Hunting Trip (Hidden Blood Book 3)

by Al K. Line

  I'd seen these carvings before, but not on this scale. It was almost like they meant more than they did at first glance, as though they were telling me something I couldn't decipher. As if the lines were leading somewhere of terrible significance and I was too far removed from the culture to understand where I was headed or the true import of this.

  The lead dwarf and the trolls seemed to understand what was happening though, were acting as if we were somewhere holy. Maybe we were. Maybe he was taking us all to pray. Or maybe he was taking us to the bowels of Hell itself and I'd be thrown into a fiery pit of eternal damnation for my sins that were accruing more rapidly by the hour.

  Maybe I deserved nothing less.

  The tunnel was perfectly straight, did not deviate in any way, yet there was no light at the end that I could see, just more of the same. The further we walked, the more intense the patterns became, everything taking on a jagged edge, the sweeping lines turning angry, barbed with thorns and the semi-abstract imagery becoming increasingly violent. Color was implemented, and rather than the work being straight carvings into the rock the patterns were stained with minerals.

  It began with blues and yellows, as if representing the outside world. Calm colors morphed into garish purple, then red and orange, fierce colors and random striations like the walls had been slashed and were bleeding, the patterns finally interrupted. Then the flow broke until everything turned nightmarish, the beauty replaced with more and more weaponry, shapes that could be humanoid if you squinted and used your imagination a little.

  Long lines bisected the figures in endless configurations, splitting heads and slicing limbs, innards spilled only to begin new patterns that meandered to the next victim where bodies were sliced in two and large axes were carved in realistic ways that made me want to reach out and grab one just so I felt like I stood a chance of defending myself.

  Finally it all fell apart in a spectacular way.

  The dwarf stopped at the end of the tunnel, facing a solid wall. The patterns from the wall and ceiling converged, then erupted in fiery bursts of bright splatters of pigment, breaking into pieces a representation of the sun, burned reddish brown with jagged edges. In the center of all this madness was a simple eye. No color, just black and white, yet all the more freaky because of it.

  I had no idea what it signified, but the knot in my stomach told me it was nothing good, that I was not about to be reunited with my family so we could all go home and have a nice cuppa in the kitchen.

  This was a serious business for the dwarves, the trolls too, and this bloody eye staring into my soul and freaking me out was screaming at me but I couldn't understand what it was saying.

  With a sound like thunder in an enclosed space, the wall slid slowly to the right, revealing more darkness, more emptiness.

  I somehow understood that this next space was larger than the last, that this was a truly vast place we'd been led to. I tried to use my enhanced vision, but as before I got nothing. Something about the spaces negated any magic I could use to see better, so the only light was that of the dwarf's, and all he revealed in the next room was a polished rock floor.

  He began to walk. We followed.

  I considered jumping down and running off, but where to?

  I could still see that eye, it was imprinted in my mind and I did not like what it was doing to my insides. They were squirming like they wanted to pop out of my belly button and crawl away, and that couldn't be good, right?

  Dumped

  The dwarf turned and acknowledged me for the first time. He nodded, holding my gaze, then turned his head and blew out the flame with powerful lungs. The after-effects of the light lingered for a second or two then I was in total darkness, and before I had chance to ask where the light switch was, the troll lifted me off his shoulders with massive, yet surprisingly gentle hands and placed me down carefully on the ground.

  I dared not move, didn't know what was expected of me but knew I was meant to stand still. I felt as much as heard the trolls move, a shifting of air currents and a slow, steady rumble vibrating through the rock. It went on for several minutes yet I knew they were still in the room. Just how big was this place? Their movements became more distant until the only sound was the beating of my heart.

  Should I call out? Should I walk? Should I try to run? Haha, like there was anywhere to run. And besides, this was the end game, of that I was sure. Whatever was going to go down, and go down it would, this was where it all led. Why, I had no idea. What any of this was about was a mystery, but here I was, and here I would remain until someone told me different.

