Loyalty

by Charles E Yallowitz

  “The infamous thief and agent of mayhem returns,” a dulcet voice says from the cabin doorway. Dressed in a purple tunic and black pants, a bronze-skinned vampire steps into view with his rapier aimed at the intruders. “There was a rumor about you being seen in Nyte yesterday, but I thought it was a trick created by your former lover. Everyone knows she’s been obsessed with finding you again, so it wouldn’t surprise me if she went mad. Sorry about my manners. I am Prince Gilden of what is now known as the Cerascent Islands. Yes, young lady, the reports of my demise were as fake as the ones about your partner. Care to follow me inside and talk about who sent you? I would really like to know before I kill you.”

  Mab swiftly covers Clyde’s mouth and ignores the feeling of his fangs rubbing against her palm. “I see you’re still carrying that lightning blade, which means we would be delighted. No need for your infamous spiked manacles either. I’m sure this is just one big misunderstanding that rolled into the death of . . . one . . . five . . . How many did you kill, Clyde?”

  “Stop counting at thirty,” he replies with a grin.

  Prince Gilden suddenly appears in front of the black-haired thief and stabs him through the shoulder with his golden rapier. A crackle of electricity runs from the white gems in the hilt to build up power for an enormous lightning bolt that barrels into Clyde’s body. The attack sends the man flying into a tree, which is uprooted from the echoing impact. The nobleman’s mouth opens at the sight of his enemy still standing and curiously poking at the closing wound. Before Mab can come up with an excuse, Clyde shudders and twitches as if he is having a delayed reaction to the destructive spell. With an exaggerated flailing of his arms, he flops onto the ground and spews red foam until finally going still.

  *****

  The prisoners relax in their chairs after having repeatedly slipped out of every manacle, rope, and chain that Prince Gilden could find in the cabin. Feeling bad for their captor and wanting the interrogation to start, Clyde silently offers to let his hands be tied behind his back with no resistance. When a confident vampire attempts to do the same to Mab, she trips him and moves her chair so that a front leg is grinding into his groin. The shrieking man is eventually decapitated by one of his nervous friends, who quickly jumps away before the burglar can catch him. Fearing that they might not be the ones in control, most of those inside stay near the windows and doors. Many have already gone outside to escape the tension and keep watch for more intruders. None of them stray very far in order to listen to the questioning and possible torture, which they see as avenging their fallen allies.

  Deciding that his prisoners are as ready as they are going to be, Gilden grabs a bottle of holy water and dumps it over Mab’s head. Her skin burns and some of her hair falls out, but she refuses to do more than growl. Even when the liquid hits her lips and slips into her mouth, the determined burglar merely curls into a ball until the intense pain passes. Nodding to himself, the nobleman goes to do the same to Clyde, but stops when he finds the man leaning back with his mouth wide open. Standing between the two vampires, Gilden struggles to choose who would be easier to break. The fact that they continue to smile and lack even a glimmer of fear makes him worry that he has made a mistake in capturing them. Seeing the doubt on the faces of his own men, the prince rids himself of such a ridiculous thought and squeezes the hilt of his rapier, which is acts as a symbol of his superiority.

  “You didn’t think this through very well, huh?” Clyde asks, picking up on their enemy’s wavering confidence. Spinning his chair, he puts his feet on a table and shows his back to Gilden. “I think I remember you now. That screechy brat who waved his sword around like it was the answer to all of his problems. Seems you grew up to gain more respect and influence than I imagined you would. At least enough for my friend to be surprised you were alive. Why did you fake your death?”

  “Obviously, it was to create a traitorous group who is allying with the Duragians,” Mab answers for the nobleman. She scratches at the sores on her head, the dwindling pain making it hard to focus. “What I don’t understand is why? You were rising up the ranks and even earned a seat at the council. The war could have given you plenty of opportunities to gather more esteem and influence. Are you simply bad at thinking ahead? Did another noble point out the fact that your left fang is smaller than your right?”

