Imperium (Caulborn)

by Nicholas Olivo

  Pete’s shrieking, burning form staggered away from the light and collapsed to the ground. Blue flames wound around his body and the scent of burned, rotted meat filled the air. A few moments later, a charred skeleton was all that remained of him. Now, with the pool of light encasing us, I got my first good look at our assailants. They were dressed like they were going out to some goth club. I rolled my eyes.

  “You guys are way too full of yourselves, you know that? So now, if I were you, the next question I’d ask is, ‘Can I outrun the expanding pool of blue light?’” I willed my faith radius to widen, and the vampires hastened backward. Then the one farthest away from me screamed. In the dimness, I could see that more forms had dropped from the walls and were killing the Blood Runners.

  Megan brought her ray gun up and I could tell she had targets marked, but she never needed to shoot. The Blood Runners, held at bay by the Urisk’s faith, couldn’t run away. Their only course was through the other vampires, who had stakes and swords. Leo’s little pack was wiped out in just a few moments. In the glow of blue light, I could see headless vampire corpses collapsed in the alley, and other crumpled forms that were crumbling to ash.

  “Caulborn Corinthos? Caulborn Hayes?” a woman’s voice asked.

  “I’m Corinthos,” I said. “Are you with Tom Bruli?”

  “Yes, my name is Lucille. I was sent here to find you when you did not arrive on time. Are you well?”

  “Fine,” I said, releasing the Urisk’s faith. The light vanished and the alley plunged back into darkness. It took my eyes a moment to readjust to the dimness, and let me tell you something, a moment can feel like an eternity when it’s dark and you’re surrounded by vampires.

  “I am relieved to hear that,” Lucille said. I couldn’t make out Lucille’s features, but her form was slender, and she moved with the unearthly grace that only vampires and cats possess. I could also see that two of her vampires had Leo pinned to the ground. He looked to be the only survivor. “I would hate to think that anything would have happened to the Galahad’s people. The Galahad’s forgiveness only goes so far.”

  Leo groaned as Lucille’s vampires hoisted him to his feet and pushed him back down the alley. Lucille stopped ten feet away from me. “Caulborn Corinthos, you have my personal word that no harm will befall you or Caulborn Hayes. If you will please accompany me, I will take you to Mr. Bruli.”

  “Of course, Lucille, and thank you for the assist.” She nodded and the group of us continued down the alley and into a better lit parking lot. Megan gave a quiet gasp and almost missed a step. Yep, she’d pierced their illusions. We moved up to an older three story office building. I was surprised that the place had as many windows as it did, but if my hunch was right, they’d be blackened somehow on the inside.

  Lucille and her group led us up the stairs and into the building. We crossed through a foyer with several heavily armed guards, and then into a larger room beyond. It looked like it might have been a cube farm at one point. The place was dark, but there were scattered pockets of dim light. I sensed more than saw the other vampires. At a word from Lucille, one of the vampires flipped a switch and lights flickered on. Given their highly acute night vision, the vampires probably only used the overhead lights when they had human visitors.

  The dim light I’d seen was coming from computer monitors, and there were half a dozen vampires tapping away on keyboards. I could hear faint music coming from several places all around me. The vampires had eclectic tastes in music, as I distinctly heard the closing bars of a Metallica song followed immediately by Barry Manilow.

  “Before we proceed, agents,” Lucille said. “I would ask that you relinquish your weapons and holy symbols, per our arrangement with the Galahad.” Megan placed her 9mm on the metal tray that another of the vampires held out. I noticed she didn’t put her ray gun down, but didn’t say anything. I set a cross on the tray. It was best to let the vampires think that’s what I’d been using to hold our attackers back. Then I set my switchblade on the tray, which earned a curious glance from Lucille. “A knife fighter? There aren’t many of you left in the world.”

  “What can I say? I’m old fashioned.” My gaze swept the room again, and then came back to Lucille, who instructed the vampire with the tray to store our weapons. Lucille looked to be about twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old. She had gray eyes and flawless pale skin. Her dark hair was braided, and her clothing was by a designer whose name I couldn’t pronounce.

