Chapter 52
I was battered and bruised and for the first time since being a
slave to vampires, I didn't mind. Hell, I felt I earned these
bruises. And I was happy to have them.
When I woke I could hardly move. My body was so stiff. Yet I
had knowledge I didn't have the night before. After several
weeks of this activity, I had developed callouses and my wrists
had grown stronger. Another year or two of this and I might
have a chance at striking Bram.
Sure I'd rather be spending my time with Bram in his warm bed.
Somehow this was more fun and I get to release a bunch of
aggression. Why hadn't the vampires thought of this before? We
all probably would have been a lot happier. This new activity
gave me the feeling of empowerment and freedom. It also gave me
a better sense of how hopeless it really was to fight vampires.
Bram was right the only reason I got past McKenzie is because I
got lucky. After fighting with Bram I realized it would never
happen again. Had they shown me this when I first got here, I
might not have tried so hard to escape. I might have also
developed a stronger bond to Bram that would have prevented my
disobedience in the first place.
We can't change the past so what did it matter? I am happy now
and that's all that matters.
Well happy is a relative term. My subconscious still tried to
keep me down with strange dreams. They steadily became worse.
I dreamt of the attack in Gregory only both of the vampires were
Keir. Inversely, in real life, Keir ignored me completely.
The dreams kept coming. Swords... Blood... Gun fire...
Fear... More blood... Someone dead at my feet. I'd fight,
run, cry and in the end there'd be that laughter. That was the
worst thing to have someone laughing at my terror. There was
nothing I could do to stop it, no matter how many times I ran to
Dr. Wendel he'd refuse to give me more medicine to suppress the
dreams.
So night after night the laughter would mock me and I'd cry.
Tired and unable to fight any longer I called to the voice; "Go
away, please leave me alone."
A hand shook me and I screamed. "No!"
"Toni, It's me." Lacey held me by the shoulders. "You were
talking in your sleep. Are you okay?"
"What was I saying?" I rubbed my face trying to wake myself
up. The memory of the dream disappeared. The room was still
dimly lit so morning had not yet come.
"It was like something was attacking you. You told it to leave
you alone. What was it?"
I wracked my brain but nothing seemed to come forward. "I
don't know. I didn't like it though."
"Are you okay."
"It was just a dream Lacey."
I began to question my wakefulness when I saw Mistress Kama
enter the slave quarters, pulling Kenneth behind her on a leash.
I had to be dreaming because Kenneth was completely happy
crawling through the slave court completely naked save for the
collar. "What the-"
"You see it too?" She asked.
Kenneth, the man who hated slavery and vampires allowing
himself to be humiliated by one. What kind of funky dream was
this? To be truthful it wasn't a dream and I knew because I
could feel a wave of emotion coming from Mistress Kama.
Kama radiated happiness. How could she not? No doubt this was
a fantasy come to life for her. I couldn't contain my own
happiness that she did not choose me to fulfill it.
There was something else though. I couldn't put my finger on
it. I got the feeling that while she appeared happy, somewhere
deep inside her she felt bad for humiliating Kenneth like this
and wished she could repay him. Now that's something new, to
see Mistress Kama be submissive to someone would be a miracle.
Yet somehow, I almost could imagine it being Kenneth who managed
it.
"Didn't he say he'd have her on HER knees?"
"Looks like he was wrong." Lacey said. "She never put a leash
on me, even in her room."
"You're still jealous?" I thought back to the first time I met
Mistress Kama and found her with a man on a leash. "Maybe she
only likes to humiliate men."
"He seems to enjoy it." Lacey watched as he lapped milk out of
a bowl.
"I never took him for one who liked that kind of humiliation."
"Didn't he say he didn't want to be a slave like his ancestors?"
"Whipped, humiliated, and treated like dogs? Yep, he said they
fought for their freedom so he wouldn't have to go through it.
Guess this is different though."
"Yeah, well it is Mistress Kama." Lacey said apathetically.
"You ARE jealous!"
"No." She said sharply.
"Sure you are, not that it's a bad thing. You know, it's been
months since she and I sat down and had a good talk."
"I served her last week." Lacey almost sounded as if she was
boasting.
"Yeah, well I've been with Bram all week." That had the
desired effect as Lacey clammed up. "There's something wrong
with this picture though."
"Besides seeing Kenneth naked, I mean what does she see in him
and his little-"
"No, it's like he's going through the motions, like he's doing
this to get on her good side."
"You're paranoid." Lacey was already bored with the whole
thing and pulled out her drawing pad.
"Do you think I should warn the Mistress or something?"
"Gawd no! Besides, she can read his mind. She'd know if he
wasn't being up front about his feelings. Leave them be."
"I don't know..."
Lacey dropped her pad onto her lap. "I thought you've learned
your lesson by now, especially when dealing with Mistress Kama.
Don't get involved."
Kenneth looked up from his bowl in our direction, as if he knew
we were talking about them. He gave me the sternest look I've
seen come from him. "It's just-"
"Toni, as your friend, I'm telling you to drop it!"
Kenneth went face first into the bowl and I sighed. "Fine, but
if something happens, remember you stopped me from doing
anything."
"Nothing will happen." She went back to her drawing.
"Famous last words." I mumbled as I picked up my note pad. I
had no idea what to write but I figured it wouldn't be much
different from her pretending to draw. Anything was better than
falling asleep again.
***
Bram pushed me playfully into the water as we jogged by the
pool. It took me a few moments to even realize what happened.
