“Vampirism isn’t a virus,” scoffed Amelia. “It’s demon possession.”
Kristoff frowned and looked back over his shoulder at her and snorted. “Pah! Suspicious nonsense that can get you killed. It’s a highly transmittable virus. Passed to hosts through blood transfer.”
“My mother says…”
“Is your mother here? Training you?”
“No.”
“Then listen to your teacher and shut up with that medieval clap trap. If it were mere possession, it wouldn’t be so easy to create more vampires. You’d need a never ending supply of demons just waiting around in some sort of ridiculous cue for the off chance someone could get bitten. And demons have better things to do.”
“Like what?”
Kristoff brought the camera back to his face lining up his next shot. “Demons are very smart and very hard to kill in their own forms, they would not want to be trapped in a vulnerable human body. They rule an alternate plane from ours that is folded beside our reality. They are even more powerful than you can imagine and they’ have been at war for millennia. But that is a lesson for another day.” He huffed in annoyance, “Now, back to revenants…” But Amelia wasn’t listening anymore, instead her ears had perked up to the scraping sounds coming from inside the huge ribbed metal drainage tunnel beside her, it sounded like thousands of oversized rats scrabbling through the subway. “Revenants are easier to kill than vampires because of the level of decomp from the ravages of the virus. A good hit to the brain usually does the job…
“Uh, Kristoff?”
“…The only way to cure a revenant bite is first to douse the flesh with a mix of lavender and sea salt…”
Eyes, glowing red began to speckle the dark tunnel opening, and Amelia backed up slowly, “Kristoff!”
“Then cauterize the wound with super heated pig iron…”
“KRISTOFFFF!!!” Screamed Amelia, as the first of the revenants started darting out to attack.
Kristoff looked up. “Дерьмо! If you hadn’t interrupted me, we would have gotten through the lecture portion of the night, before we got to the lab.” He tucked his camera away and pulled her leather vambraces out from his coat pocket, throwing them to her. Then, he drew one of the stilettos from the night before and threw it to land in the dirt, quivering at her feet.
“YOU PLANNED THIS!” screeched Amelia, struggling with her cuffs’ buckles and trying to retrieve the dagger.
He shrugged and dispatched the first few revenants to give her time to prepare. “Hands on experience is the best experience.”
Amelia dropped into a defensive position and waited for the next wave of revenants to get ballsy and rush them. “You COULD have warned me.”
“Do you think they’ll warn you first? This is a real time simulation.”
“SIMULATION!” said Amelia jumping back as a revenant dove at her from the darkness. “THIS IS NOT A SIMULATION! THIS IS AN AMBUSH!”
“Just don’t get hurt and it will all be over soon. Consider this community service, we’re clearing a nest for the good of humanity.” He stalked toward the opening of the drain pipe to tempt more of the nest out. “I expect at least three kills for you to pass this lesson with an A.”
“Ha, ha. Very funny.” Amelia was dancing with her first revenant. It seemed to rely on its claws to fight more than its teeth, swiping and grabbing. And as Kristoff predicted, compared to other vampires, it was relatively slow. When it reached its claws out in a mad swipe to get Amelia's belly, she knocked its hand away from her with the leather cuff and stabbed at its own bared neck, severing the spine. To her surprise, it worked. And with a horrifying shriek the revenant became a bubbling mass of stinking decomposition. She stood and laughed madly.
Kristoff, who seemed to be killing off revenants right and left, without any consideration to skill or effort, looked up. “Amelia! I said NOT to admire your handiwork! Behind you!”
In Amelia’s triumphant pause another revenant had snuck up behind her, and was so close in its grab that she had to drop to her knees to avoid its grasping claws. Once down, Amelia kicked out with her boot at the revenant’s crotch, which only seemed to shove it back.
“At that level of decomposition Amelia, I promise you it doesn’t care about its goodies anymore. Go for more suitable targets.”
