Hellcats: Anthology

by Kate Pickford

  “What is this?” I breathed.

  “Home.”

  I glanced at Ian, my eyes wide. “Home?”

  “Yeah. It’s been my home for the past few years.” Ian’s eyes danced.

  We crossed the clearing and Ian pulled open the ornate iron door. Its handle was embellished with a strange design—a circular snake biting its own tail.

  “Welcome home, Em.”

  Warmth travelled through my chest. Home. I’d found shelter beyond the Edge, somewhere safe and new to call my own, just as Mom had asked.

  My heart ached for her and for Luis. I wished she could see me now, safe and sound, far beyond the reach of the Patrols. My lips curled upward. She sure would be proud of her Hellcat.

  As Ian went off to gather some wood for a fire, I clicked my comp back on again. Now that I was finally safe, I could explore the network in peace. They’d never be able to trace me here, to the Hideout, not when I relied on a centuries-old satellite for power.

  I browsed through the system, hunting for a clue about this elusive chip Ian had mentioned. After several minutes of combing through files on the City’s administration, I stumbled upon an encrypted firewall. A backdoor to a backdoor.

  Intrigued, I tilted my body toward my comp and narrowed my eyes. After several failed attempts at using brute force to penetrate the firewall, my screen flashed green.

  My jaw dropped as my comp nearly fell to the ground.

  “Ian,” I called. “You’ll never believe what I just found.”

  Ian jogged over and crouched down beside me, reading over my shoulder.

  “DDD. The Deathday Database.”

  I smiled to myself. It’s been thirty-six hours since I was supposed to die. Now, I was safe. I had found a new home, a new purpose, and a new friend. I was not alone in this—against all odds, Ian and I had both survived past our Deathdays.

  And now, we were going to find out why.

  Kasia Lasinska writes series of fast-paced young adult fantasy and dystopian novels that will keep you reading late into the night. Kasia likes to tell people she’s a vampire, given she’s a night owl, is usually quite pale and can’t eat garlic. She loves books, travel, coffee and dogs.

  Find out more at kasialasinska.com.

  25

  The Palace Plot

  By Katy Hollway

  Her destiny must be eradicated; the spiny beast her assassin. A cat the summons to her death.

  ‘What the Master wants, the Master gets! And the Master wants her dead.’ The creature scowled. ‘But why does it have to involve cats?’

  The spiny body of the being glistened in the light that streamed through the large windows. It shrank back. The darkness was much more comforting, even though it had a task to complete.

  The palace room was full of cats; murals painted on the walls, heavy stone statues that could not be toppled, and of course, live felines. They slept, curled up or stretched out on every surface; there were baskets where young kittens mewed and play-fought while older cats contorted themselves as they groomed.

  The girl was not here. She was the central part of the Master’s plan but she would need to be summoned to her death, and that was why this creature was here.

  It watched for an opportunity.

  A russet short-haired cat sauntered over to the window. He was restless and his wide amber eyes peered longingly into the gardens. The morning had not yet arrived in full Egyptian heat, but even at this time the animals tended to stay inside. Taking to the palace grounds to stalk frogs and whatever other small prey that could be caught was an adventure for the cooler night hours. This cat would be the one.

  The dark creature took a hissing breath and crawled out of the shadows again. Its body was covered in thick fur-like spines and a set of torn, leathery wings were folded at its back.

  At one time it had been a creature of light, but it had been banished to this spinning rock in the universe to watch the agonizing rise of humans as the ultimate punishment. The creator of this prison had overlooked several factors, much to the creature’s delight. The torture of being on Earth was eased by such oversight. One such problem in the design was that of human free will. The creature sneered. This so-called strength would be the downfall of humankind and hold the greatest arsenal of weaponry to the lightless ones.

  The beast ran a vivid orpiment-yellow tongue over its parched lips. The fork in this dark creature’s tongue was particularly long and it suited the beast very well indeed. The poison now layering its mouth even more so. It was deceitful in nature and in name. Bending others to its will was not a superpower since it was never as simple as just brainwashing these humans, but persuasion and twisting the truth was a terrible gift that it exercised precisely and held dearly.

