The Enemies of Vengeance

by P. A Ross

  Giles tensed his muscles up and charged in swinging wild punches. I defended and took the blows, waiting for him to run out of steam. I knew the tactic, it was the same way Thorn had taught me to fight, using my anger to attack in a blur of fury.

  He started to breathe heavily, and I launched my own attack, pushing his guard out of the way, cracking an elbow into his jaw. He crashed to the floor, blood pouring from his mouth. He wiped it with his hand and looked at the blood, then launched himself up again. I danced around him, waiting for the perfect moment. In the distance, I could see the mourners leaving the graveside and heading back to the car park. A few of them were looking over at our fight, and one of them had pulled out their phone to film it while another was dialling. I assumed he was calling the police.

  I couldn't get caught by the police, and I knew the Hunters could control the police, so Giles and Norris wouldn't need to worry.

  I manoeuvred Giles around, so Norris was directly behind him, and I could see the majority of the mourners were close to their cars. I stepped in and took a couple of blows around my arms, guarding my face. I flung my hands around his neck and pulled him down and kneed him. "I am not your enemy. Remember our friendship," I shouted in his ear as the knees cracked into his ribs. His body dropped in my hands, and I released my grip and front kicked him in the chest, sprawling him into Norris.

  Norris caught hold of Giles, and they both crashed into a headstone, dislodging it from the ground.

  "Another time," I said, and sprinted off to the car park, weaving through the gravestones.

  The mourners stopped and stood back, waiting to see where I was going. Once I got to the car park, I looked back to see Giles still on the floor with Norris stood over him. Norris' face redden as he shouted at Giles, and then kicked him twice in the ribs and walked back to the car park.

  The police would be arriving soon if the mourners had called them. I couldn't hang about, though I wanted to see if Giles was okay and try to convince him we could still be friends. However, I reckoned I would be seeing him again anyway.

  I jogged over to my black Audi, jumped in and drove out of the car park before Norris could catch up. Fighting Norris would be a different matter.

  I had again left my friend in the hands of a bully, but there was nothing I could do. Nothing was keeping me in Leeds. It was too dangerous to revisit Kieran O'Keefe in case Giles and Norris were waiting for me. I couldn't stop Giles from having his revenge on the O'Keefes. I certainly wasn't staying to protect them. I figured Giles and Norris were more interested in me. They went after the O'Keefes suspecting I may also be watching. The best thing I could do was to return to Thorn to get them to follow.

  Chapter Five

  I got back to my purple and white hotel room. The sheets had been changed and new towels laid out. I stripped off and took a shower, and the soapy water stung my wounds. I dried off and then examined all the bruises and cuts from my fight with Giles. I couldn't help replaying the image of him being beaten by Norris for his failure at the end. I felt guilty, just like I had done when I left him in the hands of the bullies at school. I hadn't gone to rescue him then and hadn't saved him now either. Both times I justified it to myself that I would have been badly hurt. At school, I would probably just got a beating. This time I could have been captured or even killed by Norris. As a full werewolf even in human form, Norris could have beaten me one-on-one. I was only a hybrid, but if in my proper Dragan form, I would have stood a better chance.

  I had to forget about Giles and concentrate on my current situation. I had a first aid kit in my travel pack, so I attended to my wounds. Then I cracked open a couple of the mini whiskey bottles from the fridge and down them in one instead of taking painkillers.

  I sat on the bed and phoned Thorn on a secure line. I needed to tell her what happened and find out how we could meet up. I wanted to be back with her again, where I knew I would be safe. The phone rang for a while and I was about to give up.

  "Hello V, is that you?"

  "Yes, it's me. Is it safe to talk?"

  "Yes, we are fine to talk. It's the middle of the day, you just woke me up."

  "Sorry, I completely forgot. I really wanted to talk to you and tell you what happened."

  "Did it go well? I was suspecting to hear from you tonight. Did you really get your revenge so quickly?"

