by Alves, Carl
The grip slackened.
“Leave him be.”
His attacker dropped him to the ground.
The voice. It was Rakel. He whispered her name before losing consciousness. When he woke up, she was gone.
Magnus found it increasingly difficult to overcome his guilt about Rakel. If he had been home, he could have saved her.
Four years after her disappearance, Magnus married his first love. She was a Dane, the daughter of a merchant he traded with. The merchant considered Magnus unworthy of his daughter’s hand, so Magnus kidnapped her and brought her to his homeland where they had a lavish wedding ceremony.
Nine months after his wedding, he sailed to Greenland. He returned to find his young wife on her deathbed. She was extremely ill, and the healers couldn’t determine what ailed her. When she died, he was left broken hearted again.
He could barely function after her death. For three years he rarely left the manor, his mind and soul rotting. The only way to save himself was to get back to the open waters. Physically he would live, but mentally and emotionally he would not survive unless he resumed his old life.
Magnus had a wide smile as he stood on the deck of the longship, feeling alive again. His fleet had just raided the Welsh coastline, plundering several towns. It was his first voyage in years. He had been sullen and withdrawn for too long. It was time to restart his life, and the best way to do it was to go out to sea.
He captained his fleet’s longship. In his teens, Magnus supervised the construction of these warships. They were large wooden boats ninety feet in length with portholes along the sides for oars and a single mast, which carried one, large square sail. Their speed was unmatched. They were designed to land on shore even when there was no harbor. The rest of his fleet consisted of knórrs, which were cargo ships.
Magnus spent much of his early years at sea. As part of his father’s crew, he traveled to distant places in trading voyages and plundering missions. By age twenty-one, he had become a seasoned Viking warrior.
A member of his crew tapped his shoulder. “Magnus, you must look at this.”
He followed the man to the back of his ship. A single Viking longboat trailed him. He did not recognize the emblem on its flag.
Magnus’ fleet pulled into a harbor, and the ship followed. As they unloaded their merchandise, a messenger from the ship told him the captain requested to meet him. His curiosity overcame him even though there was much work to be done.
He expected the captain to be a fellow Viking who wanted to trade or join his fleet. Magnus nearly stopped breathing when he entered the captain’s quarters. Standing across the room was Rakel, looking exactly as she had when he last saw her. Her age, height and weight had not changed, but there was something different about her. Her skin tone resembled porcelain and she looked…inhuman.
Magnus lost his balance and nearly tumbled to the floor, but Rakel caught him with her powerful arms. He gasped. How could she move from one side of the room to the other so fast?
“Brother.”
He was not imagining this. It was truly Rakel. Her appearance had not changed in over a decade.
“But how can you…” Magnus could not finish his question.
“How can I be here?”
Magnus nodded. His head felt ready to rupture.
She lifted him to his feet as if he were a child. “I have returned to find you. You can’t imagine how I’ve missed you.”
“I can imagine, for I’ve missed you the same.” Magnus touched her face to convince himself she was not a figment of his imagination.
Her smile reminded him of their childhood. “It’s good to see you. It’s been so long.”
“What happened? I searched for you for months to no avail.”
Rakel walked to the other side of the room, her blonde hair glistening in the moonlight. “I chose not to be found. I didn’t want you or mother and father to see me in my current condition. I would not have been accepted.”
Magnus frowned. “What do you mean? I would always accept you.”
She hugged him fiercely. “I know you would have, Magnus. I could always count on you, but the others wouldn’t. I would be a danger to myself and those around me.”
“Why? And what are you doing here?”
“I have no regrets about my new life, but I’m lonely. I want you to join me.”
“Join you?” Magnus frowned. “Where are you going?”
“I want you to become what I am?”
Magnus scratched his beard. “What have you become?”
“I am one who walks in the darkness. If it were daytime, I would not be here, for I can’t be out in the sunlight. I don’t age and can’t die by natural means. I am undead.”