I swam for the steps to take off my waterlogged shoes. There
was no way I'd attempt to retaliate against him.
Bram kicked off his shoes and pulled off his shirt before
diving over my head and drenching me with the resulting splash.
I managed to toss my shoes out of the water just as he popped
his head up before me. Laughing, I pushed his head with both my
arms and all my might to no avail; he was undunkable. Bram
grabbed my arms then lifted me bodily and threw me half way
across the pool.
After I regained my orientation I watched Bram come for me, and
something behind him caught my attention. He stopped mid-stroke
and followed my gaze. A furry mass, Sabertooth, trotted around
the pool headed for the slave court. "Bram?" I asked more than
his name as I treaded water.
He was already in communication with others and swam for the
ladder. "Come on."
I followed him and we both grabbed towels on our way out.
"What's going on?"
Sabertooth must have heard my voice for he stopped and padded
up to me. "What's up boy?" I asked. As if he would answer!
Instead Bram did. "Hunters."
Plural? From the tone of his voice, I didn't want to know how
many. "Here?"
"In the town preparing. They took our bait."
"What bait."
Bram stopped and sighed. Sabertooth sat next to my feet. Bram
took me by the arms and rubbed them like he did that night
outside the hotel. "I should have told you. I wanted to tell
you."
"Bram?" He stopped rubbing my arms and pressed his thumb at a
spot in-between my biceps and triceps. "Ow!" My skin was still
a little sensitive since the Doc hadn't been allowed to fully
heal my burns. I was still two-toned in spots.
"Feel that bump?"
It took me a second to feel anything other than his thumb
poking me. "Yeah."
"It's a tracking device."
"Son of a Bitch!" I broke away from him. "You bastard!"
"Toni, I told you I would have let you know if I could."
"That hunter planted a tracking device in me and let you drag
me off so he could follow us and attack en masse?! And YOU
knew!?!"
"That about sums it up." Beside me Sabertooth whined just a
little. He was anxious about something.
"You used me as bait?!"
"I didn't, the King-"
"The King, the King, the King! That's all you ever talk about.
Can't you take responsibility for anything?"
"Toni, now's not the time."
Sabertooth seemed to agree. He nudged my leg. "Fine, but
we're talking about this if we live though this."
"Of course." He tried to take my hand and I pulled it away. I
was not happy.
***
Sabertooth pranced in between people's legs as we prepared for
the fight that was to come. He certainly knew something was up.
The slaves loved it and treated him like their mascot. He
seemed to know that too and pranced around like a parade horse.
It was good for morale if nothing else, and we certainly needed
the cheering up.
There were rumors of over a thousand heavily armed hunters
above ground. There didn't seem to be enough weapons to go
around. Earl handed me a small pistol and three clips. That's
30 bullets, even with my improved aim I feared I couldn't hold
off many hunters before I ran out. Lacey looked oddly at home
with her pistol. Perhaps her father had given her lessons when
she was a child. I didn't have time to ask.
Across the room Al received a revolver and a hand full of
rounds. That was it. If I thought I had little chance of
surviving I could only imagine what he must think. Bram's
secret crossed my mind. Perhaps the vampires didn't intend for
the old guy to survive this.
***
I sat cross-legged on the second story balcony and played with
the pistol. There were maybe 30 of us lining the railing of the
second and third floors. As far as I knew, all the vampires
congregated down stairs.
I was anxious. The anticipation of battle was killing me. I
ejected the clip and slammed it back in, over and over. At
least I was familiar with it now to be able to shoot straight.
"Will you stop that? You're making me nervous." Kenneth said.
"I'm sorry, when I'm nervous I fidget with anything in my
hands. It's kind of contagious."
"No, I'm nervous that you'll slip and fire that thing off. I
don't want to get shot before the fighting begins you know what
I mean?"
"Sorry." I set the gun down. If it wasn't in my hands I
wouldn't play with it, at least that was the theory as I
couldn't help spinning it.
"This is bullshit!" He slammed his open palm on the banister.
"Why the hell do they have a group of inexperienced servants up
here? All we are cannon fodder. I don't see them putting their
lives on the line for us."
"Actually, they are. Mistress Kama is down there on the front
line." I pointed to a shadow under the balcony. You really
couldn't see anything but I knew she was there.
"Huh? Where?" He leaned over and still couldn't see, which
was kind of the point, we didn't want the hunters knowing they
were there either.
"Besides not everyone up here is inexperienced."
"You know, I heard you were a little creative the last time
something similar happened. Why don't you think up another
story to tell these hunters?"
"I don't think they'll buy it."
"They were stupid to buy it in the first place." Gary said
from the other side of the staircase. "I don't want to see you
leaving your post this time."
Kenneth, seeing the look on my face, was afraid to ask about
that interchange. I didn't blame him.
"Besides, that hunter knows who I am now." I told Kenneth.
"He knows there are vampires here. What he doesn't know is the
vampires know he's coming. Of course, he's probably guessed it.
That's why there's an army of them out there, and why the
vampires need us."
"Shit." Kenneth looked down at the gun in his hand. I'm sure
he felt it was of little use now.
"Yep." I twirled the pistol again. Kenneth didn't seem to
mind. "You've never fired one of those before have you?"
"No." He searched for the latch to release the magazine. "I
hate guns. I got out of the slums to get away from them."
"Someone you know get shot?" I asked intuitively.
He nodded. "My big brother was in a gang."
