Angel Souls and Devil Hearts

by Christopher Golden

  13

  Salzburg, Austria, European Union.

  Wednesday, June 7, 2000, 7.49 a.m.:

  “Commanders!” Jimenez barked into his collarcomm. “Set up perimeter guard and get a head count. Locke, take command of whatever’s left of Gruber’s troops. Anyone left from Rodriguez’s paratroopers, converge on me. All shadows . . .”

  Roberto shot a look at Rolf Sechs, in effect the new chief marshal of the Shadow Justice System, and got a nod in response.

  “. . . converge on myself and Marshal Rolf Sechs. Yesterday! All commanders report immediately after these orders are carried out.”

  Jimenez turned to look at Rolf again, and the mute vampire realized that, no matter what, the two of them had become partners in the outcome of this thing. They had to prevail, and therefore they had to rely on one another.

  Rolf’s human family had been murdered ages ago, and he had never had any other children. He had never created a blood-child, made another vampire, and he didn’t think he ever would. Therefore, though it would have eased the burden of his muteness, he shared his mental rapport only with his blood-brothers and -sisters, of whom only Cody and Alexandra Nueva still lived. He knew sign language and, when necessary, his second, Stefan, could translate it for him. But the voice-pad was an adequate substitute.

  Just in case, Rolf motioned for Stefan to come forward, effectively promoting him to deputy marshal the way Rolf had taken Hannibal’s post. The group around Jimenez was growing, and as they awaited word of their next move, Rolf turned to the newcomers: Martha, the woman had called herself, and the men were Isaac and Jared, supposedly the sons of Lazarus. Martha had been the one to tell them of Hannibal’s actions in the city, and now she cleared her throat to get Commander Jimenez’s attention. The man whirled, ready for trouble, and then relaxed, realizing how high-strung the battle had made him. The female shadow looked at Rolf then, deferring to his command, and he nodded for her to go on.

  “Chief Marshal Sechs, Commander Jimenez, on behalf of my brother Lazarus, who apologizes for his being unavailable, we,” and at that she noted Jared and Isaac, “offer our services to you. Also, it will please you to know that reinforcements are on the way.”

  “What?” Jimenez asked, and Rolf knew that the commander’s whole attention was on Martha now. She had his own as well.

  Rolf motioned for her to explain, and Martha went on.

  “Well, it seems obvious,” she said, “that the human soldiers cannot return to the fortress. In fact, so that the ghostly beings up there cannot find new hosts when they are killed again, it would be best if all humans got as far away as possible from the fortress. Therefore, it seems only logical that the human troops move to prevent Hannibal and his coven from committing any more murders. We shadows must return and confront Mulkerrin on our own. A corps of one hundred powerful vampires is on the march here as we speak, to assist in just such an attack.”

  “How do you know this?” Jimenez asked, shaking his head. “Who sent you? And who’s bringing these so-called reinforcements?”

  Martha opened her mouth to speak, but Rolf held up a finger, indicating she should wait, and then pointed to Jared, lifting his hands in a sign that he should continue in her stead. Rolf thought that Martha sounded too practiced, and he wanted to hear this from the boy’s perspective. Rolf knew what Jimenez was thinking—that perhaps Martha was working with Hannibal—and he couldn’t help but consider the same thing.

  “Me?” Jared asked.

  Rolf nodded, brow furrowed in expectation.

  “We are here to help,” Jared said. “What’s so difficult to understand? Who sent us and who’s bringing the reinforcements are one and the same being, but his name will mean nothing to you.”

  He was lying. Rolf knew he was lying, but strangely, he didn’t sense any menace or ill intent in the lie. He cocked his head slightly, allowing his doubt to show through, prompting Jared to continue.

  “His name is John Courage,” Jared said.

  Courage! Will Cody’s voice boomed in Rolf’s mind.

  Turn down the volume, Rolf shot back. I didn’t even know you were still with me.

  Sorry, Cody sent, from his prison within the fortress.

  You know this John Courage?

  Oh, yes, Cody thought, and in those thoughts, Rolf could sense the weight of not just knowledge, but secrets that Cody wanted to share.

