by Cheree Alsop
Aleric ducked at the entrance of the soaked cardboard.
“We brought you a tent. We thought….” Aleric’s voice died away at what he saw.
The grim twins sat perfectly dry on the blankets Aleric had brought them before. They had a ragged picture book on their laps and gave Aleric matching smiles. Aleric stared at the cozy, dry cave they had made for themselves. Grocery bags had been stacked between the boxes, creating a runoff for the water. Two lanterns that look a little worse for the wear glowed near the middle of the floor. The grims’ other possessions had been wrapped in more bags to keep dry. The pattering sound of drops on the roof was soothing.
“This is amazing,” Lilian exclaimed when she crouched beside Dr. Wolf. “You don’t even need a tent!”
“A tent?” Grimsli said.
“Tents are awesome!” Grimma replied.
Though Aleric had never set up a tent before, he attempted to help Lilian, Grimma, and Grimsli put together the one Lilian had brought. Grimsli had asked if they could set it up behind their cardboard cave so that nobody would see it from the street. Going along with the idea, Lilian was swift to shove the poles in the tracks and slip them into place.
“Maybe you should wait in the cave, Dr. Wolf,” Grimma suggested the third time Aleric’s tent pole refused to stay together long enough to be placed in the appropriate holes.
“It’s just a little difficult,” Aleric replied. The pole slipped again and he grabbed it with his left hand out of instinct. The answering pain made spots dance in his vision. “Perhaps you’re right.”
Aleric sat inside the little dome and watched Lilian and the twins. A few minutes later, Lilian had the tent up and the grims were happily sitting inside it planning how to expand their already cluttered little hut.
Lilian ducked back inside to join Aleric.
“They’re cute, you know,” she said.
Aleric nodded. “They’re strong, considering what they’ve been through. You have to be strong out there.”
“Blays doesn’t sound like a very good place to live,” Lilian noted.
Aleric motioned toward the mouth of the alley. “It’s a lot like this, actually. The similarities surprise me sometimes.” He paused, then said, “As do the differences.”
“Like what?” Lilian asked.
Aleric eased back against the alley wall. The cardboard and grocery bags covering it kept him from getting wet.
“Well, in Blays, everyone is proud of what they do. They put their marks on everything. The sand wisps mark the glass with their handprints. The ironwork trolls never let anything leave their forges without their clan stamp, and you never see a lantern like that without the sparks wings’ design on the bulb that shows itself wherever the light shines. It was the first thing that clued me in to the fact that I wasn’t in Drake City when I awoke.”
“I never heard that story,” Lilian said. “How did you find yourself here?”
“I was running, then I was falling. I woke up at the hospital,” Aleric replied. He could see it in his mind. The rain falling around him in a storm much like the one battering Edge City, the pounding of his feet against the pavement, the sound of pursuit behind him. They would find him and he would pay. He had no doubt about that. Even the dark arts couldn’t save him from the things he had done. He would have to pay.
“What is that?” Lilian asked.
Her words drew Aleric back to the present, to Edge City and the little alley they sat in. “What?” he asked.
“That look on your face,” Lilian replied. She watched him closely; there was compassion in the depths of her eyes. “I’ve never seen anyone so sad.”
Aleric forced a small smile. It was difficult. “Nothing,” he lied. “Just a memory. Some things are better left forgotten.”
She nodded, but he could see in her expression that she wanted to ask more questions, to find out about his past, to learn the things he didn’t want to talk about.
“We’d better get back to the hospital,” he suggested, rising. “I have patients to check on.”
Lilian nodded. She ducked out of the small cardboard hut after him. “Dad will be worried, I’m sure. He likes me to check in with him, even though I am an adult.”
The hint of frustration in her tone brought a smile to Aleric’s face. “It’s good that he cares so much. You should cherish that.”
“I do,” Lilian replied. She unlocked the car door. “It’s just that sometimes I think worrying about me will send him to an early grave.”
Aleric shook his head. “If the Fae Rift hasn’t done it, I don’t think anything will.
