There's Always Tomorrow (Immortal Series)

by Alice Addy

  The tuneless music that reverberated through the open doors of the nightclubs was deafening. Added to the shouts and the bawdy laughter, from the people standing on the sidewalks, Tony was certain he wouldn’t be able to hear what he needed to hear. The colored lights made his head spin and his stomach roll. It was turning into one wasted night, he lamented to himself. Just then, something caught his eye.

  “What the hell?” Tony crossed the street and approached a young black man tagging a wall. Next to him, was a painting of a rat-like creature holding a small child. His eyes glowed yellow and his nails were sharp—at least three inches long, resembling claws. However, there was something wrong with his skull. Tony couldn’t turn away from the hideous drawing.

  “Did you do this?” he asked the young man.

  “What’s it to you?” the kid countered, defensively.

  Stabbing his finger at the hideous being pictured on the wall, Tony shouted, “I’m looking for that man and that child. Have you any idea where I can find him?”

  The young man stood back and looked at the figure drawn on the wall and shuddered. “Yeah, I got an idea where you can find him. Hell...that’s where. You must be as sick as he is, if you’re lookin’ for him. He’s into some serious shit.” The young man started pacing. He wanted to run.

  Tony saw his fear. “I don’t want to hang with him. I want to stop him from hurting people. If you didn’t paint this, do you know who did?” Tony was hopeful. It was the first real tangible clue they had.

  “Nah, I don’t know him.” The kid grabbed his paint cans and was gone before Tony could ask another question.

  “Well, he’s been seen around here, that’s for sure,” Tony mumbled. “And now we know what he looks like.” Seeing the hideous image crouched over the small child, filled Tony with dread. They had to stop him, but how?

  It was getting late and the drunks and the prostitutes were filing out onto the sidewalks.

  Tony hated this wasted lifestyle. He wasn’t too enamored of this entire century, for that matter. Tony longed for the quiet and peace of his youth. He’d grown up in England and had lived a privileged existence. It seemed impossible, thinking back on it now, how he had resisted the comforts provided by his wealthy, aristocratic family. He and his best friend, Thomas, had taken it all for granted. If they had only listened to their fathers…if they had not been so rebellious, they would not be facing the horrors of living forever.

  Tony’s phone rang, bringing him out of his dark reverie. “Hey, it’s me.” Grant’s voice was loud and excited. “I’ve been talking to some of the storeowners, asking them if they’ve seen a strange looking man with a baby, or a man acting oddly. Get this. A Quick Stop reported the theft of milk. Just milk. Another Mom and Pop Shop, has noticed milk and several blankets missing. They’re on the same street and about six blocks from the waterfront. If I had a baby to take care of, I might steal some blankets and milk, too. I think it sounds like a lead. How’s it going with you?”

  “I think I found our guy painted on a wall, and I’m only two blocks from the docks. He’s close. I can feel it. And Grant... by the looks of this guy, we’ve got our work cut out for us. Take care, brother. Talk to you later.” He dropped his cell in his pocket and took off for the Hudson River.

  * * *

  The damp night air made her shiver. “Well, here I am, and I don’t see either Tony or Grant. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, after all,” Sophie muttered to herself. She could feel her courage start to slip away as the dark night descended, leaving her all alone on the deserted waterfront. She listened for footsteps and prepared to run the other way, if needed. “If I were a creep, where would I hide?” she asked herself. “I think I’d get lost in all the people drinking and having a good time, that’s what I think, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. The guys were right. I’m not prepared for this stuff.”

  Sophie pulled her sweater tightly around her body, to ward off the extra chill she felt deep in her bones, and quickly started up the darkened path toward the well-lit street. She wasn’t the least bit psychic, but even she could feel the evil lurking in the night. The stench of an unseen malevolent presence practically suffocated her. Just before reaching the street, Sophie halted when she thought she heard a shuffling in the bushes.

  “Dear God,” she prayed. “Just a few more feet, Sophie. Keep going,” she ordered herself.

  That was the last thing she knew until she awoke to the feeling of her body being dragged over jagged rocks and broken glass. A sharp, vice-like grip bruised her wrists in a painful grasp. She could feel the warm, sticky trail of blood that matted her hair and ran down the side of her face.