“I thought that worked on all males.” Amelia snickered.
The revenant however, being only barely shoved back, went to pounce on her like a rabid wolf. Amelia scrambled crab like back, dragging her ass along the ground. It grabbed her ankle as she went, and she felt the claws go through her skin. “Shit!” yelled Amelia, kicking it in the head with her opposite boot heel repeatedly. Luckily, that succeeded in detaching it from her ankle, and Amelia sprung to her feet, wincing at the pain. The revenant stood slowly, shaking it’s bashed up head in confusion, then looked up at her angrily. It charged. Amelia decided she was done with the thing, and took a chance, she threw the knife like Mona had once taught her, and it embedded in the revenant’s eye. The revenant immediately began bubbling and sinking to the ground, making Amelia have to retrieve her knife from the mess. The pool of decay burned and stuck like molten wax when she retrieved the knife, and she shook her hand stifling a scream.
“That’s why we do not let go of our blades. We’ll take care of it later. What is it you Americans say? Walk it off,” puffed Kristoff as he spun and stabbed gracefully through the center of the attackers.
Amelia narrowed her eyes as one of the revenants swarming Kristoff noticed her and pulled away. Amelia dropped into an offensive stance, and decided to rush the thing before it tried to rush her. Momentarily, it seemed that her aggression surprised its little brain, but it caught on and came at her helter-skelter. Amelia dodged down, popping up under its arms and nailed it under the chin. It fell away dying. “I think I’m getting this!”
“Don’t get cocky,” admonished Kristoff as he took out two at once.
“You’re a real buzz kill, you know that?.”
Suddenly, the revenants swarming around Kristoff broke into two groups, one charging her and another staying, in hopes - Ha! - of wearing Kristoff down. As in the dojo, Amelia became the center of flashing claws like the tornado of blades the day before, and she struggled to block and slash. She took out another revenant when it got too close, but the reach gave the others the chance to rake nails down her arm in burning ribbons. Shocked by the sudden pain, Amelia cried out and cradled her damaged arm. The second of distraction cost her and soon it was a battle of attrition as she could only protect herself as best she could with a damaged arm, quickly collecting hundreds of nicks and scratches.
When Amelia began to despair of the madness ever ending, the circle began to mysteriously thin. Until it was just one left. Amelia snarled and stabbed it through its heart, ignoring how its hands and claws wrapped around her wrists to stop her. It too crumbled quickly into mush. With a deep groan Amelia propped her hands on her knees and panted in both pain and exhaustion. Kristoff stood next to her where he had surely been the one to thin her attackers.
“I killed more than three,” Amelia strained out. Kristoff seemed to be eyeing her critically.
His lips pressed white. “We’ll call this a B+, you will die of infection if we don’t take care of your damage. Come on.” He grabbed Amelia and began dragging her away quickly, while pulling out his cell phone. But the pull put Amelia’s weight too heavily on her damaged ankle and she fell to her knee with a muted cry. Kristoff scooped her up and continued on his phone.
“Yes,” she heard him say, “I need the Lotus at the East end of the Brooklyn bridge. No, it’s Amelia, you better drive yourself…”
Then Amelia passed out.
Chapter 18
The next few hours were a blur to Amelia, she was awake to her clothes being cut off of her and crying out from where the blood made them adhere to her skin. She woke again when water hit her skin, cold and stunning, leading to feverish shivers and a thoughtless scream a
t the pain. She knew she felt the burning in her flesh as she was dipped in some sort of acid she was sure. And finally, she remembered sprinkled spots of searing pain, but after, darkness and black as pitch claimed her.
*
Kristoff stood over his guest bed where Amelia shivered naked.
“You pushed her too hard,” Kolya said out from next to him looking at Amelia’s tiny form in barley concealed concern.
“I thought she was ready,” Kristoff replied quietly without looking away from the shivering lump in his guest bed.
