by Cas Martin
‘Don’t think about it.’
‘I have to. I need to make my peace with it.’
‘I’d prefer it if you didn’t.’
‘I won’t have much time and there are preparations I need to make. The family side of things will be handled by the council. They’ll follow the same laws and customs that got me here in the first place. The personal side of my affairs won’t set in motion for a few days. I have a lawyer in place to handle that for me.’
‘Which is good. I have one too.’
‘I need you to do something for me if I don’t make it out of this alive.’ Monica rubbed her hand over her eyes. She was prepared to die, to take others with her, but somehow this was the hardest conversation she would have all day.
‘Monica—’
‘Promise me you’ll take this seriously?’
‘I promise.’
‘Good. If I don’t make it, I want you to go to my apartment. The guards already have instructions to always let you in if you turn up and I’m not there.’
‘Really?’ Elizabeth’s shock was obvious.
‘Yes. I wanted to make sure you always had a safe place to go, regardless of whether I was there to offer it. But that doesn’t matter right now. In the back of my closet there is a safe. It requires a four digit pass code as well as a key. The pass code is,’ Monica lowered her voice, ‘5943. The spare key is taped under the bottom drawer in my bureau. Open the safe. There is something in there I want you to have if anything happens to me.’
‘What is it?’
‘You’ll know. If I survive, I expect you not to follow these instructions out of idle curiosity.’
‘Of course not.’
‘Good. That means a lot to me,’ Monica paused. She had known this would be difficult. She didn’t want to admit she still had a vial of Elizabeth’s blood, but she couldn’t risk it falling into anyone else’s hands.
‘Is there anything else you need me to do?’
‘I don’t think so. All I want now is some sleep. I have no doubt that the Sekhmets will come tonight. They’ll attack first and talk later. I need to be on top of my game.’
‘Of course. Can I call you at sunset if I don’t hear from you before?’
‘That would be nice.’ Monica thought it was a sweet thing to do, to hear one last voice from the outside world before she walked onto the killing floor.
‘Sleep well then. I’ll talk to you later.’
‘Bye.’
‘Goodbye Monica.’ The line went dead in her ear.
She put her phone on the small bedside table and kicked off her shoes. The covers were thin, but they would do. There was no point longing for a final rest in the comfort of her own bed. She’d made her choices and now only sleep would provide oblivion from them.
56
Garth had woken in the late afternoon, a few hours before sunset. He’d had a restless sleep and even now, his hands tingled, impatient for something to do. He’d eaten a huge breakfast when the rest of the world was contemplating dinner, under the disapproving gaze of his grandma. He’d refused to meet her eye. She’d raised him more than his own mother had, even before the chance to do so had been snatched away from them both. When there was something wrong, she didn’t need to be told. She just knew.
Not that he could tell her. Since his mother’s murder, she had held God closer than ever before, some kind of life raft to get her through the pain of living with the loss, and the newfound responsibilities of raising a young man when she was far too old to do so. If Garth told her about vampires, she would say that the devil was walking among them. That the devil had entered his life. Which he had, in a way, but not in a way that she would ever understand.
In a way that would only risk her life too, if she ever found out.
So he had eaten his food and avoided her eye. Then he’d slipped out of the door while the sun was still hanging low in the sky, with no goal other than to burn out the energy on the street.
He’d grown so used to crossing the city at night that the light hurt his eyes. It was the first sunny day for almost a week, but the clouds hung low on the horizon over the Hudson, ready to rush back in. It made him feel better. The rain would wash away his scent and tonight, he had a feeling there was going to be a need for it.
The drug den flashed into his mind and he pushed the thought away. He didn’t need any more information from there. They’d got everything they needed. Elizabeth had sent a message to let him know that Monica’s family believed they had found a cure. With it, they would gain the upper hand again, but Garth knew that it wouldn’t be so simple. Once someone had a taste of that kind of power, they wouldn’t let it go easily. The Sekhmets would go down fighting this time.
So many vampires all in one place, primed for the kill. The mere thought of it sent his blood rushing faster in his veins. That wasn’t his fight, he reminded himself. He stayed alive because he knew when to pick his battles. The closest he had ever come to dying was because he had allowed himself to be talked into fighting on behalf of them. He was glad Monica had lived, but David had died to save her. He’d sworn since then never to do that kind of thing again.
Not even for Elizabeth.
Still, the thought of it, the thought of so many of them about to slaughter each other gave him a rush. They would do his job for him and he wouldn’t ever mind that. Less of them on the streets. He could almost imagine his mother coaxing him, proud of him for helping to finish what had started with her. He pushed that thought away too, locked it in the same place as the memory of inhaling dense white smoke, deep down where it couldn’t hurt him.
That, he knew, his grandma would disapprove of almost as much as the devil himself.
