The Depths of the Hollow (Mercy Falls Mythos Book 2)

by Nathaniel Reed

  “You want me to shoot you?”

  “If you have to, yes.”

  “I can’t believe this,” Amelia said.

  “You know it might come down to that.”

  Amelia groaned, “I can’t shoot you Ben.”

  “But I won’t be me, don’t you see that? You have to promise me.”

  Amelia lowered her head.

  “Promise,” Ben said.

  She looked up at him, “Fine. If I have to, I will.”

  “That’s all I’m asking.”

  “Okay. There’s going to be all sorts of police around when they videotape you,” she added.

  “But you’ll be the only one truly prepared. I want you to wait outside the police station when it happens. You can get silver?”

  “I have some old chains I don’t use anymore. I can have them melted down.”

  “Good.”

  “I miss you at work,” she said, changing the topic.

  Ben laughed. “I’m sure you’re probably the only one that feels that way. At least my family still loves me. I think.”

  Amelia looked confused.

  “My ex-wife and kids have been here a few times. Faraday kicked them out the first time...” he whispered, “because my friend over there starting yapping about wolfish things.”

  “Ooooohhh,” Amelia said. “Well at least you got to see your boys, and that’s good.”

  “Yeah, they still have no clue why I’m here,” Ben

  shrugged.

  “I wish they could let you out, at least while you’re not all...” She raised her hands up to her face like claws and flashed her teeth, “Grrrr!”

  “Yeah, they’re not going to risk that.”

  “I know. I’m sorry I haven’t visited you more. Things have been kind of strange lately.”

  “Yeah, don’t I know it?” Ben said. “You look tired.”

  Amelia chuckled. “Yeah, I’ve been watching

  movies when I should be sleeping to get ready for the next shift.”

  “You should go get some rest.”

  “I don’t feel like going home right now. You mind if I just sit here with you for a while?”

  “No,” Ben said, “Not at all. The company will be nice.”

  Amelia pulled up a chair and sat. Within minutes they were both asleep on either side of the cell.

  There was one week left until the next full moon.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  A BIRTH PLACE

  They’d narrowly escaped the fire, finding the mansion in flames when they arrived, releasing the pregnant girl from the dungeon, and rescuing her in time. The firefighters would be too late to salvage the place, but they could not return there either way. It was too risky.

  The smoke inhalation and minor burns the Coven and the pregnant girl suffered were easily reversible as they had Jason with them. Jason healed himself and the pregnant girl (whose baby would have to be the sacrifice since the infant child was gone) first, and then the others.

  Drakos was in a rage. All their plans seemed to continue to crumble. But they still had the girl, and the child she carried, who she would give birth to any day now. They only had to continue to stay one step ahead of the police. Continuing to hide out in abandoned places was not their best course, however. They needed to find something more permanent; something comfortable for the girl to give birth, at least until they could perform the sacrifice, which they now had to do without HER image, the statue of their beloved goddess Hecate. She would have to be there in spirit only, as her representation was defiled by the arsonists who destroyed her temple.

  It would be easier if they could leave town, but with the young woman so heavy with child, it might be too much of a burden, and they had to ensure that the baby survived. She was their only chance at ultimate power and immortality.

  Today they hid in an abandoned warehouse, one where the blood of victims that were lured with false promises was spilled many times over; one where the vampire hunter Blake had almost met his demise at the hands of a monster that called itself Andrea. The rotting and debris-strewn wooden floors would not do for a proper birth. They required a residence with a bed, running water and towels; a place where she could nurse.

  Near sunset they set out for a new place.

  k

  Mercy Falls, Massachusetts appeared quiet to most outsiders, and in some respects it was. To many this quiet translated into a vast well of sorrow, for unexplained events that took lives too soon, and for loved ones, gone missing without explanation.

  In a lot of respects it was a town of secrets. Who was telling them, and who might be listening, no one can really say, because those secrets were rarely passed on. Rumors surfaced; unbelievable rumors; and with the multitude of disbelieving eyes and ears the silence would necessarily prevail. A few that knew what truly went on, went on disbelieving, merely as a means of survival, of going on with life as normal. An even smaller group knew what truly went on, and did something about it, continuing to ensure the survival of those who believed that their ignorance was bliss.

  In most respects the old adage that if you didn’t believe in monsters then they couldn’t exist, and that if you were unafraid, you took away their power and they couldn’t hurt you, was not true. It was, in fact, the exact opposite. Those that didn’t believe, those that were unprepared were hurt the most, because they were unwilling to accept a world in which monsters exist. Those monsters would prey on them, devouring their terror, their incomprehension, gaining power over them whilst taking pleasure in their horror stricken stares, their pleading eyes, and cries of pain.

  This was the sad truth of life, not only in Mercy

  Falls, but everywhere- the ignorant refused to see, and the believer could not un-see. As in every generation, the few that saw would stand up to defend the multitude that did not. The heroes weren’t always the ones we expected, but they did all they could to preserve what was best in all of us. This time would be no different.

  k

  When the Coven neared the house that sat alone at the end of the street, shaded by trees and removed enough so that noise could not easily carry, they knew they’d found the place where they would stay.