  "None of it went as planned. I followed Kieran from the prison where his mother and sister met him outside. They drove to the cemetery to meet the rest of his family and pay his respects to his brother and father."

  "So you gave them a beating at the graves of his brother and father and in front of his family. How poetic."

  "No. Once I saw them grieving, I couldn't do it. They have suffered enough. But that's not all that happened. While I was watching them and deciding what to do, Giles arrived with the other werewolf, a man called Norris. It appears Giles had tracked Kieran down and wanted to take his own revenge. But unfortunately, Norris detected my scent and called me out. There was nowhere to run, so I confronted them."

  "Well, that was unexpected. But I suppose it wasn't a complete surprise as we knew Giles had become a werewolf apprentice. But by the fact that you're calling me, I assume Norris didn't get to you."

  "Giles wanted revenge on the O'Keefes but also on me. In the end, I think he was more interested in taking his revenge on me. The O'Keefes managed to escape as I kept Giles busy."

  "So are you taking your revenge on the O'Keefes tonight then?"

  "No. I told you I can't hurt them anymore. They are already in enough pain with the death of their brother and father. They may be bad people and have hurt people, but we shouldn't have killed them. I won't be taking any more revenge on the O'Keefes. I think they have learnt their lesson. And if not, I will find a better way to bring them to justice next time."

  "Oh V, sometimes you are still the innocent little boy. There is only one type of justice these sorts of people understand. But it is your choice, it is your revenge to take or not take. Tell me instead what happened between you and Giles."

  "Don't worry, if the O'Keefes step out of line I will resolve the issue. I may not kill them, but it won't be pleasant either. Anyway, Giles clearly blames me for getting bullied. He said I betrayed him when I walked away at the gates, and when I ignored him at school and for the fact, I never helped his mother in her court case. I can't say I blame him. I am at fault, I did betray him. I tried to apologise and remind him we were just kids, but he wasn't interested. Norris was clearly encouraging him as well."

  "So, what happened?"

  "I asked Giles how he came to work with the Hunters. That surely it wasn't a coincidence he was now working with a werewolf and me with a vampire."

  "We are not vampires, how many times do I have to tell you?"

  "Yes, yes. I know, but it's easier to explain than Dragans. Anyway, he was recruited purely because he was my friend. And they wanted someone to hunt me down. It was clear from what happened to him, that he had the motivation to come after me. They took him from the psychiatric hospital, and they have trained him and brainwashed him to believe that we are the enemy. He has physically changed as well. He is taller and stronger than before, but he told me that the werewolf formula does not permanently change the person into a werewolf. However, changing into a werewolf does have some side effects of leaving them stronger than before, but not to the extent of making them a hybrid like I am."

  "I'm guessing that eventually you fought and you won, else you wouldn't be here talking to me."

  "Yes, we fought and I won. In his human form against my hybrid form, he didn't stand a chance. But they aren't going to stop. He may take the werewolf formula, and I doubt I would have enough power to stop him. I can't take the vampire formula for another four days."

  "You're right. You can't risk taking the vampire formula until those four days pass. Else we might not have enough formula left to complete your full transformation. There needs to be the rest period in between for
it to take one hundred percent effect. I would recommend you get out of England and find your way back to me. But there is a problem."

  "You still don't want me around. Stop making excuses and tell me the truth."

  "No, that's not the problem. I have received some news from our private investigators looking for Scarlet. I'm sorry to say that they have found her."

  My heart jumped. I tried to control my obvious excitement and took a moment to control my breathing before I said another word.

  "Is she okay? Where is she?"

  "V, it's bad news I am afraid. They only found her through a story in a newspaper. The body of a young redheaded girl found in the woods. Her body ripped to shreds by an animal. Bite marks on her neck and claw marks down her back. It looks like the Turned or the werewolves found her before we did. They have killed her. The funeral is tomorrow in London."

  My breath caught in my throat, and I gripped the phone hard, the screen bending to my supernatural strength.

