by Rain Oxford
“I don’t know. We got separated.”
“What?!”
“Don’t shout. We have to keep moving.”
“Why? Where the hell are we?”
“That’s exactly where we are.” When I didn’t say anything, he went on. “The original vampires were indestructible. After living for about a thousand years, they begin sleeping for years at a time and basically lose their mind. In order to preserve their minds, most of them sleep longer, until they reach the point where they just never wake. Some of them, however, stay awake and become more and more powerful and insane. Worried that the ancient vampires would figure out a way to destroy the younger ones, they built a prison. There are levels to this prison. Every time you sleep, you fall into a deeper level.”
“Then we just don’t go to sleep.”
“It’s really not that simple. Henry fell asleep, and so has Vincent.”
“Why are we here anyway? We’re not immortal or old.”
“We are outsiders. We are like a disease they have no immunity to. They had no idea who or what we were, so they locked us up. Henry was called to me and I assume you were trying to reach him.”
“So how do we get Henry and Vincent and get out?”
“There is no way out. Like I said; this place was built for true vampires. It is designed to trap vampires that have lived and learned for thousands of years by turning their minds against them. That way, they go to sleep to escape it.”
“Which just makes them go deeper into the prison?”
“And deeper into the horror of their own making, yes.”
“Why did Henry sleep?”
“This place has a way of tricking you. I don’t know what it was that he saw, only that it made him very upset.”
“But can’t you see through his eyes like I can with my gargoyle and Vincent cat with Ghost?”
“Not until he accepts the call.”
I didn’t say anything else. Langril was scum in a lot of ways, but it had to bite to be hated by his own familiar. As we wandered the tunnel, I thought about how Langril was the worst person for Henry to “belong to.” On the other hand, as much as their personalities clashed, I couldn’t think of anyone better suited. Henry avoided feeling anything, and Langril didn’t want to deal with anyone’s emotions. Henry’s jaguar refused to answer to anyone, and Langril’s personality would benefit from him getting mauled by a massive cat.
“So, how do we save Henry and Vincent?”
“We can get to them by sleeping, but we cannot escape this place.”
“Well, aren’t you chipper? I’m not going to just lie down and accept defeat. What about the shadow pass?”
He sighed. “You already tried that. I’ve already tried that. There’s no magic here. Even our keys are useless.”
“Surely there’s magic.”
“Not that we can use. Earth magic is elemental, Dothra magic is celestial, and Skrev---”
“What do you mean celestial?” I interrupted.
“On Earth, magic is created from the four elements and controlled by the spirit. In that sense, humans are the fifth element. Dothra magic is made up of the soul. That is why human souls can feed Dothra wizards; their soul is dispersed and absorbed by us. Skrev magic is all genetic, and I don’t really get it. Don’t even get me started on Draumr magic.”
“Okay, I think I get that. What is this world’s magic made of?”
“Not a clue. Well… I have a clue. I believe it’s genetic-based, like Skrev. Most likely, it’s some advanced, potent form of blood magic.”
“What’s the problem then? Don’t Dothra wizards do blood magic?”
“Of course we do, but do you honestly think they would shove vampires who are staggeringly brilliant into a prison together, and not one of the vampires would ever once think, ‘oh, hey, I can just bleed someone, do a little dance, and vamoose in time for pudding.’? Not likely.”
“What if someone ends up here by mistake?”
“They die here.”
“What if they have children?”
“Their children die here.”
“That sucks. You haven’t fallen asleep.”
“I keep walking and I talk to myself.”
“Why are we in a tunnel?”
“This is the ‘flowers and sunshine’ level. Keep walking, don’t listen to the voices, and you stay here. Each level down is more torturous.”
“How long can you keep walking?”
“I’ve been walking since Vincent and I arrived. This tunnel is a circle. I have run into other vampires who want to drink my blood. That’s how Vincent descended. I just told them my blood is poisonous to their kind and they believed me. Vincent could be dead for all I know.”
“We have to help them.”
“You can descend to give them moral support if you want, but I’ll be here, walking and not being tortured.”
“You know you can’t, right? You know that if your goal is not to descend, you will fail.”
He stopped and turned to me. “You can’t know that.”
“I do, because I know what you gave up for the key. I know what is most precious to you and it was never power. I know that no matter what you fight for, you can never win. Winning is what you always wanted. I was in your head. Even when your mind was closed to me, I saw through your eyes. I also suspect that you regret it.”
“Of course I do. The key is a curse.”
“It enables you to come and go between Earth and Dothra.”
“I failed Miranda. The one thing I vowed to give her was a long and happy life. Krechea has been hounding me since he killed his brother, trying to get revenge for something he did to himself. He killed Miranda. I could have saved her, but she refused. She wanted me to save Heather instead.”
“So that’s why you wanted me to make a deal with Heather?”
“I tried to give her the life Miranda had, but she is too different. She’s my daughter, and I could not think of a worse curse. You’re right; I can never win. That includes with her.”
