by Craig Zerf
‘Capoeira,’ whispered Emily. ‘They’re fighting like Bastian. They’re fighting like Shadowhunters.’
Two Purebloods went down in a welter of gore, followed closely by another. It seemed almost as though the vamps were attempting to keep the last two Purebloods alive but they couldn’t. When it came to the SAS men, they either died doing their duty or they killed you. Finally the last two Purebloods fell to the floor, bleeding from a hundred grievous wounds.
Ed stood alone, growling deeply, fangs bared and fur standing up as he tried to keep all of the assailants in his arc of vision. But there were simply too many of them. At least ten. And they had surrounded him, standing nonchalantly.
Laughing.
‘Time to die, little doggie,’ teased one of the vamps as they all closed in.
And then Emily felt a pulse of thought from the lone Wolfman. ‘Come and get it, you bloodsucking bastards.’
And he leapt forward, slashing and biting right and left, tearing flesh and breaking bones as the vampire’s talons and fangs tore him to shreds.
Emily’s mind went black.
***
The smell of sweet tea.
A cool cloth on her forehead.
Emily opened her eyes to see Tag leaning over her, his face a picture of concern.
‘Hey,’ he said. ‘You okay?’
‘They’re all dead,’ whispered Em. ‘The vamps killed them all.’
‘Are you sure?’ Asked William.
Em nodded. ‘Can’t you feel it? They’re gone.’
William nodded. ‘I felt Ed leave us. My connection with the Purebloods is not as strong. What happened?’
‘The Guardians led the team to the vamps. But then Flintheart noticed that there were more vamps waiting in the hedgerows on the side of the road. Basically, it was an ambush. I tried to warn Ed but I couldn’t contact him once he had gone into attack mode. But I was desperate so I tried again. Real hard. And I managed to connect. But it was as if I was seeing through his eyes. Feeling his feelings. Except I couldn’t communicate. I was a mere spectator.’ Em took a deep breath. ‘It was terrible. At least ten bloodsuckers attacked them.’
William shrugged. ‘Long odds, but Ed and his Purebloods should have been a match for them.’
Em shook her head. ‘Not these vamps. They were different. Faster, stronger. Somehow…more thoughtful. They didn’t just blunder in, relying on their superior speed or rejuvenation powers. In fact,’ Em hesitated. ‘In fact, they fought in the same way as Shadowhunters.’
‘Stands to reason,’ said William. ‘I mean there are limited types of martial arts out there and at some stage you always going to come across someone with a similar fighting technique.’
‘No,’ denied Em. ‘I’m not saying that they fought like us. I’m saying that they fought exactly the same as us. Like Bastian, actually. Capoeira. They moved exactly the same way. They rolled and struck precisely the way we were all taught to by Bastian. The team didn’t stand a chance. It was like we were fighting faster, stronger versions of ourselves.’
William said nothing for a while as he thought. Weighing up the possibilities. ‘There’s nothing that we can assume from, this,’ he said eventually. ‘They may even be a bunch of vamps visiting us from Brazil or Angola. That would explain the Capoeira techniques. It would be native to them. As to their speed, strength, well, sometimes we simply come across a bunch of vamps that are really good at what they do. Don’t go looking for conspiracy theories where there most probably aren’t any. I advise that we wait and see.’
Em nodded.
‘Good,’ continued William. ‘Now rest, that was hard on you.’
He left the room without holding Emily or comforting her.
Tag held out a mug of tea that she took and sipped. Oddly enough she was getting so used to his atrocious concoction that she was actually starting to enjoy it.
She smiled at the thought.
The big man smiled back at her, pleased that he had managed to do something that she approved of.
Chapter 33
‘Mistress,’ called the voice in Emily’s head, jerking her out of her silent reverie. ‘I see a vampire.’
‘Who is this?’ Asked Em.
‘Guardian Quartzblend. Town hall in the village of Broxbourne, North of London.’
