by S. A. Moss
When I slipped back into the studio, the last mom was on her way out and the students were just beginning to gather around Alex and Seth. I settled myself into my favorite corner to watch, keeping one eye on the front of the room. Pearl and Arjun were supposed to meet me here for our daily debrief. I hoped they’d finally have some news from the council, since so far Alex I hadn't been able to uncover any information about my father’s whereabouts or his plans.
Of course, it’d been less than twenty-four hours since the last debrief, so I wasn't holding my breath. But the Fallen had to pop up somewhere soon. They’d been quiet for too long, and that made me nervous.
By the time the first class wrapped up, I was getting antsy. I'd told Pearl when I'd be here, and she had promised they'd meet me at 1 p.m. I didn't think her proper British upbringing allowed her to be anything but perfectly prompt, so it made me nervous that she wasn't here yet.
Damn, I wish she had a phone.
I’d texted my friend Sarah Alex’s number in case of emergencies, but a Guardian owning a cell phone was pointless. Transitioning from the earthly plane to another dimension wreaked havoc on cellular technology. Pearl and I had experimented a couple weeks ago, but the second she crossed over to the Shroud and back, her shiny new toy turned into a very expensive brick. The look on her face had been hilarious and heartbreaking all at once.
Still, in the absence of functioning cell phones, I wished we had some form of reliable communication. At this point, I’d train courier pigeons if that was what it took.
I chewed my lip and tapped my foot all through the second class, and by the end of the final session, I was pacing restlessly in the corner. I had poked my head out the window a few times to peer up and down the street, hoping to catch a glimpse of Pearl or Arjun.
Nothing.
As desperate as I was to go looking for them, I couldn't leave Alex behind. Although he was far from helpless against the Fallen, he was more vulnerable to a sneak attack than I was. If he couldn’t see a supernatural coming, he’d never have a chance to make them mortal and dispatch them. Without my protection, he could get clobbered by a blast from a demon he didn’t even know was there.
As the last few parents arrived to claim their kids, I stood by the doorway, willing them all to move faster. I wanted to fade back in and tell Alex what was going on, so we could go searching for Pearl and Arjun.
A sudden movement at the door drew my attention, and turned. Arjun ran into the room—alone—with a wild look in his eyes.
My body immediately tensed. “What's happening? Where’s Pearl?”
His frantic gaze met mine. “We were attacked by a vampire on the way here! It’s powerful. We dragged it across to the Shroud, but it won’t stay there long. Pearl is keeping it occupied for now. We need Alex’s help!”
Oh, shit.
My nerves jangled as I looked around the studio. I needed to get Alex’s attention, but first I had to get everyone out of here.
I turned to Arjun. “I'll tell Alex. Go help Pearl! I'll come get you when it’s clear here, and we’ll bring the demon back over.”
He shook his head dazedly. “Hurry. This thing is strong.”
Yikes. I hoped it wasn’t a huge mistake bringing a demon like that back to Earth, but if he’d tried to attack two Guardians, there was a good chance he was involved in whatever scheme the demons were running. We needed to find out what he knew.
I clapped Arjun on the back as I ran towards the window. “I’ll get this place emptied out as fast as I can. Go!”
Not looking back to see if he complied, I darted around the side of the building and faded back in quickly. My legs were shaking as I stepped out of the alley, but I did my best to project a calm demeanor when I re-entered the studio, instead of running in screaming like I wanted to.
As I pushed open the door, Alex looked up. His brows rose in surprise then furrowed as he took in my expression. I obviously wouldn’t be winning any Best Actress awards soon, since he could clearly tell from one look at me that something was off. Hopefully Seth would be slightly less observant.
“Hey, Cam! What's up?” Seth grinned at me as a little girl in front of him hammered his hand with her fists.
Laughing, her mother grabbed her elbow and gently steered her away. “Come on, Lencie. You can beat him up again next week.”
With a vague nod at Seth, I sidled over to Alex, who was chatting with a middle-aged businessman. Trying not to be rude, but not able to wait a second longer, I leaned over and whispered in Alex’s ear, “Arjun just showed up. He and Pearl were attacked by a vampire. We need to get everyone out.”
