by Judith Post
"What are you saying, that the killer only picks 'nice' girls?"
Enoch thought about that. "I don't know what makes him choose them."
"So who's to say that Katy doesn't fit?"
Enoch couldn't decide. Luci and Liza seemed sweet and innocent. Katy was anything but. He stood in front of his apartment building and watched Danny drive away. It was late afternoon. The temperatures were as high as they were going to get for the day, but it was still damned cold. Even with leather gloves on, he had to jam his hands deep inside his coat pockets to keep them warm. He had things to do. Mortal affairs were a distraction from his real job, the reason he was here. He'd chased the rogue who helped kill Alessandro to Three Rivers. He knew he was here. He could close his eyes and sense his presence, but finding one vampire who didn't want to be found was a time consuming task. So far, he'd only looked for him at night. Now it was time to search for clues during the day.
Enoch took a different route than usual this time. He walked down Lafayette Street, away from the city. He crossed the bridge over the river and passed the replica of the old fort that was the origins of the city on his left—not a good nesting spot for a vamp, too visible and out in the open.
Cars raced past him on the busy thoroughfare. The filtration plant in its gleaming glory loomed on his right, and he stopped to admire its long, low architecture. Would there be dark nooks in its vast space, little hidey holes under pipes for a vampire to call home? A possibility. He turned left at the skate board shop on the corner and walked past Lawton Park. Its football field and play areas didn't interest him. He stopped to study the river banks on his side of the street. Even in winter, there'd be animals that scurried along its slopes. Fresh food for a vamp to drain. But eventually, muskrats and ducks wouldn't be enough. The hunger would rise, and the rogue would look for bigger prey—his favorite—a human. Enoch passed the skate park and was making the turn for home when he saw the discarded carcass of a Canada goose tossed near some brush. Bingo. He'd found the rogue's feeding grounds, and if he waited long enough, he'd find the rogue.
As usual, when he hunted vampires, his thoughts turned to Caleb. What was his old friend doing now? Did Caleb ever think about him? Of course not. Enoch didn't need a babysitter.
Enoch hadn't checked on Caleb for a while. Not a good idea. It was time he did. When he got back to his apartment, he went straight to its balcony. "Come out, come out, wherever you are." He sent the mental message on the winds. If Caleb was smart, he wouldn't ignore it.
It took a while. Enoch stamped his feet and paced the balcony to keep warm, but just when he was about to give up and go inside, his friend’s image appeared. Caleb's beauty radiated across the distance with his long, golden hair; blue eyes; and chiseled features. Seraphim—the highest ranking angels—were notoriously breathtaking, and Caleb's glory hadn't dimmed even after his decline. It only irritated Enoch more.
“Enoch, my brother, you summoned me?” Caleb’s voice had an edge to it, but Enoch could care less.
“You’re looking good,” Enoch said. “Too good.”
“I don't feed anymore, if that's what you're thinking. I only sip, and only from willing subjects."
"Human groupies." Enoch grimaced in disgust.
"I don't change them. Conversion is a tricky process—three long draughts that almost drain them past recovering. It's a time consuming process, and there are hazards. I have better things to do these days."
"Care to fill me in?"
"Come and see for yourself," Caleb invited. "You're looking a little frazzled, like you could use a break. A stay at my casino would do you good. I know you can afford it, not like some of my guests. I've learned to drain mortals through their pockets as well as their veins."
"Aren't you getting a little tired of messing with mortals? We could go Home." Enoch heard the wistfulness in his voice and despised it. It would only amuse Caleb.
“To do what? Sing glory and praise? I love it here. I think the One created mortals to entertain me, like new toys.”
Enoch pressed his lips together to keep words from spewing out. What was the point? He'd argued, debated, begged, and threatened for centuries now. Finally, he simply stated, “You know I can’t return without you.”
“That's the hell of it, isn't it?" Caleb mocked. "Then you’re stuck here, pal. Poor you, sent here to keep me in check. You keep telling me that you’re not being punished, but it’s a fine line, my friend.”
“I'm not your friend."
