Dead Hearts (Book 2): Forsaken Hearts

by Susanne L. Lambdin

  “Take a wolf by his tail and let him guide you.” Cricket grinned at her friends. “Don’t worry. They don’t bite, guys.” She took hold of Red Hawk’s tail and wiggled it. The wolf turned and licked her hand.

  “You girls ready for this?” asked Tandor. “What about you, smoker? Think your lungs can handle a run to the Citadel and back?”

  Whisper shrugged. “Don’t worry about me. I’m young.”

  With a sharp howl from Chayton, Tandor motioned the team to follow the chief. Each team member took a wolf by the tail, with Dragon in the front. Tandor brought up the rear. Since his vampire vision was excellent in the dark, he walked without a wolf guide. It was so dark in the tunnel that Dragon depended completely on Moon Dog. Whenever the wolf’s tail went limp, Dragon discovered the tunnel expanded and grew wider. When the tail gave a jerk, he learned to duck and watch his step.

  After walking what seemed like miles, an orange light appeared, small and unwavering, further down the tunnel. Moon Dog jerked his tail out of Dragon’s hand. The wolves gathered outside of a large metal door that a few were sniffing at. Chayton walked through the wolves and up to the door. Grabbing the knob, he turned it, pushed the door inward, and walked into a small maintenance room. Three orange lights in dirty, metal sconces provided light. A desk, chairs, and a rack of coats were stored in the room; all were covered with a fine layer of dust.

  Chief Chayton and the tribe didn’t follow; only Moon Dog and Red Hawk went with them as Dragon’s team went into the room.

  “Smell that?” Tandor asked, sniffing the air. “Chayton says this is the science building. They used it as a hiding place until the Kaiser arrived. He says there are things in this building that we don’t want to disturb. Draw your weapons and stay quiet. This is Shadowguard country now.”

  Dragon drew his blades from their sheaths. The ninja girls and Tandor drew their katanas. Whisper already had a silencer on the end of his rifle. This time, Tandor opened the door, standing back as Dragon led the way into a hallway dimly lit by florescent lights. Dragon led the team down the hall, turned a corner, and came to another door. As he started to open it, Tandor ran up, pushed him back, and placed his ear against the door.

  “Yep. I thought I smelled zombies,” said Tandor. “Pallaton says the Kaiser uses cyborg zombies in the arena. This must be where they are kept. If I’d known we’d be coming this way, I’d have asked Pallaton for directions. Too late now. Stay behind me and keep up. They’re in holding cells, supposedly, so we should be okay.”

  The vampire opened the door without making a sound. Dragon entered an enormous room, with a twenty-foot high ceiling that reeked of rotting flesh. They were definitely in the science department, although the large classroom had been cleared of its work tables. The floor was dirty and the air smelled foul. There were twelve white doors on either side of the main classroom, where former students had been allowed to conduct specialized experiments. Dull orange lights glowed from sconces above each door, which were numbered one through 24 in recently painted bright red. China Six, Moon Dog, Red Hawk, Whisper, and Tandor walked in a straight line, heading to the next door, but Dragon, caught in a moment of curiosity, hung back. He picked his favorite number, looking in the dirty window of the door marked 11.

  “You don’t want to do that,” Tandor said, appearing beside Dragon. “We need to keep going. The slave quarters are in the music hall. Pallaton said Rafe will be there. Come on. Do not agitate the captives.”

  Dragon spotted something moving inside. A face outfitted with metal and a red, telescopic eye gazed at him. The cyborg was chained to the back wall. At its loud groan, a face appeared in every window.

  “Move,” said Lotus.

  Tandor opened the exit door, and the team waited, allowing Dragon to lead them downward through the stairwell. A vampire guard lay on the ground, missing a head. Motioning everyone to remain silent, Tandor descended the stairs, opening another door. The team entered a long maintenance hall that led to the music department. More guards were piled outside of the door, covered with blood.

  Tandor motioned the team on. Dragon didn’t pause to check the room. The sounds behind the door were so loud that he knew it was filled with zombies. He led the team across the maintenance hall, opened the door, and went up three flights of stairs. He wasn’t sure if his eyes were playing tricks, but he thought he saw the ghostly golden form of a Navajo spirit waving him on. At the third level, Dragon opened a wooden door and walked out onto a stage. It smelled of paint, saw dust, and dust. The theater curtain was closed, and a number of musical instruments were pushed into a far corner. Dragon crossed the stage and turned. His team took positions behind an old scene setting for a play, remaining hidden, while Tandor silently sped over to Dragon.