  Terrified, Sophie screamed, and received a brutal punch to the side of her head. The smell around her was overwhelming. Further and further away from the lights of the city, the creature effortlessly dragged her struggling body. Why didn’t I listen, she scolded herself. “Tony... Grant,” she uttered, despondently.

  Suddenly, the man stopped and looked into her face, questioning what he had heard her say. He shook her shoulder roughly, and grunted. Again, he shook her.

  “Stop it. You’re hurting me,” she protested. “I can’t understand you. What do you want?” Sophie was surprised that she had any voice at all, considering she was petrified with fear. The repulsive creature was demanding some kind of an answer, but to what?

  He shook her small body like a rag doll and grunted louder. He started to wail and thrash about. The man was afraid of something and changed directions, dragging an unwilling Sophie behind him.

  * * *

  As Tony continued to search the darkness, a loud jolt stabbed his brain. It was him. Finally! Immediately, Tony focused all his attention to the animalistic sounds he heard, mentally. What could he discover hidden in the background noises? Voices? Laughter? It was the same as what surrounded him now, but those were the common sounds of a city, and could be found on any dozen such streets. He strained to hear more of the background. Suddenly, his blood froze in his veins. “Oh God!” he shouted, as he began to run.

  Tony ran wildly through the dark streets, looking right and left, up and down dark alleys. He pulled his cell from his pocket and called Grant on his speed dial, while he continued to run in a panic.

  “Yeah, what ‘cha got?” Grant asked, casually. Then he heard the rapid breathing and the gasping for air. “Tony? What’s wrong? Where are you?”

  “I’m down on Spring, heading toward SoHo. I hear him. I hear him and…and I hear her. Dammit, Grant! I heard Sophie!”

  Grant cursed and hollered into the phone. “I’m on my way. I’ll 911 the cops and get them down there. We’ll find her, Tony. We’ve got to.” He dropped his cell into his pocket and headed toward his friend. Not a corner or an empty lot escaped his gaze. His eyes were hawk-like, allowing him to see every rat that scurried across the dirty pavement—even the two legged ones.

  “Thank God, you’re here, Grant,” Tony said, relieved at seeing his friend. “I’m certain it’s Sophie, I hear. I’ve tried calling the office and she doesn’t answer. I don’t have her cell number. She screamed. But the odd thing is, when I heard her mention our names, he howled like an animal caught in a trap. What do you make of that?”

  “He senses us. He knows he is the hunted. We’re very close, Tony. I can see he’s heading to the entrance of a cave or an abandoned building.”

  “Could it be a tunnel?” Tony knew of several that were close by.

  “Yeah. A tunnel would be perfect. Show me the way.”

  Losing no time, the two men hurried toward the Hudson River. Their feet flew over the cement, the cobblestones, and the trash that attempted to trip them.

  “Tony, I can see the toddler. He’s holding out his arms to something or someone. God, it’s Sophie…and she’s bleeding. Hurry!”

  “Down here,” Tony yelled.

  As they reached the entrance to an abandoned tunnel, the men stopped. They couldn’t just rush in and expect him to gi
ve himself up. No, he’d hurt his prisoners, first.

  Grant snagged Tony by the shoulders to stop his forward momentum. “I know you want to run in there, but that’s not a good idea. I can see through his eyes from this distance. In complete darkness, I can see. You can’t, Tony. Stay here. Guard the exit and don’t let him pass. No matter what you hear, don’t leave this spot. I’ll save them. I swear it.” Grant stared deep into Tony’s eyes, seeing all the pain and sorrow the man had suffered over the many decades of his life. “It’ll be okay, Tony.” The Hunter turned and crept silently into the dark entrance of the tunnel.

  One small candle flickered valiantly, in the paralyzing darkness. “A baby. You took the baby,” Sophie rasped. The pain in her head was blinding. Weakly, she held out her trembling hand to the child. He giggled and cooed at the pretty lady.

  Swiftly, the monster knocked her hand away and ran his sharp talons up her harm, causing her bright red blood to spill upon the ground.