Lilian left him in the D Wing and went off to find Dr. Worthen. Aleric peeked into the Dark fae side and was relieved to see it empty. The sulfur scent of the plague victims lingered heavily in the air, but the poles on the far side of the room contained empty I.V. bags and there wasn’t a patient to be seen. Aleric hoped that meant they had been able to go home.
He stepped into the Light fae side and paused at the sight of the sphinx watching him from beside the far window. A thrill of adrenaline made the fine hairs stand up on the back of Aleric’s neck.
At the sight of him, the little black minky who had been sitting on the windowsill next to the sphinx let out a loud meow. She opened her wings and soared to the floor, then proceeded to gallop to Aleric, climb up his pant leg, sling, and shirt to sit on his shoulder, all the while meowing in protest about being left behind.
Aleric ran a finger over her soft head while keeping an eye on the sphinx.
“I didn’t think you’d be up,” he said.
The sphinx regarded him carefully. “Being tranquilized by a vampire isn’t exactly something I planned for.”
Aleric shook his head. “None of this is something we planned for. It just happened. We’re trying to make the best of it.”
The sphinx crossed his velvet paws in a humanlike gesture that belied the sharp claws within. “Is that what you expect me to do?”
“Yes,” Aleric replied shortly.
The sphinx’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
Aleric held his gaze. “Because wreaking havoc on an all-human society that is still coming to terms with the fact that the fae exist wouldn’t be polite.”
The sphinx gave a quiet snort. “Politeness isn’t my forte.”
“Yeah, well dealing with cats isn’t mine,” Aleric replied. As if in answer, Diablo rubbed her head against Aleric’s chin. He assisted her down to her favorite spot in his sling and smoothed her black-feathered wings with gentle fingers.
“She seems to think otherwise.”
Aleric kept his voice level and his gaze on the kitten when he replied, “Well, minkies aren’t prone to prejudice.”
“Is that what you think this is?” the sphinx asked with surprise in his voice.
Aleric looked up at him. “You yelled ‘Revenant’ and attacked my friend.”
The sphinx’s claws slid out of his paws even though he kept his arms crossed in a façade of calm. “I’ll never trust anyone who trusts a vampire.”
“That’s prejudice,” Aleric replied calmly. He could feel the tension rising in the room. As much as his normal instincts were to goad the sphinx into fighting, he had to remind himself what was on the line. “Look,” Aleric said. “I’m sorry. We didn’t get off on the right foot, and I’m not making it any better. Old habits die hard.”
The werewolf crossed the room toward the sphinx. The Light fae creature watched him with a narrow gaze. “The Rift has thrown everyone here into a different environment than we’re used to on Blays. Here, it’s not werewolf against vampire, Light fae against Dark. It can still be, but the way I see it, changes have to be made for our survival.” He paused a few feet from the sphinx and set the minky on the next windowsill. The kitten rubbed her head against his hand.
“Changes like trusting a vampire?” the sphinx said in a doubtful tone.
“Yes,” Aleric replied. When the sphinx opened his mouth to argue, Aleric hel
d up a hand. “I know. Believe me. I didn’t trust him when he first got here, either. But since then, Dartan and I have saved each other’s lives multiple times and he has turned out to be a very level-headed friend.” At the sphinx’s sound of disbelief, Aleric gave him a straight look. “I know. If my old pack ever knew, they wouldn’t speak to me again. But you know what?”
He waited until the sphinx finally said, “What?”
“My pack is dead,” Aleric replied, his tone cold. “They were killed by vampires and demons, both races of which I’ve been forced to work with since I have been here. It hasn’t been easy, but I’ve done my best because this situation is bigger than me and it’s bigger than you. I’ve had to deal with some pretty tough decisions here that in Blays I never would have faced. I could’ve gone back.”
He saw the sphinx’s gaze lighten with interest and the werewolf nodded. “And I’ll help you get back home, but I’m staying here because I’m sick and tired of living in a world where every action I made was viewed with suspicion and every dream I ever had was pounded into the dust because Ashstock aren’t worth a dragon’s gizzard stone in Blays.” He held the sphinx’s gaze. “All I ask is that while you’re here, you have the decency to give those I work with a little respect because they’ve gone far above and beyond to save the lives of fae like us without asking for anything in return.”
