The Turning (The Forsaken Series Book 2)

by Phil Price

  Jake shrugged, a sudden tiredness seeping into his bones. “Not totally sure. If I had to place a bet, I’d say he’s in the Vale. I just hope I’m wrong. Elias and other vampires may be there. Stephen would not stand a chance. I need to get there. Tomorrow.”

  “I can see your mind is made up. We will go with you Jake. Bertie and I. We will leave at dawn. You can bed down in one of our rooms. I’ll tell Bertie to have a wagon ready at first light.”

  “Are you sure about this Mungo? There may be danger.”

  The older man took a swig of his ale, a tight smile creasing his face. “I could do with a bit of hunting. Plus, you’re a friend of Wilf. I owe you my service.”

  Jake reached across, taking the man’s meaty hand in his. “Thank you Mungo. I am very grateful.”

  The larger man sat back on his chair, resting his meaty hands on his ample stomach. “We’ll finish up here, then Bertie will show you to your room.” He reached for his mug, taking a swig. “Hmm. This is good stuff. What’s say we partake in another jug?”

  “Fine with me,” Jake said, the horrors of the night gently ebbing away.

  Twenty-Seven

  Eddie and Karaa dropped down through the forest as wraiths and ghosts writhed around the stout trunks around them. They came to the steps that led to the catacombs underneath the forest. Karaa dropped through the air, landing on the stone floor. Eddie looked down and smiled, preferring to take the stairs, two at a time. They met at the bottom, heading through one of the tunnels. They came to a series of cells, looking through the bars at the two sleeping forms on the straw mattress. They both instantly felt hungry.

  “The one tastes good,” Karaa said. Her yellow eyes almost feverish.

  “He does. But we need to be patient. We can hunt later, once we’ve spoken to the others. I know a place where you can get your fill.” She smiled as Eddie took her hand, leading her into the larger anteroom. On the floor lay two dead humans. One was headless, the other bent into an unnatural shape. No blood had soaked the stone floor. They had been bled dry. Elias and Alison sat in a far corner, eyes closed, breathing steadily.

  The giant’s eyes opened as he heard them approach. He stood silently, rousing Alison with a gentle nudge. “What news on Jake?”

  “He’s dead,” was Eddie’s flat reply.

  Elias looked shocked, his red eyes burning bright in the dimly lit cavern. “How?”

  “We found him, in the village. He was resting in one of the houses. Before long, humans came. I think the same humans who visited us at the forest killed him. There was a fight. They set fire to the house with Jake inside it. That was the last thing we saw.”

  Elias walked over to his former master’s stone coffin, resting his hand on the cool surface. “That is a shame. I was hoping to personally take care of him, maybe even turning him myself. But no matter. He is gone now. I will still go through the doorway tomorrow night to bring back his kin. It just means that now we can fulfil our plans without Jake’s interference. It will make it easier for us.”

  “What about the two who are sleeping in the cell?”

  Elias pondered the question for a moment. “Leave them be for now. The shaman and I have unfinished business. I would very much like to see him suffer. And I know exactly how to do that.” Eddie and Karaa nodded.

  “We’re hungry,” Karaa said. “Eddie and I need to hunt.”

  “Go then. Take these bodies with you. You’ll find a head over in the far corner. Take them and dump them in the forest. Something will eventually find them and feast on their rotten flesh.” They excused themselves, leaving Elias alone with Alison. She slumped against the rocky wall, her eyes closing. Elias sat next to her, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. I did not expect Jake to go that way. But things happen. Shame. Under different circumstances, he would have been a strong ally. He let his head rest against the cold wall, his eyes also closing as the torches flickered gently around him.

