E.V.I.E.: 13 Slayers, 13 Missions

by Lexi C. Foss

  “I know that.”

  “Solange De’Mers has more talents than just being a master of martial arts — she’s got witchery on her side. One is not descended from the most powerful coven in the Americas without having a mastery of witchcraft as well. Her bloodline, along with her mastery of the martial arts she so readily excels at, is what put her on our radar. We need this girl.”

  “I’m trying. But you can’t push too hard. She is still legally a minor. And Marceline will cut us off before we even get a chance for a meeting with her.”

  Jude thought about the issues rattling around in his brain, and pursed his lips before deciding to just say it. “We have a clean up crew on site in Venezuela this morning. Almost an entire village wiped out. Every man, every woman, every child down to even the babies were killed. Those he fed from were the lucky ones. Some just torn in half and strewn across the rooms, not even bled first. They were just viciously torn apart, murdered. For what reason? Why would he do that? There was no reason to kill the babies. They couldn’t possibly speak of what they'd seen. What is the reason?”

  Gillian closed her eyes and offered up a quick little prayer for the souls of those that had been slaughtered during the night when her biggest problem had been trying to figure out how to reach Solange De’Mers through her obstinate great grandmother.

  “Did he leave any of them alive this time?” Gillian asked.

  “Same as always whenever one fits his type. A tall, thin, brown-haired girl with sad quiet eyes. He raped her repeatedly, then forced her to feed from him. But this time, he spoke to her. He left her alive this time. He kept telling her that he’d searched for her for years, and now that he had her, his mouse, he’d make sure that she was not left hungry again. When the girl objected and vomited up the blood he forced down her throat, he became enraged and almost tore her throat out with his fangs.”

  “Oh my God,” Gillian whispered.

  “He kept feeding from her, then feeding her from himself, until he finally seemed to see her through clear eyes, realized she wasn’t his mouse, and threw her against a wall in a fit of anger before disappearing and leaving her for dead.”

  “Can we speak to her anymore? Did his actions ultimately kill her?” Gillian asked.

  “No, we can’t speak to her. She was near hysterical, not fully understanding all that had happened to her. After we got all the information we could from her, we ended her. We had no choice, he’d turned her. And if she is infected with whatever virulent psychotic nature he’s harboring, we cannot afford to wait until she succumbs to it. It is best if she is eliminated now, rather than having to search her out again later.” Jude thought about the fact that he’d had to give the directive to kill the girl that had just been savaged by a vampire. It bothered him, but not as much as allowing her to walk away would have bothered him. “For what it’s worth, she didn’t know it was coming — we are not monsters…” he added when explaining that they’d had to kill her.

  Gillian took a deep shaky breath. This was the part of her job she hated the most. The necessary disposal of innocents who’d been turned through no fault of their own. They were not willing participants, yet they had to be terminated in order to keep human civilization safe. Or at least as safe as it could be.

  “He’s escalating, Gillian. Every single attack is becoming more violent. He is becoming more unhinged. We need Solange De’Mers on our side. Perhaps her magics can help us locate this vampiric pestilence and remove it from the face of the earth. We’ve tried all else and just simply cannot locate him.”

  “I’m trying.”

  “Try harder.”

  The line went dead and Gillian dropped her phone into her lap. Most days she was proud of her job, of her path in life and the way she personally helped keep the world just a little bit safer through E.V.I.E.’s observation and eventual elimination of vampires moving freely among humankind. But today, she got no satisfaction from it. Today, she mourned for the souls lost overnight, when a clearly insane vampire had gone on a rampage and killed all in his path.

  5

  Eighteen Months Later

  “Excellent, Solange. Very good, child. Now, let’s try it again,” Marceline encouraged.

  Solange lifted her double-sided Japanese blade and rushed across the room, tossing it away as she went to symbolize it being removed or lost during battle. She didn’t pause in her movements, instead she continued on, positioning her hands and arms as though they still held the sword, until eventually, one appeared there. Not of the same type she’d tossed aside, but one of light. This sword was blue and it shimmered like the northern lights in the sky. Solange gripped it, but not too tightly so that it wouldn’t be split into two and become two separate weapons. She just needed the one. Just the one was easier to handle than two, at least of the magical kind…

  Solange held the shimmering sword just tight enough and ran at the human-sized practice dummy that had been set up in the ballroom that had become her practice studio — her very own martial arts training studio. She plunged the shimmering blade into the dummy and after an initial high-pitched hum, the dummy burst into flame at the point of impact. Without turning, Solange flicked her fingers this way and that, causing other, smaller weapons to leave their places on the wall and shelves and plunge themselves into the dummy as well. Then she closed her eyes, leaving her hands at her sides and used her mind, only her mind, to bring her katana sword back to her. As it lifted off the floor where she’d discarded it and hurtled through the air toward her, Solange simply raised her hand to accept it and seemingly effortlessly wrapped her fingers around it and held it relaxedly at her side.

  “Excellent, Solange. You are mastering your powers in such a way I’ve rarely before seen. I am very proud of you.”

  “Thank you, Grandmama.”

