by Alex Dire
Barking rang out from the broken entrance to the chamber. That smell. Dog. Norman hated dogs.
38
Fury of fur
A rusty red wolf charged through the door. It stopped in front of Norman, growling, saliva dripping from its snarled mouth.
“You’ve made a deal with the devil, Eric,” said Norman. “She’d sooner kill you than keep her promises.”
The canine barked and snapped its jaw, poking at Norman. Another wolf rushed into the chamber. Then a third. A stream of fur and paws flooded in. The Nymph’s lined up next to Norman to face them as Skeete’s henchmen backed off. Instinct telling them to flee.
Juda had explained that this rivalry went deep. Blood deep.
Eric barked and the wolves set upon them.
Two leapt and landed on Felicia and Cindy who were nearest. Eric charged at Norman. Declan roared and raced to Felicia’s side, swinging his hammer. As a wolf descended on Felicia, Declan’s weapon struck it, exploding with light.
The flash burned Norman’s face as Eric careened into him. The wolf’s weight pushed Norman to the floor on his back. Its nails dug into his gut as it snapped its mouth at Norman’s face. The teeth. So sharp.
He batted at the canine’s nose, trying to deflect its bites. The back legs tore through the skin on his stomach with ease. Sharp teeth soon sliced Norman’s hands to ribbons. Blood flowed down from his pulpy fingers into his eyes and mouth. He was not equipped to fight such beasts. Suddenly, the wolf lurched to the side and rolled across the floor with a yelp.
Tyreese stood over Norman and swung his javelin around batting at the wolves. The growling beasts padded around, taking Tyreese’s flanks.
From the council table, Skeete’s voice stabbed at Norman’s ears. “Well, what are you waiting for? Shred them to pieces.”
Four wolves leapt at Tyreese and Norman. Around the room, wolves barked and tore at the Nymphs.
A wolf came down on Norman. He fell back and rolled, heaving the creature off. It slammed against the wall and crumpled to the ground in heap of fur. Those claws and teeth would shred him in close combat, but Norman had his tricks, too.
He scampered to his feet, ready for another charge. Tyreese swung his javelin in wild arcs. Wolves poked and surged at the Nymph.
Two more wolves advanced on Norman. He bent his knees, ready to spring away. Perhaps he could beat them with his speed and strength.
Just then, a heavy beast landed on his back. Norman careened forward, cracking his jaw against the stone. A savage row of teeth sliced into the back of Norman’s neck, cutting through skin and muscle.
The teeth burned, like little points of sunlight. Norman screeched and lurched about, finally throwing the thing loose along with a chunk of his neck.
Tyreese fell with a thud next to Norman. His javelin rolled away across the floor. Norman could hear Declan’s hammer slamming against flesh and stone.
Norman’s face lay against the cold hard floor in a growing pool of his own blood. Cindy whirled her sword around in a blur. It excelled at slicing through vampires, but against the wolves, the wood and metal blade functioned more like a bat.
A circle of four wolves closed in on Norman and Tyreese. The neck wound had started to heal. Every second he could delay their advance, he’d heal. He pulled at Tyreese’s arm. The boy felt like dead weight. How long since he’d fed? The student would need even more time than Norman to regenerate.
Norman would buy that time. He leapt up, over a surging wolf and grabbed its tail as he landed. He swung the dog around, sending it smack against a wall. It whimpered and bounced to the ground.
Feet padded up behind. Norman spun and caught the beast by the neck just before it fell on him. He squeezed its throat. His fingertips pushed deep divots in the beast’s skin. His nails punched through. The creature gurgled and sprayed blood through the holes.
Norman hurled the dog against a wall. It tumbled to the ground and transformed into a man. The man coughed and gagged for only a moment and then expired.
A circle of wolves formed around the body as the combat lulled. Norman grasped Tyreese’s hand and pulled him to his feet, retreating to the rest of the Nymphs. The red wolf morphed and grew. Eric. His eyes shot daggers into Norman.
“What do we do?” whispered Felicia.