  I relaxed my eyes and let my caul filter out her illusion. Lucille’s skin withered and yellowed, and her brilliant white smile browned. Deep hollows formed beneath her eyes, which were a dull pink. Her fangs peeked out over decomposing lips. I let the illusion return. Staring at the walking dead can get unsettling. Other vampires, clad in similarly stylish clothing, moved around us. I counted at least nine more, and they were all armed with swords or guns. I was grateful for the Urisk’s faith, but just the same, I wouldn’t want to have to fight my way out of a place like this.

  “This way, agents,” Lucille said as she gestured down a hallway. Several members of her group broke off, but the two pushing Leo stayed with us. We walked through several more sets of doors before we came to a stairwell. Three more vampires joined us. They cuffed Leo’s hands behind his back and clasped more chains around his ankles.

  Lucille noticed Megan eyeing the chains. “They’re a special titanium alloy,” she said. “He’s probably strong enough to break them, but it will take him a few minutes to do so. And in that time, every one of my people will have put a stake through him. Twice.”

  Leo glowered at her, but made no moves. Maybe he thought he could talk his way out of the problem when he saw Bruli. More likely, he knew that if he tried anything, he’d be dead in a flash.

  We went up the stairs, Lucille, Megan and I at the front, while the group of other vampires pushed Leo up behind us. We got to the third floor and were led into a pitch-black hallway. Lucille turned on another set of dim overhead fluorescents and took us into an office. There were several male vampires standing at various points in the room, but I picked out Tom Bruli right away. He was seated on a couch, feet propped up on a table, swirling a martini glass filled with blood. Two females were lounging on either side of him. I had to give Bruli credit, he could craft a convincing illusion. He appeared as a prosperous man with slicked-back hair, dressed impeccably in a suit that cost more than Megan’s car.

  The women were just as extravagant, clad in designer dresses and sparkling with jewelry. Their illusions gave them milky white skin and elaborate hair styles. They looked like they were ready for a night out in some Hollywood bar. The women giggled and pawed playfully at Tom’s suit and hair, then sat back with sulky expressions as we walked in. Tom gave me a look up and down and then turned his attention to Megan. His gaze lingered on her for much longer and a smile flicked across his lips. It was obvious he was thinking that Megan looked tasty.

  I relaxed my eyes again, and saw the cadaverous forms on the couch across from me, complete with glowing red eyes and fangs. Bruli’s skin was dull gray and rotted in several places. His perfect hairdo was also an illusion. He only had three or four clumps of hair left on his head, and these looked greasy and tangled. His fangs were dark yellow and long. And sharp.

  “Caulborn Corinthos and Hayes, I presume?” My caul let me hear two versions of his voice. The first was the one he wanted me to hear—smooth, calm, commanding. The other was a harsh, grating rasp. They were like echoes of one another, and to keep the conversation straight in my head I focused on the voice I knew was the real one. The unpleasant one. Megan and I nodded, and Tom turned his attention to Lucille and the bound Leo. “And this?” he asked as he sipped his drink.

  “Blood Runner, sir,” Lucille responded. “Caught a group of them attacking the Caulborn.”

  Bruli’s eyes flared red. He was in front of Leo now, holding the other vampire by the throat. Megan’s eyes were huge; neither one of us had seen him move. One of hi
s female companions caught the glass that he’d dropped before moving. It only fell an inch or two before she snatched it. “You dare to attack Caulborn?” Bruli hissed. “Have you no idea of the ramifications of such an action?”

  Leo sneered. “Ramifications? You’re a fine one to talk about ramifications, Bruli. How many Blood Runners did you think you could kill before we’d get wise to you?”

  A look of genuine confusion flickered on Bruli’s face. “What are you talking about?”

  “Three of our clan have gone missing over the last two weeks,” Leo said. “They all vanished in this area. What have you done with them?” I had to give Leo credit, he had guts. I didn’t know if I could puff out my chest like that if I were chained up.

