“I’m sure you’ll try to make sure I do, but I can’t make any promises that I will,” I said. I let the condescending tone of my voice leach through the barrier so she could feel it and I knew she could when I saw the look in her face change once again. I could feel the sheepish grin spread over my face as anger filled her. It wasn’t just anger. This was stone cold rage and it was an expression I had never seen on her before. She had always managed to hide her anger with witty comments and her ADHD like ways. She was almost like a child sometimes, and then sometimes you saw the intelligent woman she was. What had turned her into the person she was? Was it Adam and his insistence that she remain subservient to him forever or the God that condemned her because she wanted a choice? Or did she do it to herself? Only one person knew that and that was Lilith. I wasn’t about to ask. I had already angered her enough for one night and we didn’t need the barrier to come down tonight when we weren’t prepared.
“You know, Executioner, I’d love to see the look on your face when the eclipse comes. It’ll wipe that smile from your lips quickly and you will truly regret tonight. I was going to go easy on you,” she paused and let the anger seep into a sneering smile, “but now I won’t. You think my children are bad? You just wait.”
Eclipse? What in the world was she talking about? And did Beth and Chase already know about this? I turned to look at them and they were both just as surprised as I was. Even Gordon’s eyes were searching their emotional responses for something indicating their knowledge of it, but found nothing. I turned back, the words on the tip of my tongue, and she was gone and was nowhere to be seen in the mild darkness beyond the shield. I let out a groan of exasperation, sending a swift kick into the shield, causing it to shimmer slightly with a small quiver. I only felt an insignificant zap on my toes, like the shield was trying to warn me not to do it again. At least it couldn’t kill me. I wasn’t evil so I was safe from it and all it could do was warn me, but I could admit it stung a little. I sat down in the cool grass, the dew soaking into my shorts in an uncomfortable way.
There was an eclipse coming and it would unleash something worse than what Lilith had already created. What was worse than her vampire children and the crawlers? They were already some of the worst creatures I had ever seen outside of Hell. Was she bringing them to the surface somehow? That was a reality I was terrified of.
I turned back to Beth and Chase. They had to know something about this. I had been gone for six months and knew next to nothing about the world I was now living in. They had the experience I didn’t, and I would have to change that.
“What the Hell is she talking about?” I asked; my voice almost high pitched with my unease. I could feel it slipping from my throat and out of my mouth with such strain it almost hurt and the slightly cool air surrounding us didn’t help matters. They lowered their guns, but the confused look on their faces didn’t falter. They had no idea what she was talking about, so we were all clueless at this point. That was just lovely.
“Robin, I swear, I have no idea. I haven’t heard anything about an eclipse but, then again, we haven’t exactly had the weather channel going lately. It’s been impossible for us to know about a lot of things since all television stations are out and no one is reporting the news.” She was right and I knew it. Why in the world did I even think she could remotely have any idea what was going on out there beyond Los Angeles. There was just no way and, even then, Los Angeles was so expansive that you couldn’t know about everything going on in every part of the city.
With an exasperated sigh I said, “Damn.” I began to rub my forehead like I was trying to rub away the headache that I could feel forming. Everyone was staring at me, but it didn’t matter to me. It wasn’t exactly a secret that this had been rough on me, and with all of the new information coming to light and the unexpected visit I was really beginning to feel run down. Or was that our little bean growing away and taking all of my energy? Either way, I needed an energy boost because I knew I would be awake for a few days straight. “I have no idea what to do.” As if my actions didn’t say it loud enough.
