Broken Souls

by Jade M. Phillips

  Some of the faces I didn’t recognize, but others I did, like Lola and her husband, the nice werewolf farmers who took me under their wing. Other werewolf families joined too, ones I’d had the pleasure to meet earlier that night. Even some of the children helped to hold the torches. But to my surprise, werewolves I didn’t expect to see at all, stood tall lighting our way.

  The three young males who’d given me trouble at the Crystal Palace Saloon smiled sheepishly as I walked by. I gave them a nod of encouragement and a forgiving smile. Humpty and Dumpty, who’d guarded me those first weeks when imprisoned in the jail, stood proud, their heads held high. Humpty gave me a wink and I smiled in return. Guy squeezed my hand and I glanced over, the angles of his jaw highlighted by the flames.

  “I guess we won’t have to worry about any guards stopping us tonight,” he whispered. I smiled deeply and shook my head. He was right, no one would be stopping us tonight. And despite living in the cruel city for the last few months, I couldn’t help but think I would miss it. I’d made friends here, people who actually cared.

  We continued walking down the path, every turn we made through town was lined with smiling faces, their torches held high. We neared our destination, the watchtower appearing over the building tops. My heart swelled when I saw the warm faces of the infirmary witches as they watched us approach. I spotted Morin and my smile broadened, thinking of how she had voted for my life when put on trial. I’d always had a soft spot in my heart for her since the day I met her, appreciative of her kind gestures.

  Morin returned my smile and shifted her weight, the bells on her skirt jingling as we passed by. Guy tugged on my arm and I looked to him, curious. With his chin, he gestured to a tall building across the street. I raised my gaze to see a dark figure standing on top. I stopped. I didn’t even have to use my vampire sight to know who it was. The broad shoulders and long black ponytail flapping in the breeze was indication enough. Jax’s silhouette stood tall, watching over our procession like an overprotective brother. I let out a breathy laugh, unable to control the mist forming in my eyes. I turned to Guy and he nodded toward the watchtower with his head. Toward our escape.

  “It’s time.” His voice was deep and solid, back to normal.

  I grinned, joy and relief overwhelming me. I took a few steps but turned back to the tall building where Jax had been. He was gone and behind us, witches and werewolves receded into the darkness, the light from their flames disappearing into alleyways and side streets. After a few moments, we found ourselves standing alone, just Guy and me in the darkness. The breeze whistled through the street and caught my hair as we approached the tall watchtower. According to Orie we wouldn’t even have to open up the large gates, instead using a side door that lead into the watchtower and furthermore into the outside world. And if my guess was right, that door would be unlocked.

  Guy turned the handle and the door swung open with ease. But dread rushed through me at what we saw inside. Instead of finding an empty room leading to our freedom like I thought, we found ourselves face to face with the barrel of a gun, Pandora on the other end.

  FORTY-FOUR: RUBY

  I froze, confusion gushing through me over seeing Pandora inside the watchtower holding a gun. I first wondered how she knew of our escape, but that thought quickly led to another. If she did in fact know of our plans, I’d have hoped she’d be on our side, but that prospect was apparently squashed by the way she pointed the gun between Guy’s eyes. Fear fought with anger and I inwardly scolded myself for my earlier confidence in this whole thing. I should’ve known it was too good to be true, our escape plan having been too easy.

  Frustration flared inside of me and my fangs shot out sharply. Because of her connection to Wilson, I didn’t want to hurt Pandora, but on the other hand I would do anything to allow us our freedom. We’d come too far to be stopped now. I took a step forward.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Pandora swung the gun to me, and I halted, seeing her face empty of any emotion. “This gun is loaded with silver bullets and could put you in your permanent grave, Ruby Carter.”

  I held Pandora’s dark green gaze, wondering what exactly her intentions were. Did she plan on killing us? Would she turn us in? But after a moment, I let go of those questions and turned my focus to escaping. I scanned the room, surveying our options.