  “I could ask you the same question,” Bruli said. “Two of my own have disappeared this month.” Leo’s confusion was genuine, as well. Tom saw it. “So perhaps here we have a misunderstanding.” He snapped his fingers and one of the lounging female vampires flashed across the room and returned with a silver thermos. “However, you cannot attack people within my clan’s boundaries and expect no consequences.” He took the thermos from the woman and carefully unscrewed it.

  Lucille and the other guards forced Leo to his knees. Tom poured the thermos’ contents over Leo’s head and took a few quick steps back. The clear liquid caught fire as soon as it touched Leo’s scalp and began to eat its way through his head like acid. The air was filled with the scent of burning undead flesh and Leo’s dying shrieks. The fire burned through his head, exploding through his eye sockets and mouth, then continued to burn down his throat and into his torso. The burned out form that collapsed to the floor a few moments later only vaguely resembled anything humanoid.

  Tom carefully capped the thermos and handed it back to the woman. “Holy water,” he smiled. “It really is remarkable what one can purchase on the Internet.” He gestured to a pair of lounging males, who began cleaning up the mess.

  Bruli’s little display was just for our benefit. I could tell that he was trying to reassure us that the Midnight Clan followed the pact and would enforce its terms. Just the same, I was straining to keep my face smooth. What had just happened was absolutely stomach turning, and I hoped it didn’t show. I glanced at Megan. Her face was a mask of cool indifference. “Mr. Bruli,” she said, her tone matching her expression. “We understand you are busy and certainly do not wish to take up any more of your valuable time than necessary.”

  Bruli looked at her as if seeing her for the first time, and his red eyes widened slightly. “Do call me Tom, my dear,” he said smoothly, taking his place back on the couch. “And I do apologize for any unpleasantness you experienced en route here.”

  Megan waved a dismissive hand. “Galahad XI has asked us to speak with you on a matter of some importance. Shall we speak here, or is there somewhere else you would rather discuss this?”

  “My people are loyal, Caulborn Hayes. Here will be fine.” He gestured to a pair of leather recliners that sat facing the couch. “Please, make yourselves comfortable.”

  Megan and I each took a chair. Bruli’s red gaze stayed fixed on Megan. For her part, Megan sat there calmly, her legs crossed, her hands resting in her lap. If she was nervous, she sure didn’t show it. Bruli wasn’t even looking at me and he made me uneasy. I had to give Megan credit, she was good.

  Bruli smiled. “To business, then.”

  “Oh, you and your business,” said one of the women seated next to Bruli, who detached herself from the couch and moved toward me. Now, I was certain that had I been seeing her disguised, I would’ve been enthralled, but a walking corpse moving toward you while swaying its hips is unsettling, to say the least. “Let’s have some fun, first. What do you say?”

  “I’m spoken for and she’s the jealous type,” I responded.

  “Tut, tut,” she said, seating herself on the arm of my chair and brushing my ear with a pale, dead hand. “I don’t mind sharing. She could play too, if you’d like.” An unwelcome image of me, Petra and a corpse in a threesome sprang up in my mind. This was going beyond disturbing. I gently removed her hand. Her flesh was cold and clammy, and touching it made my skin crawl. She pouted, then turned her attention to Megan. “How about you? I could teach you things that would drive any man or woman wild.”

  “Tempting,” Megan said in that same cool tone, “but I’ll pass.” The vampire pouted again. Then she squinted at Megan and froze.

  “Strigoi Viu,” she whispered.

  Oh shit. I glanced at Megan. If she knew what that meant, she gave no reaction. Her face remained that perfect mask of composure.

  “I do believe you are correct about that, Marla,” Tom said with a smile, which he turned on Megan. “Let us discuss our business, Caulborn Hayes. Then perhaps we may get to know one another better.” He turned to me as if I were an afterthought, “And you as well, of course, Caulborn Corinthos.”

  Marla reseated herself next to Bruli, but didn’t take her eyes off Megan.

  Over the next ten minutes, Megan and I gave them a quick rundown of the people that had disappeared. Bruli shook his head. “Aside from my own people, I have not heard of any of the community going missing. I will make some inquiries, though, and will send a message to the Galahad if I learn anything. Will that be sufficient?”

