The first human, a woman, walked towards the angel, stepping over the shriveled bodies lying on the floor. She knelt down, placed her head on the angel’s chest and looked up into his eyes. The angel, placed his hand on the woman’s head and caressed her hair. Leaning forward over the woman’s shoulder, the angel closed his eyes and opened his mouth.
Skyclade watched as the woman’s shroud shook and vomited energy into the angel’s open mouth.
Skyclade quivered. It could taste the power in the air and the hair on its arms stood up.
Pulling out the blade hidden beneath its shirt, it pushed the man standing in front to the floor and rammed the blade through the kneeling woman’s’ neck and into the chest of the angel.
Somerset Mills opened his eyes but before he could scream Skyclade withdrew his second blade and stabbed it repeatedly into the angel’s throat, blood, sparkling with pure energy burst from the deep cuts and across Skyclade’s arms and neck, sinking into its vessel’s bare skin and filling Skyclade with pure energy.
Skyclade felt euphoric. It grabbed the hair or the angel while it continued to stab at the neck with the other blade. Eventually the head of the angel snapped free, dripping sparkling thick golden blood over the red fabric.
Throwing the head to the back of the carriage, Skyclade pushed his face deep into the severed neck and drank greedily as the angel’s body convulsed.
A burst of light erupted from the angel’s body, knocking Skyclade to the floor. The light formed into a ball and then flew through the wall of the carriage.
The door of the carriage ripped open and two black tentacles entered, snaking towards Skyclade, followed by the black hard body of a hybrid.
Feeling the angel’s energy coursing through its veins, Skyclade grabbed a tentacle with both hands and pulled hard, snapping it from the hybrids back. The second tentacle hit Skyclade in the face, cracking its jaw.
Skyclade spat two bloody teeth to the carriage floor.
The hybrid continued to squeeze its giant frame into the carriage, its head splitting open, revealing jagged, hard black teeth.
Wiping blood from its face, Skyclade charged toward the hybrid and punched it hard in the head, caving in its skull. The hybrid fell back out of the carriage to the floor below.
Breathing hard, Skyclade held up its hand. White bone was sticking through the skin on two fingers. Skyclade turned back to the angel and continued to drink.
TWENTY.
“Primed!” shouted Julia.
Drexel held up a thumb as he passed up a mine to Melissa, who was standing on Drexel’s shoulders. Melissa stuck the mine in the ceiling, attached a cable and then climbed down Drexel’s back.
Drexel pulled out his remote and slapped the casing, the light turned on and a ‘2’ was displayed.
“What’s that?” Julia asked approaching.
“This here is the remote. See that two? That means there are two circuits we can blow. If you click the green button on the side once, then we are going to blow the mines by area one. That's the entrance to this place. Click the green button twice and we explode area two. That’s right here.”
“How long will it take us to run from area two to area one?”
Drexel thought for a moment. “For you, five minutes. Me a little longer.”
Melissa took Drexel’s wrist and examined his hand, thick purple lines were throbbing under the skin. The lines were thickest where his fingers were missing. “What happened here?”
“Flicker grabbed me. Ghost to you. It’s gone now though but not before cursing my hand. Keel doesn’t think it will spread further but I can’t feel anything in it anymore.”
Melissa picked up a small rock and tapped the skin, it felt hard. “Can you move it?”
Drexel held his breath and tried. He shook his head.
“I think I’m going to lose it. Was a good hand too.”
Julia sat on the floor and hugged her legs, “So what do we do now?”
“Now we wait,” replied Drexel, “and hope Canopus and Keel have everything under control.”
TWENTY-ONE.
“No!” screamed Lillian Fox as she threw Canopus to the ground. Her brother’s light floated before her and then slowly faded away.
Canopus opened a puffy eye and smiled as blood dripped from his mouth to the floor. “Angel essence. And now there is one.”
“What is in the carriage?” Lillian Fox asked as she placed her foot on Canopus’ neck. “Is it that bitchy witchy partner of yours?” She applied pressure to her foot, licking her lips as blood squelched from under the bandage and down his chest.
