Rick’s entire body erupted in pain as his face was slammed into the concrete wall. The khukuri knife was snatched from his hand as he struggled against the impossible force that now held him pinned. The foul stench of death and brimstone smothered him and he knew, immediately, who—no what— his attacker was.
A thick paw gripped Rick’s shoulder, the sharp claws digging into the vampire’s flesh as he was flipped around to face the black hound from Hell. The savage beast’s other paw slashed at the vampire’s face leaving a trail of red, bloody gashes. The hound leaned in close, its foul breath nearly smothering Rick as he turned his head away. A long black tongue lashed out, licking away the blood streaming down Rick’s face. “I will enjoy making a meal out of you, priest, as soon as my mistress is through with you.” The hound that was Robert Stephenson laughed; a maniacal laugh that told of the insanity of the demented man he’d been in life.
Rick turned his head slowly, red eyes blazing with hatred as he faced the creature before him but a whimper of pain drew his attention away from the hound. Kate and Thomas, bruised and bloodied, stood trapped by another hound as Lilith looked on, a triumphant smirk on her face. “And when I’m finished with you, my brother and I will enjoy tearing those friends of yours apart piece by delectable little piece.” Robert growled as he drew back his clawed fist and struck Rick across the face once again.
“That’s enough, Robert.” Lilith ordered. Not waiting for the black hound to pull back, she walked forward and pulled the beast back by the ear. “I said —that’s —enough. The priest is not yours to play with—yet—and if you damage him before I’ve had my fun I’ll see to it that you become his replacement.” She slapped Robert across the face with the back of her hand. The hound bowed his head but let out a low growl of defiance before slowly backing away. “Yes—that’s a good little doggie. Sometimes my pets forget their place…”Lilith said as she leaned in towards Rick, wiping a trickle of blood from his face with her finger, “…like you, my priestly vampire.” She placed the finger to her lips and licked the blood from its tip. Closing her eyes, she savored its rich texture. Opening them again, she studied the vampire, “You know you’re becoming more trouble than you’re worth. If you weren’t such a delicious morsel—and if I wouldn’t have to explain your demise to—oh well, never mind. Take them back to the cavern!” she ordered.
But, as she turned to go, Roman stopped her, “Mistress, wait—why don’t we just go home? We haven’t found the master and he’s not answering your summons. Maybe he’s there waiting for our return.”
“Hmm, you could be right. It would be just like that demon bastard to let me do all the work then bring the prize back home to him,” she said, pausing thoughtfully. “Still—as much as I’d like to leave this shit hole—something’s telling me to wait a little longer. I have the strangest feeling that their…” she said, indicating Rick, Thomas and Kate, “…friends will come for them. Why go home with only three when we can have them all? Can you imagine the look on the Demon Lord’s face when he realizes that I have accomplished what he could not? Ahh, my triumph would be complete. So—we stay. Now get moving!”
Chapter 22
Bryant Park Café was the perfect place for people to gather and enjoy the nuance of the real New York City. Wrought iron tables and chairs, an outdoor bar and the most delicious food in the world being cooked up on a hot grill added a touch of flavor most tourists enjoyed on a crisp fall evening.
One such tourist, Donna Miller, rubbed the sole of her screaming foot as she stared at the cause of her pain lying on the ground before her. I sure did pick the wrong time to try out a new pair of shoes she thought. The day had been a long one, up at five in the morning to catch the Megabus from Pittsburgh into the city. A full day of shopping and sightseeing with her sister and cousins and now she was more than ready for some “me” time.
She had decided to forego seeing the Apollo Theater in Harlem with her cousins, opting for a cup of tea at the Park’s quaint outdoor café’. Her sister, Vickie, seated across the table from her, was in the process of explaining to her how she’d discovered this place the last time she was in the city.
Donna plucked two napkins from the table as she listened to her sister talk, rubbing the city dirt from her new shoes as a disapproving waiter placed a steaming white china teapot and cup before her. Beside the pot he placed a matching plate of sliced lemon and two silk bags of Earl Grey tea. As she stuck her aching foot back into the now clean shoe, Donna’s eyes were drawn to a large table not five feet away from her. What an attractive man she thought briefly before focusing all of her attention on the steaming cup before her and the teabag she had just placed inside of it.
Julian Reynolds had noticed the woman staring at him but, not deeming her a threat, had returned his attention to the plan of attack he was going over with the other members of his team. “Alright Evangeline, we need to know the last place you actually had physical contact with the hounds—the ones that chased you from the cemetery. Do you think you could give us a street name or business that was in the area?”
“I wasn’t really paying attention to street signs. I was a bit pre-occupied at the time but I know it was just a few blocks back that way,” she said, pointing behind Julian. “I can take you there.”
“Let me get this straight, you’ve lived in this city your entire life—you’re a cop…”
“Detective.”
“Same thing—and you don’t know what street you were on?” Christoff said sarcastically.
“Christoff,” Julian said, the warning to back off clear in his voice.
“No, Julian…” Eva said, raising her hand to stop him, “…it’s okay. I’ve dealt with his kind my entire career. To answer your question, vampire, I know where we were. I know these streets like the back of my hand. I was just a little to pre-occupied that day to take the time to notice our exact location. We were lucky to escape from those bastards.”