He wouldn't and didn't need to say anymore. "All is not lost
young grasshopper. If you're lucky you won't have to fire a
shot."
"If I'm not?" He looked down at me helplessly.
I packed my gun away in my belt and stood. I walked through
the basics of the pistol with him, hoping he wouldn't shoot
himself in the process. "It's just like in video games." I
raised the pistol in his hand and had him site it. "Just point
and click."
"Shhhhh!" Gary admonished me as he pointed towards the door.
Kenneth nearly pulled the trigger. I quickly took the gun from
his hand to prevent it, then handed it back when he appeared to
have calmed his nerves.
It was hot. The air in the creaking building was stuffy and
stale. The June sun had already dried up all the grass and
bushes outside leaving the world bright brown. Not that the
dingy windows didn't add to this coloring.
I was positioned away from the windows so I really couldn't
tell much of the world outside which is why I was nervous. I
didn't like not knowing what was coming or when. It was even
more waiting. I couldn't stand it!
I wasn't even near the stairs. I was in the middle of the
balcony. Somehow I had a feeling Bram had his hand in this. He
didn't want me anywhere near the most dangerous locations.
Lacey who was closest to the window started shaking. "What is
it?" I whispered.
"An army! Thousands of them."
Kenneth looked over her shoulder. "There are only a few
hundred at most."
"A few are breaking away." Chuck said at the windows next to
us.
"Quiet!" Gary hissed.
A minute or so later I heard the back door and then the front
crash in. Gary aimed carefully and shot the first guy through
the front door, right in the head. I heard a shot in the back
of the building and hoped it was our guy that shot first. The
two remaining people at the front door smartly didn't stick
their heads in but did a quick surveillance of the area. "There
goes our element of surprise," I thought.
A few people took shots at those men but missed and they ran
off to make their report. I knew the plan was to lure as many
hunters inside as possible so that the vampires could fight them
all quickly and without much of our help. We were here to
distract the hunters and reduce their numbers. Something told
me that the hunters wouldn't cooperate much. No more approached
for a long time after the initial scouting party.
A sound like a firecracker went off outside and there was a
grand plunk at the window next to Chuck who had jumped about
five feet when it hit. "It's okay." Lacey said, "They're
bullet proof."
"Are the walls?" I asked. They were so old and ready to fall
down on their own. I figured maybe I should stay closer to the
windows.
"Some more are moving in." Lacey said softly.
I felt trapped. I suddenly wished I had escaped when I had a
chance. Hell, some of us could escape now if we took the trap
door.
Then it seemed to happen all at once people started pouring in
the front door! The vampires moved in to attack them taking the
brunt of their bullets without effect. Several people around me
started firing, but not I. No, I was thinking about chess and
trap doors.
"Gary!" I called above the commotion. I started to crawl
towards him. "Gary!"
"Get back to your position." He ordered. "Open fire, damnit,
stop trying to talk."
Well fine, if he didn't want to hear what I had to say, I'd go
above his head. I knew Bram could do more than one thing at a
time. I had no idea if he was fighting now or not. I couldn't
see him, I could only see five or so vampires down there and
they were plenty of a match for the hunters at the time.
"Bram." I took a deep breath to relax and focused on him. He
was in the back of the building waiting for his turn. Before he
responded, I pictured sneaking through the quiet corridors,
coming out the trap door and then coming out to attack the
hunters from behind. It was just like in my chess game against
him where the bishop came from behind enemy lines.
I felt his concern for me before he showed me there were
already people there waiting to do just that. They hadn't left
yet; it wasn't time. I suppose I would have to stay put after
all. I didn't fire. I wasn't in a position to, so I waited.
Suddenly, I had an intense need to murder. I wasn't sure where
this urge came from but I just really wanted to kill someone. I
sited my rifle and could not find a target. I was angry at
being left alone.
Yet I looked around me and found I wasn't alone. Was I losing
it again? Was what I was feeling my emotions or someone elses?
I looked at the others around me, most seemed nervous and
afraid. None had the hate filled desire and determination to
kill. My finger twitched with the urge to pull the trigger of
my rifle and take down someone as they ran from me.
Strange, I was holding a pistol loosely at my side not aimed
outward as I felt this was. Again there was no one here that
looked to be in that position though many held rifles. Who was
it? How was I feeling these things?
I saw it then, the street of the town as seen from a higher
point of view than I had seen myself. The sniper rifle
stretched out before me and my finger twitched again. "Shoot
anyone who heads for the building." An unfamiliar yet
authoritative voice said. He aimed very carefully down the
street, he would hit anything that moved in the state he was in.
Then I realized something even the sniper didn't know. He was
sitting directly over the trap door to the vampire complex. If
it opened he could easily pick off anyone that tried to crawl
out of it.
"Bram!" I exploded in my head and hoped he heard me.
"What now?" I could feel his annoyance. He had already taken
down a hunter and another was coming for him.
I was almost afraid to ask, "Bram, is there another way out of
this building?"
"What? Why?"
"There's a sniper waiting for someone in the town to act, he'll
pick them off as they come out of the trap door."
"Toni, that's your paranoia talking. Forget about it."
"Bram, believe me, I know this. I saw through his eyes." I
showed him what I saw and tried to pass on the murderous
feelings.
He was quiet for several minutes. I and the other slaves
continued to wait upstairs just as that sniper was. I had given
up hope for the slaves at the trap door. Then Bram's voice
echoed in my head. "All right take Nate with you, he knows how
to get there unseen."
