Forbidden Drink

by Nicola Claire

  “Hot damn, chica, that's some awesome magic you got going on there.” Erika was already holding a couple of vampires off with her Svante, but looked equally awash with post sex glow. The two vampires she was holding at bay, also seemed to have received a throwback from the Light blast. Not quite as potent as the one in front of us had, but a fair indication of what I could do.

  Of course Nero and Amisi hadn't felt anything other than a warmth from the Light, a recognition of what they already are. They were also battling vampires themselves, one apiece. That left two for me. The one still recovering from the main blast and another who landed back on the ground about three feet away from me. I still wanted to figure out some way of getting through to these guys, rather than just staking them. It seemed cruel that they had just come here like love-sick puppies, unable to resist the call, simply to fight for their lives. Despite being full of evil, there had to be a way to save them. There just had to be. They hadn't been chewing on humans, they hadn't been breaking the rules, they simply were threatening us.

  Enough to fight back in self defence you might say, but still. I felt uneasy about the situation, there had to be an answer. There just had to be. I couldn't think of one though, so I circled my main threat, keeping a wary eye on the other one and settled my stake firmly in my hand.

  “How do you think this will end, vampire?” I asked, studying him.

  “With my fangs in your neck.”

  “And if I get my stake to your chest first? Is that odds you're prepared to accept for a chance to taste me?”

  “Absolutely. I will have my drink.”

  I saw it then, in his eyes. A complete conviction that this was what he had to have. I was fairly sure in that second, that he had been denying himself blood in the days leading up to finding me. To answering the call. Nothing else would have done, nothing else would have satisfied the crave. He wanted my blood and no one else's would do. Shit. Even if I could think of an answer to this problem, a way to use my Light to help them, it wouldn't be tonight, not now, not facing off against this lot. I was at a loss and the best I could hope for was to come out of this alive.

  And to make it quick for them. No more banter, no more delays resulting in torment. Time to end this.

  I noticed the others; Amisi, Nero and Erika, had been holding the vampires off, but not striking. They had taken my request to heart, they were waiting for my signal. Good little soldiers. Bless them. But, my decision had reluctantly been made. I would live to fight this battle another day and so would they. I would work on a solution and the next time we faced off with the disciples of the Prohibitum Bibere, we would be prepared.

  But not today.

  “OK guys, enough is enough. Let's just end this.”

  The second the words had left my mouth they moved. Svante slashing, now on attack, Nero spinning staking a vampire with ease and Amisi moving in for a strike, but being thrown backwards. I couldn't see what happened next, because the vampire in front of me smiled slyly and jumped. And the one who had been enjoying post coital bliss, sprang at the same time too. Two for the price of one. Yippee.

  I rolled out of the way of number one and managed a slice on the arm of number two, then sprang up from the crouch I had ended in and braced for the comeback. Number one got to me first, a swipe of his hand, a simple flick, which I dodged, but he followed through with a swift roundhouse kick to my head. I'd dodged the swipe of the hand, but set myself up completely for the kick, so couldn't avoid the impact. I went with it, letting the momentum roll me backwards and flicking my feet out as I went head over arse, landing in a half crouch.

  By this time number two came back, like some evil tag team twin at Fight Night - WWE style. These guys knew what they were doing. And then he landed a brilliant side kick to my chin, spinning my head around and making my brain go to mush. Those sideways movements are the worst, it's a twist the brain just doesn't appreciate. Mine was complaining loudly.

  Nero must have helped Amisi dispatch her vampire, because he quickly made short work of number two, or at least took his attention away from me and that was enough to get me back on my feet and facing number one again. He came at me low, one of my favourite attacking positions. I love it when they assume there is nothing that can be done to them if they take out your legs, but I jumped, not quite getting enough of a forward motion to flying head over heels above him, but splitting my legs wide - who knew I was so nimble, Michel will be pleased - avoiding the vamp's outstretched arms, but allowing a fantastic open spaced opportunity to gain access to his back.