I turned back around and tried to search the darkness beyond, but with the street lamp and the moon shining down I wasn’t able to see very far. I would say possibly twenty yards. There were no lights on in any of the houses lining the street and, even if there were, I couldn’t see them but I could spot one in the distance that hadn’t burned out yet. I could see a few vampires crossing the stream of the lamp, closely followed by a crawler or two and I shuddered. I didn’t want to face those creatures ever again, but I knew that I would at some point. And very soon according to Lilith. Whenever this eclipse would take place. No one seemed to have that answer either and I was beginning to get annoyed by all the information no one had. I strained my ears and was only able to hear mumbling from distant voices and a buzzing sound like tiny bees from the barrier, but nothing I could use. I could feel four pairs of eyes on me when the whispers began, soft and quiet from within my own body. Our child was speaking to me again and once more I desperately wanted to be able to understand it.
Sam’s eyes went wide, and then a slow spread of lips. It was then that I knew she heard the whispers too and it made me happy and scared all at the same time. What other weapons did Sam have up her sleeve? I knew I would be asking her, and soon. If anything, I wanted her to be more active in the fight and not just stand at the sidelines like she had managed so far. While I understood the need for adjustment, I hadn’t had a period where I couldn’t really function. I wasn’t in Hell as long as she had been. Maybe that was the issue. She had seemed so functional there. Something had to have happened once we crossed over. Possibly because she didn’t have a body to reincarnate to like I had. Well, we would soon find out. That I believed.
Chapter 14:
Shadows
I stood at the living room window, staring out into the growing darkness as a street lamp flickered and then went out altogether. I was hoping the light would get stronger but it just seemed to be wavering, some even fading out completely. My father was dead, Los Angeles was now a ghost town, and it was too damn quiet. Even the crickets were still and the energy in the house was tense. I felt stifled by it and could barely breathe under the pressure. I hadn’t missed the feeling of Lilith breathing down my neck and now that she was back in my life there wasn’t anywhere I could turn to get away from it.
When we all had decided to come back into the house we had gone our respective ways, except for Sam. She had tagged along into the living room and planted herself on the crimson couch, stretching out and looking at me with a knowing smile. I grabbed a sweater and pulled it over my head and had been in front of this window ever since. It was like I was just waiting for Lilith to appear outside the barrier again, beating on it, trying to bring it down. What were we going to do? From what Lilith had said, the eclipse would be the driving force in all that would bring the shield down and all manner of things would be coming. A new creation of hers. I had already seen enough. Her breed of vampire and the crawlers were enough. Not to mention what I had already seen in Hell. I didn’t want to be in the presence of any of those creatures ever again. The last monster I had faced was the most dangerous I had ever come across; besides my blonde haired and red eyed adversary. I knew that once I defeated her that there wouldn’t be anything else. At least I hoped.
“When did you first hear it?” The question came out of nowhere. I wasn’t expecting her to ask, but she had found her voice. When I turned to look at her Sam had placed her arms on the arm of the couch, letting her chin rest there like a sinister and dark version of Shirley Temple.
“It started when we went out for supplies. Well, on the way back anyways,” I sighed. I just couldn’t help but let the sound come out.
She nodded as much as her posture would allow, her eyes brimming with tears. I was afraid she was going to cry, but as she spoke her voice was light and airy. Nothing like she was about to break out into sobs. “I heard it too. Outside.”<
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“I had no idea anyone could, besides me.” It was my child and I had expected to be the only one who could perceive its tiny voice. Apparently I was wrong.
“It’s a gift.” Her face turned serious then, her brow furrowing as she watched me. “I’ve always been able to perceive things others couldn’t. It’s taken some getting used to now that we’re back up here. In Hell everyone can see the monsters. Here, it’s different and I’m not sure how to handle it.”
“I’m sure it’ll come back with time. Like all things.” Everything went silent for a moment and a question burned in my mind. I could tell she had met Lilith before. I knew it wasn’t on the surface, but I still felt the need to ask. Maybe she had some insight that we didn’t. I opened my mouth to ask, but then all Hell seemed to break loose.
