by I. J. Smith
Damian handed Tate a small black, rectangular box. Taking a closer look, they all could see a hand grip on one side, a small red button near the top and on the base a yellow sliding switch.
With a frown Tate asked, “What’s this? A rape alarm!”
Ambrose looked confused. He reached over and pressed the red button, jerking backwards in shock.
A 3-foot blade shot out. The glint of the silver blade caught everyone’s attention. Kate, Emily, and Rico looked at it. “How the hell is that possible?” Tate asked, looking at the small box in his hand.
“The blade separates into sections inside, when released, silver thread locks them into place,” Damian replied.
“So, it’s flimsy then?” Emily asked.
Taking the blade from Ambrose, Damian swung it against a steel chair. In shock, everyone looked on, as the chair fell apart. “Have faith!” Abigail told everyone.
Proceeding to hand out, one to every member of the new team, Damian spoke. “Also, everyone will wear an ear-bud. Constant communication is important!”
“From this moment on, you are known as Unit 341,” Abigail announced. “You will follow my orders to the letter! Is that understood?”
Emily once again raised her hand.
“You don’t need to….Oh never mind!” Abigail told her. “What is it?”
“What exactly are we doing?” Emily asked.
“We are joining Unit 271. They have intel of a Pure Blood attack tonight.” She paused for a moment to steady herself as the truck took a tight corner. “You are just there to help with the evacuation, nothing more. You are not to engage with the vamps. Unit 271 will be looking to stop the attack, before it happens.”
Damian interrupted, “So just blend in, have a drink and a dance!”
“Look like a Clubber!” Abigail finished.
Emily stood up. She was dressed in black leather pants and a bright white top. “How do I look?”
Damian shook his head. “Emily, you will be with me.” Emily gave a beautiful smile in reply.
“Tate, you team with Kate. Ambrose, you are with Rico and Abigail,” he continued.
“Can I team with Kate?” Rico asked.
Abigail slapped Rico around the ear. “This is not a party - you have your allocations.”
The truck slowly came to a stop, “OK, we are around the corner!” The male driver shouted back to everyone.
Tate dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt; slid the weapon into his pocket. Rico and Ambrose both in jeans, and colorful shirts joined him. The truck’s rear door opened, a tall brooding man stood waiting for them and said, “You took your fucking time getting here!”
Damian jumped out ahead of everyone he went face to face with the man, “Listen, they volunteered for this! Their training is not yet complete, so show some fucking respect!”
“Evening, Tyson,” Abigail greeted the man.
Tate jumped from the truck, instantly turning around to help Abigail, Emily, and Kate to jump down. Kate wore a long black coat and was barefoot. She reached back into the truck and grabbed a pair of red high heels. She removed her coat to reveal a tight red dress. “Holy shit!” Tate muttered.
Kate heard his remark and threw him a smile. “Thank you!” she responded.
“Everyone, this is the team leader of Unit 271; Tyson,” Damian introduced him.
Tyson stood tall, a man of color, with a deep scar across his face. “Just stay out of mine and the team’s way! Just do as you are ordered and nothing else!”
“How was charm school?” Tate barked in reply.
Tyson looked at Tate in anger and sneered. Tate stood firmly focused on Tyson. Damian moved to stand between them. “Let’s get this over with!”
Tyson stormed off; placing a finger against his ear and speaking to his team; “Move in! The pathetic back-up has now arrived!”
“Someone needs to kick his ass!” Rico said.
Abigail looked around, “I agree, so let’s show them what Unit 341 is made of!”
“We really need a new name!” Ambrose added. A small amount of laughter followed his comment.
Abigail pulled some folded money from her pocket, “OK, here is some cash. Buy a drink and blend in!”
Unit 341 separated and walked in different directions towards the club.
The thumping music of the club could be heard long before it was seen. Tate and Kate walked together towards the sounds. They turned the corner to see the glowing neon sign of the club.