Norman looked at his watch. “Almost time.”
“For what?”
The wolves howled once and then turned to form a line facing Norman and his Nymphs. For the first time, he could count them. Fifteen versus five vampires. This was not going to be even close. Norman knew he didn’t need to beat them, though. Just delay. Would it be enough?
“It’s not too late, Eric. You can call this off. Make a truce with Adrian,” said Norman.
Eric nearly laughed. “A truce with that mutt?” The wolves barked. “He came to me. To offer terms. What could he possibly offer? I killed his brother and told him what he could do with his terms.”
Juda’s face flashed through Norman’s mind. No!
“You know what he told me? That he thought would be so important? Win me over? He told me you had joined with Skeete. What an idiot.” Eric waited as if he expected a reply from Norman. “I don’t need him. He was weak. I am the true alpha. I know our purpose.”
“And what’s that?” said Norman.
“To kill vampires.” Eric glanced to both sides. “Brothers and sisters. Let’s end this.”
Eric morphed back into a wolf and charged at the Nymphs. Norman braced himself. Eric closed and leapt for Norman’s throat.
Norman crouched and Eric sailed over him. Three other wolves vaulted up at the students.
Norman grabbed Felicia’s arm. “Come.” They blurred to the other side of the room. Darius followed. Half the pack broke off and ran at them.
Six wolves formed a circle around them. Six others circled Tyreese, Cindy and Declan.
“I can see you’ve got this under control, Eric,” said Skeete. “I’ll be taking my leave now.”
Norman looked at his watch. Oh no you won’t.
The wolves pulled their lips back and the room filled with a snarling cacophony. It seemed to come from all sides as if the walls themselves snarled.
Wait. Norman felt it. A vibration in the floor. The wolves stopped growling. The vibration grew until the room rumbled. The candelabras on the semi-circular table shook and fell over.
The rumbling stopped. All listened, shooting glances around the chamber.
About time.
A voice shouted on the other side of the broken entrance to the chamber. “At my command!”
“Get back.” Norman stretched his arms and pushed his Nymphs away from the sounds.
“Fire!”
The door and most of the wall exploded in a ball of flame, rock and powder. Norman, the Nymphs and the wolves flew across the room from the blast amidst the thunder and yelping.
Smoke obscured Norman’s vision. He wretched at the smell of burnt flesh and fur. Norman pushed himself up and peered through the dust and smoke. Shapes rushed into the chamber. Boots clacked along the stone floor.
The dust and smoke gradually cleared. A massive jagged hole had been opened up where the entrance had been. Soldiers stood, poised with rifles, around the breach. Others flooded in and took position. Finally, General Sykes paced in with a calm gait. He looked around the room. “What the hell is this place?”
“I didn’t think you’d show up in time,” said Norman.
“I always keep my word.”
39
Bedfellows
Skeet pushed herself from the floor and wiped dust from her eyes. Two of her vampires coughed next to her. As Skeete brushed off, they just stood, looking at her.
Skeet shouted in disgust, “They’re just human. Kill them. And have yourself a meal while you’re at it. Start with that one.” She pointed to the general.
One of her young thugs turned and leapt at the officer.
A shot rang out from a soldier beside Syk
es. The vampire shrieked and tumbled lifeless on the floor.
“Wood bullets. We’re ready for you, Ms. Daniels,” said the general.
A broad grin wrapped her face. “Oh really?”
Norman hated that smile. He wished he could tear it from her skull.
“Sick ‘em,” said Skeete.
A few wolves lay dead in pools of blood on the floor. The rest barked and padded to the sides of the military formation.
Rifles swung in both directions and away from Skeete.
“Yes. Really,” said the general. “Second wave!”
A stream of wolves flowed in like water through the spaces between the soldiers. They grappled with Eric’s dogs, biting and clawing. Fur and blood flew and spattered around.
A grey wolf burst through the fray. It leapt at Skeete.
“Juda,” shouted Norman.