  “It appears you have regained your infamous charm,” Gilden replies before waving to one of his subordinates. The halfling hurries to put a holy necklace around Mab’s neck, the enchanted symbol making her chest burn and sizzle. “Best to have a woman like you marinate, so you can deal with that while I talk to your friend. Now, I remember stories about Clyde causing all sorts of mischief back in the day. One thing I never heard about was his loyalty. Rumor had it that as long as he wasn’t betraying his gang, he’d throw an employer to the wolves. So, I’m sure he would be happy to tell me who sent you.”

  Clyde spins his chair around and plants his feet against the noble’s stomach in order to continue leaning back. “That’s a terrible way to make a deal. I’m not going to give you information without getting something in return. Before you say it, taking the necklace off Mab won’t count. She’s an adult and is only keeping it on to avoid a fight. Not like her hands are still restrained. Maybe you can tempt me by revealing who recruited you. That would be an even swap that leaves everyone happy.”

  “I am the one in charge here.”

  “And I’m the God of Destiny’s baby sister.”

  “Who sent you?”

  “Who recruited you?”

  “This is all my doing!”

  “Then, why can’t you figure out who sent us?” Clyde asks with a slight push to knock Gilden away. Catching a subtle darting movement of his enemy’s eyes, he yawns and cracks his neck. “No wonder a pair of thieves were sent. It isn’t you or your men that our employer wants, but important information that you’re guarding. I was curious about why you were out here in the middle of nowhere instead of closer to your targets. Had a feeling that things would become clear if we got inside. Such a disappointment for my first outing. You’re nothing more than a lackey with a slightly higher rank than the others here.”

  With a predatory snarl, Gilden knocks Clyde across the cabin and rushes to pin the bound vampire to the wall. Squeezing the other man’s neck, the noble lifts him and the chair high into the air while an acid ball appears in his other hand. The spell is knocked to the floor when Mab slips her boot down to her toes and kicks it at his wrist. Not wanting to fall through the dissolving planks, Gilden jumps away and slams Clyde on top of a table. The chair shatters from the impact, but the thief merely blows a kiss and calmly stares at the ceiling. Snapping his fingers, the prince has two of his men hold the prisoner down while he steps away to compose himself. Unable to rid himself of his anger, he draws his crackling rapier and calmly waves it from one target to the other. He eventually stops at Clyde, the captured vampire’s unwavering arrogance coming off as an insult to the prince’s dwindling pride.

  “I think I’ve gone about this all wrong,” Gilden admits, hoping to earn a hint of fear from his enemies. Whirling around to kick Mab into a far corner, he disappears for an instant and reappears standing by Clyde’s head. “Your return from the dead got me curious and acted as a distraction. As for who sent you, there are a few people who want to kill me. If they knew I was still alive then some on the council see me as a traitor for faking my own death. So, I can’t jump to conclusions or work off hunches. One of you two needs to tell me the truth. This also means I don’t need to keep both of you alive. It’s much easier to interrogate one person. Welcome back to the world, Clyde, but I believe Windemere is better off without you.”

  “Can’t really argue with that,” the thief casually replies before catching the swinging rapier between his teeth. With Gilden hopelessly tugging at the trapped blade, Clyde moves him a few steps using only his neck muscles. A single push sends the noble flying through the front wall of the cabin and the patio
collapses in his wake. “You think you can handle everything in here, Mab? I want to keep playing with the yappy dog. There’s a safe or something under the sink, but we can get to that when we have time.”

  Mab finally rids herself of the holy symbol and slowly stands, her body having taken more abuse than she lets on. “Honestly, I’m a bit too beaten up to take on so many enemies. Always been better at striking from the shadows, which isn’t an option here. I’ll work on that safe if you can clear the cabin. Perfect time to test your new toy.”

