“That’s what he said,” Aareth answered.
Then a noise came from somewhere close—a deep hacking, like someone was either choking or had been caught in the middle of diabolical laughter. On instinct, Sloan went for her mage sword. The pommel in her grip felt familiar, comforting.
She felt, more than saw, Aareth tense beside her. The lights blinked, suddenly plunging them into inky blackness. Still the noise came. It was more distinct now. Was someone vomiting? In the pitch-black, what would have been a curious sound now seemed laced with danger.
With her inability to see anything, Sloan’s remaining senses were on overdrive. Fear sought to rattle her, but courage made her stand. In one smooth motion, she pulled her mage sword free of its sheath. She switched the small button by her thumb, activating the sword’s ability. With a hiss, her blade began to warm, until it glowed a faint red.
“Whatever this is, you stay behind me.” Sloan could barely make out Aareth’s face by the dull crimson light wafting from her saber. Before he could utter a response, she anticipated his return. “There’s clearly something out of the ordinary going on with you. It makes more sense for me to make the first attempt while you circle behind.”
“Right,” Aareth growled. “You’re the captain.”
As the noise grew louder, heavy stomps were added. It sounded like someone or something was dragging a dead leg in its wake. Whatever the monster was, it was something out of a child’s nightmare; a specter of a memory nervously ignored as adults.
All at once, the lights to the workshop shone bright. Sloan winced under the pain of the illumination. She ignored anything else and gaped at the impossible man standing in front of her. There was no denying it was Edison Reeves, but only a man half his age. He held an empty vial in one hand, a shoe in the other. He let out another horrific cough before leaning down and placing his shoe on his foot.
“Right, so there are the lights. You’d think the gnomes would make sure they’re always working, but hey, you get what you pay for. Am I right, or am I right?” Edison looked at his guests for the first time. A smile, then realization of the horror they must have felt at his approach in the dark crossed his face. “Oh, I must have made you wet your shorts.”
Edison grimaced, taking in Sloan’s drawn sword with a single glance.
“That must have been horrifying in the dark and all. I overloaded the circuit working on a project, but who hasn’t, right?” Edison put down the beaker, taking in their stares. “Okay, I know why you’re staring at me, and the answer is yes. I have, in fact, lost weight. I tell you, cut out those carbs and, wow, what a difference.”
“Edison—” Aareth leaned in closer to take a look at his friend’s face. “It’s you, but you’re younger and … and energetically annoying.”
“Oh, right, yes, thanks for the compliment.” Edison ignored the slight with a grand gesture of his hand. “This is the culmination of many years of work between the Department of Paranormal Study and Magic, and Livingston Industries. The Phoenix Serum that allows me to regain the days of my youth was actually discovered by accident. We were hard at work on the Vampire Project when I discovered this little baby.”
“Back up.” Sloan switched off her mage sword, still in shock. Edison Reeves had been a grey-haired, soft-spoken man in his fifties. The version of him now with thick, black hair and a mustache was near impossible for her to comprehend. What was even more shocking was the term he had just used. “Did you say Vampire Project?”
“Yes, yes, it’s all going to be unveiled at the celebration ball, but you two are trustworthy, so I thought I’d let it slip.” Edison began looking around his massive workspace as if he had misplaced something important. “Now where did I put that…”
“First I need to know about this Phoenix Serum and then the celebration ball.” Aareth looked over to Sloan and mouthed the words, Vampire Project?
Sloan shook her head. As much as she wanted to believe Edison was innocent, they just couldn’t take any chances. She needed to find out as much as she could about this Vampire Project and gather hard evidence before any other moves could be made. If Edison was in fact a part of this, then the less he knew of her investigation the better.
“Ahhh … here you are.” Edison reached into a steel container no larger than a shoebox. He pulled out a chubby gnome who rubbed tiny fists at tired eyes. “No sleeping on the job, Elwood. There is work to be done, iced lattes to be drunk, and progress to be made.”
Edison set the gnome down. The tiny worker only reached his knee. It yawned again before saying something unintelligible. The gnome’s native language sounded like a high-pitched gibberish.