Emily scanned the map, checking for the village. ‘Found it,’ she mumbled to herself. Then she checked for any blue pins that might be close. There was one in the town of Cheshunt. Close. She pumped her fist in the air. ‘Yes, finally.’
It had been a frustrating week. The Guardians had spotted vampires on six separate occasions but none of the sightings had been close enough to a Hunter Team to warrant sending them out. This sighting, however, was only minutes away from a team.
She ran her finger down her list. ‘Great,’ she said to herself. ‘Lucas Cain. The Alpha of the Protectors. Perfect.’
Em concentrated. Seconds later the Alpha responded. ‘Talk to me.’
‘A small village called Broxbourne. Northwest of you. Single vamp spotted.’
‘We’re on our way,’ informed the Alpha.
Minutes later he contacted her again. ‘Satnav gives us an ETA of six more minutes. Sitrep?’
‘Quartzblend,’ called Em. ‘What’s happening?’
‘Vampire still here,’ he answered. ‘Seems to be looking for something specific. Peering into windows, moving slowly. Currently walking down Church Street.’
‘Advise, can you see any other vampires around?’
‘No,’ replied the Guardian. ‘He appears to be alone. Mind you, the trees have grown somewhat in the last seventy years and my lines of sight are not what they are supposed to be.’
‘Keep an eye out for any more,’ urged Emily. ‘I don’t want this to be another ambush.’
‘Will do,’ confirmed Quartzblend.
‘Lucas,’ called Em. ‘Bloodsucker currently meandering along Church Street. Doesn’t appear to be any other leeches around. Go for it.’
‘We’re almost there.’
‘Lucas,’ said Em. ‘If you don’t mind, I’m going to stay linked with you. You won’t notice but I’ll be with you. Okay.’
‘Whatever you say, girl. Sorry, Emily.’
Em concentrated.
Her vision shifted. She could feel the cold of the night air. Saw the hedges and trees lining the village streets.
The car stopped.
She felt Lucas change. Human. Animal.
The power of the beast flowed through her body.
The wolf ran at the vampire who turned and fled. Moving with eye watering speed. Faster than any vampire that Emily had ever seen. But the wolf was faster. Grunting with effort Lucas/Wolf caught up with the bloodsucker as it entered a grove of oak trees, leapt and struck. Burying his powerful jaws into the vamps head and literally tearing the top of its skull off.
Emily could taste the blood and the flesh. But instead of grossing her out she reveled in the warm, salty flavor. It tasted of victory.
And then another vampire landed on Her/Lucas’ back. They had been hiding in the trees.
Lucas howled, rolled to dislodge the leech and then struck back, biting and slashing with his forepaws. Moments later the Purebloods caught up and unleashed a hail of gunfire that lit up the night like the fourth of July.
The sheer weight of bullets ensured that one of the vampires was struck multiple times in the head and it went down, far too damaged to regenerate.
Lucas was facing at least five vamps and he dodged and bit, moving as fast as he could. But the vamps were slowly overpowering him and the deep slashes from their talons were taking their toll as Lucas’ thick fur became sodden with his own blood.
Four of the Purebloods were down and one of the vamps shouted out. ‘Keep him alive. The master needs a messenger.’
Two of the bloodsuckers grabbed hold of the last surviving Pureblood. However, as they did so he ripped one of the Prof’s special hand grenades from his webbing
, pulled the pin and laughed. ‘Keep this alive, asshats.’
The explosion tore him apart, taking the two closest vamps with him as the silver coated shrapnel blasted through them, bringing on the true death.
That left Lucas, Alpha of the Protectors, standing at bay underneath one of the Oak trees, his fur drenched in blood, his body shredded by hundreds of deep, vicious cuts.
‘Miss Hawk.’
‘I’m with you, Lucas,’ answered Emily.
‘Good,’ he said. ‘It’s nice not to die alone.’
The Wolfman gathered his strength for his final stand.
‘No,’ whispered Emily. ‘You’re faster than them. Run away.’
‘Lost too much blood,’ he answered. ‘Couldn’t run anywhere.’
Emily felt his muscles bunch up, ready to attack.