“That’s not possible.”
“You’re wrong, brother.” Rakel disappeared from his sight. “It is possible.”
Magnus jumped at the sound of his sister’s voice coming from behind him. He turned and found her standing behind him.
“Don’t be afraid. There are things I can do which you would scarcely believe possible. I have changed, but I’m still your sister whom you loved.”
“How did this happen?”
“Marauders ambushed me. They killed and drank the blood of the servant I traveled with. I thought they were going to kill me. The leader of the pack drank my blood, but before my life was extinguished, he revived me by having me drink his blood.
“This was the same group that attacked you and Oddi. Fortunately, I stopped them from finishing you. They made me a member of their brood. They convinced me that humans would not accept our kind. That’s why I stayed away for so long.
“After a few years, I realized that I did not like my new family. They were self-centered and arrogant. They did not care about humans and stepped on them as if they were ants. I could never be like that, so I left.
“I could not return home, but I desperately wanted to see you. Knowing how fond you are of sailing and plundering, I purchased my own boat and organized a crew, hoping we would cross paths. When I arrived at a port city, I would ask if you or your fleet had passed through. I’ve finally found you.”
Magnus lowered his head. “I stopped sailing for a few years after my wife died.”
Rakel cradled his head against her shoulder. “I heard. It’s time for you to move on. I want you to roam the night with me forever.”
“You want me to become a blood drinker like you?”
“Yes. You’ll become powerful, no longer bound to this worthless flesh.”
When he lost Rakel, part of him died. With the death of his wife, he felt purposeless and hollow. Now Rakel could make him whole again. He did not like the idea of living off blood or never seeing the sunlight again, but he was enamored with the adventure this new lifestyle would bring.
“Yes, let’s do this, Rakel. Let’s be together again.”
Centuries later, he and Gabriella toured Luxor.
Gabriella kissed him. “I’ll see you later tonight.”
“I anxiously await your return,” Magnus said.
Gabriella had arranged a private tour of the pyramids. Since Magnus already toured them numerous times, he opted to haggle with merchants.
He walked through the crowded marketplace and came to a sudden stop when he sensed another of his kind. He kept a close watch with his keen eyes.
Magnus encountered a merchant peddling Egyptian artifacts. Surprisingly, there were authentic pieces mixed in with the fakes. While negotiating with the merchant, a shadowy figure blurred past.
Magnus scanned the area, but whoever he had seen was gone. He smiled. “I’ll return later.” He left the table, moving with stealth through the crowd. When he exited the market he found his stalker standing next to a red building. He was no stranger.
“Heinrich, what a pleasant surprise.”
Heinrich stepped out into the cool moonlight. “Magnus, my friend, we meet again.”
They clasped hands.
“Just happen to
be in Egypt?” Magnus asked.
Heinrich’s smile disappeared. “Unfortunately this isn’t a chance meeting. I’ve been searching for you for months. I come with bad tidings.”
Magnus studied Heinrich’s placid face. “Speak, my friend.”
“I was in South America and passed through Sao Paulo, when I learned your sister Rakel lived there.” Heinrich took a deep breath. “I sought her out and was stunned to find out she had died.”
Magnus felt as if he had been stabbed. He could hardly breathe. “But how…what happened? How did she die?”
“She was killed.”
He fell backward, and Heinrich prevented him from hitting the ground. Tears streamed down his face. “Who did it?”
Heinrich sighed. “A night dweller named Silva was angered that she invaded his territory. It’s stupid, but the broods in Brazil operate differently. He told Rakel to leave and she refused. In a direct confrontation she would have destroyed him, so he hired local gangsters he uses in the rubber trade. They attacked her during the daytime. The sun weakened her, and she was left vulnerable. The gangsters butchered her, stabbing her repeatedly and decapitating her.”
“My Rakel,” Magnus whimpered. He raised his head and gazed at Heinrich. “I will get vengeance. Will you accompany me to Brazil?”
