‘It’s a long time since you’ve been here isn’t it, Kathryn?’ said Father Matthew as if reading her mind.
Kathryn smiled awkwardly, a brief flush coming to her face, ‘Drameer doesn’t…’ She paused, looked down.
Father Matthew smiled, ‘don’t worry. It’s what you believe inside that truly matters. Here take a seat.’
Kathryn took a seat in the second row as Father Matthew sat in the row in front, facing her.
‘So what can I do for you?’
‘The resistance have killed Lord Tolon.’
Father Matthew nodded, ‘I heard.’
Kathryn looked uneasy, suddenly unsure whether she should have come, now feeling silly, wondering what good it could possible do in telling Father Matthew.
As if sensing her hesitation, Father Matthew took her hand in his. ‘What is it he asked, what can I do to help?’
‘Drameer says the Queen has demanded revenge.’
‘I see. You know there hasn’t been a vampire death for…’ He thought for a second. ‘How old are you Kathryn?’
‘Twenty-four. Why?’
Father Matthew smiled, ‘Never mind. It’s just that I am an old man, who has seen far too much. The last time a vampire was killed was over twenty years ago. There was…’ He paused and took Kathryn’s other hand in his. Then he looked into her eyes, ‘let’s just say that it caused some terrible repercussions. But Overlord Karick, with the help of your very own Drameer, has brought us stability; some measure of reform.’ He stopped as he caught the look in Kathryn’s eyes. ‘My child,’ he said hesitantly. ‘What I’m trying to say is that things have changed, the vampires have changed, learnt to be more tolerant, look at Drameer…’
Kathryn, tears now in her eyes, shook her head.
‘Drameer is the exception that proves the rule, nothing more.’
Father Matthew squeezed her hand; his face had now become serious. ‘Kathryn, what do you know?’
‘It’s Rodan. He’s preparing a Vampire war party to find, capture, or kill every human left outside the settlement. He’s acting on the Queen’s direct orders.’
Father Matthew hesitated, unable to stop his eyes flicking toward the church entrance, nor his mind from thinking of the beast she spoke of that resided in the New York Palace that sat just across the street. He continued to speak, but this time in barely more than a whisper, as if Rodan could actually hear them from there.
‘When?’ he asked.
‘They leave the day after tomorrow.’
‘Are you... Is Drameer sure?’
Kathryn nodded.
Max sat in near total darkness as he slowly removed the bandage from his arm, the gauze sticking and pulling at his skin. He stared at the dark red welt and beneath that the two, clear, puncture marks. The wound seemed to froth. He winced as a stomach cramp doubled him up.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door and his head jerked up, a startled look on his face. He stared at the door, his eyes manic, for twenty long seconds. Then breathing deeply he fumbled with the bandage, finished tying it with his teeth and quickly rolled down his sleeve.
The knock came again.
‘Hold on,’ he called.
Outside, Jake hesitated then Max opened the door.
In Rodan’s suite on the fifteenth floor of the New York Palace he and Keermit sat in silence, waiting. As if on cue the door opened and Zidtool entered; the trademark lopsided grin ever present on his face.
‘Zidtool, how nice of you to join us.’
Zidtool took a bow. It was an action that didn’t really work as he clearly didn’t mean it, ‘Master.’
‘How do the plans proceed?’ asked Rodan greedily.
‘Very well my lord. We have assembled the …’
‘… And you will be able to find them? Cut in Rodan before Zidtool could finish.
Zidtool smiled watching Rodan carefully then flicked a look at Keermit as he considered the question. Then he licked his lips in what seemed like anticipation, ‘oh yes, without a doubt.’
Rodan nodded, pleased. ‘I have faith in you my friend. Don’t let me down.’
‘Oh don’t worry, I won’t…’ His eyes seemed to glaze slightly and the smile retuned, ‘It’s personal now.’
Rodan frowned, unsure as to what Zidtool meant, then thinking better than to ask continued a little more hesitantly. ‘There is one other thing, another stroke of luck.’
