The Savage End (The Vampire World Saga Book 6)

by P. T. Hylton

  Another Twisted stepped toward him, claws raised. He reached back his hand, ready to slash at Jaden’s throat, and a bullet went through the center of his forehead.

  Alex lay on her belly, staring out of the window as she worked the bolt on her rifle and fired again. One of the Twisted holding Jaden’s right arm fell. She fired one more time, and Jaden yanked his right arm free. One sword was all he needed to regain the advantage. He quickly dropped two Twisted to his left, then spun toward one behind him.

  Revealing herself, breaking the plan and firing before Maryana appeared, wasn’t an easy decision, but there was no way she was going to let Jaden be torn to shreds in front of her.

  She was just about to fire again, when she spotted a blur of motion. Pulling her eye away from the scope, she saw more Twisted approaching. A group of five was coming from the west, sprinting down the street toward the City Council building. No, not five. Ten. Make that twenty. More were coming from the other direction now, too. There had to be a hundred of them. She immediately understood that this was CB’s group; the one that had been called back from chasing Owl. Jaden reacted quickly, leaping into the air. She didn’t see where he landed; there were simply too many of them.

  Rushing footsteps pounded along the floor behind her. Alex had just enough time to turn her head before rough hands grabbed her under the shoulders and hauled her to her feet, lifting her like she weighed nothing at all. She threw a punch, blindly lashing out at the enemy’s midsection, but it was easily deflected. A set of hands grabbed her, pinning her arms to her side while another set of hands roved along her body, efficiently removing her sword, her pistols, and all three knives. In less than two seconds from the start of the attack, she was restrained and weaponless.

  CB stood in front of her, a Twisted on either side of him. Another one was behind her, holding her arms. CB opened his hands and let Alex’s weapons fall to the floor. “That was a nice try, drawing us away from the city, Alex.” His voice was thick with sadness. “A very nice try.”

  “Didn’t work for long, I see,” Alex said. The words sounded dumb in her ears, but she needed to buy herself a moment to think.

  “She called us back,” he said, simply. “There are new orders. I have to take you to her, now.”

  With that, he turned and walked toward the door. The other Twisted followed. Alex squirmed, but the grip on her arms was like iron as the Twisted carried her.

  “CB,” she said as they reached the stairs and started down. “I know you’re in there.”

  “Of course, I am. That’s the real hell, isn’t it? I’m in here, and I can’t do a damn thing but what I’m told. I can’t help my friends. I can’t even visit my wife.” He didn’t turn as he spoke, keeping his eyes ahead of him.

  “You can fight this!” she insisted. “You’re the strongest-willed bastard I’ve ever met. If anyone can fight this, it’s you.”

  Now, he finally turned, and there were tears standing in his eyes. “You don’t think I’m fighting? I’ve been fighting since the moment I was turned. Fighting with everything I have. You remember our old motto? I’ve been fighting. Fighting and preparing. Preparing and fighting! That’s all I do. And now, I have to take you to her.”

  Alex stared at him blankly, wondering if maybe he’d gone insane. “CB, you’re not making sense. Please, just try. Think of Jessica! She’s out there and—”

  “Keep her quiet,” CB said to the Twisted holding her.

  The Twisted changed position, one, holding her with one arm, while the other covered her mouth. She could move a little now, but not enough to get away. And she couldn’t speak to CB.

  They took her out of the building and through the street, carrying her past where Jaden had confronted the group of Twisted. She saw a half dozen Twisted bodies but, thankfully, not Jaden’s. The Twisted watched as she was carried past, their expressions conflicted. The former badges didn’t want to see Alex hurt, but the vampire slaves delighted at seeing their master’s orders carried out.

  They entered the City Council chamber. Maryana sat at the head of the table, and the full Council was seated around her. They were all Twisted, now. Alex felt like she was going to be sick.

  Maryana’s face broke out in a wide grin at the sight of them. “Go ahead and put her down. Pretty sure she can’t do much against a room full of us.” She turned to CB. “How’s it feel to be the one to bring your star pupil to her execution?”

