Loyalty

by Charles E Yallowitz

  “Tell Kai and Stephanie that we are going to have that conversation now,” Xavier whispers while walking across the floorless courtyard. He can see a question on his wife’s lips, so he returns to give her a kiss and put his mouth close to her ear. “We need to decide on how to proceed with Clyde and his friends. Things might not be what they seem, which means I want answers now. There are too many mysteries under my nose for me to remain calm. For example, why did your maker have a heartbeat that he was trying to hide with an illusion that took me mere minutes to pierce?”

  Having never considered that Gregorio could be hiding such a secret, Nadia is left stunned and open-mouthed as Xavier walks away. She stares at the sky in the hopes of seeing the gnome in the distance or him returning to tell her truth. The longer she watches the clouds, the more her anger grows at the thought of Clyde being the true favored child of their maker. With a growl, Nadia puts the immature thought in the back of her mind and becomes a patch of mist that weaves through the debris. The white vapor repeatedly turns dark red, a sign that her temper has yet to subside and can explode at any moment.

  *****

  “It appears my wife prefers to be alone right now,” Xavier states as he joins his most trusted advisers on the highest tower of the castle. Gazing over the entire city, the noble removes his cloak in order to feel the sun on his skin. “The thought of Clyde being able to do this without becoming weak is filling me with dread. It does not feel natural to me. Gregorio turning out to be one of them is equally disconcerting. We can assume that Mab has turned too and possibly the rest of his gang. I do not know how, but Clyde is spreading his . . . infection to others. If this was not happening, I would have continued to wait until he returns. Now, I fear that we are ignoring a growing epidemic. What do you two think?”

  “We should wait for Lady Sylvan,” Stephanie declares, her dress barely staying on her shoulders. The angry glare she receives causes her to cower in her chair, the calico’s tail puffing up and turning red. “Very well. I do sense danger whenever I spy on Clyde and most times my magic is reflected. Not by anything he does, but it’s as if my aura is scared of attracting his attention even from afar. I tried tracking Mab recently, but all I could see is darkness and there were strange roars in the distance. So, I don’t have enough information to do more than suggest caution.”

  “Believe it or not, I agree with something Mistress Talon pointed out,” Kai says while he thumbs through his notes. Choosing an entry from the middle, he slides it out and shows the mostly empty page to Xavier. “That is everything I’ve been able to confirm about Clyde. You can see that it is very scarce, which means he is still a mystery. Taking action against him would be a mistake just as leaving him unchecked could increase the danger. In order to come to a satisfying decision, I would need to examine him or one of the people he turned. Preferably the latter since that would teach us how he is able to reproduce and possibly reveal the full extent of his powers.”

  “I don’t think we can capture Gregorio or Mab.”

  “That woman isn’t as elusive as you think.”

  “She would rip both of us to shreds if she’s as powerful as Clyde.”

  “Maybe you, but I have ways to handle a stronger foe.”

  “Enjoy your destruction, especially since you might have to face him too.”

  “They aren’t attached to each other.”

  Xavier slams his hands on a turret, the sound a pathetic slap of cold flesh against warm stone. Putting his night cloak back on, he feels his energy return and strikes the fortification again. This time, it cracks at the base and tumbles into the putrid moat below, the splash startling those working nearby. Waving to his citizens, Xavier steps back and sits on the ground to stay out of view. Growing claws on his hand, he wiggles the blades and imagines what it would be like to have Clyde’s power. A knot twists in his stomach, the sensation catching him by surprise since he has not felt such tension in decades. It takes him a moment to realize that he is anxious and disgusted with the situation. Letting the long nails fall from his fingers, he catches them and throws the blades into the distance.