  I know him, Cody sent, and somehow, now, I know the truth of him. Work with this Martha, Rolf, and I’ll tell you the rest when I see you.

  You’ve recovered from your wounds? Rolf asked.

  Not Quite, but I will be in time to help when my help is needed Do me one favor. Ask Martha if Allison is all right.

  Rolf realized he was the center of attention. Martha had apparently continued to speak, but with Cody’s voice booming in his mind, Rolf had not heard. Now she, Jared, Isaac and the commander all waited for his response.

  “What’s your recommendation, Marshal?” Jimenez asked, and Rolf noted that the gray at his temples seemed to have spread a bit farther since dawn.

  Rolf didn’t think twice. Cody was his brother, and his word was the only assurance Rolf needed. He motioned for his deputy, Stefan, to come forward, then pulled out his voice-pad and began to scrawl with a fingernail.

  “Stefan, here,” the electronic voice said as Rolf pointed at the vampire, “will take orders from Martha, as will the rest of the SJS agents. I will pick a dozen shadows and accompany Commander Jimenez to confront Hannibal. It is the only path open to us.”

  Martha nodded in approval, and Stefan stood at attention, accepting his orders, but Jimenez shook his head as he looked at Rolf.

  “What are you talking about?” Roberto asked. “Sechs, we know nothing about this . . . woman. How can you . . . ?”

  “I know you’ll have a hard time with this request,” Rolf scratched onto his voice-pad, “but you’re going to have to trust me.”

  Jimenez was speechless, even as Rolf turned his words to Martha.

  “Martha, Will Cody asks if you know the whereabouts of his lover, Allison Vigeant, last seen with John Courage?”

  “Will Cody?” Jimenez snapped. “Where the hell is he?”

  Rolf waved for the commander to be quiet.

  “Tell Mr. Cody,” Martha answered, aware of the true origin of the inquiry, “that Ms. Vigeant is safe for the moment, that she is with John and on her way here, now.”

  “Also,” she said, smiling at Rolf, “tell him he’s a lucky man.”

  “How can you tell him anything?” Jimenez said, exasperated, stepping closer to Rolf to get his attention, even as Jared and Isaac moved forward to block his way.

  Rolf held up a hand, and the vampires stopped.

  “You all misunderstand,” he wrote. “The commander is not a threat to me, or to you. He does not trust us but we stand together.”

  Rolf turned to Jimenez now, writing faster.

  “Vampires made by the same father can communicate mentally. I was out of communication with Cody for a time but now, this close to the fortress, where he is a prisoner, we are in contact again.”

  “It couldn’t be a ruse, a trick to throw us off course?” Jimenez asked, needing to understand, to be sure.

  Rolf shook his head, and then Jimenez was equally silent. The man was not a fool; he was aware of the stakes. Commander Thomas appeared then, responding with the other commanders to Jimenez’s earlier orders. Immediately, she and Rolf exchanged glances that communicated their mutual concern, for each other and for the situation but professionalism and discretion allowed no greeting. Rather, Rolf nodded to all of the newly arrived commanders, even as Jimenez opened his mouth to voice his decisions.

  “Commanders,” he said to acknowledge them. “I admit that I have a difficult time putting any faith in shadows, but it seems we don’t have much of a choice. If we attack the fortress again, all we’re going to end up doing is killing each other.”

  Rolf nodded as Jimenez issued
the only orders he could. The commanders’ faces were grim.

  So that’s it? Cody’s voice came to him again, much quieter this time. We’ll just have to wait for Courage and his “reinforcements,” I suppose.

  Any ideas on that? Rolf asked. You seem to know a lot more than you’re letting on.

  The only thing I can say, Cody answered, is trust John Courage. Even if you think he’s crazy, trust him. He may be he only one we can trust.

  You “heard” about Allison? Rolf asked.

  Yeah, thanks. I just wish she wasn’t coming back with them. But then, I guess I wouldn’t love her if she was the kind of woman who turned tail and ran home to Momma. Still . . .