  “Have you been practicing your cloaking spell as I taught you?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I practice it regularly. So much so that I often find it running through my head without a conscious thought from me to start it.”

  “That is as it should be. No one — not a single living person — should ever know of that which you keep cloaked. It could be seen as a weakness, a way for some — if they chose to, to be able to take advantage of you. A reason to do you harm. That cannot be allowed, no other, ever, should know of it.”

  “I know, Grandmama. Only we know, you and I.”

  “And your talisman?” Marceline asked.

  “I wear it always,” Solange said, pulling the small, gold cross hanging from its golden chain from her cleavage and displaying it to her great grandmother.

  Marceline approached Solange slowly, using the walking cane to assist her. She hated the cane and resented the image of a weakened old woman it portrayed, but without it, she just couldn’t get around as well as she once did. Solange held still, patiently waiting for Marceline to reach her.

  Marceline reached out toward the cross that Solange wore, taking it gently in her hands and running her still long, elegant fingers, with an impeccable manicure across it over and over, ‘reenergizing’ it with the protection spell she first put on it all those years ago when Solange first went through puberty. Finally, satisfied that it was as strong and protective as it had ever been, she let it drop back to Solange’s chest.

  “I am very proud of you, Solange. Others may think that I’ve been too hard on you, steered you in the direction I thought you should go rather than allowing you to choose your own.” Marceline stood, regarding Solange, and a shadow of regret passed briefly over her face. “Perhaps I did. But it was not without reason. You will need these gifts, these skills, I’ve insisted you learn. You will need to be stronger than anyone, more adept at reading people than anyone, more sure of yourself than anyone. These things will keep you safe, they’ll keep you alive. No matter what happens, be sure to keep up with your studies, your training. Do not ever stop learning and improving. Each time you best yourself, set a new goal, then do what is necessary to best that one as
well.”

  “I understand, Grandmama.”

  Marceline watched her quietly for a moment. “Very well, then. It’s time to get dressed for dinner. Tonight we will have guests.”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’ll dress appropriately.”

  “I’m sure you will,” Marceline answered, watching Solange as she gathered her things and began to exit the room.

  Just as she got almost to the door Marceline spoke again. “I do love you, Solange. I always have.”

  Solange stopped, but she didn’t turn around. She knew that her great grandmother loved her, but it had always been a strained relationship. After all, it was her birth that heralded the end of her mother, Marceline’s granddaughter’s life. Solange’s existence was bittersweet at best. “I know, Grandmama. And I you.”

  As Solange approached the dining room, she heard conversation of only four voices. She realized that only Marceline, Pauline, and their guests were mingling in the dining room. The rest of the coven must have been asked to dine elsewhere this evening, or in their rooms.

  Solange looked down at herself, hoping that she was dressed appropriately. She smoothed her hands down the classic, little black dress she’d donned for this evening’s dinner. It was simple, rayon, with scalloped capped sleeves, a scalloped scoop neckline, and a matching scalloped hem that fell just at the knee. She paired it with simple black flats and wore tiny stud crosses for her earrings that matched the ever-present, spelled golden cross at her neck. She let her dark hair fall loosely below her shoulders and caught the top back with a clip as dark as her hair.

  Solange stepped into the dining room and paused, waiting for them to notice her. It wasn’t necessary. The eyes of both their guests snapped to attention and looked directly at her the moment she entered. She smiled hesitantly. “Hello.”

  “Hello,” both of them answered.

  “Solange, this is Gillian Laurant and Jude Reyes. They’ve asked to meet with you, and I thought that perhaps it would be more comfortable for you if you were in your own home, with your family to support you. Hence, tonight’s dinner.”

  Solange watched her Grandmama as she explained, and it was clear she’d rather not be having this conversation or this dinner, but she was enduring it. So, it must be something that though she didn’t like it, had to be worth the time she was allowing it.

  Jude spoke first. “Solange, we are thrilled to be given the chance to speak with you. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” He stepped forward and reached out presumably to shake Solange’s hand, but when Solange put her hand out to shake, Jude enveloped it in both of his and held her hand warmly between both of his, almost as though his hands were hugging hers.

  A little put off, but not overly alarmed, Solange put a little effort behind it and took her hand back.

  Solange’s eyes wandered over to Gillian, a pretty, yet business type, with auburn hair cut in a bob that brushed the tops of her shoulders. “Solange, thank you for allowing us to come to speak with you. I know this is a surprise to you, but I hope that by the end of the evening, you’ll understand why we’ve wanted to meet with you for such a long time.”

  “It’s nice to meet you both,” Solange answered.

  “Why don’t we have a seat and allow dinner to be served?” Marceline asked, indicating with a wave of her arm that they should take their seats.

  Marceline moved toward her seat at the head of the very long table and spoke to Solange as she did. “Solange, you will take your regular seat. Pauline, you will sit beside Solange. Please, Mr. Reyes and Ms. Laurant, take your places to my left. I believe this arrangement will make conversation easier as Solange will be across from you and can easily make eye contact while you speak.”

  Solange lowered her head and looked down at the floor as she followed her Grandmama to their places at the table. She was doing her best to cover the smile she couldn’t fight as Grandmama very clearly made it known that she’d effectively separated their guests from Solange, even though Solange was their main reason for being there.

