Vile Magic

by Holly Hook

  "You're right," I told him. "They won't want to follow us on the surface where the ATC is."

  Either way, it was dangerous. I spotted a ladder ahead that led up into a shaft of pale moonlight. It was just enough to allow my color vision to return. The sewer was made of gray brick here with some green moss. Every detail popped out at me, all the way down to each crack in the concrete. My senses went into overdrive.

  Shouts sounded from behind us. We were detected.

  "Up that," I said.

  A single car clunked over us. We'd come out on the street. It was better than staying down here. Eventually, we'd be cornered. The three of us would be ripped apart.

  "Who's there?" Beatrix called in her dark, horrible voice.

  She was closer now. A lot closer.

  We bolted for the ladder, which only made our footfalls louder. It was too late. A single werewolf bounded around the corner and Liliana screamed. Riding on the back of the tan beast was Beatrix herself, white-haired and fierce. I stopped and raised my sword, knowing that I had little chance. The werewolf bounded closer and stopped only a few feet away, snarling and exposing two rows of yellow, slobbery teeth. The beast was three times the size of a regular wolf and a lot more muscular. If it could stand on two legs--and I wasn't sure if it could--its head would scrape the ceiling of the sewer.

  Beatrix scowled at me. "I wasn't expecting to see the two of you down here," she said, getting off the back of the werewolf and staring at me and Xavier in turn. Behind her, more shouts rang out. She had left most of her gang behind, but they were coming. Her eyes were so dark that her irises were nearly black. I had forgotten how creepy the half-demon looked and how old. Beatrix was so short I had to look down at her, but that didn't stop her from being so intimidating. It was something about the way she carried herself.

  "Stay behind me," Xavier whispered to Liliana, who obeyed.

  The werewolf growled and waited. It seemed to be asking Beatrix a question.

  "Remain as you are," she ordered. "I want to speak with these two."

  "I suppose that's better than killing," Xavier said.

  She leveled such an intense glare at him that he took a step back. I wondered if Beatrix could summon fire like Thoreau could. She had a demon father but even he wasn't supposed to be as powerful as the mayor.

  "So," I asked, keeping my tone light and cheerful. The werewolf was tense and ready to pounce. I had seen one in action before and it wasn't something I wanted to repeat. "What are you guys doing down here?" It was the best I could manage. The werewolf glared at me, looking right past my sword. I only just realized that I'd raised it.

  "The ATC," Beatrix said. "They are everywhere. One of my patrons betrayed The Pit to them and now I cannot return. They are threatening my business."

  She meant her crime ring. I knew Beatrix was involved in some shady Normal stuff as well. I didn't know what and I didn't want to know.

  "Well, it looks like we're in the same boat," I said. I didn't want to form any kind of alliance with Beatrix (not that that was going to happen, anyway) but I had to soften her up enough to let us go. "We're all running from the ATC. And by the way, Xavier and I resurrected your friend Leon."

  Xavier face-palmed next to me. This wasn't information that we should be giving out. Beatrix and Leon were buds. I didn't know how else to keep her from killing us, though.

  Beatrix's eyebrows rose. "Did you?" she asked. "I would like to see proof. I believe you are saying that because you don't want me to rightfully execute you."

  "Is that what you're planning on doing?" I asked, keeping my sword raised. I had a passing thought in the back of my mind that it might be better that way. At least Thoreau wouldn't be able to use me to end the world. But my body would remain. Thoreau and his friends had ways to bring people back, and after what I'd done, where would I end up after I died? I had seen two awful places that I definitely wouldn't want to become a resident of. Death and Thoreau had access to both of those places.

  Dying would take Xavier with me, regardless of whether or not he escaped.

  Our parents were still trapped, too. We had to save them.

  "We don't have proof," I said, aware that our fates were on me. "But he's alive. Try to contact him and see. We can wait right here if you want. Oh, but there's a problem. He's merged with Thoreau himself, so it might take a while."

  A dark look came over Beatrix's face when I mentioned the mayor. She might be a half-demon, but she was still a potential victim of the ATC that Thoreau headed. Beatrix was not his friend. Or at least, she wasn't right now.