I felt his body stiffen next to mine, but to his credit his voice didn’t falter. He quickly wrapped up his discussion with the man, then turned to me. “Is the demon here?”
I nodded. “Once we bring it over to this plane, we can take it in the back. They said it’s a really nasty one. But we have to interrogate it. We’re going to need your help.”
As the businessman and his daughter walked out, I relaxed a little. At least the students were all gone—now we just needed to get Seth out of here. He was humming as he picked up discarded pads and gloves, dropping them in a bin at the back of the room.
I gave Alex an urgent nudge, and he called over to Seth. “Hey, I can finish cleaning up. You go ahead and get out of here.”
Seth grinned, “It’s cool, dude! I don't mind.”
Desperately, I grabbed Alex’s arm. “Actually, I thought it’d be fun to learn some new moves. So you can leave all that out.”
Seth’s eyes lit up. “Oh, sweet! I've got some awesome moves I can teach you. I mean, you’re already pretty badass, but—”
“Well… I kind of wanted just Alex to teach me. Alone.” I gave what I hoped was a bawdy wink, and Seth’s eyes widened.
“Dude!” He looked at Alex with a broad smile. “Nice.”
Oh geez.
Between this and that night in the bar, I was giving Seth the definite impression I was some kind of sex maniac. The funny thing was, it only seemed to make him like me more.
Dropping the pads he was holding, he made a beeline for the door. “See you guys tomorrow! Don’t wear him out too bad, Cam.” His laugh trailed after him.
Thankfully, there wasn’t time for me to be embarrassed.
I guess life-or-death situations do have a few perks.
“Lock the door,“ I told Alex quickly. “And be ready. I’m going to go get Arjun and Pearl.”
Almost before I finish speaking, I started fading out. When I reached the mid-plane, Arjun was nowhere to be seen—he must’ve gone back to the Shroud to help Pearl. I faded even further, until the studio around me was replaced with the dark, rough foliage of the Wild.
Before I could get my bearings, Pearl’s clear voice cut the air.
“Cam, watch out!”
6
I spun, throwing up a shield as I searched for the source of the threat. A blast pounded me, crashing through my shield and sending me sprawling.
I shook my head. They weren’t kidding—this guy was a beast.
The vampire was bigger than any Fallen I’d seen before, and he didn’t look at all like Edward Cullen.
Antler-like horns protruded from his head. They grew broad at the base before forking off into many prongs as they extended upward, looking almost like a large crown. His eyes were huge and dark, his nose flat, and his long fangs gleamed in the dim light. The chalky white color of his skin was almost blue, giving him the appearance of a reanimated corpse. He had to be at least seven feet tall, and unlike the spindly bug-demon we’d fought the night before, this vampire was solid.
And in the time it took me to decide he was one terrifying freak, he unleashed another burst of energy toward me. I rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding the strike, which hit the ground and sent chunks of dirt and rock flying.
Pearl and Arjun were standing on opposite sides of the vampire, trying to box him in. I threw a blast of my own at him, th
en immediately put up the strongest shield I could muster, ready this time for his retaliatory attack. As his blast exploded against my shield, Pearl and Arjun sent simultaneous attacks from either side. They both hit, and the vampires roared.
“Grab him! Now!” I screamed, and the three of us rushed toward the monster.
Arjun raised his hands. I expected him to hit the vampire with a blast, but instead the energy he released wrapped itself around the creature’s body like a rope.
“Hurry!” he cried, catching the vamp around the waist. “My bind won’t hold him for long.”
I wrapped my arms around the vampire too, and Pearl joined me a second later. The three of us began to fade back to Earth, dragging the Fallen along for the ride. But Arjun hadn’t been wrong—whatever trick he had done to bind this guy, it wasn’t going to hold for much longer.
The big vampire thrashed, breaking the bind pinning his arms. His long claws swiped my thigh as I bear-hugged him, and I clenched my jaw against the pain.
