A conversation was occurring in the big conference room when I walked in. The whole household was there, save Lucy, Belinda, and the Trevochet’s. I took a seat next to Holly and tried to ignore her sympathetic stare.
A few moments earlier my mobile had started ringing- the tone ‘My Immortal’, that amazing, mournful tune. The call was from Lucy’s school. Real life was intruding, making everything more complicated. I threw the mobile against the nearest wall, then spent five minutes picking up the pieces and fixing them all back together.
Now, I caught the tail-end of what Myleene was explaining- how Belinda had been hit out of nowhere by a veritable Molotov cocktail of images. Whilst she struggled to recover, Ashka had injected her with some heady concoction of drugs, and had then driven her and the Trevochet’s over to the abandoned Bonding Warehouse.
“Thank God for Kinkade,” Felicia was studying the bruises that covered her arms, the results of her own bespelled attentions.
“It was Ashka’s chance to hurt us badly,” Myleene said. “So badly that we might never have recovered. If she had killed Belinda, and then the Trevochet’s I can’t imagine what we would have lost.”
But evil is evil for a reason. And that means a simple killing is out of the question. Ashka had been hoping to draw their deaths out all night.
“Kinkade saved them. And our efforts.” Myleene smiled.
Mai, the vampire girl, cleared her throat. “Vipas died out there tonight.”
Jesus. I pinched the bridge of my nose.
I missed the next ten or fifteen minutes. Despair played havoc with my heart. I realized I was ready to walk away from all this if it meant I could save my relationship with Lucy. I wanted the controlled chaos of our normal life back. Our Victory Wall. The ‘old man-hopeless child’ jesting sessions. Our father-daughter nights out. I mean, why the hell had I been chosen anyway?
I drifted back. A disheveled Giles was explaining how Jondal and Dementia had broken into the house. “Call it complacency. Call it lack of foresight. We thought Ashka was our only enemy in York. Gorgoroth’s followers are spread so thin, we didn’t think there’d be any more here. However," he paused. “Their finding us raises that terrible issue. Again.”
I tried to focus.
“Ashka knew where Belinda would be and at what time. Jondal and Dementia knew our location…” Giles let it hang.
Felicia whispered. “How?”
Mai’s normally placid face was twisted with hate. “A betrayer,” she hissed, her voice filled more venom than a Black Widow. “One I will find and kill.”
Undoubtedly now, there was a traitor among us. Someone we trusted worked for an evil so extreme it made Satan look like a naughty schoolboy. Of course, we already suspected this but had done nothing to flush the traitor out.
Jondal might tell us.
Jondal. I wanted to tear him apart.
It was agreed that Ken, Ceriden, Felicia and Eleanor would interrogate the Destroyer known as Spirit. One representative from each race. As they walked out and the meeting broke up, I finally turned to Holly.
“She won’t talk to me,” I said. “My own daughter won’t talk to me. And I can’t blame her.”
At that moment a hand touched my shoulder. I looked up to see Ken standing beside me, an odd kind of hurt filling his eyes. “I tried everything to help her, man. I’m so sorry.”
I let respect show in my face. “I know, Ken. Thanks.”
“Give her time,” Holly said to me after Ken had moved off. “She’s fifteen. Impressionable and hormonal as hell. Christ, when I was fifteen I loved being Queen Bitch of the world. I married Bastard Face to spite my mother. How’s that for a harsh lesson in life?”
I grimaced at my friend. “I think Lucy’s learned too many harsh lessons recently, don’t you?”
“I do. I really do. But Dean, I know you want to shield her from life. I guess every parent wants to protect their child from the real world-” She shrugged. “Ain’t gonna happen.”
“I know that,” I said. “But I can’t even understand this damn power inside me. It’s there, but I don’t know what it does, for Christ‘s sake.”
I looked at my friend, really looked at her for the first time in days. She had put her life on hold, because I asked her to trust me. Her presence here had nothing to do with Aegis, or vampires, or Destroyers.
