“A crude but effective strategy,” a smooth voice intoned. I turned, expecting the worst, but found Yehoshua’s smiling form looking down upon me. Sheila glanced at him over her shoulder, but seeing him offer me a hand up apparently convinced her that she needed to keep her focus on the enemies we were fighting off.
Theodora seemed slightly more than pleased to see him. “Joshua. I had wondered where you had gotten off to.”
“I have been surviving, dearest Theodora, surviving and sending these devils back to the Hell from whence they no doubt came.” He stepped in and started kicking ass, allowing me a moment to breathe. “I have to admit I find it somewhat interesting you fighting side by side with faith’s warrior.”
“Must we discuss this now?”
“I just find it mildly fascinating being that you were the one most vehement in bringing the Icon to justice.”
“Oh?” Sheila asked, performing a nice spin with her sword that took off a Jahabich’s legs in the backswing.
“Yes, Shining One,” Yehoshua replied, inclining his head toward her, “but please take no offense. I believe this stands as an excellent example of how one’s role in life can be ever fleeting. Enemies may become allies, and allies may be at one another’s throats with but a change in the wind.”
I doubted Sheila had any idea of what he was talking about, but I had a sneaking suspicion that was his way - far more subtle than his girlfriend’s - of reminding me that he and Thea would be more than happy to see Alex’s plans end up in a big stinking pile of shit.
“Though it is obvious treachery has brought us to this point today,” he continued, “I can see the benefit that might be reaped from it.”
“Benefit, Joshua?” his Morticia Addams lookalike girlfriend replied, caving in the chest of a Jahabich with a single kick. “I do not see much benefit to be gained here unless one counts the potential for exercise.”
“Have faith, my dearest,” he replied. Sheila glanced at him and he smiled warmly. “Yes, child, I know a thing or two about faith myself. Once upon a time, I even counted one of your number as a friend.”
“Must we?” Thea protested.
“But alas,” he said, nodding differentially to his gal pal, “such matters are ancient history.”
Unfortunately, all of this banter served to distract Sheila. She turned her head at an inopportune moment and one of our enemies stepped in swinging. I moved to react, but the creature was faster - connecting with a bone-jarring hit to her left arm. Her aura flared to life at the last second, protecting her from the worst, but it still slammed home with sufficient force to make her cry out in pain, dropping her weapon in the process.
As powerful as Sheila was, she apparently had her Kryptonite. First those black blades, and now these monsters’ ability to at least partially resist her abilities.
Well, fuck that. These things got one good hit in. There was no way I would let them get another.
The monster pressed forward with its attack, raising its arms above its head to deliver forth a crippling blow, but this time I shoulder tackled Sheila aside, her aura flaring to life again - thankfully, a moment too late to hurt me. Then, bracing myself for the fucks to come, I bent and grabbed her sword.
Yeah, I was right...FUCK!
My hands instantly ignited, a sensation I was hesitant to proclaim as pleasant even at my most masochistic. Not wanting to waste any unnecessary time holding the flaming death stick, I pointed it and jabbed - sending the tip of the blade into the Jahabich’s mouth and out the top of its fucking head. I let go and tried to douse the fire by jamming both hands into my armpits - pretty much just spreading the flames to other parts of my anatomy. I made a quick mental note to not grab my junk next.
The monster I’d impaled stood with a blank expression upon its face for a moment and then keeled over backward, the hilt of the weapon still sticking out of its mouth. Oh yeah, fucker! I bet that hurt you more than it hurt me...if only barely.
Tears streamed freely down my face by the time the flames died down, leaving my hands blackened and blistered. Fortunately, Sheila was back on her feet by then. Her hand lay upon her bruised arm and it glowed, no doubt mending the injury. Neat trick. I wished it worked on me.
I dropped to my knees, waiting for my own enhanced healing to kick in and knit the two charred lumps of flesh at the end of my arms back into some semblance of working hands. Sheila stepped toward me, concern in her eyes. She reached out, letting her aura die down, and I would have liked nothing better in the world than to have let her finish that action. Alas, now was perhaps not the best time to share a moment.