  “Not great,” CB said, softly.

  “I’ll bet not. But into every life a little rain shall fall, right?” She looked at Alex, who was standing on her own now, arms free. “So, you’re the one I’ve been hearing so much about. The hero of New Haven.” She tilted her head a little, giving Alex a close look. “I’m disappointed. You showed guts the first time we met, but I don’t think there’s much more to you than that. A lot of hot air in a sad, little balloon.”

  “Yeah?” Alex said, her voice quivering with anger. “How about I blow that hot air up your—”

  “You know what?” Maryana said, holding up a hand. “It’s been a long day and my spine is still sort of severed. I don’t have time for this. You’re more enjoyable dead than alive. CB, rip her head off.”

  In a flash, CB was on her. The fingers of his right hand wrapped around her neck, and he lifted her off the floor. Alex’s eyes widened in shock and terror. CB had her. She was unarmed. What could she do?

  Then she realized something—CB had her by the throat, but he wasn’t squeezing. Every muscle on his face and neck was standing out in harsh relief, as if he were fighting with all his might. He was resisting, Alex realized.

  “CB?” Maryana said, a hint of concern in her voice. “Chop-chop. We still have Jaden to deal with.”

  CB’s arm was quivering now, and his eyes were turning redder by the moment. “Alex… I can’t… for long…. you have to...”

  He was fighting. Just like he’d said. How had he put it? Fighting and preparing. Preparing and fighting.

  Then she got it. The team motto.

  Ours is not to question why…

  It had been so long since they’d used the unofficial team motto. Not since the discovery of Agartha. Not since Drew’s death.

  “CB?” Maryana called. “I want that head in my lap in the next three seconds. That’s an order.”

  There was blood seeping from his nose, now.

  She saw it then, sticking out as clear as day. CB’s GMT knife, strapped to his combat vest where he’d always kept it. Her hand shot out and she wrapped her fingers around the handle. As she pulled it back, she felt its weight.

  In Alex’s mind, she saw CB as a young man, flying the away ship back to New Haven after his entire team had died in the streets of Toronto, knowing that he was the last of the GMT, and it was his duty to rebuild it.

  Alex shoved the knife forward with all her strength.

  She saw him sitting across from her, giving her the news that she had been selected for the GMT, and his not-quite concealed smile at her whoop of delight.

  The tip of the blade sank into CB’s chest.

  She saw him on his wedding day. Every eye had been on Jessica as she walked down the aisle; every eye but Alex’s. She’d been watching CB, and the love she saw in his eyes gave her hope for a better life to come.

  Alex kept pushing until the knife pierced his heart.

  Ours is not to reason why, just to be prepared to die.

  The fingers around Alex’s neck went limp and the life went out of CB’s eyes. Alex’s feet touched the floor, and CB’s body collapsed.

  For a moment, Alex went numb. Then the emotion came rushing back with an intensity she’d never felt in her life. She squeezed her fingers tight around the knife’s handle and turned toward Maryana.

  Maryana stared down at CB, wide-eyed. “What the… Somebody want to tell me what the hell just happened?”

  Alex stepped forward. Before her foot hit the ground, the door shattered into an explosion of splinters, and Jaden charged t
hrough, sprinting at Maryana.

  32

  “Kill him!” Maryana screamed. She pushed her chair back from the table, putting more distance between her and Jaden. There was rage in her eyes at the site of Jaden, but Alex also saw fear.

  The eleven remaining members of the Council sprang out of their chairs and lunged across the table. The two Twisted who’d been guarding the door raised their pistols, but Jaden sliced through them before they could level their weapons.

  The Council attacked him as a mob. Jaden was able to put a sword through two of their hearts, but the close space worked against him, and he was tackled by the remaining members. They had no weapons other than their claws and teeth. They tore at his flesh as the chaotic mass of bodies fell backward.

  The council had the strength and speed of the Twisted, but their minds were civilian. Alex’s mind was hardened by battle. She knew that this moment, when everyone was focused on Jaden, was her one shot. Her target was twenty feet in front of her. She pushed hard off her back foot, propelling herself toward Maryana, gripping her knife tightly.

