No Mere Zombie: Deathless Book 2

by Chris Fox

  “How?” Irakesh roared, dropping into a crouch next to Trevor. “The Ka-Dun is still distant. I should have sensed his approach.”

  “Blair’s smarter than you gave him credit for,” Trevor replied, snapping his forearm back into alignment. It hurt like hell, but pain didn’t affect him as it had in life.

  A 45-pound plate took Irakesh in the back, shattering his spine and knocking him on top of a treadmill several feet away. The black-furred werewolf had made a mistake, showing himself again so soon. Trevor ripped his pistol from its holster, leaping into the air as he took aim. A part of him rebelled at attacking Blair’s friends, but the larger voice forced him into action. He squeezed the trigger, the round punching through the werewolf’s shoulder.

  Trevor twisted midair, landing in a crouch behind the werewolf. It spun to face him, but Trevor dropped his gun and extended his claws in a knife edge. They punched into the werewolf’s tender midsection. He seized something wet and squishy, tearing out a fistful of intestines as the beast gave a cry of pain and rage. It roared, spittle bathing Trevor as he dropped backwards towards the wall.

  Trevor’s jaw shattered as something hit him with incredible force. It took him a moment to realize a new assailant had entered the fray. The fist was silver. Trevor flipped backwards, rolling behind a bank of exercise bikes as he sized up the new assailant. His eyes widened. Blair looked more intimidating than ever, seven feet of fur-covered muscle and scornful amber eyes.

  “Last chance, Trevor,” Blair growled, eyes narrowing. He took a threatening step forward as the black werewolf behind him stuffed his guts back into his body. “Shake off his control, or I’ll do what I have to. I’m done holding back.”

  Chapter 57- Parting the Sea

  Trevor vanished. Blair knew reasoning with him had been a mistake, but he couldn’t kill his friend without one last try. He spun around, surveying the chaos in the gym in an attempt to locate Trevor. He found Irakesh instead, the deathless striding confidently towards him.

  “You’re too late, Ka-Dun,” the deathless said, exposing a mouthful of fangs in a hideous parody of a grin.

  Blair blurred, slashing at his ugly face. He stumbled forward, encountering none of the resistance he’d expected. His arm passed through the illusion. Dammit. Slippery bastard. He turned back to Steve. “Deal with Trevor. I’ll find Irakesh.”

  He just needed to get into the deathless’s mind, but to do that he had to find him first.

  A deafening crash sounded as Bridget’s form went sailing through the ceiling in a shower of plaster and metal. He tracked her flight through the hole, wincing as she landed on top of a black BMW in the parking lot several seconds later. The alarm began to blare, slicing the twilight. The heads of a hundred roaming zombies swiveled in their direction, slowly ambling towards the noise.

  Blair spun to face Cyntia. Bridget would need a moment to recover, so he was going to have to keep her occupied. The pale blonde didn’t seem interested in following up on the fight though. She’d already snatched the silver case containing the stolen nuke. The massive werewolf barreled straight through the wall, bounding across the parking lot towards the waterline to the south where the ferries lay. Blair blurred after Cyntia. She had the nuke, which meant that Irakesh wouldn’t be far behind. He couldn’t go after them alone, though. He leapt over a pickup truck, landing on the pavement near the BMW Bridget’s landing had destroyed. She was rising from the wreckage of the car, her silver fur marred by blood and debris. She moved more slowly than he’d have expected, shaking her head to clear it.

  “Cyntia hits hard,” Bridget growled, resting an arm on Blair’s shoulder as she pulled herself free. “How did she get so strong so quickly?”

  “My guess? Feeding. She’s eating zombies, werewolves and, from the look of that gym, people.” Blair scanned the parking lot and the road on the far side. The ferry building lay a hundred yards past it, both huge boats still moored there.

  It carries a terrifying price, Ka-Dun. The She’s mind is already fragmented. The corruption will grow worse until she is a mindless, ravenous beast. She will attack anyone or anything around her, always seeking to sate her endless hunger.

  “Let’s get moving,” Bridget said, taking a step on her own. Bones popped and cracked as they flowed back into place. In a few moments there was no trace of the injuries, save the sticky black blood drenching her fur.

