The Daemon Within

by Jeremy Croston

  The mist form returned just as quickly as it left. “Refuse me, vampire, and I will show you the true meaning of eternal nightmare.”

  This wasn’t the first time I’d been forced into service of a creature that was way more powerful than me. He was like an over-aggressive version of the Sphinx. “Let’s just hear him out real quick like, Isa.”

  “Listen to your daemon pet.” I didn’t like being called a pet, but there was little choice in the matter. “I need the two of you to go into the power plant. In the heart of the second reactor is a crystal I am tied to. Get it and bring it back to me.”

  What an odd request. “Can’t you just go get it?”

  “If I could, Warg host, the two of you would be dead,” he said angrily. The Chernybog was getting worked up, but he calmed himself down. “There are fail safes and defenders to make sure I do not acquire it. Fortunately for the two of you, the Warg host has that blue orb which will allow you access.”

  How in the world could he see that under all my clothes? I remained quiet as Isa took over. “Say we bring this crystal back to you. What’s in it for us?” That was a mighty fine question.

  “Besides your lives?” The great eye rolled, annoyed. “You and your wolf friends will no longer need to worry about me. With that crystal, I will gain my freedom and be able to leave this wretched exclusion zone.”

  So that was it. He was just as much a prisoner here as everything else. I didn’t know how good of an idea it was to help a dark, radioactive God, but Isa sealed the deal. “Fine, but we’ll do it on our terms. We have other problems to handle.”

  “Fine,” he said. “But the moment I feel as if you are not taking my request seriously, I will not only kill you but everything that I can reach. The deaths of every werewolf and human stupid enough to live in my domain will be on you.”

  He disappeared after that last proclamation. The blizzard slowed up and the wind died down. “Well, we’ve got ourselves into a real pickle, didn’t we?”

  Isa walked over to where the mist man had been. “I’m sorry, Victor, but our lives are the most important. We’ll honor the deal with the Chernybog.”

  I didn’t like the idea of giving that thing its freedom. There wasn’t anything else to say about it, what was done, was done. “Maybe we should try to get a bit of rest. I think we’re stuck here for the evening.”

  “I had other ideas,” Isa said slyly. Who was I to say no to that?

  Chapter 7

  We found our way back into Chernobyl very early in the morning. Dmitri was waiting for us at the gates, apparently having played sentinel all night awaiting our return. Isa explained everything to him, which I actually think made the situation worse. Upon hearing we’d be contacted by the Chernybog, Dmitri dropped to two knees and begun praying in his native tongue.

  By the time he finished and we were able to procure a meeting with the wolf council, our timeline for the meeting with the vampires was running close. After a heartfelt speech from yours truly imploring the wolves to go to the meeting in good faith and hopefully get this situation resolved, they reluctantly agreed. Only two of us would be going though, me and Dmitri.

  Isa felt as if her presence would be a distraction. I couldn’t much blame her; it didn’t go unnoticed to me that Gregory was more concerned about who I was with than what I was doing in Ukraine. I needed all the attention focused on me.

  That wasn’t to say Isa wouldn’t be nearby. We weren’t foolish enough to believe that this meeting couldn’t go south. When all of our preparations were complete, the three of us moved out into the Wormwood. I shouldn’t have felt the need to carry a weapon, but the cold metal of Roscoe pressing up against me gave me some comfort. I hoped I wouldn’t need to use it; I just didn’t know how I’d be received.

  As Isa broke off away from us, a pit formed in my stomach. God, I hoped I was doing the right thing by everyone.

  **Gregory**

  Liz was fussing over my wound, which actually was no big deal. Whoever that vampire was, if she had wanted to kill me, I would be dead. The speed and accuracy of the knife throw was impeccable. She was definitely an elder vampire, but who was she? That was the question.

  With no one else around, Liz and I could speak freely. “Victor is in with someone who is very dangerous,” I told her. “But, whoever it is, he trusts her implicitly.”