“Did you really?” Kolya scoffed, “Or did you want to scare her into being better about protecting herself? Into taking this seriously? Or scare her into trusting you with her care more?”
“I wouldn’t do that! Just…maybe…”
“All those burn marks… She’s covered in burn marks from where we had to cauterize the infected wounds. They are all going to scar.”
“No, they won’t, not if I can help it.”
Kristoff watched as Kolya twisted his gaze to examine him darkly. “You should consider that before you do it. I don’t know how perceptive she’ll be. How strange it would be for her if she wakes unmarked.”
Kristoff grunted unhappily, “I suppose I could leave the scars on her ankle and one or two small ones on her arms then tell her it was not as bad as it seemed.”
“Will she believe you? I mean, she may now, but later when she thinks on it, will she question what happened?”
“I won’t let her be so damaged due to my own mistake. I don’t care if it gives me away.”
“Yes, but, if she does find out, how will she feel having had vampire blood in open wounds?”
“No worse than she’ll feel about having slept with one.”
Kolya sighed deeply, “I told you this was going to bite you in the ass. Just let her go, it’s better for you both.”
“I remember your words. But she’s worth it… Besides, maybe…”
“Stop. Don’t kid yourself, there’s no happy ending here.”
“I can still hope,” Kristoff replied quietly, but his stomach churned with what could have happened that night.
*
Amelia awoke in an unfamiliar bed. She could tell immediately from the fact that the mattress was glorious. And that it smelled like expensive cologne. She tried to remember what had happened the night before that she was waking in someone else’s bed. And the fight came back to her. Amelia surged up to look herself over, she remembered the pain and blood of the night before, and needed to see how bad the damage was. But she was shockingly unmarked. She ran her eyes over her arms and wrists, there were a few angry red marks, but fewer than she would have thought. Next she examined her ankle. Reassuringly, the mass of scars from where the revenant had gotten her with its withered nails was there. Maybe she hadn’t been as damaged as she thought. Then it hit her. She was naked. Amelia blushed and stood, pulling the sheet around her into a loose toga. She carefully opened the door of the darkened bedroom and walked out. Spying the dojo, she knew she was in Kristoff’s apartment. She should have figured.
Afternoon sun spread like butter across the deep white carpets as she walked out into the living room and looked around. Kristoff was leaning against the kitchen counter reading a newspaper, and when she came in he looked up. His face was creased with worry and… fear? But he cleared his throat.
“How do you feel?” He asked softly.
“Surprisingly good,” Amelia smiled suggestively. “I guess I did sleep over eventually.”
Kristoff shook his head, “This is not what I meant. Are you hungry?”
Amelia was surprised to find she was. “I could eat.” Kristoff dropped the paper and went to rummage in his refrigerator. Amelia sat at the kitchen bar top counter and watched him.
Taking out eggs, bread and cheese, Kristoff set up to make her breakfast. He was quiet as he worked, and the vacuum unnerved Amelia.
“So, you gave me a B+ huh?”
“You were good enough to take out more revenants than I asked - but in the act you were as reckless as usual and were … You took too much damage for such a small skirmish. If I weren’t there you could have died.”
“But I didn’t, and you were.”
Kristoff looked dead ahead of himself avoiding her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking. I think you should quit and go back to serving coffee. You will never be competent enough to protect yourself alone.”
“Excuse me?”
“Some people just weren’t meant to be hunters. You.. you’re a talented artist. Don’t waste your life.”
“I have to avenge my sister’s death. Do you understand? I won’t stop until the asshole’s dead!”
“I’ll do it.” He grunted. “Look, I’ll do it. I’ll find the vampires responsible, I’ll kill them and I’ll tell you when it’s over.” Kristoff continued, scraping the eggs onto a plate and handing her a fork and buttered toast.
“I want to be with you when you take Nikolais out.”