  He knew immediately he was in trouble, so twisted slightly, to try to meet me face to face. So, when my stake entered, it missed his heart and jammed against his shoulder blade. Painful, but useless. He kept moving forward, taking my stake with him, but by the time I had landed on my feet again, I had my spare out and ready to go.

  Nero had taken out number two, flicked a glance at me and saw I was armed, so returned to help Amisi and Erika. Being invisible he had a hand up on the game. Erika had sliced one vampire really beautifully, but not fully decapitated him. Both she and Amisi were still head to head, a vampire apiece, so Nero went in to finish off old Slice and Dice, and I went back to work on number one.

  He had recovered from his close encounter of the silver staked kind and now decided coming in low wasn't a good idea, so chose to fly high. I was getting a bit sick of all of this by now, usually it didn't take quite so long to take a vampire out, but these guys were like the elite fighting force for some battle ridden country, or some such thing. A cut above the normal Rogue I dealt with. Still, I really wanted to finish this. So, although he was coming in at me all large and at full height, I started running full speed to meet him head on. I suppose, I could have spun, that would have worked too, but I felt like getting a little dirty, so just as we were about to meet, I skidded to the ground and slipped past his feet, coming to stand up behind him and landing the stake with ease. This time I didn't miss and dust exploded in my face, gently wafting to the ground around me.

  I took a moment to catch my breath as I checked on the others. Within a minute, Nero helped finish them off and the sounds of fighting left the air. Erika glanced around and sniffed the air, checking for Norms, no doubt. She must have smelt some because she took off at a run no doubt to glaze away any memories. Myers Park is a popular place after dark, for various human activities, if you know what I mean. The chance of someone having seen us and called the police was high. Sometimes having a vampire with you can be handy. I may be able to glaze vampires, but not humans. I usually don't fight in such public places. I prefer dark alleys and shadowy spots out of sight and tucked well away.

  She was back a few seconds later, sliding her Svante back in its sheath and dusting off her hands.

  I turned back towards Nero and Amisi.

  “You guys OK?” Amisi looked all fired up and full of beans, excitement shining in her eyes. Nero looked unflustered, calm and nothing like a hunter having just dispatched almost half a dozen very well trained vampires.

  They both nodded, but it was Nero who spoke.

  “They were experienced fighters.”

  “Yeah. Their moves were familiar,” Erika added. I swung back to look at her and raised my eyebrows. “The Iunctio guards fight like that. Close quarters, some dual action fighting, cohesive, tight. They were Iunctio, no two ways about it.”

  Iunctio. Shit.

  “What were they doing here?” I asked, stunned at the repercussions. If we had just taken out some Iunctio guards, surely they would be missed. Double shit.

  “That.... is a very good question, Kiwi. Very good indeed.”

  We all stood staring at each other for a moment, letting that little bit of news sink in.

  It seems every which way I turned I threatened to bring the Iunctio down around my ears. I wondered if Gregor knew some of their guards were here in NZ. I'd have to ask him, but it could wait.

  Now... now we go help my kindred and kill an old frien
d.

  Chapter 31

  Now You Die... Old Friend

  Albert Park was downhill from where we were, but still a fair distance. There was no point going back up hill to Sensations and the car, so we just ran as fast as our legs could carry us. Which was pretty fast, all things considered.

  My head was still a little trippy from the whacks I had sustained and pounding the pavement was not making it any better, but I didn't have the luxury of grabbing some asprin, so sucked it up and kept at it. The thumping of my head and the jarring of my feet on solid concrete pavements was not making me a happy chappy though.

  Not to mention what would wait for me at the bottom of the hill in Albert Park. I tried to reach Michel to let him know we were coming, but he was still bound up tight, there was no getting through those shields of his, so what awaited us was very much a mystery still. And then there was the train of my thoughts. Rick. I was heading towards a confrontation with Rick which could only end one way.