That hurt like a mother—
The studio coalesced around us, and we all let go, flinging ourselves away from the vampire. I threw a blast at him, but he batted it away without even looking.
“The back room!” I cried. “We need to get him into the back!”
Alex’s jaw dropped when he saw the new friend we’d brought back with us, but the sound of my voice shook him out of his stupor. He ran toward the back of the room. The damaged wall hadn't been fixed yet, and a blue tarp was stretched across the gaping hole. It hid a back room that was a smaller version of the front studio, used for private lessons and small classes.
As Alex yanked the tarp aside and darted through the hole, the vampire’s black eyes tracked him with a hungry look. Moving surprisingly fast, he ran after Alex, probably drawn to the weakest being in the room. Like any good predator, he could smell prey.
Oh, no you don't, Bucko!
I threw myself after him, fear for Alex twisting my stomach. But as the vampire’s pallid form pushed past the tarp into the back room, Alex sprang toward him, grasping the monster’s upper arms and pressing himself close like a boxer in a clinch. It was the only way to avoid his horns.
Awe and worry battled for dominance in my chest. Damn. Alex really was fearless.
The vampire swiped at him, but Arjun threw another energy rope, binding the vamp’s hands once again. I really needed to learn that trick.
Alex drove the vampire toward the wall as the thing let out horrendous screams. His pale body shuddered, seeming to grow smaller as mortality flooded it.
“Grab that chair!” I shouted to Pearl, pointing to a folding chair in the corner. She dashed over and snatched it, unfolding it in the middle of the room as Arjun pulled the tarp back over the hole in the wall. The three of us helped Alex muscle the vampire onto the seat. The small metal folding chair seemed puny underneath his huge frame, and I prayed it would hold him.
Arjun bound his wrists again behind the chair. The monster seemed dazed. He’d stopped screaming but was now emitting a low, tortured moan. I reached for the small dagger in my boot and pressed it to the vampire’s neck.
“Okay, buddy, you’re going to tell me everything you know about Akaron’s plan against the Guardians.” My voice sounded thin and puny against the low rumble of the his moans. To make up for it, I pressed the dagger a little harder. “Tell me! You’re mortal now—you can die. I know you can feel it. If you want to live, tell me.”
The vampire shook his head, his moans never stopping.
Oh man. Forget about threatening him with death, apparently mortality itself was torture enough. I just hoped we could keep him coherent enough to tell us anything useful.
Attempting to play good cop—since my bad cop act needed a lot of work—I leaned down toward him, keeping the knife steady at his throat. Alex stood behind him with his hands on the Fallen’s pale shoulders, and Pearl and Arjun stood at the ready on either side. The vampire howled, his black eyes flashing.
“You don't like being mortal, huh?” I asked softly. “I can make it stop. But you have to tell me what you know. What is Akaron’s plan?”
The vampire paused his moaning to pant softly. Finally, he spoke. “We are… to capture as many Guardians as we can. Once we bring them to the Shroud… Sirius binds them.”
Sirius.
That was the name I’d recently learned my father went by. All my life, I had known him as James Prentice, but the Council had known him for centuries longer as Sirius.
He was binding the Guardians? How?
I tried to keep my voice calm, since that seemed to be working on the vampire. “He binds them? And then what? What do you want with them?”
The vampire groaned, a tortured sound that seemed to originate from the pit of his soul. “I want nothing with them. I only want my freedom. Akaron promised me freedom.”
“How? How did you get out of the Shroud?”
The vampire bared his long white fangs, seeming almost drunk. “The Guardians are being gathered. They will be used to bring more of us from the Shroud. The more Guardians there are in one place, the stronger the Fallen they are able to bring across. Akaron will use them as a portal. When enough of them are gathered, he can be free too.”
Oh shit. That was why the Fallen had been so quiet. They were gathering the Guardians to use them as a portal to Earth.
I pressed the blade against the vampire’s blue-white throat, my sense of urgency overriding my calm act. “Where are the Guardians being taken? Where are they gathering them?”