Juda descended on Skeete and they fell against the wall. Juda snapped and tore at her throat. She dropped the map and punched at the wolf’s soft belly. Juda careened backward. He scampered to his feet and snarled, pulling his canine lips into ripples over his snout.
“I don’t have time for dogs anymore,” said Skeete.
“Prepare to fire,” shouted the general.
It was hard to tell who were Juda’s wolves and who were Eric’s. His Nymphs stood forming a ring, back to back, as wolves nipped around their perimeter. Norman blurred to the general’s side. “Hold. Hold your fire.”
The general snapped his face to Norman’s. His eyebrows squeezed together. “Why?”
“Some of them are on our side.”
“Our side?” said the general.
“Those vampires,” he pointed to the huddle of Nymphs. “And some of these wolves.”
“How will I know which is which?”
“If they come at you, kill them.”
The general cocked his head, narrowing his eyes.
“Remember our bargain.”
Sykes nodded.
Norman turned back to the battle. Skeete and Juda were gone. He looked around the circle, searching. A yelp echoed from the passage that led away. Juda hurtled from the darkness through the air back into the chamber, tumbling along the floor. He lay still.
Norman blurred over to the injured wolf. It still breathed. Warm blood flowed beneath its fur and skin. An instant later, Norman was at the mouth of the passage. Not this time, Skeete.
He peered into the darkness. Behind him, he heard barking. Tearing flesh. Shots. Yelps. A vampire scream. Then, a hand grasped his shoulder.
“I’m going with you.” It was Felicia.
“Stay. Lead the fight.”
“They can take care of themselves,” said Felicia.
He looked down into her soft eyes. He felt her allegiance. “No. Only you can.”
Her brow wrinkled.
“You need to make them forget this place. All of them.”
“I can’t do that.”
Norman tilted his head at her.
“I need more practice. I suck at it. I can only do one. Besides, it’ll wear off.”
“You’re my progeny. A twice removed worm. You share my abilities as I share Alric's. For a while at least. And only commands wear off. Memory is erased forever.” He stroked her hair, his hand coming to rest on her cheek. “Plus, you need to take care of Declan.”
Felicia looked back into the chamber. Declan swung his hammer at one of the Super-Vs who’d recovered. It exploded in light and the soldier’s hip and one leg burst in fire and spattered against the wall. Three shots fired from army regulars who watched from one side of the room. The gunshots sounded like muffled pops. Those weren’t bullets. The damaged enhanced vampire crumpled to the ground, shriveling into a brown leathery mass.
“They’ve improved Georgios’ formula.”
A wolf jumped onto Declan’s back. He pulled it off with one arm. It circled and bit at him as he tried to twist around to face it.
“Declan,” shouted Felicia.
“Go,” said Norman.
She turned, but he grasped her arm.
“Make them forget,” he said.
She nodded.
Norman spun to the darkened passage and listened. He could hear Skeete racing away. She hadn't gone far. Norman followed into the catacombs.
He sped through the tunnel. It was extremely dark. The way would have been black for a human. The way became more labyrinthine the further he pursued, guided by the sound of footsteps. They seemed to get softer. He quickened his pace. But he had to stop at each intersection to listen.
He could hear Skeete getting away from him again. Where was she going? Why did she want the map? Was she using it right now to find her way through these catacombs?
Norman quickened his pace through the corridor, the echoes of his own feet drowning out the soft echoes of Skeete. He dragged his left hand along the wall, searching for turns. His fingers could feel the runes carved into each brick’s surface. It reminded him of the walls deep within the caverns of Chip's old hideout. What did they mean?
His hand felt a corner. Yet another intersection. Keep going or turn? Norman listened. Skeete’s Footsteps were soft and distant. He turned and rushed along.
A few paces in, Norman lost her sound. He stopped and listened. He heard his breathing, his heartbeat. Nothing more. Had she gotten too far away? He heard no movement. Even the shots and scrapes from the circle behind him had faded to nothing.
