Immortal Suffering

by Shana J Caldwell

  I breathe in the thick air, full of tension; my headache and aching bones and sore back long forgotten. The white creatures are nearly upon us now, their screams pierce my ears. I rally my power to the surface, wrapping lasso like strands around my hands.

  Some vampires shape shift, others grow larger, a female bristles beside me as her skin turns to stone. I don’t know what sort of vampires they are but they are not like the story book ones.

  I spot Nardia’s fiery hair at the front line, talking to a man that had turned green with bright yellow funnelling out of his hands. This was incredible and if death wasn’t so close I would be in awe.

  The first wave of creatures hit the shield, they shriek as they’re burnt and thrown back. The closest ones shrivel up and turn to stiff charcoal figures as they drop to the ground. The others don’t relent and the shield begins to dim.

  “Be ready!” Kal’s voice thunders out over the crowd, I don’t take my eyes off the barrier that is our only protection. My mouth fills with the taste of blood as my heart beat is the only noise I can hear. Sweat beads run down my forehead.

  The barrier shutters once.

  Twice.

  Collapses.

  I move through the thick crowd, my eyes wide as I pass three vampires that are joined; their bodies turned into that of animals. The creatures dive towards the first line of vampires, I see Nardia take down the five that are upon her but they’re too fast. Slowly, they begin to intercept the crowd, growing ever closer to the hotel. The air rings with screams and fills with the smell of blood as the battle intensifies.

  Now was the time to put my power to the test.

  I rush forward and push past vampires closest to me, six creatures surround two males; their power was only weak, sending out small lightning bolts to keep them at bay.

  I swing my hands towards the creatures and extend my lasso, capturing three in each hand. I squeeze and throw my arms behind me; the creatures squeal as they’re thrown back through the air. As I turn two others come at me, I shield my face with my forearm; the creature sinks its long fangs into the skin, grazing the bone.

  A scream rips from my throat as I lose hold of my power over the other six. They all come for me, the smell of my blood driving them wild. I throw my head back and scream as my power glows under my skin before exploding from my body, tearing the creatures apart. Body pieces scatter around me; I lower my bloody arm and flex my fingers.

  Before I have a chance to recover, three more hurtle towards me, screaming and snapping. A female vampire jumps in front of me; her jaw dislocates and extends down to her stomach. Razor sharp teeth grow outwards. She screams as her jaw wraps itself around one creature; snapping it in half. Blood sprays against me, covering my face.

  My power acts on its own accord as it rushes towards the last two, diving straight through their eyes and into their skull; their heads explode in a matter of seconds.

  I gasp for breath as I look around, vampires and creatures lay dead around me. Where is Kal and the others? In answer I spot Kal and Cassidy fighting side by side across the clearing, her flames glow against Kal’s shadows. Kal’s shadows devour the creatures while Cassidy’s flame burns them to a crisp. Sensing me, Kal looks towards me, his eyes widen and then I see the shadow fall over me from above.

  I dive out of the way as a creature lands where I was standing moments ago. I crawl back as it comes for me; my hands slipping on blood and guts. I bump into a male, he smirks down at me. I watch in fascination as he extends his hand, sending out ice and freezing the creature. He pulls me up before turning back to the mess.

  My body is in overdrive with adrenaline and I can barely think straight.

  I look back towards the hotel and gasp, over twenty creatures had begun to climb the hotel; no doubt sniffing out the humans. I run back, jumping and sidestepping the others as I go.

  I hold up my hands as I come closer and wrap the blue tendrils around the highest creatures, I send them through the ground with a loud crack. The ones on the ground turn to me and lunge. I duck as one jumps and twirl around the next. I pick up a broken metal pole and fight them off as I make my way to the closed door. I stab the closest one through the mouth as it flies at me; I kick its body from the pole and swing it sideways, connecting with the skull of another one.

