***
Garth arrived at an abandoned five-story brick townhouse, and parked his Ducati out front. The place looked deserted. He made his way to the front door and knocked. There was no response, but Garth knew this was the place that Dominic had told him about.
Garth opened the front door and stepped into the foyer. Furniture littered the dusty wood floor and was covered with white sheets. Garth sensed movement on the nearby staircase to his right, and spun to face that direction. He spotted a human man lying down on the second floor landing with a sniper rifle in his hands. What the hell?
A shot was fired that didn’t sound like a gunshot. Garth felt something prick the side of his neck. Crap. He grabbed the dart, pulled it out, and tossed it aside. Creep! Garth charged towards the stairs, but the room spun, and he sank to his knees as a wave of dizziness crashed into him. Bloody hell! Garth realized the thing that had hit him had been a tranquilizer dart. This whole thing had been a trap.
“Target secure. I’m bringing him in.” The sniper said into his walkie-talkie.
That was the last thing Garth remembered before darkness consumed him. When Garth next awoke it was to a loud male voice in his ear. “Wakey-wakey.”
Garth’s eyes snapped open and widened as he took in the messed up, bizarre situation he was in. Garth was inside of a gigantic glass tank filled with freezing cold water. His wrists and ankles had been handcuffed with special handcuffs. A length of chain had been wrapped around the chain that ran between the handcuffs that were around Garth’s wrists, and then secured with a padlock. This meant that the padlock had to be opened before Garth could remove the handcuffs that were around his wrists.
The same chain traveled down the length of Garth’s body, and was wrapped around the chain between the handcuffs on Garth’s ankles, and secured by a padlock. This padlock would also have to be unlocked before Garth would be able to remove the handcuffs that had his ankles secured together. Another length of chain had been completely wrapped around Garth’s body and secured by several padlocks, making it incredibly hard to move.
I’m surrounded by water. Bloody hell. Water was a Hellcat’s weakness and because Garth was completely submerged by it, his supernatural strength was down by at least fifty percent.
Garth also had an oxygen tank strapped to his back and was breathing oxygen through a breathing apparatus.
“Excellent. It looks like the two of you are finally awake. Allow me to explain the rules of this Death Game, gentlemen.” A male voice announced in a sly tone. Garth was able to hear the man’s voice due to the communication device that someone had placed in his ear.
Garth sensed another presence close to him and turned to see that a human man was in the tank with him and in exactly the same messed up situation he was in. The human man was handcuffed and wrapped up in chains that were covered in padlocks. He was also wearing an oxygen tank so that he could breathe underwater. The man looked young and Garth guessed his age to be somewhere in his early twenties.
Garth glared out the tank and spotted a man dressed in a black designer suit standing directly in front of the tank. He had a creepy white mask on his face. The man had shiny dress shoes on, and there was a Rolex sparkling on his wrist. This man was probably the jerk that had been talking to him through the communication device and was the Master of Ceremonies or emcee. Dang it. Wait till I get my hands around that rich creep’s neck.
Standing behind the emcee was a crowd of very well-dressed people. The men were dressed in expensive, designer suits, and the women were wearing colorful, sparkling evening gowns. They all had white masks on their faces in order to conceal their identities in the event that the police found this place.
The betters were chatting with each other in a carefree manner, and Garth saw some of them drinking expensive champagne. Ah, so that’s how it is. He was supposed to be the evening’s entertainment for these rich creeps.
“Now, listen well, gentlemen. In a moment two rings of keys will be thrown into the tank with you along with two diving daggers. Both of you will race to unlock your chains so that one of you will be able to grab a dagger first which you will then use to try and kill your opponent. This is a fight to the death. Your tanks only have four minutes of oxygen left. Only after you’ve killed your opponent will a fresh tank of oxygen be thrown into the tank with you. The winner lives. The loser dies. Let’s begin the Death Match, shall we?” The emcee clapped his hands.
Two men wearing gray suits and with white masks on their faces approached either side of the tank. They both threw a ring of keys and a dagger into the tank.
“Gentlemen, you may now begin fighting for your lives!” The emcee spread his arms wide and laughed giddily. He spun around to face his avid audience. “Let’s begin the betting, shall we? Scarface versus Danny Dangerfield! Who do you think will win this Death Game?”
