by K A HAMBLY
The sound of laughter, and enjoyment was such contrast against what we knew. If only they knew what was going on a few yards away I wondered.
‘Jyrki, are you hungry?’ Draven asked with a wicked grin.
‘Of course I am,’ I smirked.
This was just like the old days.
As we stood outside the entrance gate to the park, I watched Draven as he shifted in amongst the shadow of the bushes.
He always made it look so damn easy.
‘Jyrki! Good luck to ya.’
Stride handed me his pocket- knife and backed away.
The vampire I could handle. I just could not deal with the shifting part.
‘Just do it,’ Draven whispered.
I turned sideways to look at April with my own eyes once more, and then without thinking too much about it I held the tip of the blade firmly on my right palm and ripped it into the flesh.
I snatched a quick glimpse of April standing next to Blaze.
She looked frightened despite her heroic speech earlier. Of course, I did not blame her.
The transformation was quick and effortless.
Strange how easy it was when you didn't fight against it.
Now, I was no longer myself, and this had been the worst shifting that has ever happened to me.
Draven picked me up off the floor, not that I could remember how I ended up there. His strength was always as powerful as mine was, which made me wonder why father had wanted me to keep the Ankh safe.
‘You never did take to the shifting did you?’ he smiled, flashing his long ivory fangs at me.
‘Not as well as some,’ I inhaled.
‘Human blood?’
Draven gripped me around my arm, and looked at me with his fierce looking eyes.
‘Don't, you know you can do this. Let's just take a second okay. Think about the real reason why we are here.’
I nodded.
‘You’re right, in another hour or so we mightn’t have to deal with this again.’
‘That’s the spirit. No more blood cravings; I wonder what that feels like huh?’
I wanted to look at April, but I did not have the courage.
I was so ashamed of my face to do so.
‘Jyrki, good luck man,’ Blaze said, patting me on the back.
I kept my face turned away from them, even though I desperately wanted to look at April one last time. I flinched as I breathed in the sweet smell of April’s perfume as it lingered around me. I felt a slight shiver throughout my body as April’s cool hand gently caressed my cheek. She gently edged my face towards her and placed a kiss on my lips.
‘Don't forget, whatever happens tonight, I love you,’ she said looking up at me.
‘I love you too, but nothing is going to change alright. I’ll make damn sure it won’t,’ I said as I backed away from her. I could not risk getting too near. ‘It’s time to go Jyrki. I can sense them.’
‘Good luck lads, I'll be firing at the fucking mutts, don't you worry.’
Draven stood next to me. Blaze and April were to the far right of the bridge. I glanced down and saw the wolves’ shadows slowly elongating out from the arches.
‘They're here, just on time.’
I could hear a low snarl and the heaviness of their breath as they paced about below. Another grey wolf walked out and turned around towards us. There were now five of them waiting and I was the only one standing in their way of causing hell on earth.
I flashed a toothy smile towards April, hoping this would not be the last I would see of her. She raised her hand gently as if it was a goodbye and sought comfort against Stride’s chest. My nostrils flared, as I could now smell the deathly stench of the wolves below. I leaned over the bridge and saw them walking smugly around the monument. Now I was angry and I could sense my demon was as twice as powerful as it ever been. All the self-doubt I had earlier soon diminished.
I was just about to jump but something told me to look behind Blaze and April. It was Randulphr and Father. I was not sure if the image was in my mind or real but I felt empowered by the thought that my father was looking on.
‘Time to end the prophecy,’ I heard. I held the sword tightly and climbed over the railings onto the edge of the bridge. The wolves snarled below and I could almost taste the evil that emanated from them. As I looked around the park there was still no sign of Ryder.
‘Draven, where's Ryder?’ I whispered.
‘No idea, we’ll sort him out later, c'mon let’s send these back to where they came from.’
‘What are you waiting for? Afraid are you?’ Jimmy laughed
‘It’s you who should be afraid.’
I jumped off the bridge and in an instant, I landed upright on my feet inches away from the mouth of the foul smelling breath of Jimmy. I backed away, still keeping a firm eye on them for any sudden movement.
Two of the wolves began walking around Draven. I reached for the sword from my side and wielded it in the air. The wolf stopped and I saw the fear magnify in its eyes. But it didn't stop him. He ran towards me as I gave a forceful swing of the blade.
‘Every last one,’ I heard in my head.
The blade just gashed his leg as he stumbled and fell beside me. I snatched a quick look at Draven; he was tackling the wolf with his bare hands. Our speed might be our saving grace.
‘Jyrki look out,’ April yelled from the bridge.
The smallest wolf of the pack came charging up; I ran straight towards it and punctured him through the gut. It was almost too easy.
One down.
Jimmy still was not letting up; I wanted to help Draven who at this point was taking a beating. If they gashed his neck I thought, he would be gone.
‘Leave him,’ I screamed.
I must have diverted the wolf’s attention, giving Draven a chance. He gripped the wolf around his neck and threw him against the Angel statue.
‘Arghh!’ Jimmy had sprang on my back.