“Devil’s Paradise.” Tate read the sign. “Well, it’s appropriate,” Kate replied with a smile.
“Come on!” Kate told him while taking his hand in hers. She noticed the uncomfortable look on Tate’s face. “It’s OK, we were told to blend in.” She told him and gripped his hand firmly.
He glanced at her, “It’s not that.”
Kate stopped, “What is it?” she asked concerned.
“I grew up around here. In fact, I have been to this club before.”
Pulling him closer, she rested her head on his shoulder. “Are you going to be OK?”
With a smile he replied, “Of course! Let’s go and have a drink, shall we?”
Already inside, Abigail stood by the bar with Ambrose and Rico. “So, what is everyone drinking?” She asked.
“Vodka, lots and lots of Vodka!” Rico screamed over the music.
Looking at Ambrose she asked the same. “None for me, thank you!” Ambrose replied.
“Oh, come on, we only live once!” Rico interrupted.
Then Abigail remembered the horror from Tate’s past. Turning her attention to the barmaid, she gave their order; “Two lagers and a lemonade please.”
Rico, who was starting to strut his stuff to the music, came to a stop when he heard her order and commented, “I see the love birds have arrived!”
Abigail and Ambrose turned to see that Tate and Kate had arrived, hand in hand.
“They make a cute couple,” Ambrose muttered.
Abigail turned back to the bar, without saying a word.
“Nah, she’s just trying to make me jealous,” Rico said in snarky tone, watching as Kate dragged Tate onto the dance floor.
Damian and Emily sat in a booth at the far end of the dance floor.
“Can I ask you something?” Emily asked.
Damian was focused on looking around the club, “Of course!”
“How many vampires have you killed?”
Glancing back at her, he replied, “A lot. Why?”
“I think it’s cool. You’re like a superhero.” Emily answered.
Damian was dumbfounded by her reply. “Emily, this is not a game! You really need to grow up!”
Being upset by his words, she took a sip from her soft drink.
On the dance floor, Tate and Kate danced. The music change from techno to romantic changed nothing. As the soft tune played, she placed her arms around his head as he gripped her sides.
“You’re a good dancer!” she told him.
“My mother taught me. She always said the best way to impress a lady was to dance well.” Tate replied.
She smiled, “A very wise woman!”
They gazed into each other’s eyes.
Rico watched them and remarked, “She is just playing with him!”
Abigail rolled her eyes, “They’re are doing their job, just like you should be!”
∞
Meanwhile, Tyson walked around the club ignoring everyone around him while he looked for the beasts he was there to hunt.
“Take your assigned areas,” He told his team through his microphone.
There was a long silence, “Dammit! Repeat, your assigned areas!”
Still there was nothing, just the deadly, eerie silence.
With his finger still pressed against his ear-bud he looked around, fearing the worst. In the far corner of the club, a beautiful woman with waist length, dark hair appeared. She stared at Tyson with a smile, wiping something red from her lips. She smiled wider.
/>
“Fucking vamp bitch!” Tyson muttered to himself.
He watched her, as she turned around and walked into the women’s toilets. Tyson rushed across the club floor, knocking a woman to the floor as he brushed passed her. The woman’s boyfriend grabbed Tyson. The boyfriend received a sharp head butt for his trouble. Not even slowing down, Tyson continued to the toilets.
Bursting through the door, he was met with the same tall woman touching up her makeup in front of the mirror.
“Bleeding your kind dry really messed with my lipstick.” She stated.
She stood in black high-heels and stockings which ran up her long slim legs. She was wearing a tight black dress that barely covered her body. Her waist-long length of hair was tied together at her nape and then ran smoothly down her back.
“Where are my people?” Tyson asked.
She smacked her lips together, “How rude! Not even introducing yourself to a lady!”
Tyson stepped forward, “You’re no fucking lady!”
She smiled, running her tongue over her bright white teeth. “I am Aviana and tonight it begins!”