Kristoff crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. “No, I don’t think you should be with me - at all. I think we should end this… relationship. We’re barley friends and certainly not lovers - you made that clear. I refuse to train you further when all I’m encouraging is your early death. I’ll pay you for the next few weeks while you settle back into your old life, and then be out of your life for good.”
“No.”
“Amelia, you aren’t cut out for this life. ”
“What! I have a night with a few scrapes and you want to scrap the whole thing? You said it yourself - I’m getting better.”
“Just let it go Amelia, I’m taking you home and that’s it.”
Amelia pushed the plate away from herself. “No.”
Kristoff wiped his hand down his face, “This is not up for discussion.” Then he ended the conversation by walking out of the kitchen toward the stairs. “If you aren’t going to eat, I’ll take you home now.”
Amelia stared at her eggs and tried not to cry. What had happened? Now he was the one pushing her away. For several minutes she just stared at her plate unseeing. She was roused from her stupor when Kristoff came back down with a pile of clothing and shoved it at her. It seemed to be a pair of his drawstring gi pants and one of his black tee shirts. “Here, get dressed.” He said shortly.
Two could play this game, thought Amelia. She stood and just dropped the sheet to her feet, leaving herself naked in front of him. He groaned and gritted his teeth, then turned his back to her.
“Put on the clothes Amelia,” he ground out.
Disappointed that her brave gamble had failed, Amelia shoved his pants on and yanked his shirt over her head. “Don’t worry, I’m decent.” She snapped. “Look, I’ll take the metro.”
“No, I’ll take you home.”
“Why? Don’t you want to get rid of me faster? I’ll be gone in five if you let me.”
“Just… let me take you, I’ll feel better.”
“I wouldn’t want you not to feel better.”
“Please stop Amelia, I’m just doing what I think is best in the long run. I’ll be leaving back for Russia soon enough and I wouldn’t want you to get too attached. You were right - this whole thing was a bad idea. But I would still like us to leave this as a good memory - to part as friends.” Kristoff said, his expression pleading.
Amelia looked away and shrugged dismissively. “Let’s go.”
The elevator ride was silent and depressing, the whole time neither of them could look at the other. The drive to her house was worse. For the first time she’d ever seen it, Kristoff drove carefully, and followed the speed limit and signs to a T. He pulled up in front of her apartment building without instructions - as if he’d memorized where it was.
Amelia opened the door and cleared her throat. “I’ll wash these and return them to you at the warehouse.”
Kristoff shook his head, “No, keep them, as you pointed out often, I’m rich and can just ge
t more. Goodbye Amelia.”
Amelia looked at him and said, “Later.” Then just shut the car door and walked away.
She wouldn’t say the word he was demanding. She wouldn’t give up so easily either.
Chapter 19
Amelia wasn’t tired, but she went back to bed. She curled up in Kristoff’s clothes, trying to keep him by surrounding herself in his scent. She watched from her bedroom window as the sun fell slowly from the sky, tracking it by the shadows turning on the floor.
At sunset a new determination filled her and she got up, and got dressed. Carefully, so it would continue to smell like him, Amelia stuffed Kristoff’s clothing under her pillow, and then she pulled out her sister’s hunter’s dagger for the first time in weeks. She sheathed it on her hip, and pulled her dark hoody over it to cover. She wasn’t going to let Kristoff take her mission, she’d go back to staking out Nikolais’s herself.
But as she left her apartment complex, something changed her steps, she started back to the warehouse district and the studio. As she walked, she ran through what she was going to say, what she was going to do…how she was going to make him understand. And she walked faster.
By the time she’d reached the studio, she was running full of adrenaline and ready to take Kristoff on, she swept like a hurricane through the doors of the factory and didn’t stop until she’d gotten to his desk.
Only to find it empty.
It even seemed neater, as if he was considering leaving it behind just as he had done to her. On the desk were his folders, stacked and ready to be taken away.
A Guide to Vampire Hunting: ...and other failures (Alchemy Inc. Book 1) Page 12