by Al K. Line
"It was them?" I asked, looking down at her. Somehow she appeared smaller than usual. I've always had a few inches on her, but she's always been such a larger-than-life character that Plum always seemed tall. I guess I've always made her bigger in my mind, if you know what I mean—all those curves. Now such childish obsessions felt paltry. Another me; another life.
This was the truth about our world. We lived amongst those that would kill for fun, for their own power, for sport, for petty rivalry, for money, for mild grievance, but most of all, for power.
Plum released me and brushed hair back from her soaked face, then words came out in a rush, fast and like she had to hurry or she'd never speak again. "Yeah, the vamps. Trolls too, for a while, but then something happened. I heard they had got smart, but something in them snapped. They were with the vamps, maybe just for a minute or so. They dragged us out of our homes, Spark, women and children, too. Everyone was screaming, going mad. We were all in the street, the trolls making sure we went nowhere, but then they kind of reverted to their usual selves, and they wandered off just as the vamps arrived."
"This is just nuts. What the hell is happening?"
"Hundreds of them, Spark, both ends of the street. There was nowhere to go. Others of our kind came running from the other communities, to help, or running away, maybe both, it was madness. They let the children go, thank god for that, but then..." Plum trailed off, eyes settling on one brutalized corpse after another.
"Show me," I said again, and this time Barrack stepped forward. He put a protective arm around Plum and I moved aside. We stepped over the dead, moving down the street, checking for survivors, leaving the children alone for now until we knew it was safe for them to come out.
Street after street, community after community, it was the same. These were shifter-only places, forming a tight knot in the city where Regulars never came, the whole place so full of magic it was like it never even existed. An invisible world in plain sight, kept safe and away from the rest of the city that went about its business oblivious to what lived in its midst.
Probably just as well, otherwise it would be teeming with police and trying to make even a little sense of it would have been impossible.
Already I felt it changing. The magic was dissipating. It wouldn't be overnight, but give it a week or two, and the place would be just another series of streets, with people scratching their heads at the lack of people, the empty houses, the feeling that something bad had happened, that it wasn't quite right.
Burglars would come, taking what little some of the people had. Families that had struggled to make their way in a world they didn't quite belong to, where they did what they could to survive, not always on the right side of the law, never hurting anyone either.
It was all gone.
It would be swallowed up by the city, claimed back and changed forever. But that night, there and then, the streets were filled with magic and blood and tears and anger.
And the promise of vengeance.
Plum out of Luck
It took a while, much longer than I was comfortable with, but we rounded up the kids, and in a few shifts I took them to Grandma's. Where else could I take them? Back to mine seemed like a bad idea, as trouble was never far behind me when I was in Black Spark mode, and I still had that feeling that things weren't quite right at home, even though I somehow knew Kate was fine, wherever she was.
I prayed she wasn't caught up in the mess, knowing she would get herself into trouble, doing her all to stop it.
Grandma, in her usual stoic and unflappable way, listened, nodded, tutted, said she had known it all along and had a "feeling" it wasn't really the witches' fault. She said she'd had several visitors saying things had gone silent with a number of them.
I told her what I could, held some things back just to make life easier, otherwise I would spend the entire night explaining things, and she took in the children.
There were a lot of tears, a lot of frightened faces, and a lot of inadvertent shifts to animal form because they were scared. Plum helped calm them, and Barrack, a man I had never got along with and had broken his nose the previous year, was like a different person, showing a side I had never seen before.
He was kind, considerate, and moved between comical lump and tickler of bellies, to taking charge and corralling them when they got out of hand. He knew exactly what to do. It was a revelation, and he went up in my estimation enormously that night.
The children clearly all knew and trusted him. I guess it isn't until they get older that they take sides, prejudices forming, rather than accepting each other as equals. Yeah, sounds familiar, right?
Grandma made a few calls, and although there were a lot of unanswered phones she contacted many witches, all of them agreeing there was something seriously amiss. Lots of "feelings" were aired, and they rallied round, promising to come help. I think they wanted the comfort of their own kind more than anything—their world had been thrown into turmoil too, and they always did like to moan in groups.
We left Barrack and the children with Grandma. Plum and I headed into the night.
In my panic, I'd forgotten to get a phone from Grandma, didn't even know if there were phone boxes anymore, and couldn't remember seeing one. Anyway, I knew a call wouldn't put my mind at ease.
We drove back to my home. I had to get Kate, and figured she might be there by now, or maybe it was wishful thinking. Everything was crumbling around us, moving too fast, getting way too out of control.
This wasn't some play for power by the witches. Whatever it had started out as, it went way beyond that. This was an uprising, an attempt to wipe human Hidden out. Take us all down and pave the way for something else, something new. Something dark and terrible.
Plum was still in a daze, but the empty stare was gone, replaced with a clenched jaw and a determined look I'd seen before. When she is on a job—I've worked with her a few times over the years—she gets this look to her, one of total focus and determination. You can almost see her planning her next series of moves, anticipating what will happen and acting accordingly. She is always fluid, easily able to accommodate new events, change her plans and still succeed.
