Blood Ties

by Mari Mancusi

  Jareth makes a face but nods, taking Jayden’s hands into his own. “Jayden,” he whispers. “I need you to focus on that hole. The one Corbin climbs through at night to read your thoughts. Do you see it?”

  Jayden squeezes his eyes shut, then blinks a few times. Finally, he nods excitedly. “There’s a small burn,” he announces. “Near the back of my brain. It looks new. And... well, infected, I guess. Kind of juicy.”

  My stomach roils. TMI big-time, Jayden. But Jareth gives us a thumbs-up. “Now, Jayden,” he continues, “I want you to crawl down that hole. Down the dark tunnel until you see the light on the other side. Can you do that for me?”

  Jayden nods, blinking furiously now. “It’s so dark,” he moans. “So black. So full of hate.”

  “Yup, that sounds like Corbin’s brain, all right,” I can’t help but interject. The two vampires shoot me warning looks.

  “Look through his eyes, Jayden. What do you see?”

  “A... temple,” Jayden replies, after giving it some thought. “I think it’s some kind of ancient temple.”

  “Good boy,” Jareth encourages, even though we knew that part already. “But I need more details.

  Things about the temple Corbin knows. Search his brain. What do you see?”

  “It’s large, painted red and gold. There are paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling,” he explains slowly. “There are many people wandering about. Tourists. Worshipers. They write down prayers and burn them in the fire in hopes they will be answered. They think the temple is a place of good. They don’t know its inner secrets. Corbin longs for their innocence.”

  “Yeah, I bet he does,” I mutter.

  Jareth squeezes Jayden’s hands. “A name, Jayden, I need a name. Or a neighborhood, at least. Where is this temple Corbin is looking at? What’s its name?”

  My friend moans loudly, shaking his head from side to side. “It’s there,” he says, “but it’s hidden. He doesn’t want me to see. He doesn’t want anyone to see his plan.” He cries out in horror. “What is he going to do? No! I can’t look anymore. His mind is too black!”

  “Jayden, come on!” I plead. “Please! My sister’s life is at stake here!”

  “He can’t hear you, Sunny,” Magnus whispers. Jayden rocks back and forth, his forehead etched with distress, his eyes squeezed shut. “The temple…” he tries. “The temple... the temple is called...” We all three lean forward in anticipation.

  “Sensô-ji,” he murmurs in scarcely a whisper. Then he falls back onto the mat in a deep faint.

  24

  Fortunately for us, the Sensô-ji temple is right in the ryokan’s neighborhood of Asakusa and we’re able to get there in about ten minutes on foot, dashing through neon-lit streets, past karaoke bars and loud, clanging pachinko parlors until we reach the compound. We enter through a massive red “thunder gate” flanked by statues and adorned with a gigantic red paper lantern, as Jayden had described, and enter a different era of Japan. The neon lights fade away, replaced by a narrow gauntlet of tiny shops that probably haven’t changed much since ancient pilgrims used to traverse them, on their way to pray to Buddha for their hearts’ desires. (Though their wares, back in the old days, may not have included so many Hello Kittys or cell phone cases.) Of course, at three in the morning, everything’s closed and even the most dedicated of tourists have long since gone to bed.

  At last we reach an equally impressive two-story inner gate, which, according to the signs, is known as the Hozo-mon. More lanterns hang from its rafters as well as an inexplicable pair of giant-sized sandals. To the right is a five-story pagoda, rising high into the sky.

  I give a low whistle. “This place is incredible,” I murmur to Jareth and Magnus. “I can’t believe the Alphas picked this as their HQ.”

  “It’s because it’s holy ground,” Magnus explains and I suddenly realize he’s sweating profusely. “Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just the Christian religion—crosses and Holy Water—that affect us. In fact, any religious icons or land deemed sacred by mortals can weaken a vampire.”

  I look at him, concerned. “Is that going to be a problem?”

  “It is if you were counting on us using vampire powers to rescue your sister,” Jareth interjects, also looking as if he’s suddenly come down with the flu. “We’re about at mortal strength now. The farther we go into the temple, the weaker we’ll be.”