  Jason and Drakos had their guns, and held them to either side of Chelsea. They knew they weren’t going to kill her, yet, but she didn’t know that. She did as she was instructed. In a raspy tired voice she cried, “Help me please!” as she pounded on the door.

  A woman answered. “Oh dear!” she exclaimed as she opened the door.

  Drakos and Jason pointed their guns at her. “Don’t scream. Let us in, now,” Drakos said.

  “Who is it?” Emily said, standing behind Meredith in the doorway. “Oh,” her face fell as she saw the gunmen.

  They pushed their way through.

  “We don’t want to hurt you...” Drakos began. “We don’t need to hurt you, but we will if you don’t cooperate.”

  “All right,” Emily said. “What do you want?” She recognized the creepy man she’d seen on the street not long ago. “I know you.”

  Frederick and Thomas stood up.

  “What’s the meaning of this?!” Frederick shouted.

  “One more peep and you’ll get it right between the eyes,” Jason said, grinning. “I’ve always wanted to say that.”

  “Shut up,” Drakos said. He closed the door behind

  them. He walked them into the bedroom, sitting them on

  the bed. Wesley started to cry. Meredith hugged him to her.

  “Look at that,” Berenice said, pointing at the cage.

  “What in the world do you use that for?” Drakos said.

  “You don’t want to know,” Thomas said.

  “Oh, but we do,” Sophia said, excited.

  “You don’t want to know what I am, what I’m capable of,” Tom said.

  “On the contrary. You don’t know what we are, or what we’re capable of,” Drakos said. “Have you got a key?”

  Tom didn’t answer. He
knew where this was leading.

  “Where’s the key?” Berenice said. “Give it up.”

  Drakos said, “Look, you’re all going in there whether you like it or not. We need a place to stay, and as it turns out this is just what we needed. We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”

  “What are you going to do with us?” Meredith asked.

  “We’re going to use this place until the girl gives birth, then leave. But as of now, we can’t have you wandering about the house trying to get help. And it beats having to tie you all up.”

  “We’ll go,” Tom said, nodding at Frederick, “But let the women and the boy free.”

  “Do you think I’m stupid?” Drakos said, “And have them go straight to the police? No one is leaving here until we do. Sophia, could you go around the house and cut all the phone lines?”

  Sophia grinned. “Yes Lord.”

  “What’s behind this house?” Drakos said.

  “Nothing,” Tom said, “Old woods, not a part of the main woods; an old cemetery.”

  “Excellent, this is where we shall have the

  ceremony,” he informed Berenice.

  Berenice nodded. “It’s perfect. A wonderful tribute.”

  “She should give birth in a hospital,” Emily said, “Not here.”

  “Oh, but you don’t understand,” Drakos said. “The child is the only reason we are here. She’s our sacrifice.”

  Chelsea’s eyes opened. She finally understood what their purpose was, and why they had chosen to kidnap her. It was her worst fear realized. Her body sagged as the despair set in. Would this nightmare ever end?

  k

  Berenice went with Sophia through the house cutting the telephone wires, while the men held the captives at gunpoint.

  “How long do you think before he kills them all?” Sophia whispered.

  “One never knows with Anastasios,” Berenice said.

  “No, one never knows,” Sophia said slyly.

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Berenice responded.

  “Oh nothing, just that you may not know him as well as you think you do.”

  Berenice prodded her, but Sophia would say no more. She was obviously taking pleasure in knowing something that she didn’t.

  In the bedroom Wesley had quieted down and was nodding off in Meredith’s arms.

  Thomas got the cell key for them.

  “You two first,” Drakos said, pointing at Meredith and the boy, “Before he wakes up and makes that annoying sound with his mouth.”

  Meredith glared at him as she backed into the cell.

  “Now the couple,” Drakos pointed to Frederick and

  Emily. They went in.

  “And Mr. Brave and Mysterious.” Drakos waved the gun at Tom. “You will have to tell me what I must look out for as you lay in your prison.”

  “You can’t keep me in there with them,” Thomas Killian advised him.

  “Oh?” Drakos mocked, “Why is that? Is your big bad family secret going to come out? Do you rape and torture women? Because that I’d like to see.”

  “You don’t understand...” Tom continued.

  “Get in the damn cage or I’ll blow your brains out,” Drakos said. “Do YOU understand that?”

  Tom nodded. “Can we at least have some blankets for the women and the boy, to sleep on?”

  Drakos was exasperated.

  “Here!!” Jason said. “Have the whole goddamned mattress!”

  Jason Korba lifted it off the bed frame and tossed it at Tom. Tom caught it, fumbling it, and nearly going down with it. He placed it on the floor of the cell and the rest of them sat down on it. Drakos locked the cell.

