Dissension 1

by Katie Salidas

  The cart carrying her and Lucian stopped in what must have been the city center. Some men came out, handlers by the looks of them, too lightly armored to be regular soldiers. They made quick work of securing Mira and Lucian to their racks and connecting chains to the ground. The men unhitched the trailer that had been pulling them and drove away.

  Silence, eerie and beautiful, surrounded them. Mira caught sight of a shooting star overhead. For all the beauty and magnificence of it, she could not enjoy it. She’d die not only a disgrace, but a failure too. Sacrificing her life and Lucian’s for nothing. A foolhardy plan that had ultimately failed.

  In a vain attempt to escape, Mira struggled against her restraints. The nails that had been driven through her limbs must have been coated in silver, as they burned relentlessly. For all her strength and willingness to rip off her own arm if necessary, she couldn’t break free. She was well and truly screwed. There would be no hope of escape.

  Lucian stirred. She heard him struggling against his restraints, but they’d been placed back to back, so she couldn’t see him.

  “You alive still?” she asked.

  “Why?” His voice was barely a whisper, raspy and low.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  “I asked for you to get rid of him. This was your plan?” Even through the pain, Mira could hear the disappointment in Lucian’s voice.

  “I told you simply killing him would not solve the problem.”

  “And getting ourselves killed would?”

  She couldn’t blame him for his contempt. “Minor oversight. But the seeds of discontent have been sown.”

  “And will be forgotten by morning.”

  “Nah. They’ll remember for at least a day,” Mira tried to joke, but deep down she knew Lucian was right. “Sorry to have involved you in this. I was supposed to be the only one to die.”

  “The Magistrate had his suspicions the moment he knew I was Patron to a vampire.”

  “And you didn’t even get to take advantage of all a Patron enjoys.”

  “Oh… I’d say you fucked me pretty good here.”

  “Well, now, things can’t be all bad if you’re making jokes.” Mira would have laughed if she weren’t in so much pain it took all she had to hold back the tears.

  “We’ll see. Can you move at all?”

  “I’m kind of tied up here. Oh and nailed to the table.”

  “Sorry. I hoped your vampire strength would help us out here.”

  “So did I. Got any brilliant ideas?”

  “Maybe.”

  “That’s reassuring.”

  “I may have been branded a traitor, but I still have a friend or two.”

  “Let’s hope you do. Dawn will be here soon enough, and I am really not looking forward to death by sunburn.”

  The dull thud of a rock hitting dirt nearby caught Mira’s attention. That was no random falling stone. It hit too closely and too precisely to have just dropped on its own. She listened carefully. Footsteps, slow and quiet were coming closer to her. Another rock hit the dirt nearby.

  “Is that you, Death?” Lucian said as loudly as he could manage with his raspy voice.

  Another male voice responded, “Come to deliver you to the gates of hell.”

  “Friends?” Mira whispered cautiously.

  “Yes.”

  Two humans arrived clad all in black. At first glance they appeared to be handlers, but Mira’s eyes were better than that. These two were no trained soldiers, nor were their clothes the sleek black of a handler’s armor. Their clothes weren’t even armor at all, Mira saw as they came closer. They were far too simple for any formal uniform: long-sleeved shirts and pants, with what appeared to be dark hats pull low to cover their eyes. A male, the one who had responded to Lucian, came forward first, followed by a female whose face was completely covered. It was only the hint of flowery perfume that gave her away. Without a word, she immediately went to work removing the large spikes.

  They hurt Mira more on the way out than they had going in, but knowing that silence was their ally, she kept herself as quiet as she could, whimpering only when the pain became too great.

  When all the spikes had been removed, the man pulled out a pair of bolt cutters and made quick work of cutting the chains shackling her to the table.

  “Get up and get moving, quick!” The male barked the order at Mira. “We need to move now.” He shouldered the limp form of Lucian, and together with the help of his female companion, headed into the shadows.

