by Al K. Line
"I sensed your pain, Mother. I thought my godfather would have the best chance of saving you. But they will pay." Kane's demeanor changed then, and I wouldn't have wanted to be standing opposite him when he got really angry.
"They will. Um, I kinda screwed up, guys. Next time I'll do better."
"Next time you'll have us with you," said Grandma, face set in that determined way that tells you there's no questioning her decision or her authority.
Kane and the Chemist nodded and I didn't have the energy to argue. I couldn't even remain conscious.
A Brief Respite
From the dark depths of my dreams something nagged at me, and I struggled to consciousness even though I knew it would be to a world of pain and despicable humanity. I fought through the bliss of unknowingness and emerged a creature born of fire.
I was running hot, the fever consuming me, but I wasn't nailed to a cross so as far as I was concerned things were on the up. Grandma's sofa was so comfortable I could have stayed there for a lifetime, but there was work to be done, family to save, and I didn't have a moment to spare. We had to get the others safe before the doppels destroyed them and tried to take their place, if it wasn't already too late.
I opened my eyes and was taken aback to find I was wearing one of Grandma's peculiar nighties. A thick pink flannel thing with lace at the hems—attractive it was not. Still, it was better than being naked. Just.
"Eat," ordered Grandma as she put a steaming plate of shepherd's pie down on the coffee table along with a scalding cup of tea so laden with sugar I could smell it.
"Ugh, okay," I said, somehow managing to sit up.
"Drink the tea first," she ordered.
"Sure." I reached out, aghast at the puncture wounds on my palms and forearms. With shaking hands, I cupped the tea and raised it to my lips. It tasted rank, even with the sugar, and Grandma's tea always tastes delightful.
I raised an eyebrow and looked at Grandma, but she was oddly preoccupied with looking at the carpet and just said, "Drink up. All of it." So I took a slurp.
There was no burning of the throat, no spasming, or anything dramatic, just a lovely warmth that spread through my body and calmed the inner turmoil. I took several more careful sips, then drained the whole thing and somehow placed the cup back on the saucer without smashing it. Overcome, I sagged against the mound of cushions and closed my eyes for a second.
I was rudely shaken the minute I did so, and jumped. "Hey, come on, it was only for a second," I protested as Grandma moved away and sat back down.
"No, it was an hour, and we haven't got time for you to rest. Sorry, but we have to act fast if what you told us is true, and I believe it is. You can laze about later, but you're fine."
"Fine? Fine! I was crucified! I've got holes all over my body, my bones are broken, my muscles torn, my nerves fried. I was burning." A thought came to me then. "Um, hang on, when did I tell you?"
"Oh, while you were sleeping," said Grandma offhandedly, as if it were perfectly natural.
"You got into my head?" That was a strict no-no, you didn't do that, not even to your worst enemy.
"Of course not!" Grandma crossed her arms over her ample, if somewhat gravity-affected bosom, and leaned forward. "I just asked you, in a special way, and you answered. So, eat up, then we go do something heroic."
"I don't think I can even stand," I said, eyeing the food greedily.
"Don't be such a baby, you're all better now."
"Haha, you're so funny. I'm covered in…" I trailed off as I lifted an arm only to find that the wounds were little but faint red marks now. Actually realizing I was having a conversation, and wasn't just screaming, made me aware of the fact I couldn't have been in as bad a state as I'd imagined. I checked my legs, and although it hurt like a mo-fo to bend forward, it was nice to see they were all in one piece.
Sure, my thighs and calves were lumpy, not exactly the shapely curves that used to turn heads, and black and blue and purple and even orange, but they weren't smashed to smithereens and those were all bonus points in my book.
"You got a double whammy," said the Chemist as he sauntered in eating so fast half of it was spilling out of the hole in his cheek.
"You teamed up?"
"Sure did," he said happily, spitting potato everywhere.
"We had no choice," said Grandma through gritted teeth, giving the Chemist the daggers.