  We stood in a small chamber with two doors. One door we’d come through from Tombstone and the other led to the outside world, to freedom. A winding staircase disappeared through the ceiling and I assumed it went to the top of the tower. Empty bar mugs littered a long desk and a key hung above from a nail in the wall. It was marked “Van,” and I assumed that to be the van we needed to get away from here. But Pandora blocked our way.

  I shifted my gaze to Guy, his face red and fists clenched. I knew he was on the verge of attacking Pandora, but not only was he still weak, despite my blood, and needed more time to heal, he stood unarmed against an experienced vampire. I slowly raised a hand and placed it against his chest indicating he should hold back. I turned to Pandora.

  “It doesn’t have to be like this. You can just let us go and no one will ever know you were here.”

  She didn’t respond, but let silence fall thick in the room. The three of us studied each other, frozen in place, my heart knocking against the inside of my ribcage like an iron fist. Pandora shook her head.

  “I cannot do that.” She shifted the gun, aiming it back at Guy.

  My anger flared, and I wanted to rush her and get the gun away. But before I attempted to propel myself forward, she continued, her voice as cold as a headstone.

  “I cannot let you leave… unprotected.” My brows furrowed and Guy’s face mirrored my confusion. Pandora flipped the six-shooter in her hand, the barrel now pointing at herself and the handle at Guy. She offered the weapon to him.

  “Even though you are an experienced hunter, Captain,” she said, “you are a sitting duck in this town.”

  Guy made no move to reach for the weapon. Instead, he considered the vampire warily. But he didn’t know Pandora like I did, and even though she was one of them, deep in the depths of her ferocious façade shone a ray of light. I’d always sensed a shred of kindness and sympathy in her and I’d been wrong to doubt her.

  “She’s a friend of Wilson’s,” I said softly, sliding Guy a glance. “Pandora is Nora’s sister.”

  Though at times it’d been complicated, Guy and Wilson had a long-standing relationship. Guy knew who Nora was, the love of Wilson’s life, and now he knew Pandora was her sister. Guy weighed my words carefully, trying to make sense of this whole thing.

  “It’s okay,” I said, offering him encouragement, hoping he wouldn’t do anything rash.

  Guy licked his cracked lips and shifted his gaze toward me. After a moment, he reached out and took the weapon from Pandora. Quickly, he stepped back and aimed the gun at her. He grabbed me with his other arm and pulled me into his chest as if to protect me. Pandora stood unfazed by the weapon pointing at her, flipping her long red hair back over her shoulders. She turned her attention to me.

  “I’m going to miss you, Ruby,” she said, her voice dry and monotone, “Even though you’ve been a huge pain in my ass.”

  I laughed as Guy lowered his weapon, the tension in the room melting away like ice on the first day of spring. My body relaxed, thinking the Pandora I knew was back. She was back, and despite everything that happened, she was on our side.

  “Thank you,” I breathed, glad she wasn’t there to stop us after all, and instead, lending us our freedom. Pandora shifted her weight, her lips pursing.

  “Don’t thank me. Thank Wilson. If not for him, you’d have been dead months ago. And if I ever see you again, don’t expect any help from me.”

  I smiled and nodded, expecting nothing less from her. Either way, I was grateful. With Guy’s arm still around my waist, I grabbed the key from the wall for our van that would be waiting on the other side, with Cloe, Orie and the humans
inside. Pandora moved to the door leading to the outside as if to open it for us. But she stopped.

  “You’d best be fast,” she warned. “Not only will the sun be rising shortly, but as soon as the lockdown ends there are going to be a lot of pissed-off vampires looking for you. Even though Horus is a creep, he still has a lot of Unfortunates loyal to him.” Guy and I exchanged glances, but nodded in agreement. Pandora turned the handle. “I will see you as far as the van, but then I’m gone. I need to get back before the alarm sounds again.”

  The door swung open and the three of us stepped out, our breaths collectively hitching in our chests. The first thing we saw was Horus’ black eyes bearing down on us. He laughed maniacally.

  “Glad you all showed up to the party. I was afraid we’d have to start without you.”