He bolted down the corridor, hoping there were no more intersections. How would he choose? The way twisted around bends, sometimes at sharp angles, sometimes on long arcs.
He quickened his frantic pace. His own footsteps drowned out any others. Faster. Catch up.
Norman’s eyes had adjusted far darker than any human’s could. He discerned the strange words on the walls. No time to sort them out now. He made out a gap in the wall ahead. An intersection. Norman stopped, breathing loud and fast.
Which way? He listened. The sounds of his own gasps drowned out any other sounds. Perhaps she’d made the turn? He stepped a few paces down the dark branch, listening.
“My God, you’re loud,” said Skeete. She stood behind him at the intersection. “I might have thought you were one of those dogs, with all your panting.”
40
Turned Worm
Norman opened his mouth and his fangs flicked out. A hiss slithered past his lips.
“Put those things away Norman. I know you’re stronger than me,” said Skeete. “The sacrifices I have made to advance our species—”
“I should kill you right now.”
“You know it's not that easy. What I’ve given up in strength, I’ve gained in…let’s say durability?”
“You're a genetic nightmare. A monster” The memory of stabbing her in the heart flashed through Norman’s brain, followed by her reappearing in his classroom years later.
“A monster? No. I'm more human than you are. I'm going to rid the world of monsters.”
“I could just take you in. Put you in a cage of silver. You can rot there for the rest of time.”
“I suppose. But then you’ll never know my plan.”
“I already know your plan. You want to register all of us. I don’t understand that plan. It means your own doom as well.”
Skeete sucked her teeth. “Oh Norman, sometimes you seem like such a Nymph. When will you ever grow up? You can have your bill. Repeal it. Burn it on a funeral pyre for all I care. I don’t need it anymore.”
“Anymore?” said Norman. “What exactly are you after, Skeete?”
Skeete’s smug grin slid flat. “To end my pain. All of our pain.” Her eyes went blank. Norman thought he saw a touch of madness in them.
Her glanced snapped back to Norman. “Don’t look at me like that, you ass. You know what I speak of. Look inside. You know the hate. It’s at the center. It’s what made us.”
Was there really a plan in any of this? “You’re insane.”
“Why? Because I won’t ignore what
we are? Because I won’t pretend? It’s all hate. Some turn it against humans. It’s only natural, I suppose. Some against other vampires. Some against one party or another.”
“I’ve done none of that.”
“You think you’re so special, Norman.” She stepped closer, her gaze boring into his pupils. “You know, you can’t ignore it forever. Soon you’ll lose your bastardized worm powers. Just like I did.”
She was right. Norman’s power was slipping. Seducing crowds, other vampires, it was becoming harder.
“See?”
Soon enough, Norman would become a regular vampire. He could feel it happening. The dark chamber became fuzzy, warmer.
“We can end our pain, Norman. We can end all of our pain. Put it out forever.”
Norman wanted to release his pain. It would feel good to let go. No more fighting. Yes. She’s right. Perhaps he could come to see Skeete as a friend again.
Something within Norman jolted, like skin rubbing along a polished floor. He broke his gaze with Skeete. The corridor became cold and stark again. Skeete was trying to glamor him.
“Damn. That used to be so easy. I thought I’d give it a go. Can’t blame a girl for trying.”
“The only thing I need to end is you,” said Norman. He flicked his canines back out and lunged at her.
She slid back and twisted. Norman tripped face first on the ground. His nose exploded in blood and pain.
“You never were much of a fighter, Norman, although you came to me that way. You were so cute in your union blues.”
Norman rolled onto his back, but Skeete was on him. He clutched at her face. She bit hard, severing his pinky.
“If you won’t join me, Norman, then I’m afraid you’ll have to die.” Norman pulled his hand back, blood spurting.
In a flash, Skeete pulled a stake high above and drove it down. Norman swiped at the spike diverting it to his gut. Wooden agony spread like serpents through his intestines.
Norman shrieked. He pushed at her face with his bloody hand and slid his other into his pocket. Blood sprayed in coughs from his mouth. “You missed.”