  Through the salad and appetizer courses, Solange listened halfheartedly as both Mr. Reyes and Ms. Laurant made small talk with Pauline and Grandmama. Finally, as the main course was served, cornish hens on a bed of wild rice and seared green beans, Grandmama turned the conversation to Solange.

  “It is my understanding that you wish to recruit my great granddaughter for your organization,” Marceline said matter-of-factly.

  “We do. But it is more than that,” Mr. Reyes said. “We are a network of people, a family if you will, of those who are aware of and attuned to, those who are at the very core of evil in this world.”

  Solange placed a small bite of food in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully as she watched Mr. Reyes try to captivate her with the dramatic flare he placed on his revelation, while at the same time, sitting next to him, Ms. Laurant tried to hide the roll of her eyes that she just couldn't stop.

  “And what kind of evil would that be?” Solange asked.

  “Vampirism. We belong to an organization of those who have dedicated their lives to the elimination of vampiric influences. In fact, our name is derived from the very thing we do.”

  “Really?” Solange asked, feigning ignorance. The moment he’d said vampires were the ultimate evil, she’d known exactly who they were. Her Grandmama had schooled her well in their mission and focus, as she had with other such organizations who thought to rid the world of any they considered other. But this one was of particular interest to herself and her Grandmama.

  “Yes, really. Surely you know of their existence. Your lineage being what it is…” Mr. Reyes continued.

  “My lineage?” Solange asked.

  “Well, yes. You’re descended from the De’Mers line. I’m sure the existence of those different from ourselves is not news to you.”

  “Oh, I see. No, it is not news to us. But… just for the sake of argument, you are aware that all ‘other’ as you call them, are not bad?” Solange said in a veiled attempt to jab at him just because she could.

  “Of course. Well aware,” he said.

  Ms. Laurant sat beside him, picking at her food, a slight smile on her face.

  “And you, Ms. Laurant, what is your position with the E.V.I.E. organization?” Marceline asked.

  “I’m Cell Director for the New Orleans location,” Gillian answered. “And please, call me Gillian. Ms. Laurant is far too formal.”

  Marceline nodded regally and moved her attention to Mr. Reyes. “And you, Mr. Reyes, you are the Oversight Director of all of E.V.I.E.”

  “Yes, ma’am. I am. And it’s Jude. Please call me Jude.”

  “Thank you, we will.”

  “Perhaps if you were to lay out exactly why you wanted to meet with me, it would help us all to relax a bit and cut through all the bullsh… smoke and mirrors, to be able to discuss exactly what you want,” Solange had caught herself about to say bullshit in front of her Grandmama, and thankfully stopped in time. Grandmama demanded a very tight line in terms of behavior, not just from Solange, but from everyone involved in the coven. There was no need to stoop to using foul language, and to conduct oneself in any manner other than respectfully and with dignity was beneath one. Of course, she looked the other way whenever it was necessary to protect one of her own, or of her coven, but still, she managed to deliver death and or punishment with a quiet almost apologetic stance. Kind of like that old joke where the punchline was, ‘I’m sorry your honor, but he needed killing’. Marceline was raised in another time, almost literally born in another century, and to her there was no reason for anything to be done without grace and pride in oneself and one’s duties.

  6

  Mr. Reyes — Jude — had put down his fork and knife and looked intently at Solange. “We want you to join our organization, Solange.”

  Solange was surprised, her left eyebrow rose in reaction.

  “Why?” Solange asked.

  “Because we believe you are uniquely qualified to assist us,” Ju
de answered.

  “I know nothing about your organization, and I’ve never been exposed to it, nor any of you to me. What makes you think I’d be an asset?”

  “Your lineage. You come from a long line of very powerful witches. We have no doubt you yourself have talents the likes of which we can only guess. You’ve steadily moved through the ranks of all the martial arts practices Sensei Franco Advinadeto presented to you. You’ve not only moved through the training, absorbing all you’ve been taught, you’ve mastered them. You are gifted in hand-to-hand combat, a master with the katana blade. You can kill a man with the bow or psi, and can out battle anyone on the ground using your Jiu Jitsu techniques. Once you add in the powers that flow in your blood, and your unique ability to move among humans and others without being detected as anything other than a young woman, and the years of your research into vampires, their habits and their weaknesses and their strengths, I believe that you would be a great asset to our organization. Join us, Solange. You do not have to work alone.”

  Solange didn’t want to tip her hand, but she resented the fact that these people seemed to have kept tabs on her throughout her life. “Exactly how long have you stalked me?” she asked, sitting back in her chair and pinning Jude with a steady glare. She was no longer a little girl. She was a young woman, approaching twenty years old, and if she was irritated by the attention someone paid to her personal life, she had every right and intention of calling them on it.

  “Stalked you?” Jude asked, taken aback. “We haven’t stalked you, just began to pay attention to you when you obviously took martial arts training to another level; then when the research started, we couldn’t help but take notice of you. You are born to become a part of E.V.I.E. We would be honored to have you become a part of us.”