"But you're stuck with me, aren't you?" Caleb glanced at the balcony and the wintry landscape. "It's a good thing you have the Light. You might get cold."
Enoch waited for Caleb's image to fade before he stomped inside. He went to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. He held the mug between his hands, enjoying its warmth. Why did he bother with Caleb? Why had he ever bothered? If he'd just said no when Caleb first came to him, anxious for him to join Lucifer and the others, he wouldn't be trapped here cleaning up after Caleb's messes.
Enoch went into the living room and sank into his leather recliner. He leaned back and closed his eyes. It had been a long time since he'd relived that moment, the moment that changed his destiny. It never brought him any hope or pleasure…
Enoch was shocked when Caleb pleaded with him to join Lucifer's army. "You can be a part of this. Side by side, we'll banish the One, and the heavens will be a true paradise. No rules. Total freedom."
"We're already free."
"Only if we choose His way."
"And we'd be equals with Lucifer? It won't work. Someone has to lead."
"Then it should be us!" Caleb gripped Enoch's shoulder. "You're like a brother to me. Join us. Rule with us."
Enoch tried to change Caleb's mind, to convince him that Lucifer couldn't be trusted, that the entire idea was doomed, but Caleb wouldn't listen. "When we win," Caleb told him, "I'll lie. I'll tell Lucifer that you stood lookout, that you were part of our team, and that you should be destined for greatness beside me."
The sentiment was touching. The logic was flawed, so Enoch worried. What would happen when they failed? How would they be punished? Home wouldn't be home without Caleb. So he watched. And when he noticed one angel after another slip out of assembly, he followed them. When he got Caleb alone, he pounced on him and wouldn't set him free.
"Get off!" Caleb cried. "I have to join them. They need me."
Thunder rumbled, lightning streaked, and the clouds shook beneath their feet, but Enoch held tight. Caleb dropped to the ground and whipped his shoulders forward, trying to flip Enoch off. Enoch's body cartwheeled in the air, and he slammed into a marble column, but his fingers still clung to Caleb's shoulders. When Caleb tried to pull away, Enoch grabbed his ankles and yanked him down beside him. They rolled, struggling. Caleb pushed both of his hands against Enoch's chest, trying to shove him away. Enoch wrapped his hands around Caleb's forearms in a vice-like grip. Caleb jerked away. When Enoch lunged for him, Caleb turned and kicked him in the stomach. The air was knocked out of him and he doubled over, but when Caleb turned to run, Enoch threw himself on him from behind. He dug his feet into the cloud cover and held him back. Two angels of equal strength, they were still wrestling when a thunderclap knocked them off their feet. They were tossed sideways and fought for balance when the clouds parted. Enoch and Caleb looked at each other in surprise. What was going on? They looked down and saw the earth split. Then bodies plummeted downward, kicking and screaming as they fell. A hole gaped open and they plunged into it. Lucifer and his followers' anguished cries ripped the skies as the earth sealed itself shut. "There'll be no peace on Earth," Lucifer screamed before the earth trembled and smoothed itself.
Caleb shakily pushed himself to his feet and walked closer to the edge to see better. There was no sign that anything had happened. Lucifer and his friends were buried in the pit and there was no way to save them.
Enoch came to stand beside him. Relief flooded his muscles, loosened his limbs. He'
d kept his friend from being punished with the others. Then Caleb turned on him, blue eyes blazing. A fist connected with his jaw, making him stagger.
"Look what you've done! You ruined everything! They would have won if I'd been there."
Enoch's anger flared too. "Are you crazy? You didn't have a chance. You'd have been in the Pit with them."
"Better there than here!" Caleb ran toward where the others were gathering.
What in the hell was he up to now? Enoch raced after him, but when he reached the assembly, it was too late.
"I hate you!" Caleb screamed at the One. "I hate it here!"
The clouds parted once more, and Caleb hurtled downward. This time, though, the ground didn't part. Enoch's friend was banished from the heavens, but he could walk the Earth. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was a fair compromise. Eventually, Caleb would repent and return Home. Or so Enoch thought.
