Damage Control

by Eric Alan Williams

  The man's wings burst through what was left of his black smoking suit. He had enough strength to fly and let his massive wings carry him swiftly upward.

  Xairin had gorged on just enough blood to force his face and most of his injuries to begin healing quickly. He came running out onto the rooftop following the man's scent. He was clearly enraged and letting his blood guide him. Helena saw Xairin emerge with his red eyes lit up with every capillary within them glowing brightly in the vessels near the skin surrounding his eyes. They were glowing with a dark red light.

  The bloodied vampire's face let out a ferocious roar. He had drunk just enough blood to allow another attack and began pushing his hands upward shooting another bolt of the deadly crimson lightning at the escaping vampire. Vladislav was too far out of range. This only caused Xairin to scream, throwing his arms back and roared even louder.

  While he roared his face regenerated fully, absorbing the spilled blood that had covered his face. His face remained the same with this regeneration.

  Helena's eyes couldn't open any wider, seeing that display of power for herself.

  Chapter 15

  Lucifer was sitting on a couch in the middle of a ritzy club. He was scantily dressed. His shirt was wide open, exposing his abs as he leaned back on the white sofa overseeing the other immortals having fun dancing all around him. He seemed as if he didn't have a care in the world as he got comfortable.

  A naked woman with jet black hair walked over and began giving the man a lap dance. Lucifer seemed bored but indulged the young immortal anyhow. He didn't want to be impolite.

  After two songs, he brushed her aside. "That will be enough, dear."

  The club he was in wasn't his own, but one owned by another Immortal, a woman named Yersinia Ketan. He was a guest in her house tonight.

  He sat there while several locations all at once were being hit by The Society. It didn't matter to him. He had already moved Lilith to a site that only the Elders of the Conclave had access to, a new location, so anyone that had defected would have no knowledge of. As for Lord Dracula, he took his chances and moved him to a location in Prague that was well guarded. If they attacked there, it would give him an idea of the caliber of force The Society really had. The real prize in his eyes was Lilith, and he needed his scientists to figure out why she was immune to silver. It was the only thing that was keeping the Dark Council from overruling Lucifer by deciding to find a way to end her. If they ended Dracula, that would have angered Radu, and Radu was a force neither the council, nor Lucifer wanted to test just yet. The decision had kept Radu neutral. He wouldn't join them yet. Till then, he had been ordered to stay on the sideline. Should any of his known housemates be found out, fighting for The Society, his brother would be killed.

  The club was well laid out, white and sanitary while keeping a posh feeling at every turn. The Asian woman running the establishment spared no expenses when it came to providing an upscale environment for other Immortals, in her Immortal only establishment.

  The council members of the Conclave were all in attendance tonight. Lucifer had made sure they were all aware of the potential targets that their enemies might hit.

  Sitting there all smug and full of himself, his gaze fixed on a tall man approaching. The man had long dark hair, just passing the shoulders. He was stoutly built, dressed well for the occasion in his gray suit but didn't look as pleased as the others having a good time.

  He didn't bow, nor acknowledge Lucifer as a Lord to him. Radu just glared at him. "I trust my brother is alive and well?"

  Lucifer smirked. Unlike Vlad Tepes, his younger brother Radu still had a thick Romanian accent. He had never ventured much from their homelands as Vlad had.

  "I told you, Radu, he is alive, and he will stay that way so long as you keep neutral, or join The Conclave?"

  Radu growled. "My house will remain neutral in all of this Lucifer until I have a reason to change that course."

  Lucifer leaned forward and eyed Radu. Radu's black eyes were showing, as were his fangs that elongated from his canines. "Don't come to me bearing your fangs Radu. I would hate to see your arrangement be altered, wouldn't you?"

  Radu refused to join The Society and the Conclave. He had his own ideas when it came to humans, but one thing he did value was family. He growled. "You don't scare me as you do the others reptile. A hundred years ago, I may have been intimidated. But now… Knowing that you're nothing more than a gargoyle that pissed off an overly ambitious Aeonian, you fail to scare me in the least!" The only thing that will alter our arrangement is if something happens to my brother, and mark my words Gargoyle, that is the only thing keeping my house from joining the attacks on your precious cult."

  Lucifer leaned back, smiling. "On second thought, I do want something else from you, Radu? Your blood, nothing more, just a cup of it? Hell, I' will settle for a shot glass of it?" He handed Radu a shot glass on the table that he had eyed.

  "Why do you need my blood?"

  Lucifer smiled. "Research to be honest. I have allowed an Archbishop of the Scientific Arts to exist after all. Humor me?"

  Radu rolled his eyes, thinking nothing more of it and grew his claws. He slit his pointer finger to his left hand with a claw and dripped just enough into the shot glass until his healing caused it to clot off. "Here, I hope you choke on it!"

  Lucifer smiled. "Then we have a continued agreement."

  Radu's pale skin and alluring features didn't hide the fact that he could go from the handsome man he appeared as, to a ruthless monster. His black eye lenses lifted, showing off his green eyes and turned around. His fangs, however, kept their length.

