The Vampire Hunters Academy: The Reckoning

by Delizhia Jenkins

  He just received approval from the Archbishop to send aid over to New York. The Louisiana squad, or what was left of it, remained present at The Academy, and probably would do so for a while. The entire state of Louisiana was now open territory, and with no known Guardians in the area to fend off The Darkness, it would not be long before the state became overrun with vampires. Just as his frustration level increased at the mere thought of New Orleans being overrun with the undead, his phone rang.

  “This is Archer,” he said into the receiver with a frown.

  “Archer,” came the soft-spoken tone Archer vaguely recognized as one of The Elders.

  “Bishop Romano,” Archer said, reclining into his seat. “What can I do for you?”

  “Archer, you must listen and listen quickly,” the Bishop spoke rapidly into the phone. “The Academy…The Vatican…none of it is what it seems.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Listen! The truth was just revealed to me today. We are dispatching our best secret fighters to come and guard the school until each student and staff member has been evacuated. The Slayer! Where is she?”

  “She is gone…I’m sure you know about The Council-“

  “Ah yes! Good. She cannot return. She is not safe and has never been safe. I’m so sorry I failed you son…”

  When the Bishop wept, Archer’s mind began to race. “Bishop, talk to me!”

  “Where do I even begin?” The Bishop cleared his throat. “The Academy was not built solely by the hands of the first Order of Guardians. Cain had his hand in it and through the ages, he has always been allowed access to the school to monitor the strongest Guardians and Slayers that trained here.”

  “Son of a bi-“

  “Please,” Bishop Romano begged. “No cursing. Even the walls have ears. Now listen, Sanaya cannot be here. I sense the Dark Lord’s presence just beyond these walls. Do what you have to in rendering assistance to the Guardians worldwide. Pretend like we never had this conversation. When the time comes, I will send an encrypted message to you and your senior teams to begin the evacuation process.” The Bishop disconnected the call before Archer had a chance to respond.

  “Fuck my life,” Archer mumbled into the receiver.

  Slamming the phone onto the desk, Eve waltzed in with Lois, both Guardians wearing worried expressions.

  “Now what?” Archer groaned.

  “Sorry to trouble you my love,” Eve said, her Hungarian accent more pronounced than usual. “We just received a telepathic SOS from the New York team.”

  “Yeah,” Lois added. “New York is swarming with vampires. Bodies are dropping everywhere…”

  Lois and Eve shared another look.

  “Archer,” Eve said gently. “We lost another Guardian team. New York has been reduced to one, with several Guardians on the run.”

  In a fit of frustration, Archer slammed his fist into his desk, rattling everything on it. “Dammit! We are losing a war we cannot win! If it isn’t one thing, it is another. We have a specialized team of church assassins on their way. The Council is supposed be there to assist, and now we are down another goddamn team!” Archer took a breath. “I want you to round every available Guardian on campus with at least three extrasensory gifts. I need the strongest of the strongest packed and ready to go.”

  Eve nodded, and disappeared with Lois in tow. When the two female Guardians were out of sight, Archer slumped back into his seat.

  “Heaven help me,” He sighed. “Heaven help me.”

  Chapter Twenty- Five

  Sanaya could hear the silent “oohs” and “ahhs” from her team as Aklia led them through a large door into another room that looked like something out of a fantasy.

  Oh my God! Is this where we go when we die? Maya thought.

  I can dig it, Sanaya heard King say to her mentally. I can so dig it.

  A Guardian retirement plan? Bullet thought. Sweet!

  Charlie’s thought however, gave Sanaya some pause. Are we all going to still be together?

  Would they?

  Goliath sized tapestries hung beyond reach, almost as high as the vaulted ceiling. Ancient weapons clung to the walls, mixing in with the elegant décor created by the chandeliers that hung just above their heads. They walked in silence as a scattered group behind the ancient Huntress.

