Emily Shadowhunter 2 - a Vampire, Shapeshifter, Werewolf novel.: Book 2: WOLF MAN

by Craig Zerf

  ‘Hey,’ objected Tag. ‘Thanks a lot.’

  ‘Well, it’s not as though you’ll be permanently inconvenienced,’ quipped the Bloodborn.

  ‘True,’ admitted Tag. ‘But it still really hurts.’

  ‘Shut up,’ screeched the vampire. ‘Stop talking. I’ll kill him. I swear.’

  ‘Well could you hurry,’ said William. ‘We’ve all got stuff to do.’

  The vampires face was a picture of bafflement as he desperately tried to work out why his threats were simply not fazing anyone.

  ‘Look here,’ he continued. ‘There’s no need to carry on like this. I have a message for you.’

  ‘What?’ Asked William.

  ‘It’s for a Miss Emily Hawk,’ continued the vamp. ‘Can you assure me that she will get the message?’

  Emily stepped forward. ‘I’m Emily Hawk. Talk to me.’

  ‘We have your parents,’ blurted the vampire. ‘If you want them to live you will show yourself at Braithwaite Manor outside Dover tomorrow night, after nightfall. Come alone or they die. Arrive late and they die. Bring anyone with and they die.’

  Emily went pale as the enormity of the message hit her. She turned to William. ‘Braithwaite Manor. Do you know it?’

  The Wolfman nodded. ‘Old cold war facility. Thought that it had fallen to wrack and ruin.’

  ‘Okay, I’ll be there,’ said Em. ‘Now let Tag go and we won’t harm you.’

  The vamp let him go and the big man expelled a sigh of relief. But before Tag could move the vampire whipped his taloned right hand up and tore out the big man’s throat. Blood gouted high into the air and Tag’s lifeless body fell to the floor.

  ‘That was simply a warning as to what will happen to your parents if you do not do exactly as you have been told,’ shouted the vamp. ‘They shall die in agony like your friend.’

  ‘Or not,’ said Tag as he stood up, his throat already healed.

  The vampire stared at him in absolute surprise.

  ‘But how? That’s impossible.’ He said.

  Tag smiled as he drew his Desert Eagle. ‘Apparently not.’ He said as he unloaded the entire magazine into the vampires face.

  ‘Come on,’ said Emily. ‘Enough messing about. We’ve got plans to make. Let’s move.’

  The team sprinted back to the car.

  Chapter 38

  Emily had wanted to go and find her parents as soon as they had arrived back at William’s forest lodge but eventually Merlin had talked her down, insisting that they all rest and attack the problem in the morning.

  And so she waited, sitting in the kitchen with a mug of black coffee, waiting for the others to arrive.

  Troy walked in first, greeted her and poured himself a coffee.

  ‘Last night,’ started Em.

  ‘Yeah,’ answered the young wolf before she could even finish the unasked question. ‘I know what you’re going to say. How did I assume the Wolfman form? Only the Omega can do that.’

  Em nodded.

  ‘To be honest, I have no idea,’ said Troy. ‘I simply thought that would be the best way to fight, you know, hands, claws, jaws. The whole deal. More efficient than just jaws and claws. The next thing, there I was. Full on Wolfman as opposed to my usual wolf form.’

  ‘You reckon that it’s got something to do with being dead. Charon. Something like that?’ Mused Em.

  ‘No,’ said William as he walked in. ‘Contrary to popular belief, other werewolves beside the Omega can assume half wolf half man form. It’s just very unusual.’ He proceeded to fix himself a cup of tea. ‘However, I suppose that in a way you might be right,’ he continued. ‘The trauma of death, as it were, could have hastened the change.’

  ‘Will I be able to do it again?’ Asked Troy.

  ‘Sure,’ affirmed William. ‘It’s who you are.’

  The rest of the team arrived in a group, including Merlin but not the Morrigan.

  Tag and Bastian started to prepare breakfast. Eggs, bacon, sausage and heaping piles of toast.

  As they finished eating there was a shimmer of blue light and the crow that was the Morrigan appeared in the room and immediately morphed into the woman. She sat down at the table and accepted a mug of Tag’s terrible tea.