  "How did that happen?" she asked, genuinely curious.

  "A rite got messed up," I told her. "You have to believe us. Every Abnormal in the city is in danger and so are all of the Normals, too. I don't know if Leon is working with the mayor now. If they share a form, they might have to at least tolerate each other."

  "Alyssa," Xavier said, warning me to stop.

  I couldn't. "We all need to stick together," I said. "If we all fight each other like this, Thoreau's going to win. It's why he pits Normals and Abnormals against each other. Divide and conquer."

  "I am well aware of that concept," Beatrix said, expressionless. The werewolf growled again. "I have used it against rival gangs. It works wonders. Now, about your execution. Would you prefer quickly or slowly? Surrendering will result in you being executed quickly and as painlessly as possible." Her eyes darkened until I was almost sure there was no white left in them. She folded her hands in each other and her nails took on a dark hue. She was half demon, all right. "Fighting will result in an execution that lasts days with much drawn-out agony. I am creative when it comes to death. Perhaps some Shadow Wraiths will be the way to go. Oh, I suppose that's not really death, but it's close enough."

  I didn't dare look at Xavier. I knew that both he and I were immune to Shadow Sickness now. But Liliana wasn't. I had the feeling Beatrix wasn't planning on letting her go. Demons didn't extend mercy to children. Thoreau supposedly murdered them before and I didn't put it past Beatrix, either.

  "Come on, Beatrix," Xavier said. "We brought back your friend and fixed our mistake. You should be happy. Try to contact Leon. We just saw him in the Underground at his home. I'm sure you know where that is."

  "I doubt he is alive," Beatrix said. "Regardless, the two of you used my portal without my permission. You trespassed into my territory. That is still an offense that equals death."

  There was no way out of this. I lunged with my sword in a lightning fast motion and tried to stab Beatrix in the arm. Maybe my death magic would work against her. She dodged. I missed. The half-demon was fast.

  The werewolf growled, waiting for an order, and the voices behind it got louder. The rest of the gang was ready to turn the corner. They were all sticking together. Shadows danced on the walls where the moonlight was coming through manhole covers. We had seconds before things got really bad. I sliced my sword across the werewolf's snout and it growled again as Liliana scrambled up the ladder. At least she was getting out of here.

  Orange flames burned within the werewolf's snout. It growled with irritation and lunged.

  A huge, hulking form crashed into me. There was no fighting against it. I fell into the wall, pinned while Beatrix watched. Teeth gnashed as I kept my sword in front of me, catching its canines. Slobber wrapped around metal. Doggy breath made me gag. The werewolf was going to rip out my throat. I didn't think I could recover from that.

  Xavier shouted my name. The air heated. A magenta ball of magic flame struck the werewolf in the side and it whimpered, getting off me and trying to lick at the embers of War Magic that glowed on its hide. Its hide caught fire and the werewolf rolled on the floor, trying to put out the flames.

  We had a little opening.

  It was time to go.

  Xavier grabbed my arm and pulled. He was almost full strength now. I wasn't. I let him yank me to the ladder and he waved at me to climb first. His other hand was glowing with magic. The ca
ndy bars had come through.

  I scrambled up the ladder but Liliana was in front of me, unable to push off the sewer cover. Another car clunked over. Adrenaline filled the air. I managed to squeeze around her and push the manhole cover off. Neon lights hung overhead. Cool late night air washed over me. The traffic was very low this time of night. A single car drove around the corner, leaving us behind. More police sirens wailed in the distance. We had left the mall far behind.

  "Out!" I ordered, using my free hand to grab onto the back of Liliana's shirt. I trembled. The fight had taken the last of my strength.

  Liliana climbed out first. I followed and stood on the street. Xavier shot another charge down below. Magenta light exploded. The werewolf whimpered again. I smelled burnt fur. War Magic was effective. Then my battle partner climbed up behind me. The sound of more growls and the smell of sewage got worse by the second.

  "Go go go go go!" he shouted.