I flagged down Nate who must have already been given the
directive and was moving in my direction. Gary too must have
been informed for he didn't try to stop me.
I followed Nate upstairs and to a fire escape (which could not
be reached from the ground) back to the ground. We had to keep
low behind the bushes running in spurts. We were far enough
away from the army not to be immediately noticed but someone
could see us at anytime. Most of the army was on the move
anyway. Many wore brown camouflage and it looked as if a wave
of dirt moving toward the building.
That half mile stretch was especially dangerous as there was
nothing but bushes between the complex and the two rows of
buildings in the town. My heart beat like a rabbit's the entire
way and all the while I felt the sniper's anxiousness to be in
the battle rise.
Once we reached town we came across another problem, there was
no back way into most of the buildings and not the one we needed
to get to. There were untold dangers just passing the five
buildings to get to it. We decided it was best to walk close to
the buildings along the side of the street of the target
building and hope no one saw us from a building across the
street. We crouched low to stay below most of the windows and
paused before we crossed any doorway. After four buildings we
had a rhythm going and I gained a little more nerve.
That is until we closed in on our target and the window above
us crashed. Shards of glass flew everywhere. Mostly my clothes
and hair protected me. Nate took the brunt of it as the chair
that broke the window landed on top of him. He fell to the
ground.
A man jumped out behind the chair and he must not have seen me,
or decided to go for the person who was already down. He
pounded into Nate. I pulled my gun out and yelled at the man,
"Get off him now!"
He stood to face me his hands at his side. "Hands up." I
ordered. He didn't comply.
Meanwhile, Nate pulled himself to his feet and grabbing the
chair smashed it into the man. The man fell apparently
unconscious. "Go!" Nate pointed through the window. "You know
where the guy is better than me.
I didn't argue. I figured Nate could handle it. I headed to
the back of what looked to be an empty post office. I heard
gunfire behind me. I quickly looked back and didn't see Nate
anywhere. I did see the man who attacked us rising to his feet
a gun in hand. He spotted me and I knew better than to try to
see if Nate was okay. I bolted for the stairs. One... Two...
Three shots fired. None came close to me. If he pursued me he
didn't fire again as I took the stairs two at a time. My legs
protested the entire way. Apparently they didn't heal as well
as I had thought.
By the time I reached the third floor I was tired. I moved
slow and softly now. He probably heard me coming with the gun
fire anyway. I took a deep breath, held my gun out before me,
and rounded into the open door of the room I could feel the
hunter in.
His back was to the door. He concentrated on the sight of his
weapon. He probably thought the other hunter had taken care of
me. All I had to do is pull the trigger and no one coming out
of the trap door would be harmed.
All I had to do was pull the trigger.
I couldn't do it. Killing vampires in the process of escape
was one thing. Killing innocent men was another. Okay, semi
innocent and armed man, well... unsuspecting at least. I've
never done this sort of thing before. I should have shot him
right away. I just couldn't help thinking; what had this man
done wrong? Protected this town from what he conceived to be
evil vampires? No, he would kill humans, whether he knew they
were human or not he would kill them, there was murder in his
heart, that much I knew.
I raised my pistol.
I never got the chance to fire. A hand shoved me forward and I
fell to the ground and grunted. Upon hearing the noise the
hunter swiveled and fired. I prayed it wouldn't hurt too much.
I covered my head. A shotgun roared above me and I felt the
breeze of the buckshot flying above me.
I looked up expecting to see the sniper rifle pointed at me.
Instead I saw a hand then a brown sleeve and then a gold pointy
badge.
"Sheriff?" I wasn't sure if I was sane enough to be seeing
what I saw.
"What the hell happened to you? You look like you've been
through a fire."
"And then some." I took his proffered hand. "Why'd you kill
him? I thought you guys wanted the hunters here."
"What I did, I did for Lacey. The vampires wouldn't have let
her live if I hadn't."
"You believe the vampires will win?"
He shrugged. "It doesn't really matter as long as Lacey isn't
hurt. Is she..." He looked inside himself and decided to
change his wording. "Is my daughter okay?"
"As far as I know, she was alive when I left."
He nodded, grateful. "I assume you are here and not trying to
escape because you believe they will win."
"I am doing what I have to do to survive. If I have to kill
some hunters to survive then I'll kill some hunters."
"They have you under their spell, huh?"
"Yeah, you could say that." I finally admitted.
"Well, suppose I should have let that hunter kill you then."
"Yeah, probably would have been the right thing to do."
"I didn't really like that guy anyway." He gestured with his
gun. "Get going girl. I can't protect you all day."
"Thank you. I owe you one."
"There ain't nothing you or the vampires can do for me. Now,
leave, before I change my mind."
I ran for the stairs and out the door. I nearly tumbled over
Nate's body. I had forgotten about him and the other hunter.
The hunter lay dead in the street. The sheriff must have gotten
him too.
There was two bullet holes in Nate's chest close to his heart.
There wasn't much of a point in checking his pulse. His body
was still warm but his eyes were vacant. I closed them. "I'm
sorry Nate."
I wanted to take him with me. There was no way I could. I
wasn't that strong. Besides, it wasn't the right time for that.
As I knelt there over his body there were people streaming out
of the trapdoor towards the vampire building and battle. The
Calvary has arrived.
I followed them a bit slowly and returned to chaos. A hole
twenty feet wide had been ripped into the side of the building.
