A Stranger in My Window

by J Benito, C; Renzi, Federico;

  - I was not spying Julius, but wanted to get into the castle library to grab a book. I could not help overhearing his conversation with Logan.

  Irynae turned, walked to Jud and grabbed her by shoulders shaking her.

  - Straight to the point! What happened to Logan?

  - Aaah! Do not be a beast! Did not you say you did not care?

  Irynae eyes showed a deep red that made it clear she was no mood for jokes.

  - Logan is dying.

  - Impossible! His suit regenerates your body can not die, at least not in years.

  - He said that the suit is failing. I heard something that if he returns to force the powers of the suit will die.

  - Jud leave me alone! Please ... - she added in a gentler tone.

  Irynae dropped into bed, now that Logan was close to death all his feelings are intensified. She lied to everyone; yes, she was in love with him. Tears welled in his eyes as she had done hundreds of years.

  Had to be strong, they were at war and could not disappoint Straush. But how could look at Logan knowing that soon would lose him?

  She would have liked to get away from there with him and enjoy the best of what remained of his life. Loving each other, kissing each other and living together until the end.

  They knocked on his door; by the abruptness was not Jud. She dried the tears with the hands and tried to compose herself. With a bound, she stood near the door. She turned the rusty doorknob and found face to face with Láyonel.

  - Get ready! Grab your weapons we go on patrol.

  - I'll never forgive you've told about me and Logan to Straush.

  Láyonel that had already turned and walked away from her turned and looked at her.

  - Better, so your anger will make you fight harder. He smiled and continued his march.

  Karsacry grabbed a backpack with explosives and slung it on his back. He gave a scimitar sword to Jud, and another of Toledo steel for Julius. Láyonel verified that all properly assembled for the occasion. Irynae entered the room of arms and grudgingly took a dagger and a long sword.

  - All right. Let's go! - Shouted Láyonel.

  Logan waiting for them outside, he was testing the mechanism of his swords. Once satisfied with their performance kept in their sheaths.

  When he saw Irynae out, he winked an eye and joined the group. There were a few hours before dawn, so they decided take advantage of the night to go the rooftops to reach the of the old access route to the subway.

  Logan was the last one, was hard to keep pace that imposed the vampires. Irynae noted this and forced the group to slow down, which annoyed Láyonel.

  Karsacry open the passage jumping from roof to roof, occasionally turned to see if the group followed him closely.

  When they reached to an old five-storey building, Láyonel raised his hand and they all stopped. Under that abandoned building, it was the only entrance to the subway accessible from the street. The group jumped to the ground. Karsacry walked to the door of reinforced metal. To his surprise, the chain was shattered.

  - It is open! - Shouted Karsacry.

  - Maybe have been forced by homeless. Jud suggested.

  - Let's hope. - Julius replied that contrary to Karsacry not die for fighting.

  - Let's go and let us find out! - ordered Láyonel.

  Karsacry took his ax and goes followed closely by Láyonel, Julius and Jud. Irynae grabbed Logan's arm that set to enter. She attracted him to her and kissed him, as never before had kissed him.

  'And this? Logan asked, smiling.

  - I wanted to. The action awakes many emotions in me. - Irynae said while leading into the narrow passage.

  Logan had to hold his breath, maybe the vampires were accustomed to the smells, but of course, he did not. The atmosphere was highly charged, urine, human waste and animal appeared everywhere.

  - Fuck this more than a corridor is a toilet! - Logan muttered as he spat.

  Found cardboard boxes, newspapers, brick of wine empty and rotten food, indicating that the vagrants had used sometime as a refuge. However, the truth is that there was no trace of them had not even rats.

  They toured the tunnels that are still standing, but did not find trace of the darks. After one hour, ninety percent of the route it was already traced.

  - There is nothing here! - Láyonel said.

  - Wait! Near here, I have an office building and I remember that the architects reviewed the ground in an attempt to ensure the structural integrity. They were aware that the old subway route would go under.