“No, it’s fine to swim after you eat. That whole waiting an hour thing is just a lie.” Edison arched an eyebrow at his tiny helper. “Why are you asking me about this right now? Are you planning another vacation?”
“Edison.” Aareth took a step forward in a very unlike-Aareth way and violently grabbed the inventor. “Focus. What about the serum?”
Elwood ran forward to help his employer. A stern look came over his eyes, his tiny lungs already shouting high-pitched orders to Aareth.
Edison waved his helper away.
“It only has temporary effect. Discovered by accident. I’m working on another batch now to try to keep the result permanent.” Edison leaned in so close to Aareth, the two were almost touching foreheads. “Are you okay? Your eyes look crazy.”
“And we were supposed to have a ball, celebrating our victory in Burrow Den. It’s all political. I asked the queen to postpone the event for a day so Jack could have time.” Sloan stepped forward, placing a hand on one of Aareth’s quivering arms. “Edison—you mentioned something else? You discovered the Phoenix Serum while researching, what exactly?”
“Yes, yes you’ve gotten a taste for the future and want more. I can understand that.” Edison wriggled his way out of Aareth’s grip. If he was perturbed at the rough handling, he didn’t show it. “Think of the lives that will be spared, the resources we will save.”
“Start from the beginning. What is this Vampire Project you’ve been referencing?” Sloan finally felt comfortable enough to sheath her blade. “Don’t leave anything out.”
“We’re so close.” Edison motioned to Elwood. “The plans, Elwood, the plans.”
The gnome reached an empty hand behind his back. He pulled out a massive rolled-up scroll that couldn’t have been shoved down his pants.
“Thank you.” Edison accepted the plans, spreading open the document on a steel table. He waved away their confused looks with an open hand. “Elwood’s a mage gnome. He can produce small to midsize objects. The perfect assistant for an inventor.”
“He can conjure objects out of thin air?” Sloan fixed the gnome with a raised eyebrow. “I’ve never heard of anything like that.”
“Yes. Of course, there’s a limit to his ability, but anything he’s able to handle he can bring forth. Watch this.” Edison looked down at Elwood, barking out items. “Espresso, screwdriver, brick, glasses, can.”
As quickly as Edison could shout the object, Elwood was reaching behind his back, conjuring the items. A second later, he stood with his arms full of the desired objects. The espresso was balanced atop his full arms, teetering dangerously.
“Well done.” Edison took the screwdriver, the brick, the glasses, and the can and put them on the four corners of his rolled-out schematic. The espresso, he drank in one large gulp. His face lit up like a Christmas tree. “That’s what I needed! There it is!”
“I don’t think you needed that at all.” Sloan looked over at Aareth, who had gotten over whatever fit of anger had come over him. “You ready for this?”
“Do we have a choice?” Aareth asked, joining them at the table as they looked down at the drawing. “Okay, tell us what this is.”“All right, coming at you, fast and furious.” Edison pointed to the map below them. It was the outline of a man lying on his back, notes and arrows all over the paper, pointing o
ut enhancements and changes. “The Vampire Project is our run at creating the perfect soldier. We’ve been able to increase strength, speed, even the length of their lives. The only drawback is that they’re a bit blood-lusty. But we’re so very close to having a perfect model. Doctor Livingston says he’s had a breakthrough that will solve the blood thing, but I just don’t understand how.”
“Blood-lusty?” Aareth joined the two looking over the schematic. He reached out with a hand and pointed to fangs sprouting from the outline man’s mouth. “What’s this?”
“It’s an animal thing. Their fangs protrude when they’re preparing to fight. Think of Sloan pulling her saber from her sheath.” Edison crossed his arms. Deep in thought, he shook his head while he spoke. “Their bloodlust makes them too eager for combat. We’ve created warriors too eager to fight.”
“You experimented on these people.” All Sloan could think about was the journal found in the cave laboratory that detailed experiments done on animals and human beings alike. “Why? Why would you do this?”
“They were all willing. Each one of them understood what we were trying here.” For the first time, Edison looked hurt. “I promise you, there was nothing but complete transparency. No one was hurt while we did our testing. As to why we would do this, imagine the lives we could save if the good guys are ten times faster than the bad guys, ten times stronger and possess a fighting courage that makes them smile in the face of battle.”