  A light appeared far, far away, so I shrugged, and walked.

  I cannot begin to describe the feeling of moving through absolute darkness toward a single spot of light many minutes distant when you know there are thousands of pairs of eyes belonging to trolls, and whatever else was out there, tracking your progress because they could see in this blackness. My footsteps echoed strangely, the sound bouncing off the bodies I knew were amassed, but never reaching the end of the place I was in.

  My footsteps were steady and confident though. I forced myself to neither run nor dawdle, but to own it. Keeping up the pace, forcing confidence I did not feel into my steps, actually helped settle nerves I thought had left long ago. Truth be told, I was very scared, and it took a lot to scare me now. I followed the light, keeping my head up high and my shoulders back, although if anyone was staring at the gaping hole at my rear, one cheek feeling like it was poking out the ripped leather, I'm sure the effect would have been somewhat tarnished.

  Whatever, let them look. Trolls didn't go in for firm yet wobbly female bottoms anyway, but still, it kind of hurt my pride.

  Minute after minute I walked, and then I was only a handful of paces from the light. It was a simple torch like the dwarf's, left lying on the ground, burning steadily with a definite tang of something animal judging by the strong odor and smoke it emitted.

  It lit only several feet of rocky ground, but I kept going, and only stopped once I was within the ring of brightness. As I did, quieter footsteps from the other side of the fire approached and my heart leaped. I may not have heard them often, but I'd recognize them anywhere.

  I leapt the flame and hugged my son so tight.

  "You're alive! Thank God."

  "Hello, Mother. Quite an adventure, isn't it?"

  I released my bear hug and we stood holding hands, illuminated by the light. He looked fine, he looked calm and in control, a slight knowing smile on his face. "What happened? You shouldn't have run off like that."

  "Sorry, but I had to try. I found the clearing, then this horde of trolls swept me up and then a dwarf led me here."

  "Same for me. Hell, there must be thousands and thousands of trolls in here then. What are they playing at?"

  "I think I know." Kane smiled at me, not in a happy way, but in a, ooh, this is gonna be epic, and probably far from nice, way.

  "Think maybe you want to share?"

  "They're fed up with us."

  "Who, the trolls?"

  "Um, not just them. I think it's the dwarves too. And, er, maybe some others, not sure."

  "How'd you mean?"

  "I mean look at all the madness we create. Humans I mean. Maybe they want to teach us a lesson?"

  I thought for a moment, but it didn't feel right. "No, this is just behavior as usual, I'm afraid. It's because of you."

  "Why would the trolls or the dwarves care about me?"

  "I have absolutely no idea. But I think we're going to find out. Did you see the vampires? Did you see your father?"

  "Not up close, just lots of vampires in the distance, then the trolls came."

  I squeezed Kane's hands and tried to reassure him, but I doubt it helped him much as I wasn't exactly feeling full of confidence myself. "Don't worry, I'm sure everything will be fine."

  Famous last words, right?

  Time to Say Urgle

  Something huge, and undoubtedly heavy, scrape
d across the ground. How I imagined it must be if you're stuck between two continents sliding past each other. Rock pulverizing, coastlines smashing, that kind of thing.

  Wind roared through the opening for a moment, but there was no way to know where it was or how large it truly was. The flame at our feet was snuffed out and we held each other tight as thousands upon thousands of new lights appeared like stars in the night sky, all moving slowly from just off-center of where we faced. They were too distant to give any sign of who was carrying them, more a hint of light than making a difference to the overwhelming darkness. Then the sound came again and with it more wind, and then a final thud that closed the opening. The lights vanished.

  Darkness again.

  We stood there, both of us rigid, but I could tell Kane had his back straight and his shoulders squared just like his mum.

  Without warning, and I really would have liked some, everything was bathed in dwarven light. It was everywhere and nowhere, illuminating the vast space with no visible sign of its source. Not that I took any time to ponder such things anyway, I was focusing on the hordes of trolls and dwarves that had amassed.