No doubt daylight poured its way inside along with the hunters.
I feared for Bram.
I hadn't felt him since leaving for the sniper. Perhaps he
died then.
No!
I had concentrated too much on my task at the time to pay
attention to anything else. Even now I knew he was alive. His
thoughts touched mine vaguely, like lovers who touch each
other's fingertips.
The men around me with guns concerned me more now than Bram's
safety. The thick of the battle raged yet I only reached the
outskirts. Obviously the vampires were winning. Dozens of
bodies littered the ground, none looked familiar to me, all wore
body armor, and were heavily armed. It didn't help them at all.
Severed limbs and blood covered the ground. Bullet holes
ridded most bodies yet there were several that had bite marks.
I stood transfixed by the gore and violence surrounding me. I
didn't hear the man approach. I hardly heard him order; "Don't
move!"
Reflexes from Bram's training or maybe Bram himself interfered,
made me lift my gun, and fire taking out the hunter's left
kneecap.
He fell to the ground with a yelp. I don't think he expected
something like that from me. I held my gun out in front of me
as I approached him. I kicked his assault rifle away from him
as I pondered what to do. After what happened to Erik and Nate,
I knew I should kill him.
"Please! Don't kill me." He couldn't be much more than 21.
Still a kid.
His whimpering tugged at my heart and I couldn't bring myself
to pull the trigger. So as I've seen in all those movies I took
the gun and bashed it over his head. I checked that he still
breathed before I grabbed his gun and stepped over a few more
bodies.
Not far from me two men grappled and a little farther on Meg
and a hunter held each other at gunpoint. I felt extremely
exposed and I looked for the closest hiding place.
As I looked I saw something unbelievable, a hunter, mere feet
away stood in the shadow of the building holding a sword up high
ready to bring it down hard. There was a large black mass below
him. As I got closer and raised the rifle I knew it to be Keir
on the ground.
"Shit." I looked quickly around. No one else saw him in
danger. "Why? I asked the sky. "Why me?" Why did I have to
be the only one in a position to save him?
I hefted the rifle. I wasn't even sure I could fire it. I
pulled the trigger anyway. I held on for dear life as the
bullets streamed out of the weapon. Ratta-tatta-tatta-tat. My
arms shook all over the place, aiming really wasn't an option.
I emptied the magazine. It made a bloody mess before me. The
hunter, filled with bullets lie in a heap on the ground.
The body started moving. I couldn't believe the hunter was
still alive. Then it rolled and I realized it was Keir pushing
the hunter off him. He picked up his sword and stood.
Apparently I hadn't touched him at all. He looked straight at
me, nodded once, then ran back to attack other hunters.
I blinked unbelieving the scene. I just emptied a gun into a
man to save another man I didn't even like. What the hell was
wrong with me? I dropped the rifle and walked slowly into the
building.
There I saw Bram alive and well. Bram sped as if he had wings
from one edge of the building to another. He killed with a
swiftness and ferocity like none I've ever imagined. He used no
weapon but his teeth. One body and then another fell around
him. Bullets could not touch him, even as he fed.
He took that bullet in Lincoln because I had slowed him down.
So I did not save his life, I endangered it. I tried touching
his mind to tell him I was sorry. It was no use he concentrated
too hard on his kills. No wonder the King chose him as his
executioner.
I tried to break through. He had turned into a monster before
my eyes. He'd latch onto a victim and leech them dry. "Control
it Bram!" I yelled and tried to punch through to his mind. He
didn't hear me.
Then it happened. Among all the other weapons fire a shot rang
out. Bram moved to avoid it. Unfortunately, the hunter had
already anticipated that and fired again right where Bram
headed. I saw the bullet rip right through his chest and out
his back.
"Nooooo!!!" I started to run for him.
He started to run for his attacker. He felt nothing from the
bullets, only a blood rage. I looked to his attacker and
understood why. I recognized him. He was Quinn the hunter at
the hospital, the cop at the airport, and yes, I saw it now that
he had a short white scraggily beard, Roger the man who drove me
to the bus depot. Of course he was also the man who killed Erik
that was why Bram attacked him so fiercely now.
Bram would fulfill the task they King had set before him; kill
the man who killed Erik.
This hunter was smart. He stood in the light where there were
no shadows near and he backed further towards the gaping hole as
to lead Bram outside into the daylight. "It's a trap!" My mind
screamed and I knew I had to intercept Bram. I would take care
of this hunter for him. This hunter who tried to save my life
on countless occasions and used me to get to the vampires. I
didn't like it, but I would do it to save Bram's life.
There were groups of people fighting in between him and me. I
ignored them all. I weaved around fire fights and pushed aside
people who got in my way, at least until one of them jumped into
my path aiming a rifle at my head.
"Hold it right there, Storyteller." I froze. I wasn't so
stupid as to keep running and be shot in the back. Of course if
he really wanted to shoot me he wouldn't have told me to stop.
I found his face familiar, though it took me as second to place
it; the lead hunter from the last attack. He continued talking
as he reached over and took my pistol from my hand. "Or should
I call you Sarah? No? Tania then? How about Antoniette
Aloise? Yes, that sounds correct."
"I never did catch your name." I bantered with him if only to
stall while I thought my way out of this. Meanwhile, I saw Bram
race into the sunlight. I was too late.