  Weak and woozy, Mira took a moment to gain her balance. Wobbling on unsteady legs, she followed as best as she could behind them.

  Following back alleyways, they slowly weaved their way through the city towards what appeared to Mira to be a heavily residential area. Completely lined with rowhouses, the street was part of a well-planned-out community. Street lights were uniformly set every four houses. A small walkway separated the street from the concrete steps up to each two-story brick home. In front of every house was a clearly marked parking spot labeled with the number of the home to which it corresponded. It was almost too perfectly laid out. Like her prison, only a little bit nicer. For all its perfection, it lacked something. Not a single blade of grass nor tree nor bush anywhere. Perhaps more like her prison than she had first thought. It might look prettier, but it was no more inviting.

  Just then, she spotted a blinking red light under one of the street lights. On second glance, she saw it was a camera.

  “We’re being watched.”

  “Don’t worry about the cameras right now,” the male responded. “The streets aren’t closely monitored. Those cameras are fixed. Just keep to the shadows and don’t stop moving.”

  Expecting to be heading away from the city, Mira couldn’t help but feel they were traveling further inside it. “Where are we going?”

  “The sun will be up soon. We won’t be able to clear the city walls before that happens. You’ll stay with me today, and we’ll make our escape this evening,” the male called out behind him.

  Not what she’d hoped to hear. Spending another day inside the city walls was a dangerous proposition. No doubt their absence would be noticed and a manhunt would ensue, making any future attempts to leave doubly hard. But as she had no other option, she soldiered on, following as close to them as she could manage in her injured state.

  They ducked inside a small doorway just off the alleyway, which led down a set of stairs to a large basement.

  It was small and filled with all manner of human junk: old clothing, boxes, and shelves of god-only-knows-what. What it didn’t have, thankfully, were visible windows. It wasn’t much but that one fact alone made it a perfect sanctuary. Mira took a moment to catch her breath and acknowledge her rescuers. “Thank you.”

  “No offense to you, vampire,” the male responded. He pulled his hat off and met her gaze straight on. “We did not do this for you. We’re loyal to our Regent.”

  Strong words for someone who appeared so frail. The man was older than she’d expected. He’d shouldered Lucian and carried him for the better part of four miles, so she’d expected to see a young, strapping man of twenty or so. The man in front of her had to be at least double that, with a head of graying hair and dusky eyes surrounded by a face filled with wrinkles.

  “Of course.” Mira nodded. “As am I.”

  That seemed to smooth out any remaining tension with the male, who managed a smile. The woman, however, kept her face covered and stood well behind her partner. Mira couldn’t help but feel she was using him as a shield.

  Mira acknowledged her with a nod. “Thank you as well. You may not trust my kind, but you have my word I am in your debt.”

  The woman refused to respond.

  After a brief awkward silence among the four of them, the male spoke up. “You’ll stay here for the day.” He opened up a hidden doorway in what Mira thought had just been a cluttered wall. It led to another small empty chamber. “You should be well hidden in here. Just rem
ember to be silent. Not a peep until I return.”

  The man helped a barely conscious Lucian into the small room. Mira stood by, waiting for him to exit before going in to the small chamber herself.

  “And how will I know it’s you at the door?” As if his scent would not give him away.

  “I’ll speak the word ‘gladiator’.”

  With that, he ushered them inside and closed the door.

  Chapter 21

  Mira lit a candle in the corner of the darkened chamber. As the light flooded the small room, Lucian grunted. Happy to see him somewhat alert, she sat down next to him. “So, do I ask how you orchestrated this?”

  He adjusted his position, scooting up and leaning his back against the bare brick wall. “When I heard what you had said at the arena, I knew I would be taken into custody. The Magistrate had already commented on our… arrangement.”

  “So you had a lackey come rescue you?” She hadn’t meant what she said to come out so bluntly.

  “Don’t you call him that! Curtis is a good friend and ally.” The sudden vigor and aggression in his voice startled Mira.

