Be Damned

by Madison Nova

  "Are you okay?" he replied has my communicator flicked on and off. "What happened?"

  "I'm okay. He had a clear message for us. I'm going to make my way to that side in a few."

  "I can sent someone to pick you up."

  "No need," I said quickly picking up the file and letting the water drip from it. "He won't be coming after me tonight."

  The communicator failed completely as red flashed over the workstation before I found myself in darkness with the city night scape providing some guidance to my room.

  I quickly changed into some dry clothes with my hair still dripping and the file in my hand. As I made my way out the management made their way towards my door. Someone finally complained. I simply directed them to the flat and asked them to take care of the damage. Whatever the amount I will sort it out.

  My neck still felt his presence over it as I drove towards the suburbs. The journey went quick and I arrived at the familiar home away from home of the Russ'. Chase was standing outside smoking his usual brand of cigarettes. He had a look of relief on his face when I made my way up the stairs.

  "What happened?" he demanded gently grabbing my shoulder and pulling me towards his chest. It felt good resting my head there for a few seconds. It felt warm.

  I pulled away from him as I felt my heart easing against my chest. He took a step back. "I'm okay," I replied after wards "I'll give you a blow by blow inside."

  He opened the door and I saw the Enforcer standing next to Dickson. The tension between them could be cut with a butter knife. Both turned to face me as I entered the living room. "Kamala is sleeping inside with a wolf outside the door." Dickson stated looking at the Victor the Enforcer.

  Victor paid him no attention: "What did he want?" he asked pushing aside any trivialities. I took a deep breath and placed the file on the coffee table before sitting down.

  "He gave me an ultimatum." I said wondering if I should continue with Victor standing there. I cracked my neck again. It felt better than before and my healing was kicking into full gear. No use in trying to find a way to get Victor away, I thought and just continued. "He wants her by tomorrow evening, and if we don't hand her over he basically is going to try and rip each of us apart."

  Dickson gave a slight chuckle to my words. "These old school vampires sure knows how to bring the fear. He thinks he can just walk in here and take us all on, his dead brain must be turning to dust already."

  Victor took a deep breath loudly. "He will not be alone. We have heard rumors of him establishing a following."

  "And why would any of your kind follow him Victor?" Dickson asked with his expression of already knowing the answer.

  "The girl should be put under the order's protection right now. I will make arrangements that she is put in a secure facility before dawn breaks."

  Dickson raised his hand to Victor's suggestion. "We are more than capable of handling whatever he has in his arsenal without the order's assistance."

  "You all are fools if you cannot see who you truly dealing with." Victor stated raising his voice to Dickson. "The girl's safety is our only mission."

  "And why is that?" I asked frisking my hair still wet. "The order seems to have an unusual amount of interest in a human. Why is it that they - you - have so much interest in her safety? Is there something you wish to share with the group?"

  "Don't test me touched." Victory replied with his fangs appearing underneath his lips. I touched a sensitive nerve. Chase stepped closer and Victor retracted his intentions. "I will report tonight's event to the order."

  "Please do," I stated.

  As he walked out the door I felt a breeze moving past me towards Chase. My eyes widen as I saw Chase being flung against the wall over the fireplace. Dickson hardly had time to pull his hands out of his pocket when he flung in the same direction. I stood up and looked at Victor.

  He was kneeled down with Kal Valum standing over him from behind.

  Kal smiled at me: "I changed my mind about the time frame touched one. I just felt that why wait for something that is right in my grasp." Victor was struggling to break free. I must admit the sight of the legendary Enforcer being held down with ease sent a fear down my spine. "You have ten seconds my dear, to give me the girl or someone is about to go ashes."

  "Do you honestly think I care for him?" I stated unable to bring out the energy required within me. Kal continued his smile at me and turned his head towards Chase laying on the floor.

  "I never said I am going to stop with him." He pulled Victor to his feet and licked his neck. "You're little army outside has been taken care of little brother. Join my side and you will be free from all the dogs in this world."

  The commotion had woken Kalama who stepped into the living room from behind me with a wolf in front of her. Fully shifted the yellow eyed wolf stood 4 feet tall in the living room. I gestured him to stay back as Chase started to slowly get onto his feet.

  "And there is the girl of the hour," Val gestured towards Kamala "and look she brought a little pet dog for us to play with. What do you say brother? Shall we play with it? OR shall I have to play with it alone?"

  Chase broke forward shifting through his clothes into a black furred wolf as he reached Kal Valum from the side. He was fast enough to break them apart and Victor quickly rose to his feet away from Kal Valum.

  Hoping to bite the vampire Chase unfortunately was met a punch against his side and landed in front of my feet. With a quick glance to let me know that he was okay he stood back up on all fours.

  "You are a spirited bunch of idiots. Let's see how much you have in you. All together now." Kal stated gesturing with both hands for us to lunch forward at him. Chase and Victor needed no invitation and attacked forward towards him. In a blink of an eye their mark vanished in front of us all. He was too fast. I turned towards Kamala as the wolf in front of her flew through the air. Kamala's eyes widen as Kal appeared behind her.