Canopus coughed as blood bubbled in his throat.
“No. Not yet.” Lillian Fox removed her foot and called over two hybrids.
“Tear off his arms,” she commanded.
The hybrids both grabbed an arm as they lifted Canopus’ limp body off the ground and started to pull. Canopus screamed as his joints started to stretch and pop.
“Wait.”
The hybrids stopped pulling but kept the detective’s arms taunt.
“I’m going to keep you alive while they do this to you. I can do that. They will pull off your arms and then your legs. Then I will have them suck out your eyes. Even when I’m holding your heart in my hand, you will be alive. “She clicked her fingers and adrenaline ran through Canopus’ body. He breathed deep and opened both eyes.
“You will not pass out. They will bite off your man organ, that your kind cherish so much and make you eat it. It will taste like a bloody slug, wiggling in your throat and then I will sentence you to Limbo.”
Canopus spotted movement at the edge of his vision and blinked his eyes. Was it Keel? Or was the adrenaline making him see things. If it was Keel, he needed to keep the angel talking. “Limbo? You too scared to kill me?” asked Canopus smiling.
“Ear,” commanded Lillian Fox.
The hybrid to the left of Canopus extended its bulbous black head against the side of his face. Its head split and jagged teeth tore in the cartilage of the ear resting against its mouth. It spat the ear to the floor as bright red blood poured from the hole, turning into a thin lumpy trickle.
Lillian Fox walked around Canopus, “Angels can’t kill humans. We can only send them to Limbo and Limbo is far worse than the place you call Hell, you will see. Ear.”
The second hybrid, rubbed its smooth head against Canopus’ ear.
Canopus tried to move his head away but the hybrid’s tentacle grabbed his cheek and pulled him back.
“Let him go.”
Lillian Fox turned and looked at Carina Keel. Her gun was pointing straight at the angel.
“The bitch is finally here;” smiled Lillian Fox. She clicked her fingers and the hybrids dropped Canopus to the floor. They silently turned and faced Keel.
“Welcome to our party,” said the angel, bowing.
Keel stepped forward and fired her gun at Lillian Fox, hitting her in the chest. Keel paused and then continued to fire, hitting the angel again and again.
Lillian Fox fell to the ground and laughed. Her voice melodic and beautiful.
“Bullets are so 1980s don’t you think?” she said sitting up. “Did you really think that would hurt me?”
“No, but this might.”
Keel stepped to the right, standing behind her in the darkness were two glaring red eyes. Skyclade marched forward, “Rache.” It said and leapt in the air, smashing down on a hybrid. Skyclade’s skin was glowing gold as it smashed its fists into the hybrid’s chest, creating a large bloody hole. Skyclade pulled the hybrid’s heart from its body and punched it through the side of the other hybrid’s face. Both fell to the ground.
Skyclade stood up and smiled as its glowing skin self-repaired its wounds and broken bones.
Lillian Fox jumped to her feet, “To me!”
Four more hybrids ran from the shadows towards Skyclade and Keel.
Keel slammed her hand against the side of the tram and to the sigil she had placed on the wo
od, “Crystallus Tempastus!” she shouted.
Blades of ice shot from the sigil and hit the hybrids, freezing them instantly. Keel shot her handgun and two of the hybrids burst into powdered black ash.
Lillian Fox crouched as ice flew over her head, her long dark hair fanning out around her.
Skyclade jumped in the air and landed on the angel, pinning her to the floor.
Now! shouted the voice in Skyclade’s mind, the voice that had been dormant and waiting.
Skyclade’s opened its mouth and beads of red smoke snaked into Lillian Fox’s ears, eyes and nose.
“What are you doing?” shouted Keel to Skyclade, “Stop!”
Skyclade’s body dropped to the floor.
Vince opened his eyes.
Lillian Fox screamed as she rolled on the floor, hands pressed against her skull.
Breathing hard, Keel ran towards Canopus, pulling him back to the wall.
“We’ve got to get out of here. The Zeph is inside Lillian Fox.”
“Did I rescue you?” mumbled Canopus, delirious. He tried to stand but collapsed. His body felt like it had zero energy left in it. “Just leave me, Drexel is waiting. Go.”