  ‘I’ve done two things tonight,’ said the goddess. ‘Firstly, I pulled in some favors with one of my compatriots and asked him to check if Emily’s parents were, in fact, gone. I am sorry,’ she continued. ‘They most definitely are. Secondly, I have just been flying over Braithwaite Manor,’ she said. ‘Interesting. It’s been totally refurbished. I only managed to take a peek into some of the windows and scouted around the outside, so couldn’t see much. But one thing was obvious. There are at least a couple of hundred familiars living in barracks outside the main buildings. Servants in the whole, I assume. The windows are all covered in thick drapes to prevent the sunlight penetrating but the few glimpses that I got confirm that there are at least a hundred vamps living there. It seems to be some sort of vampire training camp. A sort of SAS for blood suckers.’

  ‘Not good,’ said William. ‘What’s the security like? Any points of ingress?’

  The Morrigan nodded. ‘Actually the security seems pretty lax. The windows aren’t barred or locked. There are a multitude of doors that grant access to the inside of the building and I didn’t see any sentries on the roof or even patrolling the grounds. These new vampires may be hot stuff but they obviously still suffer from the same sense of overweening self confidence and arrogance. So,’ she continued. ‘What’s the plan?’

  ‘We haven’t got one yet,’ admitted William. ‘Although, as soon as we got back last night I contacted the Pack. As we speak they are all on the way. ETA from one hour to three hours. I also called in some favors and a truck load of ammunition and ordnance will be arriving within the hour. Thank god the minister of defense is an old friend.’

  ‘What sort of ordnance are we talking?’ Asked Bastian.

  ‘L58A2 assault rifles with underslung grenade launchers. Minimi light machine guns. 60mm mortars. I put in a request for a couple of Heckler and Koch GMG’s or Grenade Machine Guns. If they arrive then that’ll give us some serious suppression capabilities. Obviously we didn’t have time to manufacture enough silver ammunition but the Prof has come up with a highly concentrated spray solution of colloidal silver that we will use on all of the ammunition.’

  ‘Cool,’ said Tag with a grin. ‘I like, big time.’

  ***

  By five o’clock that afternoon the convoy was ready to roll.

  The weapons had been distributed, ammunition issued and specific tasks allocated. William, Emily, Tag, Bastian, Sylvian and Troy travelled in one of the Landrover Discovery’s and the rest of the task force spread themselves out amongst the rest of the vehicles. Merlin stayed behind with the Morrigan.

  All in all there were eighteen wolves and ninety Purebloods.

  With enough firepower to conduct a full scale war.

  Once again, William drove the lead Landrover. Em rode shotgun in the other front seat.

  ‘We’re making the classic error when it comes to vampire hunting,’ said Bastian from the second row of seats.

  ‘What’s that?’ Asked William.

  ‘Racing the sun,’ answered Bastian. ‘Always arrive at sun up, never sun down. Basic rule.’

  ‘I know,’ agreed William. ‘But we had no choice. Their big honcho wanted Em there tonight at twelve bells or he’ll kill her parents. So we’ve got to go. If it’s any consolation, we should get there just before eight o’clock. So we’ll hit them a few hours earlier than they expect. Also, I’m hoping that they aren’t expecting a full scale invasion. My feeling is that they’ll reckon on Em and a small crack team. Not our entire force.’

  ‘True,’ said Bastian. ‘We should provide them with a few surprises tonight.’

  They drove for a while more until William glanced at Emily.

  ‘We need to talk,’ he said. His voice gentle.

  Em nodded.


  ‘Look, Em, we don’t know who’s in charge there but we can assume that he’s some ancient psychotic blood sucker who has taken it into his mind that you are the beginning and end of his problem. So, whatever happens, he’s going to try to kill you. And I’m sure that every vamp there has been tasked with bringing you down.’

  ‘Not a problem,’ answered Em. ‘The more the merrier.’

  ‘Yeah,’ said William. ‘But there’s more. About your parents.’

