by Alex Dire
Miguel and Roberto stopped suddenly in front of them. They’d reached the end of the corridor. A metal door with a wheel in the center stood in their way. The two werewolves sniffed around the edges.
“This is definitely it,” said Roberto.
“Matt, is this the entrance?” asked Norman for confirmation.
“One of them,” replied Matt.
“One of them…” began Norman before he was interrupted.
An eye slit opened up in the door. “Password,” said a voice.
Norman peered through the hole. He did not recognize the eyes. “Et in terra, sanguinem.”
The wheel spun and the door swung open. “Welcome back. We figured you were dead,” said a vampire on the other side.
“How many?” asked Norman as he sat at the table in the war room.
“With the one’s you brought in…about thirty vampires and eighteen werewolves.” Elijah paused, not wanting to complete the thought. “The rest are dead or scattered.”
“The wolves that survived will flee to the forest. They’ll regroup. We may be able to reconnect with them,” said Richard.
Norman looked over to Chip. “And the vampires?”
“Forget them. They’re lost. If the soldiers don’t get them, the sun will,” replied Chip. “We need to revise our strategy. Our resources are scarce, and in a few weeks, the enemy will multiply.”
Frustration was not an emotion Norman was used to seeing in Chip. He always seemed so cool and in control. Seeing Chip rattled like that shook what little confidence Norman had.
Chip continued, “The sun goes down in an hour. By that time we need to…”
An explosion interrupted Chip’s statement. Chunks of powdered rock and pebbles rained down from the ceiling and dust shook off the walls.
The members of the war council looked around the room at each other before darting out into the hall. Another blast nearly knocked them all off their feet. Powder and smoke billowed its way down the hall toward them.
Norman lost sight of Richard, Elijah, Chip and the rest. He coughed his way down the corridor toward the large circular chamber where the smoke seemed to come from. He dragged a hand along the side to feel his way forward. He arrived at the expansive chamber just as the dust and smoke cleared away. He leapt back a step as he saw the chamber littered with blown up vampire bodies and a contingent of Corps. V enhanced soldiers taking up position around the room. They smashed the technology as they searched for survivors. More soldiers stepped through the breach they’d just blown open.
Norman’s mind slipped into fight or flight mode. Flight seemed his only option. At that moment, Rufus sailed into the room and landed on the nearest soldier. He slashed the soldiers throat open with his wooden knife cutting his head half off. He then gripped his head and tore it off the rest of the way with his hands.
Another soldier quickly reacted and made a step toward Rufus. He didn’t make a second before Bronte drove into him, knife first. She then tore the knife down his abdomen exposing his intestines. She reached into his wound and pulled out a lobe of his liver. Standing above her victim, she bit into the organ and threw the remnant at the stunned soldiers.
Norman was sure this tactic was meant to frighten the superior enemy. It sure scared the shit out of him.
“Fall back,” shouted Rufus as he parried and stabbed at another soldier. Norman and the vampires that had assembled in the opening retreated back into the corridor. Three wolves raced past them and barked furiously into the circular chamber. They nipped and tore at soldier’s as Rufus and Bronte grappled with them.
Rufus and Bronte fought hard as they backed up into the corridor. Several Corps. V soldiers slipped around them and began slashing at retreating vampires. More wolves ran in to cover the retreat.
Norman turned into full-on flight as he made for the small chamber where he knew the Nymphs rested. He discovered them emerging through a door in the side of the corridor.
“What’s happening?” said Felicia.
Her question was answered by the death scream of two vampires. Norman dreaded he’d lost Rufus and Bronte. “No time. Run.” He hustled the Nymphs out of the room and rushed them down the corridor. They got bottled up at a log jam as they approached the portal with the wheel. Apparently, the narrow hall hampered escape as well as approach. Norman heard the melee drawing nearer behind him. He pulled at Felicia’s arm and ducked down a side hall with the Nymphs.
“Mr. Bernard!” Matt Barnes’ voice called from the chaos in the hall. “The exit’s this way.”
“Not anymore,” called Norman. “Come with us.”