  She removed the compress from the wound. It was mostly healed by this time, anyway. “Victor is allowed to socialize with whoever he wants.” The hollowness of her words was telling. “The important detail is to find out why he is here. When he chased me from the Wormwood,” she tried to hide a tear streaking down her cheek, “the Warg was in control. There was no way to speak to him, then.”

  “We have a way. He wants to meet with us under the flag of a truce.”

  “Getting Anatoli to agree to that will be most difficult,” she added.

  Liz was right. The Silver Alpha was as stubborn as they came in terms of the Chernobyl werewolves. Liz dealt the first blow, killing one that was acting odd around one of the cooling ponds as she was investigating. When she told me of the death, she said it was an accident, but that there was something very strange about the wolf. He seemed to have no fear of her and lashed out. His death was quick and it almost sounded meaningless.

  I waited until nightfall to approach Anatoli. Reno and Anna were with Liz, letting me handle this on my own. That was for the best, as Reno was a loudmouth and Anatoli trusted Anna about as far as he could throw her. In all honesty, he could probably throw her pretty far but the expression works all the same. The Alpha was with his wife, sitting around a fire with the pack doing typical werewolf stuff. He saw me approach and waved his wife off. He greeted me with a firm handshake.

  “To vhat do I owe this independent meeting?” he asked.

  “Anatoli,” I began. “We have a chance to end all these hostilities peacefully.”

  He gruffed a bark-like laugh. “With those abominations in the Vormvood, there vill be no peaceful negotiation.” He waved his hand around, agitated. “Did your friend not already report that they vere vild?”

  Liz had told everyone that the rumors appeared to be true. And as much as I trusted Liz, she was not in the best of places. Plus, if Victor was willing to side with them… “You reached out to us for our expertise. We have a chance to meet with someone I consider a trusted friend who may be able to give us more insight. If you deny me this,” my voice began to rise, “then the vampires will pull out.”

  Anatoli was head and shoulders taller than me, but even he knew when to back down and relent. “Very vell,” he answered. “I vill go with you to this meeting. Just don’t expect me to be very velcoming.”

  It was a start.

  The following day, we moved out. It was just Liz, Anatoli, and myself. The Silvers wanted to send more of the pack, but I saw that as just a way to up the chances for violence when none was needed. The journey to the edge of the exclusion zone was a quiet one. Once we arrived, we saw that two people were walking the opposite way – Victor and what must have been the Alpha of the Chernobyl pack.

  Liz whispered to me, “Is it not strange that this mysterious vampire is absent?”

  I did not need to answer. Her nonattendance spoke volumes.

  **Vic**

  I got the willies as we trudged through the snow left on the ground caused by the Chernybog’s freak blizzard. There was just something sinister about that creature and Isa got us involved in something bad. Once this little sidebar was taken care of, I’d be talking to Isa about this whole adventure into the second reactor. We couldn’t just up and leave the area, as the monster would just slaughter all the wolves we were in the midst of trying to save. Damnit…

  Dmitri was very quiet. I knew, deep down, he wanted no part of a meeting that involved the Silver pack that lived just to the north of his. There’d also be an excellent chance that Liz would be here, the killer of one of his wolves. He didn’t know her identity, and I hoped it wouldn
’t come out. I’d seen Dmitri in full on Alpha wolf mode, and there was no doubt of his power.

  We were coming up on the agreed upon meeting place. Three figures were waiting for us – Liz, Gregory, and a powerful Silver Alpha. I’d picked his scent up quite a ways back, but it was to be expected. Dmitri, seeing this, stopped us. “It is three to two. Ve are at a disadvantage.”

  “No we’re not, Dmitri.” Casting my gaze back behind us, “Remember, they don’t know we have a third waiting in the wings. Don’t be afraid, we’re quite safe with Isa guarding us.”

  He nodded and pointed forward. “Let’s go get this over vith.”

  We moved at our own pace, coming to a halt about fifteen feet from the three figures waiting for us. Gregory had a small smile on his face, looking as if he wanted to greet me. The Silver’s anger couldn’t have been more evident. He regarded the sight of Dmitri with total contempt.