"You won't either. Honestly, I can't believe I fell for the
whole role playing facade. Of course you were only protecting
them-"
"I was protecting myself. If we didn't do that you would have
killed us before even asking if we were human or not, wouldn't
you?"
He laughed. "I'm not a cold blooded murderer. Your friends on
the other hand..." He nodded towards where Bram had run after
Quinn. There was no movement. Had Bram already moved on or was
he dead from the hunter or exposure to sunlight?
Not wanting to talk about it I changed the subject, "Why'd you
have your man plant a tracking device in me. You knew where I
came from." I kept drawing a blank on what I could do to get
rid of this guy.
"Yes, but not where the vampires came from. We had to have
proof there were vampires here after your last stunt. Of course
you confused us a bit, between being underground and going to
that pasture, we weren't sure where to find you. When you
showed up in this building and stayed here for a while, then
we-"
I'd never know the rest of his sentence. A shot rang out. I
thought I was dead. Then blood started to drip from a hole in
his forehead and slowly, as if time was going forward only one
frame at a time, he crumpled to the ground.
I swung around to find a little smoking revolver pointed over
my shoulder and Al's grizzled grin. "You okay, Kiddo?"
"I am now Al." I wanted to hug him. There was still fighting
going on around us so I didn't. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me. Thank whoever sent me over to watch your
back. They're looking out for you." He raised his gun and shot
someone to my left. "You really should pay attention to these
things."
"Yeah." I picked up the lead hunter's rifle and my pistol. I
handed the rifle to Al. "Here you need this more than I do."
He took it gratefully. "Be careful." I said.
He nodded and hobbled towards the back of the building, "You
too."
I ran for Bram.
It hadn't even been an hour since the attack started and it
already started winding down. The hunters had superior numbers
and firepower but we had the vampires and the hometown
advantage. The wave of slaves that had come out of the trapdoor
had pushed the hunters through their gaping hole right into the
vampire's clutches.
Now it was mostly round up work left. I even shot a couple of
hunters on the way. They were far enough away that they didn't
ambush me and I was far enough away I'm sure I didn't kill them.
By the time I reached Bram most of the hunters were dead. I
found him half hidden behind a bush. Quinn lay pale and
lifeless beside him. I practically fell down beside Bram and
cried at the sight of his blistering skin. "No, you can't die.
You can't."
I knew he wasn't dead. He couldn't talk, but I felt the life
in him. I also felt the incredible pain being caused by the
sun's rays. Steam rose off his body. The shade of the bush
hardly helped. "I have to get you inside. Can you move?"
There was no answer from him but a grunt. I took that as a no.
I breathed deep and tried not to smell his burnt flesh as I
lifted him to a seating position. Every movement I made him do,
only hurt him more. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I whispered as
tears ran down my cheeks. There was nothing I could do at the
moment that would make his pain go away and that's what hurt me
the most.
I got behind him and wrapped my arms under his armpits. I
started to drag his bulky, limp, body back towards the building
and into the shade. He hissed and I cried. "Just a little
further." I heaved. I didn't realize how heavy he could be.
It worried me that I wouldn't make it into the shade after all.
Once again, I was the cause of his pain.
On the way some slaves were just standing around, their
contribution to the fight was over. "Help me!" I ordered
Joshua. Then to some of the other's I passed, "Can you guys
darken those windows or cover up that hole. We have vampires
that are burning out here. Get some of the others to find them,
get them inside quickly."
Joshua gingerly took a hold of Bram's legs and several of the
others ran off to see what they could do to improve the shelter
and help the wounded. We moved Bram into the shadows and laid
him down softly. "Thank you." I told Joshua and he went off to
help the others.
Lacey ran down the stairs once she saw me and my load. I
couldn't help thinking; had I stayed where I was, I'd be just as
untramatized as she was now. "Go get the Doc." I yelled at her
before she approached me.
Lacey shook her head apologetically. "He's already attending
other wounded."
"Then can you get me some ice or something, and a blanket too.
I think he's in shock."
Lacey nodded and ran off. Bram's arm reached up to grab mine.
"Don't worry. Go help others."
"I'm not leaving you." I told him. I already had enough of
this battle and blood. I started running my hands over his body
searching for wounds. There was a lot of blood.
"Not my blood." He took my hands. That was a lie, I saw him
get shot, yet I couldn't find any bullet holes. He took a deep
breath then said, "Look at us, a couple of burn victims."
"Yours will heal up." I said through tears. They were tears
of joy as it already appeared he was getting better.
He traced the scar on my face. "You know it doesn't matter
what you look like to me."
Lacey returned with enough ice packs for all the vampires. She
handed me a couple then went to the others who now lay nearby.
As I pressed one against his forehead I said, "I'm sorry about
earlier. I know it wasn't your fault I got stuck with a
transmitter."
"No reason to be sorry." I'd kiss him but his lips were all
blistery so I dabbed them with the ice pack. "You should go
help others."
"I want to stay with you."
"I'll be fine." I knew he would. After a couple more minutes
his skin was already beginning to smooth out a little. It would
be hours before he healed fully, but he would heal. He
convinced me I'd do more good buy helping the wounded than
staying with him.
***
I climbed over the rubble and out into the bright afternoon.
The town off in the distance looked peaceful even with the
bloody mess before me. Slaves were slowly making their way
inside some carrying those who could not walk. I asked Lacey to
go grab a paper and pen. I wanted a list of the wounded and
dead.
Meanwhile, Paul limped and nearly fell trying to get inside.