“Well, I’m sorry, but you’re going to get another chance with her. You’re going to help me save Henry and Vincent, we’re going to get out of here, and then we’ll defeat Krechea.”
“I told you I’m staying here.”
“Krechea was able to hit you where it hurt so often because he learned to use your ‘curse’ against you. I’m going to take a lesson from the devious bastard. You haven’t bonded with Henry yet, so if you die, he’ll be fine.” I pulled Langril’s red foam ball out of my pocket. “Help me, or you’ll be of no use to me. I’ll crush your heart and kill you right here and now.”
* * *
“Well, I see why Astrid likes you so much. What happened to not wanting to be like John and upholding the good?”
“That doesn’t apply in Hell.”
“How did you figure it out?”
“I had an idea since the minute Krechea told me what you did. This ball was always extremely important to you. Heather hid it in your extra-secret place. Then there was the vision of Miranda. She didn’t know where it was, but I knew that ball itself didn’t mean anything to you. I wonder why you always had it out. Is it because you had to be sure it was safe at all times or because you wanted to hide it in plain sight?”
“Both.” He reached for it, not to take it from me, but out of reflex, as if he was afraid I would squeeze too hard.
“I’ve seen you toss it up into the air, roll it between your hands, and all that.”
“It’s not that delicate. I handle it like that because people don’t look twice at it.”
“Is this Miranda’s ball or just something made to look like it?”
“It’s the original ball. It’s not a physical heart, obviously; it’s my mortality. It’s not delicate, but it can still be destroyed.”
I put it in my pocket. “Then you shouldn’t have left it behind when you dragged Vincent through that door. I’ll give it back when all of us are home and safe.”
So he just wanted to use me to escape. I didn’t really care as long as he helped me save Vincent and Henry. “I take it you know a way out?”
“Not a clue.”
I sighed. “Okay. I think I have a plan, but I’m not telling you until we find Henry and Vincent.”
“Of course. How very like your father.”
I ignored the jab. “How do we find them?”
“I suppose we sleep.”
“I’m not tired.”
He pulled a small bottle out of his robe pocket. “I hope potions work here. It isn’t enough for two, but I’ve been awake so long I should manage.”
“Why do you have a potion with you?”
“I never go anywhere without a potion.” He handed it to me. “Take just a sip, because you may have to stretch it. I doubt they’re still on the second level.”
I uncapped it and sniffed it. At least it smelled like one of the sleeping potions we made in class. No matter how much I distrusted Langril, we needed each other’s help to get back to our world.
I took a tiny sip, gagged, and put the lid back on it. I was about to ask him how long it would take when my head spun. Langril reached out to steady me and everything went black.
* * *
“Devon, wake up.”
I sat up sluggishly. I had no idea how long I had slept, but my body was still heavy from the potion. When I realized it was Henry who woke me, I climbed to my feet. The shifter didn’t look injured. “Are you okay?”
“I’ve been better.”
We were in a cube-like room with a white plastic ceiling, floor, and walls. The light was green in here. Each wall had a small square door in the center. “Where are we? Where are Vincent and Langril?”
“I don’t know where Langril is; he didn’t appear with you.”
I searched my pockets. “That bastard!” The heart was gone.
“Vincent didn’t make it,” Henry said.
“What?!”
“One of the vampires killed him.”
“That’s not possible.” I chose one of the doors at random and opened it. The room was exactly like the one I was in except the light was blue. I tried using my magic again, but it didn’t work. “Henry, why did you refuse the familiar call?”
“I didn’t want to be his familiar.”
“So much that you would risk your jaguar?”
“Yes,” he said easily. I closed my eyes and focused. “What are you doing?”
“I’m not a complete idiot. This isn’t real. I’m not really talking to you.”
“Of course you are.”
I ignored him and focused on being calm and alert. After two years of learning magic, I was pretty good at it. When I opened my eyes again, it was Langril standing in front of me. Unfortunately, we were in the same room. I reached into my pocket and felt the foam ball. “Now I’m confused.”
“This place will get into your mind.”
“How come you weren’t affected?”
“I woke up seeing Miranda. It wasn’t difficult to determine that one was a fake. Henry is on this level.”
“How do you know?”
“He’s my familiar.”
“Great, then you can lead us to him.”
“Maybe.” He made a slow circle around the room before stopping at the door opposite of me. “I think he’s this way.” He opened the door and I saw yellow light.
Right before he stepped inside, the sensation of danger hit me hard. “Wait!” I yelled. He did, confused. “We’re in basically a nightmare of our own making, right?” He nodded. “Then I know why we’re in this room. The person I want to save most, at least at this very moment, is Henry. You want to save Miranda. That’s why they appeared to us; in this room, we can have them, but never save them. There’s no telling what is in the other rooms.”
“So you think we should just stay in this room forever?”
“Hell no. I’m just saying that we need to be very careful.”
“Why? You’ve done a thousand things that are ridiculously dangerous.”
“Exactly. I don’t want to relive all of that, do you?”