  I was going to need help, I couldn’t fight them on my own and still had to get the last few from the hotel down. My power begins to weaken, becoming less and less visible. I look around frantically for help. I blink and suddenly there are six versions of Zeke surrounding me and fighting off the creatures.

  “Oh God, thank you.” I whisper, half wanting to cry and laugh. The closest Zeke nods and flashes me a quick smile, I look up and use the last pieces of my power to pull down the remaining creatures; sending them flying right in the path for the ice vampire. They freeze mid air before falling and shattering like glass around us. My arm throbs and pain shoots up to my head, I hope their bites weren’t poisonous.

  A Zeke turns towards me and comes closer, gently looking over my arm. He clicks his tongue as he assesses the damage.

  “I don’t know how much I have left in me,” I say weakly. The adrenaline had worn off and now my body and mind were crashing.

  “Come on, I’ll take you somewhere safe.” He wraps an arm around me. I nearly oblige until I see Kal in the middle of the thickest part of the white creatures.

  He stands deathly still as black mist begins to spill from his very form.

  Chapter 35

  Kalabhiti

  As soon as the creatures swarmed upon us I lost sight of Ali, only glimpsing her here and there locked in battle with these filthy creatures. The blood in my veins sings with each blow, each death. I haven’t been in a battle like this for over three hundred years, and it is painfully exciting to me.

  I twirl around Cassidy and slice my blade through the closest two creatures. When I first saw them coming I’d quickly winnowed to grab my sword; it had been too long since it last tasted the rush.

  I make my way through to the front where the carnage is the worst, the air thick with death. These things had one purpose and that was to get to those few humans.

  I send my shadows out, letting them consume the ones closest to me. Someone had set this up, it’s too much of a coincidence for humans to show up, enter the city, have the portal break and then we’re attacked by creatures purely driven for human blood.

  I wanted more than anything to find and protect Allison, our training sessions would need to be increased after this. I just hope and pray that she is okay.

  Now behind a majority of the creatures, I yell out to them, they turn and rush towards me. Under the surface of my skin I can feel that sick, ancient power I possess. We can’t keep fighting them head on like this, we’ll lose too many. I have to make a sacrifice; I just hope Ali will be able to forgive me for the man I truly am.

  I hold out my hands and begin to chant under my breath, the ground starts to shake under my feet as I call forward to the darkest nightmares I could create.

  Black mist seeps from my skin, surrounding the white creatures. The vampires scurry backwards; they know exactly what I’m doing. What I am.

  Fascinated, the creatures stop their assault and look around blindly. As my chant grows I hold out my hands. I blink slowly and am possessed by the ancient power I’d been cursed to walk this earth with.

  My body hums as my eyes glow; the mist thickens and swallows the creatures. I clench my fist and close my eyes, consumed by the hunger.

  Large black shadows grow from the mist, their white gleaming teeth the only colour these beings hold. They grow in numbers as they wait for my order. Their anticipation heightens. I hold my sword above my head and plunge it into the ground, breaking the last barrier that is holding my power back.

  It explodes from me with a ferociousness so fierce I fear for those white creatures, for my shadows never have mercy. The screaming begins; I stay still as the onslaught continues. My jaw twitches.


  I try to desperately grasp onto the person I’d become, but the person I had once been is far too strong. My mind darkens, and I break.

  I raise my head and look around; it has been such a long time since I have tasted fresh air. I grin as I take in the battle around me; the screams are like a symphony to my ears. My shadows make quick work, starved from the fight for too long.

  The mist begins to dissipate into the ground as I prowl towards the others, only a handful of white creatures remain now and are being handled accordingly.

  A girl begins to run towards me, an unfamiliar face but with the eyes of Cassidar. I cock my head to the side as she comes to a stop a few metres in front of me. Her red eyes are stunning as she looks me over, her breathing is ragged and I smell the blood.

  Her blood.

  Human blood.

  Chapter 36

  Allison

  I hesitate, not wanting to step any closer to Kal. His eyes seem sharper, he’s standing taller and there’s this aura about him that I’d never felt before.