  Cats were another matter though and the creature wanted to avoid the inevitable part of the plan for as long as possible.

  The curious cat still gazed out with wide amber eyes but was now settled on the low windowsill. He twitched his ears as the unseen dark creature swept past and out into the shaded garden.

  The greenery that surrounded the palace was starkly different to the settlements. The undergrowth chirruped with all sorts of insects gorging themselves while the slaves who had dug the water channels that served these luscious gardens starved. The creature did not care to suppress a laugh at the expense of the oppressed; any sense of misery was delicious.

  It reached a nearby bulrush stalk and expertly clamped an unsuspecting insect between its razor-sharp claws before it could jump away. If there were any light left inside the fiend, its eyes would have gleamed, but instead, they darkened even more. The insect tried to escape on spindly legs that were now kicking in the air; the struggle was pointless.

  ‘You’ll do,’ it said smiling widely, revealing several rows of sharp obsidian teeth. ‘This is going to hurt!’

  Its yellow tongue touched the tip of its claw which it then used to caress the back of the locust. The shell split. The invertebrate shuddered. Dark tar-like gunk began to bubble up where it broke apart. The creature breathed on it and suddenly the insect was ablaze with sickly green sparks.

  The cat looked immediately at the twinkling object, his bright eyes transfixed. His whole body became tense. He stood very slowly.

  The dark beast wafted the blazing locust in the air and then placed the shimmering plaything on the ground. With a clawed flick, it coaxed the insect forward.

  The cat on the windowsill crouched, not taking its amber gaze from the glow.

  The creature watched as the cat focussed and became very still, preparing to pounce. At just the right moment, the creature kicked the prey just out of the cat’s reach.

  ‘That’s right,’ the creature hissed, ‘this way. Follow me!’

  The cat was captivated; eager and willing to follow the fizzing fractured abdomen wherever it led. Batting it this way and that, though, had its price. The wings fell off. The thorax crumbled. And soon the insect was little more than a compound eye and one mandible. Not nearly enough to capture the attention of the russet-haired feline.

  It took several new guides to coax the cat all the way to the shimmering pool beside the queen’s room. The creature used whatever it could get a claw to, the best spectacle had been the rat with the blazing tail that eventually burned down like a tallow candle until the sparking gunk spread up its spine. The cat had been more captivated by that than any other trick that the creature had used. However, it had still taken half the morning to get the cat this far; and the dark beast was in a foul mood.

  A soft breeze caught the cat’s attention as it twitched its whiskers. It had apparently had enough of playing games. Rubbing its cheek and then its entire slim body against the edge of the doorway, the cat slipped willingly into the cool chambers.

  The creature followed.

  ‘Where have you been, Deceit?’ came a jarring voice from the shadows. There was no mistaking Envy’s harsh, imperious tone.

  The spiny creature turned and scowled
baring its teeth. Another monster of its own kind was sliding from the shoulders of a young man and smiling widely with sharp fangs.

  ‘You had the easier task,’ Deceit replied.

  ‘I’ve had to keep Horusisus here,’ the other replied gesturing to the man.

  Deceit gazed at the human. ‘Named after a god?’ it asked and looked him up and down. ‘A little ambitious, I think.’

  ‘He prefers to be called Si,’ Envy replied.

  ‘Rightly so.’ Deceit muttered, rejecting the obvious truth. Deceit shuddered. It was undeniable that this man carried the image of a deity. Deceit, however, lived wholly by its name that was cleaved close to its nature; it could easily deceive itself too.

  The young man with the strange name stood with arms folded and eyes narrowed looking at the murals adorning the wall. Si was dressed in a simple cotton kilt and had the typical shaven head but that was not what caught Deceit’s attention. A wonderfully thick yellow smoke was seeping out of his knotted muscles and pooling at his feet. It was blissfully obvious that Si was jealous.

