of how we will cleanse the world. But we don't want that, do we men?"
He turned towards the group, all of whom were shouting their agreements. "We have lived in the shadows for far too long."
"I promised you a place in the new world," Miriam said. "As arbiters of justice."
The man shook his head again. "You misunderstand me," he said. "We don't want to be arbiters of justice. We want to take our rightful place as rulers of this nation, of this world. We do not wish to be subservient dogs for humans. We will destroy them all, and take the world for our own. Those who survive... we will keep to feed on."
Miriam shook her head. "Thomas," she said. "I was the one who changed you, I was the one who brought you into God's light."
"Yes," Thomas said. "You were, and we thank you for that. But children must kill their parents if they are ever to succeed in life."
Miriam shook her head. "You won't do this," she said. "I know you. I loved you as though you were my own child."
"Men," Thomas said, turning to the rest of the restaurant. "Get rid of them."
SEVENTEEN
Alec woke up before Jeffrey and took a look around the house. It didn't look nearly as bad as it had when he'd come in, before his cleaning spree. Now that he'd rested, he could see how ridiculous it had been to clean this man's apartment. It wasn't like he'd be staying here. Jeffrey would stay with the others and Alec would be forced to do the same.
He took a shower while he waited for Jeffrey to get out of bed. Then he went through his cupboards. They were almost completely barren. He found cereal, but he'd thrown out the milk. He sighed and found a box of old crackers, and some ramen noodles. He cooked the ramen, and made coffee.
By the time he was done, Jeffrey was up. "Woah," he said. "What happened here?"
Alec gave him an embarrassed look, though he didn't feel the least amount of real shame. "Sorry," he said. "When I'm nervous, I clean."
"Well, you can come be nervous here any time you want," Jeffrey said. "What's that you're cooking?"
"Ramen," Alec said. He dished it out into two plastic bowls and passed one to Jeffrey. "So what's the plan tonight?"
"We'll go to the dwelling," Jeffrey said. "There's a giant farm house on the outskirts of town that all the new vampires gather at. Once we've been properly trained -- which I haven't been -- then we're moved to different places throughout the city."
Alec nodded, making a mental note of this to tell the others. When would he, though? He couldn't exactly call or text them with Jeffrey at his side. He ran a hand through his long, dark hair. "Alright. When do we leave?"
"After I eat," Jeffrey said. "God, I am hungry." He dug in with a vengeance. "What did you season this with?"
"Pepper and garlic," Alec said idly. He was trying to think of what he would do once he found the vampire dwelling. He could slip out, perhaps in the day when the others were sleeping. He'd be vulnerable then, though. But so would they.
"It's delicious," Jeffrey said. "I guess that's just a myth then, the thing with garlic and vampires?"
Alec shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "I'm new to it too, but it didn't seem to bother me when I put it in. Maybe it's only garlic cloves that harm us."
"Maybe," Jeffrey said skeptically, and then continued to force mouthful after mouthful of noodles into his mouth. It was like he hadn't eaten in days. Alec pondered this for a moment; it was perfectly plausible that he really hadn't eaten since being turned. His cravings for blood would be strong, and he could have easily confused his bodily hunger with that of the call of flesh.
Once they'd both finished eating they went out of the apartment. Alec gave it a fleeting look; there was a good chance that Jeffrey would never enter it again. He wondered if the younger man knew what he'd lost yet. It wasn't just his humanity, it was his entire life, his entire existence.
Alec stopped soon after they had started walking. "Listen, Jeffrey. We don't have to do this. We don't have to be a part of it. We can turn around right now, go back in your apartment and play cards till daylight hits."
"What?"
"I'm just saying," Alec told him. "Perhaps this isn't what we're meant to do."
"Of course it is," Jeffrey said, and his eyes gleamed like that of a true fanatic. "Miriam says that we will be the arbiters of justice, that we will cleanse the world with holy fire, and allow the good to prosper and we'll allow the guilty to fall."
Alec shook his head. "It's a pipe dream," he said. "It'll never happen."
"It will if we stick together," Jeffrey said stubbornly. "Why the sudden change of heart? I th
ought you were into this too."
"I am," Alec quickly said. "Forget I mentioned it, alright? Just a case of nerves, that's all."
Jeffrey clapped him on the shoulder. "I know how that feels," he said. "I feel like there are butterflies in my stomach trying to escape."
