by Phil Price
“Fucking bitch!” Jake’s blood lust took over as he picked her up by her clothing, punching her square in the face. He cocked his arm again, driving his knuckles into her flesh. He cried out in anger as his fist broke tooth and bone. The noise, a sickening thwack, echoed through the misty forest. Breathless, Jake threw her aside, her neck snapping on a tree trunk, ending her pitiful existence. He stood there panting, crying, on the brink of madness. He suddenly remembered Father Stephen, running to the fallen vicar, fearing the worst. He checked his pulse. He was alive, but unconscious. Jake would never be able to carry him the half mile to the bike.
His thoughts were disturbed by Eddie’s voice. “Amigo. Come to Eddie. Let us finish this.” Jake grabbed the shotgun from the ground, firing a blast in the direction of the steps. Eddie ducked down, laughing at Jake. Goading him. “You cannot keep that up for too long. Come. Come to Eddie. Join us.”
“Fuck you Guzman,” Jake spat as he reloaded. He realised that he would run out of shells soon enough. Kenneth was out cold and could not be moved. What do I do? he thought. Firing off two more shots that made Eddie and Karaa dive for cover, Jake made the hardest decision of his life. He fled.
Eddie looked at Karaa and smiled. “We’ll give him a head start. We won’t be able to leave the forest in the daylight but we can make it fun.” She smiled at him, her fingers lacing into his.
“Which way?” Jake said as he climbed the steep incline. He came to a level part of the forest, slowing slightly as his eyes took in the stone monument in front of him. Even in his haste, he slowed to a jog, marvelling at the size of it. A raised section at one end reminded Jake of an old band stand. A stone circle led from it, several small carved doorways stood empty between stone pillars. He jogged across it, his feet slapping the smooth flag stones. Wow, he thought. I wonder if the doorways work like the one in Amatoll.
“Jake. I can taste you on the wind,” Eddie said from behind him. Jake turned and fired the shotgun, shredding bark as the vampire dived for cover. He looked across the clearing as another vampire stood smiling at him. The barrel lowered slightly as he stared at her. Her blonde hair was tied in a braid that curled around her shoulder. Her grey face still showed signs of her former beauty. Jake started to drift into a daydream as their eyes locked. She sensed it, smiling wider, her incisors dripping saliva onto her clothing. He tore himself free of her glare, firing another shot. She ducked, a few pieces of buckshot snagging her pale flesh. Karaa hissed as she watched the fair-looking man turn and run.
Eddie walked over, touching her arm where she’d been hit. “That won’t do you harm. It takes a lot more than that to destroy us. Come. Let’s go.”
Jake climbed the last few feet until he’d reached the edge of the Vale. He broke into the relative sunlight, feeling better that he was out in the open. He looked right, spotting the cart and bike further along the tree line. In the distance, he could see the lone mountain, its summit covered in low-slung cloud. He took off with renewed vigour, hoping to put some distance between him and the evil in the forest. A few minutes later he was kick-starting the bike, letting it tick over on its stand while he checked the back of the cart. He pulled a clay bottle from underneath, pulling the cork from the stopper. He drank greedily, enjoying the heady ale. It ran down his neck, soaking his jacket as he continued to drink. The bottle landed in the long grass as he burped loudly. The tree line was less than fifty feet from the cart. Eddie’s voice carried on the wind towards him.
“You’re safe now, human! Run and hide. We’ve got the forest covered. You come back this way, we’ll be waiting.”
Fuck, Jake thought. He needed to get back through the doorway. Back home to Katherine and Alicia. Father Stephen! He could not leave him here with these monsters. He needed a plan. He needed help. He needed Wilf.
Twenty-Eight
Elias stood up as they entered the catacomb. They walked over to Elias, noticing his expectant expression. Alison stayed on the floor, her eyes closed. “Well,” he said. What happened?”
“Jake got away as you wanted. We watched him ride off towards the east.”
“And the shaman?”
Eddie smiled. “He’s in the corridor,” he said pointing. “He is sleeping.”