I guess I’m Scarface. Garth glanced at his opponent. And that lad is supposed to be Danny Dangerfield? Where he’d come up with that cheesy name?
The two rings of keys floated down to the bottom of the tank more slowly than the daggers. Garth and his opponent grabbed their key rings as soon as they were able, and started to try and find the right key to unlock the padlocks.
Garth glared out at the people who’d started to bet on which one of them would survive. This was ridiculous. The emcee was standing there watching them. Garth looked around the room to see where the fresh oxygen tank was, and didn’t see one. Had the emcee lied to them? Would they both die in here? Screw that. Garth swore viciously in his mind.
Three minutes had passed and Garth had finally managed to unlock all of the padlocks at the same time his opponent Danny did. Danny quickly took the chains off his body, and both men went for the diving knives. Garth picked up the knife, but instead of attacking Danny with it he turned to face the emcee. His eyes flashed red with anger. Garth flipped the knife around in his hand, gripped the blade with his bare hand, and attacked the glass with the handle of the dagger. The emcee flinched at the loud banging sound Garth’s attack to the glass caused.
Danny grabbed the other diving knife and turned to see what Scarface was doing. Scarface was trying to break the glass, but the glass was too thick. He’d never be able to break it in less than a minute. Danny had no choice but to kill his opponent. It was the only way he’d be getting out of that messed up situation alive. He attacked Garth from behind and plunged the dagger into Garth’s back. I’m sorry. Danny thought.
Garth howled in pain, but didn’t stop hammering the handle of the knife against the glass of the tank. Cracks had finally begun to form in the glass.
They only had thirty seconds of oxygen left.
Danny removed the dagger, and when he saw that Garth was still relentlessly beating the glass repeatedly he forced himself to stab Garth again.
They were almost out of oxygen now. Crap. Danny began to panic, shut his eyes, and started to stab Scarface repeatedly with his dagger. Just die already!
Just break already! Garth thought as he hit the glass with all his strength.
At that moment the glass shattered.
Water rushed out of the broken tank and flooded the floor of the basement. On a wave of water Garth and Danny were pushed out of the tank and ended up sprawled on the basement floor.
Garth removed the breathing apparatus and then took the tank off his back. He held the tank in his right hand. Danny quickly removed the breathing apparatus and began to take in huge gulping breaths of air. “I can’t believe it…I’m alive!”
Garth stood up, gas tank still in hand, and approached Danny Dangerfield - the man who’d stabbed him repeatedly. He had a score to settle with this one.
Danny’s dyed blonde hair was plastered to the sides of his face. He looked up at Garth with a mixture of shock and wonder in his pale green eyes. “H-How are you still alive? I stabbed you. Those were kill shots…I think.”
“Where is the Red Priest?” Garth demanded lowly.
<
br /> The young man began to sweat as he started to panic. He had no idea what this scary man was talking about. His brow furrowed in confusion. “Where is…who? I-I don’t know what you’re talking about. Please don’t kill me. You can have the prize money…”
Garth let out a frustrated sigh. “Useless.” The young man looked terrified and about to piss in his pants. The shifter turned his attention towards the emcee, and began to stalk towards him with purposeful, menacing steps. There was a ferocious look in Garth’s glowing golden eyes. “There was no fresh tank, was there, Mr. Emcee?”
“N-No.” The emcee admitted as he put his hands up in front of him in a surrendering gesture. “But it doesn’t matter. If it’s money you want…it’s money you’ll get! How much do you want?”
“I don’t want your blood-soaked money, you creep!” Garth swung the empty tank at the emcee’s head. The man’s skull was smashed open gruesomely.
Danny flinched at the macabre sight.
The gathered crowd all cried out in fear and horror at what Garth had just done.
Garth turned to glare at them. “This is what you wanted isn’t it? A Death Game show? You wanted to see blood and guts and brains. Well, now you have.”
“He’s…he’s a monster!” A woman cried out in a scandalized tone.
“You all are the real monsters here, toying with people’s lives for sport. You all are sinners. I used to punish sinners like you. And maybe I will again.” Garth lifted the bloody oxygen tank threateningly. “Want to play the Death Game?” He smiled at the humans, revealing his sharp canines.