  More yells came from below. The rest of the gang had reached the tunnel where Beatrix was. We stood in the middle of the street between some tall buildings. Downtown. We'd come out three blocks away from the towering ATC building. Its red letters glowed down at us like a big, misshapen watching eye.

  I closed the sewer lid. It wouldn't hold back Beatrix's gang for long. It might buy us two seconds. "Run," I said, as much as I hated the thought.

  We did. Another car approached from behind, forcing us to run closer to the ATC building. My legs trembled so badly I thought they'd go out from under me, giving me no choice but to hold onto Xavier's arm. He still smelled like candy, popcorn, and fear. My mouth watered. I could bite him and turn around and fight some of those guys climbing up the sewer ladder behind us. I wouldn't even need to take that much. But the ATC building glowered down at us. Thoreau could be there. I wouldn't. I had to hold back if it killed me.

  Even if Xavier used to want me to bite him.

  Now he didn't.

  We turned a corner.

  The sewer lid slid across concrete and Beatrix cursed as a car ran it over. I heard no crunching of bone. It had narrowly missed her.

  Xavier and Liliana stopped and leaned against an office building, panting. "Keep going," I said, tightening my grip on Xavier's arm. "You can't hear it, but they're all coming up."

  "They're taking a huge risk," Xavier said, nodding at the nearby ATC building.

  I had an idea. "You know what? Let's lead them into a trap."

  "You're assuming they're stupid."

  I doubted that Beatrix was but one of her minions might be. I smelled singed fur again. A crazed, hurt werewolf might fall for this. I wasn't sure how smart it was in wolf form, but I reached down and took off my black leather boots, a new pair that Xavier had bought me after he had refused to kiss me in Thorne's dojo. They felt like a bad apology. I was glad to be getting rid of them.

  "What are you doing?" Liliana asked.

  "You'll see," I said, eyeing the front doors of the ATC building. The sewage smell joined in and feet clinked against metal rungs. More of the gang was climbing out and standing in the street. I didn't have to look around the corner to know. I could see the inside of the ATC building from here. The light was on inside the lobby and I was sure Thoreau had his receptionist working the ungodly hours he wanted. I hoped that she came out okay in all of this.

  "With your shoes? I bought you those!"

  "We need something stinky," I said. Otherwise, I'd be taking off my shirt. I summoned the last of my strength as the werewolf shook itself off. It was ready to pursue us again, even with the burning injury on its snout. Barefoot, I ran towards the front door of the ATC building, hoping that I had some kind of scent to werewolves. The wards tingled as I approached the front doors. Thoreau had strengthened them recently. My easy entry wasn't convenient for him anymore. I opened the glass door and tossed my shoes into the lobby.

  "What are you doing?" Xavier asked behind me.

  "Go!" I grabbed his arm and with the last of my strength, pulled him away from the front door. Liliana joined us. The tingling of the wards faded as I left my shoes sitting on the lobby floor of the ATC building. I hoped they carried more scent than the rest of me or we were doomed.

  Beatrix shouted something at her gang. The same werewolf growled. I wasn't sure how it had managed the ladder. It bounded closer, paws heavy on the pavement. A car honked. The werewolf was detected.

  We vanished around the side of the ATC building. We were so close to enemy territory. I couldn't see the street so I tensed, sword in hand, ready for an impossible fight. Xavier kept his hand on my arm and Liliana's. If he had to, he would try to Transpose us both again, but I could sense he still wasn't at full strength. He had used some energy fighting the werewolf down below and it had taken a lot out of him. Transposing might not even work.

  The werewolf ran across the street. Xavier and Liliana tensed.

  And then it crashed through the glass doors of the ATC building with a deafening boom. Glass shattered and rained to the pavement. From the office sidewalk we had just left, Beatrix shouted, "No!" and burst into a run.

  Somewhere far above, on a top floor, an alarm sounded.

  The werewolf was detected.

  Xavier looked at me, wide-eyed. "Good move," he said. "Let's go." He pulled on my arm.

  I could barely stop him. "We have to make sure they don't bother us again."