“But I don’t know what’s down that way,” protested Matt.
Norman grabbed his arm and tugged him into the offshoot hall. “Let’s find out.”
They moved quickly as the sounds of fighting and the screams of dying vampires faded behind them.
Tyreese called from the back of the line. “Shhhhh, Mr. Bernard. We’ve got company.”
Norman listened and heard panting approaching them from behind. The panting transformed itself into breathing and Norman saw two human figures approach in the darkness.
Judah called out. “Mr. Bernard. Wait.” As he neared, his features became clear. “We smelled you.” He and Miguel caught up.
“Let’s keep moving,” insisted Norman.
The corners and turns in the cobble stone corridor eventually became smoother and rounder until they were curves rather than corners. The curves wound through the Earth depriving Norman of any sense as to where they were. The darkness made it hard even for vampire eyes to discern their way. Norman kept his hand along the wall, feeling for what his eyes could not see. As he dragged his hand along, he discerned etchings on the cobbles under his fingers. He wished he had a light so he could make out the depictions.
“Mr. Bernard, we’re near an exit,” said Judah.
“How do you know?” asked Norman.
“I can smell the sewage,” Judah replied.
Norman tuned in his olfactory sense and couldn't discern the scent. The wolves’ sense of smell surpassed even his own.
“A little further and we’re out,” said Judah.
“No,” replied Matt. “Chip had other plans.”
The whole group turned to the mysterious stranger Matt had become. “Chip planned for this?” said Norman. Chip's plans always seemed to have parts Norman was kept ignorant of. “What now?”
“He hoped it wouldn’t come to this. He patched up the wall to try to hide the HQ. But…” Matt gazed dropped to the ground.
“But what?” asked Norman.
“He knew your chances were slim. His escape plan, if the HQ was breached, was to assemble deeper in the catacombs,” said Matt.
“Who knew about this escape plan?” asked Norman.
Matt shifted uncomfortably. “Just me and Rufus.”
“Then how were the rest of us supposed to link up?” asked Norman.
When Matt stopped talking, Norman knew the answer. A hint of anger infected his calm. “We weren’t.” Anger flashed through Norman. He reached a hand out to grasp the young man by the front of his shirt. Matt stepped back and Norman froze. Matt kept Nebulous' secrets, and now Chip's. How could he be so disloyal to Norman, to the Nymphs? But looking at him now, Norman saw he was just a scared kid in a tight spot. Norman let his arm drop back to his side. “What else?”
“Chip told us to bring as many as we could muster, but not to take risks,” said Matt.
“Why did you wait until now to tell us this?” asked Norman.
Matt looked at the werewolves. “Risks.”
Norman's deep breaths nearly transformed to growls. He did not like being a pawn. “Do you know how to get to Chip from here?”
Matt shifted his eyes around the group. Sweat beaded on his forehead. “Yes. We probably have more of this maze mapped than any living vampire.”
“That I do not doubt,” said Norman. “Lead the way.”
Matt wound the gro
up back through toward the Headquarters. As they marched the etched stones became regular cobbles again. At headquarters, vampire bodies lay strewn about everywhere. They walked into the large chamber where the breach had been reopened. The computers and technology were smashed and covered in blood.
Norman picked through the bodies searching for Rufus. He couldn’t find him. They walked back up the corridor toward the war room. Gore and bodies covered the room. Hacked arms and organs lay about the vampire bodies. Fur and bits of wolf skin littered the floor.
Norman heaved and shoved bodies looking at faces for any he recognized. He looked upon a pile of bodies near the edge of the room. He moved to it and grabbed an arm to pull the top body off the pile. The barely attached arm tore completely off the body. Norman bent over and vomited. After spitting out a mouthful of mucus and blood he continued moving bodies off the pile. He moved three dead vampires and uncovered two naked bodies, one man and one woman. He looked over to Judah in sympathy.
“What?” said Judah who stood by the door. He ran to the ghastly scene and saw the dead werewolves.
“I’m sorry,” said Norman looking Judah in the eye.