Edison’s genuinely ignorant demeanor disturbed Sloan. He was a good man she had known for years now. It was hard for her to imagine a scenario where he was involved in any of the experiments going on in Burrow Den. The way he talked sounded like he didn’t have a clue. He was either the best liar she had ever met, or he was being used as a piece in a much larger game.
Edison motioned the group over to a chalkboard with white notes covering nearly every inch of the surface.
“By no means is it perfection. For some reason, the vampires are sensitive to light, and we already talked about the blood lust thing.” Edison stared at the board as if he were in a trance. “If we could fix that and somehow increase their healing factor, we’d have the perfect soldier.”
“Why are they called vampires?” Sloan asked as she studied the board. “Like the vampire bat?”
Edison’s eyes were slowly beginning to close. It seemed the espresso had worn off. Elwood tugged at his pant leg, jolting the inventor back to the waking world.
“Oh, yes, sorry.” Edison shook his head, rubbing at tired eyes. “I didn’t name the project, but I assume you’re right. The bat with the thirst for blood.”
For a moment, the three humans and the gnome stood quiet. Sloan wasn’t sure what was going on in the heads of her companions, but she couldn’t stop thinking of the story Aareth and Jack had told them about fighting their attacker atop the locomotive on their way to Burrow Den. He fit all of the physical characteristics Edison had explained.
Sloan
“But I forget myself.” Edison took their silence for awe instead of concern. “You’ve come for answers to Aareth’s arm. I’ve prepared some tests to help us understand what is happening.”
Sloan heard Edison talking with Elwood. Out of her peripheral vision, she even saw him setting up a strange-looking chair, but for the moment, her attention was elsewhere: on the Vampire Project bringing super soldiers to life. Enhanced humans already completed and ready to be rolled out to the city guard. It was too much for her to comprehend. Most of all, the queen’s silence on the matter disturbed her.
“Ahhh, here we are.” Edison patted the seat of a brown leather chair that looked like it belonged at a barber’s shop. “Take a seat, Mr. Aareth Emerson, and we’ll see what we can find.”
Sloan watched as Aareth took off his shirt. Her mind went from worrying about the vampire threat to reminding herself not to stare. Aareth’s muscular body was enough to make anyone gawk. Not only was he the perfect male specimen, but the area on his shoulder Sloan had seen ravaged by the Burrow Den wolf creature was also completely healed. A new patch of light brown skin covered his arm. If anything, Aareth looked even better than he had before.
“Wow, what a body.” Edison scratched the underside of his chin as Elwood whistled. “What’s your secret? Yoga, meditation, good old weight lifting? Wait, don’t tell me—a strict diet?”
Edison turned to Elwood with an open hand. His eyes never left Aareth’s shoulder.
“Vegetables, Elwood, on the double. I really need to clean up my diet.” Edison accepted a beet from Elwood’s outstretched hand. He took a bite, immediately spitting out the contents. “Ugh, I’m reminded of why I don’t eat healthier. Why do vegetables have to taste like a punishment?”
“Can we start looking at my arm?” Aareth fidgeted in his seat. “I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night.”
“Right you are. Elwood, glasses, and write the rest of this down.” Edison accepted a pair of glasses with microscopic lenses at the ends. “We’ll do an exterior exam first, then move into blood samples, x-rays, and mage testing. You know, all the fun stuff.”
Elwood conjured a tiny pencil and notepad from behind his back. He stuck out a pink tongue from the side of his mouth as he jotted down notes.
“It look like you’re in—good hands.” Sloan began to make her way from the room. “I’m going to get some rest.”
“You’re going to leave me alone with this maniac?” Aareth teased from his spot on the chair.
“Elwood will keep him in check.” Sloan exchanged winks with the gnome before he went back to his furious scribbling.
Edison was too intent on his work, Aareth was too focused on Edison’s poking, and Elwood was much to busy jotting down notes to notice Sloan take the Vampire Project schematic with her.
