Chapter 24
Redemption
The United Nation’s Auditorium, now the Vampire Council chamber, was half empty save for a few vampire aids and the Queen’s own Guard as they prepared for the ceremony.
‘Is all in order?’ asked the Guard Captain, of one of her officers.
‘Yes Captain, every vampire will be here. We have guards at all points as requested. But I’m not sure that the threat is as great as we have been led to believe.’
The Captain interrupted her, ‘Today every vampire will be here together with what remains of the human resistance… the one’s that managed to kill Tolon and do what they did to Shallock. We’ll also have Overlo…’ she paused, ‘we’ll also have Karick, not to mention that evil, conniving bastard Rodan. I for one wouldn't underestimate any of them. The Queen will not tolerate any distractions in the ceremony. Is that understood?’
‘Yes, my Lady. I apologise.’
Satisfied the Captain moved off.
Four hours later, deep in the bowls of the United Nations building, Karick sat on one side of his cell staring at Rodan on the other, each immobile in their heavy chains. Rodan jumped as the door bolts slammed back with a dull thud, marking the entrance of eight of the best of the Queen’s own Guards, all heavily armed.
The two vampires were dragged unceremoniously to their feet, each by four guards, then their chains were unlocked from the wall and they were led away in silence.
A rumble, like thunder, erupted around the auditorium as the vampires rose to their feet. The Queen watched calmly as Rodan and Karick were dragged onto the platform by her personal guard. Rodan had but a second to glance around at the assembly before he was pushed to the ground by the Imperial Guards holding him.
‘You will kneel for her majesty.’ The Guard hissed at him, flicks of spittle hitting the hackles on his neck.
The Queen glided down the steps and entered the circle of the auditorium. She grabbed an ornate goblet, raised it in the air to a chorus of cheers. As the cheers subsided, she spoke.
‘Today I give you a new beginning. A new Council will be sworn in, their authority sealed by the blood of our enemy as has always been our way.’
Feet stamped and a chorus of cheers erupted from around the auditorium. She turned to face the platform holding the goblet in one hand she raised the other high in the air.
On cue, the door to the East wing opened and four of her Guards entered, behind them a sea of humans poured out into the auditorium. At the front; Lano, Trent, Megan, Kathryn and Jake, behind them the remainder of the resistance fighters captured at the meat packing factory, then came the rest of the resistance, captured in Brooklyn by the Queen’s own Guard. At every fifth man a vampire guard. The auditorium slowly filled.
After a brief silence, the doors on the opposite side of the auditorium opened and an even greater number of humans flooded in, these were what the vampire’s referred to as food stock. They were forced roughly into the seats around the auditorium. Jake looked up into the scared faces seated all around and suddenly realised that they had been brought here to see, at first-hand, what happened to those that challenged the vampire hierarchy. His eyes flicked to the long row of tables joined together and covered in a heavy red cover that reached down to the ground and he prayed that Drameer had done what he had promised.
‘This is a new dawn. Let us rejoice,’ the Queen voice rang out, ‘you…’ she pointed a long finger, capped with a nail that could puncture steel, at the first man. It was Lano.
He struggled as one of the vampires hauled him out of the line and dragged him roughly towards the queen. Some of the men tried to help him but were beaten back easily.
Jake watched carefully from the group. He scanned the auditorium taking in everything. Something caught his eye, at the back, half hidden in the shadows, was that a lone figure, watching, waiting?
Father Matthew was shaking; sweat covered his face as he watched from the shadows. His eyes met Jake’s briefly and his heart felt heavy at the hate contained in that one look.
‘Blood is the life, blood is the beginning, blood is the end,’ roared the Queen.’ On this she grabbed Lano by his ponytail and yanked his head backwards. Fear tore across his face as she drove one long nail deep into his neck. A line of blood pumped out across the floor.
In the auditorium, eyes glazed at the sight of the blood spurting across the floor in a pulsing arc. The queen held the goblet and filled it to the brim with Lano’s blood, before letting him fall, helpless, to the floor, where he lay gasping for air, trying to breathe, unable to make a sound, unable to escape.
