Blood of the Forsaken

by David Horrocks

  He was definitely the straight to business type, and Sam couldn't help but crack a smile at that. “You're eager, aren't you? I have a few calls to make first. We have an army to put together.”

  It pleased Sam to see that his words took Matthew by surprise. “What kind of army?”

  “Oh, you'll see soon enough.” With vampires, hunters and gang bangers, it was more of a band of misfits than an actual army, but Sam disliked the term. He was just glad that he wasn't as predictable as Matthew had likely presumed. He felt a sly grin spread across his face as he looked upon his companions. He wouldn't have been surprised if his eyes had the glint of wild mischief that Christie used to get and he supposed that in some ways she still lived on through him. He was her legacy.

  **********

  Aaron felt increasingly apprehensive as they entered the club through the same back door that they had previously broken in through, but this time it was left unlocked as they were expected. He didn't feel comfortable there in that place, especially due to the fact that Samuel Mitchell had summoned them. Who did he think he was? He didn't have the right to call them up and demand their attendance at some sort of mystery meeting.

  “He thinks he can just call for us on a whim? This better be important...” Aaron wouldn't have even considered turning up if Tommy hadn't practically blackmailed him to do so. He couldn’t let his friend walk into the lion’s den alone, and that's exactly what he had threatened to do. From his point of view it was foolhardy to trust a vampire or any creature of the night at all, but it seemed that he didn't have much choice this time. He would just have to stay alert and be prepared for an ambush. In his experience, backstabbing and betrayal were just some of the key traits of the walking dead.

  Tommy stopped just shy of the doorway that led into the main hall and turned to face Aaron, his nose scrunching up as it picked up the stench of something foul. “Oh man, this place fuckin’ stinks!” He wasn't joking. Something was indeed off, and he wasn't just talking about the smell of feces and rot. The whole situation stank, not just literally, but figuratively and metaphorically too.

  Aaron didn't have the words to describe the level of aggravation that he felt as he pushed past Tommy and slammed open the door. The loud bang caused by wood striking against crumbling plaster drew the attention of the gathering of misfits that were waiting around the circular table at the opposite end of the room. All chattering ceased as the group stopped to stare at the newcomers, some gawking and others eyeing them with distrust. It was a limited attendance of five people in addition to themselves, but not few enough to put Aaron's mind at ease. Was this the army that they had been promised? If it was, it was more than a little underwhelming.

  The central figure at the table was an awkward, scarred wretch clad in mismatched clothing. No one else but Samuel Mitchell would look that out of place amongst the rest of the group, his new found confidence not nearly enough to counter his scruffy appearance. He looked as though he had been put through the ringer and was sorely in need of rest. It was hard to believe that he was the same person who had brought this group together, no matter how small it was.

  To the far left was a tall, brooding, mercenary type who looked as though he had seen more than his fair share of fighting and could easily carve a swathe through his enemies if he was so inclined. The man’s pale skin and dead eyes gave away his true nature, so there was no denying the fact that he was one of the undead. He glared at Aaron, running a hand over a large scar that bordered his buzzed haircut, his mouth upturned in a menacing snarl.

  Flanked by Sam Mitchell and the soldier stood a slender, blonde haired woman who was a little too skinny in Aaron's opinion. Although, he couldn't deny that she was still somewhat pretty in her basic, utilitarian clothing, if you liked that sort of thing. He suspected that she was a vampire too, but it wasn't so easy to tell. It would be interesting to see if she would actually be of use in a combat situation as she didn't strike him as the violent type.

  A young Cuban man waited at the far right side of the table and Aaron could only describe him as a thug with a goatee. He wore his jeans so low that he was likely trip up if he ever had to run, with a six shooter tucked into the waistband of his boxers where it was only partially hidden by his basketball jersey. It was likely that he couldn't hit a barn door at fifty paces, but he would make good cannon fodder when the time came.