“You need not even ask,” Heinrich replied.
As the cool night air from the ship blew on Magnus, Gabriella put her hand on his shoulder. “We’ll pay them back for what they did to Rakel.”
Magnus frowned. “It won’t bring her back.”
Gabriella shook her head.
“I feel guilty that we fell out of touch.”
After Rakel made him a blood drinker all those centuries ago, Magnus continued his Viking ways. His men had questioned why he and Rakel were never around during the day, but they feared him and he paid them well, so they heeded his order to never enter his quarters until he emerged in the evening. They sailed at night, becoming the scourge of Europe.
After years of pillaging, he and Rakel returned home. Their parents were elderly, but he and his sister still looked young. This caused an uproar. The villagers and the servants in the manor claimed that demons possessed them. Sensing their outrage, they made a hasty exit in the middle of the night and settled in Scotland, purchasing a vast estate. They amassed incredible wealth during their Viking days and could live off of it for generations.
They never stayed in one area for long. People became suspicious when long periods of time passed yet they did not age. They moved from Scotland to Finland to Iceland to Russia. Later, they lived in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Occasionally, they turned a human into one of their kind. Their brood fluctuated, but never numbered more than a dozen.
Rakel was free spirited and traveled on a whim. Sometimes Magnus accompanied her. They toured the entire European continent as well as Asia and Africa. He and Rakel mingled with the social elite in Europe. They wined and dined with royal families, seducing them and giving them a sweet gift with which to remember them.
During the sixteenth century, Magnus and Rakel had parted ways. After five hundred years together, they needed to move on.
Magnus lived alone. When he visited Rakel, there was always friction.
When travel became easier, Magnus lived in North America, many centuries after his previous visit as a Viking. He preferred European society and sophistication to the wild frontiers of America so he did not stay long.
He went back to Europe and continued to be a loner until he met Gabriella. When Gabriella agreed to walk the night with him, he needed no one else.
He saw Rakel infrequently. She was a drifter, and he preferred a less chaotic life.
Magnus, Heinrich and Gabriella completed their voyage, crossing the sea and arriving in Brazil. They rented a house in Sao Paulo and located the thugs responsible for killing Rakel. Magnus posed as a wealthy European investor who wanted a piece of the rubber exporting business, not wanting to go through the traditional channels because they wanted too much bribe money for him to set up his operations.
He traveled in an expensive, chauffeured vehicle and wore impeccable suits. When he went to restaurants and clubs accompanied by the striking Gabriella, he threw money around. He arranged a meeting with the ringleader, Roberto Angiolini.
They met in an empty warehouse. Gabriella and Heinrich accompanied him. Thankfully, Angiolini surrounded himself with his henchmen. He wanted to kill as many as he could.
Angiolini wore a flashy blue suit and a loud hat that matched his overbearing personality. Magnus would enjoy watching him suffer.
Angiolini spoke in Italian. “My associates tell me you’re interested in doing business.”
Magnus chuckled. “I’m sorry, but you’re mistaken. I’ve come here to kill you.”
Angiolini dropped his smile. The gangsters drew their guns. “Is this a joke?”
Magnus laughed loudly.
“You’ll pay for this insult,” Angiolini said.
The gunmen opened fire. In a whirlwind of action, Magnus, Gabriella and Heinrich dodged bullets and then pressed the attack. They slashed with their clawed fingers and pounced on their victims. Within minutes, the empty warehouse became a macabre bloodbath. Bullet holes ripped through the walls and windows, but none successfully reached their targets. Magnus relished tearing the flesh of the men who killed his beloved Rakel. He glanced at Gabriella, who had a gleam of satisfaction in her eyes when she bit the neck of a gunman.
When they were done, the only human left standing was Roberto Angiolini. He tried to run, but Magnus tackled him.
“Going somewhere?”
Angiolini begged for mercy.
“I’m here for Silva. Tell me what I want to know and you’ll live.”