  There was silence a moment, around Rolf and in his head, and then he had to ask . . . What about you, brother? There are so few of us now; what are you waiting for? If you need help to escape, let me come, let me help.

  Rolf could sense Cody’s laugh, even if he didn’t “hear” it.

  Amazing, isn’t it? Cody thought. A few years ago you wanted me dead, and now you want to save me. It means a lot, Rolf, but no. I’ll explain it all, or as much as I can, later. But I think I can be of more use to you if you leave me right here.

  As you say, Rolf sent, and then Cody was gone from his mind.

  Turning his back on the gathered humans, though not without catching Elissa’s eye again, he signaled for Stefan and Martha to give orders to the dozens of Shadow Justice System agents who had gathered there.

  “Martha will lead the assault on the fortress,” Stefan said. “However, when Will Cody finally makes his escape, he will assume command of all shadow forces there. Try not to kill the humans if possible, for their possessors will only search out new hosts. The object is Mulkerrin’s death, as quickly as possible.”

  Rolf had put away his voice-pad, and now he scanned the vampires gathered around him. He would take twelve of them with him to help the humans against Hannibal, a paltry number, but Mulkerrin was the priority. The three newcomers, this Martha and Lazarus’s two sons, certainly knew more than they were letting on, and Rolf wondered whether that might not come in handy later.

  He pointed to Jared, who looked at Stefan for instruction.

  “He wants you on his team,” Stefan said, not needing any communication from Rolf to understand.

  Rolf had expected the apparently young man, who might have been far older than he, to look to Martha for approval of this choice, but he was pleasantly surprised when Jared only nodded and stepped forward to stand beside him.

  When he had chosen eleven others, Rolf turned to face the humans again, and Commander Jimenez had just finished giving the details of the plan for their attack on Hannibal. With demons running loose down there, buildings burning and locals in the line of fire, it was not going to be easy.

  This time, when Jimenez turned to meet Rolf’s stare, that was all the communication which was necessary.

  “Let’s hit it,” Jimenez said quietly. “And God bless us all.”

  Hell.

  One Hundred Three Days, Two Hours

  and Twelve Minutes After Departure.

  Lord Pa-Bil-Sag had been as good as his word. He had indeed, transported them to the surface . . . a surface they had never expected to exist. And yet they’d found themselves there and so had to incorporate that into their view of this world. Hell was apparently a planet. They had discussed, at first, whether they were in a different dimension or an uncharted part of their own universe, but neither could come up with any real evidence or logic to support either question. And what was important was that they were there.

  They had walked through a fiery portal conjured by Lord Pa-Bil-Sag and found themselves stepping out onto a broad, dusty plain. The darkness of the sky was cut by the light of fires shooting from the earth like geysers all around them, cinders floating away on the hot breeze that whipped past, roasting the planet. Rock formations went from familiar to incredible, and some looked as if they’d been built rather than occurring naturally. Despite the fires around them, they’d had no trouble determining which way their destination lay. Pa-Bil-Sag had referred to “the fires,” and far off in the distance, flames engulfed a mountain ridge shooting high into the air, lighting the entire horizon line as if it were dawn at that end of the world. But no sun ever rose; the dawn was perpetual, a promise, a cruel tease.

  After two weeks of walking, after they had spent three months in Hell, both Meaghan and Lazarus had finally started to feel a little hungry. Though they would be able to function completely for quite some time, hunger would eventually unhinge them. They had known then that slowed time or not, they would need to find blood eventually.

  Two more weeks had passed. They had alternated between walking and flying, though Meaghan had been a bit nervous about flying when she thought about the winged creatures that had attacked her in the stovepipe. Finally, their trek had led them to a huge gate in the middle of what could only be described as a desert. In some places. the sand had been blasted with such high heat that it had turned to glass. Beyond the gate, glass spires stood tall at the foot of flaming mountains, and it was hot enough that Lazarus wondered aloud how the spires kept from melting.

  “A better question is how we’ve kept from melting,” Meaghan said, only partly joking. After all, though they could have turned to flame and ashes themselves, their human shapes would not have been able to withstand the kind of heat necessary to create glass from sand.

