The Awakened World Boxed Set

by William Stacey

  Erin groaned, and her eyelids fluttered.

  "But you've been a very bad wolf," Mother Smoke Heart said in a stern tone, holding Erin by the chin and looking into her eyes. "And we can't have any more of your nonsense." She trailed her fingers over the blood trickling down Erin's scalp, rubbing the blood onto her other hand as well. Angie's fear spiked as she felt the woman working mana, the tips of her index fingers glowing red, like the cherry of a cigarette. She brought her fingers toward Erin's unfocused eyes.

  "Don't!" Angie yelled, her body stiffening, but the knife cut into the skin of her throat, forcing her to remain still.

  Erin screamed and thrashed, throwing one of the men off as Mother Smoke Heart burned out her eyes.

  Angie realized she was screaming too as Erin fell to her knees, moaning, still held by the men.

  "Bind her with the silver chains," Mother Smoke Heart ordered. She glanced at Angie, the man still kneeling on her back, his knife at her throat. "I don't need this one. Cut her—"

  A monstrous roar ripped through the night, and a large dark form flew among the men. Angie felt hot liquid on her back, and a moment later, the man who had been kneeling on her fell away. She rolled over, pushing aside his headless corpse, his hot blood still pumping, still spraying. The thing—animal, monster, whatever the hell it was—ripped through the other men. They screamed and died. Gunshots rang out, and the beast howled in rage, a cry so primal it froze Angie in place.

  She felt magic again, saw Mother Smoke Heart standing with her hand outstretched. A bolt of red light flashed from her palm, striking the beast and illuminating it but doing no apparent harm at all. Larger than a bear, it stood on long legs, its unbelievably powerful body covered in glistening black fur, its head that of a hunting feline, a massive black panther, but standing upright like a man. Its canines were impossibly large as they came down on a man's forearm, ripping it free of his elbow in a single bite. Its emerald eyes glowed as it swung an enormous paw-like hand with long claws at another man, ripping him from throat to groin, his intestines spilling out.

  "It's the Knight!" Mother Smoke Heart screamed in panic. "Kill him!" But as her men fought, she turned and bolted into the night.

  Angie rose, noting her assault rifle did still hang from her strap. She lifted it to her hip now, put the firing lever on automatic, and shot two of the closest men, killing them with short bursts. Then she pulled the blind Erin to her feet. "It's me," she yelled. "Stay with me."

  "Go!" Erin yelled, her voice wracked with pain.

  Nearby, the man-panther-beast ripped a man's head from his shoulders and then swung the headless corpse at the other men, using him like a battering ram.

  Angie pulled Erin with her. The beast's cries followed them, as did the screams of their attackers.

  They ran into the dark ruins of Fresno.

  Chapter 17

  Angie led Erin by the hand into the predawn darkness of Fresno. The sounds of battle faded behind them, but her pulse still raced. Whatever that beast had been, its timely attack had saved Angie's life, and maybe Erin's as well, or at least saved her from whatever Mother Smoke Heart had in store for her.

  The sky was lightening in the east, and Angie could make out enough of her surroundings to find her way through the ruins. The city streets were barely recognizable, sunken in, filled with pools of stagnant water, and overgrown by bush, new trees, and tall needlegrass and chaparral shrubs. It smelled earthy and damp. The buildings were in even worse condition, many with the roofs and walls collapsed. Travel would be hard enough, but leading the blind Erin by the hand slowed them down to a crawl. Erin, for her part, bore her horrific wounds with silence. When she deemed it safe, Angie lit a match and held the flame so she could see Erin's face. It was worse than she had expected, the eyes burned away and now trailing fluid over Erin's cheeks.

  "How ... how bad?" Erin asked.

  "Bad, but Char can help. She has healing skills."

  Neither woman had their packs now, so Angie used her knife to cut away the bottom of her T-shirt and used that to bind Erin's face, accomplishing little more than covering the horrific wounds.

  "It doesn't matter how bad it is," Erin said. "It won't make any difference anyhow."

  Angie didn't ask for clarification, knowing the other woman might be in shock. "Char will help."