“I didn’t know them,” Judah replied.
Norman and his former students then both heard a gasp emerge from the ghastly pile. They quickly shoved aside the bodies of the dead to reveal Richard at the bottom.
“Alpha,” said Judah.
A weak voice replied, “Richard.” He barely opened his eyes. “There’s no more pack. And soon… There will be no more Alpha.” Richard stop speaking as coughs forced their way up his throat. Blood and mucus sprayed from his mouth.
“Alpha we need you. Now more than ever,” said the boy. “I know my family hasn’t always been helpful, but…”
“Listen, boy,” said Richard grabbing Judah by the shoulder. “Put the pack back together. Your brother is next in line.”
Judah closed his eyes and breathed a sigh. “How?”
Richard never heard this last question as air left his lungs forever and his eyes focused to infinity. A tear streamed down Judah’s face.
“Come on, Judah.” Norman bent down and put an arm around him. “There’s nothing for us here.”
“Adrian never wanted to be part of any pack.” Tears streamed down Judah’s face. “How’s he supposed to put it back together?”
Norman sensed something else. “Judah, who was Richard? Why did he say Adrian was next in line?”
Juda’s watery eyes looked into Norman’s. “The Alpha was my dad.”
After hours of winding and false steps, Matt Barnes finally led the group to a door in the cobble wall of the catacombs. It was old wood with a rusted metal handle and hinges. Matt looked back at the weary group. “We’re here.” He then turned to the door. “Et in terra, sanguinem.”
The door swung open. Chip stood there looking more dejected than Norman thought possible.
“No need for formalities. Come in.” Chip turned and walked back into the room.
The cobbled walls were lit by three torches in holders on three of the walls. On the fourth wall hung an ornate tapestry depicting people and a variety of animals dancing in a river. Birds with human faces sang songs from the air above them.
“Glad you made it,” said Rufus who paced at the far end of the room. “I have to admit I’m a little surprised.”
Bronte, MacManus, and Georgios sat against a wall opposite the tapestry. Adrian huddled under another tapestry, shivering.
“Juda, Miguel, Roberto!” He rose and embraced his brothers. “You’re alive.”
“Adrian,” said Juda, choking back tears. “The Alpha’s dead.”
Adrian looked up and stared through the wall. “No,” he whispered.
“He said it’s up to you,” Juda continued.
Adrian’s arms dropped from around his brothers.
Juda extended an armful of clothes stained with blood and grime. “Here. I took them from the bodies.”
Norman sat next to Chip who rested his head in his hands and his elbows on his knees. “Ian would know what to do,” said Chip. “I’m out of cards.”
“He was wise,” replied Norman. “What do you think he’d say?”
“He was old, Norman,” replied Chip. “He’s the one who found me after the war and told me to put the party back together. He knew so much more than me. Once he told me that he knew the Worms.”
All the vampire ears pricked up.
“Worms?” said Norman. “Just fairytales.”
“Like werewolves?” replied Chip. “He said he’d take me to them some day.”
Before he’d become involved in this war, Norman would have dismissed Chip’s statement outright. But now…“How old was Ian?” asked Norman.
Chipped shrugged his shoulders. “He could speak languages that don’t even exist anymore. He had met several members of Nebulous. He knew things that seemed impossible to know.” Chip looked into Norman’s eyes. “He knew to find you.” He stared into Norman, seeming to communicate something Norman could not decipher. “I’m still not sure why.” Chip sunk his head back down into his hands. “So, when he said he knew the Worms, I didn’t doubt him.”
“You mean, like, earthworms? The things that squirm through the dirt?” asked Matt.
“This is a waste of breath. It’s a vampire fairytale. Worms are old vampires who still live in the ground and only come out every few hundred or thousand years.” Rufus breathed a sarcastic sigh. “Thus, rendering them absolutely useless as well as mythological.”
Matt raised an eyebrow. His eyes wandered off in thought. His musings escaped his lips as a whisper. “The Archaea.”
Bronte sat up, and Chip lifted his head out of his hands.