The sphinx kept quiet. Aleric thought he would argue or attack, but the sphinx’s claws slid slowly back into his paws. He nodded. “Fine. I’ll keep the peace.”
“That’s all I ask,” Aleric replied.
He gave the minky one last pat and left with the thought that at least the two cats could keep each other company, though he felt bad for abandoning Diablo with such a dour companion.
Aleric pushed through the doors to the Emergency Room and found Nurse Eastwick in Dr. Worthen’s office with the doctor and Lilian.
“Sounds like you’ve been busy,” Dr. Worthen noted.
Aleric could tell by his tone that the doctor wasn’t thrilled about his inclusion of Lilian in his travels, but wouldn’t say so in front of his daughter. Aleric felt a rush of gratitude for Lilian’s presence because he wasn’t in the mood for a lecture on reckless endangerment after his argument with the sphinx.
“I noticed that the plague victims are out of the D Wing. How are they recovering?” he asked the doctor.
“Much better,” Dr. Worthen replied. “They’re responding to the I.V.s and their symptoms are abating much faster than we anticipated. We’ve sent quite a few home, though we’ve had several strange incidents.”
That caught Aleric’s attention. “What kind of incidents?”
Dr. Worthen sat back in his chair. “A few have mentioned hallucinating about death and dying. I feel it’s a side-effect of the plague and have them meeting with our psychiatrist for mandatory evaluations before they’re released so we’re sure they are fit to return to their families.”
“Good call,” Aleric agreed. “How’s the elf doing?”
“That’s what I came here about,” Nurse Eastwick replied. She looked from Dr. Worthen to Aleric. “I need your opinions. Dartan’s waiting for us.”
The nurse refused to expound as the doctors followed her down the hallway. Lilian fell in beside Aleric. At his questioning gaze, she lifted a shoulder. “I’m bored.”
“You should be resting,” Dr. Worthen replied, looking back at her. “You’d be doing much better if you weren’t off gallivanting with Dr. Wolf all around the city.”
Aleric gave the doctor an apologetic look. “I needed a ride. Ask Gregory. I shouldn’t be allowed behind the wheel of any vehicle in this city if you don’t want more patients in your Emergency Room.”
The orderly stuck his head out of one of the partitioned rooms they passed. “That’s for sure.”
“Thanks,” Aleric said dryly.
“Any time,” the orderly replied.
“So you were merely chauffeuring?” Dr. Worthen said. “I suppose that’s not so bad. But I would appreciate it if you would take it easy.”
“I will,” Lilian promised. She gave Aleric a wide-eyed look of relief.
Aleric fought back a smile and followed the others into the room.
Dr. Worthen picked up the file near the patient’s bed. He thumbed through it with a concerned expression.
“Hey, Wolfie,” Dartan said with a nod from his seat near the bed. “Good work with Perry. Lilian told me about your meeting with him to stop the spread of the plague.”
“I thought you were just the driver,” Dr. Worthen said, spearing his daughter with an accusatory look.
“Uh, well, this is about the elf,” Lilian replied. “How’s she doing, Loreen? She looks really pale.”
“Her vitals are still dropping,” Nurse Eastwick answered. “We’re fearing an infection or worse from whatever it was that attacked her.”
Aleric’s instincts thrummed. “You said worse,” Aleric replied. “What do you mean?”
“We found some strange marks,” Nurse Eastwick continued. She pulled down the edge of the elf’s gown to show two little marks on one clavicle. She showed similar marks on the elf’s arm and again on her ankle. “What do you think these could be?”
A knot tightened in Aleric’s stomach with each reveal.
“Here,” he said quietly. “Look.” With Lilian’s help, he slipped his arm out of the sling and pulled his shirt off over his head. He turned around to show them his back. “Are they the same distance apart as these?”
The surprised silence that filled the room was broken by the quiet beeping of the monitor near the elf’s head.
