by Stead, Nick
“So why do you need me?”
Again he studied me before answering, perhaps weighing me up against the stories he’d heard. “Why? You convinced a number of us to fight once. I believe you can do so again, if we can prove your innocence to the rest of my kind and gain their trust. I admit, I offered you my help and companionship not out of kindness but because I wanted to meet the last surviving werewolf for myself – to find out what has made you so intriguing to my kind and humans alike. Not every wolf could inspire a group of us to join together and fight, after all. Perhaps you are the one we’ve been waiting in the shadows for, these long years past.”
I shook my head. “Even if we prove my innocence, I’m not sure they’ll trust me enough to follow me into battle again. Destroying the base back home was nothing to the Slayers. It’s just one small town, a mere fraction of their forces. I’m sure they’ll soon re-establish themselves there. Those undead that remained in the surrounding area may have been given a brief respite, nothing more. They’ll be hunted again soon enough, just like me and Lady Sarah have been since we fled. The others know this and they’ll call open warfare futile, just as Lady Sarah did when I suggested it to her, and maybe they’re right. At least if we stay in hiding we’ll endure for longer.”
A glint entered his eye. “You underestimate what it is you have already achieved. You did us all a great service that night in slaying Aughtie and thwarting their operations in the area. It was hours before the Slayers learnt of what had transpired. And once they realised the utter destruction you had wrought on the unit stationed within that particular town, it was too late to cover everything up before the bodies were discovered by those ignorant to the reality of our existence. The news reports were most amusing. They attributed it to some kind of gang war at first, but that didn’t explain the desecrated graves from which the inhabitants had been ‘stolen’ and moved to the scene of the crime. Then they talked about a gas explosion which, I think, was too unbelievable. The Slayers attempted to take control of the situation as best they could, but they didn’t entirely succeed in steering the public to a satisfactory cover story that kept both our existence and their own hidden. So you see, in a single night you may have changed everything.
“And then there’s all the deaths you’ve caused in other areas. You’ve been so busy over the last few months, the Slayers couldn’t successfully cover up everything you’ve done. The public are aware something is amiss, since no mortal wolf could cause so much destruction.”
I thought about that. If the world found out about us, I doubted it would be a good thing. But on the other hand, if they discovered what the Slayers had been doing in secret for all these years they would be horrified, I was sure. They would no doubt agree the monster should be slain but they might question their methods, especially those which had cost human lives. There would no doubt be an uproar over the fact they had kept everyone in the dark as well. If the world had been presented with undeniable proof that we were more than mere myth and legend then they would have had no choice but to accept our existence. That in itself could have saved lives if people were prepared.
It was fair to assume the Slayers wanted to avoid that as much as we did, if only to save their own skins. Perhaps this meant they would have to be more careful now in their quest to bring about our extinction, although it hadn’t done me any good so far. But if the vampire was right, maybe I was the exception. Maybe they’d decided I presented the most danger for the time being and if there was any chance to kill or capture me their patrols had to take it, no matter the risk. I smiled to myself at that, feeling a strange pride at the idea. My ego liked the thought they were afraid of me, and so they should be, it added in Luke’s voice.
“So how come you just happened to be there in the midst of my latest breakdown? Have you been following me?”
“Yes,” he admitted, but there was no sense of humility or embarrassment to it. His tone remained matter of fact, his face neutral again. “That you left Lady Sarah’s side is no secret. Ulfarr knows you have been wandering around unchecked, and he was not happy with your former travelling companion when he learnt of it. You should not be too hard on her – she is trapped by old allegiances.”
“It took you, a stranger, to save me from the execution Ulfarr would have sentenced me with. She stood there and did nothing to prevent it!” I snarled.
“It was difficult for her to continue speaking out against him. It is not for me to explain, however. You should return to her once we have proven your innocence and make amends.”
“She should be the one to come to me,” I growled, and then I was forced to ask again “What do you care anyway?”
“If we are to convince the undead to go to war we need all the allies we can get. She helped you gather a force before – perhaps she will do so again.”
Silence fell while we concentrated on our drinks. I was beginning to wonder if I’d made the right decision in staying. I had no intention of dealing with any other vampires after the way they’d treated me, not even Lady Sarah who had pretended to be my ally, if not my friend, only to stand by and let the abuse happen when I’d needed her aid most of all. If she’d been more willing to help when I’d visited her the previous night then maybe I would have forgiven her for everything. But she hadn’t and it had only pushed me further away, not just from her but from vampires in general. I’d only come to this vampire out of desperation, as a last resort.
“Tell me, what skills has Lady Sarah taught you?” he asked, breaking the silence and changing the subject.
“Just stuff to help me survive in case I ended up on my own, stuff to help me pass undetected by the Slayers wherever my wanderings might take me.”
“But what of war; has she taught you nothing of battle, no fighting skills?”
“No, nothing like that. I used to do taekwondo as a human, though.”