Time passed, and he received a summons. Caleb was wreaking havoc in his new home. Enoch had spared his fellow angel from the Pit, and he was responsible for the consequences. He was to be cast out and couldn't return Home until he brought his friend with him.
Enoch would never forget the revulsion he felt when he saw Caleb again for the first time. On his way down, he'd searched for him with his mind. When he went to him, Caleb was surrounded by the monsters he'd created—the humans he'd nearly drained over and over again to replenish himself since he no longer had the Light.
"Enoch!" Caleb rushed to him. "So you joined me at last."
Enoch stared at withered bodies that littered the stone floor of the fortress Caleb called home. Men's, women's, and children's. His stomach curdled when he saw hapless humans cowering in a corner, hoping they weren't the next one chosen for a meal. He turned to Caleb. "What have you done?"
Caleb shook his head quickly in denial. "Not me. I can't take life. I can't. But my creations—I can't control their hunger."
"Blood? Why blood?"
Caleb sighed. He gave Enoch a look of pity. "You'll see. Soon, your spirit will grow weak, your soul weary. You'll feel sad and depressed. You'll lose faith in yourself…in everything. Without the Light, we become shadows of ourselves. I couldn't kill, but I could drink. Blood is their life source; it’s our strength. It revitalizes us."
"And creates…that." Enoch waved his arm at the vampires. "You've infected them with your immortality. They're not living, but they're not dead. They're…"
"Undead."
Enoch walked to the mortals. "Go. Get out of here. You're free."
They stared for a second, as if it were a trick, then grabbed hands and ran. One of the vampires dove after them, but Enoch grabbed him and jerked him back. "I've come to stop you."
Caleb laughed. He looked at his followers and they laughed too. "You? Alone? I don't think so. Soon, you'll join us. That, or become some sad, sorry subspecies. You think the One was kind sending us here? Without the Light, we languish. We're nothing."
A young female vampire sidled close to Caleb and hung on his side. Her long tongue flicked out to lick his neck. He pushed her away. "The women here are so brazen. Disgusting. They lust after us for our beauty. They're the first mortals I bit."
The female vampire looked at Enoch and smiled, her fangs gleaming against her red lips. Enoch shook his head in warning.
"If she bothers you too much, snap her neck," Caleb told him.
"I didn't come here to join you. I was sent here to bring you Home."
Caleb's features froze in anger. "Go ahead and try." He gave a quick nod to his friends.
Vampires leaped on Enoch. They gouged sharp talons into his back and sank their fangs into his neck. Enoch shook them off. They crouched, ready to spring again, but hesitant to try. "Can they kill you?" he asked Caleb.
"We're immortal. What do you think?"
"Then what's your point?"
Caleb grinned. "Was that a play on words?"
"It was a question. I want an answer."
"They can slow you down," Caleb said. "Give you time to rethink your manners as my guest."
"Not really." Enoch looked at the circle of crouching vampires. More lurked in the shadows and corners. "Are any of these your friends?"
Caleb gave a quick glance. "Not especially."
"Good." Enoch called on the Light and it burst from him. Vampires screeched, then exploded into dust. When they were all destroyed, Enoch turned to survey the damage he'd done. He wasn't sure what would happen when he used the Light on Earth. Now he knew. It followed the same rules as sunlight and stayed contained within walls, unable to bend around corners or travel through solid objects. Probably a good thing. It was so bright, it could blind a mortal if they looked directly at it.
"You got to keep the Light?" Caleb bristled with anger.
"I'm not an outcast. I was sent because I'm responsible for you."
"This is the second time you've interfered in my life!" Caleb charged and wrapped arms as strong as steel around Enoch. They grappled, pushing and shoving, banging each other against walls and knocking the feet out from under one another.
"I'm only interfering to help you!" Enoch pinned Caleb to the ground to make him listen. Why was his friend so pig-headed? "You got yourself into this mess, and I've come to make things right." He dug in his heels, holding onto Caleb so that his friend couldn't flee the fortress and take off. He had no desire to play tag with him for the next hundred years.
"I don't want your help, and I don't want to be saved. I like it here. I'm staying." Caleb tried to push Enoch away. When that failed, he punched him so hard that Enoch staggered backward. Caleb dashed for the door, but Enoch caught him.