  Deceit took a satisfying deep breath and glanced at what was causing the human to be so appealingly upset. The mural showed the familiar depictions of the Pharaoh and his chosen wife dressed and poised as gods. The creature smiled. The god-like almighty pharaoh was just another repeat of ancient history; another human trapped by the same temptation.

  ‘The cat is here now,’ Deceit eventually stated not giving the other beast another look.

  The amber-eyed cat padded around the room, every bit as oblivious to the hell creatures as the human seemed to be.

  Si, still in his late teens, balled his fists and grunted. He was unaware of anything in the room except the painting on the wall. The noxious gas was thickening. Deceit could not stop itself and leapt closer to draw in a second pull of the poison. The picture that had caused so much of the pain in this man child seemed to be the section showing the children of the Pharaoh and his queen.

  The other demon was more silken than the first. ‘He’s not been in here for a while; thought he might enjoy seeing the family portrait.’ The other laughed, the sound like claws across a slate. ‘Which I think he does. It’s intoxicating, isn’t it?’ The beast sniffed the air. ‘He doesn’t quite have the likeness, does he?’ It slithered up the wall and licked the faces painted there. ‘He’s just got too much of his own mother in him, but he may have inherited his father’s nose.’

  Deceit glanced at the young man’s face; there was some familiarity there. ‘I think you had the easier task. He doesn’t seem that difficult at all. Quite the opposite, a lesser demon would have done just as well. Not exactly that difficult for you, Envy.’

  ‘Feeling bitter that you are not as talented as me?’ Envy asked, its eyes flashing a deadly red. ‘You should have just climbed in,’ it suggested.

  ‘My way was flawless. I was sent to do this vital part of the job, not you.’

  Envy laughed. ‘You know you’ll have to.’

  Deceit sneered only causing the other to laugh harder.

  Mews were coming from near to Si’s feet. The distraction broke the flow of yellow gas and it dissipated. He looked down and then bent low to stroke the feline. It rubbed his face against Si’s ankles, peered up into the man’s face, and wound his body about Si’s legs.

  ‘I don’t have anything for you.’ Si looked about. ‘Should you even be in here?’

  Envy snaked its way up Si’s back and quickly climbed to the human’s shoulders.

  Si paid no attention to his scaley companion.

  ‘You should get out of here.’ Si said as he tried to shoo the cat away with wild gestures. The cat gave Si a prolonged stare and backed away slightly.

  ‘Don’t let that moggy out of here!’ Envy shouted at Deceit. ‘Get in it now.’ It then leaned down and began to whisper in the man child’s ear. ‘Why should you have to get rid of the cat? It is a task beyond your ranking. Someone else should fetch it.’

  Si stood upright and raised his chin. He rubbed the back of his neck and frowned before he narrowed his eyes.

  He strolled over to the door and pulled it open.

  A guard was marching down the corridor.

  ‘There’s a cat loose in here. Go fetch someone to sort it out,’ Si commanded.

  There was a momentary look of confusion before the guard nodded curtly and hurried off.

  The reptilian Envy now curled comfortably on Si’s shoulders and wrapped its tail around his arm.

  Si shut the door and then glanced around scratching his chin.

  ‘It’s almost like he can’t help himself!’ Envy laughed again. ‘Thought you were going to leave, did you? Not yet!’ Envy nodded at Deceit. ‘There’s someone you need to meet.’ Deceit watched as the other drew circles on Si’s chest. ‘It won’t be long before she’s here.’

  Envy pointed to the cat with a long bony finger. ‘Don’t let it get away!’

  The cat had decided that Si was not interested and had moved closer to the doorway to the gardens.

  Deceit let out a screech and swooped over the cat who flattened itself to the floor instinctively even though it could not see what the danger was. Deceit landed unnecessarily heavily and snarled inwardly at what it knew Envy would be thinking and refused to glance at the other demon. Deceit turned deliberately to block the doorway, then distracted by an overwhelming need to impress, it prowled closer to the cat.

  The russet fur on the back of the cat stood up on end. The feline darted under a table causing an elegant bowl to wobble close to the edge. It dashed into the neighbouring room.