  FORTY-FIVE: RUBY

  My heart skipped a beat when the watchtower door slammed shut behind us, trapping Guy, Pandora, and I between the looming Tombstone gates and the impossible scene in front of us. Pandora jiggled the door, but it had been locked from the inside, confirming the fact that we were indeed stuck. My attention flashed to the unexpected crowd in front of us, and I couldn’t help but groan for our awful stroke of luck.

  Natalia stood a few spans away in her ridiculous dress, looking like the entire Victorian era had thrown up all over her. Yet despite her garish garments of velvet, gold, and lace, she had Orie by the neck, her fangs ready to rip out his throat.

  A whimper then brought my attention to Cloe who hung in the grasp of another large vampire, his sharp claws pressing into her shoulders. Her weakened body hung limp as her frightened eyes searched my face for help. Frantically, I continued scanning the scene.

  Behind the vampires and their hostages stood our escape van, its back door opened, but nobody inside. The humans who should’ve already been loaded, were instead huddled together on the ground, a group of at least ten vampires surrounding them.

  And last but not least, out in front of it all was my best friend Horus, his arms wide open in a welcoming gesture. I narrowed my eyes at him, but the vampire leader was more interested in Guy at the moment.

  “I told you, Captain Stone, I’m a very patient man, and do you see what my patience has brought me?” Horus swept his hand around, gesturing to us and the humans. “It has brought me all of you.” Horus’ gaze then slid to Pandora and he smiled wickedly. “And with an added bonus. I was always right about you, Pandy. You’re weak, a mere shadow of what you could’ve been. If only the Patriarch was here to see the irony, his little ginger Overseer breaking the rules and going against everything he set in place to keep our community whole.”

  I glanced to Pandora, fearing for her just as much as everyone else. She stood tall, her chin held high with dignity, though I sensed her fear and her dread. I knew in the slim chance we were to get away, she would never be welcomed back into the gates of Tombstone because of us. I hated the fact that by siding with me and Guy, she’d decided her fate and forfeited the life she’d built for herself for so long. Decades of loyalty gone, all because of us. Guilt crushed my insides, but my emotions were interrupted when Guy stepped forward in front of Pandora and me.

  “It is me you want. I’m the one with information. If you let them go, I will tell you everything.”

  Horus scoffed. “We’ve been down that road before, Captain Stone. I already have what I need from you so make this easy on yourself and step aside. Only the strong survive and you are a mere pawn in this game. A weak human.” Guy’s ears turned red but he held his confidence. His thumb slowly moved across the gun he held down to his side. He cocked it with a soft click but kept it down. I held my breath.

  Horus’ gaze slid to the gun and he chuckled. “A gun?”

  Whimpering came from the group of humans as the vampires around them took a step closer. Horus smiled, his attention on Guy unwavering.

  “You plan on killing me with a gun? And I thought you were a well-trained vampire killer. You should know better.”

  “This gun,” Guy said, lightly tapping the trigger. “This gun is loaded with silver bullets. One shot to the head and you’re as good as a heap of vampire guts stuck to the ground.”

  Horus didn’t even flinch, an eerie smile plastered across his lips. His confidence was so bold, he hadn’t even extended his fangs yet. He took one step closer.

  “You underestimate my stealth, Captain,” Horus replied. “Aside from the Patriarch, I am one of the oldest vampires alive today. I can have that gun from you in the blink of an eye.”

  My heart slammed hard in my chest, anxiety coursing through me. What was Guy doing? Why would he threaten one of the oldest vampires alive? But despite my worry, Guy exuded determination by just the way he stood, and I knew he would stop at nothing to see me safe.

  “Yes, I do not doubt that, Horus,” Guy said. “I know how fast a vampire can be. But what you don’t know is, I’ve recently fed on vampire blood myself and might be nearly as fast as you.”

  Again, Horus laughed, the pitch high and screechy. He shook his head.

  “The best a vampire’s blood can do for you is heal your wounds and increase your strength. But you are still a human after all. Your strength and speed can never match that of a vampire, especially not a vampire of my league.”

