Vorans and Vampires (Book 1): Voran the Night Guardian

by Donald Wigboldy

  Marek sat with Eric and the other survivors of their forces. There were few still standing. Most had to sit and try to recover from their wounds and exhaustion. Marek and his vampires took out flasks and took several sips of voran blood. Perhaps in their attempt to remain in control of their hunger, they should have instead found some real human blood, but they were long past that want.

  Among their people, a few of Cyrus’s vampires sat looking confused. The end of the mind control had caused a couple more deaths in the enemy’s forces, but everyone quickly realized these people were no longer the enemy. They were victims.

  Several had turned and run. The allies knew they should chase those down. They would need to be tamed or killed before their hunger made them an issue, but everyone was exhausted and not one of them failed to have at least a half dozen cuts or other injuries.

  Logan had pulled out a small duffel and begun checking on the worst of their wounded. Charlotte was his first worry, but after checking her, the former intern realized that she had been knocked unconscious and most of her cuts were minor. Smelling salts brought the brunette back around and he went to check on the werewolf, Marta. He was too late. The woman had bled to death in the fight. There was none of the burning that consumed a werewolf with a death blow from a silver blade. She had simply bled out. The big man had tears in his eyes. There would probably have been little he could have done even if he had been able to get to her right away. The wounds were just too severe.

  He treated Sam and Big John. They were on the brink of death and if he hadn’t been able to treat them when he had, Logan knew they would have died very soon. Even so, those two would have to be watched for awhile. They were still unconscious from the wounds and no smelling salts would do more than bring about the faintest flutter from them.

  He treated them all by the time Nick and the remainder of team 5 arrived with a couple strays.

  Jake carried Aubrey, who was bandaged pretty thoroughly by Lex. Logan checked her pulse and found it weak. He prayed that she would live, but there was nothing he could for her without a hospital. Unfortunately, a hospital was out of the question for their kind.

  As sirens began to close on the old business center, Nick could see flames welling up and smoke rose into the sky to blend with the haze of the mist that was lingering in the air. They had checked the rest of the building and found more than fifty corpses. There was an old furnace that the vampires had converted into a cremation room. How many bodies had been used to feed more than a hundred vampires, Nick could only guess.

  The girls were of little use for answers and neither were the three men that joined them. His clan of vampires had lost four and Sophia was on the brink of fading as well from her wounds. Perhaps these would be new recruits, but there was no way they could replace friends of decades. Nick would leave such things to Marek to decide. If these five seemed to be good candidates, they would live. If they failed to pass, Nick knew the clan leader would show no mercy.

  Nine people had been led from the building. They seemed as confused as the vampires. He wondered if Cyrus and his vampires had also controlled the humans they had taken. If so, there was a chance that they could be released to the police and returned home safely. Marek and some of the clan could also use their powers to erase some memories, but Eric and his pack had volunteered to drive them to their home to verify if they were safe to release first.

  Nick knew that they had lost seven more members this day. With Logan and Charlotte having left and Ramon’s death so recently happening, he feared they were looking for recruits from these poor people, but the voran said nothing. After the success of the alliance, as bloody as it was, Nick hoped that they could keep the werewolves as allies. He and Ray had overcome their differences to defeat Cyrus with Jake after all. Such bridges had been passed over that maybe there was a chance.

  As the sounds of police and fire department sirens closed in, the allies began the slow walk back to their vehicles and the chance to return home.

  Lena had visited Nick several times that week. The voran had a cast on his arm and wraps around his broken ribs. Logan had doctored him as best he could, but Nicola doted on him as only a girlfriend in love could. That was the best care in such a situation.

  It had almost made Lena laugh a few times seeing them together. She could tell that Nick had been a bachelor most of his days and wasn’t used to such attention.

  Charlotte and Nicola had taken the girl in and new friendships were blossoming. The new voran found she continually wanted to go visit her new friends, but school needed to be finished. She knew the importance of it and it was only a few weeks ago that it had been her only focus. Lena made sure to renew her relationships with the people that had been her friends before the kidnapping, but it seemed like another life to her.

  It was only a week later that she was on campus and leaving the library on her way home when she picked up on a feeling. Night had fallen a few hours before and the campus was well lit, but Lena still sensed someone watching from nearby. It wasn’t human and it was no one she knew.

  Scanning the roof of the nearby building, she felt the source of the blip on her radar. It was a vampire. She had thought only the ones from the clan were still alive in the city. Perhaps Nick and the others hadn’t been as thorough as they had thought. From their stories, the removal of the rival clan had been complete.

  “Lena,” a familiar voice called out from the general direction of the source. The girl hid her worry and smiled at Geni. “Are you on your way home?”

  Nodding, she wondered if the girl could see her movement in the poor light, so she added, “I was just on my way back. Did you want some company?”

  The blond looked happy to see her friend acting more like herself and she quickly answered, “Yeah that sounds great. What were you studying?”

  The girls lapsed into talk over their studies, even as Lena continued to feel the vampire follow them. Two pretty girls out on their own. It probably couldn’t resist the temptation. Lena played along letting it follow her.