  "V, are you there? You don't need to say anything to me. I will message over the details in case you want to go and say goodbye. But I would imagine the Hunters will be watching, so be careful and don't get too close. You don't have to pretend that you are okay. When you are ready, give me another call, and I will tell you where we are and will arrange a meeting."

  I was glad she hadn't asked me to pretend. All I wanted to do was slam the phone against a wall and burst into tears and cry until there was nothing left. "Okay," I said as it was all I could manage.

  "Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. It brings me no pleasure to have told you that. I know you may think otherwise, but you promised yourself to me, and I considered the matter between you and her closed. I will say goodbye now and leave you to your grief. Call me when you are ready. Take care, V, I love you and will see you soon."

  The phone went dead, and I dropped it onto the floor and slumped back onto the bed, staring up at the blank white ceiling. My tears burst out, but I did nothing to stop them. I lay on my bed and curled up into a ball. The tears flooded out on to the purple bed sheets, creating a damp spot. I wiped my hands across my eyes to clear them away.

  I lay in the soulless hotel room just as I had done before with Scarlett in the room next door. On that occasion, I had purposely stayed away from her to avoid temptation. I wish I had knocked on her door that night. Just the one night when we could have been alone together and happy. No matter that I had made a promise to Thorn, I would definitely never be with Scarlett now. Maybe I had always held out a fantasy that if things changed, then Scarlett would be there for me. It was an arrogant, stupid fantasy to think she would wait, which could never happen now. Maybe I still hadn't fully committed to Thorn, or I was more in love with Scarlett than I realised.

  I cried for hours cocooned in my hotel room, with no fear of being seen or heard. Images of Scarlett flashed through my mind. Her beautiful red hair and smile as we talked at college. Then I couldn't help but picture her face down in the mud, body cut to pieces, her stunning red hair matted in leaves and dirt. It was my fault she was dead. They obviously caught up with her in the end, and I can only assume they killed her as a form of petty revenge.

  I would go to her funeral in London. I would say my goodbyes, and I would bury the past for good. I would not involve any members of my family or any friends ever again. I no longer wanted this pain, this human pain anymore. With Giles trying to kill me, and Scarlett dead, my last fingerhold on my mortal life had slipped away. Maybe that was a good thing.

  Once I was clear to retake the vampire formula I would. And then I vowed to take the formula as regularly as possible to complete my transformation. I wanted to be a Dragan, above the emotions of human pain, to be immortal and to be with Thorn where no one could hurt me anymore. Then I could take vengeance on the Hunters and the Turned, who were destroying my life and killing my loved ones.

  Chapter Six

  The next day I rose early and set off to London. I had booked a hotel room which I would go to after the funeral. I just had enough time to drive back to London and catch the ceremony. Scarlett wasn't being buried; she was being cremated.

  I drove down the motorway, trying to keep my mind focused on blocking out images of Scarlett being torn to shreds. I took a few pit stops and a few cups of coffee to keep myself awake. I hadn't slept much the night before, too many tears and too much guilt.

  I knew without a doubt that Scarlett would still be alive if I hadn't had revisited her in London after coming back from America. I only asked her to go to Leeds with me to visit my dad because I was lonely. I hadn't thought about her safety at all. I had acted selfishly, and I needed to consider others in the future. I was a dangerous person to be around. The death of Scarlett and my father had proved that. Also, Amber had suffered because of our relationship. I could not put the life of any more humans at risk. I would keep to my own kind.

  I arrived at the crematorium an hour before the funeral. I turned through the gates that were chained back into a large wooded area. I drove down the road and followed the signs to the chapel car park. I noted an empty space in the back corner and parked up. Other tree lined roads led off to a visitor's area and facilities.

  I watched the other visitors and scanned the area to check if anyone was waiting. It would be the obvious place to find me if the Turned were looking, especially if it was the Turned that had killed Scarlett. I couldn't see anyone suspicious, but I decided to leave and circle the crematorium a couple of times to check no one was following me, and to check there were no suspicious vehicles nearby.

