Ancient Blood: A Novel of the Hegemony

by Brian McKinley

  He opened softly, drawing in his audience with a warm tone, gracious manner and relaxed gestures. Over the next few minutes, he brought the energy up a few degrees at a time, with a sudden gesture here to punctuate a joke, a gradual rise in cadence there to change a simple statement into a cutting indictment. Caroline translated a few of his better lines for me with the admission that it worked better in Latin but even I could feel his charisma.

  He never indulged in the sweeping movements and grand gestures that had been the hallmarks of Sebastian’s speech, preferring to remain still and make the listeners concentrate on his words. He also didn’t restrict himself to Latin. He transitioned to Classical Greek or French and back again, using whatever language best suited the topic.

  Within ten minutes, he had the other Hegemons chuckling at some subtle barb he’d worked in—even Sebastian. By the twenty minute mark, a stirring note crept into his speech that allowed him to show off his full range of vocal proficiency. This feeling built, becoming strident and unquestionable, the voice of passionate justice itself. When he dropped to a near whisper for the conclusion, I had to fight the urge to applaud.

  After a dramatic pause, Iago continued in a grave tone. “He’s introducing the subject of the disc and photos,” Caroline explained.

  We watched as Iago addressed Julia, obviously asking her to vouch for the time and place shown in the footage. With stiff formality, Julia did.

  Sebastian shot up out of his chair, denying the charges.

  Slick as buttered grease, Iago took the floor back and called on Geoffrey to explain how the footage came to be in his possession, which the British Hegemon did with aplomb.

  Next came Julia’s big moment. Rising, she played the part of the betrayed ally and disappointed mentor to perfection as she charged Sebastian with breaching her guest rights at a Gathering and violation of a Blood Pact.

  Then of course, it was time for Iago to put the final nail in the coffin by accusing Sebastian of falsifying evidence and unjustly prosecuting him.

  “See, my plan worked perfectly,” Caroline observed.

  I pulled her close and kissed her. “Yup, all except for the part where Sebastian hoses us.”

  She managed a laugh as Draco gave Sebastian his chance to speak. The Hegemon of North America just clapped his hands together in slow, sarcastic applause.

  That was the signal for Wilkes and his men to burst through the council chamber doors with their short range flamethrowers, stunners and automatic rifles. Wilkes and the two guys with flamethrowers stayed in the doorway to provide cover while the others fanned out to cover the Hegemons, two per council member, shouting: “Hands on the table, now!”

  Draco alone leapt to his feet to fight but one of the guards hit him with a stun charge and he dropped, flailing. Wilkes closed the doors again, leaving the flamethrower guards free to cover the room.

  “Bold as always, old friend, but I suggest keeping to yer seat now,” Sebastian told Draco before addressing the others. “The next one of thou who moves shall receive lethal attention from my men. I do wish to keep ye alive for a time to bear witness to the birth of a new world but do not think to test me!”

  Behind me, Ash whispered, “Dear Lord, it’s really gonna happen.”

  We watched while on screen, Sebastian strolled back over to where Iago sat, hands flat on the tabletop. “Well, Medici, it appears that thou would have bested me yet again. I don’t claim to be surprised, for I did hope thou’d return to us the grand and cunning Iago of old but ’twould have amused me to best thee on thy home ground ‘fore springing my trap.” He shrugged and slipped out of his coat to reveal the English broadsword that hung from his belt.

  Iago just stared at him.

  It’s funny how at the big moment when he was about to start a destructive nuclear war, Sebastian seemed more relaxed and sane than he ever had before.

  “Expect no help either from beyond these walls or within,” Sebastian continued, tossing the fur coat aside and rolling his head to crack the tension out of his neck. “All thine servants are, by now, eliminated or locked away.” He gestured to Wilkes, who slid aside some kind of trick wall panel to reveal a large flat screen which, from our angle, we couldn’t see. “This screen shares the image of that in my Emergency Command Center where, at this moment, my Admiral of the Northern Pacific fleet resides. Those points ye see blinking are my submersible boats, each complete with a cache of missiles. Each awaits only the order to strike.”