  Lucifer pulled out a cell phone from his white pants. He dialed a number and waited for Naddia to pick up. "Hello?"

  With his right hand holding the phone, his left held the shot glass filled with Radu's blood. He smiled. "I have that blood sample you requested."

  _____

  Aywren Sateele had left the academy with a group comprised of four other Alphas. They were walking past the prestigious Narodni Art Gallery, heading towards Prague Castle. The band was dressed as civilians to blend in. Aywren had advised that if they were going to make an attack, they needed to come from several fronts, and using a subtle approach would get them further in. So far, she was right.

  The entire operation was being overseen by the Aeonian Hindu Lord, Brahma.

  Sitting in a black airvan with blacked out windows, the Hindu man, youthful, passing for either a late teen or early twenties, was sitting behind a computer watching and listening, while two other guards sat up front, and two more in the back with him keeping the Grand Alpha protected. In the van, there were computer screens all around him. His face was turning so quickly, it almost looked as if he had four faces looking at once, he didn't though, it was just how fast he was paying attention to several things at once. After seeing the screens with the sixteen separate teams on approach, he began speaking into a headset that he was wearing. He first contacted the other Hindu Aeonian, formerly known as a god like himself. "Durga, your position?"

  Looking like she was enjoying the scenery, a woman wearing a sparkling red robe was walking past the old Catholic Church, Kostel Svateho. She was making it look like she was a sightseer. There were two men with her, both of the same nationality. Her red earring doubling as a receiver, she spoke slowly. "What a lovely Church." She said it like that in case immortal ears other than the teams were nearby. The woman smiled.

  Brahma nodded inside the airvan. "Stay on course. Sateele? Where are you?"

  Sateele spoke slowly into a watch. "Enjoying art."

  He contacted the others; each were posing as sightseers.

  Brahma spoke into his headset. "Sateele, are you sure, about this being a prime location for Lilith and Lord Dracul?"

  Aywren replied back over the secured link. "Prague Castle is an underground fortress, impregnable unless you know the hidden entry points. It is a likely target."

  Brahma nodded. "I hope
so."

  All of the locations were being hit simultaneously.

  Violet was leading a team converging on the Prague Castle as well. The purple haired woman had a tech stripper look going on, hiding her guns in her stilettos, and blades under her purple top. It helped that she was wearing a long black leather jacket with it. It allowed for the concealment of more weapons. Violet had six women with her posing similarly. They were coming from the Stadium near Petrin.

  Each team converged along the streets of Prague. A few dirty glares from other Immortals passing by paid them no real mind other than contempt. They were dressed so casually; it raised no concerns so far.

  Prague still had an old world charm about it as the citizens made their commutes. Many of them clueless to the immortals around them. For the immortals in Prague, the majority of them were Conclave, few were turned by accidental means such as infected bats or wolves. It was one of the cities that the Conclave considered pure.

  Aywren walked along the stone walkways and got a glance of Prague Castle. It was just as beautiful as she remembered it to be. The defector had to stop for a moment and behold it. She knew that she had made the right choice in valuing life, it saddened her that she had to do what she was about to, but it was a necessary evil.

  There was a circular shaped glyph that only Immortals could see. It was heated, like an aura, marking an entrance down an alleyway. If the locking mechanism still worked as it did, all you had to do press on two stones at the same time in a tunnel near the Castle. An opening would present itself. Aywren’s team was taking this access point. If it didn't work, then plan B would go into effect and that was calling in enough troops to attack the Castle outright. These days the Castle was mostly a tourist attraction, it was what was under it that counted for the Immortals that resided here.

  It had been twenty minutes since the last status update, and Brahma was getting antsy. He kept calling the teams on the communicators. "Status updates? Are we in the Castle yet?"

  Aywren replied back. "My team is in the sewer tunnels now heading to the under-chamber."

  "Durga?"

  "Durga was in combat. She had encountered a guard that was holding position over one of the hidden entrances. She had two kukris hidden in her coat. The woman's hand moved so quickly it looked as if she had four arms. She sliced the Minotaur before he could transform into more pieces than they could ever be counted before his remains began to steam. Assured she and her team had no other encounters, she spoke. "Just encountered a guard, don't worry, I dispatched him before he could signal for aid."

  "Violet?"

  Violet was in the middle of strangling a thrall with a metal wrap that was around her waist. "Busy at the moment." She said as she spoke into her armband. Once he stopped breathing, she replied. "One thrall down. We are on the east end about to enter the underground access tunnels now."

  The tunnels were old, still laid out with old stone. The shafts were rounded, making it easy to see what laid up ahead. Aywren was using her sonar to keep tabs on any developments in front of her while her team followed behind. She stopped, putting her arms outward to signal not to pass. Chattering her teeth, she could see a trio of werewolves in full hybrid form lurking two tunnels down. They were large bipeds, sniffing the air. She could see in her mind the outline of an access door right by them. "She spoke into her commlink. "Three werewolves guarding the next access door in full hybrid form. There won't be any getting around them or engaging them without setting off an alarm, Brahma advise?"