  Being a hybrid, I still had some small psychic abilities and an enhanced sense of smell and sight. I used these to good effect as I drove around trying to tune in to any unusual thoughts or emotions. I had the window rolled down, letting the air flood in, trying to detect any out of place smells. I was trying to sniff out the rotting stink of the Turned, as I couldn't hear their thoughts or emotions. However, I would hear the thoughts and emotions of any Hunters nearby. I couldn't detect anything out of the ordinary, so I drove back into the crematorium car park to wait for the funeral procession to begin.

  The crematorium was eerily quiet. The surrounding trees absorbed all the sound from the road outside, everything had been done to limit the noise to keep the area peaceful. The only noise was that of the birds in the trees and wind rustling the branches. I spotted a squirrel scurrying along a branch and diving into a hole in the tree. A rabbit hopped around the tree trunks, over the wildflowers and onto logs. It sat up and looked at me, and then bounded off deeper into the woods. Above the trees, smoke billowed out from the crematorium chimney into the greying sky. The area had been created as a sombre space to grieve for the dead, but nature had turned it into a thriving sanctuary for wildlife.

  While waiting, I texted Miss Jones, the homeless shelter manager, and told her I was back in town. I would go and visit her tomorrow and see if she needed any assistance.

  The funeral before started to leave. The now empty hearse drove out, and the family walked towards a limousine. As the previous mourners dispersed, new cars arrived. Out of the first car were Scarlett's ex-boyfriend and his parents. This was the boy I had hit when I came back from Vegas to find Scarlett. He had blotchy red marks under his eyes. I felt some guilt about my assault of him, as it was apparent his feelings for Scarlett were real. Maybe she could have made a life with him if I hadn't of interfered. His dad helped him walk to the front of the chapel to wait for the main funeral group to arrive.

  I wondered what other people from college would come to pay their respects. I wondered if Scarlett's best friend Mary would attend. A few of the class turned up, including our teacher, Mrs Goodwin.

  The large group of sombre dressed mourners waited outside the chapel. The dark clouds whisked overhead cutting off the sun and plunging the area into greying light. They pulled their coats closed and zipped them up.

  A hearse drove along the entrance road, the black car flashing through the tree enc
losed route. It drove into the chapel area with two limousines trailing it. The hearse, bearing the coffin, pulled around to the front of the chapel, and the limos stopped behind it. To the sides of the coffins were flowers in her name and a set of lilies on top. Men in black suits climbed out of the vehicles and opened the limo doors. Scarlett's mum climbed out of the first car with a helping hand from her boyfriend. In the car behind, a man came out with another woman; Scarlett's father and his girlfriend, the one he had an affair with.

  The funeral attendants opened up the back of the hearse, removed the lilies and then pulled out a stained oak coffin and hoisted it upon their shoulders.

  With the mourners lined up behind the coffin, they proceeded through the open chapel doors. At the front, Scarlet's mum being held up by her boyfriend. Next, her dad and his girlfriend. Finally, the rest of the black-clothed mourners followed in, including her ex-boyfriend. Once the main funeral procession had entered, a funeral attendant shut the doors. As the chapel closed, the black clouds unloaded their contents and rain lashed across my windscreen.

  Tears rolled down my cheeks, and I rubbed them away with the back of my hand. I couldn't go inside the chapel and say goodbye. Even if I could, I doubted I would be welcome. I would have to be content with sitting in the car park. The windows were already tinted so it would be hard for anyone to see inside.

  I wanted to go and talk to Scarlett's mum and apologise for taking her daughter away and putting her life at risk, which ultimately led to her death. But how could I ever explain that I was hunted by vampires, she would have thought me crazy and believed I was responsible for killing her daughter. I was sure the police had already named me as the prime suspect, considering my record.

  I wiped the tears away, having resolved to stay until the funeral was over and the mourners had left. I decided to think about ways of taking revenge. I knew her death would have been ordered by Bramel and the Hunters, so my best bet for vengeance was winning the vampire war and destroying the Turned for good.