  “Oh, Christ, could he act more like a James Bond villain?” I said, hoping to break the tension a little. No one even smiled.

  As Sebastian explained the chain-reaction which would result from his launches, in terms very similar to those Ash and Caroline had used, I studied Valmont. The smug bastard just lounged there, trying not to smile. Did his bizarre nature make him immune to Sebastian’s death threats, or did he have something in the works? Was Jade Tiger dead?

  “Something’s up. Look at Wilkes,” Ash said and I had to search for a second to find the man in question. He stood away from the action, in the shadows near a pillar and appeared to be listening to his Secret Service earpiece.

  “You’re right.” Caroline stepped out of my embrace to look back at him. “Jade Tiger’s group?”

  “I don’t see who else it could be.”

  Caroline nodded. “Draco always used to say the Guaiwu are difficult to kill. He claimed they had to be dismembered to stop them. After battles, he always made his men burn any remains just in case.”

  “The question is,” I added, looking back at the on-screen antics, “whether my prayers were answered, or is this the beginning of Valmont’s plan…?”

  I trailed off, as on screen, Geoffrey interrupted Sebastian’s description. “Yes, I think we all have the idea, Bastian, so let’s cut to the quick, shall we? What’s your price?”

  I felt, more than saw, Sebastian’s calm façade flicker. “My price?”

  “For calling it off?” Geoffrey prompted. I couldn’t believe my ears.

  Julia cleared her throat, sitting up straighter. “Certainly we are all much impressed with the cunning thought and flawless execution of this maneuver but pray, do not think our patience endless. The judicatus can be yours, of course, along with the traditional amnesty. However, I shan’t even discuss such things until you first remove these men so that we may do so like civilized creatures. I do not parley at sword-point.”

  Sebastian trembled in fury but they weren’t paying attention. I found myself hoping Sebastian would kill them all.

  “Well put, good Lady,” Geoffrey said. “Yes, the judicatus is well-earned, perhaps a small concession or two but no more. After all, you have rather bluffed yourself into a corner here, haven’t you? You can’t launch and you certainly can’t kill us—”

  “Cease this witless prating this instant or I’ll take the poxy heads from thy shoulders in the next!” Sebastian shouted, yanking his sword out of its scabbard. The Feral was out now and there was no putting it back. Glancing at Caroline, I saw my fears reflected in her expression.

  “My price, ye dare ask!” Sebastian strode across the room and back again in semi-crouch, slashing the air around him. He came close to chopping down his own men a couple of times but they never even flinched. Fanatics, every one. “My price is the everlasting silence of each of thee! Have ye not the wit to discern I am as good as my words after our long acquaintance? My man shall see to the launch apace and ye shall all be witness to the end of The Game! Thee shall all go to thine desserts with the bitter knowledge that ‘twas simple Sebastian engineered thy undoing!”

  He threw back his head and screamed at the ceiling. “Thy tainted blood shall spill into the mouths of warriors and hunters who will rise up and reclaim this world for the simple honesty of strength and weakness, human and Vampyr, predator and prey!”

  “Sebastian.”

  Any other voice would have been ignored but this voice belonged to Iago. They locked gazes.

  �
��Your wrath is deep and justly come by,” the Judicis said, calm and without any hint of challenge in his posture. “But I beg you not to punish millions of blameless mortals in your desire for vengeance. Let this example be enough, Sebastian, I pray you. End this madness now, with no further harm and I make you a solemn pledge that I will allow no harm to come to you. Forfeiting your position as Hegemon of North America, you and any who would follow you will be given safe conduct to the Neutral Territory of your choosing where you will be free to live without interference from The Order. I offer you this in recognition and part compensation for the role I have played in bringing us to this moment.”

  It was a damn good offer. As Iago spoke, I prayed to the Goddess for Sebastian to see the sense in it and allow the crisis to end without bloodshed. For a few seconds, as Sebastian twitched in indecision, it looked like it could happen.

