by Morgan Rice
It was his voice. He was still alive.
“It’s me! Let me in, quick!”
She heard the keyhole slot move, then suddenly, several locks were unchained, and the door opened up. She and Sera quickly went inside, and he locked the door behind them.
Caitlin and Jonah stared at each other, both stunned. Jonah, though, was much more shocked to see Caitlin standing there, with Sera, each holding weapons, each covered in blood. He was speechless.
Caitlin quickly surveyed the apartment, and saw Jonah’s father lying on the couch, barely conscious. She saw the sores on his face, the tell-tale signs of plague. Her heart went out to him, and to Jonah. At least they were alive.
“You’re alive,” Caitlin said, happily surprised.
“What are you doing here?” he asked. “How did you get here? How are you alive?”
Caitlin shook her head. “There isn’t time. We have to go. We need to get you out of here.”
“Where are you—how are you surviving?” he asked, still shocked.
Caitlin thought quick. She had an idea.
“The armories,” Caitlin said. “You’ll be safe there. They’re filled with U.S. soldiers and tanks.”
“But…how can we make it there?” Jonah’s father asked. “We’d never make it out of here alive!
And even if we did, they’re too far away.”
Caitlin turned and looked Sera. Sera looked back, and she could see that the two of them had been thinking the same thing at the same moment.
“It would be on our way,” Caitlin said to Sera. “It wouldn’t take away any time.”
Sera shook her head, annoyed. “I knew this would happen.”
*
Caitlin and Sera flew, heading south, Caitlin carrying Jonah on her back, and Sera carrying Jonah’s father. Caitlin smiled as she recalled the look on Jonah’s face as she had slung him over her shoulder, and as Sera had slung his father over her shoulder, and the two of them had suddenly jumped with them out the window. Jonah and his dad had both shrieked, assuming they were plunging towards instant death.
They had both been equally shocked to realize they were alive, and flying. They were wide-eyed, flabbergasted. There was simply no explaining it. But they were also clearly grateful to be in the air, to be heading away from their building, from certain death.
They flew quickly downtown, and when they hit 28th street, they turned East and headed over to the Lexington Avenue armory.
They descended and dropped the two of them near the entrance. Thousands of U.S. soldiers, and dozens of jeeps and tanks, were flooding in and out of the entrance, and Caitlin and Sera went unnoticed in the mayhem.
They all stood there for a quick moment, Jonah and her father staring, still shocked, not knowing what to say.
“You’ll be safe here,” Caitlin said.
John opened his mouth to speak several times, but then closed it.
Finally, he opened it again, “I…don’t know what to say…” he said. “I…never forgot you. And I never will.”
With that, Caitlin felt a tug on her arm, and she and Sera were off, flying back to the air.
And heading for City Hall.
TWENTY FOUR
Caitlin and Sera flew nearly all the way downtown in unimpeded skies until finally, their luck ran out. At Houston Street, soldiers from the Blacktide Coven appeared, coming right at them. There were maybe two dozen of them, and there was no way around them.
“Prepare for battle,” Sera said in the air, her face transforming with rage, as she lifted her battle ax.
Caitlin extracted both her sword and her spear, trying to remember all the principles that Aiden had taught her on the island. Stay focused. Breathe deep. Center yourself. When you are outnumbered, focus on the center warrior. There are no room for emotions in battle.
They were badly outnumbered, but Caitlin, clutching her weapons with sweaty palms, felt that they could win.
A second later, they crashed into the group at full speed. As they did, Caitlin slashed the sword expertly, decapitating one of them. She threw her spear in the same motion, piercing another one’s throat. Sera swung her axe wide, chopping off the heads of two of them in a single blow.
But there remained plenty more behind them, and the second Caitlin and Sera finished their strikes, they were pounced upon by several more vampires—too many, moving too quickly, for them to react. They found themselves spiraling downward, towards Earth.
They hit the cement hard, covered by twenty vampires.