After Kathryn had been sent on her way, with a promise that he would deal with matters, Father Matthew had sat in his church contemplating what to do next. He had come to the plan fairly quickly and had then knelt in front of the crucifix in prayer for some time.
An hour after Kathryn had gone Father Matthew left the church at the north side, then travelled completely around the church, before cutting across and back into Madison Avenue a block further down. He moved from shadow to shadow, crouching low, before realising that he was drawing more attention to himself than if he just strolled down the street. He darted behind a vampire guard who stood near the side entrance to the New York Palace with his back to him across the street. The vampire turned a fraction too late to see the figure as it pulled into the doorway of a derelict building. Father Matthew caught his breath, pressed himself hard against the wall with his eyes tight shut. He heard a sound and fell back further into the disused building. He watched from out of the darkness as two of Karick’s vampires marched past. He swallowed hard. He knew what he had to do and hated the thought.
Outside Max’s room in Brooklyn, Jake stood in an uncomfortable silence, neither Brother able to look at each other.
After an awkward silence, Max stepped away from the doorway and ambled back into his room. ‘What’s on your mind Jake?’ he asked over his shoulder.
Jake looked at his Brother, a slight frown on his face. ‘You haven’t called me by my name in years.’ He entered the room and crossed to stand in front of Max. Max looked up at his older Brother. Jake felt bad about the bruises.
‘There’s a lot I haven’t said for years, and a lot that I have, that I probably shouldn’t have.’
A flicker of a smile crossed Jake’s face as he nodded. ‘Do you remember when Mom used to tell us off, for fighting?’
Now it was Max’s turn to nod. ‘Sort of, you know sometimes I wake up in the night really scared, because I can’t remember what she looked like, it all seems like some sort of bad dream.
Jake noticed that Max looked tired; no it was more than that, exhausted.
‘I’m not always sure of what’s true, and what’s not, it seems such a long time ago sometimes. He paused, seemed to hesitate, ‘Jake?’ he asked, and his voice was different, more like that of the little boy that Jake had saved over twenty years before.
‘Yes.’
‘I need to talk to you.’
‘Me first, please.’ The two Brothers looked at each other. Then, unable to look Max in the eye Jake turned away before he spoke next.
‘All these years I’ve lived with the guilt, knowing that my actions caused…’ He stopped searching for the right words. ‘Knowing the pain I’ve caused you…’
‘…Stop, Jake, please I - ’
Jake held up his hand, silencing his Brother. ‘I’ve seen your pain, Max; I just didn’t know what to do, what to say, or how to make it go away. I’m sorry. I know how much you blame me for what happened to Mom and Dad.’
‘I don’t blame you for what happened to them.’ Max spoke quietly, but his voice was strong. Unseen by Max a flicker of confusion flashed across Jake’s face, ‘I may not have understood at the time, but I did understand as I grew older.’ Max pushed on, Jake’s back still to him ‘…I understood that we had no choice…that we’d been chosen as a gift for a vampire. That we were to become his property, I’d heard the rumours, even at the age I was then and although I might not have fully understood, I knew it was bad.’
Jake turned toward him now, a frown still on his face, ‘then why do you hate me?’
‘
I don’t…If I blame you for anything; it’s only for not finishing what you started.’
‘What do you mean?’ stammered Jake.
‘Max laced his fingers, took a deep breath.’
‘After what happened and we ran away, you promised you’d look after me.’
‘But I was only - ’
‘- Doesn’t matter, you promised. You promised you wouldn’t let them hurt me; that you’d make a stand, make them pay for what they had done.’ Max now stood eye-to-eye with his brother; and Jake noted that his Brother’s eyes were full of tears.
‘But you didn’t. You just gave up.’
‘But Mom and Dad…’
‘…What about them? You promised something all those years ago, promised something that you just didn’t deliver. That...’ Max swallowed, looked deep into his brother’s eyes, but Jake noticed for the first time in close to twenty years that the look held absolutely no malice.
When Max spoke again his voice was full of compassion. ‘That...that made their deaths...seem worthless somehow,’ a small bead of Sweat trickled down Max’s forehead. ‘I learned that we all have to make choices, Jake. And every choice has a consequence. What makes a difference is how you deal with those consequences.’