  I wasn’t too surprised though when Sebastian growled and put the point of his sword just under Iago’s chin. “Thy silver tongue makes such a poor bargain seem near to salvation, old snake, yet thou shall not make this man thy fool ag—”

  “Majesty!” Wilkes cried, un-slinging his assault rifle and indicating the doors. “Flame units, about face!”

  Sebastian spun to face the door, raising his sword. The two guards with the flamethrowers had already done likewise, stepping back to cover it. “The rest of thee, stay sharp upon the Hegemons,” Sebastian ordered. “Cut them down at first action!”

  The Shen! This was it!

  Caroline clutched me tight as I returned the favor.

  Had my first attempt at magic worked or were we only trading one evil maniac for another?

  Another second ticked by in silence and everyone froze in place, waiting.

  * * * * *

  I’ve had to watch this part of the footage in slow-motion to catch it all. In reality, it was over in seconds.

  There’s a crack from the massive doors as they crash down onto the marble floor with a rumble like thunder.

  One flamethrower blasts. A Guaiwu catches fire as it charges!

  The second guard isn’t as quick. A Guaiwu’s first swipe tears his firing arm out of its socket while the second rips out the larger portion of his neck.

  Wilkes fires a stream of bullets at the burning, still charging Guaiwu as it struggles closer to the retreating flamethrower guard.

  Sebastian leaps at the unharmed Guaiwu. It turns but too late. Sebastian splits the creature down to its waist with his blade!

  A genuine tiger crosses the fallen doors and takes stock of the situation. Wilkes shifts to fire at it but it dodges to the side.

  The burning Guaiwu collapses at the same moment as its split brother.

  The tiger tackles the flamethrower guard from the side, crushing his throat with a quick bite. Yes! I think, knowing the tiger form can only mean one thing.

  Wilkes takes aim at it but Sebastian shoves him aside and tackles the tiger. The pair tumble and bite, Sebastian in full savage mode. It’s extraordinary to see a man, even a man as big as Sebastian, hold his own against the three-hundred pounds of solid muscle in a female Indochinese Tiger. It’s jaw-dropping however, to see the man gain the advantage!

  Grabbing hold of both a front and back leg, Sebastian avoids a bite that would have taken out half his face and ducks his head beneath the tiger’s underbelly. The tiger clamps its bloody muzzle onto the forearm that holds its front leg, breaking the bones with a single wet crunch but Sebastian ignores the injury as he struggles to regain his footing. Everyone in the council chamber watches in undisguised awe as he does this and then climbs to his full height with the thrashing tiger draped across his shoulders!

  With a hoarse cry through clenched teeth, he clutches the tiger by its throat with the hand of his bloody, shattered arm and lifts… The wild, struggling beast rises up and up, high above his head. Something like a howl comes from deep in Sebastian’s chest as he hurls the tiger through the air almost five feet.

  The animal smacks hard into one of the room’s marble columns, breaking its spine (to judge by the way it twitches and slides around on the floor) before flowing back to the shape of Jade Tiger.

  * * * * *

  My first thought was: I did it! I actually used the power of my will to wake her up!! Oh, thank you, Goddess, thank you for answering my prayer!

  My second, watching Sebastian drag Jade Tiger’s paralyzed body over to her chair and set her in it, was: But it didn’t work.

  “And now … all are … accounted for,” we heard Sebastian gloat between gulps of air.

  I felt Caroline’s hopes blow out of her body on an exhale. She tried to hide her eyes from me but I could see the tears. I took her into my arms and rocked her back and forth.

  “So, I guess that’s it,” Ash said for all of us.

  I heard Wilkes assure Sebastian that everyone else had been “pacified,” including Draco’s Revenants, before the assault on Jade Tiger’s suite had begun and that her attack represented the last possible resistance. Sebastian ordered Wilkes to go begin the missile launch.

  “It’ll be all right,” I told her. “It always looks hopeless for the heroes before things turn around.”

  She was too weary to argue. Good enough for me.