I shook my head and gestured in the direction of her sword. Whatever she wanted to do or say could wait until she was properly armed again. I didn’t want to see a repeat of what had just occurred.
She grabbed the weapon by the hilt and placed one foot upon the dead monster’s chest to give herself leverage to yank it out. While she did that, I glanced over to see how our two resident Draculas were faring - pretty good, by the look of it. A crunch of rock came with every swing they took, filling the air and sounding as if they were busy digging out a mine instead.
So loud was it that I didn’t notice the danger standing behind my kneeling form until it was too late.
“You are a great hero, my love, and deserve a hero’s reward.”
My eyes opened wide as a petite hand grabbed me by the hair and yanked my head back. Gan’s crazy green eyes met mine and I saw she held a gleaming silver knife in her other hand.
I barely had time to scream as she raised the weapon.
♦ ♦ ♦
I wasn’t sure what the fuck was going on, other than Gan had finally lost it and was now looking to finish the job her father had started when he’d sent his assassins to behead me. Apparently, she’d had enough of my roaming eyes and had decided that if she couldn’t have me, no one could.
Unfortunately, I had no leverage and my hands were still too damaged to do much more than flail uselessly. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Gan possessed several times my strength. In such a position, there wasn’t much I could do except hope she was joking.
“Listen, you don’t want to do this.”
“But I do, beloved.”
With that, she stuck her tongue out playfully and sliced the blade across it in one quick motion.
“Gan, what the fu...ugh!”
Her juvenile mouth pressed against mine, suppressing the scream that really wanted to escape with every fiber of my being. She held my head fast, preventing escape as her lips locked onto mine and she shoved her tongue into my mouth before I could slam my teeth shut.
Holy shit! I was being mouth-raped by a three-hundred-year-old psycho in a twelve-year-old body, and there was nothing I could do about it. First, I’d fucking killed a senior official in the current government’s administration, and now I would almost certainly end up on some sexual predator list for sure. Yeah, I was definitely having one of those days.
Still trying to protest, my mouth filled up with the blood from her sliced tongue. Gagging, I had no choice but to swallow and...and her power transferred into me. My muscles tensed as they strengthened, and feeling rushed back into my hands as the curious sensation of skin knitting itself back together took hold.
Reaching up, I grabbed hold of the side of her head...seemingly encouraging the little she-bitch even more so...and then used her own strength to try and pry her off of me.
Gah, it was like trying to disengage a stuck leech. In my short time upon this Earth, I will admit that the only kisses I have ever tried to escape were during the holidays - especially when Aunt Gertrude and her nicotine breath would visit. I never thought I’d be so eager to escape the affections of a non-related female.
Finally, I grabbed hold of her hair and managed to yank her away.
“Oh, my love, that was heavenly, unlike anything I...”
Perhaps it wasn’t the most sporting thing I’d ev
er done, but in that moment, I gave in to whatever dark instincts I had and decked the little creep with every ounce of power in me, sending her flying into a cluster of nearby chairs.
Footsteps sounded in my periphery and I turned to find Sheila standing there, sword in hand. For a moment, I wasn’t sure what she’d do, but she simply lowered the blade and chuckled. “You two have a really interesting relationship.”
“Don’t start with me,” I glowered, trying to wipe the taste of crazy off of my lips as I hopped nimbly back to my feet. I was forced to admit that, despite her methods, Gan had most certainly helped me. I was back to fighting strength and then some. Of course, that realization brought with it guilt. I mean, what kind of man sucker punches a preteen girl...even a psychotically insane one?
Gan was already back on her feet, wiping a small smear of blood from the side of her mouth. I wasn’t sure if it was from her cut or my punch, but it made me feel even worse.
I threw Sheila a glance and sighed before turning back to the little hellion. “Listen, Gan, I’m sorr...”
