The Veil: Corruption (HASEA CHRONICLES BOOK 2)

by Stuart Meczes

  “We find certain music helps to soothe the Rebirths,” explained the doctor. “It is fed into each recovery pod. We monitor their responses and adapt what is played around the individual. Soft classical appears to be a universal favourite, though,” he added.

  Two of the pods were occupied; eyes flecked with silver strands like spiders’ webs flashed in the gloom. One of the Vampires was lying down, shivering as blood pumped into her neck through narrow tubes disappearing into the walls. The other was pressed against the door of the pods, mouth open and salivating. Thick drool spread out against the glass.

  At the far end of the room, a harassed-looking nurse was trawling through a stack of stuffed folders spread out on the desk. Piles of more lay at her feet, and open filing cabinets revealed more still. She flicked through a sheet at a time, tapped furiously at a computer, and then fed the files to a large, quietly humming shredder.

  “Digitisation of patient files,” said the doctor in a low voice tinged with embarrassment. “Over one hundred years of records. It’s, uh, taking a bit of time to get through it all.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. As Alex would say, it was so…normal.

  My smile faltered when I looked back at Scarlett. She didn’t seem to be any more aware of her surroundings than the mumbling Mikey was. My friend stayed with her damp eyes fixed on him as the porters continued to wheel past the row of pods. Emotion flared up in me as I remembered Alex’s unbearable distress at seeing his dying brother, and I had to blink back tears.

  The porters slowed to a stop at a pod marked 21.

  “Excuse me,” said the doctor, slipping past and pulling a keycard from his coat pocket. The pod beeped, and the door popped open with a hiss. I noticed for the first time that each pod had a small box fitted to the outside with the words ONLY IN EXTREME EMERGENCY printed in bold letters underneath it. Inside the box was a wooden knife fixed to a metal hilt.

  In case they have to kill them, I thought with a lump in my throat.

  “Here, please,” said the doctor to the porters, and I watched as Mikey’s trolley was wheeled in. There wasn’t enough space for them all to enter at the same time, so Scarlett was forced to let go of his hand. She stood on the threshold of pod 21, wringing her hands and staring through the glass.

  As the porters ushered a moaning Mikey off the trolley and onto the bed, the doctor finished speaking to Scarlett and me, placing a comforting hand on our shoulders.

  “I know this is a very difficult time you are both going through. I am aware of who Michael is and what he means to everyone. My clinical team and I will do everything in our power to ensure that the Michael who comes home is the same one that you all remember. All I need is your trust.”

  I nodded. “You have it, Doctor Hudson.”

  “Thank you. It is going to be a difficult road for you all, but we’ll get there. It is vital that those close to him come to visit. It will be a crucial part of his recovery.”

  “You mean Alex.

  He nodded. “Of course, he is family.”

  I thought back to how badly he had reacted to seeing Mikey in the Recovery Room. God only knew how he was going to react when he saw his brother here. And if he reacted badly, so could Mikey.

  I closed my eyes and nodded. “If that’s what he needs.”

  This is going to be awful.

  *

  I made my way back through the Nexus and into the Warren, where I was met with the sight of countless agents and workmen bustling about. Some carried tools; others held sheets of information or tablet computers. The main doors were open, and they navigated in and out between Guardians, focused but still chatting. There was an air of excitement in the place. Something in the back of my mind told me that I knew what was going on, but I was too drained to think straight.

  Scarlett and I had stayed with Mikey for a few hours after he had settled into his pod in the Rebirth clinic. He had curled up into a tight ball, shivering slightly as the aftermath of the change ravaged his body. One of the tubes leading into the pod had been attached to a feed in his carotid artery, and it streamed a steady flow of blood into his system.

  We had been asked to leave him to rest, and I had tried to get Scarlett to come with me. But like she had grown deaf, my words had failed to penetrate. She had stayed locked in position, hands pressed against the glass, watching him. In the end, it had taken the doctor over an hour of well-choreographed assurances and promises to convince her to leave the Clinic. She had walked off ahead of me, wearing a mask of solemnity and disappearing into the depths of the Nexus. I hadn’t tried to follow her. I knew she needed time.