  “Well, I guess it’s good you brought along a fairy,” I reply smugly. But inside, I’m worried. How are we ever going to get Rayne out if my two superheroes are as weak as little lambs?

  We had to leave Jayden behind at the ryokan, of course, seeing what a liability he’d be if Corbin decided to go and rescan his brain. But we untied him first and Jareth even hooked him up with some fake memories through hypnosis, once he woke up from his faint. If Corbin does decide to go spying, he’s going to be pretty bored watching Jayden playing pachinko down at the local arcade.

  “How do we get in?” Jareth wonders aloud, studying the second gate with a critical eye. “This place is huge.”

  I nod, taking it all in. The Alphas could be holed up in any one of the structures. Or all of them, for that matter. How do we find out where they’re keeping my sister?

  Suddenly, as if in answer, I catch a flash of red out of the corner of my eye. I whirl around. “Look!” I cry, pointing to a red-cloaked individual sprinting across the yard. “Either Little Red Riding Hood’s come to Japan on vacation or that’s an Alpha we can follow.”

  The vampires nod and we creep down the street, keeping the red cloak in our sights. The figure ducks behind a prayer tree and around the gate until he stops in front of a large blank wall. He knocks twice and to my surprise, the wall creaks open, revealing a passageway into the darkness. Score! The man steps inside and the wall slides closed again.

  “I knew there had to be some kind of secret entrance,” I exclaim excitedly. “Come on, let’s go!”

  “You can’t just waltz in there,” Magnus reminds me. “Especially if you’re a vampire.”

  “He’s right,” Jareth agrees. “We’ll stick out like a sore fang if we walk in there like this. And without our vampire powers, we’re screwed.”

  I open my mouth to speak, but snap it shut as I hear someone else approaching. The three of us dive behind a nearby fence and watch as two more red-cloaked individuals stroll toward the doorway. Jareth looks at Magnus and nods, and before I even realize what’s going on, they step out and face the two men. They may not have vampire strength, but they do have the element of surprise and a thousand years of practice. Knocking the two men out cold before they can scream, they drag them back behind the fence and strip them of their cloaks.

  “Nice trick,” I say, stepping out of my hiding place. “But I can do one better.” I close my eyes and try to visualize the face of one of the Alphas. A moment later, I smile at Jareth and Magnus, a full-on Leanna imitator if there ever was one, right down to her Victorian skirt and leather corset. “Now, boys,” I say with a grin, “step right this way.” I walk boldly up to the secret door and knock as I saw the first guy do.

  A moment later a pair of eyes peeks out of the peephole. I smile widely. “It’s me, Leanna,” I say in an impatient voice. “Hurry up.”

  The gate slides open and the guard ushers us inside. He bows low to me, then turns to the two vampires with a suspicious gaze. “Who are you?” he demands. “Do you have ID?”

  “What?” I cry, butting in and stepping between him and the two vampires. “Are you new or something? You don’t recognize an Alpha when you see one?”

  The guard blushes. “Sorry, Miss Leanna,” he apologizes. “I mean no disrespect.”

  “I should hope not,” I scold. “Or next time I shall be forced to speak to Roberta about your... memory problems.” I cross my fingers that the old headmistress from back at Riverdale is still leading this motley crew.

  Evidently so, from the way the guard stammers and shakes. “Please don’t,” he begs. “She�
�ll take away my Alpha status. And I won’t get to take the sacrament tonight with everyone else.”

  The sacrament? Does that have something to do with the theft of the Holy Grail? “Don’t worry,” I assure him in my most benevolent voice. “I’ll say nothing. If, of course, you do me a favor and let me know where Corbin is. I have a message for him.”

  The guard’s face betrays his ultimate relief. If he weren’t a bad guy, I’d feel sorry for him right about now. “Of course,” he agrees eagerly, swiping the sweat from his brow. “He’s down in the basement lab with Dr. Franken. They’re preparing the sacrament.”

  The sacrament again. What are the Alphas planning?

  “Thank you,” I say. “I’ll go see him at once.” I beckon the boys to follow me and we all step into the elevator and I hit the only floor marked. The elevator begins its descent.