  “I want to take action since we have so many enemies at our door and the unknown can destroy our plans,” Xavier explains as he stands. Getting closer to his advisers, he leans forward and beckons for them to do the same. “Gregorio is right that I need to be careful, but I do not know if I can fully trust him. Stephanie is also right that capturing him or Mab would be too dangerous. Not only because they could be a threat, but that could be what causes Clyde to come after us. Unless we politely invite them to talk of their own free will, which is what I would prefer if possible. This means we need to draw Mab to Nyte and get her to admit she is one of these . . . creatures. I hate all of this uncertainty in a time of-”

  “May I suggest an idea, Lord Tempest?” Kai politely interrupts. Bowing his head, he waits until he feels a gentle tap on the back of his neck and is sure that it is not a claw piercing his flesh. “Are these new vampires more powerful than us? Yes, and that does give us reason to worry. We are predators and that means we live by the strong feeding on the weak. Yet, there are creatures in nature that survive by using stronger ones for hunting or defense. I know it is disgusting to think of ourselves as scavengers, but I’m not talking about that entirely. My idea is that we play nice with Clyde and his kind until the war is over. They can be useful weapons that we direct at our enemies. Meanwhile, we come up with a plan to contain them once victory has been achieved. While Clyde, Gregorio, and Mab might be too much trouble, there could be others he has made who we can keep as agents.”

  Stephanie violently shakes her head as she claims, “You’re talking slavery and that’s a bad idea. Imagine if these vampires continue to breed and then get angry that we’ve been using them to do our dirty work. That would create a worst-case scenario driven by resentment instead of coming up with a quick solution now. Is it possible for us to forge a prison for them? Once they are done with the council and Duragians, we drop them in and never let them out. We could even bury them where nobody will find them. It worked to keep Clyde locked away for fifty years and that was by accident.”

  “All of those suggestions carry too much risk,” Xavier admits, his head starting to hurt from the tension. Reaching into his pocket, he takes a sip of blood and immediately shifts the snack to his skull where it cushions his brain. “Figure out a way to bring me one of them or I will simply wait for Clyde. It will be an awkward encounter since I protected his escape and now I stand here unsure of his loyalties. As I said, in the moment, I thought he was a blessing from the gods and my fear was tempered. Now that I know he is able to infect our kind, I am less inclined to let my guard down. Imagine if he infected every true vampire and was able to command us as his slaves. No, I cannot jump to conclusions when the situation is so sensitive. I need whatever one of these creatures are to learn more.”

  “They’re calling themselves Dawn Fangs,” a voice mentions from below. The trapdoor opens and Decker climbs out with Nadia a few steps behind him. “I was talking to Lady Sylvan about what I learned, which is not much. I can confirm that Clyde is immune to the sun, has a working heart, and Mab has been turned. There are a few other discoveries that I’m willing to share with Kai when he has time. For example, Dawn Fangs are made when a vampire ingests Clyde’s blood, but it has not been tried on mortals. You would need to talk to one to get more answers since I wasn’t there for the full meeting.”

  “Why are you choosing me over your friends?”

  “Because there is a stronger bond between maker and child.”

  “A welcomed answer, but that does not solve our problem.”

  “I do have one other vital piece of information.”

  “Which is?”

  “Chastity Sullivan is now a Dawn Fang.”

  12

  Walking through the busy streets of Gods’ Voice, Clyde and Mab try their best not to stand out with their dark clothing. Having arrived during a seasonal
harvest festival, most of the mortals are dressed in bright colors and wearing a variety of decorative hats. To avoid suspicion, the pair claim to be visitors from the Cerascent Islands whenever they are approached by the celebrating locals or suspicious guards. Occasionally, Clyde’s corn-shaped necklace causes some confusion since similar jewelry has become popular among the mortal women. He fights the urge to snarl at the drunks who pretend to mistake him for Mab’s wife or sister, the friendly ribbing never lasting more than a few seconds. It is only when they duck into an alley that the vampires feel like they can relax and breathe, but one glance at the distant castle causes them to worry again. Illusions of every deities’ holy symbol hover above the domed building and towering geysers burst from the saltwater moat to fill the city with a cleansing mist. While not painful, the display makes Clyde and Mab uncomfortable to the point where they absent-mindedly scratch at their skin. Not wanting to get too close to the warded castle, they circle back to the busiest part of the city and are again questioned about their appearance. Once they get fed up with the constant delays, the pair weave through the crowd and snatch hats off the heads of two drunks who are struggling to stay awake.