  The vampire opened the exit door. Dragon and Tandor entered a carpeted hallway, painted white, with framed pictures of the Falcon Marching Band and school theatrical performances hanging on the walls. There were a number of wooden doors on either side of the narrow hallway. Each room had a window, lit from within by a small light. Dragon glanced in and saw a woman sleeping on a small cot. In every room he found men, women, and children. At Room 16, Dragon found Rafe lying on a cot, his eyes closed. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and his chest was covered with deep wounds that had started to heal. An ugly fresh brand had been burned into his shoulder in the shape of a K, but it too would heal.

  Rafe opened his eyes. He was at the door in a flash. As Dragon reached for the doorknob, Rafe pointed toward the surveillance camera.

  “We’re busted,” said Tandor. He used the hilt of his sword to break off the door knob, and a siren screeched throughout the building.

  “Nice,” said Rafe as he stepped into the hallway. “Now the entire academy knows you’re here. Get moving, you idiots. I’m not crippled.”

  Followed by the two vampires, Dragon ran down the hall and out onto the stage. Whisper waited on the far side, holding the door open. China Six, Moon Dog and Red Hawk were already long gone. A figure brushed by Dragon, knocking him aside. It was Rafe running out the door. Whisper immediately lifted his rifle and fired a single, muffled shot over Dragon’s head before turning and dashing out the door. Glancing behind him, Dragon saw a vampire guard drop to the ground. More guards came out of the door that led to the prison cells.

  As return fire raked across the stage, Dragon rushed for the door. He didn’t see a snare drum in his path and went down hard. Tandor appeared at his side, his eyes glowing bright violet. The vampire pulled Dragon to his feet as bullets slammed into a set of kettle drums, creating a horrendous noise. Dragon turned to run and felt a twinge of pain in his ankle. He grabbed hold Tandor to keep from falling. The vampire let out a gasp as a bullet slammed into his shoulder, taking him back a step.

  “Get out of here,” said Tandor, lifting his sword. “I’ll hold them off.”

  Without waiting for a response, the vampire turned and charged the enemy. Dragon limped toward the door as he heard the sounds of steel on steel. The stage lights flipped on, revealing a dozen Shadowguard circling the stage, all armed with a variety of swords, but also armed with Barrett REC7 assault rifles. A guard appeared in front of Dragon, blocking his exit.

  For a split second, Dragon again saw a golden, shimmering form walking among the vampires. A strange feeling swept over Dragon, similar to what he’d felt after drinking the strange brew at the Cliff Dwelling, and all fear faded from his mind. Placing his injured foot on the ground, he discovered the pain was gone. A guard shot at Dragon, but the bullet missed him as he spun out of the way. The bullet passed through the curtains, leaving a hole.

  With a warrior’s cry, Dragon rushed the enemy, brandishing his two Japanese swords. Halfway across the stage, Dragon started to twirl around, keeping his katana raised high and the chisa low as he used the moves his mother had taught him, long ago. He connected with a leg and a torso, slicing deep with both blades, and then swirled around, using his windmill maneuvers to take out several more va
mpires.

  The stage curtains parted. A large audience of vampires was seated in the chairs and dramatic music played over the speakers.

  Striking down a guard, and then another, Dragon heard applause and cheers. A dozen Shadowguard in black uniforms came out of both doors onto the stage, replacing their fallen comrades, their eyes glowing yellow. Dragon fought back, finding he was able to anticipate the Shadowguard vampires’ moves and match their speed. When he started moving faster than the vamps, bodies began to drop. Dragon lost sight of Tandor, intent on killing the guards, moving so fast he appeared like lightning, streaking across the stage. When the last vampire fell, Dragon stood alone on stage among a mass of bodies. He was drenched in vampire blood from head to toe. The audience stood and applauded. Dragon did the first thing that came to mind. Crossing his swords, he bowed low. The crowd went wild. As he stood and lowered his swords, the music ended, along with the applause. The vampires sat back down.