  Brahma's head was continuing to move swiftly, making it appear that he had four faces that were paying attention. He spoke while performing this action. "Teams, reply, what's your status?"

  Violet replied, first. "We are at an access door entering the under-chamber, six gorgons fully morphed are guarding the tunnel ahead."

  Durga called out. "The same thing, we see action ahead."

  Six other commanding officers had checked in reporting similar activity. Brahma knew it was time. "Time to ring the doorbell ladies and gentlemen, I will be highly upset if I hear any reports of any of you holding back. ENGAGE TARGETS!"

  Aywren didn't hesitate. She began sprinting to the three werewolves head of her, making a turn, then another, and a second later she was standing in front of three eight feet tall, towering werewolves covered in thick black fur. They howled.

  Aywren knelt down and with a quick hand, flung three silver throwing knives into the left eye socket of each beast, dropping them.

  The door opened for them, but someone had found a hidden latch. It was eight other werewolves coming through the open door to answer the call to the distressing howl.

  Aywren's eyes went black as night could ever be. The raven-haired beauty stood there with her hand hovering twin Walther P99's loaded with silver hollow point bullets in their mags.

  Aywren opened fire, rolling out of the kill zone of a wolf that evaded her headshots. One of her teammates, Gregory Thorn, killed that one with a shot between the eyes by a Glock 19 filled with similar ammo.

  Greg stood up and did a flip over the next wolf, trying to swipe at him. He aimed his gun down as he completed the backflip, discharging a round into the black furred beast's head.

  Zoey Hathaway, Gregory Thorn's half-sister, began firing her own handguns, laser blasters. She got two kill shots and ducked, setting up Scarlett Kovach for her kill shots.

  Scarlett is an Aeonian nearly eight hundred years of age and had been a monster hunter all of her life. She was recruited by Aywren personally and joined her private unit. Scarlett favored Aywren in a way, having black hair as well.

  "Zoey check your left!" Aywren called out.

  Zoey did a cartwheel and slit the werewolf's throat and then spun around to stab the next one coming up behind her in the chest. "Got it!"

  Aywren was on her game. More werewolves poured out of the open door. She stood there, making countless headshots and then finishing another one off with a throwing knife which landed between the last one's eyes.

  Aywren’s team made it into the next tunnel. She was running at full speed, while the two upper Dhampirs Gregory and Zoey were keeping up a good pace. Scarlett was keeping up the rear while they awaited their last teammate, Osborn Carp was closing in.

  Osborn Carp, a mer that was often made fun of for his last name, was closing in. Carp kept a clean-shaven head at all times, claiming it made his transformations easier when he took on his shark-like form. He was playing clean up.

  Aywren spoke into her commlink, "Carp, where are you?"

  "Close."

  They entered a vast underground feeding room. There were dozens of humans littering the floor. Most of them half eaten, some of them partly, others were nearing the point of no return. The room clearly catered to more than just one species of Immortium.

  An attack began. This time it was vampires.

  Aywren was going hand to hand with another vampire, a male using his claws. The two Dhampirs, Gregory and his sister Zoey were tag teaming another vampire. For being Dhampirs, Gregory and Zoey were stronger than the usual half-bred variety. Their mother was a Dhampir, that chose two separate vampire men as suitors, making them both more vampire than your typical Dhampir. They had full vampiric strength. The two tore a vampire apart.

  Scarlett was using a form of martial arts taking on three Beta's at once.

  Aywren found herself taking on six at the same time. She was switching from several different physical combat forms to throw her targets off. She kept them confused. A slice to the throat dropped them one by one.

  Osborn finally arrived and came in with silver bullets firing in multiple directions. Vampires were crawling the walls like geckos trying to avoid capture and then leap at a bug when the opportunity presented itself. Osborn managed to take down nine of them. They started falling from the walls like a fly that had touched an electric fly swatter.

  Aywren’s team had cleared the room of eighty-seven vampires.

  She kept up her pace. She ha
d been here before when she was with The Conclave. She knew this underground citadel like the back of her hand. So far, nothing had changed.

  Aywren had given as many blueprints as she could to The Society. Durga was following a holographic map displaying above her watch. Her team was keeping in front of her while she barked the orders on where to go. So far Durga's team had wiped out over a hundred and counting.

  Violet's team was closing in. They hadn't quite the kill count as the others. To Violet, fifty-two wasn't bad.

  The three teams met up, coming down three separate corridors. The other groups were surrounding the facility.

  "Ahead of us, there should be a research room. There were a few holding cells inside it. It would be a perfect place to hold our Queen or Lord Dracul. Hopefully both."

  Durga nodded. "I hope so. My last check in with Brahma, so far the other teams have come up empty-handed."

  A fourth team had converged coming up behind Violet's group. This team was being led by a bearded man, built, overly built as if he had worked out every day since birth and the hit the roids before being turned. Though Vanzan had been a vampire before such anabolic steroids even existed. He was a Viking once…