  Heading towards Alex’s apartment, I was surprised to see that two Guardians had replaced the Golems that Faru had stationed there before. I recognised Sam Clarke, a Chosen, and Zeffa Adaris, an Imp, both from Odin. We exchanged salutes as I reached them.

  “Hey, Gabriella,” said Sam, putting away the phone he had been playing a game on. He was several inches over six feet and towered above me. But he was a gentle giant with a cheeky grin.

  “Hi, guys,” I replied, giving the best smile I could manage. I flicked a thumb back in the direction I’d come from. “So what’s with all the activity downstairs?”

  Zeffa raised his eyebrows. “Surely you haven’t forgotten that it’s the first day of the trials this afternoon?” he asked. “Isn’t one of yours taking part?”

  “What?”

  I glanced down at my watch. It was half eight Tuesday morning. Zeffa was right. It wasn’t surprising that it had slipped my mind. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept. I placed a hand to my forehead. “Merda, I completely forgot. Poor Danny must be so nervous.” I’m sure Delagio is with him, but I’ll go and see him as soon as I can, I thought. “Thanks for reminding me. It’s all been a bit up in the air at the moment.”

  “No worries.”

  “So, has Alex spoken to you at all?” I asked gesturing towards the door.

  “Not heard a peep since he was bought here,” said Sam.

  “What’s going on with him, Gabriella?” asked Zeffa. “I’ve been hearing rumours he’s not himself lately.” He gestured at the door. “And now this. Should we be concerned?”

  “No, he’s fine,” I lied. “It’s just that the news about his brother hit him hard. He’s didn’t take it so well, smashed up one of the Recovery Rooms. Faru is just making sure we keep an eye on him, that’s all.”

  “Yeah, I heard about his brother. That’s a tough break,” said Sam. Zeffa made a sound of agreement. “Sorry to hear it.”

  “Thanks, guys. Listen, I need to chat with him for a bit. Do you mind letting me in?”

  They exchanged an awkward glance. “Uh, Sage Faru said not to let anyone see him until he’s feeling better,” said Zeffa, avoiding my gaze.

  “Guys, that’s my boyfriend in there.”

  “I know. But rules are rules, Gabriella. You know that.”

  I placed my hands on my hips. “Come on, the number of things I have done for both of you. Sam, who set you up with Ivy?”

  The Guardian shifted uncomfortably on the spot. “You.”

  “And Zeffa, who looked the other way when I caught you eating illegal Pandemonian food? Twice.”

  “But Chupacabras are a delicacy!”

  “They’re also an endangered species.”

  Zeffra’s spiked tail drooped like a chastised puppy.

  I stood staring at the two Guardians, arms folded and face set. Sam let out a long sigh. He stepped close and lowered his voice. “Zeffa and I are gonna take a couple of slow laps of the Warren’s upper levels. When we get back, there will be one person inside this apartment. That cool?”

  I kissed both Guardians on the cheek. “You are amazing.”

  “Yeah yeah, save it,” muttered Zeffa. “And if anything happens, you tricked us. Get it?”

  “Got it.”

  “Good.”

  They wandered off down the corridor, and after taking a quick scan around me, I nud
ged open the door.

  Alex’s apartment was quiet and still. His kitchen and lounge were exactly as they had been before. Apart from a cluster of full ampules that the Coven had sent up sitting on the coffee table, it was like he hadn’t even set foot in the place. For a moment I had the horrible feeling that he had escaped into the base somewhere. After all, Faru was simply keeping him monitored; he wasn’t a prisoner. But then I opened his bedroom door and found him sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at his reflection in the mirror. His eyes were bloodshot from tears and his face was lined with stress from heartache. I felt my insides tighten.

  Is it him?

  “Alex,” I whispered.

  Slowly, he turned away from the mirror. When he saw me, his face crumbled. I rushed over and gathered him into my arms.

  “I’m so sorry,” he sobbed.

  “Shhhh, honey, it’s not your fault,” I soothed. “It’s not your fault.”

