One orc stumbled to his feet, grabbing the hilt of his axe. “What d’ya want? You here to cause trouble?”
“No, no,” Evan stammered, holding his hands up as the other orcs stirred.
“I’m just here to visit someone. I have a note from Master Gettelung.”
The orcs settled at this, and the guard with the axe stomped over to him.
Evan passed over the note, hoping it would be enough.
He didn’t see the guard’s eyes move as he held the note close to his face, and wondered if the orc could read.
The orc grunted at last. “Huh, we ‘avn’t had anyone wanting to visit the prisoners. All me and me boys do is play Realmagon. We only got called down here a few days ago. These cells haven’t had any prisoners for a long time. The Mandon is quiet, but the girl shrieks something horrible sometimes. I think she’s an orc orange short of a bagful.”
“It’s her I’ve come to see,” he said.
“Ah, sorry about that,” the orc frowned. “Go on then, you can pull the slat across her door and talk, but we ain’t unlocking the door to let you in.”
“That’s fine, thank you,” Evan said breathlessly, swiftly heading to the end of the cavern before he lost his nerve. A strong part of him wanted to turn around and walk the other way. Can I really face her again?
“Her door is the very last one,” the orc called after him.
Evan nodded gratefully, before setting off down the corridor. His feet started to drag as passed the first few doors. He didn’t do it intentionally; it was as if his body was fighting him, not wanting him to reach the end of the corridor and the last iron door. The door was dark and plain, with a large square in the centre, covered by a metal slat.
All too soon, he stood directly before it. Last chance, you can still turn back now.
He worked to get his breathing under control, and steadied himself. C’mon, you can do this. You need to do this.
He half-turned back the way he’d come, but then forced himself forward to grab a hold of the iron handle. All he had to do was pull it and the metal slat would move to the side and he’d be able to see inside the cell. See Cera again.
His hand shook as he gripped the handle. Part of him was screaming to let go and leave. But then he took a deep breath and pulled it across.
Behind the metal slat was window, covered by four iron bars. But the space between the bars was more than enough to see the small square room beyond.
It was empty.
Chapter 49- Madness by Moonlight
Moonlight bled through the magnificent church window, painting Arantay’s skin so luridly that it almost glowed. He stood at the end of the hall, murmuring quietly with Malian, as she dined at the table.
For perhaps the first time ever since Hallia had made this church a home, the sounds of cutlery chinked throughout the room as she and the other Venators ate their burgers and chips. Jack had once again run out to buy them the food, as well as the cutlery especially.
As she ate, however, her gaze kept straying to him. Brooke imagined the black veins beneath his ivory skin that would be highlighted if it was the sun that shined on him. He still wore Malian’s borrowed clothes, a Victorian suit, further making his beauty stand out, even amongst vampires.
He’d not long awoken, whereas she hadn’t been able to sleep since being attacked by Eskal the previous night. Lok, Lyella and Tyrell had gone back to bed, but she’d just been too on edge.
As she finished eating, she noticed her eyes beginning to sting and droop, but she didn’t have the luxury of sleep as tonight they had multiple insane beasts to hunt.
Tyrell had received the phone call from Veneseron moments ago and was still relaying the message around the table.
“Okay, the Monitors said that last night there was more reports of uncontrollable shifters and wolves on the rampage,” said Tyrell. “Phosian contacted Veneseron an hour ago, claiming that nearly a dozen Moonlight beasts have been converted now.”
“Looks like we hunt down rabid animals tonight then,” Lok’s eyes flashed.
“That won’t be necessary,” Arantay interrupted, none of them had heard he and Malian approach.
“What do you mean?” Tyrell asked.
“I was able to make Hallia see sense,” Malian answered. “Arantay told me that the curses the Rakarn have placed upon Vore’s pack may break if those Rakarn are slain. And even if that was not the case, if we can successfully drive the Rakarn back to their own realm, the wolves should see that they were the cause, and stop the war before it has fully begun.”
