by Jen Pretty
I thought I could see him. I focused so hard that it seemed like he was doing it — walking out the door and getting into a hatchback car. Vincent was following him, and I didn't want Vincent to come. Or maybe I did. I was so confused by Vincent right now and my feelings for him. I wanted him, but he was being unreasonable. Guilt ate at me, though. I wanted to kill Vernon, but I didn’t want to destroy Vincent’s brother. I thought I could see Vincent's mouth moving and Drew driving the car through the city at high speed. He banged on the steering wheel and yelled at Vincent.
I hoped it was some kind of magic because if it was all in my head, I was in for a big letdown when they didn't show up. I watched as Drew parked the car and got out. Vincent lifted a cover off a manhole. I didn’t recognize this one, but they dropped into a tunnel and raced through the dark space until they came out into what looked like Metro 2. The smooth cement and glistening steel tracks were identical. They ran along the tracks and skidded to a stop at a tunnel that looked like all the rest, but I hoped it was the one we had turned down.
When they came upon a bunch of dead vampires, I knew it was the right one. I tried to see if Vilen or Ninel were there, but I didn’t get a good look. There seemed to be a lot of dead vampires though. A good sign, probably.
Suddenly, they stopped, and Alex strode out of a shadow.
“Kill him!” I yelled into the empty cell.
Drew pulled out a long knife, and I saw Alex's hands go up. Vincent grabbed him by the throat and looked back at Drew. I could see Drew struggling with what he was doing as if he wasn’t sure why he was holding his weapon.
Alex pointed down the tunnel, the look on his face was pleading. Vincent had his look of pure rage that I had seen a few times. He threw the smaller vampire down the tunnel in the opposite direction and then he and Drew ran again, heading toward my hidden tunnel.
My legs had gone numb from sitting cross-legged so long, but I knew they would arrive soon and I had to make sure they came through the wall.
They got to the end of the tunnel and stopped. I imagined Drew walking through the wall. He stared at it like it was crazy. His brow lowered as he inspected the stones. I watched him reach out and try to place his hand on the wall, his fingers fell through, and then he lurched forward.
I opened my eyes to find him at the bars in front of me a moment before Vincent.
Drew smiled and looked down at me. “Did you use some crazy magic?”
I bit my lip. “Yeah, I guess so. I need a little help to get out of here. It's spelled.”
Drew pulled on the bars and then turned and kicked them like I had been doing. He was stronger than I was without Durga though, so when he kicked it, stone dust fell, and the bar rattled. He kicked it several more times as Vincent stared at me. I kept my eyes on Drew and tried not to meet Vincent’s eyes. Things were weird between us right now. I didn’t like it.
Finally, the bar Drew had been kicking gave way. I jumped up and slipped through the small opening. It was still a tight squeeze, and I would probably have a bruise on my chest, but I made it out and then grabbed Drew’s hand and pulled him back through the hidden doorway into the tunnel.
Durga’s scream of rage was deafening as she flooded back into me. She filled every part of me like I was too small. My skin pulled and finally my arms split, and I became Durga.
Vincent found himself held against the wall by the throat. Apparently, we were blaming Vincent for the trouble his brother made for us.
“You will stay out of my way. There is no hope for the vampire you once called brother. He will die today, and if you stand in my way, you will die too!” Her voice was low and barely controlled but echoed through the tunnel like thunder.
If I had been on the receiving end of that rage, I would have probably died from the threat alone. Vincent turned his head, exposing his neck to her, and she dropped him to the floor where he coughed and sputtered.
Durga turned her back on Vincent, Drew’s eyes were wide, and she strode forward.
“You are a good and loyal warrior in my war. We must find Ninel and Vilen, and then we fight.”
“When you finish, do not return to my city, I will not try to stop you, but do not follow me,” Vincent said from the ground where he still sat. His eyes met mine and Durga snorted at him.
“You think I need your permission to go where I please?” her glare burned into him.
“No, Goddess,” he muttered.