“Experiencing the fire inside of you makes my blood boil, beloved.”
And there went the guilt, replaced instead by the wish that I’d clubbed her twice as hard.
“If you are done canoodling with your paramours, I would be most appreciative if you would carry your weight in this battle,” Theodora said over her shoulder. Next to her, Yehoshua backhanded one of the Jahabich. It appeared as little more than a casual move, a slap of dismissal, but the rock monster’s head spun around nearly one hundred and eighty degrees from the force of it.
“Believe me, I’d like nothing better than to...”
A mass compulsion swept over us and drowned out the rest, nearly driving me back to my knees from its force. “TO ME, MY ALLIES!! IT IS TIME TO END THIS FARCE!!”
One of the greatest military minds of all time was summoning us. I could only hope it was for good cause.
Five Against the World
I may not be a tactical genius, but even I understood the painful reality of our situation. Fighting as we were, in small batches of survivors, we couldn’t hold out indefinitely. This was a major offensive on the Jahabich’s part. I took little comfort in how many of them we were taking down because I knew, judging from the lack of non-rocky bodies in the room, their fallen would be replenished if given enough time.
Alex’s group was fighting their way back toward one of the smaller exits. That seemed to make sense. At worst, it would give them a defensive position with a chance for a tactical retreat.
The other fighting groups were taking his lead and doing the same, joining up with each other to form a greater defense against the tide of enemies still pouring in through the open blast doors.
I looked up and saw our foes weren’t alone either. Fucking Farley and his traitorous friends stood there smiling as the rock monsters filed past. Those assholes needed to die, but there was a greater need beyond that - learning how they’d managed to pull it off. Everything about Farley screamed newb. That much even I could tell. Was he that good of an actor? Impossible. Alex had said they’d all been mass compelled to...
“Freewill!” Speak of the Devil. Alex called out to me from the vanguard of defenders.
My group was still a ways off from where the rest gathered and formed into lines. I wasn’t even sure what our place there would be as I had a feeling the surviving vamps wouldn’t be all too keen on fighting side by side with Sheila. If so, fuck them. I knew where my friends and I would stand.
Well, most of them anyway.
A glimpse of blonde hair from within the main group reminded me that Sally was still enthralled by Alex. Fuck me, but I had a feeling whatever he was beckoning me to do was going to be unpleasant. Whatever the case, I was in no position to decline.
“I’m here,” I called back, taking a moment to grab one of the rock monsters and toss it into two of its oncoming friends.
We finally made it to where Alex’s people were. The remaining guards all lined up and formed a phalanx in front of the group. Several members of the Draculas, James included, stood in the center to meet the foes funneled down to them.
Sheila stood a little ways back, no doubt wary of any potential trickery. Probably a smart idea around this deck of many assholes. Gan, of course, was practically plastered to my side. Her hand brushed against mine, and I immediately jerked it back as if I’d just touched a spider.
I’m sure Alex noticed, but in a rare moment of tact, he apparently thought better of mentioning it. “This room is a poor defensive choice,” he said in a low voice to me without any preamble. “Reinforcements have been summoned. We will join up with them beyond this exit and utilize the tunnels of this complex to bottleneck our enemies and drive them out.”
“Sounds good to...”
“However, we cannot allow ourselves to be flanked. I will personally lead the effort to destroy the remaining filth in this room, but we need the main bunker door sealed so more cannot take their place.”
Oh crap. There it was: a suicide mission with my name written all over it. Hell, he couldn’t have planned this better had he let the Jahabich in himself. Hmm, a small part of me wondered about that. Was it possible...?
“I charge you with this undertaking, Freewill,” he said in a slightly louder voice so those around us could hear. “Do so and I will grant you clemency.”
What a crock. He had me by the shorthairs and knew it. This was just pomp and circumstance for the masses.
I glanced back toward the open door on the far end of the auditorium and suppressed a shudder. “Sure. It should be a piece of cake.” There was no way I would give him or the rest of these assholes the pleasure of knowing I was this close to soiling my already none-too-clean pants.