I took a deep breath and said, “I mean, Jesus, Hol, do you believe all this?” I indicated the room, the house, the situation.
“I’m here aren’t I?”
Christ, I thought. Someone else to let down.
I was informed later that it was actually a simple matter to interrogate a man with Jondal’s capabilities. He may be a master of coercion but he couldn’t see in the dark. So the only illumination in the interrogation room was a light aimed at his body tied to the bed. In the darkness pooled around him an unknown number of people aimed cattle-prods at various parts of his body. If he tried a mind-strike he would get a jolt. He got the message quickly.
Felicia later told me that Jondal didn’t even try to hold anything back. The guy gave up all he knew, which amounted to little more than nothing. When ‘pushed’, however, he gave an extra snippet of information, one we couldn’t even wrap our heads around.
Whilst babbling rubbish he said: “I cleared the way for Black Chapter to operate. It was I who cleared away the buildings above the sacred ground. My bomb-”
Jondal had masterminded the London bombing. Black Chapter was the unknown group set on invoking the Hierarchy of Demons- an incomprehensible act still largely below our radar.
“Will any of this help us stop Gorgoroth?” I asked Felicia.
She shrugged. “Not a clue. But it’s a step in the right direction.”
That sounded like politician-talk for no to me.
By now it was after four in the morning so I headed upstairs to bed. I looked in on Lucy. My daughter was entangled among the bed sheets in a way that made me smile, though the darkness hid my face. Lucy, from an early age, had a habit of using every inch of the duvet. She was facing away from me, her body arranged under the sheet like a bumpy Chinese puzzle.
I retreated and closed the door. I leaned my forehead against the hard wood for a second. Lucy was sixteen in two days.
What now?
Sleep eluded me that night. I repaired my mobile with strong tape. Then I checked my bank balance and business balance by Wi-Fi. The wolves were closing in, so close to the door now I could hear their expensive black suits rustling.
I stood by my window and watched the dawn rise through the trees. I watched it send glowing fronds through swaying tree limbs.
What now?
37
THE LIBRARY OF AEGIS, NEAR SEATTLE
The man called Loki crept through the damp forest as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the heavy boughs. At his back, making no sound at all, were sixty six Wayclearer demons. Leo- Sorcerer- should have been here too, but Leo was dead. Taken out by one of the Eight, a woman called Tanya Jordan.
Intelligence suggested that Tanya was the best of her kind. And her kind was Loki’s kind. They were both world-warriors. Loki looked forward to pitting his talents against hers, probably in Miami, at the end of all things.
The trees began to thin out. Loki held up a hand. Behind him there came a cacophony of snuffles and low growls, the pure anticipation of violence.
He had summoned the Wayclearer demons himself. They were the facilitators to the summoning of Gorgoroth, sacrificial spawn to shine the light.
Beyond the tree-line he saw a house. Huge and old, four-storeyed, fronted by clapboard-covered windows and chipped and weathered brick. Dilapidated. Run down. The garden was weed-strewn and overgrown, and concealed one of the most sophisticated early-warning systems known to man.
The frontage was a lie, of course. Behind that decrepit exterior was the fabled Library of Aegis, the greatest source of knowledge throughout history. Loki felt great privilege at being the one
chosen to destroy it.
Last night, he had prepared himself by assuaging all three vices. This place was changing him, this so-called Land of the Free, with its sweet offerings, its lifestyle of temptation, and its struggling yet insanely upbeat inhabitants.
Already, he looked forward to his victory reward.
Now he assessed his hastily arranged army. Short, with gnarled faces and skin that looked like old tree-bark. Stubby horns protruded from bald heads. Powerful claws and cloven hooves turned limbs into lethal weapons. Terrible racks of teeth protruded from bloody jaws.
He said, “Kill everyone. In particular their leaders.”
A body could not function without its head.
“And then raze this whole place from the face of the earth.”
