The Enemies of Vengeance

by P. A Ross

  Rip kept advancing. "Guns, excellent. A proper test for us, V."

  "Thanks. But you do realise I don't heal quite as well as you."

  The men looked back and forth between us, guns pointed at us both while they stood side to side, but facing in opposite directions to keep us in view.

  "Well try not to get hit then. Use your powers to get to them first," Rip said, and he darted forward. The man facing him fired off two shots, but Rip zigzagged across the space.

  The man facing me fired his gun, and I ducked and rolled towards him. He squeezed the trigger again, and I dodged to the side, letting my magic power burst through my legs, and I blurred the final space between us.

  Rip had already hit his man, knocking my opponent over as well. As he stumbled forwards, I grabbed him by the throat, and then slammed him into the wall, knocking him unconscious.

  Rip had already opened up the neck of his victim and was sucking down his blood. He looked up at me with blood soaking across his chin. "Feed. There is enough Dragan in you to need blood. So feed," he shouted and pointed at the unconscious man.

  I stood over him and then knelt down by his side and pushed back his head to reveal his neck. I wasn't fully transformed into a Dragan, but Rip told me to use my magic to force on the extras required. I pushed all my emotions through my magic and then streamed it into my fangs. My teeth broke through and enlarged. I put my fingers to the tip of my fangs, and they cut through the skin, blood welling up on my fingertips. With the appearance of my fangs, a sudden thirst came upon me, and I dived down and bit into the man's throat. I sucked down the blood. At first, it felt great and I felt a surge of power, just as I had done with Annabel and Lucinda, and the other victims I had fed from. But then suddenly I felt sick, I stopped and stepped back and threw up the blood.

  Rip laughed and wiped the blood from his chin. "I guess there is still too much human in you. Start walking back and get yourself a drink on the way. I will finish up here and see you at the car," Rip said and then went back to gulping down his meal.

  I wiped the vomit from my mouth and staggered out onto the street. I looked around, and the man I had hit on the street corner was getting to his feet. He saw me and began to run over. I didn't want him to disturb Rip, so I decided to run down the street and get him to chase me.

  We ran down a few streets. I could get away from him if I so desired, but I didn't want to spend the rest of my journey looking over my shoulder. I decided the best thing to do was to confront him. So I did the one thing he least expected, I stopped and turned around and waited for him. The man made up the ground and then slowed to a walking pace, scouting around, suspecting something was off.

  "Are you bloody stupid? Do you know who we are? Do you know what will happen to you when they find you?" the man asked. I walked towards him, and he stepped backwards.

  "Here is your money," I said and pulled the cash out of my pocket, it was at least €900.

  He frowned at me and looked about once again. "Is it a joke? You hit me and steal my money, and now you're just going to give it back."

  "If I take the money you will get into trouble with your bosses. Maybe you can say you chased after me and was able to recover it," I said.

  "Why do you want to give me the money back? Are you afraid now I have caught up with you?"

  "I am not scared," I said and stepped towards him, so we were face-to-face, then I forced out my fangs and burning red eyes, using my magic as Rip had taught me, "but you should be."

  The man turned around so fast he tripped over his own feet and stumbled to the floor, then looked up at me as I glared down at him. He scrambled to his feet and sprinted back to where he came from. I laughed as he ran away and put the money back into my pocket. Then I realised I had let someone see a Dragan, but I hadn't removed his memory or killed him. However, I doubted they would believe a drug dealer, as he was probably a user as well. No one would believe his tall tale, but I should be more careful and not show off quite so much.

  I continued the journey back to the car, remembering a little bar on the way. I stepped in and ordered a pint of lager and drank it down in one go to clear the taste of vomited blood. I walked back to the car and leaned against it, waiting for Rip to return.

  He appeared about twenty minutes later. His clothes had splashes of blood down his chest. He flashed a massive grin and his eyes sparkled. He displayed the typical post-meal glow of renewed energy and satisfied hunger.

  "You did well tonight. Consider it your next phase of training. We start with the sparring tomorrow night. Now let's go home and enjoy a nice bottle of red wine."

  Chapter Fourteen

  Rip drove back to the cottage in good spirits. He showed the typical post feed elation I would often see in Thorn. He chatted a hundred miles an hour and drove the same. He chain-smoked all the way back, and with the speed of the car through the twisting roads and the smell of the smoke, it made me feel sick again. Rip had to pull over so I could empty out the rest of the blood from my stomach.

  Once we got back, I raided his cupboards for some food to try and settle my stomach acid. Being a Dragan, he didn't have much food. I only found some stale bread and cheese. I toasted the bread and melted the cheese on top and took part in a couple of glasses of red wine as Rip continued to talk.

  He told me about the adventures he'd had in the last few hundred years. He talked about training with kung fu masters in a remote Shaolin monastery in China. I asked him how they accepted him into their community, considering he was a Dragan and fed on blood. He was able to hide his true nature using his psychic abilities. He trained with them only at night and explained it by saying he was a hunted man and could not be seen during the day in case he was spotted.

  He would bring them food and clothing at night as gifts, and in return, they trained him. Through their meditation and training, he discovered the truth about Dragan magic.