The giant vampire smiled. “That’s good news. Put him in the cells, for I have unfinished business with him. Jake will ride east, looking for help, but it will be of no use for him. I will be in his land, taking his kin. They will be brought here, to join us.”
“And Jake?” Karaa asked.
Elias pondered the question for a moment. “I would like to turn him too. Although part of me thinks he’ll die trying to protect his kin. Time will tell.”
Eddie and Karaa turned, walking back to the corridor. Stephen was still out cold. They left him for the moment, concentrating on the heaped bodies on the floor. Many gave off the rank wet stench of death. They lifted each carcass, walking them up the stone steps, dumping them in the forest for whatever beast was passing. Two bodies lay side by side in the soft ferns. Their hands touching. They had travelled far together. Now Mungo and Bertie lay together, letting nature take its course.
Eddie sniffed a body on the floor. “This one’s still alive,” he said as Karaa walked over to him. She looked down at Sharla, her eyes showing no recognition to her former clan member. Her face was covered in blood, her body bearing terrible wounds. There was still a brief flicker of life in her eyes. A defiance that refused to let go. Eddie knelt down beside her, his ruined hand stroking her matted hair. “Shall we share?” he said.
Karaa shook her head. “You have her. I will see if there is anyone else.” Eddie reached down, his hands taking hold of her head. Sharla of Mantz looked up at the stone ceiling. She felt at peace. Her last thoughts were of her homeland and the face of the boy she had grown to love. A smile tugged at her lips as Eddie snapped her neck, ready to feed.
Father Stephen was placed carefully on the straw mattress. He stirred slightly. The one side of his face bore an angry red bruise that was growing darker. Karaa looked at the two bodies on the floor. A large man lay on top of another body. His lifeless eyes staring up at the ceiling. His chest was a bloody mess of flesh. White bone could be seen, stark against the drying blood. The vampire yanked him out into the corridor, dumping her former brother on the stone floor. She walked over to Coop, lifting his arm as she started to pull his body out too. She jumped as he made a noise, a low moan that echoed through the corridor. She knelt down, looking at the boy. The flesh on his arm was tattered from the shotgun blast, half of his face bore scars too. Karaa inhaled. He smells good. Something in her memory, tried to recall the smell. She knew it, but it was just out of reach.
“Karaa,” Coop whispered. “It’s me. Coop. Do you not remember me?”
The name sent a flashback through her memory. She could see a forest. A boy. Naked underneath her. The memory faded into the ether, lost forever. She looked into his eyes, noticing how he relaxed underneath her stare. “I do not know you. But we can now become kin.” She lowered her mouth to his neck, her teeth puncturing the skin easily. Sucking sounds could be heard through the catacombs as Karaa drained the life out of the boy. Coop floated on the breeze as his life ebbed away. He had not a care. He was where he wanted to be. With his Karaa.
☨☨☨
Doug put the kettle on, peering through the kitchen window for the umpteenth time that morning. It was a little after ten. The sky was dark with foreboding clouds that seemed to weigh heavy on the land. Katherine and Alicia were in the lounge. He could hear faint gurgles and cooing. He smiled for a brief moment, forgetting that his son was out there somewhere, far from home. Very possibly still in that other place. That other world. A world filled with monsters that he’d only witnessed in late night movies, with Alison sat snoring next to him on the sofa. Jake had been gone less than a day, but already Doug was fearing the worst. He knew though that his son could not return through the doorway until midnight. He would have to be patient. It wa
s going to be a very long twenty-four hours.
“Are you okay in there Doug?” Katherine asked from the lounge.
“Err, yeah. I’m fine. Just waiting on the kettle.” He finished his sentence as the kettle clicked off, its steam coating the kitchen window in condensation. He poured two mugs of tea, his mind wandering back to a far-off forest. He hoped his son had found Father Stephen. He hoped they were holed up somewhere safe, swapping stories of their adventures. He sensed that he was being optimistic. He needed to close his mind to the ‘what ifs’ and concentrate on his family here. He also needed to expect the unexpected. He added milk and sugar to both cups, walking into the lounge, his slippered feet barely making a noise on the carpet.