  Then there was Liz. There was no fire in her eyes, no signs of any emotion really. This wasn’t the girl I knew, she looked more like a shell. Was this my fault? I reached up and touched the blue orb under my jacket, almost as a reflex. That had been our last great adventure together – now we were enemies on opposite sides of a potential battlefield.

  No one seemed in a hurry to say anything. The opposing wolves were pretty close to snarling at each other, but kept it about as civil as they could. Liz wasn’t even making eye contact with me, so I reached out to the one person I knew I could count on. “Gregory, this is Dmitri, Alpha of the Chernobyl pack. Hopefully talking with him, you’ll see these wolves aren’t to be feared or hunted.”

  “Lies,” the Silver muttered under his breath.

  Gregory ignored him. “I am also hoping we can come to a peaceful resolution,” he said more to the Silver than me. “Vic,” he sighed. “I do not believe the tension is going to ease up, so let’s go ahead and begin, shall we?”

  Clearing my throat, “The attacks against my friends, the Chernobyl wolves needs to stop.” Then, with a bit more force, “That’s not a request, that’s an order.”

  Chapter 8

  The Silver wolf didn’t like my attitude. He started to rush forward, only to be grabbed by Gregory, who pulled him back. The Alpha lashed out at the smaller vampire, but he was too quick and put him on to the frost covered ground. “Enough, Anatoli,” Gregory commanded.

  Liz snapped out of it. “Victor,” she used my full name, “how dare you issue ultimatums so freely.”

  This put me right on the defensive. “I’m doing what I think is best. Attacking innocent wolves just because ain’t cool, Liz.”

  Believe it or not, the tension actually thickened. “There are no innocent parties in this world,” she said with contempt. “You of all people should know that.”

  “I don’t know what the hell changed with you, but your outlook is pretty damn crappy.”

  “You changed, Victor.”

  And there it was. She blamed me for what happened. How little did she forget it was her who wanted me to change what I’d become on that God forsaken island. That it was her and the vampires who classified me as a potential threat, all because I had the Warg inside me. “No Liz, I didn’t change. You pushed me away.”

  “My name is Elizabeth,” she said coldly.

  “So it’s going to be like that, huh?”

  Her icy blue eyes were shooting needles at me. “We know you are working with another vampire. Tell me, who is she and where is she hiding?”

  “That’s just none of your damn business.” Two could play at this game. “The only thing that we need to be concerned with is getting these two packs to leave each other alone.”

  It was clear she didn’t accept that answer. Gregory, back off the ground, and the Silver seemingly under control, interrupted. “You are right, Vic.” He still used my nickname. “The whole purpose of this meeting is to cease whatever bad blood exists between the two packs.”

  “They look down upon us like freaks,” Dmitri shot at them. “Ve didn’t choose to become vhat ve became.”

  “The radiation has varped their minds.” Anatoli’s accent was almost as thick as Dmitri’s. In any other circumstance, one might’ve thought these two were related. “Mercy killings are vhat is required at this situation.”

  “Is that vhat you call killing an innocent fisherman, Anatoli?”

  “He vas acting veird and aggressive. The vampire asked him to stand down but he didn’t.” Then the words that I’d hoped wouldn’t be spoken were. “You can ask her. She’s standing right there,” Anatoli said, as he pointed at Liz.

  Coming face to face with the murderer, what little constraint Dmitri had previously shown was out the door. “You,” he hollered. He was beginning the shift into his monstrous wolf form. “Vengeance for my pack vill be served!”

  There wasn’t anything I could do to stop him. The massive Black wolf stomped the ground with his enormous paws, his radiation stained orange fur was on end. This situation just got really ugly.

  Across the way, Liz was in full on vampire mode. The two predators attacked each other without a care in the world. Dmitri was a powerful wolf; unfortunately, that didn’t mean much to an elder vampire. She body slammed him into the ground, a silver tanto pressed up against his throat.