They pushed and pulled. The sun went down. The sun rose. They groped and grunted. Days passed. Seasons changed.
"Give it a rest, will you? You're forgiven. I can take you home." Enoch's voice was a low growl of weariness and aggravation.
"You quit first. I didn't barge into your affairs and mess up your life." Caleb's words were crisp with temper.
Enoch slammed a shoulder into Caleb's chest. "I wouldn't have come if you hadn't screwed up again. You could have played down here forever. But no, you had to bite people and turn them into monsters. Some genius you are!"
Caleb stomped a heel into the arch of Enoch's foot. "Quit being so naïve. If the One wanted me to come down and be some saint, He should have let me keep the Light. I'd have been just as happy as a beneficent deity, worshipped like He is, but He left me no choice. I had to survive."
"You could have repented and come Home."
"Repented for what? Being honest? That's not going to happen." Thunder rolled, and they both jumped.
Not again, Enoch thought. The earth wasn't going to split again, was it? But instead, rain pelted from the heavens. Lightning slashed the dark sky, and Caleb laughed. "The rules are different down here, brother. Anything goes. If you'd ever relax even a little, you might learn to like it."
"I liked where I was." Trumpets sounded in the far distance. An army of angels? There was the clash of metal. A soldier, carrying a sword and shield, stumbled toward the fortress before he collapsed. A battle was waging somewhere.
Caleb glanced out the fortress windows. "Hear that? If I don't spill their blood, humans spill each others'. You're wasting your time on a worthless cause."
"I wasn't sent here to judge mortals, only to stop you."
"We could destroy them all and make this our kingdom," Caleb offered. His foot slipped, and he leaned forward more heavily, pushing against Enoch with desperate force.
Enoch grunted and shoved him back. "I have no desire for a kingdom. This is their world, not ours."
"Says you."
Their struggle went on and on. The army left. A huddle of stone huts went up in the distance. Marauders invaded, were fought off, and a wooden fence was built around it. The village grew bigger until more marauders came and burnt it to the ground. Enoch lost sense of time—easy to do when Time is limitless. Sometimes Caleb had the upper ha
nd. Sometimes he did, but neither of them would give up. Enoch's mind drifted. At Home, there were no days or weeks, no months or years, but here, he had a sense of things changing. Trees leafed out and bloomed, then their leaves withered and died. The air changed. Breezes blew in from the east, then whipped from the west. It meant nothing, and he quit noticing. His whole concentration centered on the endless grappling with Caleb. And finally, he even stopped thinking about that. His mind went blank, and his body responded to Caleb's parries by rote. After time, even that lessened. He and Caleb both struggled less and leaned against one another more. Neither noticed their surroundings until a horde of vampires swooped into the fortress, carrying humans with them. They froze when they saw Caleb and Enoch.
"Well, well, well," their leader said. "Look what we have here. Two prize specimens. If we'd known this place came stocked, we wouldn't have brought our own snacks."
Caleb turned and glared. "This is my home. No one does anything here without my permission."
The vampire threw back his head and laughed. "Have you been hiding under a rock, human? I'm Torado. I rule everything from one seashore to the next."
"And Vlad?" Caleb asked. "What of him?"
Enoch frowned. Who was Vlad?
"He moved away from here. Europe began to bore him."
"I'm Caleb, his creator. Vlad and all of his followers must answer to me."
The vampire looked surprised. "I've heard of you. I thought you were some old legend. You might have had power once. Not now." He glanced at Enoch. "And him?"
"An old friend."
"Has-beens. Go some place and hide to make room for the world's new rulers."
Caleb's blue eyes blazed. He looked at Enoch. "I don't feel like hiding. Do you, my brother?"
Enoch raised a warning brow when a vampire pushed a human's head back to sink his fangs into her neck. "Don't."
The vampire paused, surprised. Their leader smiled. "And who's going to stop us?"
Caleb looked at Enoch. "We are."
"How can I trust you?" Enoch asked. "What if you use this distraction to leave here?"