I could only imagine how it had gone. Two experts in their respective fields having to work together to formulate potions that would not only allow me to be taken by the Chemist, but to heal me too.
"Wow, thank you. I don't know what to say."
"Say I'll never have to do it again," said Grandma, shuddering.
"So the potions let us use your ghoul realm? And this one, it helped with my magic?"
"It was to help restore your magic, yes. And back at vampville, those were to eliminate foreign bodies and to help you pass into my realm." The Chemist looked inordinately pleased with himself, and I guess it was fair enough.
"Thank you so much. You saved my life. Both of you."
"No problem, it's what family is for, right?" said the Chemist, still so happy to be included in our family after what he'd done in the past that you wanted to say "Aah," and pat his head he was so damn excitable.
"So, you've met him, older Kane? Aren't you shocked?"
"Shocked? This is the Hidden world, Kate. I turned myself into an Elder, made babies from my skin, what's there to be shocked about? He's a good boy, and I'll take my duty as his godfather as seriously as ever."
"About that," said Kane as he came into the room. "Tell the Chemist that—"
"Simon, call me Simon," reprimanded um, Simon. Ever since he'd told me his true name he'd insisted we call him that, but everyone kept forgetting. At least Kane had an excuse.
"Fine," said Kane, in that way only a teenager in a huff can. Oh, how that made me smile. Guess some things don't change however unique an individual you are. "Please tell Simon that I can come with you. That you need me for this. I know what went on, I listened, I heard what Oskari said to you. All of it. We all know, and this means he has to be destroyed."
"You what? How? This is how you knew to come save me? What did you do?"
"He did a runner, is what he did," said Grandma. "Naughty boy."
"Kane, you could have been killed. You promised to stay here."
"I only stayed a minute, then Grandma did something wonky, some spell, and I got dragged away. Don't worry, I was only a little mouse. Nobody knew."
"Stupid boy, I was worried sick. You were gone for hours, you naughty child." Grandma smiled at him, unable to keep up her pretense of anger. It was obvious she loved him dearly and they'd bonded while I was off messing about. That was nice.
"But we saved Mother," protested Kane.
"That's not the point," argued Grandma.
It went on like that for a while but I zoned out as I performed an inner check on what was what, how I was feeling, and what damage had been inflicted.
It wasn't half as bad as I'd expected. Mainly because I'd expected to be dead.
A Plot
I ate, I showered, I even did it on my own. Sure, it hurt, but so does life, and I had that, which, for now, was enough. Grandma got a witch to collect clothes for me from home, so I dressed and hardly screamed or shouted or swore until people began banging doors closed downstairs to drown out the noise. My body was too depressing to look at, the strange lumps at every puncture point too tender to investigate with my fingers, but the bone itself had healed, just not as well as it would under normal circumstances.
Even as I dried myself the skin evened out, the swelling receded, and my flesh took on its normal lustrous, vampire sheen. My magic was rejuvenated by my joy at being alive, the lack of pin-cushionness, the food, and the potions.
Already it felt like a dream, that such things weren't possible. It was too nuts to have really happened, surely?
Nope, Oskari did this to
me, did this to all of us. Plotted and planned to destroy my world, steal my son, impersonate those I loved and generally screw with me and mine.
And he'd talked of betrayal. Of me betraying him. The nerve of this guy. I'd obliterate him.
Dressed, I left Faz's old bedroom, smiling at the dated pictures on the walls and avoiding the bed pan. Grandma didn't like change so left it all as it had been for years.
"Let's go," whispered Kane as he grabbed my arm and led me slowly to the top of the stairs.
"What are you doing?" I whispered back, unsure why, but stuff like that is catching.
"We have to leave without Grandma and the Chemist. It's too dangerous for them."
I stared at my son to see if he was joking. Nope. "Dangerous? Of course it is. But you're new to all this, they have a lot, and I mean a lot, more experience than you do."