  ‘I know,’ interrupted Emily as she dashed away a single tear that had escaped and slid down her cheek. ‘There’s every chance that they’re already dead. Or if not, whoever is behind this is going to off them as soon as.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ said William. ‘Truly I am. But rest assured that we will do all that we can to rescue them.’

  Emily turned in her seat to face the rest of the team. ‘Guys,’ she said. ‘If my parents have been bitten, please all promise me that you’ll do the right thing? Promise that you’ll give them peace. Becoming a bloodsucker would be their worst nightmare.’

  There was a mumble of agreement from the occupants and Emily nodded her thanks.

  ‘The same goes for all of us,’ added Bastian. ‘Rather dead than un-dead. I get bitten then one of you guys had better take me out.’

  Again everyone agreed.

  The next couple of hours were spent in somber silence as they drew ever closer to their destination.

  Chapter 39

  William had fought in more wars than he cared to remember. From battles with armored knights on horseback to the thin red line with musket loaders. Both World Wars, Korea, Vietnam and a few more sinister scuffles since.

  And always for the same reason. Ultimately he was fighting the darkness. Vampires. And in all that time, if he had learned one thing, it was they were amoralistic liars.

  Unlike Em, William was under no illusion that her parents would be left alive, no matter what the outcome of tonight’s excursion might be. In fact, he would be surprised if they weren’t already dead. Or worse…turned. After all – they only had some random vamps word that they were still alive.

  With his conclusions in mind he decided to have a quick chat to Emily before it all went down. Although he had already broached the subject he felt that it was important enough to reinforce what he felt. The last thing that he wanted was to hurt the young Shadowhunter, but he also needed her to realize how slim the chances were of rescuing her parents. He also wanted her to know that he and her friends would do everything that they could to help her.

  She was standing on one of the two small hillocks that overlooked the huge pale stone building that they were about to attack. Next to her were two Purebloods who were in the process of setting up the GMG, Grenade Machine Gun.

  William had tasked two teams as bombardment and fire support. The one team he had placed on hillock one with the grenade launcher and the second team was on hillock two with a brace of 60mm mortars and a 7.62mm squad support machine gun.

  The plan was relatively simple. They would fire grenades through the entire set of upper floor windows while, at the same time, rain down a few mortar bombs onto the roof. The emplaced 7.62mm would mop up anyone who attempted to escape the building.

  Emily had been worried about collateral damage, specifically regarding her parents but both William and Sylvian had convinced her that there was little chance of her parents being imprisoned in one of the upper floor rooms. None of the windows had any bars on and it was logical that, to keep a man like Bart imprisoned, one would have to have a secure barred room or a room with no outside window.

  Eventually Em had agreed.

  The second part of the attack simply involved the wolves and the Purebloods advancing on foot, smashing their way into the head quarters and killing everything inside.

  ‘Emily,’ said William, his voice low. ‘Just before we go in…’

  ‘I know,’ interrupted the young girl. ‘I’m hopeful but I know what the odds are that Bart and Ryoko are still alive. After all, these things are pure evil. But if they are alive, we’ll find them and we’ll save them.’ She turned to William and gave him a smile. ‘Thank you.’

  The wolf man squeezed her shoulder.

  Then he turned to the men operating the GMG. ‘Right, boys,’ he said. ‘Wait for us to form up on that open stretch of meadow and then rain down some fire.’

  Em and William ran down the hill towards the area of open ground that they had designated as the staging area, some two hundred yards from the front of the building. It took them mere seconds to get there and by the time they did the troops were formed up, ready to go.

  The GMG opened up with an odd pop and whistle sound. More like a fairground attraction than a tool of death. But when the explosive rounds struck home, all such comparisons were immediately dispelled.

  The ground shook as the grenades exploded, shattering windows and sending plumes of fire billowing out of the building.

  Then the mortars joined in. Large parts of the roof of the vampire headquarters exploded into the air, distributing chunks of stone and steel scattering it about like shrapnel.

  Finally, as both vamps and familiars started to run from the building, the machine gun opened up. An insane hammering that spewed out silver tipped death at the rate of seven hundred rounds a minute.

  William tore his clothes off and morphed into his Wolfman mode.