  "Who was that bitch?"

  "Mother Smoke Heart. She's the one who ... interrogated me."

  "The next time I see her, I'm gonna pull her spleen out her throat." Then she chuckled at her own joke, a hysterical laugh tinged with pain.

  Angie's grief welled, and she couldn't look at Erin's face anymore. "Let's go," she said, taking Erin's hand and leading her on.

  "What was that thing?" Erin asked a few minutes later.

  "I don't have a clue. A cross between a man and a panther, but huge, and it walked upright. It ripped those assholes apart. Never seen anything like it."

  "That woman said something about a Knight."

  Angie paused, remembering now. "She did, didn't she?" This was all too weird. If the panther had been the Knight, some type of were-creature no one had ever seen before, why was a Norteno assassin attacking other Nortenos? "Erin, that thing was two or three times the weight of a man, maybe bigger. Is that..."

  "Possible? Yes. We get large when we change, especially Casey, but he’s a big man to start with. I've seen him knock trees down with his claws. We could be in a lot of trouble."

  "What do you mean?"

  "I don't think it just decided to attack at that moment. That kind of coincidence doesn't happen. It was there for us. It’s been following us since the sewers in Sanwa City. I'm certain of it. My guess is it's a were-creature, at least as stealthy as me, and that's saying a lot."

  Behind them, they heard the beast cry out, its feline roar echoing in the darkness. Bats burst from the ruins, winging across the lightening sky.

  "It's followed us into the city," Erin whispered.

  "Let’s go find Char." Angie took her hand, leading her through the shattered remains of Fresno.

  As Angie had feared, the first vampire found them before the two women had traveled a kilometer through the swamp-like ruins of Fresno. She saw its dark form leap from the rooftop of one ruined building to another, trailing them on their left. This one was only following them—for now—but she didn't know what would happen when others arrived. The sun was breaking over the horizon, chasing away the darkness, but the sun wouldn't be overhead for another forty or fifty minutes. Despite myths, vampires didn't burn to ash in the sunlight any more than holy water burned them. They just didn't like it because it hurt their eyes. Bullets would slow them down, even hurt them if they were shot enough times, but vampires could easily heal those injuries and come back for more. Decapitation would kill them, as well as a wooden stake through the heart—those parts of the legends were true enough. We need to get to Char's home in the old zoo.

  Up until now, Angie had kept the broken, flooded remains of Highway 99 on their right, using it to navigate in the predawn gloom. Three highways cut through the heart of the city, crossing each other: Highways 99, 180, and 41. Where the three avenues crossed, in the center of the ruins, they created an upside-down triangle several kilometers wide. Just to the north of the triangle was the old Tower District and the woods that contained the old city zoo, now Char's sanctum. From the southern outskirts of the ruins, the distance to Char's home was only eight kilometers, but in the overgrown swampy ruins and burned-out, sunken buildings, it might as well have been eighty. It would take them hours to go that far. The vampires, though, wouldn't be around for hours. If they could avoid them for another half hour or so, they'd probably be safe.

  If.

  Two more shadows leaped from rooftop to rooftop, this time on their right, hemming them in. At least they hadn't heard the monster roar any more. Maybe it had moved on, looking for other prey.

  "Wait a moment," Angie told Erin, and then released her hand.

 
She closed her eyes and concentrated on her surroundings, using her innate ability to sense life forms, knowing vampires would register just like any other Fey. There. She sensed the vampire on her right, less than a hundred feet above them, as well as the two on their left. Four more followed behind. Nothing was ahead of them yet. She took Erin's hand again. "Listen, I don't want to frighten you—"

  "Little late for that."

  "But we've got vampires converging on us."

  "Wonderful," Erin said bitterly. "And me without a stake or garlic."

  "I think they're herding us."

  "Do we let them?"

  Angie sighed, her gaze scanning the ruins about them. "Not sure we can do anything about it."

  "Could you ... you know, tell them who you are? Your mother is their leader, right?"

  "They know who I am. And I wouldn't say Char is their leader. Well, not exactly. They're servants of her sister, Ephix. She's the only one who can really control them."