“Lucky—it was a damn miracle.” Christoff said, “From what I remember of those hounds, they’re never thrown off the scent. You didn’t escape—they let you get away. But what I don’t understand is why?”
“Well whatever happened, they didn’t follow us any further so, it seems to me that that’s where we need to go to pick up the scent. Am I right?” she asked, directing her question to Julian, trying hard not to show how much Christoff’s arrogance really annoyed her.
“That makes the most sense so, if we’re all in agreement let’s head on out. And listen—we stick together and we stay alert. If Rick and the others are still in the area these creatures will be sure to have scouts scattered throughout the city. Whoever’s in charge, the hounds or the woman—I’m sure they’ve already figured out that we’ll come for our friends. Maybe that’s what they’ve planned all along.” Julian said, not even trying to hide the concern on his face.
“You think they’re waiting for us?” asked Christoff.
“That’s exactly what I think.” Julian told him. “Look, I know I don’t have to tell any of you what we’re up against. Eva and her friend narrowly escaped with their lives when they encountered the hounds so it’s clear we’re in for a tough fight—one we may not be able to win. So we stick to the crowded streets and sidewalks. We’ll be less conspicuous if we mingle with the humans as much as possible while we conduct our search. Take special care around the side streets and alleyways. If they have scouts covering the city then that’s where they’ll be hiding.”
“Also the roof tops and catwalks—those have always been places where the city’s vermin congregate.” Eva told them.
“We want to avoid any public confrontation that would draw attention to us. We don’t want them to know what we’re up to until we’re ready. Then maybe, with a little luck, we can actually pull this rescue off.” Julian said.
“Luck—and a lot of prayers,” added Eva.
“O
h please—let’s not start that again.” Christoff said with disgust.
“Christoff, that’s enough. Have you fed—all of you?” Julian asked as he looked at the vampires.
“Yes—we hunted in Winwood but, if we find ourselves craving a little extra bite, there’s food in abundance in this city.” Christoff said with a smirk at Eva.
“Wait a minute. You don’t mean—you wouldn’t…” Eva stuttered as images of dead bodies lying across the city, their throats torn out and bodies drained of blood, flashed through her mind.
“Eva—relax…” Julian said as he placed his hand lightly on her arm. “…Christoff’s just trying to get a reaction out of you. But, if the need should arise, you have to understand that it’s important that the vampires keep their strength up. Besides, they don’t kill anyone if that’s what you’re worried about. They taste a little from each victim then move on to another until they reach maximum power. Most of their donors are extremely obliging. Christoff’s meal of choice is the prostitutes.”
“Like I said—food in abundance,” Christoff said, his midnight eyes flashing.
“You’re so—so…”
“Irresistable?”
“Repulsive is the word that comes to mind.” Eva said and Christoff just laughed.
“Alright you two, we need to stay focused.” Julian said to Eva and Christoff. “Save the verbal sparring for another time.”
Christoff gave Eva a wink but she just rolled her eyes in response. “If we’re going to do this than let’s get started,” she said and she rose from the table. She walked through the park and onto the street sensing the others close behind her.
As soon as they arrived at the place where Eva and Shaniqua had left the hounds Christoff took over. Going down on one knee, he placed his palm to the cold concrete of the sidewalk. A normal tracker would have no chance of picking up the trail after days of being trampled and smothered by thousand of pedestrians who cluttered the city streets on a daily basis. But Christoff’s hunting skills were extraordinary.
Breathing deeply, he picked up the putrid scent of the demon dog almost immediately. Even at night, with the glare from a thousand neon signs there to distract him, the vampire knew exactly where the hounds had gone when they’d lost the trail of their quarry. Rising slowly, he darted out onto the road—sniffed around a few seconds longer—then, seeing a cab speeding in his direction, jumped back onto the sidewalk just as a flurry of yellow sped past him. He closed his eyes for a second, making sure he had everything straight in his mind before he said anything to the others. Opening them, he cast his midnight gaze onto Julian and said, “There was some sort of commotion right over there,” he told them all, pointing to the spot in the road where he’d just been standing.
“That’s where one of hounds was struck by a delivery truck. My partner shot it in the head but it didn’t even phase the beast. All it accomplished was to knock the son of a bitch out into the oncoming traffic. It took only seconds for that dog to recover and make its way back onto the sidewalk. That’s when Shani and I decided to make our escape.”
“Quick thinking on your friend’s part,” Julian commented, showing his admiration for an ordinary human in extraordinary circumstances.
“Yes—for a human. Speaking of which, I noticed something else out there. I also picked up the scent of human blood. Was your partner injured?” Christoff asked.
“No…”Eva told him, “…the blood was from the injured truck driver. One of those things decided to kill him before anyone could stop it. The poor guy never even saw it coming.”
“Sounds about right,” Christoff told her, “Anyway, once they lost sight of you, the two hounds were met here…” he said, indicating an area on the sidewalk close to where they were standing, “…by someone else. That person was also otherworldly.”