  I had been trying not to think of the possible outcomes, I had been in denial to a certain extent. Part of me knew I had to end this. People I cared about were dying or being hurt and it wouldn't stop until he killed me and hunted down all the vampires in Auckland. I didn't want to have to do what I had to do. I really didn't. So, I had been ignoring the issue altogether. But as my feet hit the ground and my head responded with a sharp explosion on every downward strike, I forced myself to face what was ahead of me tonight.

  I was running head on into a fight for my life, but not only that. A fight to stop Rick and there was now only way to achieve that. I was going to have to kill him. Even as I ran, my breath getting quicker, my heart rate rising and my head about to explode, I still managed to feel despair at what was about to happen. My friend, my once best-friend. The person I had told all my deepest darkest secrets to, who had been there when I killed one of my first vampires and let me cry on his shoulders when I realised what I had done. Who had shown me the beauty of shape shifting Taniwhas, who had welcomed me into his home and life. Rick. He wasn't that Rick anymore and it wasn't my job to save him. I wanted it to be, even now, after he had killed Bruno, tortured Michel and trashed my house. Even now, I wanted to save him. But it's not my job.

  My job is to protect the innocent and if the Prophesy is correct, to bring Light to the Dark. Rick is not the Dark that the Prophesy refers to, he has his own demons, but he doesn't answer to me. I am not born to save him, like I am others in this world. So, this was it, this was the moment I turned from being one of the good guys and did something quite horribly wrong, to keep the Light going and be able to battle the Dark.

  They say there are always casualties, collateral damage, in war. Is Rick collateral damage? Or is he just one more creature in this world who has given in to their dark side and just happened to cross my path? I wish I could honestly say there is no choice here. I wish I could tell myself, this is out of my hands, I have to do this no matter what. But, all I can hear in my head is: this is wrong. This is not me. This is not what I have been made for.

  But, and I am clinging to this but right now, if I am to commit to the Light, the Prophesy and to Nut, this is what I must do. To fail in this, would be to either get myself killed, or allow something unrelated to the Prophesy to stuff it all up for the rest of us. Prophesy or Rick?

  I choose Prophesy.

  That doesn't mean I have to like it.

  We could hear the sounds from a block away. This was going to have ramifications far beyond the supernatural world. For some reason, there weren't any wards to keep the noise from the Norms, I could even see people approaching, cautiously, inquisitively, towards the main entrance of the park. Either the vampires didn't have time to set up perimeter wards, or they had failed. Either option was not very reassuring.

  I knew Erika would be essential in the coming battle, but Nero and Amisi did not have to get their hands bloodied like this. I could keep them from the Dark a little longer, I could at least protect their Light.

  I made everyone stop before we got too close and turned to Nero and Amisi.

  “We need wards and we need to keep the humans back. Can you both do that?”

  Amisi looked unsure, but Nero looked furious.

  “I will not leave you to this alone, Kiwi. It will not be pleasant in there, you need us.”

  I hated this, but... “No. I don't. This is Auckland's battle, not yours. You're here, so I ask for your help in placing the wards and protecting the innocent. That is your job, Nero, not interfering with a local issue.”

  I swear the air got colder around us. My heart ached at the look of disbelief on Nero's face, accompanied by the look of shock and maybe a little hatred, on Amisi's. Sometimes you have to harm those you love to save them.

  I held Nero's gaze firmly, I didn't blink. He was the first to back down and he didn't nod, he didn't agree, he just turned away and Amisi followed. He'd do it, I knew he would. Not necessarily because I asked, but because there were too many Norms here and they needed to be protected. That's Nero. The protector. Protects me. Protects Norms, would protect everyone if he could.

  I took a deep breath in as they walked away. It felt like they were walking away for the very last time. It felt so final. I didn't allow myself to second guess my decision, I didn't have time to be weak. Never show fear. Never give an inch. Always stay on guard.

  Nero had taught me that.