  “I thought you knew where you were going,” Clyde mutters while he tries to create an illusion. He stops as soon as their clothes begin to change and a nearby guard turns towards them. “These guys have to be the most cautious and paranoid security force I’ve ever had to deal with. We better get to the Gar Library and leave before they figure anything else out. Like I said when we left, this is all stealth and no killing. One body and we’ll have the entire city after us, which is bad when the buildings are mostly temples and shrines. Seriously, who puts so many holy places in one spot?”

  “Mortals who are scared of undead and want the blessing of every god,” Mab coldly answers as she slips between two dwarves. One of the mortals steps on her jacket and she yelps before falling onto her back. “Look, I know where we’re going, but it’s hard to figure stuff out with all the partying. Most of the buildings are covered in banners and I haven’t been here in a really long time. Our people tend to avoid Gods’ Voice because of all the holy sites, priests, and paladins. I’m guessing things got moved around and I don’t recognize the landmarks. Just shut up and trust me for once.”

  “I’ve always trusted you,” he whispers, his eyes darting from side to side. Confident that nobody is watching them, he helps the scowling woman up and uses a fraction of his strength to shove a path to an alley. “Are you still angry about Chastity? She asked to join us and I said yes because neither of us are as good at gathering information as her. You two put the past behind you for the most part, so I don’t get why you’re so upset. I mean, you got to spar with her and I’m sure you-”

  “I never got to lay a finger on her,” the burglar angrily hisses. Hearing children behind her, she waits until the family walks by before briefly baring her fangs. “Maybe if I really wanted to kill her and used the shadows, but I can’t touch her in a friendly sparring session. She either flung me with her mind or hit me with that charm spray, which comes out of every part of her. It isn’t even like a regular charm. All I wanted to do was jump her and not in the way I normally do. Made me feel so dirty and ashamed. I’ve been able to beat Decker, Titus, Luther, and Bob in sparring matches, but I keep losing to that overused bedspread.”

  “Needed to get all that out, huh?”

  “Yes, but I also wanted to call you a bastard.”

  “Please tell me why.”

  “You bought me a curved dagger.”

  “I thought you liked-”

  “That’s what Luther likes to use.”

  “At least I didn’t mix you and Chastity up again, so I’m making progress.”

  With her arms crossed, Mab walks further into the alley and waves for Clyde to watch the exits. She stops near a stack of rotting crates that stink of garbage, the large pile having attracted flies that bite her face. Once she is sure that nobody is watching, she sinks into a shadow and emerges on the underside of an eave. Mab keeps her strong fingers in the darkness and uses it as a handhold while bracing her feet against the wall. Stretching to grab the rooftop’s edge with one hand, the burglar swings her body out and gracefully flips onto the ledge. Wiping her hands on her pants, she slowly turns to see locate their destination. To her surprise, a group of naked halflings and elves are celebrating on the opposite roof. All of them are drunkenly staring at the vampire, their bodies stuck in mid-dance and their mouths open. One of the elves finally snaps out of his trance and is about to call the attractive woman over when she hisses loud enough to chill his blood.

  Mab quickly forgets about the gawking crowd when she spots the Gar Library a few blocks away. Squinting at the five-spired building, she notices that all of the torches that should be lit are gone and there is no movement in the large windows. Flags that depict the elvish word for truth in ancient runes hang limp on the poles that go around the central ledge. Tapping her finger against her head, she cannot figure out what it is about the sight that strikes her as wrong and worrisome. Whistling down to Clyde, she leaps across the alley and casually runs through the naked revelers. Every time she reaches a jumping point, she waits until her partner comes to the next alley’s mouth before continuing on. Due to the repeated stops, the short trip takes much longer than either of them would like, but the gradual progress helps avoid suspicion. Once they are across the street from the Knowledge God’s temple, Mab skids to a stop and crouches as low as she can. Creeping to the roof’s edge, she tries to guess how many people are below, but is startled by a shadow falling over her. Growing her claws, the burglar spins around and tries to a deliver a slash that Clyde avoids by taking a step closer. She winces as her arm hits his side, the feeling reminiscent of the times she has punched platemail.