“Don’t be an old fool,” said Keel and lifted Canopus to her shoulder. As she turned the corner she looked over at Lillian Fox and watched as the angel’s chest split open, propelling out a small ball of golden energy. Before it could float away, red smoke leapt from the open chest, covered the energy ball and pulled it back into the angel’s body.
Vince sat up and felt searing pain throughout his body. He stood up easily and then fell back to his knees as his mind raced. Years and years of memories that were subdued by the Red-girl flashed through his mind. Memories of Debbie, of his betrayal, of the Red-girl, of the murders she made him do, of Skyclade, the coven, of all the places he had been, everything he had seen and what was behind the door with the golden dented door knob, of Canopus, Keel, Hall.
Dark red blood trickled down his nose.
“Debbie,” he cried rolling to the floor.
Keel cursed herself and propped Canopus against a wall, “Don’t go anywhere,” she shouted at him.
“Not going anywhere,” slurred Canopus.
Keel ran towards Vince and grabbed his arm. She pointed at Lillian Fox, as the angel’s body started to shake and slowly lift off the floor, red smoke twirling around it.
“We need to get away from this, right now!”
Vince looked into Keel’s eyes, ‘Rache’ he said.
“That’s right. You want revenge and I will help you get it.”
Together they ran back to Canopus. He had slid back down to the floor, so they lifted him up, placed a head under each of his arms and slowly carried his heavy body down the corridor towards Drexel and the sisters.
As they passed the sigil bound residents, Keel tried not to look into their scared, alert faces, instead she whispered to each of them that she would be back for them all, soon.
She halted Vince and turned back to the residents.
She had a plan.
Closing her eyes, she whispered a word of power and released the residents from the captis hex.
The once blue eyes of Lillian Fox, now blazed a bright red. The new, Skyclade laughed, feeling the power of the angel surging through her body. The little Red-girl had graduated from hiding in the weak body of a human man, to controlling an angel, a divine creature! Finally, a being that could hold her true self. She licked her new lips, she was hungry and not for the human life-force that angels fed on. A Zeph needed worship and right now she knew exactly where she could find 76 humans ready to worship her.
TWENTY-TWO.
Keel glanced at Vince’s hand, the golden glow was fading away, revealing bones sticking through swollen skin. “Does that hurt? Your hand that is.”
Vince nodded. “Yeah a lot. But it feels good. Like for the first time I can feel real pain again,” He shifted himself under the weight of Canopus and stumbled along the corridor, “I didn't realize how long I had felt subdued, dead inside, I was being driven by primal urges, sex, violence. But what is really strange is that now the Red-girl is gone from inside me, I feel hollow and alone.”
He laughed, “You know I’m like, over 150 years old?” Tears fell from his eyes.
Keel looked back at the residents following them. They seemed confused and weak but were making good pace, “Keep up!” shouted Keel.
“Can you remember the Red-girl’s thoughts?” asked Keel.
Vince thought for a moment, “Some, but they are fading.”
“Lillian Fox mentioned that she could only send humans to Limbo. Do you know what she meant?”
“I don’t. Sorry.”
Keel frowned and chewed her lip.
Canopus stirred and opened his eyes, “What’s going on?” he slurred and then dropped back to unconsciousness, his body becoming heavier.
“Can you help us?” asked Keel to a young bearded man behind her. He was dressed in a construction outfit with a large tool-belt around his waist.
The man stumbled forward and grabbed Canopus by the waist, supporting his weight.
“I’m Carver,” the man said. “Look, I gotta thank you for rescuing us. I don’t know what happened or if any of this is real but -”
Keel held up her hand, “Later, OK Carver? Remember that creepy woman back there?”
Carver nodded.
“Well, in the last few minutes, she has become a whole lot creepier and we need to get out, fast.”
“Got it,” Carver replied.
A woman screamed at the back of the crowd of residents as Keel passed Canopus to Carver and told him and Vince to keeping heading straight. Keel stopped a woman with short blonde hair and a dirty pantsuit, “What’s your name?”