He couldn't find a way around the rubble so I put his arm over
my shoulder and helped him inside. I went back out and began
checking for more wounded. I heard a groan a little ways off
and found Kenneth lying amongst the dead. He gripped his
stomach. "Kenneth! Can you talk. What happened."
"Shot... Damn... It hurts."
"Okay, we'll get you some help." I waved a couple guys over
and we carefully lifted Kenneth and carried him inside.
This sort of thing kept up for quite a while longer. I swear
the cleanup took longer than the battle. One other thing
happened during this time. Something that disgusted and
saddened me.
Amongst the carnage something moved. At first I thought
wounded hunters might be trying to rise. Then I saw something
leap a foot in the air and pounce on what I thought was a body,
until I heard the wretched wail. Blood spurted onto a matted
red and brown coat of fur. It was Sabertooth.
"What the hell?" I said as I moved forward to get a better
look.
The abomination of blood, metal, and fur moved again. This
time I saw a hunter grabbing his gun. The hunter obviously saw
the mechanical beast coming and sat preparing to fire. Bullets
blasted out of his weapon and dinged off Sabertooth. I knew the
industrial strength steel he was made out of would hold up
fairly well so I wasn't worried about him.
It was the poor hunter I cried for as I ran towards him.
Sabertooth attacked with fangs. Fangs!? The last time I worked
on him he didn't even have a mouth. "Who the hell made that
modification?" I wondered aloud.
By the time I reached him the hunter had his throat ripped out.
All of his blood and flesh littered the area as Sabertooth
can't swallow it. Sabertooth paid me no heed and moved off
again. I called to him. "Heel!"
I followed him only to watch him take another victim. This
time Sabertooth didn't run off. I examined the area. There was
no more movement from the hunters. Someone programmed him to
kill any survivors. "Damn."
Sabertooth whimpered once and limped towards me. Apparently
injured by the gun fire, his back right paw hung loosely off the
leg by a couple of wires. He stood waiting for me like a tame
dog. I was afraid to touch him. Would he bite the hand that
made him? Blood matted his fur and made me sick as I searched
for his off switch. He growled a little as if he knew what I
was doing and it made me sick to think that Wen would program
any kind of viciousness into this robot. I found the panel and
turned him off.
I waved for help as I was on the outskirts of the dead. It
took three of us to heave the robot up. We'd take him inside as
well. I'd have someone take him to my lab later. There were
more important things to do. As we labored, I looked towards
the town. This reminded me that there was still one more thing.
"Guys, after this, can you do me a favor and go get one more
body?"
***
By the time we finished the cleanup, the hunters' bodies all
lined up nice and neat for the Sheriff to come and take care of,
it was nearly dark. Blood covered me head to foot, and unlike
Bram none of it was mine. I trudged down the stairs with the
few slaves that remained to clean up. All the other dead and
wounded were already in the infirmary or near it at least. The
Doc certainly had his hands full.
The King planted himself in a cross corridor that separated his
room from the slave court. There was no way to avoid him.
"Antoniette Aloise." He called when I neared. Some of the
others looked to me but I didn't dare stay with them.
"Your Majesty." I stopped and knelt before him examining his
shiny, black boots.
"Where is Sabertooth?"
Hmmm, no "good job" no "thank you for being loyal" no "I'm
sorry so many people had to risk their lives for me." No. He
was concerned about his stupid, fake dog.
"He is still upstairs." I answered.
"Why is that?"
"He was damaged and I had to deactivate him."
"You will retrieve him and repair him immediately."
"Your Majesty." I knew I should just comply but this was my
only chance to ask so I did. "May I request a slight delay as
we wish to hold a funeral for the slaves who gave their lives."
"There is no need for a funeral. Do as I command."
Okay, I know, I've promised and I've fought myself to do the
right thing, it's just this really pissed me off. "The slaves
risked their lives for you- Ow!!" There was a sharp pain in my
forehead but that was all. It was a warning.
The King said, "They performed their duty. Honor them by doing
so yourself."
Tears filled my eyes. The slaves needed to recognize those who
died. They needed closure. I didn't want to give in, but I
knew I had no other choice. "Yes, your Majesty."
Keir moved up beside the King and said quietly, "If I may your
Majesty. Allow them to have their funeral. It will improve
their morale and keep them from striking again. The delay would
mean a couple of hours at most." I looked up to meet Keir's
gaze. His eyes spoke solely of sympathy. There was no sign of
a pretense there. As far as I knew, no one he liked had died.
What was his motive for siding with me then? His eyes didn't
give me any hint.
After pondering this for a moment, the King nodded, "Very well.
Have your funeral, but do not ask any more of us." He swept
his robe around and walked out.
"Thank you, your Majesty." I said to his back. "Keir I-" Keir
too turned his back on me and walked away. Did he consider us
even now for saving his life? I couldn't tell and didn't have
time to find out. I had a funeral to arrange.
***
I finished making the arrangements and walked out of the
infirmary after speaking with Dr. Wendel about releasing some of
his patients for the funeral and borrowing some of his gurneys
for the dead. He complied happily.
Kenneth hadn't really been as hurt as he thought he was. He
lost a lot of blood but otherwise only had one hole in his
stomach that the Doc patched up quickly. Anywhere else in the
world that would have been a near fatal wound. Now he walked
around as if he had a minor stomach ache. He offered to help
push the empty gurneys out.
"Kenneth!" A jubilant voice called out.