Jack
That night, Jack’s dreams were overridden by memories of a mother he had never known. All he had to hold on to was a soothing voice that sung to him when he was a baby. Emptiness accompanied the memory. A void, like he was the hollowed-out portion of a pumpkin.
Jack woke just as tired as he had been before going to sleep. He forced the awful feeling from his mind by busing himself with the events of the day. First and foremost, he needed answers.
A knock on the door distracted him from his thoughts.
“Yes?” Jack grabbed his holster and wand. “Who is it?”
“Sir,” an unfamiliar male voice spoke from the other side of the door, “my name is Sergeant Harrison. I’m here to accompany you to breakfast.”
Jack moved toward the door. He opened it to find a huge man with bulging muscles in a New Hope uniform. Jack was sure he had seen the soldier somewhere before, but at the moment, the exact memory was out of grasp.
“Good morning, sir.” The sergeant gave Jack a sharp salute. “Captain Sloan asked that I come and gather you. The palace can be a large place. Easy to get lost, if you’re not familiar with the grounds.”
“Thanks.” Jack joined the sergeant, and the two men headed down the hall. He couldn’t help noticing the sergeant walk with an ever-so-slight hitch in his step. At once, Jack remembered his first trip to the palace. The wailing man he had seen supported by his comrades through the halls.
“It’s a sparing injury. Almost healed now, but it’ll be another month or so before I’m fully recovered.” Sergeant Harrison reached down to rub his knee. “That’s not exactly the truth. It’s an injury from a lesson I needed.”
“Oh, right.” Jack wanted answers, but he didn’t think now was the time. “We all need lessons from time to time.”
The sergeant motioned him to a open door where voices rang from within.
“Have a good breakfast, sir,” Harrison said with another crisp salute.
“Yes, I will, thanks.” Jack wasn’t sure if he should salute back or not. He gave a half nod, half raised his hand, then thought better of it and ran it through his hair.
If the sergeant noticed, he didn’t draw attention to Jack’s aw
kwardness.
Jack walked into the room, astonished again by what seemed a reoccurring experience at the palace. At a circular table sat Sloan, Aareth, Abigail, and Elizabeth, with a feast of breakfast foods laid out before them. Along one side of the room, a buffet had been set up, with servants standing behind the tables, ready to attend.
“Grab a plate.” Aareth shoveled another fork-load of meat into his mouth. “Food’s great.”
“Yeah, I will.” Jack ignored Aareth’s bloodshot eyes, writing it off to lack of sleep.
Eggs, bacon, waffles, and fruit were all piled high on Jack’s china plate as he took a brief moment to be thankful for the food. When he joined the group, Sloan was outlining the plan for the day.
“I spoke with the queen this morning. She agrees that you all should stay on until all of the questions we have from Burrow Den are answered.”
“Even us?” Elizabeth skewered a strawberry with her fork as if she were spearing a fish.
“Yes,” Sloan said, reaching into her breast pocket and offering black leather pocket books to each member at the table. “Aareth will resume a temporary roll as a city inspector, while the three of you will serve as advisors to the crown.”
Jack flipped his pocket book open to see what the dark material contained. A bronze badge bearing the sigil of the city of New Hope, along with a title underneath it in clear block printing that read: Advisor to the Crown.
Jack exchanged wide-eyed looks with Abigail and Elizabeth. Aareth was the only one who didn’t seemed fazed by this new turn of events.
“The servants and guards have also been notified of your stay at the palace,” Sloan said, wiping her mouth with a white napkin stitched with golden bats. “They’ve been instructed to provide you with whatever you may need during your stay.”
“Thank you.” Elizabeth grinned as she studied her badge. “I’ve never been an advisor before.”
“Yes, thank you,” Jack and Abigail repeated.
“Don’t thank me too quickly.” Sloan impaled each of them with a hard stare. “Your titles come with expectations to obey my commands without hesitation. There’s no doubt we’re immersing ourselves into a thick web of manipulation and lies. It’s going to be dangerous, but we’ll make it through this, if you listen to me and we work as a unit.”
House of Blood: (A Paranormal Urban Fantasy) (The Vampire Project Book 2) Page 3