  The baby cried.

  “Garrr,” the man growled, softly, almost tenderly, as he picked up the young child. Running his finger through the river of blood, he tried to entice the boy to open his mouth. “Ahhhph,” he muttered. Still, the child continued to cry and reached out for the pretty young woman.

  Angered, the man tossed the child aside and settled upon the woman. In the darkness, he could see her beauty. She was exquisite, and so innocent and tender. He hated her and he would destroy her soon enough. Licking his lips, he nipped at her creamy white throat, imagining the warm liquid flowing from her veins and running down his throat. He could smell the rich, iron fragrance of her blood as he broke the skin and filled his nostrils. Licking at the dark trickle of blood, his eyes rolled over in his head with desire and an unquenchable thirst. It was sweeter than ambrosia…pure nectar of the Gods…and it was what he lived for. He howled and bared his teeth, preparing for the kill, when the violent pain in his abdomen forced him to double over.

  “Not now!” he screamed, silently. “Aaagh!’ he cried aloud. He rolled away from the woman and writhed on the hard ground. It couldn’t be. He had stayed away from all others of his kind. For more than fifty years he had been able to hide from them. But the incredible pain that roiled in his stomach would not be denied. An immortal was near.

  He tried to stand, but his legs were weakened. Sadly, he glanced over at the beautiful woman he wanted so badly, and at the funny little pet he’d kept, to keep away the loneliness. It wasn’t fair. “Not now!” Not when he had everything he wanted.

  He blew out the candle. He would be safe in the darkness.

  Grant could smell the incredible stench of the insane. The smell of old blood and rotten flesh permeated the air. He had discovered the monster’s lair. He could see Sophie, bleeding, but she was still alive. He saw the toddler crying and trying to crawl to Sophie. How close was he? He needed to feel his way through the darkness. It was completely black in the abandoned cavern. Slowly he stepped, feeling the cool air currents brush against his face. He drew his knife from his boot.

  Then he saw himself, with his knife pulled and aimed directly at the seer. Swiftly, and without hesitating, Grant sliced through the darkness, watching himself attack the monster. He felt the knife slide through muscle, severing bone, and come through to the other side. The severed head rolled across the damp floor.

  That quickly, it was over. He felt it, immediately. He could no longer see in the darkness. The fiend was no longer able to see him. His yellow eyes had closed.

  “Sophie!” he yelled. “Sophie, it’s me, Grant. Where are you, sweetheart? I can’t see you. Hold out your hand.” He heard her sniffle and moan. The baby began to cry in earnest. He reached out and felt the small child crawling on his knees.

  “I’ve got you, little guy,” he said, softly to the small child, as he picked him up in his arms. “Sophie, say something.”

  There were several minutes of silence before he heard the feminine voice. “Grant?”

  “Sophie! Stand up, sweetheart, and put out your hands. I’ll get you out of here. Tony is waiting for us at the entrance.”

  “I can’t stand up, Grant. I think something is broken.”

  “Okay. I’m going to take the baby outside, and then I’ll come back for you. Don’t be frightened. He can’t hurt you any longer. I’ll be right back to get you. Hang in there, girl.”

  Sophie nodded in the dark. “Grant?”

  Grant hesitated for a moment. “Yes, darling?”

  “Use your cell.”

  “I don’t need to talk to anyone right now. I need to find our way out of here.”

  “I know. Use it to light your way. It’s like a flashlight. Sheesh, Grant. Get with the times,” she groaned.

  He chuckled. She was right. Grant decided to bone up on the most recent technology…just as soon as he had the time.

  Tony heard footsteps approaching the entrance to the tunnel and prepared to attack. No one would get past him. Instead, what he saw made his heart skip a beat. A very large man, cradling a very small child, in his arms, came stumbling out of the darkness, looking as if he’d just seen the opened gates of hell. Clutched tightly in his fist was his cell phone, bringing badly needed light to his path.

  “Where’s Sophie?” Tony demanded to know, as he ran toward the pair.

  “She’s hurt and I have to…Hey! Where you going? You can’t see in there.”