  “It made me attack you. I tried, but I couldn’t stop it.” His body wracked as he let everything out. “Oh god, someone please help me.”

  I had never heard him so utterly desperate. I could barely imagine what he was going through. The weight of his misery pressed down on me like a rock.

  “I’m so scared,” he whispered.

  “I know, sweetie. And I know it feels like it, but you aren’t alone in this. We are all here for you.”

  “But it’s taking control of me. I can’t stop it.”

  “We will stop it,” I said, kissing the top of his head. “I swear on tombe dei miei genitori. Even if I have to go to the corners of both worlds, we will stop it.”

  I felt him release a long sigh, his body sagging like a deflating balloon. “Thank you.” I held my soulmate close, blinking away my own tears. Where our skin met, I could feel the charges from our connection. At that moment it was like holding a live wire – harsh buzzes zapped my skin. They changed depending on our emotions. They could be wonderful. They could be awful. Still, I could feel our proximity having its therapeutic effect.

  “Mikey…” he whispered, voice muffled by my t-shirt.

  The tears I had tried to hold back slipped down my cheeks. “He survived the change, Alex. He’s going to get better.”

  My soulmate’s arms wrapped tighter around me, and he nestled his face into my stomach. I held him close, wishing I could draw all his pain out of him and into me. I would gladly suffer for two if it meant that it would ease his burden.

  After a few moments, Alex pulled away. His face was swollen and his eyes bloodshot. I ran my thumbs across his cheeks, collecting his tears. He gave a weak smile and when he spoke, it was mostly to himself. “He’s going to be okay.”

  “It’s going to be a difficult road, but he will. Except…he will always be, you know…”

  Alex looked away. “I know.” After a long pause he asked, “Where is he now?”

  “He’s at the Harley Street Rebirth Clinic. You remember us talking about those places?”

  He sniffed. “Yeah I do, I just never thought…” He jerked, and for a second I thought he was going to be sick. “Shit, Mikey.” Fresh tears streamed down his face, and he shook his head in an effort to sober himself. “I always worried about it, but never really believed something like this would actually happen. Like when you go on holiday and think you’re invincible. Stupid.”

  I placed a hand on his knee, and he curled his fingers around it.

  “When can I see him?”

  “Soon. Not right now. He’s still in the early stages of his Rebirth. It wouldn’t be a good idea for him to see you yet…too emotional. I spoke to the doctor though – Doctor Hudson. He’s a good guy; I know they are going to take care of him. You’ll be part of his recovery, but it’s best to wait until the doctor wants you to come in. It’ll be a stage by stage process.”

  “Okay.” He lowered his head into his hands. “This is going to destroy Mum and John. Christ, everything is so messed up.”

  I wrapped a hand around his waist. “I know. But we can get through all this. Mikey will get better, and then I can Charm your Mum and John into accepting it. If that’s what you want.”

  Alex spoke from behind his hands, his voice sounding deeper. “I don’t know if Mum can take another Charm. I don’t even think the original one will hold much longer.”

  I thought back to the night after the Warren Christmas Ball, when Alex had burst into my apartment like a whirlwind, talking about how his Dad was a Chosen like mine, about his plan to cross the Veil and rescue him – speaking with a determination I rarely saw, even in seasoned Guardians. While I had stood opened- mouthed, he had also explained how his mother had begun to unconsciously wear down the Charm that had been imposed on her all those years ago. That Sage Faru believed that she would one day remember that her husband Peter Eden was a Chosen, and that he hadn’t been killed in a hit and run. That he had been stolen from her. From Alex. Either the Chosen who had performed the Charm had very poor control of their gift, or her enduring love for her husband was too strong.

  I’d always been inclined to believe the latter.

  For a while nothing was said, and then Alex looked up, red-ringed eyes staring into mine. I’d been prepared for the inevitable question, but it still knocked me off guard when he asked it.

  “What happened Saturday night, Gabriella?”

  I felt shame rise to my cheeks. Not able to look at him, I studied the ripped corner of a Soulfire poster instead.

  He took my hands into his. “It’s okay, just tell me.”