Alec stared at him for a moment, and then shook his head. "Exactly that," he lied easily. "Come on, let's hurry up."
They started again with a faster speed, winding their way through Phoenix's streets. Outside of town there was indeed a large farm house. There was a barn as well, and a corral, though Alec saw no horses.
Jeffrey led the way inside, stepping through a side door. It wasn't at all what Alec expected; he thought he'd see hundreds of vampires draped over furniture, perhaps sucking blood out of victims they'd brought. At the very least, he expected it to be loud and bustling.
But there weren't any vampires. The place was empty and from the look of it, it had been for awhile.
"I don't understand," Jeffrey said, not looking directly at Alec. "They're always here. Miriam told them they couldn't leave until they passed the training."
"So why were you allowed out?" Alec asked. He cursed mentally.
"Because she said I wasn't ready to train yet," Jeffrey said. "She said I needed to learn more self-control first. It made sense; there were vampires always getting into fights, unable to control their anger..."
Alec moved through the house, checking everywhere; closets, under beds, even cupboards in the kitchen. The place was deserted. He grabbed Jeffrey's arm as the younger vampire tried to walk by him.
"Jeffrey," he said slowly. "I trusted you."
"What?"
"I wanted to help you," Alec said. "You reminded me of myself."
"What are you talking about?" Jeffrey said, but his eyes skirted away when he said it.
Alec shook his head. "Who recognized me, Jeffrey?"
For a moment, he didn't think Jeffrey would answer. "It was a woman named Susan. She said you used to date, before she knew what you were. Then when she found out, you killed her."
"I don't even remember her," Alec said. He took Jeffrey by the shoulders and stared into his eyes. "Listen to me, Jeffrey. It's not too late for you. You haven't killed yet. And if you do..."
"I have to," Jeffrey said.
"No, you don't," Alec said. "Open up your ears, Jeffrey, and hear what I'm saying. You don't get to come back from the things you do. You don't get forgiveness. You don't get a reprieve. You have to live with the things you've done... and you're going to live a very long time."
Jeffrey looked down at the floor.
"You don't want this life," Alec said.
"I don't have a choice now!" Jeffrey said. "I am what I am, Alec, and so are you. Why not embrace it?"
"Because we can't," Alec said. "Now, what's the plan here?"
Jeffrey shook his head.
"Jeffrey."
"I don't know," he said. "Nobody told me anything, really. They just said to bring you here and keep you here no matter what."
"Miriam told you that?"
Jeffrey hesitated.
"Come on, Jeffrey," Alec said. "Talk to me."
"There's a new leader in charge," Jeffrey said. "He's... he's not a Miriam. He doesn't want to use our powers to help get rid of the guilty, he just wants power. He's going to take her down, and all those who help her."
Alec's eyes widened in sudden understanding. "Afterlife," he whispered. He put his head against the wall, and then drove his fist through it. It did little good, other than to hurt his hand. "Damn it!"
"What?"
"There are people out there who truly help," Alec said. "They don't paint pretty pictures of a utopia. They don't promise grand things. They don't go after glory, or power, or anything else. They just take care of evil that humans can't handle. And your vampire friends? The ones who told you to bring me here? They're going to kill them."
Alec shook his head. "And there's nothing we can do."
EIGHTEEN
Chloe glanced around the restaurant full of vampires, all of whom looked especially hungry. The six of them formed a small circle, unpacking their weapons as they did so. She thought they had a very little chance of survival. There were just too many of them to try and fight.
Brittney pulled out her smoke bomb, and went to light it, when Miriam grabbed her arm. "Not yet."
"We have to get out of here!"
"Not yet."
Chloe stared at Miriam. She had just found out that her entire army had betrayed her. They were surrounded by blood-thirsty vampires, and yet... somehow she looked extremely calm. Almost bored in fact.
Miriam scooted closer to Harper and whispered something in her ear. The vampires were pressing closer, but not yet approaching. The crucifixes and the holy water were keeping them at bay.
"I don't know if I can do that," Harper said.
"Try," Miriam said.
Chloe glanced at the pair of them, wondering what they were up to. She kept her stake raised high, and glanced at Sarah. She'd transformed into her panther form now, and was growling at a vampire that kept trying to edge towards her.
Harper closed her eyes, and a look of concentration appeared on her face. Chloe watched this out of the corner of her eye. When Harper opened her eyes, she looked drained.