  “Bravo, bravo,” said a cheery voice. In the front row sat a short, bald man in a tuxedo. His black eyes didn’t shine, and his fangs were longer than any other vampire Dragon had ever seen.

  “You must be the Kaiser,” Dragon said, bowing his head.

  “Indeed,” said the Kaiser. “I like the title, but I’m not German, though Lieutenant Aldarik comes from Berlin.” He gestured to the guards standing nearby. “Please disarm Master Dragon. Oh, yes. I know your name. It’s been exciting watching your team slip into the music hall. I’ve been watching in the security room, but when you started performing, I had to bring everyone here to watch.”

  Two guards appeared at Dragon’s side, holding guns, while a third vamp disarmed him. The swords were taken down to the Kaiser. On the front row, a muscular, blonde vampire rose to his feet, wearing a black uniform with no insignia. Leaning down, he whispered into the Kaiser’s ear.

  “I agree, Lieutenant Aldarik,” said the Kaiser, looking up at Dragon. “Yes, he is a magnificent fighter. I am surprised to find Master Dragon is more than a match for the Shadowguard. Yet, I wonder if you could defeat him. Shall we put you to the test?”

  The blonde vampire smiled. “Nothing would please me more.”

  Dragon met Aldarik’s gaze. “Give me back my swords.”

  Lieutenant Aldarik reached for the hilt of a saber, worn on his left hip. The crowd let out an audible gasp. Another tall figure appeared on stage, standing before Dragon, and held out his arm, waving Aldarik off. The tall, blonde vampire held back, fuming. The vampire turned. Dragon stared back at Chief Chayton’s twin, though the similarity was only physical. The werewolf was noble and kind, but the vampire emanated darkness and malice.

  “Captain Pallaton, move out of the way,” shouted the Kaiser. His voice now came out a deep baritone. “You’re spoiling all the fun. Why are you here? I ordered you to go after your brother’s wolf pack during the Second Act. Lieutenant Aldarik can handle things on this end.”

  “It’s a wolf tribe,” said Pallaton, correcting him.

  The Kaiser lowered his voice. “Did I offend you, Captain? The truth is wolves run in a pack. They’re not a tribe. Your brother is nothing more than an uneducated dog.”

  Pallaton stepped aside. “In any case, we’ve seen enough fighting tonight,” he said. “The boy should fight in the arena. There’s no profit in letting him kill Aldarik. You’ll need a new champion, and I’ll be out a lieutenant.”

  Leaping into the air, Aldarik landed on stage. His ice blue eyes turned as bright as yellow lanterns, and his fangs slid over his bottom lip. “If you haven’t the guts to kill your own brother, Captain Pallaton, I’ll gladly go in your place. A wolf is a wolf as far as I’m concerned. I have no problem killing wolves. In fact, I enjoy it.”

  “I think not, Lieutenant Aldarik. I want to bring back prisoners, alive,” Pallaton said. Though his fangs were exposed, his eyes remained dark brown. Clearly, he was able to keep his temper under control. “The humans traveling with my brother won’t be hard to track. I wanted to see Master Dragon fight. I am impressed.”

  “You’re stalling,” shouted Aldarik.

  Pallaton and Aldarik faced off. A knife appeared in Pallaton’s hand.

  “Stop this at once,” said the Kaiser, sternly. “Captain Pallaton, you will leave now. Bring back prisoners. I want the wolf tribe for the Death Games.”

  Saluting, Pallaton left the stage with a dozen guards in trench coats. The vampire holding Dragon’s swords came over to kneel before the Kaiser, raising the weapons for closer examination. The Kaiser slid one finger across the edge of the katana, laughing when he sliced open his finger. He sucked the wound.

  “Be careful, darling,” said a sultry, female voice. “This human killed seventeen of your guards. Of course his samurai sword is sharp. If you don’t mind, I want to take a closer look at this young man.”

  “Be my guest, Salustra,” said the Kaiser.

  A shapely woman in a long black dress on the front row stood up. Her face was covered by a red veil, revealing only her eyes. Red gloves and red heels finished off her ensemble. Vampires certainly had the means to dress well. Dragon saw her eyes glow a bright shade of violet. There were other vampires in the audience who had different colored eyes. She took the stairs, walking slowly, and paused in front of Dragon.