“Eee! He’s a demon!” “It’s…the devil!” “Run!” The crowd began to flee for their lives, and headed towards the staircase that led up to the first floor of the townhouse.
Garth considered killing them all. They were a waste of the Earth’s oxygen after all. But then Sasha’s words echoed in his mind: ‘I don’t think you’re scary’. Would she still feel the same way if he were a mass murderer? Who was he to judge these humans? He was a sinner just like them. Garth sighed as he watched them go and lowered the tank.
“A-Aren’t you going to kill them?” Danny asked in a quivering voice.
Garth turned to give the man a pensive look. “Who am I to judge them? My hands…are also stained with blood.” A dark scowl formed on his face.
“Aren’t you going to kill me? I tried to kill you.” Danny was shaking like a leaf at this point.
Garth raised an eyebrow at the youth. “Do you want me to kill you?”
Danny shook his head vigorously and put his hands up before him in a surrendering gesture. “Hell no.”
Garth chuckled at the boy’s honesty. “Then…live another day, lad. Bloody hell. I’m all wet. I hate water.” He tossed the tank aside and began to walk away.
“Uh…thank you!” Danny called out.
Garth glanced over his shoulder, and shot the young man a surprised look.
“You probably could have killed me and then gotten out on your own too. But you didn’t. I think you were trying to save me…right?” Danny tentatively ventured to ask.
“Don’t get the wrong idea, lad. I’m no hero. I just needed you alive so I could ask you where I could find the Red Priest.” Garth explained.
An apologetic look formed on Danny’s face. “I wish I knew because I would tell you.” He offered Garth a tremulous smile.
A flash of surprise crossed Garth’s face. “Thanks, lad. I appreciate that.”
Garth left the abandoned townhouse, and mounted his Ducati. His phone rang in his jeans pocket. Garth fished out his waterproof smart phone; amazed it was still working after everything he’d just gone through. He saw that his best friend Derek was calling him. He swiped his thumb over the screen and answered the call. He put the phone to his ear. “Hey Derek, what’s up?”
“Hey Garth, are you coming over? It’s Men’s Poker Night at my place, remember? Or are you going to hit up another underground fight club?” Derek asked.
“I just hit one up, just now, actually. And it was a bust. I’m soaking wet too.” Garth complained.
“Do I even want to know?” There was a wry tone to Derek’s voice.
“Probably not. It might give you nightmares. Anyways, I’m gonna head home, shower and change. Then I’ll head over to your place.”
“Sounds good. See you soon.”
“See you.” Garth ended the call. He put the key into the ignition and started his bike up. It purred between his legs, relaxing him. He drove back to his shop in record time, and it didn’t take him long to shower and change into some nice, dry clothes. After that he headed over to his friend Derek’s place.
Derek lived in a four-story, modern, brick townhouse. A townhouse that was a lot less creepy than the one he’d just been to. The first floor was Derek’s business Voodoo Tattoo. Derek was a tattoo artist by day, and Druid Vampire Hunter by night. Derek hunted vampires using druidic magic, his magical battle tattoos, and happened to be a vampire himself.
Garth pulled his Ducati up right in front of Voodoo Tattoo. He turned his bike’s engine off, dismounted from his bike, and headed towards the front door. He knocked three times and Derek’s fiancée Rebecca Thorn opened the door a minute later. She was a stunning redhead with sparkling lime-green eyes.
Becca was wearing a trendy red and black flower-print dress and boots. She was almost three months pregnant and there was only a slight curve to her stomach. Becca’s arms were covered in blue Celtic animal tattoos. Like Derek she was also a Druid, and powerful vampire hunter in her own right.
“Oh, hey, Garth! Long time no see.” Becca surprised Garth by giving him an affectionate hug. He remained stiff in her embrace and didn’t hug her back though. After all he didn’t want to hurt her. She was only human. Becca happened to be Derek’s Judge. Because of her even though Derek was a vampire he had a soul and a reflection. Derek was one lucky guy.
“Hey, Becca. It’s good to see you too.” Garth said in his deep voice, and Becca finally let him go. He was able to breathe easier.
“I’m glad you could make it. Come on in.” Becca ushered him inside. “The boys are up in the entertainment room playing poker.”