  "Another succubus?"

  "Not even close." A shiver ran down Angie's spine. It had been years since she last saw Ephix, but it wasn't long enough by decades.

  Then they heard the beast's roar once more, and Angie jerked about in fear. It had been close, very close, and behind them. A moment later, she heard the clear sounds of battle, stone breaking, screams of pain, and the bestial roars of the monster. The vampires on either side of them rushed back, leaping from ruined building to ruined building to join the battle behind them.

  "Run!" Angie said, pulling on Erin's arm.

  The sounds of fighting chased after them, a cacophony of bestial rage. Whatever that beast was, it was perfectly at ease attacking groups of vampires. What kind of monster attacks vampires? Angie wondered.

  More shapes darted through the ruins, rushing to engage the beast. Several times, she had even seen the pale faces of vampires staring at the two women before they had bolted away. Twice more, she had paused to sense her surroundings, searching for a clear path. Now there were scores of vampires moving about behind and around them—and this time they were ahead as well, blocking them. The vampires were reacting to the beast's presence, battling it, but in their frenzied state, they'd just as easily pull Angie and Erin apart—especially Angie.

  She dragged Erin west into the ruins of an industrial park. Much of the terrain was clogged by the ruins of hundreds of burned-out trucks, now encased in weeds and grass, and several times they had to wade through sinkholes, becoming thoroughly drenched and miserable. But through it all, Erin, unable to see anything, maintained her composure. Angie doubted she'd have been so calm.

  Soon, they left the fighting behind, but now Angie really didn't know where they were or how far they had come. And she sensed more lifeforms—more vampires—converging on their location. It was becoming much lighter, the sun almost overhead. They’ll stop soon, she told herself. Will they?

  "I don't know what to do," she told Erin. "We're surrounded."

  "Find a place to put our backs."

  Angie looked about in desperation. Not twenty meters away were the remains of an old garage, the roof and walls partially fallen in but mostly intact. She led Erin inside the garage, helping her step over the debris blocking the only entrance. Several inches of filthy brackish water and slime covered the concrete floor. The ruins of several pickup trucks, counters, shelving units, and old equipment filled the interior, but the ceiling was still mostly intact, with only a corner caved in. She and Erin took refuge in the least dilapidated part of the garage, hiding in the shadows. The air stank of old diesel.

  "Weapons?" Erin whispered, her hands running over her hips and empty knife sheath. "They took everything I had."

  "Rifle." Angie handed Erin her knife. "They didn't bother with me. They were just going to cut my throat." She shivered, touching the still-sore superficial cut on her throat.

  Shadows darted about outside the garage, visible through the entrance, so close now she could hear them. Her breathing quickened. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her surroundings. There must have been a dozen vampires, all clustered outside the garage, more than enough to drain both women in seconds. Opening her eyes, she braced herself, bringing the rifle to her shoulder.

  "Get ready."

  Erin inhaled deeply, her stance ready, holding the knife before her.

  And then the vampires drew back, moved away.

  A single shape appeared in the opening to the garage, a small, thin form. Angie stared in confusion as a young woman entered the garage, walking calmly toward them, her bare feet splashing in the brackish water. It was too dark to make her out clearly, but her long dark hair hung behind her. As she came closer and Angie recognized her, she lowered her rifle, her fingers numb, her skin clammy. The narrow confines seemed to shrink around her, to grow darker despite the dawn.

  "Welcome home, Angela," said Ephix without the trace of a smile.

  Ephix.

  Ephix Lamia, the Night Mistress of Fresno.

  Chapter 18

  When Angie and Erin followed Ephix out of the garage, the sun was breaking over the ruins, and the vampires were gone. Angie, her mind racing as she helped Erin, looked about at the sunlit ruins of old Fresno, the shells of buildings squatting amidst the swamp, the snakelike vines strangling the old vehicles, and the bushes breaking through the concrete. She readjusted her sling, hanging the rifle from her back so she'd have both hands free to help Erin. The weapon wouldn't help if Ephix turned on them anyhow. She glanced at Ephix, not yet decided what she feared more, her or the beast that had followed them into the city.