Pulling his black box from his pocket, he pressed the red button. The silver blade extended. “What begins?” He sneered.
“The death of the Order, silly!” She replied.
He rushed at her. She instantly kicked out, hitting him in the chest. He flew back and smashed against the tiled wall.
“I’ve heard about your special weapons. You call them the Dead-Cutters, right? It’s a Fucking stupid name!” She remarked with a smile.
Tyson, jumped back onto his feet, swinging his sword in the air. Aviana slid to the side and in one move slammed her pointed hand into the side of his chest. Tyson gave out a groan of pain, as she removed her bloodied hand from his body.
“Don’t worry, your friends are waiting for you,” she whispered in his ear, before slamming her knee into his abdomen. This time sending him, crashing through the door.
As Tyson hit the floor, the club became flooded with the scream of its patrons.
Damian and Emily rushed to join Abigail. “Where the hell is Unit 271?” She yelled out.
Still trying to reach them through his ear piece, Damian noticed the dying body of Tyson on the floor. People ran at the sudden appearance of Pure-Bloods who began to tear their victims apart.
“I’m calling it!” Abigail shouted to Damian.
Before he could respond, she began ordering retreat over the coms unit.
“We can’t just leave all these people!” Emily said.
Abigail grabbed her arm, “None of you are ready for this! I gave you an order!”
Leading the way out of the club, Abigail was followed by Rico, Emily and Ambrose. She glanced back to see Damian not moving. “We have to go!” Abigail yelled at him.
Distracted by the screams of those being slaughtered; he did not reply.
“DAMIAN!” Abigail shouted again.
He glanced at her, “I can’t!”
Before Abigail could respond, she was distracted by Ambrose, who cried out, “Look!”
She looked towards the dance floor; Tate and Kate were both fighting against a small group of Half-Breeds that had invaded the club.
“Half and Pure Breeds at the same time? What the hell is going on?” Abigail muttered.
Damian pulled his Death-Cutter from his pocket and quickly extended the blade. He rushed towards the nearest Pure-Blood.
Tate was still using his fists, when suddenly a Half-breed jumped on his back. He grabbed it by the ear and dragged it over his shoulder, onto the floor. With a stamp of his foot, he smashed the vamp’s head into the floor. Blood spewed everywhere, brain matter covering his shoes. He looked over to see two Half-Breeds attacking Kate.
Kate stood with her shoes thrown off and her Death-Cutter extended. With a swing, she ran the blade along the throat of one of the Half-Breeds. Blood sprayed out, a small bit of flesh was still attached to her blade. She attempted a second swing but felt the cold hand of a Pure-Blood holding onto her. His fangs were extended, ready to tear into her throat.
The head of a Half-Breed suddenly flew through the air. Tate was about to attack the second one, when the beast was pulled back. He glanced up, to see Emily smashing her blade into its face.
“Remove its head!” Rico told her as he and Ambrose came to their aid.
The Pure-Blood male still held onto Kate.
“Let her go!” Tate warned him.
Giving out a mighty roar, the vamp attempted to bury its teeth into Kate’s throat. Tate, Ambrose, and Rico all attacked, dragging the vamp clear. However, it was so much stronger than the Half-Breeds. It quickly threw Ambrose and Tate to one side. Rico stood toe to toe with it, his fists raised high.
“Come on, you bitch!”
The vamp laughed, it was about to attack, when a loud siren sounded. The vamp ran off. Tate pushed himself back onto his feet. “Help get everyone out of here!” He ordered his group.
As his team left to help the innocent escape, Tate glanced around. He noticed Damian standing against two Pure-Bloods, all by himself.
Damian sliced across the chest of one causing it to squeal at a high pitch. The second kicked Damian to the ground. As the vamp attacked, Damian accepted his fate and faced it with a stern look. Tate suddenly appeared, jumping over a table and slicing the head of the beast clean off.
The Pure-Blood dropped to the ground, Tate proceeded to destroy its head once again, burying his blade into its head. Blood sprayed over Tate’s face as he repeatedly stabbed into it.