Jake automatically went to move, but Megan grabbed his wrist. He looked at her as she shook her head, holding his stare with her dark brown eyes. It was a stare that said it was already too late and deep down he knew she was right.
The sound of the vampires stamping their feet grew louder, the rhythm increasing to a crescendo then finishing as abruptly as it had started at the moment the Queen raised her hand.
From the side Keermit led the new Council out onto the stage. Each had been carefully selected and each was dressed in a long red gown and hood. They faced the Queen, before kneeling in a semicircle in front of her. She looked up at the auditorium and smiled. It was truly an impressive sight. Every vampire was there together with all of the humans, looking suitable terrified.
Slowly, with the goblet full, she walked around the semicircle that formed her new vampire Council. She stopped in front of each and marked a sign, in Lano’s blood, on each of their foreheads. She left Keermit to last.
Father Matthew watched from the back of the auditorium as the Queen performed her ritual, the sweat grew heavy on his skin and his eyes were tired and bloodshot. Beside him Drameer watched him intently.
Jake stared at Lano who, held out his hand weakly. Again Jake went to move but this time was stopped by a vampire guard who grabbed his shoulder pushing him to his knees.
‘Don’t be so eager,’ he snarled, ‘your time will come soon enough, human.’
Then the Queen was speaking again.
‘Today we are here to embrace a new beginning, an end to the squabbling and in-fighting that has led us so near to extinction.’ A pause, ‘Something I will not tolerate.’ She looked to the faces in the auditorium as if making a pact with each vampire independently, before continuing. ‘We were left here thousands of years ago by our own kind as punishment, left here to die. Yet we did not. Instead we have flourished amongst the human race. We were not destroyed by our own then, and we shall not be brought down by our own now.’
Father Matthew, his breathing getting quicker, looked to Drameer, who gently rested his hand on his shoulder.
‘Are you ready for redemption, Priest?’
‘Yes, I am ready.’
‘Have you made your peace?’
‘Yes I have made my peace.’
‘Good. Then I think you only have one more choice to make; how you die, and I think you should carry the mark of your God into this last battle.’
Father Matthew, his mouth dry, tried to focus. ‘But I don’t...’
His voice trailed as Drameer slowly dragged a long nail across his own wrist. Then with a blood tipped finger he traced the sign of the cross on the Priests forehead in his own blood.
Nodding, Father Matthew stepped out from his hiding place. Only Jake noticed in all the commotion as all other eyes were locked on the Queen.
Then Lano, coughing blood, caught a glimpse of the Priest. He watched as Father Matthew calmly descended the stairs. Lano glanced at Jake and with his mouth full of blood he fell to the floor and smiled his last smile. Jake’s eyes briefly flicked shut, before being torn open by the voice of Father Matthew as he strode down the steps. His voice punched through the air with an astonishing power and clarity, and Jake thought a forgotten passion.
‘Yea, as I walk through the valley of death, I shall fear no evil.
Heads rocket round. Both vampires and humans frowned, confused
, as the Priest marched straight down the steps towards the Queen, who looked up in surprise, having emptied the last of the blood from the golden goblet.
‘For thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me…’ continued the Priest.
‘Oh please!’ Barked the Queen, she hardly paused as she turned her back on the advancing Priest. ‘SEN! Kill him.’ She commanded, with a voice that was both soft and powerful.
Two half-lings left her side charging towards the Priest. He didn’t falter or hesitate once as the beasts charged. Then they leapt… and… were both taken out of the air by Drameer. Together they crashed through the first five rows of seats with the vampire on top of them. With a demented roar, Drameer killed them both, his short sword dripping with their blood.
Both Karick and Rodan watched as Father Matthew continued his descent unfazed. Rodan raised a pale eyebrow, a smirk washed over his face.
‘Mmm, quite interesting, I’m not sure this was part of the planned entertainment. I wonder what the humans will do next.’