Caitlin, on the bottom of the pile, suffocating, thought of Caleb, of his being captured, of his needing her help. She thought of her unborn child, sitting in her stomach. And she felt the rage well within her. A blinding, uncontrollable rage. She felt her muscles grow, her veins pop out, and an incredible strength overcame her.
She leapt to her feet, throwing them all off of her in a single bound, and leaned back and roared.
It was the primal roar of a mother protecting her child, of a wife, protecting her husband. The world turned red, and she lost every last ounce of control.
She charged the group of vampires, stunned, swinging her sword wildly, throwing the spear again and again, which came back to her every time. She was pounced upon to the left and to the right, but every time, she was faster, stronger, angrier. She felt herself being clawed, scarred, scratched up, even bitten, but nothing they had matched what she had. She decapitated one after the other, and within what felt like seconds, the entire group of vampires attacking her were dead.
Sera handed herself almost as well. She had incredible strength, and she swung her axe wildly and expertly, jabbing, slashing, even using its wooden shaft to block blows. When that wasn’t enough, she also leaned back and kicked, head-butted, elbowed. She was a one-woman force. And she killed several of them.
But she was not as good as Caitlin. Several more pounced on her from behind, sending her crashing to the ground, and one vampire reached up with a sword, ready to bring it down on her.
Caitlin sprang into action, leaping and decapitating the vampire with a swing of her sword. She swung wildly, and killed several more, giving Sera enough time to regain her feet. Sera did, and went back to fighting herself.
Minutes later, all of the vampires were dead. Just Caitlin and Sera stood there, breathing heavily, covered in scratches and bruises and bites, splattered in blood. Caitlin slowly felt her rage calm.
She looked over, and noticed that Sera’s expression had changed. She was no longer angry at Caitlin. On the contrary, she sensed gratitude. It look like the face of a friend.
“You saved my life,” Sera said, surprised. “Why?”
Caitlin smiled. “Well, I guess I need you to find Caleb, too.”
Sera smiled back. They both knew that wasn’t the reason. Caitlin could clearly handle herself on her own. It was obvious, at that moment, that Caitlin had actually grown to like Sera, despite everything. And that Sera felt the same.
Suddenly, Caitlin felt dizzy. She staggered and bent over, clutching her stomach.
Sera came running over, putting a hand on her back. She grabbed her shoulder, steadying her.
“What is it?” Sera asked, concerned.
The paint in Caitlin’s stomach had been horrific. She slowly raised herself, and started to breathe again. She took several deep breaths.
Caitlin could see Sera’s expression change as she examined Caitlin’s eyes. Sera reached up and placed her palm on Caitlin’s forehead—and her expression changed to one of amazement.
“You’re pregnant,” Sera said in an astonished whisper. “With Caleb’s child.”
Caitlin nodded back.
Sera’s eyes welled up.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Would it have made a difference?” Caitlin asked.
“Yes. Of course. You’re carrying Caleb’s child. It is a piece of him. That means the world to me.”
Sera wiped back a tear.
“I’m sorry,” she
said. “I’m sorry for how I behaved. Please, forgive me.”
“I don’t harbor any grudges towards you,” Caitlin said.
“I know,” Sera answered. “You’re a better person than I.”
Caitlin smiled, her stomach feeling better, and reached up and put a hand on Sera’s shoulder.
“You’re not that bad yourself,” Caitlin said.
Sera smiled back.
The two of them lifted back into the air, heading right for City Hall, determined to rescue Caleb, whatever the cost. But now, Caitlin felt, they were more than just fellow warriors on a shared mission. Now, they were truly friends.
*
Caitlin and Sera landed on the steps of City Hall. It was quiet here. Too quiet.
They both looked at each other, wondering. They could feel a thick tension amidst the silence. It was eerie. Almost as if they were being set up for a trap.