Jake stood absolutely still, completely shell-shocked. ‘Max...I…’
Max shook his head. ‘You were always the strong one Jake, always. Now will you make me one more promise?’
‘Anything.’
‘Will you promise me now that no matter what…that you will fight for what you truly believe, what’s right and that, if you need to, you’ll fight to the very end, regardless of the consequence? Will you promise me that?’
‘I promise.’ Jake whispered without delay, his voice cracking.
Max held out his hand and Jake took it, then for the first time in nearly twenty years he pulled his brother close and hugged him. Unseen by Jake, Max winced as another stomach cramp hit home, hard.
Outside, a high pitched whistle pierced the air as a watchman spotted a lone figure walking up the street. He grabbed his binoculars, focused on the lone figure and felt his eyes were playing tricks when he saw a Priest.
Later, deep underneath a very different church, Father Matthew sat in the crypt with a blanket around his shoulders and a dented tin mug of thick, bitter coffee in his hand. Around the table, Jake, Trent and Lano watched him intently.
‘Are you any warmer now?’ asked Trent.
‘Yes, thank you. In the city we have heat,’ he said by explanation, then he shrugged and smiled, embarrassed.
‘You get used to it. Anyway, my name’s Trent and this is Lano and over here…’
Father Matthew held up a hand, he twisted in his seat slightly to face Jake,
‘…Sits a man whom I last saw as a boy, over twenty years ago.’
Jake smiled. ‘Have I changed so little?’
‘You may have changed physically, but your soul remains just as I remember...’ Father Matthew smiled. ‘…And you still wear the cross I gave you,’ he added with a grin.
Jake chuckled in return and his hand absently brushed the crucifix that hung around his neck, ‘Always,’ he whispered.
‘Even though I imagine there were times when it grew heavy, very heavy indeed,’ continued Father Matthew.
Ignoring the question Jake pushed on, ‘So, how did you find us?’
‘I trust in a higher being.’ He leaned forward, concern scored deep on his face. Jake sat and listened in silence as Father Matthew continued. ‘I hope there will be time for proper reunions later. But for now I have to warn you of a ferocious and terrible danger that awaits you all.’
In his room, Max sat crumpled on his bed. Sweat pouring down his face, which was contorted in pain. Breathing quickly he screwed his eyes tight shut, fighting to block out the dim light that flickered from the lamp in the corner, to him the dimness seemed to suddenly burn like an inferno. With an uncoordinated lurch he lashed out, smashing the lamp to the floor. A pool of ignited oil spread and slithered across his room like a mini river on fire. He screamed, pulling back as the flames caught hold and began to burn even more brightly.
Father Matthew looked slowly from one face to the next.
‘And you’re sure?’ asked Trent.
Father Matthew nodded.
‘You risked a lot coming here.’
‘There is much at stake.’
‘How many in this army?’
‘At least a fifty men, twenty half-lings…’
‘And how many vampires?’ asked Lano, not wanting to know the answer.
Father Matthew paused, ‘At least ten,’ he said at last, ‘maybe more.’
Lano’s face said it all. ‘We have to evacuate immediately. Head up through the Bronx’
‘No, Lano,’ Jake said shaking his head, ‘if Father Matthew is right, we haven’t got the time, we have no choice anymore, we have to stand and fight.’
Lano looked at Jake then to the others, pleading, ‘And tell me just how are we supposed to fight against those odds?’
‘With the will of God,’ replied Jake, but even as he said it the words sounded hollow.
‘Don’t give me that crap…’ Lano hesitated, embarrassed despite his fear. ‘Sorry Father’ he muttered before continuing, more quietly. ‘Jake, we’ll be decimated. Ten vampires alone would…’
Before he could finish, the doors crashed open and Megan rushed into the crypt, out of breath.
Jake, come quickly. It’s Max!