‘Damn,’ he growled to himself. ‘Wish that I could think of some cool last words.’
‘Run,’ wept Emily. ‘Please.’
‘Avenge me,’ shouted Lucas as he attacked.
Two more vampires died before the Wolfman succumbed to his wounds and all went dark.
Chapter 34
Bart and Ryoko had not been fed for three days. There was a plentiful supply of water allowed but apart from that it seemed as though every effort was being made to make their incarceration as miserable as possible.
The toilet bucket had overflowed over a week ago and the stench had become so bad that their olfactory systems had shut down and now they honestly didn’t smell it anymore unless they made an effort to.
Vampires and Familiars would come and bang on their bars at random times making sleep impossible. Staring at them like they were animals in a zoo. Or freaks in some Victorian circus.
Initially both Bart and Ryoko had tried to talk to the familiars, attempting to instill some guilt, some reason. Trying to gain a possible ally. But their attempts had been to no avail. The Familiars were too enraptured with the thought of immortality. Existing forever. Wielding power. Being part of something.
Most familiars were simply lost and worthless people looking to belong. Although some were true psychopaths, yearning for power, aching to wield their authority. To inspire fear more than respect. And willing to take the risk of having their brains fried when they were turned.
Ultimately the majority of them simply ended up as food.
Every now and then an obviously more senior vamp would come to the cell and stare at them. Whenever they did so it was almost impossible to break eye contact with them. Both Bart and Ryoko knew that the vamp was attempting to glamour them. To exert his or her influence on them. To control their minds.
But even in their weakened state they were un-glamourable. Conversely to what rumor and myth would have say, although vampires can glamour someone they struggle to do so to anyone with a powerful intellect. Especially when that person knows what the vampire is attempting.
But then, late one evening, the vampire that had visited them once before came to the cell. It was obvious that he was the leader as his sense of self-entitlement and power was a palpable thing.
‘Good evening, Bart. Ryoko,’ he greeted. ‘I hope that you do not object to my calling you by your Christian names, after all this is the second time that we have met? You may call me Nathan.’
Neither of Emily’s foster parents reacted but Nathan didn’t seem to mind. He simply stood and watched them for almost a minute before he spoke again.
‘I know your daughter,’ he said. ‘Quite well, actually. In fact I was the first person that she met in this country. Yes. I suppose you might even say that we were friends.’
‘Impossible,’ spat Bart. ‘She would never befriend a blood sucker.’
Nathan laughed. ‘True,’ he admitted. ‘But this was before I was elevated. Back when I was a mere Shadowhunter.’
Bart expression was one of deep disgust. ‘You unbelievable turncoat,’ he said.
Nathan shrugged. ‘Whatever. I have always believed that it is better to fight for the winning side. Anyone who does otherwise is worse than a fool. Like your precious daughter. An idiot. And, I must add, a soon to be very dead idiot.’
Bart lunged through the bars in an attempt to strike the arrogant monster facing him but he couldn’t get close enough.
Nathan laughed out loud, genuinely amused. ‘Oh how pathetic you are.’
‘I’ll kill you, I swear,’ shouted Bart.
Nathan turned his full attention to the large man in the cell. ‘You will do no such thing,’ he said as his eyes bored into Bart’s consciousness. ‘You wretched, feeble human.’ The ex-Shadowhunter turned the full force of his glamour onto Bart. ‘On your knees, human.’
Bart shook his head. ‘No. Never.’
Nathan sneered. ‘Do you honestly think that you can resist me? Just because you resisted a few trivial attempts by my less than able brethren to glamour you?’ The vampires eyes glowed a deep red. ‘They are nothing. Now, on your knees before your master.’
Bart screamed in agony as Nathans power seared his mind and he sank to his knees, quivering with effort as he tried, vainly, to resist.
Ryoko ran forward to comfort him but one look from Nathan stopped her in her tracks.
‘You too,’ he commanded and she sank to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Nathan kept them both under his thrall for a few more minutes and then he released them, spat on the floor and shook his head.