  “I’ve never seen anyone fight like you, Master Dragon,” said Salustra. “Who are your people?”

  “My father was Chinese,” Dragon said. “My mother was Japanese. Both were Olympic medalists and proficient in the ancient martial arts they taught me.”

  “Very impressive.” Salustra slithered up to Dragon, placing her hands on his arms. “You are gold, darling. Pure gold.” Her eyes stopped glowing, turning a softer, unusual shade of lavender. “It shall be my pleasure to be your guardian. We can’t have a champion staying in slave quarters.” She glanced at the Kaiser. “I will keep Master Dragon in my quarters, where he will be safe. Do you have any objections, Great One? Of course, if you want him....”

  The Kaiser appeared on stage, standing next to the tall female, though Dragon never saw him move. Except that the Kaiser was a Maker, like Rafe, no one knew much about him. Dragon could tell he was exceedingly dangerous.

  “I will allow you to keep Dragon for now, Salustra,” said the Kaiser, using a giddy, high-pitched voice. “But not forever. Dragon is not a pet. He is a warrior and destined for greatness in the Death Games.” The Kaiser took Salustra by the hands, kissing the back of each one. “Before you go, my dear, I want this young man to know what he is up against. He thinks me weak. Shall I give him a show?”

  Salustra looked startled. “Show him who you really are? If you so desire, master. I think everyone here would like to know what you really look like. They’re under the impression that you were recently made a vampire.”

  “I never tell my age, child. Don’t spoil the fun,” said the Kaiser, laughing. He released her hand and hobbled back a step. “Perhaps another time. Dragon hasn’t seen this many vampires gathered before. Like all of the silly humans at Seven Falls, I understand they assumed Rafe was the only Maker and the Dark Angels the only vampires in the entire world. I imagine they were surprised to discover this is not the case.”

  The audience laughed.

  “My friends come from all over the world, Master Dragon. They want to be a part of something wonderful,” said the Kaiser. “Of course, I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but the rest of the world is a barbaric place filled with zombies, with the exception of Italy. The only reason Italy survived the zombie plague is because Lord Salvatore D’Aquilla put the Italian vampires to good use. He’s a Maker, too, and there are other Makers, Master Dragon. It’s taken a while, but here we are, and no one from the U.S. government has tried to stop us. Yes, I know you believe help is coming, but I don’t. Trust me. Senator Powers isn’t coming. No one is.”

  “Then why don’t you just turn us all into vampires?” asked Dragon.

  The Kaiser looked angry. “What fun would that be? I cam
e here because of Commander Cadence’s reputation as a formidable enemy. Queen Cinder and Lord Cerberus begged me to come. While I considered Denver my home base, I didn’t find it to have the same charm as the Citadel. I like it here much better. As for your little camp, I don’t intend to have the Shadowguard storm the place and turn everyone into vampires or eat them.” He laughed along with the audience. “You are all much easier to manage while you keep yourselves safe up there. When I want one of you, I’ll just reach in and take one.”

  Salustra took Dragon by the arm. “Come with me, Master Dragon,” she said. “The Kaiser is quite the showman, and he’ll be at it all night if we let him. Let me show you to your new quarters.”

  “Bye now,” called the Kaiser. “We’ll be seeing you soon, Master Dragon.”

  With her perfume thick in his nostrils, Dragon walked down the theater stairs, keeping beside Salustra as they walked down the center aisle. Every vampire watched with glowing, bright eyes. Dragon kept his head high, intent on getting out of the theater alive. Much to his surprise, Salustra took him out the front door of the building. The night air was chilly, and a thin layer of frost covered the grass. Dragon’s breath came out in white clouds, yet he didn’t feel cold. The stars were bright overhead, and a partial full moon hung in the sky. Dragon considered trying to make a run for it, until he saw the Black Hawk chopper on the lawn. Vampires in black uniforms stood beside it, holding automatic weapons, as a string of human prisoners were led out.

  The prisoners wore black hoods over their heads. Dragon still recognized Star due to her style of boots and short stature. The person behind Star cussed under the hood, the voice unmistakable. Blaze. The Tiger required an escort to keep her in line. He started to walk toward his friends, not sure what he would do, but knowing he had to help.