by R. J. Wolf
Jude grinned then whipped out his cell phone and quickly punched in a string of digits. “Hello?” he said as the line picked up with an ominous silence.
“Yes,” a commanding voice replied.
“I was told to call this number if I saw anything strange.”
There was no reply but a heavy breath of annoyance. Jude swallowed then continued. “I, I work at one of the blood clubs and a group of very old vampires and a warlock just came in.”
There was a shuffling noise like someone was sitting up. Then the voice spoke again with a sense of urgency “Where are you?”
“Club Ecstasy.”
“Keep them there,” they replied then hung up.
Jude smiled then tucked his phone back into his pocket. He grabbed a couple of new bottles and hurried back to the table.
“Yes, yes more of these,” Howard said as he grabbed one of the bottles and opened it. “This party has just begun.”
Jude’s eyes widened. “I’ll bring some more.”
“How is this going to help us?” Safron asked.
“Relax, Safron,” Richard replied. “Have a seat, have a drink.”
“Yes, Safron, have a seat. I won’t bite but I’m hoping you do,” Howard crooned.
Reluctantly, Safron took the only seat available, between Howard and Richard. With a scowl, he crossed his legs and stared toward the ceiling.
“Safron, I promise you we are not here just so I can see you squirm. Although, I do quite enjoy it. But no, there should be a very special guest arriving shortly.”
“And who would that be?”
“None other than Donovan Hezra.”
Safron clenched his jaw and tried to hide his anger. “You invited my brother?”
CHAPTER 9
THE CRYPTS OF LA BREA
Gary stood outside of a minivan in the Hancock Park parking lot with his arms crossed across his chest. Smoke seeped into the air through a cracked window and Gary cast an annoyed glance toward the faded blue Honda. “I didn’t come all this way to watch you two idiots get high,” he grumbled.
Theo opened the door and stuck his head out. A cloud of smoke billowed behind him and he let out a contagious laugh. “Sorry, Gary. Chandler’s a worry bug, it’s the only way to keep him calm.”
“And what about you?”
“I couldn’t let my boy smoke alone.”
“Just get your shit and let’s go.” Gary turned and started heading toward the gates. Theo grabbed his sword and a small satchel. Chandler took another hit from his bong then closed the door and set the alarm on his minivan.
“Nobody wants this thing,” Theo said with a laugh.
“You wouldn’t understand what us zeroes do.”
“Don’t start that again.”
“Hurry up!” Gary roared as he looked back over his shoulder.
“Sorry,” Theo replied and jogged to catch up. “So, this spell of yours, it’s gonna make sure no one sees us?”
“It’s one o’clock in the morning. No one is gonna see us. But yes, I’ve cloaked us rather well. Like a good babysitter.”
Chandler laughed. “I don’t know why you say he’s a dick, Theo. Gary is pretty funny.”
Gary ignored them and started walking faster. Up ahead was the welcome center for the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum at Hancock Park. Behind the beige building hid an assortment of fossils and relics from the past. But the real treasure was buried deep below the park.
“You ever been here before, Chandler?” Theo asked as they passed the welcome center and veered toward the numbered pits.
“Nope. Never saw a point until now.”
“Me neither. This is a first.”
“Then both of you are in for a surprise,” Gary told them. “There was a time when the crypts were accessible to any underworlder but now a special and pretty difficult spell is required to enter the area where the documents are kept.”
“Really?” Theo asked with a hint of excitement in his eyes.
“Yep, unfortunately even the magical world has its share of vandals. Our sorted history should be for everyone but we could no longer run the risk of it being destroyed.”
They stopped outside of a small concrete building with a single metal door. Gary cocked his head to the side and stared at it for a moment. He rolled his neck around and shrugged his shoulders.
“Is this it? Is this how we get in?”