His body stiffened, his rage seeming to override his agony for a moment. He snarled at me. “You will not stop us. The Guardians will be brought—”
He cut himself off, smiling slyly.
“Where?” I moved the point of the knife to just under his chin and pressed upward. “Tell. Me.”
The vampire laughed, but I could see a thin sheet of sweat forming on his grotesquely pale brow. “Close. Very close. Once The Guardians are gathered, we will all be free.”
“In Chicago, you mean? Where?”
Pearl spoke up from beside the demon, and he wrenched his head to the side, splitting his chin open on the knife. Dark red blood ran down my arm as he leered at Pearl. “In a place everyone knows, and all will soon fear.”
I grabbed his horns and yanked his head back toward me, pressing the knife against his cheek just under his eye this time. I was starting to get the sense that he was toying with us, and I didn’t like it. If he felt confident enough to play with his food, it meant he still thought he could win this fight.
“Where, vampire?” I growled, my rising frustration making my voice actually sound threatening for once. “Don’t give me any stupid riddles. Just tell me where.”
His dark eyes burned into mine, and he ran a black tongue over his pointed teeth. “Do you know why I agreed to help Akaron?” he hissed.
I rolled my eyes. “Freedom, precious freedom?”
He grinned, the effect up close so terrifying I was sure it would haunt my dreams.
“Because worthless Guardians like you have disrupted the natural order for too long. The Fallen are meant to rule Earth, and Guardians and their disgusting pets are meant to serve us. Pleasure us.” He licked his lips. “Feed us.”
I leaned back a bit, unable to take his intense stare. “Yeah, yeah, I've heard that—“
Before I could finish speaking, the vampire surged to his feet.
Shit! While we’d been talking, he’d work his way out of the binds Arjun had wrapped around him. I leapt forward, bringing my arm down at the exact same moment the vampire wrenched himself out of Alex’s grip. The knife plunged into his pale chest and black blood poured from the wound, but the vampire barely flinched.
He wasn't mortal anymore.
“Alex!” I screamed.
He dove for the vampire again. The creature dodged and swung his head around, catching Alex with his sharp horns and opening a long gash on his forearm. The dagger was still fir
mly lodged in his chest, and the vampire was so strong that I was nearly yanked off my feet as I clung to the hilt. Pearl shot a blast at him, and he staggered to the side. The knife twisted and ripped out of his body, followed by a torrent of thick, black blood.
The vampire hunched slightly, his eyes fixing on me with intense rage like a bull about to charge. Before he could move, Alex reached out with his good hand and clutched the vamp’s forearm.
A scream tore from his throat, his muscles bulging and face twisting in agony. I darted forward again, but the monster threw out his arm, hurling Alex away with such force that he slammed into the wall. Before I could reach the vampire, he was already fading out.
Without thinking, I started to fade too, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me. I looked around wildly. Pearl stood behind me, Arjun beside her. Alex was sitting against the wall, conscious but nursing a bruise on his forehead and a gash on his arm, which was bleeding heavily.
My skin chilled. What had I been thinking? I couldn’t go anywhere.
I dashed over to Alex’s side, inspecting his arm and face. “Shit! Are you okay?”
“Yeah,“ he gasped. “It’s not deep, it just stings like a bitch.”
My gaze flitted around the room. “Pearl, can you bring me those wraps on the floor over there?”
She delivered them to me with an anxious look on her face. I unwound the long strips of cloth and twisted them around Alex’s arm to stop the bleeding. Then I looked around the room again. Splotches of dark vampire blood mixed with the droplets of human blood splattered across the walls and floor. The chair had been knocked over in the scuffle, and it looked like the vampire’s massive weight had actually bent the metal. Thank goodness the tarp concealed us from the front room with its large windows.
“Was the vampire mortal when you stabbed it?” Arjun asked, standing over us.
“I don’t think so,“ I said grimly. “If he was, it wasn’t for long. He’ll survive.”
“Well, that could’ve gone… better.” Pearl, in that posh British way she had, summed up our situation with a perfect understatement.