by Justin Sloan
Only then did the top vampire stand, look around and say, “He spoke ill of our benefactors, a crime punishable by death. Consider yourselves lucky that you’re new recruits to the cause. This guy will heal, the first time.”
He walked back over to the group and said, “Back to training!”
Life was changing, and certainly not for the better.
CHAPTER FOUR
Old Manhattan
Valerie loved having Sandra to herself again for the first time in what felt like years. They had found a spot at the outskirts of the main part of the city, on a rooftop where Valerie often found herself lately, attracted by the enticing aroma of the thyme and mint planted there, especially when it wafted along on a cool spring breeze just like today.
“We really have no other options?” Sandra said,
“Not without putting more people at risk.” Valerie took a small leaf of mint, crushed it in her fingers, and then breathed in the scent. “I have no tolerance for more innocent death.”
“Not that you ever did.”
Valerie considered her, head tilted, and said, “Honestly? Toward the end of that Strake business, or even in the Bazaar, I was starting to wonder about it all. Like who had I become? Was this really me?”
“Seriously?” Sandra laughed, leaning over the railing to look out at the debris and ruins in the distance. “I’ve always loved you, always will. But the Valerie you are now? This woman you’ve become? That’s the real you. That’s the Justice Enforcer who will bring the evil of this land to its knees.”
“You think?” Valerie joined Sandra against the railing. She was vaguely aware that the metal was cold, but it didn’t bother her.
Sandra simply nodded.
“You sure you won’t reconsider staying behind?” Valerie asked.
“Do you really want me to?”
“Come on. You know the answer to that as well as I do. No, I love the idea of you coming, but the chance of you being hurt? Or worse? It eats me up at night.” She felt the breeze in her hair and closed her eyes, letting the smells of the city flow by, images of people eating in fancy restaurants, others hiding in shadows with drugged out looks in their eyes. “The city still needs a lot of work.”
“Which is why you need Jackson here.” Sandra laughed. “If you think about it, I should be the fourth amigo, right?”
Valerie turned to her and frowned. “I’m not following.”
“You know, the three amigos? The CEOs, and since I’ve started my own business, you could say I’m one of them.”
“You definitely could not. Sandra, I’m pretty sure there are many CEOs in this city still, it just so happens that they called those three the CEOs because they were in charge of practically everything in this city.”
“Okay, good. But it’s a bit… deterring to hear everyone using the term CEO so negatively. I mean, when you see the joy on someone’s face when they take a sip of my newest shipment of wine, it’s priceless.”
“Considering the fact that you’re coming with me, I guess that means you just put a price on it.”
“That’s true. Priceless except when put up against seeing you’re safe.” Sandra suddenly lit up. “Oh, speaking of the journey, Cammie wanted to take you out for some new outfits before you go. She said you should have traveling clothes, something less conspicuous than tight-ass leather.”
Valerie let the purple jacket flow in the wind, so that her tight, leather outfit was visible. “But it looks good, doesn’t it? I mean, I’m hot in this thing, and I don’t mean in the sweaty way.”
“Hot and maybe a bit conceited,” Sandra said with a laugh. “But… maybe you should wear a bra under it? You can kinda see your ni—”
“Hey, there’s a chill up here,” Valerie said, pulling her coat back around her and tying the sash to keep it closed. “Why aren’t you coming?”
“I’d go with you, it’s just that I have to gather some of the Weres and pick up a new shipment from the docks. Gotta make sure it’s right this time, because I’m not paying some captain for goods lost in transit. Not again.”
“Pirates?”
“Yeah.” A look of annoyance crossed Sandra’s face. “I’ve been talking with Cammie about it, and she’s thinking her and Royland can have a little conversation with Clive while I’m gone, you know? Maybe see what he knows about these pirates, then set up a proper defense.”
“Right.” Valerie nodded, but her mind was on the journey ahead, staring out at the Fallen Lands and wondering what else lay out there.
“Are you even listening to me?” Sandra asked.
“I’m sorry it’s just… I get that the café means the world to you, but it’s a little hard for me to spend too much brain power on it when we have people like the CEOs out there and this Black Plague group to deal with.”
“Well thank God we’re about to take care of them, so we can come back here and finally just settle down and relax.”
Valerie stared off, wondering if she could ever really relax, and Sandra shook her head at the look with a “tsk” sound.
“You won’t ever be able to just settle down and relax, will you?” Sandra asked.
“In this world?”
She shook her head, then licked her lips as she tried to imagine such a life. Sitting on a couch with Jackson beside her, their small child on her knee, laughing. It sounded great and all, but… maybe not great for her.
“I have this power.” Valerie felt herself blush. “I know it sounds stupid, but to have this kind of power and sit back while anyone in the world is suffering just seems so… wrong.”
“And if that means we part our ways someday?”
Valerie spun, eyes wide.
“You do realize that has to happen eventually, right?” Sandra looked concerned. “Holy crap, you don’t realize that. I mean, Val, that life isn’t for me. I’m going to want to settle down someday, have kids, all that stuff.”