“Silence,” Gary growled. He closed his eyes and held out his hands as if he was feeling for something in the dark. Theo and Chandler watched him quietly. They both wore faces of concern and intrigue. Minutes ticked by with Gary straining and squinting his eyes as he swirled his arms through the air. Theo’s mouth hung open and his eyes widened as he anticipated what magic spell would reveal the entrance to the crypts.
Gary grunted then a high-pitched whine sounded ending in a muffled rumble. A foul stench wafted into the air and Gary nodded with satisfaction. He straightened up and relaxed as Theo stared at him with an incredulous face. “Dude, did you just fart?”
Gary smiled then grabbed the handle to the door. “It’s the gin. Does that to me all the time.”
“What the hell, man? What about the spell?”
“You don’t need a spell to open an unlocked door,” Gary replied and shook his head. “Now, come on.”
Theo and Chandler followed Gary inside, fanning their hands in front of their noses. The door closed behind them and the room fell into darkness. Gary snapped his fingers and an orb of light illuminated above them. “Is that enough magic for you?”
“What now, old man? And please don’t’ fart, we’re trapped in here,” Theo pleaded.
Gary ignored him and waved his arms through the air again.
“Gary, please,” Chandler begged.
“Gotcha!” Gary said and closed fist around something no one else could see. He pulled back and a loud gong sounded and the room shook. At first it was only a mild vibration but it continued until the walls seemed to be tearing themselves apart.
“Gary! Gary, what’s going on?” Theo asked as he held his hands out and tried to balance. Chandler grabbed his shoulder to stop himself from falling then turned back to Gary with a face filled with horror. “What is this?”
“Be still,” Gary warned. He brought his hands together then violently thrust them to the side. The floor splintered then fell away and they were suddenly tumbling through darkness, racing toward an unknown destination.
Theo belted a terrified scream as he kicked his legs and reached out for anything solid. Chandler let out a feeble yelp then passed out.
“Rookies,” Gary mumbled then grabbed Theo’s arm and Chandler’s hand. As soon as they made contact everything stopped. They hit the floor and were back in the same room with the small light hovering above them.
Theo held Chandler up to keep him from falling. Chandler stumbled then slowly came to and cracked his eyes open with a painful wince.
“What the hell was that?” Theo asked and charged at Gary.
“I told you to be still. What do you think we’re doing, Theo? This is magic not some kind of video game.”
Theo bit the inside of his cheek and fumed. He looked back at Chandler then took a step back. “So, how do we get to the crypts?”
“We’re here,” Gary replied. “The trick is making it to the records room alive.” He turned around and opened the door that led back to the outside. With a snap of his fingers, the orb of light floated toward his hand and hovered just over his outstretched palm. Theo scratched his head but followed behind him with Chandler.
They stepped through the door and entered a dark, musky cavern. The ceiling was low and covered with rocky structures and cobwebs. Bits of rock and clusters of dirt crumbled beneath their steps and Theo refused to look down. Ahead of them was a long, narrow corridor that disappeared into the darkness.
“Luminous,” Gary whispered and the ball sailed away from his hand. It chased the shadows away but only a few feet ahead of them. Th
e ball stopped and waited like a guide through a haunted mansion. “Come on. The archives are down here.” Gary said and started to follow the ball. “Stay close and be on the lookout, Theo. This isn’t a safe place.
Theo gave him a sideways glance and his hand inched toward his sword. “I’ll bring up the rear,” he said and let Chandler pass him.
They followed the floating light down the narrow pathway, moving at a labored pace. Gary was intense. His eyes bounced from side to side, his hands clenched and at the ready. He knew better than most how dangerous the crypts could be. It wasn’t a journey to be taken lightly.
“Are we gonna be okay?” Chandler asked as he watched Gary with nervous eyes.
“Stay quiet. Something’s here,” Gary replied.
Chandler tightened his hands and straightened his glasses. He took a shallow breath and swallowed then spared a glance back to Theo.
“Don’t be a pussy,” Theo mouthed the words.