I followed it and found Mistress Kama running up to him. "Oh,
you've been injured." She had noticed the bandage wrapped
around his belly.
"I'll be fine, no thanks to you. You shouldn't be here anyway,
this funeral's only for us."
"But..."
"No. You put me in danger, for that you must be punished. Go
to your room and prepare yourself for me." Kenneth's voice was
strong and unwavering. I blinked in surprise.
I damn near fell in shock when Kama lowered her gaze from him
said "yes sir" very softly then slinked away through the crowd.
Watching Kenneth act this way made me wonder just how long it
would be before he was on the list for suborior. Damn, they
have me using their words now. Still he had the makings of a
good vampire.
As compared to the other night, now Kama was happy through and
through, even if she showed disappointment outwardly. She liked
that he took control of the situation. I had felt a strong
desire in her and the fact that he asked her to leave and she
did proved in my mind how much she loved him. If it were anyone
else she'd have them on their knees fulfilling her desire.
There was just something wrong with seeing her being dominated.
I moved in beside Kenneth, "Do you guys trade nights or
something?"
"What do you mean?"
"The other night she was dragging you around by a leash and
tonight she crawls out of here as if you were the Master."
"She'll do anything for me." Was his explanation. Not very
good if you ask me.
"And you for her?" He hesitated. I pinched his ear with my
fingers and whispered, "If you do anything to hurt her, you'll
have to answer to me." When I pulled back his eyes were wide.
My empty threat had worked.
Then again, maybe it wasn't so empty. He knew the influence I
had with other vampires.
***
"One hundred eighty-seven people lost their lives today. One
hundred seventy-four of them were what we considered to be our
enemies. They were humans however and we must appreciate that.
They did what they believed was right, whether it was to
eradicate the world of 'evil' vampires, or perhaps to save some
slaves from oppressors, we shall not know. They killed as many
of us as they could so do not forget that as well.
"Three vampires lost their lives today. They too were friends
as well as our captors. Carmen, Heinrich, and Polina gave their
lives to protect us and must not be forgotten.
"Of the remaining ten are those were have gathered here today
to honor and say good-bye to: Claudia Armand, Alex Bruckner,
Edgar Emerson, Nathan Greco, Sebastian Kendall, Caitlin Luna,
Edmond Morlant, Victoria Price, Tara Rosenberg, and Jack Seward.
Twenty-eight more remain in critical condition in the
infirmary. Each not only gave their lives protecting the
vampires and their fellow slaves, but had the courage to battle
a great force. Let us now take a moment of silence to remember
our fallen friends." I bowed my head and everyone in the room
did the same. I said a silent prayer wishing them God speed on
their journey to the next world and hoping their lives are
better now that they are no longer trapped here.
I spoke again. "I know this seems like a great blow to all of
you. Grieve now for your friends, but do not indulge in sorrow,
for there is always hope. The vampires can take almost anything
from you, but never your hope. Keep it, holding it close to
your heart, remembering that the events of today were not a set
back but a new beginning.
"I'd now like to invite anyone who might have something to say
of one of our friends to come up and speak of them. Allow me to
be the first speaking for just a moment of my friend Nathan
Greco. I can not say Nate was a close friend. I'm not sure he
became close to anyone here. He was a thoughtful and quiet
individual who never had a bad word to say about anyone. He
always had an ear for anyone who needed to talk. He never
complained no matter how many times he lost at poker or if he
lost a crop of strawberries. His tomatoes were some of the
sweetest and biggest I've ever had. I don't know much of Nate,
but I know he was a good friend, so good that he gave his life
protecting me and for that and so much more I will always be
grateful. Thank you. Thank you all." I didn't look up. I
moved silently to the side to allow the first person to
approach. Not too surprisingly a line formed before the podium.
Al put his arm around me. "You did good Kiddo."
"Thanks."
"What of your hopes?" He asked softly.
"I still have them. They're just a little different from
everyone else's."
"You hope to not be like them."
"You can read minds." I joked.
"I've always been able to, Kiddo." He said seriously.
I froze, what exactly did he mean by that and how much did he
know?
Miriam started talking about Alex and how if they met on the
outside she would have wanted to spend her life with him. A
tear fell from my eye. Harold walked up next and talked about
the jokes Edmond used to make. I laughed through more tears.
By the time the last person had spoken I was balling into Al's
shoulder.
"You want me to do the rest Kiddo?" I shook my head
effectively wiping my tears all over his shirt and off my face.
"Go with me." He walked up to the podium behind me. "If you
all will please rise. We will now say our final good-byes and
walk them to their final resting place." I gestured to the
pallbearers that was 20 people who offered to wheel the gurneys
on our march to the incinerators.
I stood silently as I watched them wheel the gurneys to the
large hot openings and gently slide the bodies inside. They
burned with ferocity and the smell of burning flesh filled my
nostrils making me gag slightly. It reminded me of Bram's smell
as I dragged him out of the sun. That seemed ages ago already.
The last body turned to ashes before our eyes and I cried more.
I knew their deaths weren't my fault, yet I couldn't help
blaming myself for allowing the hunters to track me here. I
owed each of them and those who survived. I knew there wasn't
anything I could do to get them out of this place, but I would
do everything I could to keep their hope alive.
There was no hope. There was only fear and destruction. I
shook.
"Toni? Are you all right?" Al took my hand.
I trembled. "They're coming." I whispered and wanted to hide.
Death. Everywhere there was death.
And thirst?
By: Christine Schnell