  I reached out and a burst of energy left my hands blasting towards Kal. It missed it's mark but another blast struck him from the side. Kamala fell to the ground and Dickson stood in front of her.

  Kal struggled to get back to his feet and Chase flew towards him. This time the hunter found his mark as Kal lifted his arm to protect himself. With a swing Chase was thrown to the side again, but this time the wolf had done what was necessary. He had successfully tasted the blood of the vampire.

  We all stood still as Kal stood up. He looked at Kamala who was slowly getting to her own feet holding her left arm. There was a few lines of blood falling down her arm.

  Kal smiled and looked at the damage he sustained due to Chase's bite. "You truly are something else together." He stated showing his left hand with blood on his fingers. "But unfortunately for you. Your about to experience the true might of what I can do." Licking the blood from his fingers his eye's glowed a bright red. He pulled off the coat he was wearing revealing a teeshirt underneath with the wounds visible. In front of our eyes, he began to heal himself from the wounded bite. His skin made a cracking sound as the damage to his tissue repair.

  "Try to stop me now," he said as the other wolf attacked him. He grabbed the wolf by the neck. "Take a bite, little wolf." He continued placing his other arm into the wolf's fierce snout. The wolf bit into him and Kal laughed before breaking it's neck. "For those non believers in here." He stated holding his left arm up towards us as it healed. "I'll take my price now."

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Victor took a step back with disbelieve displayed over his face. "Impossible" he whispered to himself. Looking at us I could see a fear in his eyes. For a moment I was expecting him to disappear.

  "What is the meaning of this?" Dickson shouted as Chase stood next him.

  "This is the revolution. The rise of true power." Kal stated before stepping forward towards Kamala. Dickson pushed her behind him and raised his hand for another attack towards Kal. This time however, the vampire was too fast and dodged his blast.

  Everything around me slow
ed down as I felt my heart beating against my chest. Victor moved forward towards Kal and Chase launched forward once again. Dickson raised both hands for a full on blast but it was too late. Kal with one blow send Chase against the wall. Dickson couldn't manifest enough energy to release before Kal's knee struck him against the chest falling over Kamala into the floor.

  Victor's arm was caught with his left hand and a powerful punch met his chest. I could hear bones crack slowly as he moved through them.

  Without thinking I moved forward and felt a surge of energy rush through me once again. I was too late as Kal kicked Victor's body with such force that his left arm separated from the rest of his body.

  I managed to land a punch powerful enough to sent him to the ground. He quickly stepped back with Victor's arm still firmly in his hands.

  "Once again you seem to surprise me touched one. Before all of you find yourself ripped apart I would suggest you hand over the girl."

  Kamala's tears and fear filled the room as Dickson and Chase stood up. We all stood in between Kamala and Kal. Victor was unconscious laying across the room. Blood splatter on the furniture as it left a trace from his arm to his body.

  "One last chance. Hand over the girl or you all will find your death here tonight."

  "She ain't going anywhere with you." Dickson replied to his demands.

  "Very well then, have it your way."

  We prepared for the next attack. He took a step towards us but something was wrong. He stepped back dropping Victor's arm and grasping his chest. His eye's started to flicker and lose the fearful glow. Shaking his head it was clear that the blood he took from Kamala was not enough to keep him going.

  "Seems your little taste has a limit," I said and Chase moved forward once again. A wind ran through the room as he vanished in front of us.

  We stood there waiting for another attack. Until Victor coughed and said: "His gone."

  I released a breath of relieve as my body calmed down. I could feel Kamala with both arms around my waist behind me. Dickson took off his suit jacket as Chase shifted slowly back to his human form. He covered Chase as he fell to the ground. Blood was visible on his body.

  My heart stopped at the sight of him laying on the floor with blood flowing out of him.

  "I'll be alright little kitten," He said forcing a smile towards me. Clearly seeing the unease I carry at the sight of him in that condition. "I just need to rest for a bit. Can some one please cover him over there." Still in wolf form one of his kind was laid across the floor. I released Kamala's grip from my waist and walked over to it. Kneeling I said a silent prayer.

  As I stood up, Chase thanked me.

  "The only way forward is to place the girl under our protection." Victor said while Dickson pressed a sheet of linen against the exposed limb.

  "Listen, after what we just saw there is no way in hell that we are going to let your kind take her into your inner sanctum."

  "What other choice do you have?" Victor replied to Dickson laughing.

  "The same choice we always had, we will take care of her."

  Kamala was in shock and Victor fought hard not to taste the blood of her. His eyes were fixated on her as Dickson helped him to stand. I took Kamala lifted her up and kissed her forehead. "You going to be okay." I told her holding her against my chest. She was shivering with sweat as held on tight to me. I let her stay there for a moment as her breathing returned to normal.

  "This is all your fault," Victor pointed towards me. "If you had listened to me the death of my men would still be with us this night! I don't want to hear anything further, the girl comes with me to the Order."