The attack happened before dawn. Loki should have waited to annul the vampiric defence, but he’d never been blessed with much foresight. He was a warrior, not a strategist. And Vices beckoned, both old and new. He called the charge and, as they ran across overgrown lawns towards the ramshackle mansion, Loki thrilled to see vampires start running from the shadows towards them. At last, he thought. A true running battle.
They pounded towards each other across the grass, meeting with a clash of blood and breaking bones. Demons fell upon vampires. Loki bounced a flying kick off the chest of one vampire, breaking its ribs like so many cracking twigs; landed and pivoted to catch another full in the face as it leapt at him. His power was devastating. The high grass all around the mansion became a blur of struggling bodies.
From the left, outflanking them, Loki saw a pack of lycans start to charge. That was probably Hugo’s pack. And the vampires were led by one named Eliza- the so-called ‘perfect’ vampire. His inside-intelligence was top notch, and transmitted from the inner circles of Aegis, from their soon-to-be-destroyed headquarters in Northern England.
He flicked an arm. Twenty demons peeled off to meet the charging lycans. The sound of their meeting rang out like thunder among the trees, a detonation of animal violence and aggression.
A vampire, tall and white and bony, reared up in front of him. Loki struck quickly, pleased when the thing blocked his strikes and came back with a combination of its own. This was more like it. This was what he was born for. Sweet pleasure crept through him as he broke his adversary down, blow by blow, and ended up ripping its pale head off with a sound like old parchment tearing.
Loki raised his arms, roared, and threw the head away.
A route to the house had cleared. A quick tally told him he had lost twenty demons, and that his enemies body count was in the low teens, four of which he had dispatched himself. The demon-brood was weak. This would cut his fun short.
He turned again towards the mansion.
To see a row of humans in black body armour lining up on the crumbling steps outside, machine-pistols at the ready.
“Oh, shit.”
Loki cried, “Tabular!”
Every demon suddenly made a break for the house. The harsh sound of gunfire rent the air as the humans opened fire, but their bullets bounced off toughened demon hide like they were spit balls made of paper.
Loki hung back. He was not immune to a bullet or two. The demon attack shielded him as precious seconds went by, and then the demons were among the humans, tearing at them with claws and hooves and jagged teeth.
Vampires and growling lycans were a split second behind, pouncing on the demons exposed backs.
Loki could see the way of it now.
“Not this time, Loki,” a voice said at his side. He turned to see a female vampire, tall and almost ethereally beautiful. Something about this being said Vice Number One to the nth power.
“Eliza,” he purred delightedly. At last someone worth fighting. He had to admit, she was a sight, this Eliza, clad in body-hugging shiny leather and facing him with flawless poise and balance.
“We could tangle, you and I,” Eliza’s voice was warm honey ladled over ice-cream. “And one of us will die. But both of us will come to great harm, I promise you that.”
“Or?” Loki was constantly open to suggestion. It was how he’d lived this long.
“You can go. And take what’s left of your pathetic army with you.”
Loki studied her flawless face as he thought about it. She offered a good bargain. Extra time for him. They were badly outnumbered here. Even more important, it saved face and gave him the chance to try again sometime.
A veiled challenge. He liked that.
“Agreed,” he told her. “I hope to meet you again, Eliza. And soon.”
He gave her the smile he usually reserved for the procurement of Vice Number One and turned away. He strode through the long grass, letting his fingers dangle among the tops of the highest stalks, and headed towards the woods, calling whatever remained of the weak and pathetic demon brethren to follow him.
38
YORK, ENGLAND
All I wanted out of the next few days was a chance to talk to Lucy. Well, life chose against me.
When I entered the kitchen Felicia was there, along with Giles, Lysette, Mai and Ceriden. Not surprisingly, Mai had barely spoken two words since Ashka murdered her friend, Vipas. I poured myself a mug, relieved that Johnny Trevochet wasn’t around.
I sat next to Felicia, hoping to get a little lift from the playful lycan. But Ceriden had her attention.