  “First, we must focus on healing your bodies, especially you Sanaya,” Aklia informed the group without breaking her stride or looking back. “Your body is still fighting off vampire toxins, and we need you in tip top condition.”

  Sanaya nodded but said nothing. She simply followed behind her like the rest of her team, drinking in the scenery. Aklia led them back outside near a clearing with tiny wood huts scattered about.

  “Inside those huts are the healing pools and steam rooms. Sanaya, come with me. The rest of you stay here. I will return for you shortly.”

  The group stopped. King glanced over at Sanaya, who shrugged and continued behind Aklia.

  They walked in tandem a few yards, until a small nymph like being emerged from the trees that stood guard over the small hut. Large doe-like eyes stared back with a smile at Sanaya; her smooth alabaster skin covered a tiny four foot frame. Dressed in a Greek style robe, with hair the color of gold tied neatly above her head in a bun, the tiny entity greeted them warmly.

  “Greetings Huntress!” The entity welcomed her warmly. “And this must be the prophesized Slayer.” She turned to face Sanaya and bowed her head. “It is an honor to be of service to a warrior of legend.”

  “Thank you,” Sanaya said, stunned by the ethereal beauty of this strange creature.

  The nymph reached for the gold latch and led the two Slayers inside. The dimly lit room, illuminated with the soft warm glow of dozens of candles, all surrounding a large pool. Blue light emitted from the crystal clear water creating a shroud of mystery.

  “This is one of our many healing pools young huntress. Not only does this heal the body, but the mind and spirit too. We all have used it in some capacity after returning from battle. I will encourage you to do the same now that you know how to access this realm.” Aklia turned to the tiny nymph. “Tend to her Dalia, while I assemble her Guardian team to the steam rooms of Oasis.”

  Aklia placed a warm palm on Sanaya’s shoulder. “Undress and step into the water. Dalia will care for you until I return to collect you.”

  “I will take good care of her Huntress,” Dalia promised. “Now hurry along. The other students are waiting for you.”

  Aklia smiled before turning to leave. When the door closed behind her, Dalia hurried over to Sanaya and immediately started tugging at her clothes.

  “Hey!” Sanaya yelped. “I can take my own clothes off thanks!”

  “My apologies young Huntress,” Dalia replied quickly. “Undress and I will fetch some things to assist you with the healing bath. Be careful stepping into the waters.”

  Sanaya waited until Dalia disappeared through another door just a few feet away from the pool before undressing. Folding her jeans and her top neatly into a pile next to her boots, a wave of exhaustion suddenly plagued her, followed by another bout of nausea.

  It was time to get in the pool.

  The warmth of the water soothed her very tender, stiff joints, melting her insides all the way down to her soul. She sat on the stone step where her entire body from the neck down was submerged. The bite wound, still raw and tender, tingled as soon as the water splashed against it. Alarmed, Sanaya rose from the water to find Dalia behind her, holding a pile of robes with one hand, and a basket filled with salts, incense, soaps and various herbs.

  “Sit and let the water do what it is supposed to do,” Dalia instructed. “You will look and feel much better Huntress.”

  Sanaya sank back into the glowing depths, and just as Dalia promised, she started to feel better than even before Aklia brought her team here. The nausea began to dissipate along with the tenderness in her joints. The bite wound tingled as the flesh quickly began
to knit itself back together.

  “Relax,” Dalia chirped, kneeling beside her. The nymph then poured pink crystals into the pool, which turned the water into a darker green. “Himalayan bath salt to help speed up the process,” she added.

  Sanaya sighed. This was heaven. Perhaps this was the reprieve that her team needed before they had to set foot out onto the battlefield. Dalia reached into the water with a loofah sponge covered in soap and began to massage and lather Sanaya’s neck and back, working out the additional kinks and knots that the healing pool had yet to remove. When she was done, she said, “Continue to soak Huntress. You have earned your place here.”