Becca and Garth crossed the tattoo parlor, and Garth glanced over at the wall that was covered in pages with example tattoo designs, most of them Celtic animals with intricate knotwork. There was a tattoo chair and a padded bed where Derek’s clients could either sit or lie down to get their tattoos done. The décor of the shop was definitely Goth. Black velvet curtains covered all the windows, there was rock music playing, and there were candles lit in an antique bronze candelabra that was sitting on the desk where Derek’s laptop was.
Becca began to lead the way to the stairs that led to the second floor. The entertainment room was on the third floor. Derek’s art studio was on the second floor. And Becca and Derek’s bedroom as well as the guest rooms were on the forth floor. “How’s the shop doing? Get any customers yet?” Becca asked casually, but with a slightly teasing note her to voice.
Ouch. Garth followed Becca up the stairs. “As a matter of fact…I did.”
Becca glanced over her shoulder, her lime-green eyes wide. “No way. Really? Wait till the others hear about this!” She ran the rest of the way up the stairs before Garth could stop her.
Garth wondered worriedly if she should be moving around so fast in her condition and frowned. “Och, Becca, be careful on those stairs, lass.” He called after her.
Becca threw the door to the entertainment room open and burst inside. “Guys, you’re not going to believe this! Garth had a customer!”
Garth flushed in embarrassment as he followed Becca into the entertainment room, and rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously.
“Becca, what did I tell you about coming in here tonight? This is supposed to be a Men’s Poker Night. No women allowed.” Derek chided from his seat at the round wooden table where two other men were seated.
&
nbsp; Druid Vampire Hunter, Derek Dearg, had a bohemian look about him with his shoulder-length brown hair with scattered braids, tanned skin, and goatee. He had the muscular physique of a fighter, but wasn’t as brawny as Garth. His face was incredibly youthful since he’d been turned into a vampire when he was only eighteen, but his sharp blue eyes reflected his many life experiences and wisdom gained from those experiences.
The Druid was wearing a sleeveless, black leather, hooded vest that showed off his blue Celtic animal tattoos. He was also wearing black leather pants and biker boots.
The two males who were seated at the table were Garth’s other best friends: merman chef, Levi Devlin, and plant alien, Malakye Sterling. Levi owned his own seafood restaurant called Poseidon’s Trident, and also acted on the side with his actress fiancée and action heroine, Vivien Tempest. Vivien was Levi’s Judge.
Malakye owned his own flower shop and worked as a florist. The name of his shop was Out Of This World Flowers. Some of those flowers were literally out of this world too. Malakye wasn’t a demon, so Garth was unsure about whether or not Malakye needed to find a human Judge to get redeemed. Malakye was such a kind-hearted male that Garth mused that perhaps Malakye was some lucky lady’s Judge.
Although maybe it was Malakye’s race, the Lunarians that needed redemption. They were a violent, bloodthirsty warrior race and had almost conquered the entire universe at one point. But that was a story for another time.
“Oops. I forgot. Sorry, honey.” Becca apologized in her sexy southern drawl.
Levi looked up from his hand with an intent expression on his face. “Did you really manage to get a customer with that ugly mug of yours?” He teased. Levi also had a warrior’s physique, but looked like a punk with his short sky-blue hair and ear piercings. He was wearing his signature black leather jacket with spikes on it, leather pants, and combat boots.
“Garth isn’t ugly - he’s scary looking.” Malakye was quick to defend or insult him. Garth wasn’t quite sure which. Malakye was the shortest of the group at six-three, and more lithely muscled. He had long, straight, black hair, and intelligent, emerald green eyes. His skin was painted white to hide his glowing silver skin. Malakye was dressed in black leather from head to toe like a Goth and even had black lipstick on.
Even though Malakye looked like a badass Goth on the outside, he was really a nerd who liked to stay in his room, read superhero comics, and play video games all day.
“Thanks, Mal. And yes, I had a paying customer.” Garth said with a proud note to his voice. “That wasn’t Nerezza.” He added. The shifter strolled over to take a seat at the table. “Deal me in on the next hand.”
“Roger.” Malakye began to shuffle the deck artfully.
“Here, man.” Levi gave Garth a stack chips to bet with, and everyone tossed a chip into a bowl that was sitting in the middle of the table as they placed their ante.
Malakye started to distribute the cards to his three friends.