  Maryana moved fast, considering she was dragging herself with only her arms. She pulled herself to the window and punched the glass with a short, lighting fast-hit. The window shattered, and she pressed her hands against the floor, preparing to launch herself out of the window.

  Alex dove toward her, swinging her knife in a downward arc. The blade sank into Maryana’s right calf, sliding all the way through the muscle and sinew and burying its tip into the floor below. Maryana tried to throw herself out of the window but she only moved forward a few inches, pulling her own muscle through the blade. She turned back, her eyes wild, and saw the knife in her leg and Alex holding onto the handle. She lashed out, claws extended toward Alex’s arm. The motion was fast, but Alex pulled her arm back just in time.

  Alex grabbed the knife’s handle with both hands and yanked it out of Maryana’s leg. Blood erupted from the wound, sending a stream of dark red into the air. Alex lunged forward, thrusting the knife toward Maryana’s heart. But Maryana was moving just as fast. By the time the knife came down, she already had one hand through the broken window, and the blade missed its target, slashing harmlessly at the place where Maryana had been a moment ago.

  Maryana gripped the side of the building with one hand and pulled hard. Her body dragged over broken glass and plummeted out of the window. Alex dove after her, her fingers clutching at empty air, missing Maryana by inches. She let out a scream of frustration as she lay with her arms and torso out the window, watching Maryana fall. She balanced there, inches away from tumbling out of the window.

  The street below them was crowded with Twisted, every one of them looking up at her. One of them caught Maryana and gently set her down on the ground.

  Alex turned back to see Jaden standing on a pile of mangled corpses that had been the City Council. The long table where they had held so many meetings and debates was covered in blood and tissue. Jaden held the last living council member by the throat. He wildly clawed at Jaden’s arms and face. Jaden thrust his sword into his heart, ending the struggle. The Councilman fell to the floor, and Jaden bent to pick up his second sword.

  Alex didn’t know how much of the blood covering Jaden was his own, but he was clearly in bad shape. Strips of flesh were missing from his cheeks and neck, and his shirt had been torn to shreds. His torso was covered in bite and claw marks. She wondered how he was still standing. His eyes were filled with pure rage.

  Jaden snarled and sprinted toward the open window.

  “No!” Alex yelled. “There are too many of them!”

  The words were still leaving her mouth as Jaden leaped over her and tumbled out of the window. He readied his swords as he fell toward the hundreds of Twisted waiting on the ground.

  A small, familiar voice came from somewhere behind her. “Where are you, Alex?”

  She turned and spotted her radio handset lying on the ground next to CB’s body. She ran over and grabbed it. “I’m in the Council building, Owl. Jaden just jumped into the middle of a Twisted army. Get the team out of here, now!”

  “I will. Right after I pick you up. I’m almost there. Get to the roof as fast as you can.”

  Alex could tell that she wasn’t going to dissuade Owl. She grabbed the pistols off one of the dead guards and headed toward the stairs. As she left the room, she heard explosions from the street below.

  The Council chamber was on the top floor of the building, so Alex only had one level to go to reach the roof. As she burst through the door, she spotted someone crouching there—Owl.

  The four Twisted hot on her heels gave her no time to think about how her friend had beaten her to the roof. As she stepped onto the roof, she turned and opened fire. She dropped three of the Twisted before they stepped through the door. The final Twisted made it through, but he’d only taken one step before his head exploded in a mist of blood and the report of a rifle split the air.

  “I see you picked up Ed,” Alex said. “How the hell did you get up here so quickly?”

  “Same way we’re getting off.”

  “Jaden’s down there!” Alex pointed to the edge of the building. They looked over the edge. The Twisted were jammed together so tightly that the street looked alive. Most of them were focused on something on the ground, but a few looked up and aimed their weapons at Alex and Owl.

  “We have to go,” Owl said. Before Alex could respond, Owl threw her over her shoulder and sprinted toward the opposite edge of the building. As the gunshots split the air, she leaped off the edge and soared to the building across the street.