  Sanaya did as she was told but a part of her sensed something was wrong. A tinge of fear crept its way into her psyche and she could only hope and pray that everything was ok at The Academy.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Cain strolled through the hidden stairway accompanied by Daemon who remained uncharacteristically quiet. Mass was being held in the front section of the church, so Cain knew that he would have some time before chaos broke loose. He needed to demonstrate his power over The Vatican, as well as the Academy, and in order to do so, he would need an impromptu meeting with none other than the Pope.

  “The Guardians will sense us,” Daemon murmured as a hooded figure walked by.

  “I have walked these halls since its construction,” Cain reminded him. “We are masked. The only person who is capable of detecting us is not here at the moment.”

  “The Slayer? Where is she-“

  “I don’t know. It would appear that they have moved her somewhere…” Cain growled. “She is close but not close. I can pick up small bits of her energy.”

  “And why are we here, again?” Daemon’s question stopped Cain in his tracks.

  “We are here because this school needs my help. My treacherous daughter as you very well know is colluding with The Beast. If she attacks this school, I will lose my hold on Guardians worldwide and my current Slayer.”

  Daemon raised an eyebrow. “Your current Slayer?”

  Cain smiled. “Whether she wants to admit it or not, she is mine. This one is much too powerful to just slip through my fingers.”

  Daemon swallowed thickly but said nothing as the two vampires continued walking casually through the winding corridors.

  Daemon swallowed thickly but said nothing as the two vampires continued walking casually through the winding corridors. The war between The Darkness and the Light had taken a turn. A new opponent had just emerged from The Shadows and a faint sense of dread filled the very hollow pit of his stomach. Regardless of which side he took, only The Beast could provide a certain amount of pleasurable longevity. Daemon kept his eyes fixed on Cain’s broad shoulders and dark outline as they strolled through the halls and he realized that his time had indeed ran out.

  ****

  Annalia crept along the blood covered marble flooring of Daemon’s lair, struggling to suck in her final breaths as the silver burned a merciless path through her veins. Black blood oozed from her nose, and dripped from her mouth. Curse those Guardians! And curse Daemon…that bastard should have died by her hand the instant he dared attempt to bargain with her. In a few hours, she would be nothing more than a pile of ash, and for what? This new Slayer was nothing more than an imposter. The prophecy spoke of a Slayer of legend. One that would lead the Guardian armies to victory! And here she was, bleeding out from every orifice in her body, as she began to liquefy from the inside out. Cursed silver! She wished she had the strength to drag her body out into the sun to put a quick end to it all. But as she struggled to lift her head, she felt the dark presence of an entity she vowed she would one day conquer and serve his head on a silver platter to the archangels who dared question her abilities.

  His steps were slow and methodical, and the sound of his Stacey Adams shoes tapping against the marble floor infuriated her. Has The Beast come to taunt her in her final moments?

  A low rumble echoed the room. “I take it Cain is not coming,” The Beast chuckled as he approached. “Funny. His most prized huntress left for dead in the lair of a master vampire. Interesting...”

  “Kill me now and be done with it,” Annalia spat, coughing up a glob of black blood.

  “Now where is the fun in that?” The Beast quizzed. He stopped with his feet just inches away from her face, and looked down at her. Black eyes bore into hers, creating a curious mixture of terror and awe in the pit of her stomach. “Besides, I have a better and perhaps a more pleasurable purpose than just ripping you apart, and then allowing my harpies to feed on your remains.”

  Annalia wheezed, as the silver continued advancing at a more rapid pace throughout her circulatory system. Soon, it would stop her heart and then all would be lost. “Then what do you want?”

  “I have the power to heal you and help you regenerate. If you accept, I own you -well, I have owned you for quite some time my dear. The sins you have committed against humanity is quite impressive, which grants you a seat in the bottom levels of my darkest pits.” He paused, and surveyed her condition. Her once beautiful alabaster skin had grown ashen, and her cerulean blue eyes leaked black blood. “Your loyalty to Cain is admirable. I envy that bastard for his ability to siphon loyalty from the most prized adversaries.” The Beast circled her, like a hawk waiting to fly in for the kill. “Give me your loyalty. I am not your enemy.”