  “Under normal circumstances, I would agree,” Guy said. “Yet, I do believe you underestimate my knowledge, Horus. Not only have I fed from a vampire, but I’ve fed from a special kind of vampire, one who is much stronger than you.”

  Horus’ jaw flinched, but the doubt in his expression was gone as fast as it’d come.

  “You’re bluffing. There is no such vampire alive. Only The Patriarch is worthy of that sort of stealth.”

  Before I could wrap my mind around what Guy was doing and stop him from making a mistake, he flashed forward, and back again, now holding Cloe in his arms, her head pushed to the side with the barrel of his gun.

  My jaw dropped open, as well as Horus’ jaw, and I glanced to the larger vampire who’d been holding Cloe before. He stood dumbfounded, his empty arms out to his sides as if he was trying to process what had just happened. I blanched, thinking Guy’s actions were so fast, if I hadn’t known any better, I’d say he was a vampire himself.

  Horus’ face twisted, brows knotted together in center. “How did you do that?”

  Guy pressed the gun further into Cloe’s temple and smiled.

  “I told you, you’ve underestimated me, and you’ve underestimated Ruby. Not only does she have the strength of a vampire, she has the heart of a human. You could never begin to compare to her power and courage. And with her blood coursing through my veins, I am a force to be reckoned with as well.”

  I blinked in surprise but made no effort to move, thinking Guy had certainly lost his mind. Yes I was pretty strong, and fast as lightning, but I was no super hero, just a vampire. Yet, as we’d all just witnessed, it was obvious my blood had made him stronger, and what’s more, faster. So maybe Guy wasn’t crazy after all, but in all actuality quite brilliant.

  “Is it true Horus? Is she a half-breed?”

  Horus studied me, his dark gaze bringing prickles to my skin. He huffed. “No, my doll. There hasn’t been a half-breed walking amongst us for centuries. The likelihood is that they are bluffing and the Captain has been given a potion by the witches. That would explain his speed.”

  Guy cocked his head to the side and smiled indignantly. His expression said try me, and if I was Horus I wouldn’t want to take the bait. But even though Guy was telling the truth and my blood had given him an extra boost of speed and strength, how long would it last? And how could we get away? I glanced to the vampires surrounding the humans, counting at least a dozen, and knew we were clearly outnumbered.

  Guy still held Cloe as his hostage, her head pushed to the side by his gun. Her impassive expression belied her fear, but I knew better, she was terrified. Horus released a belting laugh and dared to take one more step forward.

  “Yo
u think I care anything for that wench?” He gestured to Cloe, her brown hair covering half her face. “She is nothing to me. She is a traitor.”

  I couldn’t help but think Horus was lying, and that Guy now had the upper hand. Despite how abusive Horus had been with Cloe, she was still his creation. They were bonded and, from what I’d learned, a bond was the most sacred relationship an Unfortunate could have. Horus would do anything to protect her from being killed, and that made him all the more dangerous. He raised his eyebrows and considered Guy.

  “Go ahead, use the gun. You’d be doing me a favor by killing her. You have no leg to stand upon, Captain Stone. Give up now.”

  Silence filled the desert, not even the sounds of chirping crickets could be heard. My heart pounded in fear and I couldn’t help but feel that something was about to go very wrong.

  “Never,” Guy said, his voice dangerously low.

  In the blink of an eye, Horus disappeared and was suddenly behind me, his arm around my neck, choking me. I coughed and sputtered as he shot us straight into the air, our feet leaving the ground in flight. In a flash we stood at the top of the watchtower nearly twenty feet up, the cold wind biting at my skin. My heart hammered in my chest and I grasped at his arm with my fingers, trying to pull myself free. But the sudden nudge of a sharp needle at my neck had me freezing in place. The suppressant.

  “You might want to reconsider your tactics, Captain Stone,” Horus called down below. “I now have something very dear to you, and I will make her pay.”

  Tears welled in my eyes, knowing I was now Horus’ hostage and at his mercy. And when I say mercy, I mean lack thereof.

  “Horus,” Pandora called up. “Don’t do anything you might regret. We can solve this another way.”