They had expected to find the place guarded by scores of soldiers, to see tremendous activity, vampires rushing in and out. But then again, their vampires were already spread all throughout the city. Maybe they had all already left home base, and maybe they had, rightly, felt no need to be guarded. After all, who would dare attack them?
As they stood there, wondering, the front door opened. Out walked a single vampire.
He took a few steps towards them, and stopped and stared at Caitlin.
Caitlin could not believe it.
It was Caleb.
He stood there, smiling at her, holding the Sword. The Sword. It was a miracle. He had escaped.
Caitlin felt herself overwhelmed with a huge wave of relief. She broke into tears as she ran towards him, running up the steps. She felt such a rush of love for him, felt so sorry that she’d ever left him. She was determined to never leave him again as she raced up the steps, ready to embrace him.
Suddenly, Caitlin heard a scream: “NO!”
It was Sera’s voice.
Caitlin felt herself being shoved by Sera, right before she could embrace Caleb.
Caitlin hit the ground hard, several feet away, and turned and looked.
She could not believe her eyes.
Sera now stood where Caitlin had just been, right in front of Caleb.
But there was an expression of horrific pain on her face, and as Caitlin looked down, she could see that Caleb had stabbed Sera. Right through the heart. With the Sword.
It had been a stab meant for Caitlin. Sera had seen it coming, and had shoved Caitlin out of the way, had saved her, had taken the stab in her place. She had sacrificed herself for Caitlin.
Caitlin looked up, horrified, the entire world in slow motion, looking at Caleb’s face. How could he do this? How could he want to kill her? How could he kill Sera?
But as she looked closely at his face, her own face fell in disbelief. Right in front of her eyes, his face changed. It was not Caleb after all. It had been a trick.
And the new face that came into view sent a chill through her spine.
Sam. Her brother.
He had tried to kill her.
Caitlin felt as if she herself had been stabbed, as she realized the depth of his betrayal. Her own brother. Masking himself as Caleb. Trying to kill her. And killing Sera.
Sam seemed to register the expression on Caitlin’s face, and suddenly, he seemed to snap out of his trance. It seemed that he suddenly realized the depth of what he had just done. His expression became one of horror, of utter hatred with himself, as he looked down at the bloody Sword in his hand, at the act he had committed.
He dropped the Sword onto the cement, and it landed with a clang. As his face collapsed in an expression of grief and horror, he broke out into a shrill cry.
“Caitlin!” he shrieked. “Forgive me!”
And with that, he turned and ran, back inside City Hall, leaving Caitlin alone, the Sword lying on the steps, Sera beside it, dying.
Caitlin ran over to Sera and sat beside her, crying. She lifted her head onto her lap.
Sera looked up, smiling.
“I’m so sorry,” Caitlin said. “I didn’t know..
Sera struggle to talk, blood pouring out of her mouth. Finally, she opened her lips, her voice faint: “It was a trick…shape shifting…remember…Caleb…is a prisoner…chained…remember…he is chained.…if he is free…it is not Caleb…don’t be tricked….”
“I know, I know,” Caitlin repeated, crying, “I realize now. I’m so sorry.”
Sera lifted her head one last time, struggling to get out her final words.
“Your child,” she said, “raise him well.”
And with that, she leaned back and died.
Caitlin leaned back and wailed in grief. It was too much. In just a short time, she had come to feel such a strong connection with Sera. She felt as if her sister had just been killed in front of her.
In her place.
And at the same time, she felt betrayed by her brother.
Caitlin looked over, at the Sword, sitting there, by itself, on the cement.
She gently lay Sera down, and went over and grabbed it. She held it with both hands and let out a primal roar.
At just that moment, the doors to City Hall banged open, and out charged dozens of Blacktides, right for Caitlin.
But she was ready. More than ready. An incredible rage flooded through her—a greater rage than she had ever experienced—and now she wielded the Sword. They had come across the wrong woman at the wrong time.