  ☨☨☨

  They made their way back into the forest, quickly climbing the steep incline until they were out on a dirt track. They could smell the smoke on the air as it was blown gently from Heronveld towards them. Karaa looked around herself, wondering which way to go. “We will head to the inn next to the lake. There will be food for us there. Remember. Kill them first, before feeding. We do not need any more kin just yet. Let’s go and have some sport.” He looked at her once beautiful face as it changed from a frown to a smile. The smile reached her feral eyes, closing slightly as her fangs appeared from under her lips. She readily took his outstretched hand as they made their way along the roadway. Away from the smell of smoke. Towards the smell of human blood.

  ☨☨☨

  Father Stephen sat up on the mattress and stretched his arms towards the low ceiling. He climbed to his feet noisily as Tony continued to sleep next to him. Shuffling over to the far side of the cell, he relieved himself in against the wall. He walked back to his pack, dismayed that they were almost out of supplies. He took a quick drink, leaving the rest for his companion. It was dark in the passageway. Flickering torches barely lifted the gloom that pressed down upon them. He heard noise to his right as two vampires walked into the passageway. He said nothing as they approached. The female had a face plastered in blood. It made Stephen feel nauseous just to look at her.

  Eddie walked over to the cell, smiling at the vicar. “Hello, Shaman. Did you rest well?”

  Stephen could smell the fetid stench that came from him. It was cloying, coating the back of his throat, almost making him wretch. “We are holding up. Did you kill my wife?”

  Eddie looked at him and smiled. “Yes, I did. Although I never even touched her. She fell to the ground as soon as she saw me. I wanted to feed but I was disturbed, so I left her untouched.”

  Stephen grabbed the bars, his knuckles turning white. “Then very soon, I will kill you. I give you my word.”

  Eddie smiled. “Good. We will see who is the stronger. I look forward to that, Shaman.” The two vampires walked off, leaving Stephen gripping the bars. He fell to his knees, loud sobs echoing through the cavern. I’m so sorry love. I did this to you, he thought as tears fell from his face onto the wet stone floor.

  Tony woke behind him, groggily looking over at the vicar. “Are you okay?” he said, his voice dry and raspy.

  Stephen looked over at the policeman, wiping his face with his hand. “He killed my wife. He just told me. That bastard killed Denise. I will not leave this hell-hole until I’ve settled the score.” He climbed to his feet, leaning against the iron bars of the cell.

  Tony also climbed to his feet, touching the lump on his head. “Hmm. Strange. The bump on my head has gone.”

  Stephen walked over, placing his hand on Tony’s head where he’d banged it the day before. No lump or bruising could be seen. He remembered that he’d also received a few bumps and bruises as his hands felt around his own body. “I’m not totally sure why, but it seems that things are different here. It looks like we’ve healed overnight. I don’t know about you, but I feel stronger here than I do at home. Have you noticed that?”

  Tony frowned, looking at the vicar. “Not really, to be honest.” He looked at Stephen as an idea presented itself. “How much do you weigh?”

  “Not sure. Twenty stone roughly.”

  Tony placed his hands under Stephen’s armpits and lifted him up the wall. He pressed him until his head gently bumped the ceiling. Impressed, Tony dropped him back down the floor. “You’re right. I lifted you quite easily. I work out at home, but I’d never be able to press that much weight over my head. So, what are you thinking in that big old head of yours?”

  “Did you watch Superman as a child?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “Maybe that’s what’s happening here to us. The atmosphere could be different, making us a bit stronger. It could also help us heal quicker.”

  Tony shook his head. “This is just bonkers! You’ll be telling me I can fly next?” The policeman jumped in the air, hi
s one arm aloft. He landed back down with a thump. Stephen laughed, glad of the release it gave him. He felt better, despite their dire predicament. Tony looked through the bars. “So, what is the plan?”

  “Not sure. Elias said he is leaving tonight. He’s going to head to Cornwall to bring back Katherine and the baby. I’m sure Jake’s father will be with them. So, he’s in danger too. I’ve known Doug half my life. He’s a good man who may be in harm’s way. He would die trying to protect them. But we cannot let that happen. We need to get to them first.”

  “How do we do that? We’re kinda stuck here. Unless we can rip these bars from the walls and do a runner?”