Valerie was just speechless, then she breathed, trying to keep the anger out of her voice. Anger that her best friend from all these years could even consider abandoning her.
“Then why not start now?” she said. “Why come with me at all?”
Sandra stared off into the distance and shrugged. “One last mission, right? See it through to the end. But then we’ll have secured New York, at least from the external threat. We’ll still have a lot of work to do here.”
“Keeping the law is Donnoly’s job now.”
“I mean making the city civilized. You can’t have a proper city without good wine and cheese.”
Valerie laughed at that.
“There’s that smile I love,” Sandra said, reaching out to place a hand on Valerie’s cheek.
Her touch sent a shiver up Valerie’s spine, and she reached up and held the hand there, appreciating the warmth of her touch. For a second they were back at that moment, staring out over the fallen Eiffel Tower, when they had kissed.
Part of Valerie wanted that moment back more than anything, but that was the small, incy-wincy part that said a normal life could actually be a reality. That said, Sandra had a point, and that living a life, with a family and all that normal stuff, could be in her stars.
She let the hand drop, with a wistful smile.
No, Valerie knew those days were gone, replaced by her role as Justice Enforcer. She had a responsibility to bring judgment, and for reclaiming honor to vampires and the UnknownWorld.
“One last mission, then,” Valerie said. “Together, anyway.”
Sandra leaned in and kissed Valerie on the cheek, then smiled with a fire in her eyes. “Let’s make it count. I want the world quivering in their boots when they think about messing with us.”
Valerie laughed. “Damn straight.”
They headed out to meet Cammie, and said their goodbyes, and soon Valerie and Cammie were walking along Capital Square, selecting outfits and having a great time. The key was to wear something that wouldn’t make her stand out if she needed to stop by other cities along the way, and that
hid who she really was when it came time to leave.
As the day wore on and then evening approached, the two sat on one of the benches lining the square, watching people pass by. Valerie had a new sweater on, along with sunglasses and a red hat. Totally not her style, but that was why she figured it would help keep people from noticing her.
“You ever wonder if you could’ve played your cards differently when you first arrived?” Cammie asked. “I mean, was there a scenario where everyone fell in love with you like we have, and it all just worked out perfectly?”
Valerie laughed at the thought. “You know, I doubt it. Maybe if I’d stayed in the shadows from the get go and gotten to know the various faction leaders, then worked with Jackson to put all of the right pieces in order… but then who knows how many others might have died. How many vampires would have suffered during that time, and how many of ol’ Strake’s Enforcers would have been able to wander these streets doing whatever the hell they wanted?”
Cammie nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. You get the lesser of two evils, if you’re lucky.”
“Right, like you and Royland,” Valerie said with a wink.
“We’re not a thing,” Cammie said, frowning.
“Tell him that, with the way you’ve been flirting with him and leading him on.”
“Well, there was almost that time, and … oh come on, why am I telling you this?”
Valerie scoffed. “Let’s see, maybe because we’re two grown women who just bonded over a shopping trip?”
Cammie laughed. “Yeah, I feel like we should be gossiping about our friends while eating cookies and sipping tea. I mean, the two of us shopping as if there wasn’t anything more important in the world.”
“Hey, I had a damn good time.” Valerie stared waiting. “You’re not off the hook that easily.”
Cammie rolled her eyes. “Would I like to see what he’s working with? Yeah, of course. Dude’s sexy as hell, for a vampire. No offense.”
Valerie frowned. “Romance between a vampire and a Were, I could see how that would get tricky.”
“Really?”
“No, not at all. I’m giving you a hard time for being a racist, or speciesist, or whatever the term is for what we are. You’re telling me that if I were a man, you wouldn’t hit this because I’m a vampire?”
“You’d be sexy as hell as a man, let’s just get that on the table.” Cammie let a small laugh escape, then looked Valerie up and down like she was about to jump her bones. “Yep, I’d totally do you if you were a dude. Vampire or not.”
Valerie wasn’t sure how to feel about this conversation, but she had been largely responsible for starting it, so she simply smiled. “Thank you. So the problem is… Royland’s not hot enough? I doubt that, because I’ve seen him, and I gotta say…”
“Smoking, yes, I agree.” Cammie stared off into the distance considering, then frowned. “I don’t know. Relationships, ever since my days out in the Fallen Lands and then in the Golden City, there’s something not right,” she knocked on her head, gently, “up here. I mean, I flirt like crazy, and maybe someday it’ll be different. But right now the idea of allowing him in terrifies the hell out of me.”
“Letting him in… your heart?”
“What else… oh, God.” Cammie laughed. “Yeah, the idea of letting him in somewhere else does the opposite of terrify me, that’s for damn sure.”
Valerie chuckled. “Okay, well, give it time. You never know, and in conditions like these, you never know how long each of you has anyway.”
“Wow, talk about a downer,” Cammie said, standing and grabbing the bags. “Come on, I want to show you something before everyone starts showing up.” Cammie stood to go. Her face scrunched as she realized she might have said something she didn’t mean to. “Er, that is…”
“Show up to what?” Valerie asked, even more curious following Cammie’s reaction. “Wait a minute… that’s why she wanted you to take me shopping!”