  I had no reason to believe things would be okay but for some reason, I did. It made no sense but some combination of newfound faith in the Goddess and my lifelong belief that true heroism will always triumph over the schemes of madmen, made me certain that human civilization couldn’t end before we got our last shot at stopping it. After all, why would any self-respecting deity step in to answer the prayer of an ordinary schmoe like me (Vampyr or not) and help me wake Jade Tiger up if said deity knew she was gonna fumble the play?

  That’s when I heard a thud at the end of the hall.

  The next sound was unmistakable, a key unlocking the prison gate at the end of the hall and that gate rattling open!

  Caroline jumped out of my arms and pressed herself against the bars of our cell. I did the same just in time to see Flea come into view holding the guard’s keys.

  You go, Goddess!

  “Oh, thank God,” Caroline said. “You’re just in time!”

  Flea gave me a sullen glare. “Mistress, send me free you. Wake up too early.”

  “Was this right before Sebastian’s people came to fight?”

  She tried the first key on the ring but it wouldn’t fit. “No. Early. Mistress, have to make pretty first.”

  Jade Tiger delayed her attack until she fixed herself up?

  Ash approached the door as Flea went for the second key on the ring, saying, “Here, let me—”

  That’s when the little Shen noticed Jade Tiger sitting under guard with the rest of the Hegemons. Following her thinking, I leapt toward her, sticking my arm through the bars to grab for the key ring but she was faster. With a malevolent grin, Flea flew backward.

  Giggling, she did a happy dance there in the hall. “Mistress fail! Jean-Paul win!” Valmont’s name came out ‘Jom-Paw’ in her fractured English.

  “Wait!” Caroline said. “Please, just let us out of here! We have to stop the missiles!”

  Flea stuck out her tongue and turned to watch the events on screen. “Piss on all you! Missile launch and Jade Tiger go to Hell and Jean-Paul love Flea and rule world!”

  That did it.

  We were too close to let ourselves be stopped by the Vampire Princess Miyu here. I held Caroline back and stepped forward. “Listen to me, you disgusting little insect!”

  Her head snapped over to face me, her mouth opening to object.

  “Shut up,” I continued. “I’m gonna lay out the facts for you and then you have thirty seconds to make a decision, got it? Jean-Paul isn’t gonna win, even if Sebastian’s missile attack succeeds. While I was bargaining with your Mistress, Caroline here made contact with DeWinter, a very powerful lord of Sebastian’s and warned him what Sebastian was planning. They can’t stop the first missiles from being launched but
they’ve already put the word out to stop the other Domains from firing back. The only Domain that will suffer if those missiles launch is yours. That powerful lord is on his way here with his soldiers to kill Sebastian and save the Hegemons. Our job is to stop the missiles in case he doesn’t get here in time. If you stop us from completing our mission, I will tell your Mistress about how you could have saved China but didn’t. She’ll also hear about your affair with Jean-Paul and the things you do to her when she sleeps. Now, you have thirty seconds to give us those keys.”

  By letting my anger out in such a measured way, I was trying to take advantage of the submissiveness she’d been conditioned for as a Chinese servant. I watched her expression crumble as my barrage of harsh words sank in. Her eyes scanned the floor and her tiny frame began to tremble.

  “If I give keys, you p-promise no matter what you not tell no one of Flea and Jean-Paul?” I could hear her holding in sobs.

  Yes, she was a vicious, conniving bitch but she was also a young girl in love. I couldn’t help feeling just a little bit bad, having been a victim of such tactics myself.

  “Yes,” I said. “We all promise not to tell your Mistress about you and Jean-Paul.” Caroline and Ash quickly nodded their assurances.

  Flea peeked up at me and I saw the tears spilling down her face. “And Jean-Paul. You promise no make trouble for him with Judicis?” When I hesitated, she dropped to her knees. “Please! He only try to love worthless Flea! Please no give trouble for him!”

  I sighed, turning away. I wonder if there’s anything in the world that a crying girl can’t make me do. “All right, we promise. We won’t get Valmont in trouble. Now, hurry up!”