  A much older man, who looked as though he appreciated a clean shave, was standing to the thug’s immediate left, leaning on a thin, wooden cane for support. It was highly likely that he was the younger man's elderly uncle or even his grandfather as there was a definite familial resemblance. He had made more of an effort than the others, donning a cheap suit and a matching fedora that looked a little worn, as if it had been purchased back in the thirties. From his heavy breathing, it was clear to see that this man was indeed human, but he was in poor health and probably wasn't much longer for the world.

  Aaron didn't break his stride as Tommy entered the room behind him, his arrogantly loud voice echoing throughout the building. “Smells like somethin’ died in here! Oh wait...”

  Continuing to walk with purpose, Aaron quickly closed the gap between him and the rest of the group, stepping over various upturned chairs that were scattered around the disorganised room. “I love what you've done with the place!” He spoke with sarcasm, the anger in his voice plainly obvious. His eyes scanned the rest of the room, checking for anyone who might be hiding in the wings, but there was no sight nor sound of anyone else being present there.

  Sam seemed to shrug off the comments, nodding his head in greeting to the pair as they approached. “I'm glad that you made it.”

  The bearded thug placed a hand on his weapon, his eyes narrowing into slits as he watched Aaron and Tommy with suspicion. Aaron noted that it was a dangerous move, but having faced off against all manner of supernatural threats throughout his life, a common street thug didn't come close to intimidating him.

  The large soldier on the other hand was something else entirely. He glared at the pair of them with obvious anger on his face, his hands balling tightly into fists. “Hunters? Really?!? Do you have any idea how many of my friends have been killed by their kind?” His rage was directed towards Sam Mitchell more than anyone else. It seemed that there was dissent in the ranks already, which wasn't promising if they were all meant to be working together to achieve a common goal.

  To Aaron’s surprise, Sam didn't back down and stood his ground against the man who overshadowed him. “I know it’s not ideal, but they have a personal stake in this too.”

  Tommy couldn't help but poke fun, placing himself by Aaron’s side once they reached the table’s edge. “Hah! Stakes! Vampires! Get it?!?” He grinned widely as the soldier and his female companion both scowled. It definitely wasn't the right time for jokes, nor the right audience, but that never mattered to him. “Lighten up, will ya? It's a fuckin’ joke!”

  Aaron sighed loudly and shook his head with disapproval. “Seriously, man?”

  The wide, goofy grin was wiped from Tommy’s face when the tall soldier snapped at him and slammed his hands down on the table. “That's enough!” Once again, he addressed Sam and seemed to ignore them altogether. It was as if he didn't want to waste his words on mere mortals. “You put Alice in danger by inviting them here! Now they know our faces!”

  Alice? Was this the Alice Delaney that Sergeant Ellis had told them about during their original investigation in Kansas that now seemed so long ago. If she was the girl that had been tormented by the townsfolk of Birchfield, then Aaron felt pity for her. However, whatever her origins, she had since fallen from grace and had become yet another monster in a world much darker than most would ever know.

  Before things could escalate further, the girl stepped in and rested her hand on the soldier’s forearm as she spoke softly. “Easy there, big guy. I can speak for myself.” The man’s whole body seemed to relax as he gave in to her soothing tone and took a step back. Whoever s
he was, she had hidden powers that she used to calm the enraged beast with ease.

  Aaron stopped himself from staring at Alice and looked over at the two Cuban men at the other side with curiosity. “Who hired the extra muscle?”

  The younger man looked as though he took offense to his tone and was undoubtedly about to come back with an unwitty retort before he was hushed by his elder who spoke for them both in rushed Spanish. Out of everything that he had learned at school, a second language was sadly not something that Aaron had picked up along the way, and so he struggled to understand what the man had said other than the odd word. It was something along the lines of respect, being crazy and possibly even death.

  Aaron couldn't help but feel disappointed. When Sam had promised an army, he had expected a number much greater than those who were present and his mind had yet to be changed. “This is all you brought for backup? Frankly, I'm feeling underwhelmed and more than a little insulted.”