There was a noise outside the barrier, like metal being knocked over. A huge crash and then a car slammed into the barrier, sending sparks and shimmers everywhere and making the ground shake beneath our feet. It had startled me to the point of shaking. As if Lilith stopping by wasn’t enough of a close call. The fear was rising inside me again, calling the beast within me and causing my child to make calming whispering noises. There were so many things going on all at once and there was nothing to calm the storm. A tiny scream escaped my lungs and I heard footsteps slamming down the steps and across the living room floor. Gordon made an appearance at the threshold of the living room, eyes wild with fear, darting back and forth between me, Sam who was now beside me, and outside. He looked like a wild man. Either that or he had been asleep and was startled awake.
“What the Hell happened?” he practically yelled.
Beth was close behind him. Chase came around the corner, pulling on a t-shirt. I couldn’t speak and when I looked back out the window Gordon’s eyes followed mine. He stalked to the window like a predator. It was like when we were in Hell and the stealthy dangerous monster was all he was again. It was sexy and scary all at the same time and I wasn’t sure what to think of it. Would this be forever or until he got used to life on the surface again? Then I rethought that. It would be like this forever. Lilith had turned Los Angeles into Hell on Earth and there was no reason to change our ways. Sam had seemed to retain a small amount of who she had been down there but lost a few of her marbles now that we were back.
The car was smoking as it sat there against the barrier, all twisted metal and fiberglass. The windshield was shattered and the car horn was blaring. The person, or not, in the driver’s side was slouched against the wheel. That much I could tell from the noise of the horn ringing in my ears.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the mutilated car. I couldn’t help but think the person inside it had perished. Well, someone I was hoping was human. I wasn’t sure how well I would do with more surprises. The only thing I knew with absolute certainty was that we needed to stop the horn from blaring. Crawlers, as well as Lilith’s dear vampire children would be drawn to the sound. To us. Lilith already knew where we were, but the crawlers were a different story. They didn’t seem to have the same intelligence as the fully transformed and, because of that, something was missing. That higher thought pattern wasn’t there anymore. Just the pure animal call for blood like with Lilith’s direct vampire breed. It was a disturbing thought as I watched sparks fly between the car and the barrier, the shimmering never ceasing.
Beth moved to the chest of weapons and began pulling things out. A handgun. My bow and arrows. Before I knew it Sam had a silver plated knife in her hand and was headed for the door until Chase opened his mouth.
“We’re not going out there, are we?” His voice was higher pitched with anxiety. Beth turned to him, her face stern and eyes brimming with determination.
“They obviously need our help. We can’t leave them out there. Whoever they are, we just can’t,” she said with teary eyes. They had a struggle like this before while I was trapped in Hell. That I could tell by watching her swift actions and the expression on her face as well as Chase’s words. And I could also tell it ended in a fatality that Beth hadn’t been able to forgive herself for. I slipped on a pair of flats because they were the closest and decided to come to her rescue.
“I’m with Beth,” I said while leaning down to pick up the bow and arrows. Once I was standing again Chase looked beyond frustration and had his hands up in the air like he gave up.
“You two are crazy. You can go out there if you want, but I’m not moving.” He began to pace then, biting his fingernails and moving quickly from point A to point B and back again.
“I agree with them. We’re going out there,” Sam said, reaching for the door knob, waiting for Beth and I to make our move.
Gordon spoke.
“Why won’t you go out there, Chase?” Chase stopped in his tracks once the question had been asked, and everything went silent. “What happened while we were gone?”
Chase looked at Gordon with hate filled eyes, lips set in a tension filled straight line. His chin trembling like he was trying to hold back a sob. Beth had frozen in place, a gun in her hand and pointed at the floor waiting. Sadness and anxiety flooded the room and the strength of it made me gasp. It hit me in the gut and spread to my heart. The air was so heavy I could barely breathe. The whispering of my growing child making itself known.
A noise sounded; metal on metal, and that was when the screaming began. A man was trapped in the car. I turned back to the window in enough time to see crawlers and a few vampires clawing their way into the car towards the shouting man. Sam was out the door and into the night before any of us moved.