  “Fuck you,” she spat. “You dare request loyalty when the prophecy speaks of a child that will curse us all?”

  “And you dare remain loyal to a vampire who has yet to come for you? Yet here I stand offering healing and a second chance for revenge…”

  The acidic burn of the silver coursing through her veins dulled her senses, and slowly melted away her sanity. Her scream siphoned away her last breath.

  “It hurts doesn’t it?” The Beast taunted. “Let me heal you Annalia. You will be my Queen and the leader of my dark army.” The Beast kneeled down, his fangs lengthening from his gum line, extending well beyond his chin. Rolling up the sleeves of his white button down, he bit down on his wrist. Blood oozed and spurted from the self-inflicted puncture wounds and he offered her his wrist to drink. “Drink,” he told her. “And all of the powers of Darkness are yours to command.”

  With time not exactly on her side, Annalia allowed her instincts to take over and she accepted The Beast’s offer. She pulled in deep, long gulps of his dark blood. She cried out in relief as it flooded her system, and eased the pain from the silver, chasing it away and purging her body of the vengeful toxin.

  “Yes,” The Beast encouraged. “Drink…and you shall have your revengeChapter Twenty- Seven

  “Now this is what I’m talking ‘bout,” Bullet sighed as he submerged himself deeper into the healing pool. “I feel like I can run a good thousand miles in less than 6.5 seconds.”

  “Man, I wish Aklia had come and collected us sooner,” King added, as another one of the service nymphs continued to massage a kink, out of his lower back. “This is the life!”

  “I wonder where they took your girl,” Trent said from across the dimly lit room.

  “Probably some place equivalent to the Queen’s chambers,” King mumbled with a sigh.

  Their lazy banter became cut short when Aklia strolled in accompanied by another fierce looking warrior and Council Member. Kemetian garb draped over her toned, muscled body and her locks as long as Aklia’s, hanging well below her waistline. Skin the color of Moroccan clay, and eyes just as fiery, she stood shoulder to shoulder with Aklia.

  “I hope that you all are well rested and are indeed replenished,” Aklia began. “Now you must collect your things. We do not have much time…”

  The two women left just as quickly as they appeared.

  “Well, vacation time is over guys,” Danny announced with a stretch. “But at least we know what is on the other side when we cross over.”

  “Fa’ real,” King agreed. “Let’s get dressed. Something tells me the shit is about to
hit the fan and soon.”

  ****

  Sanaya sat patiently out in the open field underneath the clear blue sky, surrounded by lush green grass that stretched for miles beyond the horizon. Maya, Charlie, Maria, and Lisa were approaching off in the distance, led by Natasha. Sanaya sensed the male Guardians being led by none other than Aklia herself. Inhaling deeply, she allowed the sudden calmness to wash through her, and she could feel her senses awakening. She still felt impressions from Archer, sitting at his desk with frustration and brooding over the endless duties that came with being her Primary Guardian.

  “Sanaya!” Maya shouted, distracting Sanaya from her vision. Sanaya peered off into the distance and saw her BFF, best friend forever, waving frantically and wearing that big, classic Maya smile of hers.

  Sanaya stood up and waved back, but waited until the groups finally approached before rushing over to Maya. The two embraced as if they were reuniting for the first time in ages.

  “Oh my God Sanaya,” Maya began. “I just had a spa treatment to die for!”

  Sanaya chuckled. “I think we all did, sis.”

  “I know, but seriously ‘Naya,” Maya continued. “Whatever is in those tubs, I feel so…so…powerful—like my own powers got a boost or something.”

  “Same here,” Lisa added quietly. “I feel…like I can level a building or something.”