A second siren echoed out, the last remaining vampires raced off into the night. Aviana watched from the shadows, looking at Tate.
“We will have to watch you!” She muttered.
Damian struggled to stand. Tate offered his hand to help him up.
“You killed a Pure-Blood!” Damian muttered in shock.
“Well, that’s why you’re paying me right?” Tate replied.
Damian looked at the dead remains of the Vamp on the floor. “I’m officially impressed!” He told Tate.
“Come on, let’s get out of here,” Damian continued.
Together they walked towards the exit of the club.
CHAPTER TEN
HOME
“This is Keeper of Unit 341. I am requesting a cleanup crew to my current location; the Devil’s Paradise nightclub. We have several bodies that need treating,” Abigail reported on her mobile.
Ambrose had noticed their gray truck driving towards them and began signaling it to their location.
The doors to the nightclub suddenly opened. Tate walked through helping Damian. Kate rushed over to help. “You OK?” She asked Tate.
Damian looked at her and screwed up his face, “I’m fine by the way!”
Kate simply glanced at him and nodded.
Their grey truck drove up onto the pavement to meet them, Rico and Emily rushed to open the rear door.
“Come on, we better go before the filth gets here!” Rico said.
Tate sat Damian down, on the edge of the truck. “Don’t worry; no police will be involved until we tell them to.” Damian told Tate.
A puzzled Tate looked at Damian and asked, “You have control of the police?”
Abigail approached from behind them, and answered before Damian had chance. “Not exactly. We have been around a long time. We have assets embedded everywhere, in every government.”
“Cool!” Emily replied.
Abigail checked out Damian, looking at the cut on his forehead.
“So, what happens now?” Ambrose asked.
“We wait. A cleanup team is on its way to tidy up,” Damian told him, wincing in pain as Abigail touched his cut. “Hey, that hurts!” He remarked sharply.
“Stop being such a baby!” She said with a smile.
Damian’s eyes met Abigail’s, for a slight moment they simply stared at each other. “You were right!” he muttered.
“About what?” Abigail asked.
As she smiled with pride, Ambrose glanced around for Tate. “Where is Tate?”
“He’s right…..” Damian began to say, as he looked around in surprise.
Abigail panicking asked, “Anybody see where Tate went?”
“He was right there a moment ago,” Emily replied.
Kate began to remove her high-heels and sighed in comfort as; Abigail and Damian looked around for Tate. “Don’t worry, he used to live around here.” Kate told them.
“WHAT?” Damian shouted.
“Oh shit!” Abigail said as she dropped her head. “He lived near here.”
Damian marched over to her in anger. “Why the hell didn’t you say anything?” He demanded.
“Oh, fuck off Damian. We were never meant to be out here tonight! I had no time to run the checks for the mission!” Kate replied in anger.
Pulling his mobile from his pocket, Damian angrily dialed. “Who are you calling?” Abigail asked.
“Who do you think? We need Frank to send a recovery team.” Damian answered.
Abigail tried to grab the phone from his hand, but Damian moved too quickly for her.
“You make that call and it’s over for him, you know that!” Abigail replied.
Ignoring her, Damian was shocked by Emily, who suddenly appeared and kicked him hard in the groin. As he slumped to the ground in pain, the phone dropped from his hand; as a male voice echoed from it. Rico was quick to pick it up and answered, “Sorry, wrong number!”
Clutching his groin in pain Damian muttered, “He ran off!”
“He saved your fucking life! Give him a break!” Kate told him firmly. She looked over at Emily and held her fist out. “Nice!” Kate complimented her. Emily smiled as she fist-bumped Kate.
“I will get him back!” Abigail said.
“You don’t even know where he’s going,” Damian struggled to say.
Abigail looked around and told Damian, “I’ve got a good idea.”
She began to walk towards the driver’s door. “Everyone, stay here. The clean-up team will take you home.”