  Seeing the weapon my grandfather made for me in her hands, that way she was using it sent me over the edge. The Warg pleaded with me to let him out and I was more than willing to oblige. She didn’t even see the black hellhound leap at her, knocking her off Dmitri. Using my jaws, I ripped the sword out of her hand, tossing back towards our side of the meeting ground.

  Liz stood up, her eyes full of rage. “How dare you attack me in such a form, Victor!”

  I bared my fangs at her. She’d made her decision and I’d made mine. Before either of us could do anything, Gregory jumped in the middle, blocking our paths to each other. “Enough!”

  The Warg retreated and I was back in control. Liz, stunned by Gregory’s anger, also returned to her normal appearance. The hate in her eyes was gone, replaced by a lot of hurt. I almost buckled under that – almost. Dmitri was hurt and she’d been the cause of that. I helped the Alpha back up.

  “See, they are abominations,” Anatoli accused. “Did you see his monster form? That’s not normal for a volf.”

  I picked up the tanto, holding the silver blade out. “You’re the monster, you jerk.” Anatoli’s rage focused to me. “It’s painfully clear you’re not going to stop your quest to eliminate these wolves. Well let me tell you something,” this was meant for all three. “Your actions today won’t be forgotten. If anyone comes into my friend’s territory, you’ll be met with lethal force.”

  I didn’t wait for anyone to respond. I helped Dmitri and the two of us went back into the exclusion zone, leaving the vampires and the Silver Alpha to contemplate my warning.

  **Gregory**

  As Victor and the Chernobyl wolf walked away, I could not imagine this going any worse. “What is wrong with the two of you?” I asked. “We just made another unnecessary enemy. One that we could always count on being a friend!”

  “He is no friend, Gregory.” Liz was fading into an even darker place. “That daemon he harbors has turned him into an abomination, just like the wolves that live in the exclusion zone.” Anatoli’s head was moving so fast, agreeing with her. It was pathetic to watch.

  Anna, who had been hiding in the shadows as back up, joined the circle. “I must agree with them, Gregory.” Of course she did, she did not have the backbone of her predecessor, Kai. “No matter what this Victor used to be, this area will not see peace until those wolves are dealt with.”

  “I fully disagree.”

  The three of them refused to accept my assessment. “Gregory,” Liz started. “You saw with your own two eyes what that Alpha wolf became, let alone Victor’s aggression towards me.” She stepped up, taking my hand. “We have been friends for a very long time. Why do you not see what I see?”

  Maybe it was because I
was not the one hurting emotionally. Maybe, after all these years, I saw the grey spots in the world, not just the black and white. Either way, “I am truly sorry.” I pulled my hand away. “I cannot go along with this plan to kill off those wolves.”

  For the second time in just minutes, Liz had been emotionally wounded. I hated doing this to her, I just felt this was the right decision. “If you and Anna plan to continue helping the Silver pack, so be it. I will not take part in it.”

  “Gregory!”

  I did not turn around as Liz called my name. Instead, I walked into the exclusion zone, hoping to find Vic and maybe, just maybe, between the two of us, we could find a way to reconcile this situation before it was too late.

  **Vic**

  Whatever feelings or loyalties Elizabeth had for me were gone. It was too late to reconcile, based on her actions. It was almost symbolic that I was able to get the tanto back that I’d given her when we first met. She no longer deserved to have that weapon on her back. She was a traitor to the cause.

  Isa joined us shortly after we left the meeting. She’d seen everything. “Thank you, Vic. You saved my friend’s life. I know it wasn’t an easy decision.”

  “Actually it was.” These wolves, they didn’t deserve any of this. “I saw someone I respected in a bad spot. He’d have done the same for me.”

  Dmitri put a hand on my shoulder. “You are true friend, Victor. You are velcome vith my pack, alvays.”

  That meant a lot to me. Even within my own pack in New Mexico, I wasn’t really counted as a participating member. I was just Vic, Callum’s handicapped kid. “I’m going to take you up on that offer, Dmitri.”

  The bad juju from the meeting was slowly going away as we headed back. I wasn’t sure what would happen next, but I didn’t expect it to be what did. “Vic! Wait up!”