  He told me about visiting great libraries, studying ancient texts on martial arts, meditation and spiritual understandings.

  He had also fought in many wars, just like Thorn had. But he chose not to work for governments or countries. In the Second World War, Rip helped with the French resistance fighters. In the other wars, he usually switched sides to whoever offered the greatest challenge. Wherever he could find the best fight to practice his skills and find a good feed in the surrounding mayhem.

  We finished our wine as the Sun began to rise. With the first streaks of light coming under the doorway, Rip said good morning and headed off to bed. I decided to take in a bit of daylight and went outside to watch the rising Sun. We had already got into a similar pattern of training, feeding and fighting that I had developed with Thorn. Rip promised me that the next night we would begin sparring.

  I stayed outside for an hour, letting the warmth of the sun hit my face while I contemplated the day's events. I needed to see the Sun once in a while and view the world in daylight rather than in the cold of the dark.

  I took in the fields surrounding the cottage. The woods at the edge of the fields and the broken fence I had caused on my practice run. As I headed off to bed, I saw the cottage for the first time in the daylight. The white stone walls and terracotta tiles on the rooftop. The cottage had a small extension to the side, and I realised I hadn't looked in any of the other rooms apart from the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

  I headed inside and snooped around the other rooms. A study room with a desk and computer. The walls lined with shelves crammed to bursting with books. The books were categorised into different topics with the main subjects of military strategy, martial arts, spiritualism and meditation. The next room had a TV and a long leather sofa. Then a dining room with a small table and chairs. There were a few photos on the wall of sceneries: the great wall of China, Vegas casinos, Eiffel Tower in Paris, and the Houses of Parliament in London.

  I went to bed and slept the rest of the day, preparing for our night of combat. I woke late at night, having slept longer than I expected
. The previous night's activities had taken a toll on my system. Drinking the blood hadn't agreed with me and vomiting it up left me feeling weak.

  I heard Rip walking around in the kitchen, and then uncorking a bottle and pouring wine. I jumped out of bed, put on my jeans and t-shirt, and stumbled down the narrow stairs and through the kitchen door.

  "I thought you would never join us on such a good clear night," Rip said and held his glass up to me and took a swig.

  I sat down and slumped my chin onto my hands, with my elbows on the table. I grabbed an empty glass and held it up to him. He poured the red wine in, and I took a big gulp back. I kept my healing back and let the wine take its effect on my system. It felt good for it to numb the pain a little. Rip puffed smoke into the air and leaned his head back. "Are you ready for the rest of your training?" Rip asked.

  I downed the rest of the red wine and put the glass on the table. "Yes, let's get on with it."

  "Good. Because this will be your last training before we go and meet Thorn. While you were sleeping, I had the chance to phone her and discuss what happens next. They are moving out as they had a tipoff from your MI5 friends about the location of some first-generation Turned."

  I was surprised to hear that. Thorn hadn't said she was now willing to work with Mary and MI5. She just took the decision without telling me. Probably reassured by the strength of their information so far; finding Cyrus and Rip.

  "So we will meet at a new place?" I asked.

  "Yes, Thorn has given me the location they are heading to. We will meet them there."

  "And is Max still joining them?"

  "Max is your werewolf friend. If so, yes, I believe he is flying over to prepare you to fight against Giles, but I also have some training for you. Tonight, I will play the part of a werewolf, and you will try to defend yourself."

  I pushed back the chair and headed out of the door, keen to get on with the training. Rip stubbed out his cigarette and finished off his glass of red wine, and then followed me out into the moonlight.

  I turned around to make sure he didn't get the jump on me and walked backwards to keep an eye on him. He might attack from behind to prove I should always be on my guard. It's just the sort of thing Thorn would do.

  "Good. I see you are prepared. Let's go into the field and give ourselves some room."

  I walked into the field, keeping a wary eye on Rip all the time. Likewise, Rip kept moving around as we walked, ensuring that I kept my senses alert, looking for a weakness and a lapse in concentration to attack. I stopped in the middle of the field and balled my hands into fists, ready to fight. Rip stopped and likewise tensed his muscles and flexed his hands into fists. He seemed to be building up his aggression, as I saw his face change, the muscles contort, and the Dragan fangs and eyes appear.

  I felt apprehensive and scared. He wouldn't severely hurt me, as we were training. But still, Rip in full Dragan mode looked frightening, and it reminded me of the monster within. I let my magic build up by using the fear and nervousness to create a spark. I tensed my legs, digging my feet into the ground and coiling the muscles ready to spring out of the way.

  Rip's muscles enlarged. His shoulders and fists grew larger, his canines grew bigger. He seemed to be using his magic to take on the characteristics of a werewolf. Finally, he allowed his energy to explode, and he bounded forward, dropping his hands to the floor and running like a wolf at me. He leaped into the air, hands out front with claws whistling. I waited to the last moment and spun out of the way, whipping my hands around and hitting him on the back as he sailed past. He rolled on the floor and sprung back up. I knew if that had been real and I was a Dragan, then I would have slashed my claws straight down the wolf's back.