Chandler shook his head and frowned. He wouldn’t tell anyone but this was his first time in the field. His life had been spent in libraries and his family’s private atheneum. He’d never had to actually find the source material himself.
The passage twisted and veered deeper below the earth. Every step was a foray into the unknown and a move further from help.
“Maybe we should’ve brought more people,” Chandler said as he stared around the cramped space.
“I thought you wanted to go it alone,” Gary replied with a chuckle. “There’s reading about it then there’s living it, Chandler. The reality is never as romantic as the narrative. Perhaps tonight you will learn to respect those of us that do both.”
Chandler didn’t reply. He swallowed down fear and humility and wondered the lengths his parents had gone through to amass their collection.
As they moved deeper down the path the air grew damp and foul. The stench thickened until Chandler could hardly breathe. “What is that?” he asked and threw a hand over his face.
“Best not to ask questions you don’t want answered,” Gary replied grimly. He continued on for a few more steps then suddenly froze. “Chandler, get up here.” He waved his hand forward and Chandler quickly closed the gap between them.
“I hear them,” Theo said as he yanked his sword from its sheath and held it out in front of him.
“Sprites” Gary replied. “A lot of them. Keep Chandler between us and make sure they don’t bite you.”
Chandler tried to appear brave but his quivering legs betrayed him. He whipped his head back and forth but he didn’t see or hear anything. “Where are they?” he asked in panic.
Something lurched from the shadows and swiped at his leg. He stumbled backward and fell into Gary. Gary shuffled a few steps then wheeled around with his hands blazing in a neon blue. The light radiated around the corridor, illuminating the horde of creatures circled around them.
Hundreds of sprites. Knee high with pale green skin and flickering yellow eyes. They had pointy ears and razor-sharp teeth that chattered in the darkness as they hissed and spat.
“You will not leave here,” a chorus of demented voices hissed. “Your flesh will feed the horde.”
A sprite leapt from the mob and Theo swung his sword without thinking. The creature fell dead at his feet and the others started to close in.
“We’ve gotta get out of here,” Gary said and hurled a ball of energy down the passageway. Sprites jumped out of the way and he grabbed Chandler by the arm and screamed, “Let’s go.”
With Theo on his heels, Gary rushed through the clearing and tore off into the darkness. The sprites gave chase, clambering behind them like crazed monkeys. They ran along the walls, up the ceiling, and hopped through the air as Gary blindly sent spells after them.
The darkness was thick. It closed in around them, nearly engulfing Gary’s light. They could hardly see anything behind them but the clatter from the claws against the rocky surface was a constant reminder that the swarm was on their tail. Like death shuffling toward them, dragging its nails across a chalkboard. The sprites were closing fast and Gary was running headfirst into the unknown.
They came to a divergence in the path. Ahead of them the corridor split off to the right and to the left. Gary skid to a stop and frantically considered his options.
“Which way!” Theo shouted and lashed out at the angry creatures.
“I’m not sure,” Gary replied. He looked down both sides, trying to remember the way to the archives. It’d been decades since he’d stepped foot down there. His memory faded with every bottle of liquor he’d emptied.
The crypts were a twisted maze of danger. While they housed some of the magical world’s deepest secrets, they were also a place for the dregs of society to linger and toil in the shadows. Gary did his best to avoid the nefarious caverns, even though his family had played a hand in making the place what it was. Now, he wasn’t sure if he could even guide them back out.
“I think this way.” Gary pointed to the left. He turned to leave but Chandler was yanked off his feet and pulled into the swarm of sprites.
“Help!” Chandler bellowed, his voice swallowed by the darkness.
The small creatures pulled and scratched at him. Before anyone could react, they’d dragged him off into throng of gnashing teeth and claws as raspy as rusted nails. Chandler kicked and fought back but there were too many of them to stop.
“Theo! Gary, get these fucking things off of me!”