  I felt sick to my stomach. Is it something he can get past? Something he can forgive? Can I forgive myself? “The Coven picked up an impending attack on a new restaurant in town,” I began.

  I felt Alex’s grip tighten. “Indigo.”

  “Yes, how did you know?”

  “Because Mikey told me he was going. Carry on.”

  “You had gone home…even though I told you to stay here—”

  “I’m sorry, I just needed to get away from everything…”

  “Don’t worry about that now, it’s not important. Anyway, I made the decision not to take you on the mission; I didn’t know how you would be. Not after what happened with Danny. I tried to get hold of Scarlett instead, but couldn’t. I had to put together a last minute team. Still, we thought we would be able to handle things…I thought we would.”

  “Go on,” he urged.

  “We got in there. Secured the area. Set up position. All business as usual. Grey set off the fire alarm so that we could get everyone out. It was then that we noticed Mikey and Scarlett.” I let out a long sigh. “I should have reacted quicker – got him to safety – but I was shocked. I got distracted. Literally seconds later, the attack happened. We lost four innocents there. I tried to regain control, gave Mikey a gun and made him hide in the bathroom with Del as protection.” I could feel my voice starting to crack with emotion as I spoke. “But…Del…he got knocked unconscious. By the time we’d dealt with the Rogues, it was too late. I heard a scream from upstairs. It was Scarlett. Mikey was in one of the bathroom cubicles. He’d managed to kill the Vampire, b-but not before it got him.” A tear slipped down my cheek and I wiped it away with my jacket sleeve. “I’m so sorry, Alex…I didn’t do my job properly. I let everyone down.” I took a harsh breath as I struggled to compose myself. “How can we move on from this? How can I make things right?”

  I forced myself to look up. Alex’s face was a blank book – I couldn’t read anything. My heart was beating rapidly against the wall of my chest. Slowly, my soulmate’s face broke into an incredulous expression of disbelief. “Gabriella, none of this is your fault! You couldn’t have known he would be there. You did the best you could. I don’t blame you.”

  He tried to hug me, but I stood up sharply. “No! Don’t do that. Don’t try and act like I’m not to blame. This is my fault. I failed him, Alex. I failed you. I’m a Huntmaster. It’s my goddamn job to protect both my team and innocents. I should be prepared for anyth
ing; I shouldn’t have let myself get thrown like that. All those people were innocents. Mikey was an innocent.” I folded my arms as if they could protect me from my own guilt. “Those four people are dead because of me, and Mikey is a Vampire. You and your family have to suffer for my mistakes.” The room felt like it was closing in on me.

  I need air. I need to get out.

  I moved towards the door, but Alex was in front of me in a flash. He tried to put his arms around me again, and I batted them away. But he persisted and eventually my efforts to stop him became weak and feeble, and I let myself be comforted. I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent as the sound of his words reverberated through his chest and into me.

  “Listen to me now. We are all Guardians, Ella. When a team goes on a mission where there are innocents, the job to protect them is shared equally, not loaded onto one. So how was this situation any different? Why should you shoulder all the blame? Scarlett is Mikey’s girlfriend; it was as much her responsibility to get him to safety as yours. Plus Delagio didn’t manage to stop him from getting bitten.”

  I shook my head. “No, Alex, please don’t blame them. They did the best they could—”

  “And so did you,” he interrupted. “That’s what I’m saying.” He broke away and held onto my shoulders, staring into my eyes. “I am not blaming any of you. None of you deserve to carry the guilt of what happened. You feel because it was on your watch that you are ultimately responsible. But you’re not. We could try and pass blame around, but it doesn’t change anything. Look, I had a bad feeling about him going to that restaurant, but I didn’t stop him. So it’s as much my fault as yours.”

  “But if I’d have called you in, then you would have known.”

  He paused as he digested the information. “You’re right, I would have. But you made absolutely the right call given the circumstances. I attacked you. I almost killed Danny. I was a major threat.” He grimaced. “I still am. If I’d been there, who knows? The way I have been lately, things could have gone a thousand times worse. What’s to say I wouldn’t have lost control and killed someone instead of rescuing them? What if I’d hurt Mikey?”