  Si felt his skin prickle and squinted into the space that the cat had so quickly run from. Deceit stared back.

  ‘There’s nothing here,’ Deceit said with a soft and calming voice that did not match its hideous appearance.

  Si blinked at the bright light shimmering off the pool outside and then followed the cat.

  Envy clapped its hands together filling the room with the rattling of bones, in mock congratulations. ‘Oh Deceit! Our hero!’ it cheered glancing back. ‘Stop delaying and secure the cat. Get in!’

  Deceit narrowed its dark eyes and spat on the floor. A vile plume of deep vermillion vapour twisted from the mucus. It slumped after the human, his host, and the dreaded cat.

  The next room was dark but sparse. Deceit recognised the layer upon layer of incantations that had been spoken in this space, as the layers clung to the air and rested on every surface. It was a thrilling place. It began to feel the tingles running up and down the length of its body and shifted in an eerie dance under the compulsion.

  Deceit murmured its pleasure.

  The feline, however, felt far from relaxed. It sprang from the floor and landed heavily on the table. It skidded over the surface and twisted to stop itself from falling, knocking the vase to the floor instead.

  With a resounding crash, that shook Deceit out of its private power indulgence, the blue vessel smashed, water exploded, and the flowers were thrown down.

  The cat glanced down at the mess with wide amber eyes.

  ‘You did that!’ Deceit said.

  The cat lifted his front paw and began to lick it.

  Si stepped carefully over the mess, gathered the cat into his arms, and backed away.

  ‘Stupid cat!’ she muttered as she ran into the room.

  She was finally there. The summoning had worked. The Master’s prey had arrived. Deceit crouched with energy coiled in its muscles. It could not help but stare at her.

  Her eyes fell to the ground as she surveyed the damage; the broken vase pieces, the water, and the lilies haphazardly tossed in all directions.

  There was a sharpness to her voice that did not leave the air. It made Deceit so uncomfortable that it flew across the room and crouched behind Si, knowing what the Master had told them about her. Deceit had never seen her before but knew that she was the object of the Master’s death plan. How could such a slight framed girl ever be so important? She was n
ot even Egyptian. It shook its head. Squinting, it took in the cat hairs clinging to her robe, she had to be the girl who looked after the cats. She was the one they were ordered to destroy.

  ‘Now’s the time, Deceit,’ Envy encouraged. ‘Get in!’

  Deceit hissed. It scrambled up into the arms of Si. The russet cat was calm but began to instantly fidget as Deceit drew near.

  ‘I hate you for suggesting this to the Master.’

  Envy patted Deceit on its spiny head. ‘And that is not a lie!’ it said. ‘Deceit, I think you are getting weaker.’

  Deceit flicked out its tongue spraying Envy with droplets of saliva that bubbled pointlessly on the demon’s protective scales.

  The cat squirmed. Deceit sighed at its fate. It lowered its body and settled itself into the cat. The feline gave a shudder. Deceit could feel the irritating itch of life smothering every part of its being and gagged. Deceit swallowed it back and focused on the task. It murmured a gentle word and the cat began to purr. Si ran his hand over the fur and Deceit knew that now Si would struggle to escape the Master’s plan even more.

  ‘Where are you?’ she said as she bent low checking under the table. ‘You stupid cat!’ She stood and put her hands on her hips. ‘Now I have to clear up this mess too.’

  She bent low again and began to look under the seats.

  Envy leaned over Si’s shoulder and winked at Deceit. ‘Watch how it should be done!’ it whispered and tapped Si on the arm.

  ‘Are you looking for this?’ Si said innocently.

  Envy could not help but hissed with delight at her shock when she turned.

  Her sudden fear shot sparks through the air.

  Deceit saw her glance up at Si and then glare at the cat. Her gaze fixed on the amber eyes but not seeing the dark eyes of the demon beyond.

  This was Eliora.

  The Master had said that she would be dangerous if she ever reached her full capacity. Her bloodline had to be crushed. Her life was forfeit for the potential that she carried. They had to stop her.