  “Well, by the looks of him, I would say he wasn’t an Elite.”

  “No, but a better man you’ve never met.”

  “High praise.”

  “He’s well worth it. He and his wife are risking everything by hiding us. You do realize that, don’t you?”

  “Why save me then, why not just yourself?”

  “Because I care about you… your wellbeing, Mira. I put you in this position. I told you I wanted the Magistrate dead. I couldn’t let you take the fall.”

  In all her years imprisoned in that damn place, she’d never been cared for. Not really. Sure, she’d been given enough care to keep her alive enough to perform in the arena, but that wasn’t real care. Mira wasn’t quite sure exactly how to feel about his revelation, let alone respond to Lucian’s words.

  She turned away, unable to look at him. “I was ready to meet my end.”

  “I know you were. And I would have been sad to see you go.”

  “You’re a strange one, Lucian. Caring for a vampire.” She knew it then; she could trust him. He’d more than earned it. Human though he was, he was not one of them, the bastards that had treated her so cruelly all her immortal life.

  Lucian scooted up against the wall again, wincing as he moved.

  “Are you badly hurt?”

  “A few broken ribs, I’m sure, but nothing fatal.”

  “Maybe not now, but while we’re on the run, you’ll need to be at full health.” Mira lifted her wrist to her mouth. Dried blood and healing scabs covered the spots where the spikes had been. Where the cuffs had slid up and down her skin, there were visible angry red hives. Still, though, she knew sharing her blood would help him. She could spare a few drops.

  She bit into her wrist, hissing with pain as her teeth broke the skin, and then offered her blood to Lucian. “This will help you heal.”

  “No, I couldn’t.”

  “Just a sip. Quickly now, before the wound seals itself.”

  Reluctantly, he took her offered wrist and put his mouth over the wound.

  His tongue tickled her skin as he gingerly lapped at the wound. He grimaced, probably at the coppery flavor. Humans had no taste for blood. Why should they? Still, repulsed as she saw he was, Lucian did not pull away. He lightly suckled at the wound, swallowing a few small gulps before pushing her hand away, revulsion painted across his face.

  “Thanks, I hope,” he said, swallowing hard, trying to force down the last of the taste.

  “It will help, trust me. Though you might want to lie down. You’re bound to feel a little queasy.”

  He gripped his stomach and grimaced. “Thanks for the warning.”

  A gentle knock at the door caught their attention. Mira had not expected to hear from anyone until next nightfall.

  “It’s only me, gladiator,” a male voice whispered. She recognized it as the man called Curtis.

  Mira stood and opened the door.

  Curtis entered with a small tray of food, bolt cutters, and some clean water and bandages. “It’s not much at the moment, but this should help. The city is already abuzz with your escape. It’s all over the news. Be sure to lie low and try not to make any noise, no matter what you hear. Only open this door if I or my wife speak the code word.”

  “Got it, thank you. Is there some way we can repay you?” Lucian asked.

  “Seeing you out safely is repayment enough. You have a greater mission than I,” Curtis said.

  “Then it is not I you need to save, but Mira. She’s the one with the mission.” Lucian said.

  “You both play your parts,” Curtis replied, casting a quick glance at Mira before returning to Lucian. “And I will give my life to see you have the chance to play those parts.”

  “Let us hope it does not come to that,” Lucian said.

  “I’ll be checking in on you when I can through the day. I’m afraid I cannot let you both out…”

  “We appreciate your help and your protection. Thank you,” Lucian said.

  “I wish I could do more.”

  “You’ve already gone above and beyond,” Lucian assured him.

  Curtis nodded and turned toward the door. “I’ll be back soon.”

  As soon as the lock clicked, Mira turned on Lucian. “Mission?”

  “Just because the circumstances have changed does not mean I’ve given up on stopping the Magistrate.” Lucian’s voice had found its strength. Clearly her blood was working to mend him from the inside out.