  "Is ... is it gone?" she asked Ephix.

  "No," Ephix said simply but in a tone that indicated she didn't wish to discuss it further.

  She's angry, Angie realized. Her vampires had fought it. Had the beast killed some? Without realizing it, she drew farther back from Ephix, Erin's hand in hers.

  Ephix turned, stared at her with her large brown eyes, her emotions unreadable. "Hurry, Angela. My sister awaits." She stalked off without another word, heading northeast toward Char's home, the former Fresno Zoo.

  Ephix led them around the ruins, finding a dry, easy path through the waterlogged streets, past the rubble and ruins. Angie's gaze drifted up to the rooftops around them, seeking out the gargoyles that she knew must be watching—the day watch. As they moved through the city, Ephix made no attempt to engage them in conversation, which Angie considered a blessing. The only thing more frightening than Ephix was talking to Ephix. For the lamia, conversation was a tool, like the appearance of the innocent young woman that made it easier for her to approach her prey.

  "What's wrong with her?" Erin whispered. "She smells ... wrong."

  "Don't talk, not even a whisper. We'll be okay."

  Her words did little to settle her own fears when Ephix chuckled in amusement a dozen paces ahead of them. Angie inhaled deeply, forcing her fears down. If she wanted to kill us, she would have already.

  They followed the ruins of Highway 99, the western edge of the triangle that sat at the epicenter of Fresno. A new-growth forest had reclaimed most of the city, but she still recognized Chinatown and the Mural District. A single mural stood out amongst the ruins, a sunrise with birds, now mostly obscured by vines and a skin-like growth of moss. Whoever had painted that mural must have believed it would last for generations, long after they were dead. They had been half right. In another dozen years, there'd be little remaining of the city, once the jewel of the San Joaquin Valley, let alone that wall and its mural.

  All things end, she mused sadly.

  They crossed the waterlogged remains of Highway 180, with Ephix bringing them over a bridge-like archway of stone and ruins into the former Tower District. To the west, she saw the thick green foliage of Char's home, and her heart surged happily. The forest had once been the Fresno Zoo, a kilometer of parkland within the heart of the city, but Char's magic had worked wonders. Where once there had been sparse trees and bush, now a jungle blossomed.

&
nbsp; They followed Ephix into the park.

  Walking into the jungle was like entering a magical land—birds sang happily; foxes, squirrels, mice, deer, even predators like wolves and wild dogs comingled freely in the forest, as well as more exotic creatures: monkeys, anteaters, and ferrets. The air was thick with the sweet smell of growth, exotic flowers, and animal scat. Coming back here, even under such dire circumstances, was like coming home again. When Char had taken possession of the zoo, many of the animals had already been dead, starved in their cages or killed and eaten by those people who hadn't yet fled the city and the fires. But some animals had escaped or been released. The larger ones—elephants, rhinos, and most of the giraffes—had died, but under Char's protection, many others survived, remaining in the area. In the eighteen years since the Awakening, the surviving animals had thrived. An entire ecosystem fueled by Char's magic had sprung to life within the jungle.

  When a lion's roar cut across the trees, Erin jerked to a sudden halt. "What the hell?"

  "It's okay," Angie answered. "Nothing will harm us."

  "That was a lion. Wasn't it? How—"

  "There's a pride, eight animals."

  "Twelve now," Ephix called out from ahead.

  Brightly colored butterflies floated by, meandering through the air. The zoo's old wall and fence had long ago been torn down, and a dozen gazelles trotted past, unconcerned about their presence—even Ephix's. The predators knew she was there, though. Angie caught a quick glimpse of a tiger's orange-and-black head through the foliage, its eyes flashing gold, before the massive cat disappeared.

  They passed old zoo buildings, long since fallen into disrepair and overgrown by bushes and new trees. Char maintained only those buildings she used for her school or private quarters; everything else fell apart. The zoo's one-time educational building, once used for tours of schoolchildren, was now the heart of Char's school for magic.