  “You could have moved back,” Mab says, standing chest to chest with her partner. She is about to turn around when he grabs her and starts to dance. “What in all of Windemere has gotten into you? If you’re trying to apologize for before then this romantic mush is the wrong way to go. There isn’t even any good music and your hands are in the wrong position for this type of dance. Left over here and right over here with fewer spins and your hand is too high . . . Not that low either. Okay, this is kind of fun, but you still better give me a good reason for whatever this is. Right now, I think you’re trying to feel me up.”

  “There are paladins and guards coming down the street as well as some already posted on the rooftops,” Clyde whispers into his friend’s ear. Sensing that they are being watched, he gives her neck a kiss in order to make her body visibly tremble. “Last thing we need is for anyone to think we’re thieves about to commit a crime. Now, we look like a couple who wanted some privacy. All it took was a playful game of tag, which I won. Besides, it looks like the library is closed for the harvest. I’m only seeing people go into the smaller shrine on the side. What we need is in the main archive.”

  Mab spins into Clyde’s embrace in order to face their target and presses against him. “That would be on the top floor, so we need to get to the roof. Guess we’re going to be working at night. My favorite time, but this wasn’t the original plan. You saw how easily we blended into that crowd. Can’t we wait for them to open in a few days and walk in like mortals? I can’t believe I just said that.”

  “Too many people discovered our secret at once, so I’m assuming things are moving faster than we realize,” the smiling man replies. He tries to distance himself from his friend, but she moves with him to remain close and steps on his left foot. “Good catch. Almost missed that guy staring at us, so I guess we’re stuck like this for a bit. They sure have plenty of archers hidden on the temples, but it makes sense since all of them are closed. This is the perfect time for a thief to get inside and make off with treasure. Too bad this wasn’t going on when I tried to take the Orb of Durag. Any ideas on what we can do for the rest of the day? We can’t keep dancing up here without drawing attention.”
<
br />   “I have a perfect and pleasurable activity for us,” the burglar coos with a smirk. Slipping out of her partner’s arms, she does her best to saunter over to the edge of the roof and points at the crowd. “The mortals are tightly packed, which makes them so ripe. Want to make things up to me, old flame? Take me out for some food and shiny shopping. My fingers are just aching to steal something in broad daylight again.”

  Holding back his laughter, Clyde waves for Mab to follow him to the alley-side of the building. The pair step off the edge as an illusion of them leaping back towards the naked revelers in order to distract the guards. They land with matching thuds that go unnoticed due to the loud celebration, which promises to grant them a sea of prey. Licking their lips, the thieves slip into the crowd and practically vanish among the throngs of unsuspecting mortals.

  *****

  Luther groans as he rolls out of bed, his muscles and bones aching from having been in a stupor for days. A nearby garbage can is filled with empty blood bags, each one punctured by a straw that he vaguely remembers using while delirious from his holy infection. Holding up his hand, the forest tracker makes a fist and is relieved that it can be done without his bones cracking from the slightest pressure. The thought that he is not fully healed crosses his mind, so he strips out of his wrinkled clothes and hurries across the colorful room. Luther carefully examines his body in a full-length mirror that is fringed by disturbingly large feather dusters. He frowns at how his healed arm is still paler than the rest of his skin, which has retained the dark tan he had when alive. It takes him a moment to realize that his crimson hair is devoid of the usual leaves and twigs, the comforting pieces of nature replaced by a glistening lotion. Tapping at his hardened tresses, the vampire repeatedly runs his fingers through the neat style until he is satisfied with the disheveled mess.