Thirteen Roses Book Three: Beyond: A Paranormal Zombie Saga

by Cairns, Michael

  ‘When Luke cursed you, what happened?’

  David put his head in his hands, then peeked out from between his fingers. Az waited, arms folded over his chest. He was so big.

  ‘I don’t want to talk about it.’

  ‘Just give me the basics.’

  David let out a long sigh and nodded. He told him about the empty streets of London, about how he’d woken up in his bed to discover the world was empty of people. He told him how he’d walked all the way to Steph’s in central and not been able to get in. When he’d finished it was like someone had reached inside and pulled out all his bile and hatred and fear.

  He sat straighter and rested his hands on his legs. It was a gesture that reminded him of his father. Father had always been an upright sort of person. There were worse things to call yourself. Az rocked his head from side to side.

  ‘I think Luke sent you to Hell. I’m not sure he knew because as far as he’s concerned, Hell doesn’t exist anymore. But I think that’s where you went.’

  ‘Hell doesn’t exist?’

  ‘Mmm. The Father closed down Heaven and Hell a few centuries ago. He thought it was fostering a divide in his family. Poor old bastard didn’t realise the divide had been there for millennia already. Didn’t know most of us didn’t care either. So yeah, he closes them down, moves everyone to the Flights and, just like that, we’re all equal. Everyone working towards the same goal.’

  ‘What’s the goal?’

  ‘Balance. Grey. Mediocrity. Call it what you want.’ Az perched on the arm of his huge armchair and idly picked at one of his six inch long nails. ‘Of course, the enterprising ones among us knew that Hell didn’t just disappear. That’s some quality supernatural real estate right there. So we had ourselves a search and found it.’

  ‘You found Hell?’

  ‘Exactly. Then we found a way in and opened it up, just enough for some of the old shit in there to spill out into the world and make things more exciting. Helps me with the old power business as well. Anyway, you don’t want to hear all this. You want to be changed.’

  He let it hang and David nodded, sliding forward on the sofa. ‘I do. There’s something else as well.’

  Az raised an eyebrow.

  ‘My name isn’t David.’

  ‘No?’

  ‘No.’ He shook his head and frowned. ‘They all call me David, but I’m not David. I’m Dave. That’s who I am.’

  He nodded. He was sure of that at least. He was Dave. ‘I want to be changed. I don’t want to be broken anymore.’

  ‘Excellent. I had a feeling you’d say that.’

  Az rose and stood before him, then placed his hands on Dave’s head. They stayed like that long enough for Dave to open his eyes and prepare to ask if anything was going to happen. Just as he opened his mouth, he felt it. Something came from Az’s hands, worms that slithered across his scalp. He moaned and tried to move his head but he was fixed in place.

  Then the worms began to burrow. His mouth stretched wide open but he had no breath with which to scream. He jerked, his body flailing about beneath his captured head, like a doll in one of those claw machines at a fairground. The worms got through and the world went black. He didn’t lose consciousness, but he’d forgotten how to see. He’d forgotten everything. Except his name. He was Dave. He clung to that like a laser baton in the Sarlacc Pit.

  The worms didn’t crawl back out. They grew warm and melted, leaving him with the overpowering sensation that he was leaking from his nose and eyes. He blinked and the world came back. He stared at the red, muscled body before him and felt a twinge of jealousy.

  It was jealousy. He knew that because he could recognise the physiological responses in his body. His forehead became slightly hot, the muscles in his neck and head tensed and some of his neural pathways associated with logic closed up. It was fascinating watching it all. Jealousy was such a challenging emotion. It did so much harm to the body. He probably shouldn’t feel that. He blinked and the jealousy went away.

  ‘That’s it, you’re done. You are no longer insane.’

  ‘No, I’m not. It’s amazing. I’m also aware that as I say amazing I’m not feeling it. There’s no amazing feeling in me. It’s like someone just typed amazing in my brain.’

  ‘Like I said, sane as houses.’

  ‘What have you done?’

  ‘I’ve removed all the things that made you insane.’