  When they reached the door to their dorm, Lena told Geni, “I’ll meet you up there in a moment. Why don’t you go on ahead?”

  “Are you sure? It’s getting late. I’m not sure if it’s that safe to keep hanging out here at night.”

  “Don’t worry, Geni. They’ve increased security since the incident,” she said of her kidnapping. The girl refused to use the word if she could help it. Pointing at the far end of the building, Lena added, “Look there’s campus security right there. Just give me a few minutes to enjoy this fresh air a little longer and we’ll make smoothies when I get there. Why don’t you get the blender in the meantime?”

  Brightening with the idea of one of the girls’ favorite treats, Geni nodded and went inside reminding her to hurry. Lena waved at her friend and put her own books and folders on the steps a moment in a simple stall. The vampire moved towards the guard and the girl frowned. Hurrying towards the guard, she waved for him and called to him. The guard moved towards her quickly with his hand on his flashlight.

  “There are a couple guys fighting in the hall on the first floor. Can you please break it up before someone gets hurt?”

  The guard puffed himself up as he rushed inside.

  Moving towards a patch of shadow between the lights, Lena felt the vampire drop down from the roof several stories up. Landing lightly on its feet despite a seven story drop, the vampire looked at the girl in front of him appearing very calm and doubt nearly overpowered his need to feed.

  “There’s no need for this. I can get help for you,” Lena said trying to talk through to the human that once resided inside of his mind.

  The vampire bared his fangs and grabbed the girl by the shoulders to pull in towards his bite. It failed realize that the palms of her hands were placed against his chest at the same time. It was an error that meant little normally between a vampire and his meal, but Lena looked at him sadly.

  “I’m sorry that it’s come to
this. I know you were human once. Go with God,” the aura blades sprang from the palms of her hands as she had practiced nearly every night since returning from the gym with Nick. Her powers weren’t as strong as his, but the blades penetrated the vampire’s chest with enough strength that he was stopped in his tracks.

  A gasp released from the vampire’s throat a moment before the girl saw flames in his eyes. With a rush of flame, the creature turned to dust in her hands. She found a wallet and keys in the dust after kicking at the pile. The clothes were nearly burned away so she tossed them behind a bush next to the building. Tucking the wallet and keys in her pocket, the girl returned to the door to her dorm and picked up her things.

  The guard came from the hall with a frown on his face for her. “Miss, I know you’ve had a lot happen to you lately, but you can’t go around saying there are fights when there aren’t. I am outside for your protection. Please, don’t abuse our services.”

  Looking apologetic, Lena replied, “Oh, I’m sorry officer. They must have made up and gone back to their rooms. I’ll try not to abuse your service again, really.”

  Turning towards the stairs to walk up to her room, Lena gave a last glance at the guard whose life she had just saved without his knowing it. This was what her life was becoming, she thought. A voran guarded the night so that humans could be safe. No one was supposed to know of the death in the darkness so there would be no reward, but that was part of the job.

  Jingling her keys, the voran picked up her books and went up for a smoothie.

  https://www.facebook.com/BattleMageATaleOfAlus

  Other books by Donald L. Wigboldy Jr.

  From the Tales of Alus series:

  Battle Mage: A Tale of Alus

  Battle Mage: Winter’s Edge

  Battle Mage: The Lost King

  Battle Mage: Dragon Mage

  The High King: A Tale of Alus

  The Emperor’s Shadow War

  Modern Tales:

  The Mermaid’s Chest

  Battle Mage: Winter’s Edge

  Chapter 1- Claws in the Snow

  As the snow swirled and gusted, the path of dirt paving the road was all but lost in the lightly forested land north of the great wall. It was cold and the gray light of a winter’s mid afternoon felt disconcerting to the small caravan attempting to travel at this time of year. The coachman and the eight guardsmen were stalwart types wrapped in their winter coats and covering cloaks of black. Thick fur hats were pulled low as they attempted to sink their heads further into their shoulders and the warmth of their cloaks. Even as the men tried to keep warm, they had begun to push the horses into a rushed pace. They were no longer just dealing with the cold and howling winds. Over the last few miles, new howling could be heard over the wind.

  Wolves were common enough in Kardor and the other lands north of the wall and dangerous even for so many men should they come in a pack of greater numbers. Most wolves would avoid men, especially so near the massive Southwall which was commonly patrolled most of the year. The healthy fear wolves had for the men who used weapons and magic that often reduced the packs’ threat should have proved enough to keep the baying beasts from chasing the coach and its guardsmen. Worriedly, the men were beginning to fear that these were no ordinary wolves.

  The Dark One’s creatures were most often found much farther north and nearer to the mountains that were once known as the Dragon’s Scar. With his usurping of the northern lands, many just called them the Dark Mountains now. Though that was their usual territory since the wall had risen to keep them from the men and women of Southwall, recent years had seen more and more of his minions roaming the plains and hills.

  One such type of minion was as feared as any. His werebeasts, part human and part beast, they were the Dark One’s most fearsome creatures. They would hunt in large groups and their speed and stamina were legendary. If the howling did indeed belong to such creatures, then even their current horses’ pace would not be enough. The beasts could run down horses at a full gallop and could pace them long enough to wear them down when they could not.