The front steps of the apartment buildings in his street were filled with people. Kids playing, men and women making the most of the dappled sun that fell through the trees. He didn’t make eye contact with any of them. For too long now, he had been the odd kid in the neighbourhood, even one as bad as this. If it wasn’t for his grandma, he would have got out long ago. That was what he told himself anyway. Deep down, he knew that it would never be that easy. He knew these streets and all of them in a ten mile radius. He had walked them more than most people and, more importantly, he had walked them with his eyes open. He knew what they contained and where the vampires chose to live. Where they chose to feed. That knowledge brought with it a security all of its own and if he moved somewhere else, he would lose that forever.
The phone rang in his pocket to distract him from thoughts of who would be his prey tonight. He pulled it out, unsurprised when he saw Elizabeth’s name on the screen. ‘What’s up?’ he asked, his eyes still on the world around him, even in daylight.
‘Hi Garth, I wasn’t sure you’d be up yet.’
‘Couldn’t sleep.’
‘Same here. I spoke to Monica this morning. The good news is that they managed to give the vaccine to everyone in the family who needed it.’
‘And the bad news?’
‘What makes you think there’s bad news?’
‘There’s always bad news.’ He tried to say it with a smile, but even as the words left his lips, he knew that they were true. There was always bad news. There always would be. That was the life he had chosen.
You could walk away, a traitorous little voice whispered in his mind. Walk away and leave this all behind.
‘I guess you’re right,’ Elizabeth continued, oblivious to the voices in his head. ‘The bad news is that they believe an attack will come tonight. Not a test like before, although god knows that was bad enough. This will be the real deal.’
‘Shit. Like after, you know, with your pop?’
‘Much as I hate to say it, yes. Perhaps even worse. Monica didn’t sound confident she would win.’
‘Which makes sense, I guess. After all, the guy before her lost back then and the family was stronger than it is now. They supported him one hundred per cent. Not sure Monica’s ever been able to say that.’
‘She hasn’t. They’ve never all been behind her in spirit, but now they’re not even all behind her in body. She said the vaccine was really fast acting, but that was based on one guy. Not everyone will be the same. There’s a good chance that some of the people who got injected this morning will still die. Or be too weak to fight at the very least.’
‘It’s a tough gig. But it’s the way they do things.’
‘I know, but…’
‘Don’t even say it. I know she’s your friend. But this is between them. It won’t be like anything you’ve seen before. Trust me, I was there last time and I just stayed away while they all went crazy. There’s nothing you can do to stop them and you shouldn’t try.’
‘That’s easy for you to say.’
‘Because I want to stay alive. You should want that too. Remember that you’ve only just come back. Things aren’t like they were before. You said so yourself. You’re not in fighting shape Elizabeth.’
‘I’ve been working out. Plus, it’s not just about physical strength, you and I both know that more than anyone. It’s about surprise. Speed. Knowing their weaknesses and using it against them. That’s what the two of us do best.’
‘I don’t know…’ Garth could hear the excitement in her voice. It made his body jittery with possibility. He had felt restless, ready for a hunt. This would be more choice than he would have available otherwise. Besides, if she was right, then nobody would be out on the town tonight. Word spread quickly. Other families would hunker down and wait out the storm. No one would want to get in the middle of a fight between the Giordanos and the Sekhmets. No matter which side you were on, you would end up tainted for getting involved. Repercussions would be waiting down the road, even for the victors.
Not to mention that if what Elizabeth said was true, then only Monica had access to the antidote that would stop people dying. The other families would be far too busy nursing their sick to risk the fit and healthy among them for someone else’s fight.
No, if he wanted to get his hands dirty tonight, it would be alongside Elizabeth.
The silence stretched out between them. She knew how to wait, how to bide her time until he’d had chance to think it through. The odds were not in their favour. They were reliant upon Monica and this so-called cure. He’d only got their word to go on and Garth wasn’t a man who believed in anything until he had seen it with his own eyes.
Sure, he’d get the fight he was looking for. But that would come at a price.
The oblivion he’d found himself craving the night before haunted him. She was offering him another way to seek it. He thought of his mother. When had he become so unsure of everything?
His hands shook.
When had he become so unsure of himself?
57
Elizabeth looked at her reflection in the full length hotel room mirror. Outside, the sun had dipped below the horizon. It would soon be time.
Garth’s words still echoed in her head. No matter how much she tried to shake them, they remained because, as she was more than aware, they were the truth. The reflection staring back at her looked the part. Practical footwear and pockets that concealed weapons. Hair tied back to ensure it never got in her eyes.
The Pendant of Lazarus around her neck.
Yet underneath, the muscles that were once so strong ached from recent exertion. Her runner’s body had given way to someone else. If she was to face down a multitude of vampires, it would come tonight with more risk than ever before.
It was too soon. It didn’t matter. Vampires didn’t care for anyone else’s timeline. Not when there was family pride and territory at stake.
In the side pocket of her cargo pants, she felt the heavy weight of her switchblade at her side. It had killed its fair share of vampires in the past, its blade as sharp as it had ever been. Snug against her thigh, it was more reassuring than anything else she had available.