“I thought you’d fallen asleep,” Katherine said. Doug could see the look in her eyes. She was trying to put a brave face on things. He loved her for that. She was strong and resilient. He would need that if the worst came to the worst.
“Sorry Love. I’m getting old.” His attempt at humour fell flat. He placed the mug on a coaster on an oak side table. He looked at his granddaughter and smiled. She was fast asleep in the crook of her mother’s arms. “She’s a real smasher,” Doug said.
Katherine looked up at him and smiled. “She sure is. And she loves her grandad.”
Doug fought the tears that were threatening to spill from his eyes, pushing them back as hard as he could. “Thanks Love. That cheered me up.” He paused for a moment before carrying on. “Are you okay in here for a bit? I need to go out to the garage and sort a few things out.”
The woman nodded. “Of course. Just pass me the remote thingy so I can keep myself entertained while she sleeps.” Doug walked over to the mantelpiece, picking up the black remote control before handing it to Katherine. He bent down and kissed the top of her head, stroking Alicia’s cheek before he straightened up. The infant stirred slightly, moving her dainty arm across her eyes to block out the light. Doug chuckled before leaving them to their daytime television. He picked up his tea and made his way out into the garage.
“Bloody hell,” he exclaimed as a cold wind greeting his exit from the kitchen. He shuffled as quickly as his slippers would carry him, through the side door into his garage. The light switch was flicked, bathing the small space in artificial light. Doug put his tea on the workbench before reaching a shelf above his head. The heavy box slid off the dusty shelf. He caught the other side with his free hand, such was the weight inside. He laid the contents out on the Formica surface, putting them in some kind of order. Six wooden stakes, two heavy silver crosses, and two large bottles of holy water completed his arsenal. He was as satisfied that this would be enough if the worst happened. He put them back in the box, leaning against the work surface as he drank his tea. Come back safe, Jake, he thought. I could not take losing you too.
☨☨☨
He resisted the urge to stop at Culnae. In truth, Jake had no idea who he would speak to now, now that Mungo and Bertie were gone. His bike made steady progress, climbing ever upwards towards the massif that now filled his vision. As he drew nearer the sun was lost behind the cliff face, the temperature dropping noticeably on the dim grassland. He eased off the throttle as he entered Wooten Drift Gorge, navigating dry scrub plants and rocks. The firm ground gave way to a sandy pathway, making Jake give the road ahead his full attention. He was barely using his throttle, letting the bike putter along at crawling pace. A few minutes passed before the narrow corridor opened out into a large clearing. Jake remembered the last time he passed by this route. He smiled, recollecting the makeshift cart that the Finglers had built for Wilf and himself. It had done its job well. They had stolen ahead of Elias, snatching Katherine back from his clutches before he could carry out his plans for her. He also remembered the giants that he’d met in the gorge. The huge men from the north had helped them, all perishing at the hands of the vampires. A high price had been paid for her freedom. He looked to his left, seeing the abandoned mining station that looked like a derelict saloon from a wild-west movie. The red rock that surrounded it seemed to be slowly dragging the saloon into its embrace. Not the place I’d want to spend the night, he thought as he gradually increased his speed. He looked up, seeing yellow eyes looking down on him from the dark recesses in the rock. He kept his pace steady, eager to be back out in the sunlight. The gorge gave Jake the creeps. It was deathly silent. Only the sound of his bike broke the solitude. A few minutes later, after navigating a huge fallen boulder, Jake welcomed the semi warm sun on his face. He stopped the bike, climbing off to stretch. He remembered the holy water in his pack. He drank greedily from one bottle, the liquid seeming to cleanse the recent events from his body and mind. He felt refreshed. He clipped his pack back in place and climbed back on the motorbike, kick-starting it. He twisted the throttle for a brief second, giving him a burst of speed, before clicking the bike into neutral. He was aware that he need to save fuel, preferring to coast his way down to the sea. He tried to figure out how many miles it was. He concluded anywhere between fifteen and twenty, which would only take him an hour or so to complete. He let the stress of the last few hours blow away on the tangy breeze, his arms and shoulders relaxing. He inhaled the sweet air, his brown hair ruffling as he headed downwards, towards his old friend.