She turned and strode down the tunnel, leaving Vincent on the ground. Drew’s feet followed along behind as she sent out our senses and found Ninel, Vilen and Singh. Those who were hers.
I wanted to look back at Vincent. I tried to force my head to look back, but Durga was too angry. She kept our eyes locked forward, but she softened the further we got from him. Finally, she let go of control, my body returned to my shape, but we were too far, I didn’t bother looking back. What was the point anyway? He didn’t want me to return to his home. We would kill his brother and then that would be that.
“It will be fine Lark,” Drew said. His voice startled me from my thoughts.
“It probably won’t, but it is what it is.”
He nodded, and we continued in silence. Durga pushed me down the main tunnel to another one where Vilen and Ninel were. Singh bounded up and rubbed his face across my stomach.
“I am sorry, Goddess.” Ninel fell to his knees and bowed his head. Vilen followed suit.
“It’s OK guys. You kind of had your hands full, let's just go, all right?”
They got to their feet, and I turned back to leave, but the giant tiger wouldn’t stop weaving in front of me and rubbing on my chest.
“Singh, we need to move. I need to get Vernon before he leaves the country.”
Singh’s purr rattled through his chest, and he finally relented and walked along beside me. We got back to the main line, and Durga pushed me into a run. I let my legs pump as fast as they could. Running was better than thinking.
I could think about how ruined my life was later. For now, Durga was sending me after Vernon.
When my knife flashed into my hand, and I came to a stop, I knew it was time to do what I had to.
“Come out,” my voice called down the tunnel.
Movement along the wall was the only warning before a body slammed into me, taking me to the ground. Behind me, I heard the sounds of battle start again. It was almost incomprehensible that more vampires lived in these tunnels. The team had already killed dozens on two occasions. Now there were more. The stories of a city beneath the city must have come from these fallen and rogue vampires who occupied this secured tunnel.
I focused on my fight and struggled to get my hand out of Vernon's tight grip. He was sitting on my chest, holding my hands above my head. I dropped my knife and finally fought one hand out from his grasp, calling my knife back to my hand before attempting to stab the vampire in the neck. He threw himself backwards, and I leapt to my feet. Diving forward, I tried to stab him again. His fist collided with my face, slamming my head back, but Durga blocked the pain. Though the punch knocked out the vision in my left eye, I could still see well enough.
Durga brought forth her sword. It was much heavier than my blade. The first swing nicked Vernon’s chest but, like a fallen vampire, he didn’t even notice. His teeth bared, he charged back in before I could swing the blade back towards him. His teeth latched onto my collarbone, just below my jugular. His bite was so strong, the bone fractured and I screamed at the loud crack sound.
Durga couldn’t stop all the pain, so she took over. Calling our knife back to my hand, she used it to slash at the vampire, getting ever closer to his neck. He grabbed the knife and pinned it down as he bit again and again at my throat. Finally, Durga broke my arm free of his grasp and used my hand to tear at his neck. I felt hot blood pour over my writs as my hand wrapped around something hard and sharp and pulled.
Vernon’s body went limp over me, crashing down and knocking the wind from my lungs. It took a moment
for my mind to catch up and realize I had just broken his neck with my bare hands. Or rather, Durga had.
Vomit swelled up my throat. I attempted to swallow it down and push the dead vampire off me, but his weight pressed hard and the vomit spilled up. I sealed my lips and thankfully someone tore the dead weight off me before it was too late. I rolled over and spewed all over the cement floor of the tunnel.
I looked behind me to find Singh shaking Vernon’s dead body. The lion's teeth clamped onto the vampires already ruined neck, and his limp arms and legs flopped across the floor. I looked away before fresh sick could climb my ravaged throat. I raised my hand to my shoulder as my collarbone snapped back into place. Looking up, I found the team working effortlessly to destroy the remaining fallen vampires.
It was as if Drew had always been part of Ninel and Vilen’s team. They watched each other's backs and fought seamlessly. Soon the last vampire fell, and the tunnel grew silent.