  “Kal?” I ask, nibbing the inside of my cheek. My hands clench and unclench as I resist the urge to run to him and wrap my arms around him to make sure he’s real.

  As soon as I lost sight of him the screaming began, I thought I’d lost him. I couldn’t take my eyes from the mist, not while he was in there.

  “And who might you be?” he asks; his voice deeper than usual. He comes towards me with predator grace. He walks a circle around me, studying me.

  “Allison.” I keep my head high as he comes to a stop in front of me. Everyone around us is silent, no one daring to interfere with whoever this man is.

  “I don’t know anyone by that name. You’re human,” he states, raising an eyebrow as his eyes narrow. I take a step back.

  “You don’t remember me?” he turns his head away from me and looks over the crowd before looking back to me.

  “No.” His answer is blunt but doesn’t stop the sting I feel. I have to make him remember who I am, what we have. Who he is.

  “Let me jog your memory.” I take a small step forward; I hear the hints of a growl in the back of his throat. This could damn well get me killed.

  “We first met at a human camp; you trapped me in your shadows to see if I was really Cassidar’s descendent; which I am. After a lot of bullshit I came here and you took me under your wing, you helped pull me out of the hell I had created for myself and you showed me the light.” I take another step forward, raising my hands to let him know I’m not going to do any harm. He doesn’t say anything, so I continue.

  “We danced together when I met the other important vampires in the ball room, I slept in your bed that night and you held me as I fell asleep.”

  “Impossible,” he says, but his voice is low and his eyes are bright with confusion. He’s fighting whatever has hold of him.

  “Not impossible in the slightest. I had to go away for a bit and when I returned you helped me shower, where we gave each other mate marks.” I push my hair out of the way and expose the flesh where he’d marked. I hold my breath as he closes the distance between us; he touches the mark before feeling his own neck. I look up into his eyes, silently begging for him to come back to me.

  “You are Kal and you are my King and my better half in every sense. I need my Kal back, so do your people.” I place my hands on his chest, it doesn’t move up and down like Kal would make it.

  “Why?” His answer is so soft I nearly miss it. But I don’t. I take a deep breath and gather my courage.

  “Because I love you, Kalabhiti.” the words cement in the air around us, I hear a few gasps behind me. This was the first time I’d admitted it out loud and to myself.

  “I loved a human girl once.” He looks down at me sadly, my cheeks burn and I want to cry. He hadn’t said it back.

  “I sliced her throat and watched her bleed out on my white fur carpet.” his jaw twitches as he looks away and I drop my hands, they shake as I stare at him. His jaw twitches and he frowns. He hadn’t told me anything about this before and I doubt he ever will again.

  “Why?” I whisper, needing a good answer.

  “Because I didn’t deserve her and I was putting her through hell, so I killed her because I don’t know mercy and I am not a good man.” he looks back towards me; the wind brushes a few stray strands from his face.

  “That is how I got this scar.” He tilts his head and runs a finger along the thin scar I’d always been fascinated with. I feel sick to my stomach.

  He takes a step towards me and I flinch but keep my feet planted on the ground. He smiles down at me; nothing kind in his eyes.

  “Do you see now Allison? Do you finally see this can never work? I am not good for you.” his hand comes to my face and he strokes my cheek, wiping away a single tear.

  “You’re not the same person you were all those years ago. I know you, Kal. You are a good man in my eyes and those around you.” Before I can let my brain stop me from what I’m about to do, I wrap my arms around his neck and force my lips to his.

  He tastes of sweat and blood, but I don’t stop, not when he parts his lips for my tongue. Not as he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me closer. I reach up and stroke my thumbs across his cheeks. As I hold his face, tears run down them. He holds me tightly, using me as his hold on reality.

  I pull back and wipe my own tears away. “Please come back to me Kal,” I whisper. My bottom lip wobbles and it finally dawns on me how much I need him. He shuts his eyes and leans his forehead against mine. Minutes seem to tick into hours as we stand there. No one around us makes a move, watching fascinated to see if his beast can be tamed.