  “How exactly are we to do this on the run?”

  “Once we’re free and clear from the city, we’ll have more time to plan. I don’t have all the answers yet. Things haven’t exactly worked out so far, have they?”

  “That would be the understatement of the year. But I suppose we’d have a better chance killing him on the road than in the city. Still no guarantee we can pull it off.”

  “For now, our goal is to get out of the city and find some sanctuary to hole up in and regroup.”

  Sanctuary… Mira had long dreamed of finding sanctuary. It had been a place of legend when she and her group had sought it out, before her capture. Did it really and truly exist? Could she find it? The prospect of it was enticing. Yes, if they did manage to make it out of the city, she would certainly head in that direction.

  “Mira?” Lucian sounded concerned.

  “Yes, sorry. Just thinking.”

  “You looked as if you’d gone into a trance. What’s on your mind?”

  “Just wondering how we’ll make it, that’s all.”

  “One step at a time… but this time, let’s be on the same page. No more of your half-baked ideas.”

  “Step one: You get some rest.”

  “Now, that’s a plan I can agree with.” Lucian’s eyes were already half closed as he spoke.

  Chapter 22

  Three small raps against the door woke Mira. A soft voice, barely a whisper, came from behind it. Curtis. “There’s someone at our front door. Soldiers.”

  “Right.” Mira’s eyes flew open. Instantly she was on alert.

  “You two lock the door from the inside, and remember – do not open unless the code word has been spoken.”

  Mira did as she was told, bolting the door shut behind him. Outside, she heard scraping sounds, as if something heavy were being slid in front of the door. She turned and gently shook Lucian, holding a hand over his mouth in case he made any sounds. When his eyes opened, she put a finger to her lips warning him to remain silent.

  Moments later there were raised voices. “Sir, this is completely unnecessary. Who on earth would harbor a vampire?”

  “Magistrate’s orders. All houses are to be checked.”

  Not sure how much of this he was hearing, Mira gave a warning look to Lucian. “Don’t make a sound. Don’t even breathe.”

  Outside, the voices grew louder. Male voices. Deep. Angry. One, maybe two or
more. “What’s behind here?”

  “More shelving and tools,” Curtis answered.

  “What did you say your trade was again, sir?”

  “Electrical repair.”

  “And this? What does this do?”

  “Nothing. Those are just internal components for an old-fashioned radio. I like to collect these old relics.”

  “Do you have a permit for that com-link?” The soldier sounded annoyed.

  “I… Uh.. That’s one I’m repairing.” Curtis sounded scared.

  “You’re not permitted to have that level of equipment in a residence like this. I’m afraid I’ll have to confiscate that and bring you in for questioning.”

  “That link is the property of the Elite’s office. Confiscate it if you will, but be sure it ends up back there or there’ll be hell to pay. The Regent requested that be fixed ASAP specifically.”

  “What do you know of the Regent?”

  “Just what my bosses tell me. He wants something fixed ASAP, I fix it. I need my job, just like the rest of you.”

  “The Regent has been taken out of office, did you know that?”

  “No sir, been hard at work all night trying to make this damn thing work. What happened?”

  “Really, you have no idea what has been happening?”

  “Sorry, sir. I don’t have the money for a screen of my own. I get my information the old-fashioned way. Newsprint. And, well, the morning paper isn’t out yet.”

  He sounded so convincing, Mira almost believed him. But something told her the soldier wasn’t buying it. Not sure of what to do, Mira continued to listen at the door.

  “Clueless or not, you’ll relinquish that com-link,” the soldier ordered.

  “Of course, sir. Please take it. I’d hate to be tied into any of this bad business with the Regent.”

  “Smart man.” The soldier’s tone had turned from annoyed to almost friendly. “Don’t let me catch you with unauthorized tech again.”

  “No, sir. I’ll make sure my paperwork is in order for any take-home projects from now on.”