  The soldier tensed up once more, his anger refusing to remain under control for long. “You're just two mortal men with guns! What can you do that we can't?”

  It was Sam that jumped into the middle of the conversation this time, clearly agitated by the petty squabbling and continuing disputes. “So it's clear there's no trust between us, but we need to work together to take TJ down or any hope of a plan falls apart! Now you either need to start playing nice with each other, or if you can't do that, you need to stop wasting my time and get the hell out of here!”

  The outburst drove everyone to silence. Aaron couldn't believe that the kid had it in him and stayed quiet out of a surprisingly new found respect. If he could get this group to shut up for just a minute, then perhaps he could lead them after all, although Aaron would never admit that out loud.

  Sam looked around at those who were gathered and nodded with quiet satisfaction. “Okay, so now everyone’s here we can go over the plan. By the end of the night, the only thing left of TJ and his little empire will be ash!”

  There were no further objections as he began to go through the motions. Everyone present was given a task to carry out in the upcoming battle, their own piece of the bigger picture. Aaron was actually impressed by the level of preparation and detail that had gone into the plan, making a mental note of the part that he had to play. It likely wouldn't go smoothly, as such plans rarely do, but he was determined not to let the side down. He wouldn't give the deplorable vampires the satisfaction of seeing him fail. Not now. Not ever.

  “Is everyone in? Are we ready to do this?” Sam queried with eyes full of hope.

  The question was answered by a single nod from the elderly man and a shrug from his younger companion. The soldier on the other hand was the first to verbally reply after making brief eye contact with his female companion who inclined her head towards Sam. “It looks like I'm in, for better or for worse.” His rough voice didn't sound so convinced, but it caused the woman to flash a satisfied smile in his direction before responding herself.

  “You know I'm in this until the end, Sam. We both are.” Alice turned to look at Sam as she spoke, a look that he returned with thankful appreciation.

  As soon as she had finished talking, all eyes were on Aaron and Tommy as the group awaited their confirmation. Aaron felt a little resistant and was ready to drag his feet, but his friend spoke up before he could even open his mouth. “I'm not doing this for you, Mitchell. I'm doing this for Christie. Let's kick some ass!”

  The swift elbow in the ribs was Tommy’s way of letting Aaron know that it was his turn to talk. The long pause that followed was enough to show Aaron’s reluctance at working with those that he considered to be no less than evil monsters in their own right. The whole situation went against everything that he believed in, but his friendship with Tommy was far more important to him than his personal tenets. His friend needed closure from the Christie saga, and this was a way for it to finally come to pass. Maybe then they could forget that this ridiculous series of events had ever occurred and they could both move on with their lives.

  Aaron sighed as he locked eyes with Sam Mitchell, with feelings of disgust still bubbling away in his mind. “I guess we're in too. Now, are you going to finish sharing your ‘master plan’ or do we have to beg?” The snarky tone seemed to have no effect on Sam, but Aaron could see that his attitude was irritating the soldier who crossed his long arms in front of his chest. He couldn't help how he sounded, as the past few months had grated on the last of his nerves. It was hard enough to be in the same room as such creatures without taking action, let alone conversing with and working alongside them.

  It seemed that Sam had picked up on Aaron’s feelings of intolerance as his burnt face cracked a smile, the scar tissue around his lips twisting wickedly. “Begging really isn't necessary. All I require is your full and undivided attention.”

  As Sam finalised the outline of his plan and official introductions were made, Aaron couldn't help but make a plan of his own. He was skeptical that he could take down the larger vampire, but maybe him and this so called Huntsman would destroy each other. The girl shouldn't be as much of an issue, and then all that was left was to kill the kid and get the hell out of there. That would be three more vampires out of the picture, another notch on his belt and potentially countless innocents saved. Of course, Tommy wouldn't help him with Sam due to some misplaced loyalty to his dead girlfriend, but he had already said that he wouldn't stand in the way. The night was finally upon them. Samuel Mitchell would meet his end.