  “There, one big crappy family.”

  k

  Now that David Faraday had a sketch of the killer, Anastasios Drakos, he no longer needed it to get a warrant. Police were already investigating the burnt out shell that was the Drakos estate. They found everything they needed there to arrest him and his co-conspirators. Blood from the girl Alicia, an altar to a false God, a torture room in the basement... These were some twisted fucks he was dealing with. But the danger was they had some real power, these witches; this Coven of Hecate. He didn’t know what the others could do, but he saw what that witch Helena was

  capable of.

  He wasn’t exactly back where he started, but pretty damn close. The detective still had no idea where they were. So he was left with the unpleasant task of going around town distributing copies of the sketch, going from business to business, posting flyers, and finally putting the sketch on the local news, with the necessary caveat to call the police immediately and not attempt to apprehend the suspect on their own. It was better than nothing, and hopefully would lead to the break they needed.

  k

  The contractions were getting stronger and closer together. Chelsea Greene was getting ready to give birth soon. An occasion that would have inspired joy, had Chelsea been with her boyfriend Steven in place of these leering men and women, stirred dread in her heart.

  Since the prisoners were on the mattress in the cell, and chairs would no longer do, Berenice and Sophia pulled the cushions off the sofa and gathered pillows and linens from the closet, placing them over the box spring to prop Chelsea up, in order to make her comfortable for the delivery. With only three days left until the full moon, they were glad the birth was finally happening.

  The television was on in the room when Berenice pointed. “Lord!”

  Anastasios Drakos walked over. They were showing a likeness of him on the evening news. A rough composite sketch. It was a close enough likeness to where he could be recognized on the street. “Damn it! We must leave town immediately after the ceremony.”

  Thomas felt himself getting stronger, as he always did before the next cycle, but he still didn’t have a way to get out of here. He needed to before he changed or the rest of his family was going to be in danger. These people, if you could call them that, which locked them up, would not care, and would probably enjoy the show. He would have to kill himself, if he even could, before something like that happened, or else find a way out, soon.

  The only time they opened the cage was either to give them food or to let one of them use the bathroom. And with two of them pointing guns at them it was almost impossible to overpower them. Thomas believed the only reason they didn’t kill his whole family was because it would make too much noise, and too much of a mess; or else if they started killing any of them the others would start screaming and draw attention.

  “You look so down,” Drakos said to Tom. “Cheer up, we are about to witness the miracle of life,” he laughed.

  “The disaster of life,” Berenice chimed in.

  “That is good one,” Drakos said. He looked at Tom and the others in their cell. “Have you heard the story of Hansel and Gretel?”

  “Of course,” Frederick said, “Everyone has.”

  Drakos glowered at him. “There is an evil witch woman who has a gingerbread house, and she lures children with promises of sweets. And the children trick her and push her into the oven. Ironically enough, we are about to have something pushed out of the oven,” Drakos chuckled. “But you see there is no need for ginger-bread houses to lure the unsuspecting, only power to influence events. And there are no children here who will save the good and the righteous. There is only this child, who is coming into this world, to give us, the evil, our rightful place in it, as masters over your ignorant slaving bodies.”

  “You spend your nights dreaming up this fantasy?” Thomas said.

  “There is no fantasy, except that which you believe- that the human race is worthy, or sustainable. That your lives are worth anything,” Drakos spat.

  “I hate to interrupt your ranting,” Emily said, “But I think the lady’s water just broke.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  ARIANNA

  “I’m not going back up there,” Walter said.

  “Fine,” Arianna said, “I’ll go up there and get us s
ome food.” Vampires circled them as they talked. “You’re going to have to leave the pit sometime. The hunter is one man.”

  “Yes, and do you forget what he did to us last time? He very nearly killed us all. If he gets enough like minded people on his side, you know he can do it again.”

  “And what if he decides to come down here again, what will you do then? Run and cower in the corner?”

  “No,” Walter said. “I’ll fight if I have to, but it seems bloody stupid to try and live up there again.”

  “No one’s talking about living up there,” Arianna said. “Forget it.”

  “Anyway, why do you have to go? Why not send one of these lackeys?”

  The group of vampires listening in grumbled.

  “Careful there,” Arianna cautioned, “You wouldn’t want to start a revolution.”

  “You could send Spangler,” Walter suggested.

  “I wouldn’t trust him not to take the entire kill for himself. I’m going.”

  “Fine. Do what you want.”

  “I will,” she smiled.

  “I miss the days when we had prisoners down here to feed off of.”

  “Well, thanks to The Others and The Brotherhood we have to keep a low profile now.”

  “Not to mention losing the Mayor,” Walter added.

  “And that,” Arianna agreed. “Ta ta, I shall be back.

  Don’t wait up for me dah-ling.”

  “Yeah, that’s bloody hilarious.”

  

  It wasn’t a matter of finding people for blood. They were everywhere. It was a matter of getting to someone without getting caught. They not only had the difficult task of finding food to bring back to the pit, but of creating more vampires. The last ones they’d created Blake killed. Arianna didn’t really fault him for hating them. Of one of the few excellent reasons to kill, revenge was a really good one. While she disliked Fulton Blake on principle she admired him more. No one else could have done the things he’d done. It was a shame he wasn’t on their side.