“That is their formal name, I suppose,” replied Chip to the statement he was not meant to hear. “Nobody calls them that, though.”
“Oh, sorry,” said Matt. His eyes shifted between the vampire faces, all of whom stared at him. “Uh...” Matt clearly grasped for words to cover his mistake. “The heck with it.” “The Achaea. The Worms. Well, they’re still around.”
All the vampires in the room stood at full attention.
Werewolves. Ancient vampires. What else was out there? What else does Matt know?
“Not many left,” said Matt looking uncomfortably around the room. “I’m not sure I should say any more.” Matt shifted in his place. “Probably said too much already. I’m new at this.”
Bronte’s fangs shot out. “If you know something that could help us, time to spill it.”
Rufus raised a hand in her direction attempting to calm her down.
Chip’s smooth persona re-emerged. “You’re in this too deep now for secrets, kid. If you want to save your own life, not to mention ours, I think you’d better tell us what you know.”
Matt made a chewing motion with his jaw, clearly debating his next words within his head.
“Okay. Okay, this is what I know.” Matt cleared his throat. “There are only a few left. Most were destroyed during the purge.”
“What purge?” snapped Rufus.
“Sheesh, I know more about your vampire history than you do,” said Matt. “Like you said. They live underground.”
“In coffins? How antique,” said Bronte.
“No. They’re older than that. In the dirt. They are ancient. They go back even before our records. Worms almost never come up anymore. They don’t trust modern topside vampires.”
“Modern?” asked Norman.
“Well, relatively modern,” replied Matt. “A thousand years is nothing to them.”
“How can we find them?” asked Chip.
“Why would we want to?” said Norman. “What difference is a few extra vampires going to make?”
“Norman,” said Chip. “Do you remember when I asked you if you were a Worm?”
Norman nodded.
“I asked because you're the only vampire I've met who can seduce more than one person simultaneously. And you can glamour other
vampires.”
“It's not easy, but sure.”
“A Worm would make those abilities look like child's play,” said Chip.
What were these creatures, these Worms? With that kind of power, why did they keep themselves buried away?
“A difference, indeed,” said Rufus.
“So, Matt. I'll ask again.” Chip’s charm drained away. “How can we find them?”
“That’s something I don’t know,” said Matt. “We’ve only gathered intel on a few sightings since Nebulous formed. They’re totally off-grid. The telltale is the fungal growths that emerge over their graves. But by the time that happens, though, they’re already awake and gone. So the best we’ve been able to do is find were they were.”
“Wait,” said Georgios. “Fungal growths. You mean mushrooms?”
“Among other things,” replied Matt.
“I think I may be able to help with this, gentlemen,” said Georgios in his subtle Greek accent.
“Where do we start looking?” asked Chip.
All eyes turned to Matt.
“You’re not going to believe this.”
“Out with it,” huffed Rufus. “I swear working with humans makes me want to break stuff.”
“Now most of this is third-hand and based on rumor, but…” Matt took a gulp and smiled. “Transylvania.”
Rufus shook his head.
“Now this is too much,” said Norman. “You're sending us to that tourist trap?”
Georgios raised a finger. “Oh and, one more thing. I’m going to need a pig.”
15
When Pigs Fly
The flight had been largely uneventful. Chip had a great deal of connections in the human world and managed to arrange for a night time flight. Arranging for the last second transport of a pig had proven more difficult. Norman stepped up with his “special talent” to take care of the small platoon of TFA employees who’d insisted it was not permissible.
Norman hadn’t been on a plane in years and worried the whole time that they’d land late and all fry on the plane when the sun came up. However, the plane landed on schedule an hour before sunrise. A young black-haired vampire met them when they landed. She wore a single line of dark make-up under each eye. If Norman had encountered her in the United States, he would have pegged her as a disaffected youth of the privileged class. However, he noticed the frayed edges of her clothes and a look etched into her face that betrayed a knowledge that only hard years could inscribe. Chip had known of her small cell of survivors and made contact before they left. Until this moment, Norman wasn’t convinced that anyone would be there for them when they arrived.