I fell forwards on all fours, gripping my fingernails into the concrete floor as I felt the flesh on my back being torn apart by Jimmy’s claws.
‘I’m trapped, It's all over,’ I whimpered.
‘Get up,’ Randulphr spoke.
I felt a release of the weight on my back, and the coldness of the concrete beneath me.
‘That’s another one gone back to hell. Come on, get up!’ Draven shouted.
I could now feel the trickling of the blood running down my back.
I must carry on, I thought.
‘You okay, bro? Go after Jimmy. I'll keep this other one away.’
I looked up and nodded.
‘Two down, two to go,’ Draven hollered.
‘Send him to me once I'm done with him alright?’
The two wolves paced about, biding their time, watching us carefully with their intense glare.
I can do this.
I ran towards them, hoping to take them unawares.
The other wolf went straight for Draven.
I held Jimmy by the throat, and slammed him down onto the ground.
‘It’s time to say goodnight.’
‘You think so, do you? This isn’t the last of it, there’s worse to come,’ he grinned.
I took one look at him and pushed the sword into his stomach.
I let out a gasp and wiped my brow.
Unnervingly his words were still lingering in my mind
‘Jyrki!’
I snapped out of my thoughts and turned to face Draven. The wolf was now on top of him watching every move I took. It was almost as if everything around me had drowned itself out.
I was in a moment that I had always feared.
It took my mind back to Finland when I saw their ashes blow away in the snowdrift. What was I to do? I clenched the sword tightly and thought of taking it by surprise.
Would I get there in time? It was less than five yards away.
Draven tilted his head towards me as the moonlight highlighted his blue eyes. He lay there, quite st
ill, looking at me as if it was a goodbye, but I was not ready to say goodbye to him again.
All that kept going through my head was that I must try to get us both out of this mess alive.
But how?
I could not focus on anything. The wolf was now standing on top of him and I was certain he smirked at me, as he lowered his head towards Draven’s neck. I knew he was enticing me to make a quick move, but I am far too smart to fall for his tricks, besides, my body was in some kind of shock, and I could not shift out of the uncomfortable position I was in on the floor. As I shifted my gaze from Draven towards the trees, I could see something heading towards me in mid-air. The next thing I knew the wolf was lying down on the floor, dead.
They were all gone. Just like that.
The prophecy was now surely broken.
I felt my chest, and looked down where the Ankh should have been resting. A twinge of sadness swept over me as I realised this was the start of a new beginning as a mortal. I turned around and raised my eyes up towards the bridge and there stood April reciting an Ancient Egyptian text.
I lowered my head to my knees, allowing the old language to envelope me, as if it were washing away my sins.
I bent over slightly, arching my back that was still stinging from my wounds. I let out a sigh with relief that it was all over, but somehow I did not feel any different.
Not yet.
I could hear Stride hollering something at me, as he came running down the steps towards me, but with all that was going through my head I could not quite make out what he was saying.
Everything that had happened tonight somehow felt like a dream. I was weak, exhausted and in a lot of pain, but at least Draven was still there.
I got to my feet and walked over to him. Something did not seem right. I knelt down beside him when my hands began to shake. He was still looking at me, but there was no life in his eyes.
‘Oh no, Draven do not dare die on me…’
I turned him over onto his side and saw the wolf had taken a bite out of his neck, draining him of his blood. I should have known what they were capable of doing.
‘This cannot be happening to me again,’ I wept.
I could hear the faint tapping of the rain as it converged with the water in the fountain next to me. I placed Draven back on to the ground, and walked towards the statue. The rain belted down hard, and the Angel looked as if she was crying, sharing my pain.
Stride rested a hand on my shoulder, which prompted me to glance up over the park. I saw a dark figure approaching me and waited anxiously at who it could be.
‘Ryder…’ I whispered.
I noticed his eyes widened as he looked in Draven’s direction, and as I glanced down again where he was laying, he had gone.
‘You threw the sword?’ I said
‘Yes, he was my father.’
I looked towards Stride, who had a tear in his eye.
‘I'm sorry lad, I’m really sorry. I loved him like a son.’
‘Jyrki, has it worked? Are you any different yet?’ April cried
‘I really don't know,’ I said, I was in pain and now I had lost my brother for the second time. It was far too much to comprehend.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
‘A sacrifice. Just like she said.’
I dropped the sword on the floor. It fell, clattering as it hit the concrete. I stood amongst the aftermath of a whirlwind of an event that did not seem quite real in my mind just yet.
As I lifted my arm to my face to wipe away my tears, I became alerted to the smell of their blood, which had stained my hands. I pulled it away immediately and looked down.
The front of my body was drenched in red.
A cold wind had picked up rustling the trees around us, breaking the silence. It was only then I had looked and realised the wolves bodies had disappeared.
‘Er, Jyrki? What about him?’ Stride pointed to Ryder. ‘What shall we do with him? Is he harmless?’
I had completely forgotten about Ryder standing there.
I raised my eyes in his direction.
He stood a few yards from the statue staring at me with a fearful look on his face. As if, he was expecting me to lash out at him. I eased up my stance a touch, and brushed my hair away that had become stuck to my face with the blood.
