The confident Dawn Fang is about to take a deep breath to inhale all of the poison when he is grabbed by the ankle and yanked into a shadow. On the verge of a rage-fueled rampage, he roars loud enough to scare the nearest monsters away. He whirls around to begin screaming at Mab, his words sticking in his throat when he sees that her face is partially covered in burns that are already healing. She grabs Clyde by the shirt to make sure he does not float away before reaching up to stick a clawed finger into the tavern. Having never attempted such a trick before, sweat flows down her body as she concentrates on drawing the poison into the darkness. Unable to physically grab the fog, the burglar tries to will the shadows to act like a vacuum. It takes a few minutes for her to figure out what to do and she quickly holds her breath while pushing Clyde away. The purple poison billows through the opening and envelopes Mab as it drifts down in search of something to stick to. Her eyes burn as she feels the vapor stick to her clothes, so she strips down to her underwear and casts the contaminated garments away.
“Glad I didn’t wear my jacket,” the burglar says as her muscles start to lock. She is about to succumb to the poison when Clyde pops a split finger into her mouth. “Lord’s Rage makes your blood more potent. We need to remember that. One of these days, I’ll find a way to get out of trouble that doesn’t involve feeding off you. Are the others okay?”
“Bob got the worst of it, but he’ll be fine in a few minutes,” Clyde replies as they float through the darkness. He chuckles when they pass a speck of light and his partner swiftly reaches a hand in to pull new clothes out of an unsuspecting store. “That feels like cheating. Maybe the two of us have become too powerful to be thieves. Can’t think of any other hobbies though. Feel up to telling me what happened? I thought you were going to chase the person you saw taking Lost, but you came back really quickly.”
“Stephanie changed her redirection ritual, so I didn’t notice the trap,” Mab groans before peeling a layer of dead skin off her cheek. Casting the burnt flesh towards a curious dog-like creature, she kicks her legs and heads for a nearby light. “I’m letting our voices carry through, so the others can hear. Seems that Archillious guy took Lost on his own and was on his way to meet up with Decker, Kai, and Stephanie. I got a glimpse of the forest they were in before I was shunted into a Duragian shrine. Landed right in front of my own old wanted poster and had to escape in a way that made it look like I was weakened by the sun. Always wondered why those idiots had curtains if they loved Durag so much, but I’m thankful this time. Anyway, I have a general idea of where they are, but I can’t travel by shadows.”
Coming through the floor, Clyde is pushed through first and he lifts Titus over his head to let Mab crawl into the room. Hearing the large warrior clear his throat, the smirking vampire casually tosses his friend to Luther, who turns into a raven and darts out of the way. Only Bob laughs while the others work on massaging their aching muscles and masking their wounded pride. Without warning, Chastity punches the mirrored wall and catches the shards with her telekinesis. Her hair whips around as if caught in a breeze while she has the glass float around her body. Even Clyde gets out of the hostess’s way as she storms over to the pole and takes it to the top floor. Worried about his friend, Luther tries to fly after her, but slams into an invisible barrier left over the exit hole. Screaming goblins can be heard before a door slams and the entire hill shakes from the impact.
“We’ll check on her before we leave,” Titus promises the forest tracker. Flashing a smile at Mab, he bows his head when she sinks into his shadow and promptly returns with his metal shirt and swords. “Thanks, big sis. I’m pretty sure I speak for all of us when I say it’s time to put an end to this. Lost is a Vengeance Hound now and we take care of our own. The only way she leaves the gang is if she chooses to do so. Nothing is going to stand in our way of bringing her home and-”
“We might have at least two armies in our path,” Clyde interrupts while putting his hand in his pocket. For the first time since he had it repaired, he pulls out his toothed sword and stares into the connected gauntlet. “Archillious has his people who are probably going to be there when we arrive. Lost has her own army, which she might call out to for help. We don’t know if Decker brought soldiers from Nyte too. This has all of the ingredients for a messy battle that we can’t hide from the mortals. Not unless we make a plan. Any ideas?”
“Bury the bodies in a place nobody can find them,” Bob answers with a smile. Receiving stern glares, the vampiric elf sighs and takes his lance from Mab when she pulls it out of a shadow. “I don’t like doing things this way. We’re going to sit here planning while Lost is taken further away. No telling what they want from her, especially Archillious. I mean, this is a man who invented a poison to paralyze Dawn Fangs. That means he’s smart, thinks ahead, and has something up his sleeve. This isn’t even counting Kai wanting to enslave our people and seeing Lost as a way to do it. Who cares if those armies clash? All we have to do is sneak in and get our friend back.”
“I agree with your sentiment, but you’re forgetting another problem,” Luther says, his tongue constantly darting out. He leans against the wall and continues staring at the ceiling, a taste in the air making him nervous. “If Lost calls the womb-born then she’s going to be with them. We talk about her like a vampire, but she’s also a kid. So, the rules for someone who has lived a long life don’t relate to her. Dawn Fang or not, she’s only been alive for sixteen years, which means she could join her friends and follow out of fear. This is an issue of maturity and life experience that none of us have had to consider in centuries.”