  Stephen looked at the iron bars, wondering if the two men had what it took to do that. “Maybe we could. But not now. If they’ve just come back, it may be morning out there. Let’s leave it a few hours until we know for sure. They may all be asleep by then too. If we can, we need to plan what we will do. There’s no point escaping this place, only to die in the forest before we can get home.”

  Tony nodded and walked over to the mattress. He sat down heavily, drawing his knees up to his chest. “What day is it?”

  “Sunday, I think.” He tried to turn the clock back in his head, recounting the last few days. “Yes, it’s Sunday morning.

  Tony shook his head. “The Villa are playing in a few hours. I was going to watch that in the pub with the guys.”

  “Oh well. I’m sure that being here over the next few hours will hold more entertainment than what Aston Villa can provide. If we make it home alive you can watch a re-run.”

  ☨☨☨

  To the east, Culnae was slowly coming to life as the sun began its daily journey across the sky. Bertie was loading up the cart, placing weapons, food, drink, and blankets under the cover. Satisfied, he pulled the hessian cover tight across the cart, securing it in place to keep their provisions dry. Mungo walked out of the saloon, a steaming mug of tea in his hand. He was dressed in brown boots and trousers, with a white singlet on top. Bertie handed him a leather coat that he shrugged on to ward off the early morning chill.

  “Thanks Bertie. Do we have everything that we need?”

  “We do. There is enough food to feed us for a week. Ale too. I’ve put some spears and axes left over from the last elk hunt. We’ve got more than enough Mungo.”

  The big man smiled, turning to see Jake walk out of the saloon towards them. “Did you sleep Jake?”

  He looked at Mungo and nodded. “I did. The bed was very comfortable. I even managed a bath this morning. Your room was very nice.”

  Mungo turned to Bertie, who was about to climb onto the front of the cart. “Bertie, could you bring Jake some tea and a bit of food before we leave?” The diminutive older man jumped down from the bench seat, heading off towards the saloon with a stride of someone years younger. Jake walked over to his bike, checking it over while Mungo finished his tea.

  “Is this how you travel in your world?” Mungo asked inquisitively.

  “One of the ways. We tend to use something called a car. It’s much bigger. You sit inside it and drive. They are fast. I’d have brought mine but it would not fit through the doorway.”

  “Your world sounds fascinating. One day I will visit. If only to breathe your air.”

  “I don’t see why you couldn’t one day. After all, it’s not that far really. You just need to watch out for vampires and cannibals.”

  “Maybe I’ll take Bertie with me for backup. He’s like a demon once he gets going. Talk of the demon, here he is.” Bertie walked over, his hands full of food and drink. The aroma made Jake’s mouth water before he’d even taken them from the older man.

  “Here you go, young Jake. Tea, and two bison burgers. That should keep you going all day.”

  “Thank you Bertie. It smells great,” he said as he took them from him.

  Mungo put his hand on Jake’s shoulder as the outlander tried to balance his breakfast in his own hands. “Go and eat in the saloon Jake. It’s a bit cold out here. We’ll just be readying the horses for a few minutes.” Jake nodded, walking off through the cold morning air towards the main door into the saloon.

  “You feeling good Bertie? Ready for some action?”

  “You know me boss. I always like a bit of a ruckus. The more vampires the better.”

  “Just save a few for me and Jake,” Mungo said as he headed over to check the horses.

  ☨☨☨

  Coop and Lars stood in the clearing, looking at the remains of the house. Only a few posts that were once part of the porch remained upright. The rest of the structure was a pile of glowing embers. The rest of the Craven’s sat close by, enjoying the warmth as they cooked ravens over the dying flames.

  Lars turned to Coop. “Are you sure you’re strong enough for the day ahead?”

  “I’m fine. It’s just a nick in my skin. Sharla has bound it tight. It will not give me any trouble. I’m eager to hunt. Both vampires and outlanders. Next time I see him, I’ll skewer his backside with my spear.”