“Yes, they are,” Nurse Eastwick said. “Aleric, what are those?”
Aleric pulled the shirt back on and faced them again. He kept his gaze on his sling, pretending to struggle with the strap so that he didn’t have to face what he knew was coming.
“Gorgon bites.”
“Gorgon bites!” Dartan repeated. He stood from his chair. “How on Blays did you get bit by gorgons?”
“You got bit?” Lilian said with horror in her voice.
“You know what gorgons are?” Dr. Worthen demanded of his daughter.
Aleric let out a breath and lifted his head. “I need to talk with Dartan for a minute in private.”
Dr. Worthen shook his head. “I need answers. You can’t keep secrets if this elf’s life depends on it. I know the things you’ve gotten into might not be pretty.” He glanced at Lilian and his gaze narrowed. “But you’ve dragged my daughter into it and endangered yourself. I need to know what’s going on.”
Aleric shook his head. “I don’t know exactly what I’ve gotten myself into and I need a sounding board before I spread unnecessary panic.” He put a hand on the doctor’s shoulder. “I need you to trust me. Have I given you any reason not to?”
He waited until Dr. Worthen gave a reluctant shake of his head. “No, you haven’t.”
Aleric dropped his hand. “I’ve nearly died to protect this hospital. Give me the benefit of the doubt that if something I learn will save a life, I’ll do it. That’s all I ask.”
It took a moment, but Dr. Worthen finally nodded. “You deserve at least that. I’m sorry.”
Aleric gave him an understanding look. “It’s been a crazy day and night for me, and I can’t imagine how it’s been for all of you dealing with the plague victims. I just need a few minutes to get my thoughts in order so I know the next step we need to take.”
“I’d recommend Minnow’s,” Dr. Worthen said with acceptance in his voice. “Just promise me you’ll come talk when you have things figured out.”
“I will,” Aleric replied.
Chapter Eight
“At least try the pie,” Aleric said. “It’s not going to kill you.”
“It might,” Dartan replied. He eyed the chocolate and whipped cream-covered wedge in front of him. “It’s the wrong color.”
Aleric rolled his eyes. “Everything good doesn’t come in red,
” he said.
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Dartan pointed out. He poked the pie suspiciously with his fork. “Blood is red. Blood is good. Blood is all I eat and all I need. Therefore, in my opinion, everything good comes in red.”
“Vampires,” Aleric said with a shake of his head.
A sound caught his ear. Aleric turned and caught Iris’ hand before the waitress could plunge her knife into Dartan’s chest. Dartan watched with mild amusement as the werewolf spun out of his seat, twisting the waitress’ arm so that she dropped the knife. It fell to the table with a clatter.
Aleric stood behind Iris still holding her wrist in his good arm. His chest heaved.
“What are you doing?” he demanded.
“S-saving your life,” Iris replied.
Aleric let go of her hand. “How?”
She stepped back to face him while keeping Dartan in view at all times.
“I heard him say he was a v-vampire,” she pointed out, her voice shaking. “I thought he would hurt you.”
“Dartan’s my friend,” Aleric told her. “I wouldn’t have brought him here if he wasn’t.”
She shook her head, her gaze never leaving Dartan’s amused one. “What if he was controlling you? I’ve heard stories.”
Aleric gave her a small smile. “There are lots of stories about vampires out there.” He looked at Dartan. “Some of the fear is well-founded, but Dartan is a vampire with perfectly good manners, even though he refuses to try Minnow’s famous mud pie.” He lowered his voice. “Although we mustn’t hold that against him. Vampires are known for their extremely bland palettes.”
“I heard that,” Dartan said.
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Iris asked as Aleric sat back in his seat.
“I’m fine and perfectly safe,” Aleric replied. “But I appreciate your concern.” He paused, and when Iris appeared reluctant to leave despite his reassurances, he asked, “Would it be greedy of me to request two grilled cheese sandwiches? I know two children who would be so grateful for them.”
Iris looked from Aleric to Dartan and back again. She finally nodded. “Not at all,” she told him. “I’ll get those for you right away.”