“I’m coming,” Theo yelled back as he smashed his foot into one of the little olive-colored faces. Swinging wildly, he ran after Chandler, ignoring common sense as he rushed into a sea of miniature demons. He carved a narrow path through the sprites as Gary spun webs of magic behind him.
“Come on,” he said and grabbed Chandler by the shoulder, dragging him back toward safety. Gary waved his arm and a stream of fire poured from his hand like dragon’s breath. Beating back the advancing swarm.
With a rattling growl, a trio of sprites leapt from the mob and charged through the fire. Theo reared up and cut two of them down but the third landed on Chandler’s leg. It scrambled up his thigh and sank its teeth into the side of his torso.
“You little shit!” Chandler groaned and tore the sprite away. It scampered to the side then Theo shoved his sword into its stomach and the creature shuttered then fell to the ground dead.
“Are you okay?” Theo asked. “Did it bite you?”
“No, no. I’m fine,” Chandler lied and pulled his shirt down to cover the wound. Theo helped him to his feet and they hurried after Gary.
“In here,” Gary called as he turned the corner and rushed through a door off to the side. Chandler and Theo hurried in behind him and he slammed the door then sealed it with magic.
“This is why zeroes don’t come down here,” Gary gasped as he leaned his back against the door then doubled over. “I’m too old for all this damn running.”
“Me too,” Theo agreed and huffed. “Is this where they keep the scrolls?”
With a deep breath, Gary raised his head and started to take inventory of the room. It was dark, like everywhere else down in the pits and his ball of light had dimmed from all the magic he’d used down the corridor.
They were standing in something similar to a foyer. A short hall in front of them led to a larger room that was hidden in shadows. “It’s not in here. But this might be a short cut.”
“Might,” Theo repeated then turned his attention to Chandler as he made a muffled groan. “Everything alright with you?”
Chandler nodded. “Just catching my breath.”
The door rattled and Gary straightened up. “We need to keep going. I’m not sure how long this door is gonna hold.”
“Sprites,” Theo said. “I hate those little things.”
“Come on,” Gary said and started toward the hallway. The hovering light slowly inched forward, illuminating only a few feet in front of them. A cool draft of fresh air blew down the hall and Gary smiled. “We must be going
in the right direction.”
“You hear that?” Theo asked as he stopped in his tracks. There was a soft clicking sound coming from the darkness ahead.
Gary shrugged. “I think we’re safe for now.”
They exited the hall and entered the other room. It opened up into a massive study with bookshelves lining the walls. Cobwebs stretched from the ceiling, across the shelves, and down onto an ancient armchair. A thick layer of dust covered everything like paint but the air wasn’t nearly as foul as it had been outside.
Gary held his hand up and sent the ball of light floating toward the ceiling where it brightened and sent beams of light from wall to wall. “Uh oh,” Gary said as his jaw dropped.
A pale-skinned, college-aged woman was lying on the floor near the rear of the room. Four vampires were circled around her with their fangs embedded in her flesh, drawing out the last tendrils of her life force. Three unassuming males and one woman with long black hair and a lean angular face. She must’ve been the leader. She had the prime spot with her teeth sunk into the girl’s neck. The others were doing their best to feed on her wrists and thighs but it was obvious they were accustomed to getting scraps.
“Are we interrupting?” Theo asked as he stepped forward and readied his sword.
The lead vampire looked up. She swept her hair out of her face and wiped blood from her lips with the back of her hand. “Looks like our little snack just turned into an all you can eat buffet.”
CHAPTER 10
A WICKED ALLIANCE
“Safron, my brother,” Donovan said with a wide beaming smile. He held his arms open as Safron scowled then reluctantly met his embrace.
“Donovan,” Safron mumbled with a trickle of disdain.
Donovan was a tall man, nearly as tall as Safron but much broader. His short hair was sprinkled with grays and his obsidian skin looked to be made from the rock itself. He wore a sleeveless vest that exposed the runes that covered his arms and the rest of his body. And a chain dangled from the pocket of his leather pants.