  ‘Such as?’

  ‘Oh, nothing you really need. Emotions and judgment and values and biased. All the messy things that screw up how you guys live.’

  ‘You’ve taken away my emotions? How… is that interesting? I think that’s interesting. I’m not sure.’

  ‘You’ll get that a lot now. Don’t let it worry you. Listen to me. I’m going to save the world and that’s a good thing. Do you think that’s a good thing?’

  Dave nodded. It sounded like a good thing. He was in the world so saving it seemed sensible.

  ‘Great. I need your help. I need you to be my eyes.’

  ‘You already have eyes. I don’t think you can take mine it—’

  ‘Yeah, right, it’s an expression. Come on, I didn’t take your memories.’

  ‘My memories. Oh yes. They don’t… they don’t look real. It’s like watching a movie in my head about someone else.’

  ‘That’s probably for the best. It’s not been the best couple of weeks for you. Anyhoo. Being my eyes means I need you to keep an eye on things and let me know what’s going on.’

  ‘Going on where?’

  ‘With your friends. Luke and Alex and Bayleigh and Jackson and Ed and Krystal. They are your friends, right, and I’m worried about them, so I need you to keep an eye on them. That will help me save the world.’

  It was strange because the demon spoke to him like he was a child and he wasn’t a child at all. Not only had he been alive for twenty nine years, he was unburdened by all the things that made most people do silly things. His mind was clear and sharp and… empty. In one little corner of it was the request the demon had just made of him. In another corner were pictures of the six people he’d just listed. That was about it.

  It made things remarkably easy.

  ‘How will I tell you what’s going on?’

  The demon pulled a phone from his pocket and handed it over. Dave examined it, opening the screen and going to the texts. There was only one number in there. He nodded. ‘This all seems simple enough. And we’re doing this to save the world?’

  ‘Exactly right. Now. I need to distract your friends while you slip out of here. I think Luke might be suspicious if I let him go without a fight.’

  ‘What’s suspicious?’

  The demon rolled his eyes. ‘I really did a number on you, didn’t I? Were you even a little bit smart before this all happened?’

  Dave frowned and shrugged. ‘I think smart must be a judgment call. I don’t know.’

  ‘Yeah, well, I think I’m seeing why a fortnight in Hell screwed with your mind. Anyway, suspicious means to doubt the reason someone’s doing something. But it’s not important. Once I distract Luke, sneak out of here and go and help Krystal get down, okay?’

  Dave nodded and sat back in the couch. He should be tense. Words like sneak and help implied something that should lead to tension, shouldn’t they? What happened to make you feel tense? He shrugged and watched the demon. He climbed up the steps, his wings tucking in tight to his body as he squeezed through the door at the top.

  Dave looked around the room once more then followed him up. He could hear things, people murmuring and talking and foot steps in the cathedral. Then a voice boomed out, the voice of the person who wanted to save the world. ‘Leaving so soon? I thought you’d hang around for a minute. Your friend certainly wants you to.’

  That was his cue. He took the stairs two at a time and nipped down the dark passageway. The exit was slightly shorter than him so he ducked as he went through and out into the cathedral. A soldier stood no more than t
en feet away and Dave watched him. He thought he was the enemy, though why he would have enemies, he didn’t understand. He shifted from one foot to the other and the soldier spun, raising his gun.

  ‘Don’t move.’

  Dave felt something then. He didn’t know what it was, only that his hands were clenching into fists and a red mist was coming down around his eyes. His mouth opened wide and he flung himself at the soldier.

  Luke

  Az rose into the air, doing his best bringer of doom impression, and Luke groaned. He had a moment before it all kicked off and in that time he realised two things. The first was that Az was trapped here. He’d allowed the Father to banish him here. Did that mean anything? Did he need to be banished in order for his and Seph’s plan to work?

  The second thing he realised was that the Father had banished Az, but not made him human. There was no logic there, unless the old man already had an inkling of what the two of them were planning and didn’t want someone with Az’s power in a position where he could kill him.