He sighed and stared doubtfully into the yellow room. “I wasn’t lying when I told you I was the most powerful wizard you have ever met. I have more magic than anyone on Earth or Dothra. The thing is, I’ve always been able to rely on my magic. This is a very strange and unsettling place for me.”
“Don’t worry; I’ve survived without magic before, so I know how it works,” I said, trying to lighten the mood. The wizard could be ridiculously goofy or downright evil, but I had never seen him solemn like this.
I stepped into the yellow room. It was cold, which made me shiver since I was still covered in water and sweat from the first level. Just like in the previous room, there were four doors. Two of the doors, including the one I came through, were open. When I turned back to tell Langril it was clear, I saw movement in the corner. A vampire was huddled in the corner with a yellow blanket. Langril entered and studied the vampire as well. “Do you see him?” I asked.
“Yes. He’s probably one of the victims.”
“He needs help.”
“Don’t touch him,” Langril said.
“I know.” I approached the vampire cautiously, ready to jump back if he attacked. “Hey, do you need help?” The vampire didn’t respond. He probably doesn’t speak English.”
“I doubt that matters here.”
The vampire looked up at that moment and I gaped. His face was covered in blood. “What happened to you?” Instead of answering, he pointed to the open door. As I approached the door, I sensed danger. The room lighting was orange. “Which way, Professor?”
“That way.”
“There’s something in there.”
“There’s something in here,” he said. When I looked at him, he pointed to the ceiling. With dread, I looked up, but there wasn’t anything.
“I don’t see it.”
“Of course you don’t.” Startled at the unexpected voice, I turned. Langril and the vampire were gone. Instead, there was Astrid.
“You can’t trick me. I know this is a hallucination.”
She was wearing the same outfit she had when I saw her in Dothra; a red leather top that showed more skin than it covered. Her pants were black leather, as were her spike-heeled boots. Her hair was in one long braid and her eyes were almost glowing green. It was both disturbing and attractive.
She smirked. “Of course you know… for now. The vampire thrall is less effective on wizards who regularly control minds, but you’re not immune. Soon, you won’t even remember why you’re here, let alone where you are. You might as well enjoy it before you descend into insanity.”
“It’s a prison where the inmates are encouraged to enjoy it?”
“A little pleasure makes the bite sting harder.”
I laughed. “I hear it a bit different in my world.”
“So? Do you want to descend all mauled and bleeding out, or do you want to go in the arms of the woman you love?”
I scoffed. “What’s the angle?”
“Afterwards, when you’re all warm and happy, I’ll take your blood until you are near death so that you’ll be too weak to defend yourself in the next level.”
“Why not just kill me?”
“This prison doesn’t allow death, only sleep.”
While I was considering this, she took the opportunity to approach me. I pushed her away. “That’s not happening.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Then your descent will be agonizing.”
She vanished and something suddenly crashed into me from behind. I tried to roll over onto my back, but jaws sunk deep into my shoulder and jerked, brea
king bones and causing shocks of pain up my neck and into my head. “Henry! Get off me!” The invisible jaguar ignored me and bit down harder. With my free hand, I managed to draw my gun, twist around, and bash it into his face. Henry let go.
Langril made a motion with his hand, but nothing happened. He grimaced. “Well, that is unfortunate.” Then he reached into his robe and pulled out a sword. Just like the shadow walkers’ swords, it was curved like a katana and emitted a glow. Whereas all the other swords I’d seen glowed red, his was blue.
“Don’t hurt him!” I demanded.
“Of course I’m not going to hurt him; he’s my familiar. I’m going to force him to accept the bond.”
“Absolutely not!” I would have said something else, but I could feel Henry circling me. I pulled the dagger out of my boot.
“He has gone feral. He’s been in here too long.”
“He’s only been in here a couple hours.” He made a lunge at me and I slashed, hoping to miss all vital organs. I felt the dagger sink all the way in until I felt fur at the hilt. The jaguar roared in pain and bit into my left shoulder again, very nearly tearing open my throat. I tried again to use my magic, to try to force him to shift, but I didn’t feel anything. “How do we know it’s even him?” Fortunately, he let me go for a second time.
“I know.”
“Then do it, but if you ever endanger his life, Darwin and I will make your life Hell. He has a five-year-old waiting for him at home. His loyalties will always be with his child first.”
“I didn’t choose this. I’m doing it to help him.” Langril raised his sword, and I blacked out.
* * *
I woke lying on what felt like slime. At first, there were a few minutes of confusion, because I had no idea why or how I fell asleep. I was in what looked like a massive cave. The “floor” I was on was soft, flexible, and smooth, like rubber, and covered in black slime. I stood, carefully, and managed not to slip. The lighting was odd; I couldn’t see a light source, but it was reflected on the stone ceiling. It looked like fire.
“Langril…” I coughed, half choking on the thick air. It was at least a hundred and fifteen degrees and humid. The stench of sulfur was suffocating. I took a few steps before the ground beneath me started trembling. I think I expected what was coming. My parents weren’t religious, but fire was a pretty universal staple of Hell.