  - Where are you going with this? - wondered Láyonel.

  - In one of the maps appeared a station.

  - Can not be, all stations were demolished to prevent that the vagrants occupied them. - Said Julius.

  - I tell you that exists. I saw a picture. I think that is about two hundred meters to the north.

  - Well underway. We will check. - Ordered Láyonel.

  The group walked in silence just in case, was nothing to suggest activity but better to be cautious. A group like they would be easy to annihilate by the darks, especially if they entered in a hive.

  - God! I'm more nervous than a vampire in a factory of guillotines! - Logan said.

  Everyone looked at him with an expression of disgust.

  - You have no sense of humor.

  A hundred meters away, almost blurred by the distance, they could see a small station. One of the windows was dimly lit.

  Logan hear something.

  - Stop! - He whispered.

  - What happen? - wondered Karsacry.

  - I heard a noise nearby. Logan informed.

  - I have not heard anything. - Láyonel said.

  - Shit! - Logan shouted, pointing a finger at the station.

  As if it were a nest of cockroaches, a horde of the darks came running toward them for the railway as the roof and the walls.

  - Run! - Shouted Láyonel.

  Chapter 18

  The group ran under the platform, if not reach soon to the passageways that lead them to the exit door, they were dead. There were too many, needed the narrowness of these corridors in order to reduce the number of dark that followed them and in that way combat with more effectively if necessary.

  Láyonel ordered to Jud, Julius and Irynae not separated from him. Karsacry grabbed Logan and went into a narrow canal.

  - What are you doing, you're crazy! - Logan protested.

  Karsacry simply be a finger to his mouth and shut him up. Logan followed him grudgingly.

  The rest of the group continued his escape. Láyonel throws several grenades at two converging narrow aisle behind them. The walls weakened by years completely collapsed, trapping a dozen of dark, cutting him off from the rest. The hallway that lead to the street was close, but Láyonel had no intention to flee. Not yet.

  They drew their swords and prepared to fight the again the twenty darks they had achieved to follow them. Julius jumped on one of the dark, he ripped the head while falling backward beheaded another with his sword.

  Jud smiled.

  - Time to get revenge! - She exclaimed as she ran toward a group of darks.

  Láyonel remained with one knee on the ground, arms outstretched and swords firmly attached. Esperó a ser surrounded by dark. He closed his eyes and spun around as he jumped. His swords caused the effect of a helix, cutting off the heads of all darks close to him.

  Irynae thrust his sword into the chest of a dark, while with the other hand going through with his dagger the front of another approaching him from behind. With a quick movement drew his sword and dagger, to cut off their heads. The ash of the darks covered the passageway. Those still alive were stopped in their tracks, one of them pulled a fence that enclosed a small vent and admitted it, and the rest followed him.

  - We'll wait here Karsacry and Logan. If they are not here less than half an hour, we will explode this entry and leave. Reported Láyonel.

  Iryna had not realized that anyone was missing when she found that Logan w
as not there she sheathed his sword, grabbed Láyonel for the lapel of his black leather jacket and threw him against a wall.

  - You've done thoroughly. You could send another, but you wanted it to be Logan, order to get rid of him.

  - Not what you think. - Láyonel said wiping the blood began to flow from his lips -. It was Karsacry. He insisted that his accompany Logan.

  Irynae grabbed the hilt of his sword, but Julius held his hand.

  - No way! Irynae. The war is against the darks, not between us.

  Irynae took the hand of Julius and walked away from them. Jud surveyed the scene sitting on a small ledge that once had to support the weight of some kind of informative furniture.

  Karsacry Far from there Karsacry and Logan continued their advance. Wherever they went, Logan concluded that were returning to the station. Karsacry stood next to an opening through which one could see the train stop. He opened his backpack, and connected the timer of the charges. He smiled at Logan, was elated.

  - I love fireworks! - He whispered.

  He gave half of the charges to Logan that put them in his leather jacket.

  - When we go out we had short time, the charges are activated. You to the right and I to the left. We will meet in the tunnel to the other side of the station

  - Why do not we go back from where we came?