Bob nods enthusiastically and adds, “I was pretty stupid at her age.”
“I can remember some idiotic stunts that I pulled.”
“Recently?”
“Like you’re one to talk.”
“I usually am.”
“And for that, I am never thankful.”
Whistling to stop the friendly bickering, Mab takes a seat and pulls on a pair of boots that are scuffed at the toes. “I’m with Bob and Luther here. We don’t have the luxury of waiting and planning like prissy nobles. Our strength has always been in taking action and changing along with the situation. If Lost ends up with her army then we’ll handle them. If we have to face Archillious’s army then so be it. We spent years running heists and raids without drawing attention to ourselves before we became Dawn Fangs. Only thing that’s changed is that we’re stronger and our leader is wimpier.”
“Had to get that jab in, huh?” Clyde asks with a chuckle. Putting his weapon away, he cracks his knuckles and carefully examines his wrist. “I’m going to fill some bottles with Lord’s Rage blood and give one to each of you. That way, you can handle the poison without me being there. I won’t plan any more than that. Bob, I want you to design horses for speed, including the one Titus is going to ride. Everyone else help him get the parts, which should be in what’s left of the stables. If you need anything else then Mab can get it. Let’s do this upstairs in case Chastity needs something before we leave.”
Clyde feels a little resistance as he slides up the pole, the barrier popping like a fragile soap bubble. He immediately walks behind the bar to search for empty bottles and corks, his silver fangs already out to tear open a vein. Before he can start, the door to Chastity’s room opens and the hostess walks out with her long hair tied back. Her boots are flat instead of heeled and her pants show faint bulges of leather armor patches sewn into the lining. The same can be seen in her tight shirt, which is a dark green that is more suited for adventuring than tending a bar. She tosses on a drab vest that glows around the edges before fusing to her top and developing a scale-like pattern. Reaching under the bottom shelf of alcohol, she pulls out a coiled whip that ends in five barbed tips.
“Obviously, I’m going along,” Chastity announces as she straps her weapon to her heavily notched belt. The instant Clyde opens his mouth, she slams his jaws shut with her powers and puts a finger against his lips. “I know I�
�m not a fighter and I’m usually more than happy to stay away from the messy stuff. You might even say I’m a liability. Still, this is my daughter, who I’ve failed enough times. None of you have more of a right to bring her home than I do, so don’t try to talk me out of this. Leave me behind and I’ll follow. Chain me up and I’ll float myself down the road.”
“Pretty sure that last one costs more than we can afford,” Mab mutters before a rolling pin smacks her in the back of the head. She slices the makeshift club with her claws and smacks the pieces through an open window. “You’d be more upset if I didn’t make a joke. Better get used to it since you’re coming with us. Right, Clyde?”
“I don’t-” he begins to answer before Chastity jumps on the bar to get in his face. Gently picking the short woman up and moving her out of his way, the vampire grabs another empty bottle. “Welcome to the rescue mission, Sullivan. Now, stop smiling and go help Bob dig out some horse parts. Suddenly not as glamorous as we make it sound, huh?”
Chastity pats her friend on the cheek and whispers, “Oh, if only you knew the freaky things I’ve seen over the centuries. This wouldn’t even be in my top fifty.”
*****
With Luther flying ahead, the Dawn Fangs ride along the road and watch for signs of their enemies. Most of the horses wheeze and cough as their rotting bodies struggle to move without breaking. Their unblinking faces are gaunt and covered in wild manes that Bob hopes will disguise their hideous visages from any mortals they encounter. Muscles have been sewn onto the skeletal legs with aural threads that glow brightest before they snap, which gives the vampiric elf enough of a warning to replace the stitching. Battered saddles threaten to slide off the thin frames, but they are held in place by Chastity’s power. Taking up the rear, Titus does his best to control the large stallion that has been stuffed with hay to maintain its form. The large warrior curses and growls at the feeling of being unable to direct his mount without breaking it. Even a gentle kick results in a broken rib or the entire body splitting in half to reveal the glowing cords that retract to keep the animal together. He glances to his right where Clyde is jogging next to the road and silently wishes his horse would crumble to pieces as well. The only thing that stops Titus from purposely destroying the decrepit stallion is that he does not want to get a full-day lecture by Bob about the history and rules of horseback riding.
Cawing and whistling, Luther makes a tight circle above the trees before soaring away from the road. The horses are unable to follow, so everyone dismounts and immediately glare at Bob when their mounts collapse into heaps of parts. As the turkey vultures come out to enjoy the unexpected feast, the vampires slip through the trees and spread out. Clyde moves fast enough to take the lead, but hangs back enough to let Luther finish scouting. Hearing a crash to his left, he moves towards where he last saw Chastity and is surprised to find her in the center of an icy dip in the ground. The frozen plants shatter as she climbs out by driving her fingers into the warm soil that is just below the solid surface. Turning in place, Clyde picks out other signs of a brief battle such as charred trees and broken branches. Picking his friend up by the waist, he rushes to catch up to the others and does nothing to hide his footsteps. At the sight of Luther making circles in the air, the vampire leaps high above the trees and lets Chastity telekinetically shove him towards a familiar figure below.