  I nodded to Erika, who had remained very quiet throughout and we both turned to face the roar from behind the gates.

  It was chaos, just as I had suspected. Dust did hang in the air. I pushed that thought aside and scanned for Michel. For Rick. Erika patted me on the back and jumped right in, heading towards Jett, slashing out with her Svante sword, culling shape shifters like they were wrapping paper, shredding them here, slicing them there, ripping them apart over here. I pulled my own Svante out slowly and prepared for the inevitable.

  I hadn't been able to spot Michel or Rick, so I just dived in where I was. Flashes of grey, streaks of white, glints of scales and sparkles of light off serrated teeth. Snapping, snarling, growling, yapping. The noise was so loud, I couldn't hear the thumping in my head any more, I could still feel it, but it was now just a drumbeat, a war cry, to my heart rate, to my arm swings and stabs and jabs and slices. Blood flowed freely, animal cries of pain filled the air and I didn't allow myself to think, for a moment, that I knew these shape shifters. That they weren't just a beast attacking my kin. That I hadn't sat in their backyards and drunk beer with them and broken bread at their tables. That they didn't make the best Hangi and sang the best songs. I didn't allow myself any of that, because I was killing them.

  Perhaps not intentionally. Initially, it was to just ward them off, so I could get further into the park and find Michel, but they kept coming back. A small slash, a soft jab, just didn't do it. Once they saw me, they went for my throat and nothing was going to stop them unless they could no longer move. So, my small slashes and soft jabs became desperate strikes and fervent stabs, all of which were aimed at the heart, or the head. All of which were aimed to incapacitate, permanently.

  All of which were killing blows. I hadn't thought before that I was a bona fide killing machine. I mean, I know I hunt and kill vampires, but it had never occurred to me that this skill, this lethal weapon of mine, could be turned on others. That I could pick up a sword and do with it, what I so naturally do with a stake. I always thought I was born a vampire hunter and that was that. Stakes, vampire, dust. But, here I was using an ancient Swedish weapon of war and achieving much the same thing with much the same ease. Shit. I was a killing machine.

  But that, unfortunately, wasn't the last of it. I had made it into the centre of the melee. I had also left a devastating track behind me which when I spun in a circle to get my bearings, almost made me hurl. I swallowed back bile and told myself this was life or death and just to get the hell on with it. And then I spotted Michel. And Rick. Of course, Rick would be with Michel. Sticking to Mi
chel, he knew I would eventually come.

  He must have sensed I was near, maybe he recognised my scent in amongst all of the vampires. He was in Taniwha form, something I had seen up close and personal on several occasions, the last of which he had tried to kill me. His huge shark-like muzzle turned towards where I was standing, warding off a few Taniwhas and those eyes, Rick's eyes, just bore into me as his lips pulled up and back and a multitude of sharp Taniwha fangs were bared at me in a growl.

  I thought he'd abandon Michel and come for me, the hunger in his eyes when he spotted me was incredible, I could taste it on the air. But he didn't come for me, he turned back to Michel, he raised up on his hind legs and struck. I'm not sure if Michel had been distracted by my presence, or if Rick was just too fast and maybe Michel was tired, or hurt, I don't know. But, he didn't move fast enough to avoid Rick's claws and he didn't move fast enough once he had been thrown back on the ground - a large slash across his chest, already welling up with blood - to avoid Rick's jaws. Rick's sharp teeth sunk deep into Michel's side, just by his stomach. He shook his head back and forth, like a dog with a bone, and didn't let go.

  I saw Michel going whiter and whiter, I saw the blood gushing out of his chest and stomach and side. And I saw red. Not blood red. But the red of Darkness. My vision shaded, everything turned crimson and two dimensional. The noise of the battle ensuing around me faded and all I heard was a beat inside my head. Not the thumping of a headache, but the gradual increase of a war drum, beating as surely and as steadily as my goal, my need, to avenge.