“So, you’ve been told where the Dark-Venator hideout is?” Lok sat up sharply in his seat. “We’re just gonna’ roll up and kick their ass out of town?”
Arantay nodded. “Sounds a good a plan as any.”
“Maybe we should wait a while,” said Lok. “Hit them when-”
“No,” Arantay interrupted, “we do it tonight.”
Brooke could see the eagerness in Tay’s eyes, but she knew he had an ulterior motive. He wanted to get at Falawn, probably more than he wanted to defeat the Rakarn and end the mission.
She was surprised as he turned and addressed her suddenly.
“May I speak to you a moment, in private?”
“Uh, sure.” she left her seat and followed him down the hall.
“Brooke,” he said. “What that Eskal fiend said to you last night, you must not listen.”
“Which part? The bit where he said if he turned me into a vampire, you and I could be together?” she said without thinking, surprised by her own boldness.
Arantay blinked in shock, his red lashes fluttering like butterfly wings.
“Uh…” for once he seemed nervous and awkward.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Lok sitting at the table. Lyella sat beside him, a hand playing with his silky hair while he apparently examined a small enchanted dagger. She noticed that Lok kept looking over to her and Arantay, however.
“Yes, but he was wrong.” Arantay said at last.
“What I heard before I pulled him off you, it was the ramblings of a mad man.”
“Yet strangely he was right, wasn’t he. He knew my feelings for you, and that you didn’t want me back.”
Tay blanched. “You shouldn’t put it so crudely.” His velvet voice was barely a whisper.
“Well it’s true. Look, I’m dealing with it. I can’t moon over you forever, you’re like a god or something. Not a god in the way Eskal was talking about, you’re perfect in spite of your vampiric side. You’re way better than I deserve. You-”
Arantay interrupted her, shaking his head bitterly. “Perfect? An evil taint flows through my veins, makes me a killer of innocents. Sometimes I wonder if everything my brother said about me is true.”
“No,” Brooke argued vehemently. “Your brother is deluded. You might as well believe Eskal if you believe what Falawn says.”
“Yeah, I think they’re both a bit nuts,” said Lok, who’d walked over to them. Lyella lolled at his side, her eyes studying Brooke like she was a rather interesting form of fungi.
“Lok told me all about your little run in with a blood sucker last night, I do hope you weren’t hurt,” Lyella cooed.
Tyrell joined them too next; it appeared their private chat was over.
“Oh, Brooke. I forgot to mention,” Tyrell said. “I informed the Fortress of what happened with you and this Eskal. Some Monitors are worried it’s all getting too big with so many factions involved, and they’re considering pulling us all from the mission. If we don’t resolve it all soon, the Masters themselves will come to sort it out.”
“What? we can’t leave,” Lok cried. “I’ve only had one little skirmish in that underground fighting den. I wanna’ cut me some more wolves, or maybe this other coven will show up for me to sharpen my sword on.”
“Something’s happening,” Malian’s voice carried across the hall suddenly.
The five Venator’s ended their conversation and stood to
attention as all the vampires stirred.
“Hallia speak to me,” Malian said, his eyes closed. “She senses a lot of activity in the city tonight, from all over the place. Vore’s pack might be planning something big, or maybe the Dark-Venators will finally reveal themselves.”
Brooke felt Arantay tense beside her and knew his thoughts dwelled on Falawn.
“Ha, right on cue,” Lok put his arm around Lyella happily. “Finally, some action.”
Tyrell scowled at him for a moment before addressing Malian. “If there are Rakarn in the area we’ll deal with them.
Malian nodded gratefully.
“Yeah, we will.” A ball of flame winked into existence, dancing across the palm of Lok’s hand.
The room became deathly silent, and the ghostly chill seemed to resonate all around her. Brooke shivered and goose bumps sprang up over her flesh. She got up to try and walk it off, but it didn’t help.
The vampires were like marble statues as not one moved an inch; the only thing life-like about them was the eerie glitter in their eyes.
Brooke was about to speak to Arantay, when a tremendous explosion threw her to the ground.