  Sliding off the table, Clyde lifts the confused vampires holding his arms and slams them together with enough force to smoosh their bodies into one. Patiently waiting for Mab to duck, he reaches into his enchanted pocket and slips his hand into a gauntlet. Needles slide into his flesh and he can feel his blood flowing into Gregorio’s creation, his working heart pumping fast enough to make the rusty ring crack. Clyde pulls out a sword that is twice as long as his body, the edges lined with metallic teeth as if the weapon could double as a saw. Fueled by his potent blood, the blade vibrates until it becomes a blur and he swings it in a large circle. Only Mab and two vampiric gnomes are left standing, all of the others losing their heads or getting cleanly sliced in half.

  With Clyde a few steps behind them, the surviving traitors run out of the cabin and try to reach the trees. The gnomes have almost made it to the shadows when Prince Gilden appears between them and slices their heads off. Eyeing the large and bizarre weapon of his enemy, the noble transforms his sword into a long lightning bolt. The weapons collide and skid against each other as the warriors rush forward, the rain of sparks threatening to set the grass on fire. Once he is within reach, Clyde grabs Gilden by the wrist and kicks the man in the stomach. The blow sends the prince stumbling away and he tries to assume a defensive stance before realizing that his arm is missing. Watching his limb and weapon get casually flung onto the cabin’s roof, the injured vampire roars for his allies to attack. His voice is still echoing as the vibrating blade cuts him down the middle and across the belly.

  “As I said, I’m highly disappointed in you,” Clyde hisses while sniffing at the air. Feeling a rumble in his stomach, he turns in a circle to look at the vampires that were lucky enough to have left the cabin before the brief fight. “This thing takes a lot out of me, which is a shame. Don’t worry because I’m not going to be deranged and start eating all of you. Pretty sure there’s plenty of blood in your hideout. I will allow you to run and whoever escapes before I get too hungry will live to cower another day. Stop gawking at the meat that used to be your boss and get moving. Now!”

  The survivors sprint in every direction as Clyde vanishes from sight, the sound of his whirring blade gently fading away. Within seconds, the forest erupts with screams of terror and a gleeful laugh. A deafening crash shakes the area as the thick barrier of trees falls in the distance, the impact sending a wave of foliage and dirt into the distance. Coming out of the cabin with a bag of scrolls, Mab takes a seat on the steps and quietly drinks from a decanter while listening to her companion enjoy himself.

  *****

  “We have gone over the information that Clyde and Mab brought back,” Kai declares as he shoulders by Lou and enters the room. He bows to his masters, who remain quietly embracing each other on the couch. “No, this can’t wait until the morning. After deciphering the rather simple code, I can assure you that we are in danger. Prince Gilden isn’t the only fake dead noble out there and it seems these traitors have created multiple lairs. There are even signs that the rest of the council could be plotting against you.”

  “I thought spies were supposed to remain calm,” a sultry voice says from the far side of the room. A splash of blood flies through the air to hit the floor at Kai’s feet, the splatter making a mess of his polished boots. “My ritual has already confirmed what you are saying. More importantly, I watched the whole thing and Clyde is stronger than we imagined. All of the traitors at the cabin have been destroyed with no lingering injuries to either of our people. Sadly, my lady, I can’t tell you specifics about his power. The forest they fought in did make things a little fuzzy, but I saw enough to stand by my previous statement.”

  “Thank you, Stephanie,” Nadia replies while moving away from Xavier. She pours a goblet of blood and sheds a single red-tinted tear into the drink before floating it into the shadows. “As you can see, my attendant has kept us informed. Not that we don’t appreciate your skills and hard work, Mr. Stavros, but we were impatient this time. Please come out of the pool and join us, Mistress Talon, because there is an important decision that my husband and I want both of your opinions on.”

  Accepting another drink, Kai takes a seat closer to Xavier and places the scroll in his master’s hand. He turns at the sound of liquid splashing out of a basin and barely makes out the slender form of Stephanie Talon. Stepping out of her ritualistic bath, the violet-haired calico licks as much of the blood off her body as she can. The tufts on her cat-like ears twitch as she feels a cool draft run along her arms, which are covered in white tattoos that help her scry. Instead of joining the others immediately, she savors the drink from her mistress while her four-foot tail swishes behind her. Grabbing a robe that she hastily ties, the naked vampire hurries to return the goblet and kneel before Nadia. Stephanie refuses to move until she earns a pat on the head, which causes Lou to grunt from the doorway.