“Becky,” she sobbed, “what’s happening?”
“Keel grabbed her by the shoulders. “You know Sheriff Drexel?”
“Yes,” Becky whimpered.
“He is waiting for you. Get the others through the tunnel and into a large room filled with metal beds and desks. Tell him to get everyone out. Do you understand?”
Becky nervously looked behind her as more residents ran past.
“Do you understand?” repeated Keel more sternly.
“Yes. I understand. The Sheriff will get us out.”
“Good. Now go. Tell him Carina Keel sent you.”
Becky ran with the others, as more screams came from the back of the tunnel.
Keel felt her heart thud against her chest, her mouth felt dry and her bladder full. Her gun felt slippery in her hands. Cursing, she stepped to the side of the corridor and slowly moved back down the tunnel towards the screams.
TWENTY-THREE.
“Something is coming!” shouted Julia. She paused and listened some more, “A whole lot of things are coming.” She ran back to Drexel and her sister who were camped behind some overturned desks. Drexel was shaking his remote.
“Did it turn off again?” asked Melissa peering over the desks.
“It’s just a little temperamental but it’ll work. Just gotta know how to treat it. What did you see girl?” Drexel asked Julia as she skidded back under the desk.
“Lots of movement,” she replied breathing hard. “Coming fast.”
“Good things or bad things?” frowned Drexel.
“Lots of things.”
“Alright, we wait until we see the ‘whites of their eyes, if they have eyes.”
Drexel nervously tapped his Magnum and listened as the sounds footsteps and screams increased. Melissa was holding a large piece of wood, while Julia was holding a thin bladed switchblade, given to her by Drexel.
Streams of people ran into the room, some were confused, others were screaming. Drexel recognized them as the residents from Bonners Ferry.
“Drexel! Sheriff Drexel!” screamed a blonde woman from the crowd.
Drexel leapt over the desk followed by the twins. “Becky! I’m here!”
“Thank the Lord,
she was telling the truth. This lady, Carina Keel, she said to tell you to get us out, now!”
“Where is she?”
Becky was breathing hard, she pointed behind her, “She headed back down, towards the others.”
Drexel spotted Canopus held by a man and, was that Vince? Drawing his magnum, he marched over to Vince and pushed him to the floor.
“What the hell dude!” shouted Carver, supporting Canopus.
Drexel pointed his gun at Carver and then back at Vince, “What the fuck is going on?”
Vince sat on the floor and wiped blood from his nose. “Huh, the Sheriff. Pleased to meet you again too. Look man, I don’t know what you’ve been through but looking at you, it looks like just as much shit as me. Skyclade is out of me and is now inside the angel. I was helping Canopus get to safety. Keel’s orders.”
Drexel narrowed his eyes, “You and me, have things to talk about boy.” He turned to Canopus and gently slapped him around the face. Canopus opened his eyes.
“Girls, get the bottle!”
Julia grabbed the bottle of Jack from Drexel’s bag and passed it to him. Drexel took a long swig and then placed it against Canopus lips, tipping up the bottle until the bourbon slowly flowed.
The liquid filled Canopus’ mouth and he coughed violently. Opening his eyes he wrestled free off Carver.
“There’s my man. Holy shit, where’s your ear?” said Drexel.
Canopus touched his left ear, pain shot through his head. He looked around the room and at the residents running past. “Gone, so speak up. Where’s Keel?”
“She went back,” said Vince.
“Skyclade?”
“Vince,” Vince replied.
“Damn, we could have used Skyclade,” said Canopus with a sigh, he grabbed the bottle from Drexel and drank a deep gulp.
“Well, right now, the Zeph is inside the angel and the plan has gone to shit,” commented Drexel.
Canopus swore. He turned to Vince, “your brain scrambled or do you know the way out?”
Vince shook his head, “Not this way. I think I came from a different location.”
“Keel will try and lead the angel, I mean Skyclade back here. The plan stands. We trap it inside.” He looked around as the residents filled up the corridor, some were hugging each other, others were talking in groups. “Girls you are going to have to take them out alone.”
The Hive Page 22