Megan led the way with Jake on her heels; he was always amazed at how fast she could sprint and used to joke about how quickly her legs must have had to motor at her height to be able to cover ground so quickly, behind them Trent and Father Matthews brought up the rear, the Priest puffing, badly out of breath behind Trent who was limping heavily by the time they arrived. Two watchmen were already exiting the room as Jake, closely followed by Megan, Trent and Father Matthew bunched to a halt. The acrid smell of smoke hung in the air from all around Max’s room. Jake went to enter but the watchmen held him back. Megan hung back in the corner, her hand over her mouth in shock, tears pricking at the corner of her eyes.
We had to break down the door, ‘explained the first watchman.’ He waved an arm to the fire damage. ‘We put it out. Max was…’ he hesitated, ‘…cowering in the corner.’
Jake moved past the man and into the room, sure enough in the corner sat Max. Jake moved closer, Max was sitting quietly, but something was wrong. His eyes were glazed and he stared blankly at the wall. A hand caught Jake’s arm and he looked round into the face of Father Matthew.
‘Wait, Jake. Get me some cold water. Have you any painkillers and some garlic?
Trent nodded to Megan who disappeared immediately.
‘What’s the matter with him,’ asked Jake, fear rising in his voice.
Father Matthew knelt in front of Max, ‘Max? Max, concentrate,’ he demanded, Max’s head jerked round. His eyes narrowed as they tried to focus. Somewhere inside comprehension dawned and Max’s eyes widened.
‘Father… Matthew, is that really you?’
‘Yes my son’ said the Father with a forced smile.
‘Thirsty.’
‘I know.’
Megan reappeared with a steel jug of cold water, bandages and two jars wedged under her arm. One full of pills the other stuffed with garlic cloves. She laid the steel jug by Father Matthew’s feet. Max smiled.
‘Max. Let me see your arm.’
Max looked down at his arm as if it didn’t belong to him, and then slowly raised it towards Father Matthew.
‘He’s been bitten?’ Jake asked with an edge of despair in his voice.
‘I’m afraid so.’
Father Matthew tore off a piece of bandage and dipped it in the jug, then wrung it out and placed it on Max’s forehead. He grabbed a glass from the side cabinet, poured water from the jug. Opening the painkillers he tipped out six.
‘Take these.’
Max struggled w
ith the cup swallowing the pills, before gulping down the rest of the water greedily.
Jake kneeled by the priest; grabbed Max’s hand with his left and took the wet cloth from Father Matthew, ‘Father, he’s burning up.’
‘I know,’ said Father Matthew as he glanced up at Jake. ‘Megan?’
‘Yes?’
‘Can you crush the garlic please?’
Megan pulled her Bowie knife from her boot and crushed three garlic cloves with the hilt. She watched Father Matthew as he took the remaining bandage and doused it with water before he removed his belt.
‘Max? Max?’ He snapped his fingers. Max looked into the Father’s eyes. ‘I’m afraid this is going to hurt, my son. Bite down on this.’ Obediently Max opened his mouth, biting down on the leather belt offered to him by Father Matthew. Then the priest took Max’s arm in one hand and the crushed garlic in the other. ‘Lord, give us strength.’ Father Matthew then placed the crushed garlic on Max’s open wound ignoring the screams as he quickly tightened the bandage. He showed no surprise when Max bit clean through the thick leather belt.
The Priest had insisted he be left alone to deal with Max and so Jake, Trent and Megan waited impatiently outside Max’s room for him to join them. Jake could hardly bare, or indeed recognise, Max’s screams that came from within the room and had been held back on more than one occasion by both Megan and Trent. When the door finally opened the priest looked exhausted.
‘He’ll rest now.’
‘Is he going to be okay? Have you caught it in time?’ asked Jake before the Father had closed the door fully.
Father Matthew turned to Jake, a worryingly solemn look on his face. ‘Jake, I’m sorry. There is no ‘catching it in time,’ all we can do is slow the change; not stop it.’
‘But, the garlic - ’
‘It slows the enzyme in the infection caused by the vampire’s bite, that’s all. It won’t stop the change, nothing can,’ he added helplessly.
Dominant Species Page 14