“No, stop thinking,” Cammie said.
“She’s putting together some sort of surprise for me? A surprise going away party?”
“What? No, I never said that.”
“Ooh, this is exciting,” Valerie said, ignoring Cammie’s lame attempts at denying it. “I mean, she’s coming too, so it’s kind of a surprise party for herself too, but she’s throwing it, so that’s a bit weird, but okay. This is going to be fun!”
Cammie just shook her head. “Don’t tell her I let it slip, please … and act surprised.”
“You got it. Now, what was this that you wanted to show me?”
Cammie’s smile returned, eyes sparkling. “Come on, I think it could be huge.”
“We aren’t still talking about Royland, right?”
Cammie hit her playfully, and they laughed as she led them to whatever this special something was.
CHAPTER FIVE
Black Plague HQ
Robin was starting to get the hang of this lifestyle. Running two to three times a night, training with swords, knives, and guns, and even learning about the various poisons available to them.
On her third night of training she and the others were told to line up in the courtyard of their headquarters—an old stadium, converted for this purpose. They stood at attention as three vampires marched out before them, clad all in black from head to toe, including masks on their faces, rifles slung over their backs, swords on their hips, and pistols strapped to their thighs. It was almost comical, Robin thought, if it weren’t for the potential death and destruction these three could cause.
A flash of terror caused her heartbeat to increase and she felt it pulsing in her fingertips. One of them looked her way with thin, almost black eyes, and she realized why that emotion had hit her—that man had been there when her settlement had been attacked.
He had been one of several to help drag her off, kicking and screaming.
For all she knew, he had killed her parents.
But no, she wouldn’t accept that. She couldn’t think for a second that they were dead or this would all be pointless. Better to throw herself on her own sword now, if that were the case.
That, or see that this man and every other one of these bastards suffered worse fates than even she could possibly fathom. Oh, but she would come up with something.
“Psst,” Brad whispered at her side.
She started, catching herself before looking over. “What?” she whispered.
“Keep it down.”
“Keep what down?”
“You were breathing super loud, like you’re about to hyperventilate or something.”
Before she could respond, Giuseppe stepped in front of them all, clad all in black as well, minus the facemask. He faced the three and crossed his arms before him in salute. The three did the salute back, and then turned and strode off past the courtyard gates.
Giuseppe turned back to the recruits and smiled. “Each of you will be put to good use, soon enough. They will kill the one known as Valerie, and come back with her head, or we’ll have each of theirs.”
“Is this all we train for?” a man near the front said. “Just let me after her.”
Giuseppe laughed, then said, “Good, you’re next. But no, we have our orders in the meantime, and soon you will be put to the test. A large city nearby is already being scouted, and we mean to make it ours. It’s rife with opportunity and fresh recruits.”
“Chicago?” Brad whispered, but Robin shrugged. She knew it wasn’t far, but had heard stories about the people who ran the city. About a group called the FDG, or Force de Guerre. If they were going up against the FDG, they had damn well better be sure they were as trained as they could be.
“Carry on,” Giuseppe shouted, waving them off. “Train your hardest, or you will fall when it’s your time. If you let that happen, I can guarantee you I’ll be coming after you in hell to kick your ass as many times as I can until my leg tires. Just remember that.”
Brad stifled a laugh, but Robin shot h
im a glare.
He shrugged, and nodded for her to follow. “Come on, let’s see what you’re made of.”
She looked around, confused.
“Free training,” he said leading her to one of the main training pits set up at the edges of the courtyard. “You can do weapons, obstacle courses, your choice. Thought maybe I’d give you some pointers on ground combat.”
“Is that right?” she asked, amused.
He winked, and then charged. Without a second thought, she had stepped around him and brought her hand down to slap him on the rear. They both froze and he looked at her with a bit of hurt pride, a bit of interest.
“Did you just… slap me?”
“Shut up and try again.” She couldn’t help but smile, biting her lip to try and hide it. The act didn’t help though, unless her goal had been to offend him.
This time he came in low and got her before she had a chance to react, lifting her by the legs and slamming her onto the ground. As quick as she could blink, he had shuffle-stepped around her and was on top of her, wrapping an arm around her neck.
She thrust up with her hips and twisted, managing to get herself in an awkward position between his legs with one arm trapped up by her head, the other below.
“Spank me again,” he said, “see what happens.”
“Get off!” she grunted, trying to twist again.
He laughed again and said, “Sure,” before snatching her arm and throwing a leg over her head to put her in an arm bar.
“Let go, you dick!” she shouted, but he just pulled harder.
“No, you have to get out of it. You have to learn!”
She shouted in pain, and then struggled, so he pulled harder.
“Push through the pain,” he said, and then thrust his body back so that her arm cracked with a shooting pain.
Screw this, she thought, eyes watering. She brought her leg up to kick him in the face, then twisted, breaking free from the hold so that her butt was in his face, his crotch exposed.
“Training, training!” he said.
But she was pissed.
“Push through the pain,” she said, and brought her hand down like a hammer on his nuts.