“She’s someone all of you know actually…Dr. Sasha Robinovitch.” Garth revealed and picked up the five cards he’d been dealt. He had a pair of Queens right off the bat. “I remembered you guys telling me about how she was the one who came up with the cure for the zombie virus and saved our city.”
“You met Crazy Sasha?” Derek chuckled in an amused way. “And survived? I’m surprised she didn’t capture you and lock you up in one of her cages. You know she has a laboratory beneath her clinic. She lives down there and there are these monsters…she calls ‘pets’ there.” He used air quotes as he said the word ‘pets’. “She is one weird chick.”
Garth clenched his hands into fists and ended up bending his cards. He growled low in his throat and his eyes flashed red. “Don’t talk about her like that. She’s my friend.”
Garth’s friends exchanged surprised looks.
A secret smile curled Levi’s lips. “Defending a human female, Garth? I thought this day would never come.”
Becca pulled a chair up next to Garth, and took a seat. She propped her chin on her hand as she gave Garth a scrutinizing look. “What do you think of Sasha?” Her green eyes were sparkling with interest.
Garth’s brow furrowed in confusion when he noticed that gleam in Becca’s eyes. “It’s not like that. I don’t see her as a woman. I’m not attracted to her.” Garth suddenly remembered all the odd, kinky accidents that had occurred between him and Sasha. He coughed into his hand. “And even if I was…she has a boyfriend. Some pretty boy named Charming.”
Becca’s expression fell, and she looked befuddled. “Sasha has a boyfriend now? She didn’t tell me anything about that. How odd.” She did tell me she was working on some kind of Perfect Boyfriend Project though.
“I think it’s okay to take things slow and start out as friends first, anyways.” Malakye said as he replaced the card Garth had just discarded.
A muscle ticked beneath Garth’s eye in irritation. “I told you it’s not like that, Mal.” He swiped up his new card. It was a Queen. Nice.
“Uh huh. But she’s the first girl you haven’t scared off, right? You should try a little harder. Buy her some flowers or something. May I recommend coming over to my shop?” Malakye wagged his eyebrows playfully.
Garth sighed and rubbed his temples in irritation. “You guys have a one track mind. You’re always talking about love and romance. Love, love, love. Is that all you people think about? I have no interest in love or romance. I don’t even understand it.”
Becca clapped her hands together excitedly as if she’d just remembered something. “Speaking of true love. Derek and I plan to get married on Christmas. I figured getting married on the day of the birth of The Redeemer might bless our union and my child.”
Becca was pregnant with a child that was going to be half-human half-vampire. She was worried about how her child would turn out of course. And Garth didn’t really know what to say, and so remained silent. The only half-vampire half-human he’d ever met had been the witch Iona. And she’d seemed to have a screw loose. He’d never told his friends about Iona either.
“Also, I’ve already purchased my wedding dress. It was on sale. I got a really good deal on it. Anyways,” Becca waved her hand through the air, “I want to make sure I’ll still be able to squeeze my butt into it, so I can’t wait any longer. There’s going to be a nice Christmassy reception at the Palace Hotel afterwards. You should go with Sasha, Garth. I’ll even hang some mistletoe for you guys.”
“Like I keep saying, it’s not like that.” Garth huffed and put his hand down on the table. “Three of a kind.”
Levi put down his cards and swore. “You beat my pair.”
“I had nothing.” Derek shrugged as he tossed his useless cards down on the table.
“Looks like I win.” Garth grabbed the bowl and poured the chips he’d won on the table in front of him.
Becca was lost in her own little world as she thought about her upcoming wedding. She tapped her index finger to her bottom lips. “I’ll have to make sure Sasha catches the bouquet.”
“The poor bouquet.” Malakye lamented. “Destined to be thrown into the air and torn apart by several desperate human females.” He shuddered as he envisioned this in his mind. He was having sympathy pains for that poor bouquet of flowers.
Garth couldn’t help it - he laughed. The thought of clumsy Sasha trying to catch the bouquet was quite amusing. She’d cause so much trouble. “Invite her at your own risk.”
Becca beamed. “Oh, I will.” And I’ll make sure to doll Sasha up so Garth will finally be attracted to her. And I need to find out who the hell this Charming guy is.
To be continued in…Candy 6: Butterfinger
Highlander Hellcat PG-13 Version Page 7