  Grant smiled has he cuddled the curly head under his chin. The boy was asleep. How do kids do it, he asked himself? He looked back at the mouth of the tunnel and shook his head slowly. His friend had it bad for little Sophie. They would be good for each other, he predicted, if Tony would allow her into his life. She already resided in his heart.

  Tony opened his cell phone and thanked God for the bright light it emitted. “Better than a flashlight,” he mumbled. “Sophie? Where are you, sweetie? It’s me…Tony. I want to take you out of here.” He listened for her response.

  In the distance, he heard a slight scuffling sound, and headed toward it.

  “Tony?” Her voice could barely be heard, but it sounded sweet to his ears. She coughed once, and he could hear her rapid breathing.

  Turning his phone to the side of the tunnel, his light fell upon a glorious sight. Sitting against the wall, with her springy curls coiling around her beautiful face, sat his Sophie. Her enormous eyes were trained on him and he watched as her lips turned up at the corners and her cheeks dimpled in a big smile.

  “Tony, you came for me,” she said in wonder.

  On his knees, he lifted her hands to his lips and cried. “My God, Sophie. I was so worried. Are you hurt?”

  She shook her head. “Take me out of here, Tony,” she pleaded.

  Gently, he lifted her, and carried her out into the fresh night air. Grant still held the sleeping toddler, as a bevy of patrol officers started milling about. The news crews had just arrived and were jostling for the best position to report live. The baby’s parents were on their way. It was going to be a great human-interest story, but Tony and Sophie would not be a part of it.

  “Grant, can you handle all this? I want to keep Sophie out of the news, if I can. She needs to see a doctor and then she needs some rest. I want to take care of her.” Tony was still holding the young woman in his arms, hiding her face from the reporters.

  “Sure. Get the hell out of here. Call me when things calm down. I’ve got to come up with a story to cover our…brother. Can’t let the police find him. But don’t worry yourself about it. I’ll handle it and let you know the details later. Take good care of our girl.” Grant slapped his friend on the back and went in search of the anxious parents.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Tony decided to take Sophie back to his place. It was quiet, secluded, and no one would dare disturb them. What she needed was a lot of rest and time to forget her entire ordeal. Unfortunately, he knew that with Sophie, there would be plenty of questions she needed answered before the healing could begin.

  The
cab rolled up in front of an elegant brownstone and Tony handed the driver a roll of bills before stepping out. “You’ll probably forget all about this fare, don’t you think?”

  The cabbie looked at the considerable amount of cash and smiled. “I didn’t pay no attention to the old man I dropped off. Come to think of it...I ain’t exactly sure what block he got out at, neither.” He stuffed the money in his pocket and got out, ran around the back to the other side, and opened the door for the gentleman and his lady.

  Tony appreciated the kindness, as his arms were full of voluptuous woman. “Thanks, again,” he said, as he carried a sleeping Sophie up the steps. Before he could get his keys in the lock, the cab squealed away from the curb.

  “Where are we?” Sophie asked without opening her eyes.

  “I’ve brought you to my home. I can keep an eye on you and take care of business, all at the same time. It’s nice. I think you’ll like it.” Tony had lived in that particular house for many years. He was fortunate that his neighbors came and went regularly. They never took much notice of him, which allowed him the privacy not to age gracefully or otherwise. He had decorated the place himself and took more than a little pride in its décor. Yes, it was a little outdated. He knew that, but it was also comforting to be surrounded by the things he’d gathered over his many years of existence. His extremely long life could be categorized behind its silent walls.

  Sophie forced her eyes open as they stepped into the spacious foyer, topped with a soaring ceiling. Gilded framed portraits hung on the silk covered walls. A crystal chandelier sparkled above their heads and thick Aubusson carpets covered the well-polished marble floors.

  Sophie was spellbound. “You live here?”

  “Yes. I’ve lived here since I first came to New York. It’s served me well.” Tony looked around the room and shrugged his shoulders, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. At one time, he’d purchased most of the household items, new.

  “But it’s a freakin’ museum, Tony. Are you a millionaire or something?” Sophie’s eyes were as large as saucers and her mouth was hanging open in awe.