  - Láyonel will detonated the passageways communicating with the outlet.

  - Bitch Láyonel! - Logan muttered.

  Karsacry just smiled

  - Now! - Shouted Karsacry.

  Both ran as a soul by the devil. The darks who had been at the station soon see them, like a rugby match , ran avoiding them while throwing charges to the points considered could cause more damage. They met in the tunnel. Karsacry fived up with Logan. Karsacry threw a few grenades at the darks that followed them. The blast turned to ashes several of them, but the majority of the group remained. They ran down the tunnel until they found a landslide blocked it. Logan looked a conduit that stank like vomit to define it in some way.

  - By the sewers! - Shouted Logan.

  - No way you go, I prefer to die fighting rather than get in there. - Karsacry said brandishing hard his ax. Logan grabbed him by clothes and threw him into the canal.

  - Damn Bastard! - Shouted Karsacry falling down into the conduct in the wet and dirty sewers. Logan hit the roof and this collapsed partially. That would not stop, but would slow down them.

  He dropped through the duct, crawling between substances whose nature preferred not to identify. For several minutes, they ducts derived in other spinning rapidly from left to right, down and up. Karsacry screams filled the sewers, followed closely by his curses. To the big guy did not like getting dirty, laughed Logan. But the laughter was short when he heard how the darks that slid a few meters from him. Logan drew out one of his swords and waited that the tunnel will become narrower than when it did thrust the handle on the right side leaving the blade of the sword ready to receive his pursuers.

  For a moment, he looked back while still falling down. Not all darks were attentive to his surroundings ended converted into ashes up to several of them at once collided and ripped the sword from his strategic location.

  A few minutes later Logan fell into the arms of Karsacry that looked him furious.

  - A kiss and sealed the peace? - Logan said, smiling.

  Karsacry simply drop him in a puddle.

  - Let's go before they come! - Shouted Karsacry.

  Seis oscuros cayeron al suelo tras ellos. Karsacry apartó a Logan.

  -These are mine!

  He turned his axe and handle spring emerged a sword blade. He decapitated the first two with a devastating blow of axe. The other four attacked together, he nailed the blade's sword on the head of one, while giving a kick to another who approached him on the left. He pulled out of the body of the dark the sheet and cut off his head. The two darks remaining ran towards him, Karsacry bent down, turned his axe and of a two-handed blow severed the head of one while the other was about to bite her neck. Logan, cut off to him the head in time.

  -Well what? We go now or you think to keep playing? - Asked Logan.

  Karsacry gave him a pat on the back and laughed.

  - I love my job! - exclaimed Karsacry.

  In the outlet passageway, Iryna was impatient. Láyonel stood up, ready to order the withdrawal. Jud caught Irynae _ by hand.

  - I'm sure they're okay. They are two tough guys.

  Irynae nodded. Láyonel placed an explosive charge at the end of the passage. After set aside a few meters, he activated the detonator and the explosion caused a landslide that erased all traces of the entrance to the subway. Láyonel remained cold, but his heart could not bear the gaze of contempt that his sister threw him.

  Once on the street Julius was relaxed was he was crazy to return to the castle and inform Straush. A terrible explosion rumbled under his feet. Láyonel smiled.

  - Those two have delivered the message to the dark stronghold. – Láyonel said.

  - Return to the castle.

  Reluctantly Irynae followed them.

  At the station, the dark bastion removed the hood and observed the destruction caused by the explosions. He had long, white hair; his complexion was pale even for a vampire and his yellow eyes reinforcing his spectral appearance.

  Hundreds of darks rising from the rubble, some mutilated and others wounded, but alive.

  The bastion touch a container of silver hanging from his neck. Sheathed in that macabre cameo was the hand of the true dark bastion.

  - You have wounded in our pride, but we are not defeated. -he muttered as he walked away by a passage followed by hundreds of darks.