  “It does seem,” Lazarus admitted, echoing Meaghan’s thoughts, “that those mountains aren’t giving off as much heat as you would expect.”

  They stood for a moment in silent reflection. They’d been quiet through much of the month it had taken them to get here, Meaghan mostly thinking of Alex, and of what she might say to Peter if they found him. She had no idea what Lazarus was thinking, but guessed part of it was the other thing on her own mind: time. If they’d barely begun to hunger after three-and-a-half months, that meant barely more than a day had passed in their own world. How much time had passed for Peter in Hell while five years had gone by on Earth?

  All of those things were on Meaghan’s mind now, and she assumed on Lazarus’s too. Not to mention the new questions as to Lord Pa-Bil-Sag’s “brother,” the glass spires beyond the gate, and the most obvious question of all.

  “What now?” Lazarus asked, and Meaghan snickered then smiled to show she meant no offense.

  “No idea,” she admitted. “Though I don’t think the denizens of Hell take kindly to uninvited guests. I’d like to vote against flying over this thing. On the other hand . . .”

  She looked at him, and knew he understood.

  “We could just knock,” Lazarus said, and they nodded together.

  And so Meaghan stepped forward and pounded on the gate, its ringing sound making them both realize that what they had imagined was some kind of metal was actually a dark black glass. The gate, then, was hollow glass, offering no protection at all.

  Meaghan shot a look at Lazarus, who merely shrugged.

  “Then again,” he said, “who would come here uninvited?”

  They waited a long while, and each pounded on the glass several times more, but there was no answer.

  “It’s not as if we can come back later,” Meaghan said finally. “And then again, if the place truly is empty, what better time to try to get Peter out of here?”

  “If he’s actually in there,” Lazarus said.

  “Oh, he’s in there,” Meaghan said, “I can feel him.”

  Which was true. Throughout their entire journey, she had sensed that they were going in the right direction, and as they got closer, she had known that he was there, at the fires that were their destination. She had called out to him with her mind several times each day, but what bothered Meaghan was not that she received no answer. What bothered her was that when she tried to reach out and make contact, force the connection, she was shunted aside. It disturbed her that she was forced to consider that Peter might be consciousl
y blocking her out, shielding himself from her the way that he and Cody had shut out the rest of Von Reinman’s coven for many years.

  And if Peter was intentionally blocking her out, Meaghan couldn’t begin to guess why. Or perhaps she could, but the path down which those thoughts led was one, at least for the moment, better left untraveled.

  “That’s it,” she said, breaking the silence and startling Lazarus, who’d grown used to it. “We’re going in.”

  Meaghan became a cloud of mist, spreading herself thin to be as inconspicuous as possible, and Lazarus followed suit. Floating above the black glass of the gate, their minds, ephemeral things in that state, were able to feel the place, the sprawling city of glass, the fires that burned within, and its emptiness. As they floated through the city, Meaghan reaching out her mind for Peter, they did not see anything living—not a demon, not a human, not a thousand suffering souls. Still, Meaghan focused on the mind of her bloodfather, Peter Octavian, and though he tried to block her out, those efforts were almost a beacon, leading them toward him.

  The city was vast, its glass buildings of widely varied styles, some imitating those of their own world, with turrets, terraces, eaves and steeples, and many of boring, square design. Others were foreign, alien, and at first glance seemed ugly because of it, though as they became more familiar, Meaghan found many of them to be strangely beautiful. And above it all, at various heights, were the spires. As if they were a trap laid for some beast that might fall from the sky, the spires stretched up throughout the city, sharp as spikes. Nearly every other building rose from its foundation, many of which were mediocre, to become, at its apex, a towering knife of glass. Other spires simply sprang from the ground, no building for a base, no purpose other than themselves.

  Meaghan thought of icicles hanging up rather than down, and was pleased with the image, or as pleased as she could be, considering how unsettling the overall picture of the city was. They neared its far border, where the black cinder mountain stood blazing in the sky, and the closer they got, the hotter it became and the more she could sense Peter.