  “Retreat might be the wisest option,” Steve said, blurring into existence next to them. His right arm hung limply at his side. “Cyntia kicked Bridget’s ass and I didn’t do much better against Trevor. Blair, even if we can hold them off can you really deal with Irakesh?”

  Blair paused for a long moment, delivering a hard look. “I can and I will.”

  “Stay here, if you’re afraid,” Bridget growled, eyes flashing as she loomed over Steve. “Selfish prick.”

  Privately Blair agreed with her, but this wasn’t the way to win Steve’s aid. If they wanted his help, they needed to appeal to his ego. Blair rested his hand on Steve’s shoulder, his silver fur contrasting sharply with Steve’s black. “Steve, we need you for this. We’ve got no chance without you. You know that.”

  “You don’t have a chance with me,” Steve said, shaking his head slowly. He shrugged off Blair’s hand, taking a step towards the ferry building. “I’ll help, but we’re going to fail. If we survive the attempt, I want you to reconsider giving me the key. Will you do that?”

  “Ok, if we fail here, we can discuss my relinquishing the key,” Blair agreed with a shrug. There wasn’t a lot of harm. If they failed here, they’d almost certainly be dead. “Steve, hang back and engage Trevor when he shows himself. Bridget, do your best to contain Cyntia. Hit her and fall back into the shadows, if you need to.”

  “Okay,” Steve said, half facing away from them. He was already ready to run, but at least he’d agreed.

  “I’ll do my best Blair, but she’s strong,” Bridget said, gaze searching. She seemed to expect his disapproval. He reached up to rest a hand on her shoulder. The fact that he was so much shorter in werewolf form still felt odd. He’d probably never get used to that.

  “We have to stop him,” Blair replied, squeezing her shoulder. It was like squeezing furry granite. “I know you’ll find a way, Bridget. Just keep her off balance until I can deal with Irakesh.”

  “If we’re going to do this, then let’s do this,” she said, clenching a fist and baring her fangs. She took a step towards the dock, silver fur ruffled by the wind. She looked majestic despite the matted blood.

  She leapt forward, crushing the hood of a black Mercedes as she bounded deeper into the parking lot. Blair loped after her, circling to the right. If he hugged the edge of the parking lot he could come to the shore neighboring the ferry building from the east side. That might let him catch Irakesh out in the open, and all he needed was a single glance to get inside his mind.

  He resisted the temptation to blur, knowing he’d need every bit of his strength for the coming conflict. He glanced at the sun, low and heavy along the western horizon. Maybe a half hour before it passed behind the mountains and another two until the moon was up. He’d have preferred to face Irakesh during the night, but they were out of time.

  Steve’s midnight form ducked between cars, perhaps a dozen paces behind Bridget. No doubt he’d let her engage, then decide whether the fight was winnable. If it wasn’t he would leave Bridget on her own, so Blair had to be quick with Irakesh. Take him down fast and hard. If only Ahiga had taught him more about his abilities, then he’d be more confident.

  Blair leapt over the chain link fence, avoiding a pale zombie that had once been a middle-aged housewife, if the glittering diamond on her rotting finger were any indication. He went low, sprinting between SUVs towards the grassy patch that sloped down towards the water. The ferry building perched over the water to his right, both massive boats still moored to a metal contraption that allowed passengers to board. Was that Irakesh’s destination? Or was he after
something else?

  He skidded to a halt, claws digging furrows in the grass as he came up short. Blair had no words. Irakesh stood on the shore, arms raised like some Egyptian god accepting the worship of his people. Trevor crouched next to him, rifle aimed in Bridget’s direction. Cynthia loomed protectively behind him, like some bitch watching over her pup. She had the silver box cradled under one arm, absently, as though it were no burden at all.

  The bay had begun to froth and churn. It began near the shore, then worked outwards in a wide line. Then the waters began to part, a thin gap forming between them as if some giant pane of invisible glass had been dropped into the San Francisco bay. Irakesh widened his arms and the gap between the walls of water widened.