That wasn't what I saw. What I saw was sheer bloodymindedness, the need for vengeance.
"Tell me," I said, as we drove through the dark city, people in their homes watching TV, laughing at their shows, getting an early night, holding each other in the dark. Crying, laughing, making love, tending children that had woken up with bad dreams. Living their lives, unaware of what was happening all around them. Of the hurt and the suffering, the lengths people once like them would go to, the pain we endured, the heights of ecstasy we experienced.
At that moment I no longer felt like any of it was worth it. Once this was done I'd stay home, master chicken whispering, grow vegetables, and stay damn well away from this insanity.
I thought Plum had either not heard, or was just ignoring me, so I didn't push it, but she brought me from my dark thoughts and said, "It was a massacre, Spark. They came in such numbers, totally overwhelming. There were trolls, like I said, but then they lost interest. Then the vampires came, hyped up and crazy, out of control like I've never seen them before. You know how they get?"
"When they have the hunger? The thrill of the chase?"
"Exactly. I've seen them like that countless times, when they are like animals. I know the look, I know the feeling, because of what I am, but this was different. There was an intensity, a coldness that was extreme even for them. They were fixated, lost to the hunger and the need to kill like never before."
"But they spared the children."
"Thank god they did. You could hear the screams, Spark, from streets away. Others came to help, or to warn us. They were terrified. Some had changed, plenty were still human, and they were all chased down. The vampires just waded through us all, like it was a job, you know?"
"How do you mean?"
"Like it was co-ordinated and they were working against
the clock. They just came at us fast and hard, swept through us like things possessed. There were so many of them it didn't matter how strong we were, they came in their hundreds and they massacred us. Like cattle."
I glanced across as Plum went silent. She'd said all she could. Tears soaked her face. Her perfect, beautiful face. It was ruined forever. She would never lose that haunted look, that depth to her eyes that told you here is a person who knows real pain, real sorrow, consumed by nightmares all too real.
"Were there witches?"
"Witches? No, whatever their involvement in this is, if there ever was one, it didn't extend to obliterating my people. My friends. My family."
"Good, because we just left the children with one."
"Spark, it's Grandma."
"I know, but if they were involved then it puts her and them in harm's way. I don't think it is them. Not in the way I first thought at any rate."
"Spark, what the hell is happening? Why is this happening?"
"That's exactly what we will find out. Right after we get Kate we're going to see Rikka and then we will kill every single person who attacked your people."
"Good."
We made the rest of the trip in silence.
That Feeling
As we pulled up at my house, sky dark, the only light coming from the living room windows, spilling out in a weak illumination of the patio area outside the front door, I got that feeling of being watched again, of something not being quite right.
The darkness didn't help. Heavy gray cloud hid the weak moon, only the faintest trace of light pollution reflected down from the sleeping streets of the city. I left the SUV's headlights on, casting long shadows behind every tree, every plant or bush, that could have been a crouching figure ready to pounce on us before we knew it. But then I remembered who, or what, Plum was, and as we stood by the car I watched her as she turned this way and that, nostrils flaring as she checked for alien scents. I knew she would go ballistic on anyone that may be hiding.
I heard the chickens clucking from their nesting area, snug in their warm, safe little house, all tucked up and huddling close for comfort.
"Looks like a nice place, Spark. Very cozy."
"You should come by in the daytime, I'll show you around."
"I didn't think Kate would be too keen on that. Plus, I never got an invitation." She smiled at me weakly, the small talk a real struggle.
"Of course Kate likes you. Um, I mean, I think she does." Now that Plum mentioned it, I wasn't so sure. Not that it was her fault. Kate was well aware of the animal magnetism Plum exuded, of her curves, and probably of my wandering eyes. She had sounded jealous the few times I'd mentioned her, or said I had been with her for whatever reason.
What was wrong with me? Now wasn't the time for such ridiculous thoughts, but it's strange what the human mind will latch on to rather than face the realities of a situation. I guess we always look for an easy way out, sometimes even pray for one.
Shrugging my shoulders, my muscles burned, the tension causing stiffness and hard lumps of bunched nerves. I focused on that, got my head together and smiled a useless smile at my friend. Plum was in need. Her people were dead, and all hell was breaking loose in the city.
Now that I thought about it, everything was fitting into place. For the life of me I couldn't recall the last time I'd had an enforcer job, or any kind of job, where I hadn't encountered a vampire somewhere along the way, usually because Taavi had sent a goon or three to keep an eye on things. They had been distinctly absent from the events of the day so far, and not once had there been a vamp on the scene. That should have been enough to tell me what was going down.
They hadn't been around any of the suspicious troll activity, they had been absent from any conversations I'd had with anyone, none had turned up to ask about zombies roaming the city center, or at the zombie safe-zone, and although I hadn't thought about it at the time it was definitely weird. After all, if the zombies went crazy killing people, that meant less food for the vampires. They needed humans to survive, yet were conspicuous by their absence.
Could that explain why the trolls had killed the zombies? To ensure they didn't spoil the food supply? I wouldn't put it past Taavi, but maybe I was letting my imagination run riot.