  Fresh sirens went off. I couldn't tell if they were coming from the mall or elsewhere. We ran across the street--careful to stay out of view of Beatrix--and I pulled open the door to the neighboring building, breaking the lock with the last of my strength. We all ducked into the darkened office and I closed the door, listening for another alarm.

  There wasn't one. Normals didn't expect thieves to try the front door. I checked and didn't see any security pads near the door, either. I did, however, hear someone shuffling around a couple of floors above, mopping away. A janitor was here. I motioned for us to back up among offices, fake plants and cubicles.

  Beatrix was walking towards the ATC building now. She appeared on the street, walking slowly like an ordinary old lady. It was a disguise.

  The werewolf growled inside the ATC lobby, still searching for me and maybe not realizing where it had ended up. I could hear a bit of sizzling flesh as my fire magic continued to work on the werewolf's snout. Beatrix stopped outside the building as the sirens got louder. Security had been upped since I had been here last. Not only did alarms go off for security on the top floors, they summoned the police, too.

  "I think Beatrix is in trouble," Xavier said, leaning close to me.

  She turned around in the middle of the street, hateful and searching for me. It seemed like she couldn't hear the sirens but then she tensed as red and blue lights flashed on the sides of the surrounding buildings. Then she whirled around and ran for an alley on the other side of the street, leaving her werewolf behind to deal with the music. I caught a glimpse of two dark figures backing into another alley. Her gang had done the typical crime thing and scattered.

  The werewolf inside was doomed.

  I had betrayed another Abnormal to the ATC.

  "Let's hide better," I said. Running now was too dangerous. Police cars pulled up everywhere around the ATC building. Two even pulled up beside the front of the office building. I heard a dozen sets of footsteps trying to run away.

  Xavier and Liliana and I hid in a broom closet, crammed in together while I listened to the action outside and relayed it. Beatrix got put in cuffs after she insisted she was a harmless old woman out for a walk. The police questioned how she had run so fast when she'd seen them coming. They also questioned her on who she was and why a woman like her was out so late at night. She stabbed her comrade in the back double, saying she had been chased by the werewolf that was now tranquilized inside the building and waiting to be taken to the treatment center. Police radioed each other. ATC vans showed up with their low motors and there was talk of three more Abnormal captures. Someone wanted to test Beatrix'
s blood to see if she was Normal. ATC personnel roamed the place, talking about sightings of more possible Abnormals in the area. One ATC agent, a gruff man, speculated on a possible attack from the Abnormal community. "Why else were there so many when we got here?" he asked a colleague. Beatrix protested as someone asked for a blood sample. They took it. Not long after, an agent opened the doors to the back of a van. Beatrix was busted.

  Still another agent talked about the werewolf with the burning snout and how it had taken many damp cloths to put it out.

  Without my hearing, we would have learned nothing. I couldn't hear everything, of course, but I could hear enough. At least a few members of Beatrix's gang had been caught. The rest must have retreated. Not all of them were stupid. Beatrix clearly had known about the wards just inside the ATC doors but she hadn't known about the upped security. She had thought that looking like an old woman would keep her safe. The ATC was more suspicious these days.

  "We sold them out," I managed.

  "They're a gang who have killed people before," Xavier told me. "If anyone deserves to get caught by the ATC, it's them. The crappy part is, I'm sure they'll make all Abnormals look bad all over again. But that's not nothing new, is it?"

  "No. It's not," I said, trembling with weakness. The dread feeling coiled in my gut like a deadly snake. Thoreau's blood had done something to me. This must be the reason that no sane vampire tried to drink demon blood. It had been Leon's until he had shifted into Thoreau's form. It was a mistake I vowed never to make again. I wondered how long it would take me to feel normal.

  A bit later, a gunshot fired and another werewolf growled. Some of Beatrix's people were trying to attack. Three more shots went off and then a dart penetrated the second werewolf's hide with a whoosh like an arrow. The wolf growled again, then fell over. The ATC was winning. They were better prepared since George had saved us at the airport. They were stronger. Then the media pulled up. I didn't know it was them at first until I heard a woman mention something to a man about a camera. This was going to be a breaking story in the morning.