  “Quite sufficient, Mr. Bruli,” Megan said, rising. “Caulborn Corinthos and I thank you for your time this evening.”

  Bruli stood opposite to her and gave a short bow. “It was truly an honor, Caulborn Hayes.” He held up a hand. “While I wish for Caulborn Gomez's safe return, I would ask if we might have the pleasure of your company again some evening. It’s been some time since a woman of your particular caliber has graced this building.” The women on the couch tensed at this remark, and their eyes narrowed at Megan. I held the Urisk’s faith ready, just in case.

  “Perhaps,” Megan said. “You must understand that my duties are my first priority, Mr. Bruli. Finding these missing individuals is my one and only goal at the moment.”

  “My dear,” Tom said, “if you only focus on your duties, you will find that life will pass you by. You have many, many years ahead of you, and the weight of duty only gets heavier as the decades pass. Do remember to enjoy yourself from time to time. Pay an occasional visit to us, that’s all I ask. I’m sure we could learn much from one another.”

  “That is a gracious offer, Mr. Bruli. I shall consider it. Thank you again for your time this evening.”

  Tom nodded to us and showed us out of the office. Lucille took us down to the lobby where our weapons were returned to us. That done, Lucille walked us out of the building and back to the alleyway where we’d first met her. “Any idea what might have happened to your people?” I asked. “The ones who vanished?”

  Lucille shook her head. “None. The Blood Runners have always been reckless, we figured they had something to do with it. Now that we know otherwise, though...” She sighed as she trailed off. I noticed she kept me between herself and Megan. It was like she was afraid of the other woman. That bothered me. Could it be possible that Megan really was Strigoi Viu? Lucille turned to me. “I trust you can make it back from here?”

  “Yes, thank you for the escort, Lucille.”

  She nodded to us and disappeared into the night. Megan and I strode to the Tercel. I was amazed at how poised Megan was as she moved. We got back into the car and shut the doors.

  Megan started the car, placed her hands at a perfect ten and two position on the wheel, and drove for about two blocks before she pulled over again. Her knuckles were pure white. “Megan?” I asked.

  “They scared me,” she whispered. “They’re so...wrong.” She turned to me, stark horror shining in those brilliant blue eyes. “They called me Strigoi Viu. What does that mean?”

  Crap. “Well,” I began, “In Romania, they believed that someone born with a caul would rise as a vampire lord after they died, and would command armies of undead. Until you die, you are called Strigoi Viu, or livi
ng vampire.” Megan’s face paled even further and she brought a hand up to her mouth. “I wouldn’t worry about that, though,” I added. “As far as I know, none of the Caulborn have ever reanimated after they died.”

  I could see that she was fighting to keep her composure. Way to put her mind at ease, Corinthos. “Don’t worry, Meg,” I said, taking one of her hands. “I was scared too when I learned about that particular legend. Then I did some research, talked to Galahad and a few other people, and found out that’s all it was—a legend. Caulborn have been active here in America for over four hundred years and there’s never been a single account of Strigoi Viu. It’s the same in all the other countries we have offices in. If you’d like, tomorrow I can point you at the places I learned from.” I’d mention this to Galahad in the morning. Better safe than sorry.

  She nodded, a quick, jerky motion, and gave a nervous laugh. “I suppose it is pretty silly. Everyone knows vampires are made, not born.” She was trying to convince herself, I could tell. She took a deep breath and when she let it out, some of her composure returned. “Besides, that’s the first time I’ve ever heard of this legend. If it were true, it would be present in other forms in other cultures.” She nodded to herself again, the motion more natural this time.

  “We’ve had a busy evening,” I said. “You up for a pint?”

  She leaned her head against the headrest and let out a short laugh. “More than you can know.”

  “Great. There’s a bar I know called the Seanake that’ll take care of us. And there’s a guy there who might know some things about the missing people.”

  As Megan drove to the bar, we talked about what we’d learned. Bruli might not know what had happened to the abducted, but the vampires were losing their own and were on edge. That could turn into a clan war if left unchecked. We’d have to keep Galahad apprised of that. After about fifteen minutes, plus an extra ten circling the parking lot for a space, we walked into the Seanake.