  Chapter 19

  Straush was receiving one after another the patrols that had gone out in search of the hive. Everything was negative. He cursed with violence and sat on the table.

  - Gricarius... When I find you, I will enjoy turning you into ashes.

  Julius entered the room.

  -Straush we have found the hive!

  Irynae, Layonel, and Jud came a little later in the room.

  -Where are Karsacry and Logan?

  Irynae cocked head and the others looked at her seriously.

  Full of fury Straush fell of the table and with one kick broke her in two. He adored Karsacry, the African Warrior courageous and loyal. Logan was also a great acquisition for the clan, although he could be very annoying, he was very smart and could not deny that his comments made him grace. If not for him, they would still not know what was happening with the darks. His theory approached them to final victory.

  -Leave me alone! -ordered them.

  Jud was still caught Irynae hand, as if in this way to try to console her. She would miss much less to Logan and Karsacry, at the end Karsacry was Karsacry.

  Logan and Karsacry were still running through the sewers, the darks didn't seem to follow them but could ambush them after the return of any conduit. Fortunately, they found a sewer. Karsacry withdrew it to a side with the axe and jumped out. If not for his supernatural reflexes, a trailer that was circulating at the time would have hit him down the street. Logan was more careful, jumped just enough to hold on and look out to see if he could go. Karsacry tended his hand.

  Logan smiled him while he stretched out his right hand, but his smile gave way to an expression of terror. The dark grabbed him in the legs and pulled it. Karsacry saw how it had been. He jumped into the sewer, but it was in vain, had more than five lines that could have escaped.

  At dawn he came to Castle, where all vampires cheered him. Jud ran in his search, but stood in dry to see that he was covered with a curiously stinky mud. Layonel, who was overseeing the training of vampires, came up to see in what State was.

  -How are you?

  -I suck, but after a good shower, I will feel better.

  -Logan? - asked Jud.

  Karsacry cocked his head negatively.

  -That damn human was the greatest warrior that I have ever known.
- said Karsacry as he walked away from them in the direction of the tower of tribute, which he knew would be Straush.

  Vampires who crossed him, is used to plug the nose, even for a vampire his smell was too much. He continued determined to inform. He climbed the stone stairs leading to the throne room. He could not see in his mind the expression of Logan when they dragged him into the sewer. It must have been faster, if he had seized him for the hand now perhaps both be alive.

  He opened the door and hit the ground with his axe.

  -Bastion, I have returned.

  Straush looked him so thankful to see him alive.

  -What happened?

  -We burn the hive and we managed to flee, but at the last moment, they captured Logan. My bastion I could not do anything.

  Straush went to Karsacry, which knelt down to see him approaching.

  -I know it. Karsacry. I know you never leave a brother.

  -Clean and ready for combat. I do not think that the dark take time to fight back.

  Karsacry rose, bowed to Straush and left the room.

  A few hours later he was at the door of the bedroom of Irynae, for the first time in his life he was afraid. What had to tell her would sink into a pit of pain.

  He knocked on the door and waited for her to open. A few minutes later, appeared Irynae. For a few instants rejoiced, embraced Karsacry full of affection.

  -My French girl. -Karsacry he whispered as he kissed her on the forehead.

  -Logan? -asked Irynae with hopeful eyes.

  - The dark took him.

  Irynae felt how legs could not support her, nor could his abilities of vampires prevent that his feelings made her faint. Karsacry grabbed her and took her to bed. He remained near to her sitting, without moving.

  The darks seized at Logan, but far from killing him were limited to take his arms and force him to follow them. For twenty minutes, advanced by narrow ducts, crossing wider galleries and almost inaccessible passages.

  They passed through what was left of the station, crossed a tiny passageway carved on earth and from there went up some stairs leading to his surprise to the basement of an abandoned factory. There a thousand darks surrounded them. The tension could be felt, they wanted to kill him there, but was contained. From a corner the darks departed leaving a corridor which who appeared a man covered by a tunic with hood. The darks knelt in the presence of him, what made it clear that he was the dark bastion.