  We stood at the center of a circle with a hundred meter diameter, and then, and I have to hand it to them, it was pretty well orchestrated, ten thousand dwarves encircled us, each dressed in full battle regalia. Meaning, they wore their usual clothes consisting of lots of leather, plenty of chain mail, and more weapons than was probably strictly necessary, plus requisite hammers and chisels and bags for any gold they might happen to find.

  Ranked behind them, stretching as far as I could see, and I could see a long way now, were trolls. Countless trolls. It was impossible to tell how many as they simply kept on going, all the colors of the earth and its bounty, quartz and salts and minerals and everything ever found beneath the earth formed in, over, or around their rock bodies, some sparkling, some as dark as coal. From average, to the truly impressive ones you never met as they were too massive to belong anywhere but in the dark places and the high mountains far away from humanity.

  It felt like the entire world population of trolls had descended on this place, but I knew that couldn't have been true as how could they have arrived so quickly? But then I realized they could have, because if the dwarves allowed them to use their endless passages and places where the borders between worlds became blurred, then spanning continents became as easy as crossing the street.

  Everyone was still, all eyes were on us, and it was very difficult not to run screaming, except the only thing I'd run into was an axe.

  Kane turned to me, much calmer than I was, and said, "Is it often like this, Mother?" He seemed amused, like he wanted to chuckle, and as his smile spread so did mine despite myself, until I couldn't control it any longer and I laughed until my belly hurt because of the sheer ridiculousness of the whole thing.

  He joined me, because it was one of those contagious laughs that you couldn't help but find hilarious, and when we'd laughed ourselves dry I answered my son. "Not normally, no. This is, um, pretty unique, even for me."

  "It makes being alive very interesting," noted Kane. "I'm glad you had me."

  "So am I." With his words I felt a world of suffering, doubt, self-recrimination, and self-hate lift. Whatever happened, I'd done the right thing by bringing my beautiful boy into this world. Were there things I would change if I could? You betcha. But he was here, I was here, and he had seen such wonders to make any Hidden envious.

  I lifted my head, wiped my eyes, and addressed the room in general. "Okay, enough games. What's this about?"

  The dwarf who had guided our way stepped forward directly in front of us and paused after several steps. "It's about the future. The future of us all." There were murmurs of agreement from dwarf and troll alike. "This has gone on long enough. Today it gets settled. We either remain a part of your world, or we retreat to our own and never return. Today it will be decided."

  "I don't understand." I didn't, I really didn't.

  "Your Council is laughable. They allow some of your kind to kill indiscriminately. Kill the Regulars, and do nothing. They contradict your own morality, your own Laws. All our Laws. The time has finally come for there to be a change. Either the Hidden world is reset, the world where we interact with humans, or we no longer play a part in it. It is up to you."

  He was looking straight at me. Was he confused? Was he out of his mind? "Do you mean my son? He's the one everyone seems to think is a prophet. Which I assure you he is not. I'm just his mother."

  "No, I mean you. This. Ends. Now."

  And before I could argue, or ask more questions, like how the hell he expected me to do anything about the countless vampires throughout the world who killed innocents, the way behind him parted and revealed, not one, not two, but several thousand vampires. Every vampire that had departed before I ran riot in the city.

  So this was what the dwarf was talking about. He expected me to kill them all, destroy them and set something else in motion.

  If he did, then he would be severely disappointed. I was strong, and Kane more so, but there were limits. Hell, Oskari had crucified me. I didn't stand a chance fighting just him, let alone thousands of my kind.

  Then I saw Faz held in Oskari's tight grip as the vampires got closer, and then Dancer and Persimmon held fast by others, and the fear in Mithnite's eyes, and I decided, fuck it, I'd give it a good go.