  Jaden replayed the last few minutes in his mind. The moment he’d leapt from the building, he’d realized his folly. Maryana’s army was gathering around her, and she was screaming at them to capture him. Bullets tore through his legs and a grenade exploded next to him. Despite the long odds, he knew better than to give up. He pressed forward toward Maryana, striking at those around him with his blades. But there were simply too many. They piled on top of him and tore at his falling body. He heard gunshots and hoped that some of the GMT would survive.

  Slowly, the chaos around him turned to order. The shouting and gunfire stopped, and enough Twisted cleared off to let Jaden see the fading light of the day. He relished that moment. He’d gone so long without seeing the sun.

  Twisted held onto his arms and legs. He looked to his right and saw that his hand had been removed at the wrist. Blood trickled from the wound and the jagged flesh at the end of his arm. He felt strange, almost like he was floating. He wondered if there was any blood left in his body. His other arm was whole, and his left hand still clutched his ancient blade.

  The Twisted pried the sword from his hand, and he was not able to put up much resistance. They dragged him into the building. Maryana was just inside the door, held aloft by two Twisted. Her legs dangled limply, blood still dripping from the wound in her calf.

  She broke into a wide smile. “Hey, Dad. How’s your day going?”

  Jaden looked her in the eyes. “Give me a moment to catch my breath, and we can finish this.”

  “Hmm, I don’t think so. You taught me a final lesson. There was a time when I would have let you heal, just so I could enjoy killing you at your peak physical condition, rather than as the worn-down husk you are now. I’m still tempted to keep you alive for the next few centuries, just to torture you. The only problem is, I would like to rebuild humanity, so I can rule them for the next thousand years. You got close to ending me today. As long as you’re alive, you’re a threat.” She glanced at the Twisted standing behind Jaden. “Bring me his swords.”

  Jaden felt a wave of sadness as he looked at this monster—a monster he’d created. “You’ve proven your ability to destroy, but I think rebuilding may be beyond your limits. You turned the world to ash and were buried in the rubble for the last century and a half. The people who survived are stronger than you think. Your rule with be short.”

  Two Twisted came thro
ugh the crowd and handed Maryana Jaden’s swords. She took one in each hand, holding them out and admiring the glimmering edges. Blood still dripped from each blade. “Do you remember when I asked you to make me a set of these?”

  Jaden looked up at her, barely able to lift his head. “I do. I told you that I would teach you to make your own when you were ready. I did not see the poison that filled you at the time. You will never gain the skills to forge weapons equal to those.”

  “I’ll never need to waste my time with that, now. I’ve already got a set.” She looked at Jaden’s right arm. “I see you are not symmetrical at the moment. Let’s see if these blades are as sharp as you say.”

  She brought the blade down in a flash, and Jaden’s left hand fell to the floor. A trickle of blood dripped down from his wrist. Jaden kept his stare on Maryana. He did not make a sound.

  “Wow, you really do great work, Jaden. I could barely feel that blade chopping through your bone. I’m going to use these blades to cut all of your vampires to pieces.” She chuckled. “Oh, wait. I can’t do that, because they are already dead.”

  “They are gone,” Jaden said, his voice filled with sadness. “My time has passed and so has yours. The world is ready to move on. I can feel it. Both of us will soon be forgotten.”

  She snarled at him. “I will never be forgotten. I am the force that changed the world. My rule will be eternal. The last creature who could have stopped me has no hands and is about to die.”

  “No. You are a cancer that will be cleansed from the world. In the great expanse of time, it will mean nothing. You mean nothing.” Jaden smiled.

  “I’m going to kill every person in your city.” Her voice rose to a yell. “I’m going to wipe out every record of you. Any tongue that speaks your name will be ripped out, until everyone who knew you is dead.”

  “As I said, my time has passed, but you will not be the one to remove my memory. The hole in your chest came from a man. The wound in your leg is the work of a woman. Your downfall will come at the hands of the humans. I see that, now.”