  His chest begins to move up and down again and I melt into him with relief. He wraps an arm around me and raises his hand.

  Silently they all raise their hands, uniting us all as one. Bodies of vampires and creatures litter the street around us, the damage minimal to what it could have been if Kal hadn’t stepped in and taken charge.

  The once grey cobblestone street now shines bright red, Nardia rushes forwards; her arms are littered with cuts.

  “Oh my god, thank god you’re both okay!” she wraps both of us in a hug and I wince, remembering the bite mark. She reluctantly lets go and steps back.

  “We’ll need to get everyone who’s injured to the emergency rooms, get them patched up. Can you get Zuriel and Zeke on the case as to why the portal has disappeared and if the attack has anything to do with it please?” Kal asks, looking down at my arm.

  “Yeah of course, I’ll keep you updated.” Nardia begins to call out orders to everyone. One by one they begin to pick up broken street items, their dead loved ones. The injured follow Nardia.

  “Can you patch my arm up?” I ask, holding it against my body. “And my back also?” the jumper irritates the raw skin on my back.

  “Of course, come. We’ll head back to my apartment and we’ll both get cleaned up.” he sweeps me into his arms; I rest my head against his shoulder and shut my eyes. My entire body aches and I’m left wondering if Kal remembers what I’d said to him.

  Chapter 37

  Allison

  I smile down at my sketch proudly; I’d drawn up a blood donation bank so the vampires had no reason to attack the humans now living amongst them. Unfortunately, my blood is tainted so I can’t donate, and the humans only have to donate two litres once a month. I wish I had more humans who would help and try and see if this world can work together.

  “Kal! I’m done!” I call from the dining room. He comes in; flour covers his apron and his cheeks. He walks over and looks down at the drawing; smiling.

  “That could just work. Good job.” he kisses the top of my head. He walks back into the kitchen to continue making his brownies. I relax back into the chair and tap the pencil against the table.

  It has only been a few days since the battle took place but so much has happened. I’d found a nice hotel for the humans to stay in that was also mixed with vampires.

&nb
sp; A part of me was scared to leave them alone but this could be the only way I’ll learn if we can coexist with each other. After Kal had bandaged my arm up we’d gone back to the disaster and helped collect the dead creatures. We started a large bonfire in the middle of the forest to clear the bodies.

  We’d only lost a few handfuls of vampires but I’d made it my own personal mission to go to each family and thank them for their sacrifice.

  The blood donation bank was going to be along the main city street, and once that was operational it would be time to start looking into getting the humans jobs and setting up a small shop for them to get food and whatever else might be needed.

  Kal comes back in, apron gone. He picks up the drawing and looks it over.

  “Do you think they’ll mind donating blood?” he asks, sitting it back down.

  “It’s their payment for their apartments. Eventually we’ll have to help them get jobs but I’ve run it past them already and they all agreed. I made the age limit over eighteen, there’s only a few children.” I’d thought this plan over a million times, now it was just waiting to see if it worked that put me on edge.

  “You sound like you’re all over it love.” he begins to massage my shoulders and I groan, shutting my eyes.

  “That feels so nice, my whole body is aching,” I murmur, enjoying the contact. He chuckles and continues to massage along my shoulders and up the back of my neck.

  “Why don’t we celebrate tonight?” his hands stop moving but don’t leave me.

  “Mmm that sounds good, just us?” I lean my head back and open my eyes, I supress a yawn as I raise an eyebrow at him.

  “Tonight it will be just us and tomorrow night I’ll get everyone else over, how does that sound?” he raises an eyebrow in turn.

  “That sounds good to me, do you even have alcohol here?” I ask, sitting back up straight again. His hands drop from my shoulders and I follow him into the sitting room. He opens a small cabinet beside the fire and reveals three bottles of liquid.