Elizabeth stood back from the mirror and practiced taking it from her pocket. It was clumsy at first, but she fought back the fear of her rusty movements. After the tenth attempt, muscle memory began to kick in. Before long, she was able to reach and pull with confidence. Then reach, pull, flick and slide, the movement that had killed her father’s murderer while he smiled with amusement at the brash young woman in front of him.
From that moment, she’d lost some of the element of surprise. Her reputation as a vampire killer had spread and with it, people began to look twice. If there was a bounty on her head then she didn’t know of it, but she wasn’t foolish enough to think that some vampire wouldn’t try to kill her just for bragging rights. She pushed away the temptation to return to her comfortable haven of ignorance that she’d indulged in for over a year. That was not living either, she knew that now.
Blade back in pocket once more, she rolled her head and released the tension gathered in her shoulders. Calm and steady would help her more than the rush and pump of uncontrolled adrenaline. Her phone remained silent on the desk. No word from either Monica or Garth and she had to hope that was a good thing, rather than the alternative. At some point she would need to make a decision and she didn’t want to leave that hotel room blind.
A thought crossed her mind and she walked to the door. Outside in the corridor, as expected, her vampire guard remained. It was one she’d seen before and he looked up as the door opened. They never spoke to her unless she spoke first. Instead he pushed himself up off the wall and put his phone away, ready to follow if she had decided to go out. As he walked towards her, she could see that despite his relaxed position when she’d first poked her head around the door, his body was a tightly wound spring. She couldn’t blame him. His entire family might be in danger and instead of performing his duty and fighting alongside them, he was babysitting. A human.
It was a testament to vampire hierarchy that he had remained. He would not risk disobeying Monica on an order this strong. That wouldn’t make it feel any better though, Elizabeth was sure of that. He stood at the door and waited for her to step out. When she didn’t, he looked irritated. ‘What?’
‘Have you heard anything?’
‘Excuse me?’
‘From Monica? Or anyone else for that matter?’
‘I’m here to guard you against an attack from other families. That’s all. I don’t have to answer to you.’
‘Don’t be an idiot.’ Elizabeth couldn’t tolerate that kind of thinking, not at a time like this. He took a step closer and she realised she was close to crossing a line. It didn’t matter. ‘Look, I don’t care whether you believe me or not, but I’m on your side here. I expected a call from Monica at some point before this evening. I’ve got no other contacts on the inside. You have. They’re your friends and family. If you know something, then I need to know it too.’
‘You don’t need to know anything about this.’
‘I beg to differ and I think you know it too. Monica wouldn’t have you here if it didn’t matter. If she didn’t think that you and I were on the same side. I understand what you’re going through right now and that the last place you want to be is here with me. But if you know what is going on, then there might be something I can do to help.’
‘This is family business.’
‘Just answer the question. Have you heard something, or not?’
‘A message from my brother. That’s all. Twenty minutes ago.’
‘I’m guessing it wasn’t just a quick hello. Is he there?’
‘Yes. Everyone’s there. Other than me.’ He glared at her to make sure she fully understood the implications of his words. He was without his family now because of her.
‘Spare me the pity party. What’s going on?’
‘Word just came through that some people who had the vaccine died during the day.’
‘Shit.’ Elizabeth’s heart sank. Monica had been betting on a high success rate. Her whole gamble with the Sekhmets depended on them being stronger than they appeared. If the vaccine had failed them in the end, then there was nothing
that any of them would be able to do. It would be an easy victory for their biggest enemy. She would never see Monica again.
‘Some of the others are up and walking again. One of my friends is even saying he wants to fight.’
‘Seriously?’
‘Yeah. It means we’ve got a shot, right?’ For the first time he looked at her with hope rather than animosity. He might not like her, or the fact that they were here together, but he knew she was an expert when it came to their kind. A positive word would fill him with confidence. Thankfully, it was one that she could offer.
‘If everyone is back up to full strength, then there’s definitely a shot. If they’re not, but still alive, then that’s better than the alternative. I guess what matters most is that no one else has got sick or been taken out of the equation during the day.’
‘I just want to be there with them. I’m strong. Fit. If there’s a fight going down then I’m the one who should be there.’
‘I wouldn’t rule it out just yet. Stay here until I come back out. And if you hear anything important, then bang on this door and let me know. This is no time for secrets. If the game changes in any way, then we might have no choice but to act. I need more time, but if Monica needs us then I want to be prepared to go.’
She waited for him to nod his reluctant agreement and went back inside. Her own phone had remained silent during their conversation and she didn’t want to chase Garth again. He’d grown up and that made him less willing to bend to her will. If she had to do it without him, then she would.
Outside her window, the streets were still busy. It would be another few hours before the Sekhmets showed their hand. Too many people were still out and about and whilst they had no qualms about collateral damage, even they knew that more people meant more danger. They could not kill witnesses and slaughter their enemies at the same time.
Confident in her prediction, she sat down and waited. The night ahead would be a long one, no matter what happened between now and dawn. Elizabeth needed to conserve her energy, not waste it in frustrated pacing. As she fingered the pendant at her neck, she knew that it could be the difference between seeing the sunrise or meeting her father again.