  Rip stood up and smiled, and immediately ran back at me, but this time he didn't leap. He skidded a few feet away and sliced his claws at my face. I ducked underneath, hitting him in the stomach, then spun out of the way and kicked him in the back. He turned around and jumped into the attack. I front kicked him back onto the ground. I went in for the kill and jumped up and landed on top of him. Rip dragged his feet back underneath and kicked into my stomach, ripping the feet back and forth down my gut, and then kicked me up into the air and out of the way.

  He stood up and strolled over. "Remember the wolf's hind legs are powerful weapons, do not expose your stomach to them as he will gut you open. Remember, you are fighting an animal. Hit it from behind, where its weapons can't reach you. Never let all of its four claws and mouth have free range to hit you."

  I nodded back and then stalked around in a circle trying to think of the best way to attack. Rip brushed himself down and tensed his muscles. He eyed me up as I walked around him and then he bolted forwards. I darted to the side as his fists swung. He swiped backwards, and I blocked with my forearms, kicked him in the back, and he fell to the floor. With his back facing me, his weapons would all be out of range. I jumped onto his back and pretended to claw down at him, across his head and then went in to pretend to bite his neck.

  He lashed back with an elbow and caught me in the ribs. I rolled off. He sprung back to his feet and dived at me. I lay on my back and pulled my knees up to my stomach and kicked out, hitting him square in the chest, pushing him off balance. He collapsed in a heap at my side. I sprung back to my feet and jumped back to gain some space. Rip got up onto one knee, grinned and then stood up.

  "Well done. Hitting me across the back was perfect. If I were a werewolf, I would not have been able to reach you. A wolf's weapons are at the front, they cannot reach around or over. It has to twist around to get you. Remember not to get involved in a strength contest with it either. They have more aggression and outright natural strength."

  "But Thorn told me we were stronger than them, faster than them. Are you saying she was wrong?"

  "She's not right or wrong. It depends on where that strength lies. They have outright aggression, which they channel into a direct full frontal attack. In this respect, they are stronger than us in that type of battle. However, we are stronger overall because we can focus our magic into particular parts of our attacks. They are unable to do this. We are faster as well regarding agility and punching and kicking. But in an outright foot race they would win. After all, they do have four legs compared to our two."

  "So there's no point in trying to outrun a werewolf?"

  "That's right. You can run from it. But make sure it isn't in a straight line, twist and turn, make use of your surroundings. Like climbing trees or up the sides of buildings, the werewolf will be unable to follow you. Try to ambush it, attack it from behind but beware as its sense of smell is incredible. It is better than our sight or hearing. If you are to ambush it, then make sure you are downwind, so your scent isn't carried to it."

  "Okay, so let me get this straight. I can't outrun it, can't simply overpower it. The werewolf will always know where I am through its superior senses."

  "Yep, I know it sounds bad, but think of what Norris has told Giles on how to fight you. He would have told Giles to always keep you in front of it, never let you circle around the back. Make sure you stay downwind of the Dragan, so its scent is carried to you. Try and hit it quickly and powerfully and pin it to the floor. Don't let the Dragan move freely around. Take the battle to the Dragan, try and anger it and get it to engage in an all-out battle of power and strength. It would have said the Dragan is faster and more agile."

  "So if I don't play its game. Then I need to dictate the terms of battle, I need to decide how and when we fight against each other."

  "It will do the same to you. It will try and choose the battleground in the form of the fight. So Giles will use his knowledge of your relationship to anger you. He will say stuff to make you attack him head on and play to his strengths. By remaining calm and passive, it is likely to anger him and make him attack you in a wild way. You can then use your agility and magic to outmanoeuvre him and hit him from behind. Get those claws and fangs into him quickly and then move away again. Let the
poison take its toll, debilitating him and slowing him down. Then you can prepare to make your final move and kill him."

  I recoiled back. "I just needed to beat him, not kill him. He was my best friend, after all."

  "Well that is very honourable of you, but they would have trained him to kill you. They would have brainwashed him into believing it was the right thing to do. They have turned him against you. He is no longer your best friend. He is your worst enemy. You are going to have to accept that one of you will have to die."

  Chapter Fifteen

  Rip and I sparred for most of the night, stopping a few hours before daylight to pack our bags so we could start off as soon as darkness came around again. The activities of the night before must've been tiring, as when Rip woke me and I had not heard him enter the room.

  Rip told me to get the car started and load the bags. He packed a few essentials, which meant a few bottles of wine and some cigarettes. He gave me the coordinates of Thorn's location, which was in a cabin located in the Spanish forests just over the border. According to the sat nav, it would take six hours to drive. We could easily do it in one night and not have to worry about being caught out in the daylight. Yet, Rip wanted to get started as soon as possible, to avoid any potential delays or incidents that may result in him alighting in flames.

  I drove the car out of the garage and opened the door for him. The light had started to fade. Rip put his hand outside to check if there was any reaction. When his skin stayed normal, he jumped out of the cottage and locked it. He then dashed over to the car and climbed into the passenger seat.

  He immediately lit up a cigarette, wound the window down and blew out a puff of smoke. "Are you okay to drive?" he asked.