“Then in this I believe I can help,” he said. “You have been lost since severing the ties with your human life; that is plain to see. I will give your life that new purpose you are in dire need of, if it pleases you, and help set you back on the path you’re meant to walk. From what I have seen so far, you are like a rampaging force – a formidable foe, but lacking control and discipline, or any kind of finesse. Many of the Slayers still fight with blades as well as guns, as you have seen for yourself. I can teach you how to wield a sword. I can train you to fight, in case you should ever face opponents against whom your greater speed and strength alone is not enough to ensure victory. I can take the rough brute you are now and polish him into a warrior.”
It was tempting. To learn to sword fight did appeal to me, even if I no longer felt like engaging the Slayers in open warfare. At least it would give me something to focus on, and it could only serve to help me survive any future clashes with them, or even other undead. I’d already decided to give the vampire a chance, so it seemed I might as well accept his help.
“I would be grateful for any training you can give me.”
“Then we will begin as soon as you are ready.”
My eyes widened with surprise. “Shouldn’t we focus on clearing my name first? That’s why I came here, after all.”
“Of course, but that may take time and I think it will be wiser to wait till the full moon has passed for another month.”
“Okay, well we can get straight to it tonight I guess. But I have questions first. I don’t even know your name.”
“I’ve had many names, but you can call me Leon.”
I didn’t need him to explain why he’d taken different names over the centuries. It would have made him harder to track. Hiding a kill wasn’t always possible, and most undead probably didn’t have others to clean up after them, as I’d had. Hell, without modern technology, even the Slayers had probably had a hard time of hiding our kills from the rest of humanity. And if the world at large had been given reason to suspect Leon, he would have been hunted by Slayers and the authorities alike.
“Leon, like a
lion?” I asked.
He gave a small smile. “It’s as good a name as any.”
I laughed. “You really do like lions.”
He took another sip of his wine and nodded. “I have always had an affinity for cats, but if everyone has an animal, I’ve always felt mine was the lion. The king of beasts.”
His eyes shone with the same awe I used to have for wolves in my human life. But my ego took issue with his words and a growl rumbled through my throat.
“The king of mortal beasts,” he corrected himself.
I gave him a slight nod and sipped from my own glass. “And how come you get to live in a place like this, when most of us are forced to hide in the shadows?”
“Ah, I am quite lucky in that respect. You see, there was a time when those who practised magic were more numerous and some of them wielded great power. Much greater than those now working for the Slayers, by all accounts. We would be doomed if they had any truly competent spellcasters among them.
“I laid claim to this place over three centuries ago, at a time when one of the most powerful witches to ever walk the Earth happened to be in the area. We struck a bargain, and she placed a spell on this building and its grounds to protect it from prying eyes. No human can find my mansion, unless they are led here by someone who already knows the way.
“In the modern world, aircraft pass overhead all the time, of course. But thanks to the witch’s magic, the humans only see a stretch of woodlands from above. From the ground, they never get close enough to lay eyes on the clearing. The power of the spell manipulates them in such a way that they can’t find their way through the woods, and any perceived strangeness around the area soon strays from their thoughts. The nearby villagers never even try to enter these woods anymore. They have too many local legends to deter them, without the need for the magic. So I am able to remain here, quite safe from the Slayers, unless something were to lead them to my door.”
“That’s why you don’t want me stirring the locals,” I said.
“Precisely.”
“But the magic doesn’t work on supernatural beings?”
“No, our minds are too strong. But there has never been a need to hide from my fellow undead.”
“How come this place has electric if it’s so old then? And if it’s so well cared for, you must have some dealings with humans.”
“You are quite right, I have invited humans here who possess the necessary skills to suit my needs, and I do employ both a cleaner and a gardener who come round once a week. But you are no doubt aware of the hypnotic powers most vampires possess, and I have each under my spell. As soon as they leave the grounds, they forget all about this place. It’s only when they’re due to return that they feel compelled to come here, though they can’t explain why. And if anyone were to ask where they’re disappearing to, I’ve given each a cover story. I haven’t lasted so long in this place by being careless.”
There was more I could have asked, but we’d finished our drinks and Leon needed to feed. I paced restlessly through the building while I waited for him to return. The vampire had answered my biggest questions and I was more eager to start training than I was to continue talking. He didn’t keep me waiting too long, and he was as good as his word, leading me to a large room adorned with weapons along its walls.
More weapons hung in racks. Leon ignored them and strode towards the corner of the room, where two blunt swords had been propped up. He grabbed them and returned to where I was standing admiring the weapons, and offered one of the blades to me.
I eyed them with uncertainty. “Shouldn’t we be training with wooden swords?”
“With our strength, wooden swords break too easily, and you’ll learn quicker if you get the feel for a proper weapon straight away.”
I took hold of the proffered blade, still doubtful. “But isn’t there a risk of us doing a hell of a lot of damage to each other with real swords?”