  “Okay, we’ll split up once we get down below,” Jareth instructs. “Hunt for this so-called sacrament room. If you find Rayne, text us your location and we’ll get her out of there.”

  I nod as the elevator doors slide open into a long dark, narrow corridor. But just as we’re about to step out, none other than Corbin himself, flanked by four other red-hooded initiates I don’t recognize, turns the corner. My fingers fumble with the “close door” button, but it’s no use. His eyes alight upon me and he holds out a hand, blocking the doors.

  “There you are!” he cries. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Come, we’re almost ready to begin.”

  He grabs me by the arm and tries to lead me away. Behind me I can hear Magnus and Jareth try to follow. But Corbin stops and turns to them. “I just need Leanna,” he says. “The rest of you need to head to the ceremony. We’ll be ready to begin soon.”

  The four other initiates nod and gesture for Jareth and Magnus to follow them. They have no choice— without their vampire strength, they’d be no match for four trained slayers—and reluctantly start walking down the hall in the other direction, glancing behind them as they go.

  “Where are they going?” I ask Corbin as he hustles me down the hall.

  “To the temple, of course,” he says, looking surprised. “Everyone’s gathered for the sacrament. I figured that’s where you were leading them.”

  “Oh, right, yeah. That’s what I was doing.”

  We make a few turns down a narrow, closed-in hallway with low ceilings, which gives me major claustrophobia all over again. And this time I don’t have Jayden there to hold my hand. I try to keep my breathing normal, though my heart’s beating a thousand miles a minute. Where is Corbin taking me? Does he really buy my disguise or am I walking into a trap?

  Finally, we stop in front of an old wooden door, covered in kanji symbols. Corbin pushes it open and ushers me inside. It appears to be some kind of prayer room that’s been turned into a makeshift laboratory, with test tubes bubbling over Bunsen burners and vials of red liquid stashed on almost every available surface. Evidently the Night School experiments are continuing here in Japan.

  But I disregard all the mess. Because in the center of the room is the pièce de résistance. The Holy Grail itself, sitting inside a formative-looking glass case. And behind it, strapped to a hospital bed, is my sister.

  My breath catches in my throat as my eyes search her body for signs of life. I let out a sigh of relief as I catch a slight rise and fall of her chest. She looks weak and unconscious. But she’s alive. We’re not too late.

  Though, at the moment, I’m in no position to do any rescuing...

  “Look how cute she is when she’s asleep,” Corbin sneers, walking over to Rayne and poking her nastily. I dig my fingernails into my palm, forcing myself to stay in character. I can’t fight Corbin by myself. I need to figure out another way.

  “So how does the whole sacrament thing work again?” I ask, stalling for time, hoping it’s not a dumb question.

  “Why, it’s quite simple, my dear,” says a new voice. Behind Corbin, I see another man walk into the lab. A total mad-scientist type in desperate need of a good eyebrow wax. I remember Rayne talking about a Dr. Franken back at Night School. This must be the guy.

  “It is?”

  “Absolutely,” he says, evidently proud of his plan. The bad guys always are, aren’t they? “Each initiate will get a few drops of vamshee blood, followed by a chaser of Holy Grail.”

  Oh-kay then. “And... why the Holy Grail again? I mean, won’t that just destroy the vampire cells?”

  “It will suppress them, yes. But not destroy them,” replies Dr. Franken. “Which is exactly what we need when injecting a vampire/fairy blood cocktail into our subjects. Otherwise the vampire blood cells will start attacking the human cells too quickly—destroying them before they have a chance to bond with the fairy ones and grow strong enough to survive.” He shakes his head sorrowfully. “Leaving our poor candidates in very bad shape. Most likely comatose.”

  I shudder, remembering all the bodies back in Night School—the failed experiments. “But the Holy Grail will fix all that?” I ask, wishing I’d paid better attention in chemistry class.