  “Whatever you decide will be the wisest choice, Lady Sylvan,” the seer whispers as she takes a seat on the floor. Seeing Kai roll his eyes, she hisses and bares her fangs. “Do not look at me with such contempt. Just because you refuse to worship the one who made you doesn’t mean you are more loyal than I. Besides, my powers allow me to do your job with no risk to myself and in a fraction of the time.”

  “Not to mention a fraction of the details,” Kai mutters before he can stop himself. Knowing he should act with more maturity, he bows his head and holds out his hands. “My apologies for such a statement. I will be a better person for the rest of this meeting. All I meant is that while Stephanie can see things from afar, she doesn’t catch every detail. Her powers could not tell you the specific defenses of our enemies’ lairs or exactly what is off about Clyde. I agree that he is stronger than we imagined, but we don’t know why. I worry that we are letting a potential threat into our house.”

  “You never liked Clyde and barely tolerated Mab,” Stephanie snaps, her tail puffing to twice its size. Calming down at her mistress’s touch, the vampire shows a sudden sense of modesty and pulls her robe tight around her body. “While they can be rude and difficult, their loyalty is undeniable. Even after all this time and separation, they act like a perfect team. Sending them to eliminate this new threat is what I recommend.”

  The spymaster taps his finger on his knee and waits for Xavier to gesture for him to say what is on his mind. “I fully admit that Clyde and I never got along. He is an arrogant, bullying bastard who grates on my nerves. Mab is only slightly better, but she refuses to listen to orders unless they come from a member of their gang. Even then it’s only Clyde, Titus, and Decker that can get through to her. Maybe Luther if she’s in the right mood. All of that being said, I acknowledge their abilities as both individuals and partners. Considering our recent losses, it would be ridiculous to turn them away, but I would be remiss if I didn’t voice my concerns. It is too soon to make a final decision on Clyde in terms of how much we can trust him. Would you not agree that we should be cautious, Talon?”

  “Begrudgingly.”

  “As with any time that we agree.”

  “Does this put us at an impasse?”

  “No, but I feel we need more time.”

  “I suggest that we not wait too long or Clyde may leave out of boredom.”

  Opening Kai’s scroll and clearing his throat, Xavier puts an end to the discussion. He lets the silence linger for several minutes while he carefully reads over the meticulously organized information. A hand on his leg causes him to look up for a moment, his l
ips forming a faint smile to put Nadia at ease. The Lord of Nyte leans back and lets his wife put her head on his shoulder, which prompts Stephanie to give them some space. He waves for Lou to check the hallway and make sure nobody is close enough to eavesdrop, the obedient ogre snorting as he does a quick scan for illusions. Placing the scroll on a nearby nightstand, the silver-haired vampire lets his hand run along the soft couch cushions.

  “We are not in a position to be picky when it comes to our allies,” Xavier states, holding up his hand to stop Kai from arguing. A golden flame appears on his fingers, the spell sending waves of sweltering heat through the air. “Clyde is an old friend and has proven himself in my eyes. To test him more than once would be insulting and risk driving him away. The fact that he is stronger than before is a reason we should give him some leeway. Such power could turn the war in our favor. Also, if there is a secret he is carrying then he could be in danger without realizing it. Within the borders of Nyte, Clyde is among friends and that is where he is safest. To put your mind at ease, Mr. Stavros, I will allow you to watch him from the shadows. He will report to you, but only when he wants.”

  “In that case, I will probably never see him,” Kai jokes in order to hide his annoyance. A lick of heat singes his chin, so he bows his head in apology. “I promise to be nice and only react to his taunts. Given his temper and strength, it is best not to throw the first cutting remark. Will Clyde be alone or working with Mab? I favor the second option, but the information we gained reveals that some of the other lairs are nearly as vast as Nyte. They did well against the cabin, but that was listed as a minor hideout.”