“You won’t hurt me – I’m too fast and too skilled a swordsman. Skilled enough that I won’t accidentally cut you, if you trust me to train you in such a way? The only alternative is to bring a human in for you to fight, but finding a skilled swordsman in this era will be a challenge. We’d have to try and capture one of the Slayers trained in swordsmanship, which could be dangerous. So will you trust me?”
I didn’t want to place any trust in him when I was only just getting to know him, but I could see no other way to learn the skills he was offering to teach me. And the boy I’d once been had always loved fantasy as much as horror, which was probably why learning to wield a sword held such appeal. I nodded.
“Good. Now, show me your fighting stance.”
I’d spent a year training in taekwondo, and the stance I’d adapted for sparring still came naturally to me. It felt strange when Leon corrected that stance, advising me not to spread my legs too wide or place my back foot too far to the side, as a matter of balance. Once he was satisfied with the positioning of my feet and my hold on the blunted training blade, he invited me to strike.
I’d only ever handled a sword once before, during the fight against Aughtie. And as with the last sword I’d wielded, the blade felt long and awkward in my hand. I was also wary of striking too hard, despite Leon’s reassurances that his skill would prevent either of us from doing too much damage. Even if the swords were too blunt to slice through flesh, they could still break bones, and it seemed a waste of energy to have to transform multiple times to heal any serious wounds sustained during training. So when I clumsily swung at Leon, the blow was much slower than it could have been with my lycanthropic speed and strength, and with his even greater vampiric powers, he blocked the attack almost lazily.
“Come on, wolf, is that the best you can do? The moon rises as full again tomorrow night. Don’t you feel its power coursing through your veins?”
With a snarl, I struck a second time, faster but still awkward, and my aim was off. Leon blocked again and retaliated with a thrust to my chest, deliberately slowing his movements to give me a chance to parry. I barely managed to bring my sword up in time, before the vampire struck again at my head.
We traded a few blows, mine far too slow and clumsy to ever land on the target. But before long I’d instinctively reverted to the stance I’d grown so used to in taekwondo, leaning in on my leading leg to stab at the vampire constantly dancing out of my reach. Leon easily dodged and retaliated with a blow to my limb, instructing “Be careful of spreading your legs too wide. If you ever find yourself fighting in a line you don’t want to step out too far or you’ll make your front leg a target, and you’ll find your balance is off in that stance.”
I tried to follow his advice but the taekwondo stance came so easily to me, I received several welts to my leg before the lesson stuck.
With our supernatural abilities, it meant we were able to keep sparring far longer than mortal humans without beginning to tire. Obviously I wasn’t going to become a master swordsman in one night, but my hand-eye co-ordination had always been good, perhaps as a result of all my human years spent gaming, and I was quick to learn. I was soon parrying and dodging Leon’s blows more naturally, and my aim was fast improving.
As the fight wore on, Leon’s attacks became more frenzied, until it no longer felt like a training session but real battle. Adrenaline flooded my body and I felt more alive than I had in weeks, my rage beginning to bubble up. I attacked with a new ferocity, no longer holding back.
The vampire brought his blade up in a vicious arc aimed at my neck. I ducked and swung at his side. If he hadn’t been so fast, I would have landed the hit, but he dodged and retaliated with a similar blow to my side. I blocked it and we broke apart momentarily, before attacking again. This time Leon parried my strike and then kicked me backwards. The move took me by surprise and I fell flat on my back, panting.
He offered a hand to help me up.
“That was awesome!” I said, accepting it.
Leon gave me a feral smile, one which made his fangs
visible. “You did well.”
His eyes still shone with the light of battle. But even as our sparring had grown wilder, he’d remained in complete control, keeping to a speed that matched my own and never once hitting me with enough force to do too much damage.
“Remember, in a real fight you can still rely on your natural weapons as much as man-made tools. Your sword should become an extension of your arm and it may be your primary weapon, but that doesn’t mean you can’t lash out with fists or claws, or kick your opponent back, as I just did.”
I nodded, grinning. “Again?”
“As you wish,” Leon said, settling into his fighting stance. I mirrored him and we began round two, which lasted a little longer and this time ended with me disarmed, the tip of Leon’s blade lightly touching my throat.
I insisted on a third round, but after that we were forced to call it a night. Dawn was not far off, and the sparring had raised Leon’s bloodlust. He wanted to feed a second time while he still had the cover of darkness, and though my anger hadn’t fully formed into the raging inferno it was capable of becoming, I could still feel its presence deep within. So I decided to hunt as well. I might not be able to completely lose myself in the bloodlust that night but I hoped there would be some pleasure in making a kill.
The scent of another deer carried on the wind. Its life was mine in a matter of moments, and its death didn’t disappoint. Dark delight filled me at the sight of blood jetting from torn arteries, and fresh gore stained my skin by the time I was done. The doe lay in pieces, my urges satisfied. I licked my fingers and turned away, heading back to the mansion.