Kane shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe, but they can't do what I can. They'll cramp our style. Admit it, you were going to go alone, right?"
Damn, he was a smart kid. Not surprising, as he came from such wondrous stock. "I assume there's nothing I can say to talk you out of this? That you won't just let me leave and stay put?"
"No chance. Look what happened last time."
He had a point. With a sigh, I said, "Okay, but we need to get some things together first."
"All done. I got one of Dancer's fleet cars, loaded it up while Grandma and the Chemist were arguing in the kitchen. We're set."
"Um, you can drive? No, don't answer that. How did you get to Hidden HQ and back so fast? No, don't answer that either."
We crept down the stairs, and left.
Strange Times
The strangest, most surreal, impossible to get my head around time of my life was about to greet me. Still not really with it, I stumbled to the car, got in the passenger seat without paying due attention, and minutes later found myself being driven through the dark deserted streets of Cardiff by my son who still hadn't had his first birthday celebration. Stuff like that is enough to make a mother book herself in to the closest sanatorium, except they'd probably turn me away for being too much to handle.
I stared at my boy as he focused on the road, admired his strong jaw and smiled at the way he squinted at road signs as if seeing them for the first time, which may have been true. His driving wasn't exactly that of a seasoned professional, but he was no learner either. He drove well, just not with practiced ease, and had to concentrate rather than do it on auto-pilot. Still, the seat was soft, the new car smell was a delight, and the cool air that blew through the vents calmed my icy heart.
What was I doing? What were we doing? Should I refuse to let Kane be a part of this? It was too late for that. Oskari and his wolves would be out for my blood by now. He'd be incensed I'd escaped, furious beyond belief, and would be doing all he could to get to Kane and to find the doppels. We had to find the human shifters first, it was the only way we had a hope of resolving this monstrous screw-up and a chance of us all surviving. We needed numbers, we needed the others. We needed a bloody miracle was what we needed.
We sailed past closed stores, past off-licenses with their steel shutters down and locked, past grubby streets and gleaming buildings, racing through the night like two masked avengers out to protect the city from the bad guys.
Only problem being, I wasn't so sure we were the good guys any more.
How could we be? More to the point, how could I be?
This was my son, I should keep him safe. I told myself over and over that it was beyond that now, that unless I kept him with me at all times he was in mortal danger. But then I looked at what had happened when I was alone and at full capacity. I'd been nailed up and humiliated, left for dead. If Kane had been with me…
I'd never experienced such a turmoil of emotions before, and it took a while to understand what was happening. I was stuck with mother's anguish, unable to make a decision or think rationally and do what was best, what was most likely to see us emerge from this alive, because of my overriding concern for my son. He was safest with me, as otherwise he'd run off and do something stupid, and I knew he would have to fight and use his abilities, yet I wanted to keep him closeted and protected, wrapped up in a cocoon of love and stability that would never, could never, be his future.
We were Hidden. He was the most dangerous person in the country, and I felt like a close second.
My thoughts turned once again to Oskari and what he'd done. He betrayed me, abused my trust, my mistaken love, my need and desire for a father, and I would string him up by his pale eyes for his deceit. You know, if you could hang someone by their eyes. I'd try anyway, what did I have to lose?
On the Hunt
The city flashed by in a surreal maze of bewilderment and amazement. This Hidden life is full of unexpected twists and turns but surely there had to be limits? Kane driving me around the sleeping city mere hours after I'd been vilified and crucified by my whole community was extreme even by our standards. The fact I'd escaped and even recovered, and it was still ongoing, was nothing short of miraculous.
I made a solemn vow that day to never be a part of the vampire community in such an intimate way again. Over the years I'd had countless run-ins with either Heads or foreign visitors to our Ward, and it usually ended up with Faz killing them or half the Hidden community coming together to destroy huge numbers of our kind.
We were, when you got right down to it, no good. This had to change. Vampires had to understand that they weren't so special, that they deserved no privileged position in our world, were no better, and were often worse, than everyone else.