A slow clap came from behind me. Singh dropped his rag toy and let out a low growl. I spun on my heel, coming face to face with a man, except he had horns on his head. His eyes were glowing green, and his nostrils flared with each breath.
Durga rose dividing my arms and bringing forth all her weapons at once. She pushed me out of the way.
“I killed you,” she hissed.
The beast before me was Mahishasura, Durga saw him as I did, but flashed the sight of him as a buffalo into my mind. As a buffalo, he stood much taller. Like Singh, he grew when he shifted.
Mahishasura laughed at Durga’s words. “You think you are the only one who can return?”
Singh launched himself from the ground behind me, and in an instant, the giant buffalo Durga showed me, was standing in front of me. His great horns lowered, and he slammed into Singh, impaling him. Singh’s roar deafened me a moment before the buffalo threw him into the wall of the tunnel. The lion slid down to the ground to lay still.
The buffalo shifted back into a horned man, but now he wore a cruel smile.
“I’ll see you in the homeland,” Mahishasura said, laughing. Durga threw her weapons at the beast, but before they reached him, he disappeared. All her weapons clattered to the cement. Durga let out a bellow of rage and then disappeared back to her space inside me. Her fury still tangible and making my blood course through my veins faster than usual.
I ran to Singh and fell to my knees beside him. Running my hands over his fur to check for injuries. The buffalo horns had gored him. A trickle of blood leaked from small cuts, but his chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. I ran my hand over his thick white mane, and his yellow eyes peeled open. After a moment they focused on me, and he shifted back to a human form.
“You ok?” I whispered.
He gave me a cocky smile and winked. Little shit had been playing me. Or maybe playing Mahishasura. Perhaps it was better the Buffalo demon underestimated us.
I rose to my feet and helped Singh to his.
“Lark?” Drew said from behind me. I spun around and faced him. “That was an ugly dude.”
Typical Drew, stating the obvious. I shook my head and walked past him and the Russian vampires.
“What is the homeland?” I asked Ninel.
“India,” he replied without a second thought.
I turned and walked on down the tunnel.
“Where are you going?” Drew asked, jogging to catch up.
I didn’t know, so I didn’t answer. Alex was still in the tunnels, and he had betrayed me, but I didn’t care. Or maybe Durga didn’t care.
I wanted to find Vincent and talk to him. Fix things somehow.
There had to be a way.
I wouldn't let Durga control my whole life.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
I traversed the tunnels in a haze. My shirt was blood-soaked and clung to my chest. It had cooled to the point it should have been uncomfortable. Although my body shivered, I felt numb to the pain and the cold. My mind was spinning, and I couldn’t slow it down.
Durga had said we couldn't save Vernon, but she didn’t even try to give him a chance. She said she would, but when the moment came, we killed him. I killed him.
Durga didn’t want me to be with Vincent. I stopped dead in the middle of the tunnel. Had Durga done this to make sure that Vincent never wanted to see me again?
Suddenly I was in front of Shiva.
✽✽✽
“Did you find her?” he said as soon as his eyes landed on me.
Durga popped in beside us and Shiva jumped back as if something had burned him.
“I am fine, husband.” Her eyes swung from Shiva to me. “You,” she said, her eyes narrowing. “Are wrong if you think I killed the fallen brother to ruin your budding relationship with Vincent. Vernon was deranged, and he had to die. Vincent will see the truth eventually though you should be thanking me. I have saved you from a life under the thumb of a vampire.”
“Yes, you saved me from happiness. Now I get to keep going through my life all alone. Thank you, Goddess,” I said with enough sarcasm to ensure she knew I was not thanking her.
“How dare you speak to me in that tone,” she said in her usual haughty voice.
“How dare you take over my life and flush it down the toilet?” I replied in the same tone.
“Now, ladies, this is…”
“Shut up,” we yelled in unison at Shiva.