Shards of the great church window vomited across the floor in streams of stained glass. From the hole the window had previously sat, crawled a dozen werewolves and shifters, dropping to the floor one by one.
All of them wore their monstrous forms, snarling and howling hysterically. For a second the werepanther at their front transmuted so his face was half human and Brooke recognised him for Kane.
“The vengeance of the Moon brothers is a terrible thing,” Kane’s voice came out as an ear-splitting bark.
The wolves behind him howled ever louder, saliva dripping from their jaws in tendrils.
“Attack!” As the command left his mouth Kane was once again a full beast, and already pounding towards Brooke and the other Venators.
Cazantian was a blur of motion as he crashed into him first, knocking them both to the floor as the other wolves stampeded over them.
All hell came crashing down around her as the vampires and werebeasts engaged in bloody crimson combat.
Magic flared up behind her as Lok fearlessly dived into the fray, dancing into the thick of things and causing even more chaos. Brooke scrambled to her feet, looking for Arantay. He was already moving, a pale shadow that weaved in and out of the wolves like a vengeful ghost.
Tyrell was gone too, flocking to where the wolves piled up most. She was shocked at his bravery as he moved in, a spurt of scarlet following his sword as he slashed it across a behemoth’s back.
Lyella pushed her aside as she rose to her own feet, launching a burst of magical energy to barrel into the nearest monster.
“Out of the way, you stupid girl,” Lyella shouted, summoning a second energy blast.
Brooke whirled away from her, trying to let fury overcome fear as individual battles broke out all around her.
Cazantian and Kane wrestled on the floor and she saw Malian smash one werewolf’s teeth from its snout. Another lycan howled like a dying dog as he clawed at the crimson stump that had been an arm. Lok stood over him, laughing as he capered through the chaos.
Brooke had just managed to pull out her sword when the first wolf was upon her, its colossal limbs stretched wide to snap her body in half. Without thinking, a torrent of fire surged out of her to slam into the shaggy beast. The wolf’s head snapped back and the brute crumpled. Brooke gasped in temporary relief before moving on; she knew that if she stood still too long one of the beast’s swipes were bound to connect, and then she was a goner.
Arantay was a spirit of destruction amongst the melee. His feet whispered across the stone and moonlight bounced off his blade as he painted it with blood.
A werewolf’s paw hit Brooke then, ripping her jumper to shreds and slicing into the armour over her stomach.
She cried out as the sting lanced though her. The armour had prevented the swipe from causing her guts to tumble out, but the armour wouldn’t hold forever.
The lycan came at her again, but Brooke flung her arm our first, throwing the wolf across the room with a buffet of air element.
A whirlwind of magic and madness enveloped Lok at the centre of the battle as he cast spells recklessly. Whips of fire and tentacles of magical energy were the weapons he wielded as he assaulted every lycan and shifter around him.
A huge shape leaping through the smashed window suddenly caught her eye, and Brooke turned to see Vore in their midst, his gargantuan body gleaming in the light of the moon. He was in full human form, but still able to tower over the wolves who served him. As he entered he struck out at one vampire violently, sending his ivory from across the length of the hall to crash against the unforgiving wall.
“Where is Hallia!” Vore roar rose above the battle sounds in the room.
As if materialising from the air itself, Hallia appeared, a small, pale child with a faraway stare.
After the entrance of the two leaders, the fighting stopped and everyone stepped back to watch.
Vore stormed up to the child, a hulking giant of primal power. Hallia merely stared up at him distantly, like she was disconnected from everyone and everything else. The contrast between them was unbelievable. Vore was at least six feet taller for a start; and his rage was only equalled by Hallia’s serenity.
“Hallia!” The Hellwolf thundered. “My pack is disappearing from my lair by the day, all of them falling into madness. If you want to fight, you fight like a warrior, do not…”
“It is not us,” Hallia spoke over the dreadlocked giant, “it is dark sorcery that possesses your men.” Since Brooke could hear Hallia’s voice, she guessed everyone else could too.
“Aye,” Vore snorted, “sorcery conjured by those you have allied yourselves with.” Vore’s sickly yellow eyes shimmered with rage as he glared at the Venators.