Even so, I was a bit surprised. I had thought Alex wanted to keep me around for some purpose, so why send me on what was quite likely a one-way trip? If I failed, it wouldn’t exactly help his cause.
“I’ll go too,” Sheila said. “Someone has to keep you alive for our final battle.” There was enough sarcasm in that last part to bring a smile to my face, even under these circumstances, but regardless, it seemed to go over at least one person’s head.
“That is wise, Shining One,” Gan replied. “I, too, shall accompany you.”
“Afraid we’re going to run off together?” Sheila asked abruptly. Thank goodness I wasn’t drinking anything, for surely I’d have done a spit-take at that.
Gan’s response was matter of fact in tone, with no trace she’d caught the playful note in Sheila’s voice. “Not at all. Dr. Death and I are fated to be wed following your demise.”
Suddenly, the thought of a suicide mission wasn’t all that scary.
“Theodora, kindly go with them.”
I spun back toward Alex so quickly, I’m surprised I didn’t give myself whiplash.
“We’re not gonna try to escape,” Sheila said.
“I would hope not with the halls beyond full of an invading force,” Alex replied curtly. “If you did so, it would mean you were either foolish or in league with them.”
“Then I fail to see what purpose...”
Alex was ready for Theodora’s protest, though. “I wish you there as witness, dear Theodora. As one of the First, your accounting of what happens shall be key once we resume our proceedings. Your opinion is, after all, beyond reproach.” His tone suggested anything but that. However, I wasn’t about to open my mouth and suddenly find my mission made any tougher. “If you fear for your life against these creatures, though...”
“I fear nothing of the sort. I have proudly stood against far worse in my day.”
And there it was. Alex had told me earlier that his rule came down to careful planning and innovation when it mattered. He was clearly doing some of the latter right now. The only question was whether he was just sending Thea as a slap on the wrist for mouthing off earlier or if he knew she’d turned against him.
> “I’ll go too,” James said, stepping up to us. “I am familiar with these...”
“The Jahabich. Yes, I know,” Alex replied. “That is why I want you leading the offensive until such time as I am able to clear this room, Wanderer. That will go a long way toward your atonement.”
Whatever Alex meant by that - although I’d have bet my left testicle he was referring to James’s defeat up in Boston - it had the desired effect. James dropped his eyes and nodded respectfully, not putting up any more fight. Goddamn, what had this bunch done to him?
“Very well then,” Alex proclaimed. “A small contingent led by me will remain behind until this room is secured. The rest will evacuate and join up with our reinforcements to begin the purge.” He turned and raised his voice to compulsion level. “THERE IS NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE TO HIM WHO WILL TRY!! VICTORY TO THE STRONGEST!!”
A cheer rang up amongst the assembled and our fate was thus sealed.
♦ ♦ ♦
“Hey,” a familiar voice said to me as I was trying to figure out the best way to not die.
“Sally?” I spun back, to find her standing there.
“I just wanted to say good luck.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m...”
“Do you remember anything? Anything at all?”
“Okay, weirdo,” she said, backing up, “I just wanted to wish you good luck. That wasn’t a fucking invitation for anything else.”
Shit! Before she could turn completely away, though, I said, “Be careful.”
“Always am,” she replied, walking toward the rear exit.
Silently swearing I’d find a way to fix her, I turned and almost let out a scream. Gan stood creepily close to me, well inside my personal space.
“I believe your whore has been compelled.”
“I know.”
“We must undo it when this battle is completed.”
I was touched. For all the crazy going through her, I hadn’t assumed she would have cared at all for Sally. That she did meant a lot to me.
“I wish to have words with her over the death of Monkhbat and her lying about the witch’s survival.”
The Tome of Bill Series: Books 5-8 (Goddamned Freaky Monsters, Half A Prayer, The Wicked Dead, The Last Coven) Page 67