  Chapter Twenty Six: A flaw in the plan.

  The guards at the west entrance of the warehouse hadn't put up much of a struggle and had easily been dispatched by the group without much trouble at all. From there it was a straight shot to the back stairwell and a steady climb up three flights of stairs to the main hall where TJ resided. From the look of it, it seemed that he preferred to rely on manpower instead of technology as there was no automated security or cameras to speak of. The lack of prying eyes didn't stop Sam from feeling anxious however, especially now that his time for vengeance was near.

  The stairs themselves were fairly narrow and poorly lit, forcing the group to proceed single file as their footsteps echoed off the concrete surfaces. They slowed their ascent to a crawl in an attempt to reduce the noise, but even the sound of the hunter’s breathing and the constant beating of their hearts could easily be picked up by sensitive ears. Fortunately, such sounds couldn’t be heard by mortals, which most of TJ’s men were.

  Sam led from the front, assuming responsibility for the safety of the group by taking point and being the first to enter the building. He clutched a pistol tightly in his hands, unsure if he knew how to use it effectively. Everyone present was there because of him, so he wanted to make sure that he was the first to be in harm's way. He knew that his plan was laughable at best, but he had to keep it relatively simple so that no one would mess up its execution.

  Just behind Sam was Matthew, who was surprisingly light on his feet for someone so tall, especially because he was still wearing his big, sturdy combat boots. He had opted not to carry a weapon, instead relying on his bare hands to knock out the guards that had been posted outside, with no assistance required from anyone else. Alice was close by, hidden somewhere just behind him and so quiet that Sam kept forgetting that she was there. She had changed into all black clothing, with leggings and a hooded sweatshirt helping her blend into the darkness. Like her companion, she had also decided to come empty handed, causing him to wonder what other abilities she brought to the table.

  The hunters took the rear, despite Tommy’s protest at being at 'the ass end’ of the line. Whereas Aaron seemed to prefer being back there as he liked to keep an eye on the 'blood sucking fiends’ who couldn't be trusted to 'keep their fangs to themselves’, a fact that Sam had overheard from their not so subtle conversation outside. The pair of them were dressed as casually as usual and were armed to the teeth with shotguns, machetes and at least one handgun each. They were definitely rea
dy for a fight, which was handy as they were likely in for one soon.

  As they reached the top step, Sam came to a halt and the rest of the group fell in behind him. He raised a hand to make sure that the others stayed put as he crept over to the door to press his ear up against it. Listening intently, he could hear muffled voices on the other side. He couldn't be sure, but he guessed that they numbered at least a dozen men. Sam could swear that he could smell them too, but he couldn't pick the specific scents of individuals. They were definitely mortal and he had no desire to hurt them, but if all went to plan he wouldn't have to.

  A set of footsteps casually approached the door and Sam could see shadows moving through the gap at its base. In the corner of his eye he caught sight of Matthew moving into position, ready to strike, but he raised his hand to get the large man to stay put, which he did somewhat reluctantly. Whoever stepped through the doorway would likely alert anyone else within the room to their presence, but Sam couldn't risk the soldier breaking their spine or crushing their skull in the same manner that had almost happened to the other guards outside. From what he had seen, Matthew was so strong that he almost didn't know his own strength and could cause crippling injuries to others in the heat of the moment, whether he intended to or not.

  As the handle began to turn, Sam’s body tensed as he stepped back away from the door and towards where the rest of the group still waited at the top of the stairs. Where were the Locos? They were supposed to have caused a distraction by now to draw TJ’s goons through the front entrance and into the street, but so far there had been no sight nor sound of them. He felt a lump in his throat as his thoughts were overrun with worry. Perhaps the gang had decided to stand back and see how events played out without their involvement, or maybe they were too scared of the Huntsman to show their faces. Either way, without their help the plan was doomed to fail.