"Alright," she said. "I think I did it."
"What are you two doing?" Chloe demanded.
"Don't worry," Miriam said. "It's going to be alright."
Just as she said that, a vampire lunged for her. Miriam transformed, and caught the man as he approached her. With a violent twist, she snapped his neck and dropped him to the floor. Chloe stared at her; she had never seen anyone with that much strength before, not even Alec.
She didn't have time to stare for long, though. The vampires were inching closer and closer. She glanced at Brittney. I love you she mouthed. Then she levitated up a few feet, and went after the closest vampire to her, kicking at his chest to knock him back.
As if that was the signal they'd been waiting for, the vampires all attacked at once. The group used every protective measure they could, but they were slowly getting pushed further and further back by the vampires, until eventually their backs were against the large glass window. Even Conner couldn't keep up with the multiple attacks coming his way.
Miriam seemed pleased by this. She glanced at Harper again, who nodded. At once, she thought as hard as she could. 'Duck!'.
The crew all fell to their knees as though they'd planned it from the beginning. There was a rain of fire, and the glass window shattered inward, spraying them all with glass fragments. Chloe felt one pierce her face, just below her left cheekbone. It didn't hurt, though. Her adrenaline was too high for that.
Chloe looked around to see what the cause of the shooting was, and saw Heather, Samuel, and Wren standing there, holding smoking guns. "The calvary has arrived," she said, and then passed out.
When she came to, she was lying in her hotel room bed, and both groups, minus Alec, were present.
"Finally," Conner said. "I know you fey think you need your beauty rest, but you sure kept the rest of us waiting for a while."
Brittney came over and squeezed her hand. "They told me you'd be fine," she said. "But I was still worried. I'm glad you're alright."
Samuel, Miriam, Heather, Sarah and Harper were standing in the opposite corner of the room, talking. Harper glanced briefly over at the bed and flashed Chloe a smile. She returned it, and then glanced at the others.
"What happened?" Chloe asked.
"You took a blow to the head," Brittney said. "Passed out right after these guys shot out the window. I let off my smoke bomb, so did Harper, and we ran for it. Conner, Samuel, and Sarah held them off till we could get a safe distance away."
She took Chloe's hand in hers, and Wren suddenly looked between them. "Wait..." he said slowly. "The two of you, I can feel it, you're in love."
Chloe looked over at Wren, remembering that he was on
e of the fey blessed with the power of love.
"Yes, we are," Chloe said.
"But she isn't of the fey," Wren said. "She's not a fairy."
"No, I'm not," Brittney said.
Wren shook his head. "But fey marry fey," he said. "It's tradition, old as the moon."
"I don't care," Chloe said.
Wren observed them for a moment, his brow furrowed. "I know you love her and I know she loves you," he said. "That should be enough for me, shouldn't it? I've spent my life making people fall in love, and seeing it between the two of you should bring me happiness, and yet I feel as though there is something rotten here."
"We're not rotten," Chloe snapped. "Just because she's not fey--"
"I'm not judging her for being human," Wren said. "I'm just pointing out that I feel something not quite right with your love. I don't know what it is, and that frightens me. I should know." He put his face in his hands.
Brittney shrugged at Chloe. She shrugged back, as though his words hadn't bothered her at all. But they had. Not because he was fey, and his opinion mattered because they were kin of a sort, but because the way he'd looked when he said there was something rotten...
"What now?" she asked, trying to throw off the conversation to a better topic.
Miriam and the others approached. "Now, we figure out a way to stop Thomas and his army of vampires."
"You did this, you know," Conner said. "You turned them and let them loose. What were you thinking?"
"I made a miscalculation," Miriam said. "I thought I could control them, hone them into a weapon to use against the evils of the world."
"People are not weapons," Harper said.
"So it seems," Miriam said.
"There are nine of us," Brittney said. "What chance do we have against hundreds of vampires?"
Everyone was silent as each one contemplated this in their own way. Chloe tried to think of a plan, but her well had run dry and she could think of nothing more than running away. They couldn't do that, though. It wasn't who they were.
Abruptly, Miriam looked to the window. "It's almost sun up. I need to sleep."
"But we don't have a plan," Conner said. "We need to come up with something. We can't just let them win."
Phoenix Under Fire (Afterlife Book 5) Page 11