  The howls seemed closer now and to be coming from more than one direction. The guardsmen fingered their blades, sliding them in their scabbards to make sure that they could move freely should the beasts show themselves. Their confidence that they could survive a full attack was not strong but if they could keep them from the horses perhaps they would all survive.

  “How much farther?” the guardsman at the rear right asked hoarsely, whether he was hoarse from fear or the harsh weather was hard for the others to decide.

  The guard ahead of him said nothing. He was unsure himself. Falling snow and the gray made it all but impossible to judge for him self where the safety of the wall truly was now.

  A breaking of brush from his right caused the guardsmen to look for the cause and the first glimpse of a dark form running on all fours caused the men to gasp and pull their swords as one.

  “Prepare yourselves, men!” the sergeant who paced the carriage at the front and right cried out in a warning that was hardly needed. The sounds of more swords leaving scabbards from the left side of the carriage pierced the howling, if only briefly.

  Two more black furred creatures leaped onto the cleared path of the road stalking them in easy loping strides. The rear guardsmen both turned and fired cross bolts at the beasts, and watched them deftly avoid the metal tipped shafts causing a pair of curses.

  More of the creatures were beginning to show themselves to either side of the path. They glided through the trees and brush as if the obstacles did not exist for them. Unfortunately for the hapless horsemen, they could only watch as the rear guard tried to slow those on the path with their crossbows, but the bows were slow loading and the beasts continually avoided the bolts easily.

  The race continued for several more minutes until the horsemen discovered that the race was over before it had begun. Suddenly confronted with a dark wall of were beasts on the road in front of them, man and horse faltered.

  “My lord, we are cut off!” the carriage driver cried out in fear.

  The window flap on the right opened barely and a voice ordered, “Don’t stop, you fool! Try and break through or we’ll be killed.”

  The driver flicked the reins trying to drive the horses through the beasts, but the horses could hear and see the unnatural creatures in their path and began to feint to the right and left in their harnesses. The guardsmen were beginning to have to fight their own mounts as fear rose in them as well. The horses wanted to flee, but in their wish to flee they became virtually blind and dumb to the men who were trying to guide and protect them all.

  Instead of increasing their pace, the carriage had begun to slow as the horses hit the line of dark beasts. The creatures were fast and deftly avoided being trampled, all save one that caused a huge bump as the left side of the carriage ran the wolf over nearly tipping the transport over in the process. The wooden wheels sounded a large crack but the wheels and shafts held for now.

  Broken wheels became the least of their worries. Two of the werebeasts had timed their jumps to menace two of the six horses of the team. The driver darted his whip at the monsters as the horses bucked in pain and fear. Guardsmen avoided more of the werebeasts and slashed with their swords to dislodge the attackers.

  A horse stumbled.

  The werebeast had bit deep into the horse’s neck and blood flowed even as its air flow lessened with each panicked breath. The other horses stalled as the ones behind tripped in their harness as the lead toppled in front of them and the ones on the opposite side were dragged towards their fellows. The carriage held momentum thrusting the team forward even more as it threatened to topple to either side.

  Guardsmen tried to come to a halt even as their mounts fought them. A man was thrown from his steed and crashed to the ground in a bone jarring hit. The others nearest him moved to either side hoping to protect him from the circling monsters.

  Dozens of werebeasts stalked the men.
One of the pair of werebeasts on the team was cut down as the other escaped with minor wounds to join the surrounding circle.

  Two of the horses were also down. The carriage wouldn’t be going anywhere unless they could cut away the dead weight of the wounded and dying team.

  Voices from within the carriage could be heard just over the growling of the werebeasts. The door opened and a man with thinned, graying hair and a gaunt face clad in a black robe and cloak exited to look at the men and beasts. He had an aura of power to him that any with magic knew to be that of a wizard. He held a staff in front of him and stated to those inside the carriage, “Ashleen, Wendle, prepare your selves to fight. The Dark One has released his werebeasts on us.”

  A tall young man exited next. His dark hair was thick, his nose strong and jutting. He appeared confident despite the monsters surrounding them and also carried a staff in his hands. The third to exit was a beautiful woman. Long silver hair was bound in a tail to stream down her back over the cloak of dark blue. Despite her hair coloring, she appeared young and also carried a staff.

  “Wendle, move to the rear and help the left. Ashleen, move to the front and try to cover the horses. I really don’t want to be walking to the wall in this weather, if it can be helped.”

  With a pair of “yes, Master Deiclonus”, the two acknowledged their orders. The elder wizard glanced at the numbers surrounding them and he knew that they had their work cut out for them.

  As if the wizards’ arrival were a cue, several of the beasts attacked.

  Deiclonus chanted briefly and sent a fireball flying from his staff towards the nearest of the attackers. The guardsmen slashed at the beasts. The girl, Ashleen, channeled a bolt of lightning that skittered erratically over the recovering horse team striking two of the werebeasts in mid leap driving them back. Wendle waved his staff as he chanted and a swirling, cutting whorl of ice and snow lashed at the nearest werebeasts.