“Alright, our hand is being forced, but we aren’t finished here,” I stated, following Sam into the cool night air. I was angry and felt pressured to save a world I wasn’t sure I could save anymore. When I walked past Chase he was shaking his head whispering no under his breath. I could feel his fear but I wouldn’t let my own affect me. I stopped next to him and let the words ring clear in the air so I was sure he heard me.
“I don’t care if you come outside or not at this point. This is the world we live in now, and you need to man up. Whatever happened before, use it to fight against this. There is no reason to let someone else die because you’re too damn scared.” His eyes snapped up to my face and I could see anger masking the fear now, which was exactly what I wanted. I knew he still wouldn’t help us save the man outside, and that anger hit me like a ton of bricks. I would save him and that was what mattered. I had found humanity in this city again and I wasn’t about to lose it. I used this last statement to push him further. “We aren’t here to soothe egos and coddle children anymore. We are here to save what is left of humanity no matter what it takes.” With that I walked away and out the door.
I could feel Beth moving behind me, her energy trailing mine as I made my way through the door. Placing the quiver of arrows over my head, I turned and put my hand out to Beth, looking to the handgun. It was small and made out of matte black metal. A nine millimeter. She was also armed with a silver knife at her hip, another hand gun strapped to her side, and a shotgun in her other hand. I had my eyes on the handgun. Sam was moving in front of us, running to meet the growing horde.
“Gun,” I said, shooting a glance at the gun in her hand. The sound of scraping metal and screams were echoing through the air. We had to act now if there was any hope of saving him. She hesitated before placing the gun in my own palm.
Turning towards the twisted car on the other side of the shield, I turned off the safety and aimed, running towards the trapped man. His cries echoed in my ears and the sound of hungry crawlers made me want to run faster, but I was already going as fast as I could without slipping on the dewy grass. The shoes I was wearing weren’t any help.
I approached the barrier, but it was still up, my feet sliding and pushing into the dirt to slow my approach. Sam had already slid to a stop in front of the barrier. I placed a hand gingerly on the barrier, causing it to shimmer even more. We needed it down. I saw a shock of blonde hair on the driver�
��s side of the car, legs kicking out at a few crawlers that were dragging him out. He was about to become dinner. I could feel the energy of Gordon and Beth behind me, but she remained still while Gordon moved towards us. I turned to look at her. She was standing in place, not daring to move. All she could see were the crawlers, and the struggling figure on the other side. The man’s screams drew my attention and all I saw was an open mouth as a crawler bit into his shoulder. It tasted fresh blood and I knew he was done for as the creature opened its mouth to howl into the darkness.
I ran to Beth, placing my hand on her shoulder and shaking her until her eyes focused on me. “Beth, I need you to take the barrier down.” She didn’t say a word. I knew she could hear me, but it was like she refused to acknowledge the words. “Beth!” I yelled. I could feel the fear radiating through her body, ricocheting in her mind like a stray bullet. “We can’t let him die. Please take the barrier down,” I pleaded.
“Hurry!” Sam yelled as the man’s screams came to meet us again.
Her eyes moved past me and I heard a small electric zap as the barrier fell, but the crawlers noticed our presence. Their teeth snapped and their growls were guttural. I could even hear a few licking their lips beneath the screams of the man on the ground. I felt the beast move inside of me, begging to be set free, but I had to keep it under control so I didn’t kill the man we were trying to save. Things seemed to be moving in slow motion. The adrenaline pouring into my veins and the beast inside of me were causing my heart to race like it was running in the Kentucky Derby. I raised the gun and aimed at the head of the closest crawler. He was about five feet away within seconds after the shield collapsed. I pulled the trigger. The bullet left a small entrance wound, but the back of his head exploded in a spray of blood, brain, and bone with a sickening crack. I heard the gore splatter on the sidewalk and watched him fall as another crawler took his place, not caring to avoid stepping all over the ashen body of his fallen comrade.
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