  Lars smiled thinly. He knew that the young man next to him would one day take his place. And for that he was glad. He was getting older and time seemed to be weighing heavy on his bones. “Good. We need to move out soon. The outlander was here for a friend. And to hunt vampires. That tells me they are close by. We should follow the track to see where it leads. Have you noticed the spirits in the forest?”

  Coop had. The swirling mists made his flesh creep. “Yes. There are ghosts here. It’s an evil place.”

  “I agree. We cannot be far from them. It’s as if the forest is alive with spirits. We are a long way from home Coop. Not all of us will return. We must accept that. If I don’t make it back, you will take my place.”

  “But you will-“

  “We are dealing with monsters,” Lars said, cutting him off. Monsters are dangerous. We will lose some of our kin this day.”

  Sharla walked over to the two of them, wiping the remnants of her breakfast from her red face. “What is the plan?” she asked expectantly.

  “We follow the track, then see where it leads. We are many. We can fan out, which will give us greater chance to spot their hideout, because they will not be out in the open during the day.” He looked down at Sharla, his eyes lingering on her cleavage. She noticed his eyes on her, flushing at the neck.

  “We move out as soon as we’ve eaten. It could be a long day. We need to be heading back to Mantz before the sun is too low. We cannot stay here another night.” Sharla nodded, walking back over to the clan to give them the news.

  Lars turned to Coop, clapping him on the shoulder. “Stay close to me. All the time. Let’s hunt some monsters.”

  ☨☨☨

  The cart rolled to a halt, veering off the track into the long grass. Jake coasted to a stop behind them. He switched of the engine, pulling the bike up onto its stand. He walked over to Mungo and Bertie who were stretching their backs out, the grass up over their knees.

  “My backside is numb,” said Mungo, rubbing it vigorously.

  Bertie smiled. “I’ll wager that the seat is numb too, having that slab of rump bouncing up and down on it!”

  Mungo smiled at the smaller man. He had known Bertie half of his own life. The older man kept his cards close to his chest, but Mungo knew he’d seen many battles over the seasons. He looked at his face, marvelling that he was about to do battle with unseen monsters, yet still had time to laugh and joke. He looked at Jake. “What’s the plan?”

  Jake took off his pack, emptying the contents on the cart cover. The two men looked on in silent expectancy as Jake readied his weapons. He handed each of them a stake. Bertie tested it in his hands, liking the feel of it. Jake gave Mungo one of the crosses. “I’ve only got two of these. You need to stay close together. The cross will ward them off. I’ll use the guns as much as I can. Will you be okay with your slingshots and stakes?”

  “Aye,” Bertie said. “We’ll be just fine with these. The slingshots may not be of much use in
close quarters. These will be better,” he said, slapping it in his palm.

  “How far to this place?” Mungo asked.

  “It’s not too far. Half-an-hour’s walk?” Bertie and Mungo looked at each other.

  “What’s harf an hour?” Bertie asked.

  Jake was suddenly at a loss. “Err, not long,” he said. “The time it would take you to drink five jugs of ale.” Bertie and Mungo both laughed as they looked at the trees on towards the west.

  “We’d have sunk five jugs by the time we reach those there trees.”

  Jake looked up at the sky. “Well, you can show me that one day. I will hold you both to that promise.”

  ☨☨☨

  A few minutes later they were heading towards the fringes of Amatoll forest. Jake knew the way well enough by now. He saw the track that led from Heronveld to his left. He pointed at the track to the right that seemed to bisect the forest. “To the left is Amatoll. The forest on the right is where we need to be. The Vale. Korgan’s Vale.” All three men fell silent, lost in their own thoughts as the low clouds seemed to press down on top of them. The track meandered between the trees, slowly climbing until Jake motioned them to stop. “This is roughly where we enter the forest. As you can see, the trees are much denser in this forest than in Amatoll over there.” Both men could see the difference. The forest they were about to enter seemed too congested. Like the trees were fighting for space. It seemed dark too as they peered in from the track.