  I said nothing in reply and just ran my hand through Kamala's hair on my chest. There was nothing to say. Everyone in the room knew that if she entered the Order she will never be seen again. Her blood is too valuable. The frail girl holding on to me had the ability inside of her to place the vampires at the dominant race. The balance would be disturbed.

  "No," Dickson said pushing Victor to the sofa. "We both saw what happens if a vampire drinks from her blood."

  "We do not know that." Victor replied "It could simply be him alone that is effected by her blood."

  "I think we both know that is not the case. Go to the Order and tell them we demand an audience."

  "You demand?"

  "It will be dawn soon," Dickson stated looking out the window. "You better inform the Order of what happened here."

  Victor stood up and walked passed us towards his arm. He picked it up and nodded towards me before vanishing from the room.

  "The moment dawn breaks we taking both of them out of here to the office. I want her placed in the security room. We going to be facing another rough evening ahead."

  I simply nodded with my eyes on Chase laying on the floor. This evening was too much to bare.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Victor appeared as the elevator door opened into the Order's sanctum. Dickson walked out first and simply gave a quick look at him. His left arm missing with a leather jacket hanging over it. The great and legend had fallen I thought to myself. Chase would have felt some pleasure in seeing him in this condition. He looked paler than the evening before with clear cracks of dry skin underneath his eyes.

  Without saying a word we all three walked down the corridor towards the door of the Order. Another vampire opened the door from within the room.

  "I hope you brought the girl, Dickson." The elder vampire said sitting over his wooden desk. The room lit by candle with the same lurking eye feeling I experienced the last time I walked into the room.

  Dickson didn't say a word and walked up to the desk pulling a chair out. Taking a seat he unbuttoned his suit jacket to relax. "Should I even give you an answer Michael?" That was the first and last time I heard his name.

  Michael with his dead pale face gave a wrinkled smile with his left fang over his left side lip. He sat back into the chair and waved his hand to signal every subordinate in the room to leave.

  "I'm informed you saw first hand the divinity of the girl's blood." Micheal said looking at me. "You now know the importance of her existence in our world. She is a weapon and if she falls into the wrong hands it would upset the very order of things."

  "Yes," Dickson replied "so you understand my need to make sure she is kept out of the order's hands."

  Michael continued staring at me but his smile had turned down wards. "I want to assure you that she will not be harmed."

  "Should I repeat myself again?"

  "Let me give you the full story of the girl's blood." Michael replied standing up from his chair. He walked over to the side of the desk closest to me. The smell of rust filled the air in the room. "She wasn't born that way. You will not find any precedent to a similar incidence in history."

  "You telling me things, I already know." Dickson snapped back at him. He took a deep breath and returned to his seat in front of us.

  "Kal Valum always directed himself to the study of science. He has been persuading the Order for decades to fund his vision of developing a vampire that are immune to any dog bites. We knew about his whereabouts and practices, keeping a close eye on his activities. A couple of weeks ago he disappeared and we knew he had reached a point where it was obvious he was onto something. The last thing he had done was release some form of chemical mixture into the air...system of the building the girl resides. I am not sure what the kids call these air tunnels these days. The best to our knowledge the chemical he released was to fix upon the blood of a worthy candidate and transform their blood into the perfect source for his vision."

  "So the girl is just an unlucky lottery winner." Dickson said breathing out the words with a tone of annoyance. "And I take it you funded his little science experiment. When he realized he did it he went into the wind to keep it from you."

  "We had no idea what his next step would be once he found the divinity blood. Some of the younger order was under the impression he would turn her and she would become the weapon. We were
just as surprised has you about the ability her blood has to give any vampire who feed on her the desired outcome."

  "You would be happy to know that a group of mine are as we speak analyzing her DNA to reverse the effect. As you said, she is a danger to the order of things."

  Michael's eyes widen for a second before smiling again. "That was the same thing we were going to do when she came in."

  "But nothing would have stopped you to gather the information to replicate the process. We cannot have that right? She upsets the balance of everything and therefore we will be protecting her from this point on. I know the Order will understand." Dickson looked into the dark corners of the room while talking, confirming my believe that the old dust sitting upfront of us was just the mouthpiece while the Order's members lurked in the shadows.

  To my surprise Michael simply nodded his head in agreement. "Then we have nothing further to discuss."

  Dickson stood up, straighten his back and fasten his suit's jacket before taking the lead in directing us to the door.

  "Please make sure she does not fall into his hand." Michael stated as we reached the door. Dickson just lifted his left eyebrow and opened the door. Outside Victor was standing at the elevator with a couple of pale feed lings.

  "You know this is going to be us against all of them right?" Dickson softly said to me as we made our way down the corridor. Of course I knew that after walking out the room. It was clear that the Order would do anything to have their hands on Kamala.

  Victor and the feed lings stepped to the side for us to enter the elevator. As it closed I could feel the anger through the way he was staring at me.

  "Is she secured?" I asked Dickson as the elevator took us down.

  He simply nodded.

  "How are we going to keep so many of them at bay?"

  "The wolves will be there to provide protection. And if the Order has any sense they would not attack our firm. Hopefully we will only have to worry about Kal."