And the murder had to stop. The killing of innocents. For so many centuries the Council had looked the other way while the vampires killed indiscriminately, allowed them to feed from Regulars as long as it didn't cause a scene or risk us all being exposed. It was ridiculous. Human Hidden found it abhorrent and knew it was wrong. They were scared, too afraid to confront the vampires head on and deny them their feeding, fearing all out war if they did so.
But it wasn't right, and something had to be done. This extreme cruelty had spurred me into action, had opened my eyes to just how ruthless many of my kind were, and that they truly cared nothing for other people and their desire to live a happy, peaceful life. They would steal the baby from another's arms if they thought it would be to their advantage.
Not my baby. I'd fight them tooth and nail to protect him.
My life changed forever this night, my mind made up. I would no longer allow, or accept, the vampires as they were. They would change or they would perish.
"Um, Kane, where are we going? How are we supposed to find the others? Find your father?"
"Don't worry, I know where they are. We're going to get them right this minute." Kane turned and smiled at me then focused ahead as we hit a main road.
"What? We are? I don't know if I'm ready yet, strong enough."
"You are, you're stronger than you know."
"If you say so, my son. And what about you, how are you feeling? And how do you know their location?"
"I'm feeling fine now you're safe. I was very concerned. And don't worry, Mother, before this is all over we'll make sure the other vampires know what's permitted and what isn't. I'll insist."
Kane's face was set hard, a confidence in his own abilities, in what he intended to do, as if he could read my mind and come to the same conclusion. Maybe he would be all right after all, remain in touch with his human side no matter how difficult it was.
"And how do you know where they are?"
"Why, that's easy. I just followed the smell."
"I know Faz can be a bit stinky at times, but surely you can't find him in a whole city, no matter what form you take. And remember Snowdonia. You followed dwarves, not Faz."
"I remember." Kane scowled, like he should have been above such mistakes. He was going to be a competitive boy, for sure. "But no, not him. Persimmon, the shifter. I can smell a panther when I shift into her form. And that's what
I did."
"Was this when you sneaked out against my express wishes?" I asked, teasing and nudging him as I smiled.
"Um, maybe. You aren't cross are you?" Kane fidgeted and glanced nervously at me.
"No, I'm just playing. I'm not cross, although in the future will you please do as I ask? I know you're special, but sometimes a mother knows best."
Kane nodded. It was easy to forget that he was still an immature child, and I had to keep that in mind and treat him accordingly. He may be powerful beyond compare but he was a boy nonetheless, and a teenage one at that. Probably the worst combination possible.
"So, where are we going?"
"Somewhere unexpected." Kane turned and gave me a smile that looked so like Faz that I burst out crying.
And he was right, it sure was unexpected.
To the Rescue
Kane parked up in the city center at one of the multi-story car parks. He turned the engine off and we sat there not saying a word, just listening to the ticking of the engine as it cooled quickly. It was deserted, no signs of life, just a few random cars belonging to those working night shifts with nowhere else to park. Probably people stocking shelves in the stores, or maybe it was the insomniacs, or those who frequented the secretive clubs that remained open all night for the dedicated drinkers. Or even Hidden who only found peace and the chance to be who they really were when night descended.
We got out after several minutes, and I found it a struggle. Sitting down had not been a good idea. I was so stiff, and everything hurt so much, I couldn't imagine facing a horde of doppels and having any chance of dealing with them. But then I remembered who I was, what I was, and what I was fighting for. Magic came to my rescue, as it always did.
Ink activated, just a tingle under leather trousers, white shirt, and long leather jacket, clothes Grandma had obviously felt I'd need for what was to come. Energy coursed through my veins and the hurt went away. I stretched for a few minutes while Kane rummaged about in the car, shook out the stiffness of newly formed muscle, let joints and bones as fresh as a newborn's feel weight and integrate properly.