‘Pathetic.’
He left the room, slamming the interleading door shut as he did so.
Bart stood up, his legs and arms shaking from the effort. He went over to Ryoko, helped her up and hugged her.
‘We have to get out of here,’ he said. ‘And sooner rather than later. That psycho bloodsucker has already told us that he is going to kill us whatever transpires, so no matter how high the risk, however small the chance, we need to take it.’
Ryoko nodded in agreement.
As it happened their first opportunity presented itself later that evening when a familiar brought them a jug of water. As always she approached the cell, bent down and pushed the jug through a small opening in the bars. As she did so, Bart grabbed her wrist and yanked her into the door, smashing her face against the iron bars and rendering her unconscious.
‘Well what was that in aid of?’ Asked Ryoko.
Bart didn’t answer, he simply pulled the woman’s head up against the opening and fumbled with her hair. After a few seconds he let her go and held up two hair pins that he had retrieved from the girl’s bun.
Ryoko smiled in acknowledgement of his plan.
With quick sure movements Bart straightened the one pin and bent a right angle in the other. Then he handed the improvised lock picks to his wife.
‘I can’t fit my hands through the bars,’ he said. ‘You had better do it.’
The lock was old and heavy but Ryoko had it unlocked in just less than three minutes.
They nudged the door open and slipped out, moving as carefully and silently as possible. The place seemed deserted and Bart could only assume that the vamps must be out feeding or training or doing whatever the hell it was that the undead bastards did at night.
Before they entered a room they would both lay their ears against the door and listen as hard as they could before they pushed it slowly open and proceeded.
The building was huge and many of the rooms simply led one into the other instead of using corridors.
‘Must have been built in the Elizabethan era,’ whispered Bart.
‘What?’ Asked Ryoko.
‘The house. No corridors. The first corridors were used at the end of the Elizabethan era. Designed by an English architect called John Thorpe. Clever chap.’
Ryoko smiled at her husband’s incongruous way of thinking.
They listened at another door and then opened it. There was a large entrance hall. At the opposite end was the front door.
And it was open.
Bart grinned. ‘Come on,’ he whispere
d. ‘Let’s get out of here. Once we’re outside I rate our chances. We’re good outdoors.’
The two of them padded across the empty room, moving quickly but silently.
Four steps before they reached the front door, the room filled with shadow and the sound of whispers cut the air.
And they were surrounded by vampires.
Directly in front of them stood Nathan.
He smiled and then clapped slowly. ‘Oh well played,’ he said. ‘That was so close. How terribly frustrating for you.’
Bart’s shoulders slumped. ‘You knew,’ he said.
‘Of course I knew,’ snapped Nathan. ‘Do you think that I could miss the two of you crashing about like a herd of wildebeest? Good gods, you make enough noise to literally wake the dead. Or un-dead as the case may be.’
There was a ripple of laughter around the room. Minions showing polite respect to their master.
There was a whisper of air and Nathan was standing behind them. Both Bart and Ryoko turned but he had already moved and was standing in front of them again.
His arm flicked out and he slapped Ryoko across her mouth. A blow hard enough to split her lip and bring a squirt of blood to the surface.
Before Bart could react four vampires grabbed both his and Ryoko’s arms, totally immobilizing them.
Nathan leaned over the slight woman and then, slowly and deliberately, licked the blood off her lips.
Bart thrashed against his vampiric bonds as he tried to attack Nathan.
‘Let him go,’ commanded the ex-Shadowhunter.
The vamps immediately released Bart and he lunged at Nathan.
But the vampire simply struck him in the chest with his open hand. The blow smashed Bart back, slamming him into the opposite wall. The crackle of his breaking ribs sounded clearly.
Then Nathan walked over, grabbed the big man by the hair, lifted him to his feet and casually broke his left arm.
Bart grit his teeth, determined not to show pain.
‘Why are you doing this?’ Gasped Ryoko as tears streamed down her face.
Nathan smiled. ‘Because I can,’ he said. ‘That’s all. Because I can.’