  Rough Around the Edges

  Oskari stopped at the front of the crowd, directly in line with the dwarves. It wasn't that it looked like he particularly wanted to, it was the dwarves barring his way with axes that made him halt. He snarled at them but stopped nonetheless. Even he knew it was a bad idea to piss off that many dudes with weapons, let alone the thousands of trolls there as back-up to ensure nobody did anything unsanctioned.

  The way parted after the dwarf in charge whispered in Oskari's ear. The Head nodded and released Faz. Persimmon, Dancer, and Mithnite were also freed. Dwarves shifted aside until there was a large space for the vampires to spread out, and spread out they did. They ended up standing in a line fifty wide, Oskari at the center. Row after row were behind, all looking pissed off, rightfully scared, and probably wishing they could go home.

  I didn't care, I only had eyes for Faz. He looked rough, but he was in one piece, and his suit had held up remarkably well considering he'd obviously been through the wringer. Dancer and Persimmon were in similar condition, ruffled but no sign of any serious wounds, just bruises and dirt on their clothes, maybe a tear here or there. Mithnite was hardly touched, but the way he moved told me he'd had no easy ride.

  Faz rubbed at his arm and took in what faced him before his eyes locked on mine. Electricity ran through my body and I saw him shudder like he felt the same thing. It was only then I really understood the deep connection we had with each other, forged through love, pain, excitement, more than our fair share of sorrow, magic, death, murder, and lots of laughs and cringe-inducing quips on his part.

  He stepped forward cautiously, probably because he expected to be stopped, but Oskari didn't move and neither did any vampire. Mithnite joined Faz and then Persimmon and Dancer were on the move too. Then I was moving, Kane's hand still in mine, until we were embracing. My heart leaped for joy. Faz broke from me and turned to Kane.

  "You've grown," he said, like he knew exactly what had been happening.

  "Hello, Father, nice to meet you."

  "You too, Son." Faz pulled Kane to him and hugged him tight. I saw him sag, saw the tension drop from his body, and the energy surge with renewed hope. Faz would do anything to save his son, same as I would.

  This was not over. Not by a long shot.

  "What happened? How are you, er, like this?" asked Faz.

  "Long story, Father. The vampires are to blame, but um, I am one too."

  "What!?" Faz turned and I flinched. I couldn't help it, I began to cry.

  "I tried to stop it, to stop him, but we were about to be killed and…"

 
"I'm not angry." Faz frowned and his jaw clenched as he turned and said, "I'm going to kill you," as he stared at Oskari. Oskari didn't even flinch. He was one cool customer under pressure.

  "No, I am," I said, and I damn well meant it.

  Before we all had the chance to even say much of anything else, the dwarf marched up to us and said, "Now there are two sides. I assume you're enemies of the vampires who would kill innocents?"

  We agreed, we all always had, but even Dancer was unable to stop them, was controlled by the Council he himself ran for our country, and much as he hated it he didn't have the manpower to even attempt to stop their deadly, but usually covert feeding.

  "Then it begins!" the dwarf bellowed.

  Dwarves and trolls closed in, pushing the vampires forward, and then it was them and us.

  Only problem being, them and us was us six against several thousand very pissed off vampires led by the deadliest Head the country had ever known.

  Stacked Odds

  Once the vampires had been directed forward, the circle of dwarves and trolls backed up to accommodate them. There were more than I'd thought. Way more. No way could we fight them and win. We were gonna be obliterated. The vampires amassed where they'd been herded, forty or fifty deep, going back row after row, with Oskari at the head. Once the others had retreated, they spread out forming a large semi-circle, acting in unison, directed by Oskari's will.

  I felt it pushing at my mind as he tried to force himself on me. Kane grunted and shook his head as if to dislodge a gnat and then he nodded at me.

  Oskari emitted a low grumble of anger and frustration then removed his glasses. His cold eyes burned with hatred. There was also a deep, almost uncontrollable lust. Not for the joys of the flesh, but for the anticipation of power. Part of him wanted Kane to resist his advances, for it proved just how useful he was.