  Then he threw back his head, roared and charged.

  As one everyone joined him, the wolves morphing as they ran. As the group of attackers approached the building they split up. Some running around to the rear entrance and other smaller groups entering through the myriads of side doors and large bay windows. In under two minutes most of the wolves and Purebloods were in the building and engaged in combat with the vamps.

  Emily went in through the front door, Deathwalker in her hand as she ran. Flanking her were the hulking figures of Troy and William, both in Wolfman form. At her heels ran Tag, his MP5 submachine guns at the ready. Sylvian and Bastian ranged wider, using their swords to cut down any vampires that attacked from the fringes.

  The trio of Emily and the two wolfmen were like a battering ram. There was no subtlety in the way that they fought. With tooth and claw and whispering axe they tore the attacking Bloodwraiths to shreds as fast as they appeared.

  All through the building they could hear the chattering of assault rifles combined with the tearing rip of machine gun fire and the dull booms of grenades.

  But the rest of the attackers were not making such efficient headway as Emily’s group. The Bloodwraiths were faster, stronger and better trained than anything that the wolves or Purebloods had ever faced before and the difference was telling.

  Gunfire missed its marks and grenades exploded in empty rooms as the Bloodwraiths moved at blisteringly fast speeds. So quick as to appear and disappear like a magicians conjuring trick.

  Tag was having a little more luck as he would use both of his guns at once, firing at the target and at the same time anticipating where the vamp would move to. As a result, the vamp would accelerate away from the initial burst of fire and run straight into the second.

  Emily winked at the big man and then nodded her approval of his technique as she lopped off another vamps head.

  As a group they moved swiftly from room to room, pushing deeper into the interior as they looked for Emily’s foster parents.

  They came to a large oak and iron door that was locked and bolted from the outside. Emily unlocked it and went through into a small reception area, followed by the rest of her team. Beyond that was another room with a barred door.

  And inside the room stood two people.

  Bart and Ryoko.

  And they were both drenched in blood.

  Emily gave a whoop of joy as she ran up to the door but before she could say anything Bart shook his head.

  ‘I’m so sorry, my darling girl,’ he said. His voice only a little above a whisper.

  It was on
ly then Emily saw why they were covered in blood. Both of them had been bitten in the neck. Deep savage wounds that, if left would certainly result in them bleeding to death.

  ‘No,’ shouted Emily. ‘Please.’

  Bart smiled. ‘They bit us just before you attacked. They had no intention of letting us live. I am so sorry. We tried to escape, really, we tried so hard.’

  Ryoko said nothing, she simply stared at Emily, her eyes filled with a mixture of regret and horror at what had just happened to them.

  ‘But maybe you won’t turn,’ pleaded Emily. ‘You never know.’

  ‘You always know,’ said Bart. Then he looked at Tag, noting his MP5 machine guns. ‘I wonder, sir,’ he said. ‘You seem to be the only one here with a firearm. Could you do the honors?’

  Tag nodded and stepped forward.

  Emily screamed wordlessly and ran from the room and into the corridor. The team let her go, knowing that she needed at least a few seconds alone to cope with the terrible enormity of what was happening.

  Emily heard Tag’s machine guns stutter. Two short bursts that released her parents as it simultaneously tore her heart apart.

  Her legs went as soft as rubber and she slid slowly down the wall, weeping softly as all light vanished from her soul.

  ‘Well that just sucks, doesn’t it?’ Said someone in a voice that was all too familiar.

  Emily looked up. ‘Nathan?’

  He smiled.

  Em did a double take. ‘What? Are you here to help? How did you…’

  Nathan’s lips peeled back and his fangs extruded, glinting in the overhead lights.

  Emily shuddered and started to move, standing as fast as she could. But it felt as if she were trying to move through jello, her movements slow and surreal as shock slowed her reactions to that of a normal person’s.

  She felt Nathan’s fangs rip into her neck.

  She felt his talons slice her back and face as he clawed at her.

  She felt the warm blood pump from her ruined throat as she slid to the ground.

  She felt her heart slow and stop as her body ran out of blood.