  Time was up. Az swept across the roof of the cavern, accompanied by more screams from the hostages. Luke raised his hands, waving at the demon.

  ‘Come down here and speak to me. You’re scaring them.’

  ‘You mean I’m scaring my future mates? That doesn’t bother me so much, I think they’ll be pretty scared anyway.’

  Luke glared at him and Az descended with a wry smile. He bumped to the floor before Luke.

  ‘You had a chat to Seph, then?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Brilliant, huh? My idea, you know. Seph’s done all the logistics but I came up with the original plan.’

  ‘Brilliant, really. Make a plan that involves pissing me off before asking me to kill my creator. You really thought this one through.’

  ‘Come off it, you hate him, same as the rest of us.’

  ‘I did, a long time ago. Now I’m not so sure.’

  ‘Don’t you want your freedom? Don’t you want to make your own choices?’

  ‘It’s funny, because that’s what I’m doing right now.’

  ‘No you aren’t. Don’t talk bullshit. Everything you’re doing is driven by him. If you didn’t have to save these people, yo—’

  ‘I’d still be doing this. Because it’s the right thing to do.’

  Az groaned and put his head in his hands. ‘Who are you and what did you do with Lucifer?’

  ‘Yeah, it’s funny what three hundred years of saving people does to your conscience.’

  ‘Don’t give me that, either. You were under his power and you know it. You don’t have a conscience.’

  ‘And yet your clever plan has made me human and now I can’t help but have a conscience. Isn’t that ironic?’

  ‘Bollocks. You can choose, Luke, you can always choose.’

  ‘Which is exactly what I’m doing. So get out of the way and let us leave.’

  ‘You know we can’t do that.’

  ‘If you don’t, I destroy the device and the zombies come rushing in and everyone dies. Where’s your army then?’

  ‘I’ll just go somewhere else.’

  ‘Az, you need me. Without me, you’re stuck here just as surely as I am. So like I told Seph, I need time to think. There may be a third solution here that doesn’t involve you raping a bunch of innocent women—’

  ‘A friend of mine said something to me thousands of years ago that I’ve never forgotten. He said that no one is innocent, they just have different degrees of sin. You remember that?’

  ‘I was very different then.’

  ‘You were Lucifer then. I don’t know who you are now.’

  ‘Perhaps if you’d told me the truth, you’d have found out. Now get out my way.’

  Az hissed and his wings extended, shaking like he was trying to get water off. He launched himself into the air, the downdraft ruffling Luke’s clothing.

  Luke nodded to the wide-eyed women behind him and set off across the cavern. They followed mutely, their eyes returning again and again to the demon above them. Luke glanced beyond them and saw Ed holding hands with two of the women. Far beyond him Alex and Jackson came together, Jackson struggling along on wobbly legs.

  Bayleigh still stood on the shelf with some of the soldiers, turning herself around to come down the steps. She was still bursting with energy. He could see it, a faint glow that illuminated her limbs. The spell had done something amazing to her. He only hoped it wasn’t temporary, because the come down from it would be horrendous.

  Az hovered above them, eyes fixed on Luke, and the angel paused for a moment, hands on hips.

  ‘You know, ‘Az said, ‘I mentioned your friend, but it appears you’ve forgotten about her. Now isn’t that a shame.’

  Az swung around the dome of St Paul’s and emerged a moment later with Krystal gripped between his hands. The soldiers gasped, muttering and angry. More than one said something about the machine and Luke swore. They had to do this fast. Az came closer and Luke heard Krystal ranting at him.

  ‘Let go of me, you bastard, Jesus, get the hell off me.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Let go of me.’

  ‘If you insist.’

  With a broadening smile, Az released his hold on Krystal and she hurtled towards the ground. She was still twenty feet in front of Luke. He wouldn’t reach her in time. He searched for the powers he could feel atrophying inside his new body and ground his teeth together. They came only grudgingly but gave him a burst of speed.