How could I hurt him?
He was the image of Draven, and if that was not enough, he was the only family I had left. It was then the realisation hit me.
I was human.
‘The Ankh has gone,’ April said.
‘Does that mean you're now human?’ Blaze asked.
‘And him. Is he human now?’ Stride asked again with a little anxiousness.
‘Ryder, come over here,’ I said. ‘What about you? Are you any different?’
He walked nervously towards me and nodded.
‘So it's been broken? No more vampire?’ I exclaimed.
It sounded almost too good to be true. Over a hundred years and with most of that spent on the run, I sunk to the floor in merciful relief, completely content with the fact that the human race were spared from the apocalypse. Although my body was aching with exhaustion, I sat back against the Angel fountain, and smiled.
‘I guess this means you're my nephew right?’
I looked up towards Ryder standing there.
He was very much on edge.
‘Yes, but I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to know me.’
My head was not ready to deal with all the details right now. I was well aware he had killed the clan, but what could I possibly do to him. He was family - my only family.
‘Then family sticks together. Are you with me?’
‘Of course,’ he smiled, looking relieved.
‘Then I’ll introduce you to your new family. Guys, come and meet Ryder.’
‘Alright son,’ Stride said, looking slightly spooked by the likeness.
‘This is April, my... girlfriend.’
‘We’ve already met at the hotel,’ she said.
‘And Blaze. My good friend and fellow band member.’
‘Alright mate,’ Blaze said.
April knelt down beside me on the floor. I pulled her in close to me and kissed her on the forehead.
‘So how does it feel to be human?’
My back throbbed with a dull ache, but I managed to force a smile.
‘Better with you,’ I whispered.
‘Here, let me help you up,’ Blaze said, ‘I'm really sorry about Draven. He was a good guy, for a vampire.’
‘Thanks. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised,’ I said, remembering what the gypsy woman had told me.
‘I hate to ask at a time like this but are you up to the gig. You know, you really don't have to?’
I was covered in blood and I felt like shit.
‘Of course I am. The band means just as much to me y'know. It kept me going.’
‘Wow. What a fucking night eh?’ Stride huffed, as we walked out of Central Park.
‘Yep, at least the sun will still shine tomorrow,’ I said.
April clenched my hand tightly, and rested her head against my arm.
‘I’m so glad this is all over. I’m going to cancel the exhibition tomorrow and book a holiday.’
‘A holiday would be nice as long as it’s not Egypt. So do you have the last piece of the prophecy with you?’
‘Yes, it’s safe don't worry. Why?’
‘Because I think I'd like to know what's in it, wouldn’t you.’
‘Are you sure? I think it’s best not to know.’
‘Well, after tonight, I think you may be right.’
‘So from now on then Halloween has another meaning for us I guess,’ Blaze said.
‘It certainly has. It shall now be known as the night of the undead. So are we still playing tonight?’
‘Yes, in half hour. Once you clean yourself up. We're not a black metal band y'know.’
We walked a few blocks down the road to the venue.
; Izzy was standing outside the back entrance waiting for us.
‘Where the fuck have you been?’ he said
‘Oh just finishing off some business. We’re here now anyway, so chill out,’ I said pushing the door open.
‘You’re full of blood? This isn’t part of the act is it?’ Izzy said, looking perplexed.
‘No,’ Blaze said, ‘I changed my mind about that on the way here. Oh Jyrki, I left your stuff in here all right,’ he said, as he opened the door to the changing room. ‘I’ll be at the bar ok. I could murder some pints now.’
Blaze left the room, closing the door shut behind him. I had only just removed all of my bloody clothing, when there was a tap at the door.
‘Jyrki, is it okay if I come in?’
‘Ryder! Of course you can.’
‘Um, I wanted to say thanks for, you know, being alright with everything.’
‘That's ok. Do you want talk? I think we have some catching up to do?’
‘Yeah, I’d like that.’
I could see there was more worrying him.
The way he stood nervously with his hands in his pockets, and how he glanced around the room, unable to look at me for all the guilt he kept inside for all these years. Part of me was feeling very sorry for him.
‘What’s wrong, you know you can talk to me don’t you?’
‘I...I just feel guilty, about you know…’
‘That you killed the clan? Oh sorry, I didn't mean for it come out like that.’
‘No, you're right, and you have every reason to be angry with me. I did kill the clan, but I was made to do it. It wasn't because I wanted to kill them as I knew they were different, just like me. Jimmy found me when I was five years old wandering in the woods. I was his connection to the Ankh he kept telling me. I didn't know what he meant by this, but one day I started asking questions about who my father was. Stupidly he told me everything, even what he was planning on doing. So, that day at the compound, I overheard someone call Draven. He was standing just feet away from me. Immediately I knew he was my father. Well, what could I do, I had to save his life. So without Jafar seeing anything I picked up the nearest thing I could see and knocked him unconscious. I then hid him under a mound until I could go back for him later. My loyalties may have looked like they were with Jimmy, but they weren't.’