“We have been business associates for many years.” Angiolini wiped sweat from his brow. “Silva performs services for my syndicate, and we return the favor.”
“Where can I find him?”
“If I tell you, he’ll kill me.”
Magnus smiled. “Look around. Could it be any worse than this?”
Angiolini told him where he could find Silva.
“Thank you for your cooperation. By the way, I lied.”
Magnus thrust his right fist into Angiolini’s chest cavity. Blood flowed from his mouth as he collapsed to the floor. He grabbed the gangster’s throat and squeezed. Angiolini’s face was a mask of terror. “This is for Rakel, you pig.” He picked up the gangster and threw him across the warehouse. Angiolini’s head smashed against a wall and his skull cracked.
They did not immediately go after Silva. He wanted to terrorize the bastard, so they dumped the corpses of Angiolini and his associates in front of Silva’s house.
Silva fled. They chased him across Brazil, through the Amazon basin into Ecuador and Columbia. They finally pinned him down in Venezuela. Silva sought refuge at an inn before dawn, but Magnus had already seized control of the inn. Heinrich posed as the innkeeper and directed Silva to a room. When he opened the door, Magnus stood in front of him. He turned, but Gabriella and Heinrich blocked his exit.
Silva had a wild look on his face as he bared his fangs. “What’s the meaning of this?”
Magnus’ face tightened. “You killed my sister, Rakel. Claimed she invaded your territory. You made a mistake, one you’ll pay for with your life.”
Silva glared in defiance. “I won’t go down without a fight.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to.” Magnus motioned with his fingertips for Silva to come forward. Earlier on he told Gabriella and Heinrich not to interfere.
They battled throughout the lodge. When they were done, Magnus emerged holding Silva’s decapitated head. They had destroyed the building.
Magnus never knew such satisfaction as that revenge. He was glad Gabriella was there to share it with him. It would not bring back Rakel, but he could live easier knowing her death did not go without payback.
Heinrich joined Magnus’ growing brood. Altho
ugh he was fond of Heinrich and others in his brood, he would be perfectly content if it were just he and Gabriella again.
Chapter Fourteen
Sophie Koch ordered a Cappuccino and a sesame seed bagel with jam at an eatery in the Reading Terminal Market. She was waiting for Jimmy Two Tone, a street hustler turned FBI informant. Jimmy was now directing porno movies. Several local strip joints supplied the actresses. He usually took the role of the lead male actor. His new business endeavor was lucrative. It didn’t matter. She was beyond judging people’s occupations.
Normally Sophie did not run in the same social circles as Jimmy Two Tone, however, she had hired Jimmy in the past to perform a few jobs.
One was bugging the office of a union leader who was cutting side deals detrimental to Enzo’s regime. She suspected the union head was operating on his own, but had no proof. Jimmy Two Tone, under the guise of a heavy equipment dealer, planted four bugs in the union leader’s office. Over the next few weeks, she found out that he was embezzling funds, cutting corners on materials and had fictitious employees on his payroll.
She gave Enzo the tapes, expecting to see anger seep through his normally calm demeanor. Instead he told her he had his own suspicions but could not act unless he had proof. In an offhanded way, like he was asking his wife to pick up milk from the grocery store, he told her to give Fat Paulie the order to take care of the situation. A week later, the union boss vanished. Nobody heard from him again.
Enzo operated in a cold and calculating manner, not allowing emotions to control his decisions. He employed whatever means were necessary to accomplish his goals. His rivals and business partners did not dare cross him. Once when Sophie spoke to the New Jersey mob boss, he described Enzo as being silent but violent.
She first met Enzo when they were students at the University of Pennsylvania. She studied law, and he attended the Wharton School of Business. They met at a debate forum where the topic was capital punishment. She argued against capital punishment. Enzo, with his Sicilian heritage, took the other side. He impressed her with his well thought out approach and passion. They became friends after the debate, and went out a few times for coffee.