  Something tore, a muscle that wasn’t designed for moving that fast, but he found himself beneath her as she fell. He held his arms wide and she tumbled into them, her scream cutting off with the impact. Her weight drove him to the stone and he landed on his knees, shouting as it felt like someone had driven spikes through them.

  They flew forwards, Krystal tumbling head over heels before him. Luke hit the ground face down and skidded across the smooth stone. Soft hands picked him up and he looked gratefully at the beautiful faces surrounding him.

  ‘That was amazing.’

  ‘You saved her life.’

  ‘She’s got a guardian angel in you.’

  He hid his smile and scanned the top of the cavern. Az was nowhere to be seen. The soldiers were milling around, unsure how far they should follow them. Krystal was led over by two of the hostages and smiled at him as she rubbed her shoulder.

  ‘Thanks. That was pretty impressive.’

  He shrugged. ‘It’s the least I could do. Is everything still where it should be?’

  She nodded and he was proud that she didn’t pat her bag. Some of the soldiers were quicker than the others and staring suspiciously at Krystal.

  ‘Can you start taking them to the hospital?’

  Krystal nodded and set off. She clearly had no more desire to be here than he did. The women followed her, some glancing back at Luke with wide eyes. He started to put his head in his hands and stopped. This was a good thing. The more of them that liked him, the better. They might struggle when they found out a few truths, so the more ingratiated he was with them, the better.

  He stood to one side and watched them pass. How had the soldiers of God found this many pretty young women in such a short space of time? Though of course, it wasn’t just the soldiers. Az and Seph had been planning this for centuries. Keeping tabs on a few women wasn’t that tough.

  Jackson and Alex reached him and the latter gave him a hesitant thumbs up. Luke nodded and steered them on. Bayleigh had just reached the bottom when he heard a cough and turned. David staggered towards him from the cathedral. His hands were covered in blood and his eyes looked wild, but by the time he reached Luke, his face was calm and impassive.

  ‘Are you alright?’

  ‘Yes, everything is fine. The blood isn’t mine.’

  ‘Whose is it?’

  ‘One of the soldiers tried to stop me.’

  Luke stared at his hands, eyebrows raised, but there was nothing else forthcoming. ‘Okay, well, g
et going. Glad you made it.’

  David nodded and sauntered off after the women. They made a wide space around him, though whether it was because of the bloodied hands or the bored expression, he wasn’t sure. He’d get the truth once they were somewhere slightly safer.

  As the last of the women headed for the tunnel, the soldiers began to get antsy, muttering and raising their weapons.

  ‘Where is our device?’ Etienne’s voice boomed across the cavern from the shelf high above Luke. He craned his neck and saw the robed man looking mighty pissed off.

  ‘The hostages aren’t going anywhere we cannot follow. Where is the power supply?’

  ‘Send two soldiers with us down the tunnel and I’ll give them the power the moment we’re safe in the hospital.’ Luke paused for a moment. ‘But I need something else as well.’

  Etienne put his clenched fists on his hips. The soldiers around the cavern were silent, faces turned to their leader. Bayleigh reached Luke and grinned. ‘Are you trying to piss everyone off today?’

  ‘I figure while we’re doing it, why not go the whole hog?’

  ‘You will get nothing else from us.’ Etienne spat. ‘You have no bargaining power. If you do not give us the power pack, we will hunt you down.’

  ‘But if we give it to you, what’s to stop you hunting us down anyway?’

  ‘That is a question you should perhaps have asked yourself before you followed this course of action.’

  Luke muttered under his breath, then took Bayleigh’s arm and led her to the tunnel entrance. She glanced at him with her brows drawn together. ‘He’s right, isn’t he?’

  ‘He is, in a way. But I know some things now. I know they can’t kill me and that’s a start.’

  ‘But they can kill us.’

  ‘Yes. But if it comes to that, I can put myself in the way and they have to stop.’

  ‘But you won’t always be there, all the time.’

  ‘No.’ He shook his head as they entered the dim tunnel. A pair of soldiers followed them in, the rest remaining in the cavern. Bayleigh let out a long breath. ‘I’ll be happy to never see that damned place again.’