Abruptly a chorus of cold laughter erupted from above them all, accompanied by the sound of more smashing glass as several new creatures descended into the church.
Vampires, Venators and werewolves alike turned to the newcomers.
Brooke’s breath hitched as she recognised Eskal, smiling like a clown and staring directly at her.
A second later she realised that this had to be the other vampire Coven, and she suspected that the tall bearded man at the front of them was their leader. His beard was smooth and cut into a sharp point and above it was a long, cadaverous face.
“Greetings, pack-beasts and dear blood brothers,” the tall man spoke crisply.
“My name is Kaymor and I’m here to regrettably inform you that all of you need to leave this city immediately. Me and my coven wish to claim it for ourselves, so that we can feed and kill its humans without detection. We have entered into a pact with some very powerful friends. With them my coven and I will destroy you all. But why don’t you make it easier and leave now of your own accord?”
There was a moment of shocked silence, until it was broke by Vore’s great bark of laughter. “You expect us to leave so you can murder this city’s humans without consequence? I could destroy you and your thralls by myself.”
“You forget little puppy,” Eskal spoke up. “We have the Dark-Venators on our side. They have already driven many of your litter to madness. Think what they can do if they were to reveal themselves.”
“Quiet,” Kaymor hissed viciously at his comrade, but his reprimand was soon drowned at by the roars of Vore and his pack.
“So you admit it, these Dark-Venators truly are the cause of the affliction that plagued my pack.” Vore turned and caught her gaze. “You were telling the truth after all?”
Eskal lunged suddenly as Vore was distracted. The maniacal vampire’s long black nails slashed across Vore’s throat before anyone had time to react. A stream of red liquid spat from Vore’s neck as he fell to one knee, choking. Then Arantay was there, kicking Eskal in the face and causing him to sprawl to the floor. A female vampire by Kaymor’s side took the opportun
ity next, streaking toward Vore, her dagger raised. Vore shot up to stop her, however, seizing her head and wrenching. Brooke could barely believe her eyes as the vampires head was slowly torn from her torso, stands of flesh and sinew stretching and then snapping as the skull came off.
Another of Kaymor’s vampires rushed to slice at Vore’s side next, but Quinn intervened, driving his first into the vampires chest and ripping out the moroi’s heart. All of this happened in seconds and even as the new battle broke out, Hallia’s vampires and Vore’s pack were circling one other wearily, unsure if they were still fighting each other or just the new Coven. Brooke saw Lok about to attack the lycan nearest to him, and grabbed his shoulder, urging him to calm.
“Leave the wolves,” Malian cried out. “Kill the vampire intruders only. We must-”
Malian cut off as Kaymor smashed into him, knocking him to the ground. He raised his sword high, about to drive the blade into Malian’s chest, when he suddenly dropped the sword, clutching his head and moaning in agony.
Kaymor stumbled back as Hallia slowly walked toward him. Whatever psychic talent she possessed she was using it to cause Kaymor great pain.
Kaymor’s thralls were advancing on Hallia from behind, however, and Brooke ran forward to stop them. Lok and Jack at her side. Both of them fought a vampire each, whilst she swung blindly at the vampire who tried to pounce on her.
The vampire dived back to avoid Brooke’s blow, but he collided with Eskal who was attempting to flee Arantay. As both vampires fell to the ground, both her and Tay raced to finish them off.
Suddenly she saw a flash of dark green hair, belonging to someone who’d entered the room, unbeknownst to anyone. He appeared behind Jack, plunging a dagger into his back and out the other side. Jack opened his mouth to cry out, but blood spewed forth instead of sound. As Jack crumpled to the ground his murderer stood above him, triumphant. He was an elf, with dusky aureate skin, and broad shoulders. He wore the dark black armour of a Rakarn now, and his dark green hair coiled at the shoulders, like serpents.
“Falawn,” Arantay murmured, a whisper of disbelief.
Moonlight War- Act II (The Realmers Book 3) Page 26