☨☨☨
Father Stephen sat up groggily, gingerly touching his forehead. What happened? he thought, his finger dabbing the inflamed skin. He tried to lever himself up off the straw mattress but his legs didn’t want to comply. He sat back down heavily, noticing smeared blood on his palms. It was then that his eyes took in his surroundings. In the cell and corridor, he could see chunks of flesh and body parts littering the stone floor. A hand, severed at the wrist, rested on the black iron bars that held him captive. He felt bile rise in his throat as he noticed other body parts beyond the bars. Half a head lay on the wet stone floor. It had been cleaved in two. One eye stared lifelessly at him from the floor. Stephen closed his eyes, grinding his knuckles into them to try to shut out the image.
“Quite the party, wouldn’t you agree?” a voice said in the darkness. Elias moved into the corridor, accompanied by his kin.
Stephen dragged himself to his feet, walking stiffly to the cell door. “Where is Jake?”
“He fled. Leaving you here all alone, Shaman. What kind of a friend would do that?” Eddie sniggered behind Elias, his eyes glowing in the gloom.
“I don’t blame him for leaving. I only hope he’s home soon with his family.”
Elias shook his head slowly. “I’m afraid that will not be the case. We shepherded him in the opposite direction. Eddie and Karaa last saw him heading towards the gorge to the east. If he is heading where I think he’s heading, he will not be back in time to pass through the doorway. That will allow me to travel to his home and bring back his family.”
Stephen’s knuckles tightened on the bars. “You monster! What do you hope to achieve by doing this? You’re going to rip that man’s life apart. Again. He’s already lost one family. And now you’re going to do that to him again?”
“Yes, I am. He destroyed my master. Do you think that can go unpunished?”
“He did what he had to do to survive. You had his woman. The woman he loves. Do you think he would not fight for her?”
Elias laughed. The noise echoing through the corridor and beyond. “Of course. I have a lot of respect for Jake. He is very courageous. He has done what no other human has done. That’s why when I turn him and his kin, I know I will be adding valuable members to our family.”
“You bastard!” Stephen spat. “I cannot believe you’d do this to them.”
“Not just me. You’re going to help me do it, Father Stephen.”
Stephen’s eyes widened in horror. “What! Never! You think I’m going to be part of that? You’re even stupider than I thought!”
Elias chuckled again. It was deep and melodious. Like the laugh of a happy old uncle. He stepped towards the bars, smiling. “You say that now. But when you’re a v
ampire like us, you’ll change your mind.” He took a key out of his pocket, unlocking the new padlock on the cell door.
Stephen stepped backwards, heading towards the far wall of the small cell. The four vampires entered, barring his only exit. “Keep away from me,” he said, his voice quivering.
“Eddie, Karaa. Hold the Shaman down on the straw mattress. Pin his arms.” Eddie walked forward first, smiling at Stephen. Without thinking, the vicar threw a punch that caught Eddie on the cheek. He took a step back, a look of shock on his face. They stared at each other as the vampire’s face creased into a smile.
“I want you to fight. Man of God,” Eddie hissed as he launched himself at Kenneth. Karaa followed suit, grabbing Stephen’s other arm. Before he could think, he was flat on his back, looking up a pair of red eyes. Eddie and Karaa easily held his arms in a crucifix pose. His renewed strength seemed to ebb from his body. The fight simply went out of him. He felt cold hands on his legs, sliding down his trousers until they were gripping his ankles. He looked down to see Alison looking back at him. Her mottled grey tongue poking out through her teeth. Of all the times we spoke. In my church. In my house. In your house. When you needed my help. When I needed yours. To think that the last time I’ll look at you will be in a dark cave in another world. You a vampire, me about to become one. You simply couldn’t make this up.