  Corbin nods. “Yes. That, combined with the weakening effects of being on sacred ground, will give the fairy cells a chance to bond with the human ones. Then, as the Grail suppressant wears off, the vampire cells will regain their strength. But, by that time, the fairy/human cell compound has already grown strong and all the cells will have no choice but to work together.”

  “And then,” Dr. Franken finishes triumphantly, “we will have successfully created an all-powerful vamshee, a creature with the powers of both the vampire and the fairy. The most exquisite—and deadly—creature the Earth has ever seen.”

  “We’ve already had three successful transformations tonight,” Corbin adds. “And now it’s time to start building our army.”

  Dr. Franken cackles. “Those stupid Consortium vampires won’t know what hit them,” he says. “They’ll be surrendering quicker than you can say ‘fresh blood.’ ” He rubs his hands together in glee. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some last-minute preparations to make.” He bows his head, then turns to leave the room.

  Once he’s gone, Corbin grabs my hands in his own cold ones and dances around the room, pulling me with him. “That was reat!” he tells me. “You played your part perfectly! Dr. Franken thinks we’re completely on board with his stupid plan!” He laughs loudly. “If only he knew!”

  Huh? I’m so confused now. Corbin’s double- crossing the Alphas? Could he be a good guy all along? Maybe even working for the Consortium as a double agent?

  Before I can open my mouth to ask the questions, Corbin leans down and plants a kiss on my lips. “Aren’t you excited, my love?” he breathes.

  “Excited about what?” asks a voice through the doorway.

  I look up just in time to see the real Leanna step into the lab.

  Oh, crap.

  25

  So I might not have mentioned this before, but there’s one major downside to fairy shape-shifting. Namely, if you run into the person you’re currently shape-shifted as, well, the illusion shatters instantly, leaving you looking just like your old miserable self again. Which is exactly what happens to me, the second the real Leanna steps into the room.

  “You!” Corbin cries, a look of horror washing over his face as he suddenly realizes he just basically gave away his entire evil plan to his number-one enemy.

  “What’s going on here?” Leanna demands. “Why is the vamshee not tied up?”

  “It’s not her, it’s her meddling little sister,” Corbin growls. “Get her!”

  I glance desperately around the room, begging for an escape route, but unfortunately for me, Leanna’s blocking the only way out and the ceilings are too low for me to take flight. Why, oh why, didn’t I have the foresight to bring some sort of stake with me or something? Though I suppose that would only take out Corbin. I’d still have his little human girlfriend— not to mention a temple full of Alpha operatives—to contend with.

/>   This is so not good.

  Corbin grabs me from behind, pinning my arms to my sides. I try my best to squirm away, but even with his vampire strength subdued, he’s still too strong. He drags me into the room’s back closet and pushes me down onto an empty chair.

  “Get me some rope,” he instructs Leanna, who runs to comply. He looks down at me, his face twisted in hate. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t kill you now,” he demands.

  Fear pounds in my heart, my mind drawing a complete blank. I mean, sure, I can probably think of thousands of reasons I should stay alive, but likely none of them would work to sway him. (“I’ve never gotten to swim the English Channel,” for example, just ain’t going to cut it.)

  Though there is something...

  “Because I’m a fairy,” I reply. “And girlfriend of the Blood Coven master. Which makes me a very valuable prisoner, in case something goes wrong with your oh-so-clever plan.”

  Corbin opens his mouth to reply—but Leanna returns at that moment with some rope and together the two of them set out to tie me up. I guess I should be thrilled right about now that he’s evidently decided against killing me in cold blood, though, to be honest, I just can’t seem to muster up the appropriate level of enthusiasm.

  “What’s your deal?” I demand, trying not to yelp as he yanks the cord tight around my wrist. “I thought you hated the Alphas after what they did to you. Why are you helping them now?”

  Corbin nods to Leanna, who walks over and shuts the closet door. Then he turns to me. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he spits. “I’m not really helping them. And I’m certainly not going to let them create an army of disgusting monsters. Hell, the world’s got enough vampires already. The last thing we need is an army of super-undead being run by crazy people who want to take over the world.”

  Slight hope rises within me. Maybe I was right— maybe he is actually a double agent. “Who are you working for then?” I demand.