‘Silence, screamed a guard, they’ll do nothing. They are nothing but our food!’
Father Matthew neared the stage as the Queen, confused, looked round. He marched up the steps straight towards her.
Father Matthew strode to the centre of the stage, stood facing the Queen, his back to the new Council, who were still kneeling, thoroughly confused, in a semi-circle behind him. Father Matthew smiled and simply held out his left hand and sliced a deep gash with a knife across his palm. Awkwardly, holding the knife with his damaged hand he did the same to his right palm. Then he let the knife clatter to the floor as he raised his arms so that they were outstretched to either side of his body in a mock crucifixion. The Queen stared, open mouthed.
‘In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit’ he yelled at the top of his lungs. You want blood? Then take mine!’
Behind him Drameer threw a vampire guard to one side as he rapidly closed on the stage, the Queen’s bodyguards immediately closing ranks.
Two of the Queen’s Guard’s, having regained their senses, attacked. Spinning to one side, Drameer ripped the first one’s throat out with his teeth. The second was forced back onto her knees as Drameer lunged for her throat.
Crouched over the dying guard, Drameer’s eyes focused on the resistance. A moment of pain ripped across his face when he noticed, in the crowds of humans, Kathryn’s shocked face.
By now the Queen’s face was burning hot with anger, incredulous she pushed herself past her own guards and screamed at the Priest. ‘In the name of Tallot, I’ll kill you myself!’
Father Matthew, standing with his arms outstretched smiled, blood dripped from his wounds and pooled by his feet. The Council’s eyes continued to glaze at the sight of the blood; they looked to their Queen for their orders. Then Drameer landed in front of her.
The Queen focused on him. ‘What did you think this would achieve?’
Drameer stood, wiping blood from his mouth, ‘…a chance.’
‘A chance? For what?’
Drameer looked round; a sense of calm had begun to spread through the auditorium. The Queen’s own Guard stood, waiting for their orders. The new Council watched mesmerised, not sure what to do, but desperately trying to ignore Father Matthew’s blood as it drip, drip, dripped onto the stage in front of them.
‘…A chance to change the future; to even the odds and to try a different beginning; one where we can re-build this world, together. For centuries since we were marooned on this planet all we have done is take from its people. Perhaps now it is time to give something back.’
The Council looked between their Queen, and their next meal; Father Matthew as the hunger finally overwhelmed them.
‘Sentimental fool,’ she scoffed, ‘but, Drameer, you are right about one thing… this is a new beginning… just not yours. This is your end.’
She turned away from him as Keermit and the new Council closed on the Priest. Four Guards closed ranks behind her.
‘Let the new Council feed on the blood of the enemy. Kill the Priest!’
In a daze the new council members circled the Priest, their eyes glazed, focusing on the blood which still dripped from his hands. The first vampire who attacked was Keermit.
Jake screamed, ‘No!’ as Keermit hit Father Matthew hard, knocking him to the ground. The Priest didn’t fight back as the vampires hissed all around him pinning him to the ground.
Father Matthew looked up into the contorted face of the new Overlord as she opened her mouth, her teeth closed. Behind her the others closed in like a pack of dogs, slowly blotting out the lights above.
‘Let the power of the Lord cleanse your souls.’ Whispered Father Matthew as the teeth bit down. Keermit roared. Blood spattered in an arc covering the others as they closed and attacked in a feeding frenzy. In the middle of the pack a hand rose once into the air as if trying to pull free.
Excited, the Queen watched as her new Council began to feed on the Priest
‘It has begun.’ She looked across to Drameer. ‘This is the only new beginning you’ll see, Drameer.’
She motioned for the guard to allow him through, then grabbed the goblet lifting it high above her head and dripped the last few drops onto her tongue. She licked her lips as Drameer attacked. Casually tossing the goblet away, she easily avoids his clumsy onslaught.
Drameer hit the ground hard, tried to roll away but the Queen’s personal Guard were on him. Overpowered, Drameer was dragged to his feet by the female Guard.