“The woman,” Eva told him.
“Probably—they must have come to some sort of decision because one of the hounds was sent off while the others headed back in that direction.” Christoff pointed to a section of the city a few miles away from where they were now. The tall outline of the Empire State building could be seen rising high into the night sky.
“Hmmm, that’s interesting.”Julian commented, “Eva—isn’t Grand Central Station somewhere off in that direction as well?”
“Yes—why?”
“Think about it—that building is old and very large. It would have a sub-basement full of ancient tunnels and passageways perfect for hiding someone in. Most people don’t even know those places exist—and I have this feeling…”
“It would make sense, Julian.” Christoff agreed. “I say we head in that direction and if the scent veers off, I’ll know it and we’ll adjust our plans accordingly.”
“Sounds good to me,” Eva agreed. “Lead the way,” she said to Christoff who responded to her unexpected show of trust with a raised eyebrow. “What?”Eva asked when she saw the look on the vampire’s face, “I’m new at this scenting thing. It’s obvious you know how to use your nose a lot better than I do so get to it. Besides, I can make it to Grand Central Station blindfolded so I’m not worried about losing you all in the dark—and someone needs to cover your backs,” she said, smiling sweetly.
“Women,” Christoff muttered under his breath before heading off down the street.
As they continued to walk, Eva kept a close eye on the crowd coming at them from all directions. The night was brisk but it seemed like the entire city was out and about. Entering a particularly narrow part of the sidewalk, Eva was roughly shoved aside by a motley looking man with long greasy hair and a full beard. She glared at him, not wanting to cause a commotion by calling him out. The man never took his eyes off of her as he sauntered past. Suddenly her skin prickled and she stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. She turned to stare at the man who glanced quickly over his shoulder before he continued to walk on. Her eyes locked with his and that was when she noticed it. The eyes, large and coal black, flared to life and she found herself staring into the red feral eyes of a monster.
“Juliannn…” she said slow and calmly, “…they’re here.”
Realizing he’d been made, the man stopped. Julian and the others had kept on going but, hearing Eva’s call, they quickly returned to her side. As the group watched the stranger, two other dark figures emerged from the crowd to join him. Red eyes glowing and teeth bared, the trio split off in all directions.
“I’ve got that one!” Eva shouted as she followed one of the werewolves down a dark alley.
“Not alone you don’t.” Julian shouted as he ran after her.
Christoff, Simon and Lucian pursued the other two as they darted off into the crowd of tourists and disappeared from view but their scent was strong and Christoff had no trouble picking up the trail. They weaved in and out through the throngs of people until the wolves veered off down a narrow side street.
The vampires followed but, when they reached the alleyway, the werewolves were nowhere to be found. Christoff took in the scene before him. The street was lined with vacant buildings, rotting catwalks and overflowing dumpsters. Scattered haphazardly throughout the debris the occasional homeless person sat begging for a handout.
“Proceed with caution…” Christoff warned the others. “…nothing is as it seems.” Step by step they inched their way into the darkness. Simon approached a man in tattered rags propped up against a wall of graffiti. He withdrew a long dagger from beneath his coat, stepping close to the sleeping man. The vampire kicked at a protruding foot but the man just snorted and grumbled and rolled into the fetal position to continue his alcohol induced slumber. Simon looked at Christoff and shook his head.
The Dark Vampire motioned with his hand to move on. He could see the end of the passageway up ahead which was blocked by a chain link fence. On the other side was another narrow street running in the opposite direction. Just
as Christoff was preparing to leap the fence a commotion was heard off to his right.
“Christoff—behind you!” shouted Lucian as a blur of black fur hurled through the air, slamming into Christoff’s side.
Knocked off balance, the vampire stumbled but righted himself immediately, turning to face his attacker. The werewolf, crazed from hunger, caught the scent of blood—vampire blood—rich and coursing with power. The beast paced from side to side, watching its prey— waiting for another chance to strike.
Starvation blinded the beast to everything except the rich bold smell of Christoff’s blood so the wolf failed to notice the quick movement of the vampire’s hands. In the flick of eye, Christoff dipped his hand into the pocket of his long coat and withdrew a small pistol. Arms stretched out before him, the vampire took aim, shooting just as the werewolf leaped into the air. With a yelp of pain the beast slammed into the wall of the building and crumbled to the ground—lifeless.
Searching for the others, Christoff saw another, much larger, wolf preparing to attack Simon but before the Dark Vampire could react, Lucian was behind the beast, his silver blade shimmering in the moonlight. He raised the weapon, gripping the marble handle with both hands. In a wide arch, he swung the weapon, severing the wolf’s head from its body. The vampire watched with great satisfaction as it rolled down the alleyway, stopping at Christoff’s feet. With a grunt Christoff raised his foot, burying the heel of his boot in the head of the beast as blood and gore splattered out in all directions.
“You two okay?” Christoff asked.
“We’re fine.”
“Good—let’s see if Julian and the woman need any help,” he said as they ran back down the alley but the others were nowhere in sight. The alley led to a maze of side streets. “Split up and find them.” ordered Christoff.
A Soul in Torment Page 44