  The ground quaked, tossing Blair to the ground. Something massive rumbled in the center of the bay, sending rings of waves racing towards the shore. A black structure glittered at the end of the gap in the water, massive and alien. A structure he’d seen before. The pyramid burst from the bay, sloughing water off as it rose into the sky. He didn’t know how much of the structure was above water, but it had to be seven or eight hundred feet at least.

  The crack of a gunshot brought him back to the present. Trevor was already cocking the rifle for another shot. Blair glanced towards Bridget, but she’d already disappeared into the shadows. Trevor must be firing at Steve, who was hidden behind a red SUV. That wasn’t going to stop Trevor’s rifle, but it might buy him time to think.

  Blair dropped to one knee, crouching behind a shrub as he studied Irakesh. This was his shot. The deathless was engaged in shaping Blair couldn’t begin to understand. He focused his will, gathering the strength within him. It was as much resolving to succeed as it was drawing on any energy the virus may have provided. He would do this.

  He thrust a spike at Irakesh’s mind, hurling it with more strength than any he’d been capable of before. The blow struck something, a potent shield that rebounded his attack back through his own mind like some towering wave in a disaster movie. He collapsed, fire searing every nerve. Blair lay there, panting as he waited for the agony to subside. Sweat poured from him, drenching his fur.

  Blair forced himself to his feet, legs trembling at the idea of supporting his weight. What the hell had Irakesh done?

  He has fully linked with the Ark, Ka-Dun. It shields his mind. Were you near the Mother’s Ark, you would gain the same protection.

  “You couldn’t have mentioned that before I made the attempt? How can I get through it?” he growled through gritted teeth. The pain was less, but still fiery.

  Only the strongest shapers could pierce a mind block. You could seek to test your strength again, but if you fail it could kill us.

  There had to be another way. But what could he do? If he couldn’t attack Irakesh mentally, that left only one option; overwhelming force.

  Blair rose to his feet and howled, a throaty note that echoed over the water.

  Irakesh spun to face him, eyes alight with mischief. He met Blair’s gaze and smiled.

  Chapter 58- Sacrifice

  Bridget slid into the shadow left by one of the wide blue poles holding up the white awning over the ferry building. A hundred and twenty yards separated her from the shore where Irakesh stood, putting her in the very last place they’d expect. Two ferries rocked slowly back and forth in the harbor before her, empty save for a few gulls that occasionally darted in to snatch a piece of flesh from one of the shambling corpses.

  She’d originally planned to use those to leapfrog over to Irakesh, but thanks to whatever old world shaping he’d managed she no longer needed to. He’d literally parted the sea, and the gap that he’d created passed a mere forty feet in front of her. Bridget gazed over the railing into the resulting gap, jaw slack from the power Irakesh had displayed. The muddy path he’d exposed was littered with puddles, debris and all the other crap you’d expect to find at the bottom of a bay that saw thousands of commuters a day, everything from the cracked case of a Blackberry phone to faded Coke cans. Only one fish flopped around, a long silver thing she’d never be able to identify.

  Irakesh spun suddenly, drawing her attention. He faced the hill where Blair crouched, half hidden behind a shrub. Blair shot to his feet, arms splayed out and shaking as if he were being electrocuted. Then he fell bonelessly to the grass, flopping about as helplessly as the fish. She leaned over the railing, extending an arm.

  No. Blair had been very specific in his instructions. More than that he’d been right. They had to stop Irakesh. If she went to Blair now she’d reveal her position and squander her only chance to get the drop on Cyntia. That was the only way she’d come out on top in a fight with the hulking bitch. Cyntia crouched on shore next to Trevor like some loyal dog, the glittering box a toy given by her master.

  Ka-Ken, I must warn you. This one is beyond our strength. She has feasted upon the flesh of her own, the flesh of nascent deathless. The madness festers within her, but it affords her a fevered strength.

  “Can she be killed?” Bridget asked, hopping atop the railing and gathering her legs under her.

  Such a feat is possible, but exceedingly difficult.

  “Then I’m going to kill her,” Bridget said, leaping into the gap. The wind whipped around her as she fell, cool and damp and smelling of salt.

  She fell between twin walls of water, which grew darker as she plummeted. Shapes moved within them, the occasional fish and things she couldn’t so easily identify. Sharks maybe. Bridget turned her attention to the ground, which was rapidly approaching. She bent her knees, rolling with the impact. A tremendous geyser of mud fountained around her as she sank several feel into the sticky silt.