‘Looks like you lose, after all,’ the Queen said with a smile.
Drameer looked up at her and returned the smile. As if on cue, behind the Queen her Council began to choke. The Queen span, a flash of fear coursed across her face. Her eyes widened as her new Council began to convulse, coughing up blood.
She whirled on Drameer. All around an eerie silence spread its tentacles throughout the auditorium. Behind her, in agony, Keermit crashed to the floor, her eyes unseeing; dead.
‘No…’ moaned the Queen as one after the other of her beloved vampires convulsed and crashed to the ground; dead.
‘What have you done? She asked in bewilderment, confusion filling her voice. The guard holding Drameer stared in shock. It was a look they would die with as Drameer slipped the long blade from his boot and slid it under their ribcage and into their heart. Suddenly turning to the humans, Drameer yelled at the top of his voice, ‘In the name of your God and your humanity, finish this NOW!’
On his cue Jake moved. He caught the distracted vampire off guard and wrenching the knife that Drameer had given him the night before from his boot he drove it under his captor’s armpit and into the side of her chest with every ounce of strength he had, just as Drameer had shown him. The vampire, shock covering her face, grabbed at the blade once before falling to the ground.
Taking his chance, Jake ran to the table and wrenched at the heavy velvet cloth, tearing it away. His heart soared in his chest as there beneath the cloth, just as Drameer had promised, were their weapons. He didn’t know how the vampire had managed it, but gave praise that he had. Without hesitation he grabbed a sawn-off shotgun, span and emptied both barrels into the face of the vampire that had closed on him. She screamed. It was a scream cut short by the knife that Jake plunged into her side.
After that confusion filled the air as the rest of the resistance followed Jake’s lead. With the weapons that Drameer had secreted away they attacked with a focused and controlled anger, their knives slicing into the surprised vampires, their guns blazing; acrid smoke filling the auditorium.
The Queen’s confusion turned to rage as she fixed Drameer with an icy stare.
‘What have you done?’
Kathryn watched Drameer with nothing but love and pride on her face. It was a look that would turn to pain as the Queen grabbed a short sword from a Guard and drove the steel blade through Drameer’s heart with an insane roar.
He sagged to his knees. Still smiling he look
ed across to Kathryn and mouthed the words ‘I love you’, before finally crumpling to the floor.
Jake crashed forward, through vampires and humans alike, towards the fallen body of Father Matthew. He stopped as the fallen figure twitched, once, twice, and then unbelievably began to move.
Around him the vampires fought hard, but the resistance had made the most of their advantage and were fighting as only those whose lives and futures depend on it, truly can. They fought to the death. They showed no fear. Women, children all fought for their lives and for the sake of humanity itself.
Slightly to one side and almost forgotten about, Karick and Rodan watched the madness unfold before them. The bulk of the Queen’s Guard had stormed forward leaving them now guarded by only the Captain.
Rodan turned to the Captain, ‘looks like the food has a mind of its own.’
The Captain turned, unhappy with Rodan’s tone; she leant forward and was caught off-guard by his attack. Rodan’s teeth were already deep into the Captain’s throat before she could react. She died with her face still covered in shock.
Rodan calmly stood, blood dripping from his mouth. A quick rummage in the Captain’s pockets revealed the key to his chains, which he used. Then standing, he took out his handkerchief, carefully unfolding it he wiped his lips. Then he looked at Karick.
‘Here.’ He tossed him the key. ‘Now we’re even.’
Karick caught the key in one easy motion and quickly unlocked his own chains. But by the time he looked up Rodan had already disappeared into the crowd.
The Queen was rocked back to reality as a single gunshot, followed by a volley of shots slammed into her side. In a fury she screamed instructions to her guard. A movement at the edge of her vision caught her attention. She stared at the figure now approaching and realization finally dawned.
It was Father Matthew, his eyes bloodshot, saliva dripping from his mouth, his teeth and jaw enlarged, the transformation into half-ling almost complete. He crouched, sniffed the air.
Dominant Species Page 20