“Lark, Vincent will see the error of his ways. He is to be the king. He will see.”
“He looked pretty sure of himself when he told us never to come back again. That was my home! All my friends are there!”
“He can't stop us. We will return once we have slain Mahishasura and he will welcome us.”
“He won’t!”
“You still have your Warlock,” she countered.
I threw my hands up and turned away from her. It didn’t matter, anyway. This whole discussion was ridiculous. Vincent wasn’t mine. Neither was Frankie. My life was killing vampires, and that was all. I would be alone forever because that was the life they handed me. Everyone close to me died. It was better this way.
The sneaky smile vanished from Durga's face as I turned around, but I saw it. I knew she had read my thoughts. Fuck her. I didn’t care anymore. I would kill vampires and forget about everything else.
✽✽✽
“You with us?” I was lying on the ground in the tunnel. Drew stood over me.
I nodded and reached up to rub the sore spot on my head. I guess I could thank Durga for that since she apparently pulled me into meditation while I was still on my feet. I would just add it to the list of pain caused by the stupid ancient deity.
Drew helped me to my feet, and Singh rubbed his head on my stomach. Luckily Drew hadn’t let go yet because I nearly toppled back over with the rough handling by my lion. I wove my fingers into Singh’s mane.
“At least I’ve got you, eh, buddy?” His purr grew loud enough to echo down the tunnel, and I laughed unhappily at the thought of spending the next hundred years with my lion companion. I could be the crazy cat lady.
His head tipped up, and his fat, abrasive tongue ripped across my chin.
“Ouch, you shit,” I said wiping my face on my sleeve. That would definitely leave a mark. “Let's get out of here. I need to sleep for a week and drink a lot of good Russian vodka.”
Drew nodded and turned to lead us out, but Singh’s low growl filled the tunnel, and a figure stepped out from the shadows.
“Please?” Alex said, his hands raised in the universal sign of surrender. I tried to call my knife to my hand, but Durga, of all people, held me off. “I want to explain.”
“Explain why you double-crossed me and locked me in a cell to die?” I asked, rage burning through my veins.
“It was part of the plan. It had to be that way. I had no choice.”
I stared at him in shock. “You are trying to tell me that was part of the plan? You know what? I don’t even care. Durga doesn’t want you dead, so just get out of my sight.”
I strode on, honestly not caring. I wanted to sleep and drink and then go slaughter as many shitty vampires as I could find. This was my life. I would live it.
Back on the street, we were miles from the Red Square so took the metro back downtown. Vilen gave me his coat to hide the bloodstains on my shirt, but I still felt conspicuous in my hip waders. People stared at me.
A little boy across the train from me kept waving every time I looked at him. He reminded me of the boy in vision the witch had sent me. Elliot. He had the same soft hair and big eyes, but that was as far as the resemblance went. This boy didn’t have Vincent's features or mine. He didn’t look at me like I was his entire world. My heart broke a little more. I would never know a boy that looked like that.
I was still thinking about Elliot as we reached the hummer. I looked up to find Frankie leaning against the back bumper, his arms crossed over his chest, one boot crossed over the other in his classic bay boy stance. The look on his face was different though. Like he had seen a ghost.
“Hey, how did you find us?” I asked, but he continued to study me.
“Who is Elliot?” He finally asked.
Of course, he would pick up on that. Damn mind reader. I didn't want to talk about it yet. It was like a raw wound. My mind had trouble accepting I didn’t lose my little boy because I didn’t have one.
“There was a witch in the tunnel, and she used a spell to make me think I had a son.”
Frankie looked away and bit his lip.
“What is it?” I asked, stopping in front of him. I wanted to curl up in his arms, but he had them crossed over his chest and didn't reach out to me. The team went about loading their things into the trunk and climbing into the vehicle.
“Had you just woken up, Lark? Did she catch you in between?”
“No, I was just walking down the tunnel.”
He nodded and rubbed his hands over his face. “He looked like Vincent.”