Clyde lands with a loud thud between Mab and Decker, the burglar having reached the defenseless soldier first. Letting Chastity down, he catches his partner by the wrist and marches her away from their former ally. Nobody else dares to approach the wide-eyed dwarf, whose body is slumped against a tree. The vampire’s body is covered in metal bolts that are seeping a green poison. Decker manages to move a finger, but the effort is very slow and his muscles repeatedly tear from the strain. He eventually gives up and collapses onto his side in order to use his tongue to continue writing his message. The dwarf stops when Mab makes another move to attack, but is grabbed by Clyde and Titus. Lifted into the air and unable to slip into a shadow, the burglar settles for spitting on the prone vampire’s beard.
“Give me one good reason why we don’t kill him,” she says as she is put back down. Taking a seat on a log, she refuses to look away from Decker and keeps her claws out in case the soldier is part of a trap. “Seriously, he was with that Archillious guy and still works for Xavier. We wouldn’t hesitate if this was any other enemy. This bastard picked his side and it wasn’t ours, so we shouldn’t have any obligation to be nice. Kenneth Decker is a traitor and we need to treat him as such.”
“Stop talking, Winthrop,” Clyde snaps, his fangs growing enough for everyone to see. He picks the dwarf up with one hand to see if he has fallen on any messages and casually tosses him against a tree. “Killing him like this doesn’t sit well with me. He was our friend long enough than I’d rather make him die on his feet. Besides, I have a feeling we’re on the same side right now. Only way he’d be paralyzed like this is if Archillious turned on him. Chastity and I found signs of elemental blasts, which meant Decker chased our target and finally succumbed to the poison when he got here.”
“Kai and Stephanie must have been taken down somewhere else,” Titus adds while waving for Luther to come down. Spotting a strange set of tracks in the mud, the warrior leans over them and immediately pulls back when he catches a sour smell. “I’m not a tracker, but I’m sure these belong to Archillious. The stench reminds me of the stables, which is strange since the poison was undetectable at first. This guy is really good if he can make something that is odorless at first and then reeks this bad. Knock out a target and then keep others away with the stench. I really wonder what kind of guy this Archillious is.”
“Didn’t seem so bad when I accidentally ran into him . . . That is until he had his army march and nearly trample me,” Bob mentions with a yawn. Putting his jar of Clyde’s blood next to Decker, he plucks a few twigs out of the dwarf’s beard. “If we’re not killing him then we’re helping him. I think this should be enough to help you and the others recover. Not too quickly because we don’t want you to get in our way. Consider this a way of getting you and your friends to owe us. That’s how we make deals, right? I give him something he needs and I’ll let him know when I need horse parts at a later date.”
Unamused with the elf’s antics, Chastity shoves him out of the way and crouches in front of the paralyzed vampire. “You helped this Archillious take my daughter. While not as important, he also blew up my stables and ruined my wares with his poison. You and I never had a problem before, General Decker. In fact, you’ve always been welcomed in my business even after you decided to stay with your maker. I’d hate to be mean here, but I want you to tell me where Archillious and Lost are. Tell me what I want to know and I’ll give you some of this blood instead of leaving it just out of reach.”
“Why does she get to threaten him?” Mab mutters under her breath.
“Because this involves her daughter,” Luther whispers before anyone else can answer.
“She’s also not threatening to kill him,” Clyde adds from several feet away.
“Fair enough,” the burglar nonchalantly replies.
With the cracking of bone and splitting of muscle, Decker suddenly pushes off the tree and lands on Chastity. She is about to shove him off when she feels his breath hitting her cheek in an odd pattern. Not understanding what he is doing, she telekinetically drags Luther closer and moves his hand in the way of the dwarf’s mouth. She peels his glove off in order to let him feel the rhythmic gasps and occasional tongue pokes, which the forest tracker swiftly realizes is a coded message. Using his free hand to pull out an old notebook, he struggles to get to a certain page until Chastity does it for him. Minutes pass before Decker loses what little strength he has left and goes completely limp. Luther is barely able to roll him onto his back, which causes a final cough from the weakened vampire.
“Archillious wants Lost to turn him and his army, so he’s betrayed Xavier out of fear of not
getting what he wants,” Luther explains, his attention partially on the smelly footprints. He touches the muddy marks to find that they are deeper than he expected. “Clyde is right that we’re on the same side for now. Decker and his friends no longer care about Lost, but they do want to make Archillious pay for his betrayal. Kind of ironic that the traitor to our gang is going on about loyalty. Judging by the prints, Lost is incapacitated and being carried in a way that balances her weight. I can track him for a while as long as there isn’t any fresh poison on the prints, which feels is something he would do. Sorry, I’ve only got conjecture to work with right now. Even Decker claims that he isn’t sure where Archillious has gone and assumes he is reuniting with the Utukku army. These are the mortals touched by the womb-born and all of them want to become vampires.”
Lost (War of Nytefall Book 2) Page 22