Seconds later, dozens of them lay dead, helpless to fight back against the Sword.
They kept pouring out the door, though, and Caitlin kept fighting.
Minutes later, hundreds of them lay dead. There were bodies piled on top of bodies, as Caitlin wreaked devastation beyond what she ever could have imagined. She was like a different person.
Finally, the vampires stopped streaming.
But Caitlin was not satisfied. She wanted more.
She would not stop until she entered the sanctuary, and killed Kyle himself.
But first, she’d find Caleb. Chained, like Sera had said. He was down there and chained. And she had to save him.
And now that she had the Sword, nothing would stop her.
TWENTY FIVE
Sam ran through the corridors beneath City Hall, faster and faster, twisting and turning. He could not believe what he had just on. His own sister. He had tried to kill her. Why? Had he sank so far?
Up until that moment, ever since he had been turned, he’d felt out of control, like he’d been in a haze. It had just been so hard to think clearly, to get a hold of his new skin, his new life, as if he had just been swept up in a giant wave.
But now, finally, the effects of being turned were wearing off, and he was finally able to see clearly, to think for himself. He realized that he had slipped. He had never wanted any of this. He despised Kyle and the entire coven. Most of all, he realized that he had been played by Samantha.
She had wanted him to rise to power for her own sake, her own ambition. She had used him.
But he didn’t care about power, or the Sword, or any of it. He just wanted to be left alone. And far away from her. But first, there was one thing he had to do.
At that moment, as he ran down yet another corridor, Samantha came running towards him, a frantic expression on her face.
“Where’s the Sword?” she asked quickly. “Did you kill Caitlin?”
Sam backhanded her, hitting her hard across the face, sending her flying across the corridor. She slammed into a stone wall, hard, and slumped to the floor.
Sitting there, she looked up at him, hurt and shocked.
He turned to her.
“Never say my name again!” he screamed.
She tried to answer, to plead with him, but he didn’t want to hear it. He never wanted to see her again.
“Sam!” she wailed through the halls, “let me explain!”
But it was too late. He ran and ran, and her cries faded, echoing off the chamber.
Sam
wanted revenge. He wanted to destroy. He wanted to take down the Blacktide Coven, and he wanted to make it suffer.
He suddenly realized the best way to get revenge, the best way to make amends for what he had done—or almost done—to his sister. She would never forgive him. That much he knew. But he still had to try.
Sam turned down another corridor, sprinting down another set of steps, and soon he was down there. In the dungeon.
He raced past door after door, and finally came to the right one. He burst it open with his shoulder.
And there, in the small room, chained to the wall, was Caleb.
Without hesitating, Sam ran over to him and tore his chains off. Within seconds, Caleb was free.
Caleb looked back at him, suspicious.
“Why have you done this?” he asked, solemnly.
“For Caitlin,” Sam said. “Please tell her I love her.”
And with that, Sam bounded out of the room, down the corridor, down another corridor, up flight after flight. Within moments, he burst out the back of City Hall. He took a running start and soon he was flying, all by himself, deeper and deeper into the night.
*
Caitlin, wielding the sword, ran through the corridors beneath City Hall. She was determined to kill as many of them as she could, and to kill Kyle himself. But first, she had to save Caleb. She was determined to never be tricked again. That shape-shifting was cruel and devious, and she would not fall for it a second time. Sera’s words of caution rang in her ears with every step she took, as she sprinted deeper into the catacombs. Caleb will be chained.
As Caitlin turned down yet another corner, a lone figure appeared, running towards her.
Caitlin raised the Sword, ready for battle, and suddenly froze. She lowered the Sword.
There, standing just a few feet away, was Caleb again. He was free, roaming the halls.
A part of her felt that this was him, and felt such relief.
Another part, though, the logical part, remembered Sera’s last words. This could not be him. It was another trick. It had to be. Caleb would not be free. Why would he? It would not make any sense.
Be strong, she told herself. It cannot be him.