  She disengaged herself from a tangled piece of seaweed, shifting into the shadows afforded by the towering walls of water. Irakesh had begun moving down the path, walking boldly through the mud as if it were a plush carpet. Behind him lumbered Cyntia, her gore-coated snout elevated as she whiffed for a scent. Bridget’s stealth was complete though. Cyntia would find nothing, not until Bridget was ready to strike.

  Trevor remained on the beach, back facing the gap. He must be covering their retreat to slow Blair or Steve, if the latter were actually brave enough to enter the fight.

  Irakesh approached, with Cyntia just a few feet behind. Bridget melted deeper into shadow, pressing her back into the frigid water. It hit her like, well like a bucket of ice water. She refused to move, to even breathe. Irakesh passed by, moving at a fast walk. His shimmering white clothing remained pristine, and the sword at his hip rode there as if an extension of his body.

  Then Cyntia was even with her.

  Bridget leapt, gliding into the air behind Cyntia. She extended her claws, dashing down in a quick set of blows that sprayed blood from the artery she had severed in Cyntia’s ruined throat. It wouldn’t stop her, but hopefully it would slow her. Bridget planted her feet on Cyntia’s shoulders, flipping backwards with a powerful kick that sent the larger female face first into the muddy ocean floor. Cyntia slid forward, the silver box slipping from her arms and sliding into the wall of water where it fell on its side.

  Bridget was tossed forward, staggered by a blow from behind. Something flared in her shoulder, and she raised a hand to probe the wound. It came back bloody. An instant later the crack of a gunshot followed the bullet, echoing through the strange corridor created by Irakesh. Trevor had entered the fight. That had to mean Steve was either dead or had retreated. Fucking coward. How could she ever have chosen him over Blair? As mistakes went she couldn’t think of a more legendary one.

  Bridget rolled with the blow, coming to her feet to the left of Cyntia. The larger werewolf was also rising to her feet, scarlet eyes blazing as she bared her fangs. Her blonde fur was covered in a mix of blood and mud, painting her into an even more gruesome caricature of the noble creature she’d been just a few weeks ago.

  “I’m going to feast on your heart, you little bitch,” Cyntia roared, launching a swipe that very nearly took Bridget’s t
hroat. She fell backwards, allowing the blow to pass over her. It saved her, but left her open for her opponent’s next attack.

  Cyntia fell on top of her, jaw snapping near her face as her tremendous weight pushed Bridget deep into the mud. Bridget seized Cyntia’s shoulders, forcing her back. The putrid breath nearly made her gag, and she could see bits of rotting flesh still stuck between teeth. Cyntia snapped again, nipping her cheek. It burned like acid.

  Bridget roared, flipping backwards as panic flooded her. The slippery mud negated Cyntia’s weight advantage, and she tossed the larger werewolf into the mud again. She didn’t hesitate, flowing into the shadows as Cyntia regained her footing.

  “Come out you tiny little bitch,” Cyntia roared, dropping into a crouch and scanning the darkness. “You can’t hide forever. I will find you.”

  Then Trevor was there, the first time she’d gotten a good look at him. If you didn’t look too closely he looked like a redneck ginger, with a freckled face and a dirty ball cap. His eyes gave lie to that illusion though, deep putrid green just like Irakesh. He cradled a rifle loosely in his arms, joining the deathless bastard in his shimmering white garments that somehow remained untouched by travel or even the mud.

  “The black werewolf didn’t engage, but Blair is recovering. He’ll be here shortly. We should keep moving,” Trevor said, slowly panning his gaze over the dark water. He must know she was there, but didn’t seem alarmed. She couldn’t detect panic or fear in his scent, but then the same was true for Irakesh. Maybe they didn’t have emotions, or if they did maybe they weren’t detectable in the same that human emotions were.

  “I agree. The Ka-Dun is no longer a threat, but I do not take chances,” Irakesh said, approaching the box. His garments flowed in the frigid breeze now winding through the corridor. “Trevor, carry the box. Cyntia will need her hands free.”