"Spark? There are people here. Not people. Vampires."
"Can't say I'm surprised. Come on. Let's get inside. The lights are on so hopefully Kate is home." I took Plum's hand. She was shaking, palm cold and clammy. Plum doesn't do nervous, she does kick-ass enforcer. I think shock had finally set in, as even her skin had a gray pallor, but it may have just been the light from the car. I didn't think so.
I wanted to crawl into bed and hide under the covers. There had been too much killing, too much pointless barbarism. It was inhuman, cold and done in a way that brought home the truth about the vampires—they did not care. It meant nothing to them, this genocide. They were out for extinction and thought nothing of it, no remorse for those left grieving. Anyone not vampire was a sub-species to them, not worth their consideration, certainly not pity, which they no longer had anyway.
Without my consciously drawing it, magic came. I felt the familiar tingle, then the burn as my tattoos channeled it around my body to the centers of power.
I knew we would have to fight at some point, but now wasn't the time, so rather than go ballistic and burn the damn vampires out, I did the sensible thing and, clutching Plum tight, her hand slick and getting cooler by the second, I pictured us in a bubble of warmth, a blue glow of comfort and protection made real by the power of my focus and the thoughts I channeled through my navel where the main chakra lies.
It extended out and around us, enveloping us with a shield that would stop just about anything as long as I kept focus. We walked at a comfortable pace to the house, not rushing, not acting scared, two enforcers that would never be made to cower or act like frightened children no matter who was watching from the woods.
At the house, I called out so Kate would know we were there, then I opened the door. Kate stood the other side, wide-eyed and in a panic, face flushed, her curly blond-brown hair stuck to her head with terror sweat, ready to cave in our heads with a poker from the fire we loved to get roaring and cuddle up in front of on the sofa watching TV like I'd heard Regular people did all the time.
"It's okay. It's just me, and Plum."
"I thought it was them. There are vampires out there, Faz, and they want me. They want everything."
"I'm here now. Take Plum into the living room, please. She's had a bad night. Her people, Kate, the vampires killed them."
"That's inhuman! What happened?" Kate lowered the poker and looked from me to Plum, but Plum just stood there, like a statue. I wasn't even sure she could hear what we were saying.
"They wiped out the shifters. All of them. Later, I'll tell you later. Just get her into the living room, you too, and stay there, okay? You all right?"
"Fine. A bit shaken up. They wanted me to stay, Faz. I went to them, to Taavi, earlier, but things were crazy. The twins, they were there, nearly everyone else was gone, and they told me things. Terrible things, Faz. Where have you been? I couldn't get hold of you. I needed you."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I've been trying to get this mess sorted but it keeps getting worse. We'll talk in a while, just get into the room and do not come out until I tell you to, okay?"
Kate nodded and took Plum by the arm—she didn't resist.
"Kate? Have they been inside? Who's out there?"
"No, they haven't tried. They're just waiting, Faz. It's freaking me out."
"I know what they are waiting for."
"What?"
"Me, of course. They are cleaning house, Kate, removing everything in their way. This is it, what I've always dreaded happening. They want it all. It's time."
Kate shook her head. "Time? I don't understand."
"It's time to end this once and for all. Is your phone working?"
"Yes, why?"
"I
need to make a call. Where is it?" Kate fished in her jeans pocket and handed me her phone. I stared at it blankly, used to my flip up.
"Seriously?" Kate squinted at me as if I was making a joke at the worst possible moment.
I shrugged, looking at all the tiny icons blankly. Hey, technology isn't my strong suit. I'm more a hands-on guy. I'm Black Spark, not Smart Phone User.
Kate took the phone, tapped away a few times then handed it back. "Just punch in the number using the screen, don't worry about the rest."
I tapped the numbers on the screen carefully. It felt like it took a lifetime, my fingers seemingly deciding now would be a good time to show how stressed I was. I made a call, praying Dancer would answer.
"What?" Why is no one polite anymore?
"Dancer, how many necromancers do you know?"
Unwanted Guests
After a quick conversation with Dancer, him filling me in on what was happening and me the same, I checked on Plum and Kate. Kate was sat forward on the sofa with Plum beside her, staring blankly at the glow from the fire.
Kate was talking to her quietly, like you would to a frightened child, but Plum said nothing, lost to us, mind elsewhere. She was deep into shock now, unable to cope with the true horror of what she'd seen and participated in. I knew Plum, and knew she would feel responsible, as if it was all on her to protect an entire community. It wasn't, but that wouldn't make things all right.
I nodded to Kate, said, "You gonna be all right?" She nodded back, then pulled a blanket from the back of the sofa and draped it over Plum's bare shoulders.
Knowing things would escalate, I went back into the hallway and opened the front door.
"Come on then, you fuckers." Yes, sorry about that, but in case you haven't noticed I was rather annoyed with what was happening to my friends, my people, my world.
Even before I'd finished my sentence, two vampires did that weird shimmer-shudder appearing thing that is totally unsettling. They were there, right in front of my face, bodies still vibrating with the speed of the movement.