“Big day today, poodle,” the vampire was saying. “Jade arrived last night. What a luscious head of hair that girls got! So today there will be two elves training the Eight,” Ceriden fixed a long-faced stare on me, his eyes full of appraisal. “Jade is a huge asset, my fashion-challenged friend. Today will be very interesting for everyone, I think. A day in history.”
Felicia nodded, her expression as serious as I‘d ever seen. “One of the greatest.”
And that was it. Soon I met the newcomer, Jade, a striking elf with sharp emerald-hued eyes and medium length hair the tips of which were dyed dark green. I was left gawping as she walked past me and into the garden, her every movement a fluid dance.
The training grew in intensity until we were being bombarded with visions, with hints, with advice on how to mould our process of thought, intention and reaction. Two elves faced seven chosen humans, along with Felicia and a tired looking Belinda. Then, even Myleene came to join us. I heard Belinda whisper to Felicia that ‘there will never be another training session of this magnitude in my lifetime’ and when I heard this woman, who I totally respected, say something so humbling I really started to throw myself into the moment, into the day, and into my future.
Some time towards late morning Lucy joined in, and I have never seen such concentration on my daughter’s face. I think we all knew that we were part of something special, something that might never be repeated. Even Holly came out, drawn to the wondrous atmosphere that rose and spread through the garden. I wanted this day to live on in my memory as one of the greatest days of my life.
Eleanor and Jade worked their magic. Ken drew slowly upon his inner power until it seemed as if a barrier gave way, and light filled his eyes and lit his face, and the strength and poise of a great warrior lifted him. Tanya, already the best of the best, honed and sculpted her talent until even the elves applauded her movement. Lysette stood in silence-her great power was still being kept secret for her own protection- but I could tell by the sudden clearing of her usually lonesome eyes that her inner strength had increased tenfold. Devon Summers sat in perfect concentration, legs crossed and arms resting upon her knees. The soft glow in her bright eyes fanned out, emitting a healing power that washed away any signs of fatigue that crept over us. I stood for hours. I concentrated my entire being and fought against my inner damnation, and I never tired for one second.
Devon Summers held us all together, surprising everybody when- for one shocking moment- she sheltered us even when Jade hurled dark visions our way.
“Now I see! You are the Healer and the Shield!” Eleanor exclaimed, her small frame practically shaking with
excitement. “The blanket we have been hoping for. Your healing power also protects our minds. You will defend us against mind attacks, suggestion, and even compulsion.” Eleanor’s own self-inflicted wounds were still raw. “Thank the Heavens for you.”
Her words, I guessed, were meant to reassure us that Ashka and Jondal had now been neutered.
Kisami, our Japanese friend, found that he was what Eleanor called an ‘elemental.’ This was a supreme power. The little guy could manipulate certain factors of all four elements
Everything was coming together. That pretty much left Johnny Trevochet and me. Throughout that tremendous day I felt something approaching, a feeling that gave me fleeting victory over doubt. By the time the afternoon sun began to wane, and even the curious vampires were standing around in the shade, a final rush of power sent me over the top and I stumbled into Trevochet’s wheelchair.
“Crap!” I cried as a flood of power washed through me and clearly through him and expanded to form a bubble in the air above our heads
More power than I’d ever imagined shimmered around me. Through the faint haze I could see everyone watching us. I moved closer to Johnny so we stayed in contact, blatantly ignoring each other but staying close, staring wide-eyed at those who would stare back at us.
I heard Eleanor say, “Hit them with images. Try to invoke their power!”
Something struck at our power curtain. Something black, like weaponised midnight. I staggered, but held the flow together. Terrible visions collided inside me. My daughter draped across the steps that led up to the Empire State Building, bled dry, not yet dead but dying alone. Felicia, lost in some infernal forest, at last giving up and lying down to die as hungry flames surrounded her, and Belinda, flayed and burned and tortured by demons, the last hope of mankind passing in agony and signifying the fall of our world.
A passing thought struck me. These visions were of Hierarchy demons! Not Gorgoroth…
Chosen (The Chosen Few Trilogy #1) Page 14
