by K. F. Breene
The main path sloped downward gradually. Other, smaller paths, which I might even call trails, led away every so often on either side. I kept to the larger path in case I had to fight. I was, quite possibly, the only thing in this whole place that could serve as food. I didn’t want to end up in that position, no matter how pleasurable it might be.
One foot in front of the other, further down I went, my footfalls silent, matching my surroundings. An intruder was in their midst, and no one had come out to check on me. That was suspicious.
Another ten feet down, I felt eyes digging into my back. Not much further and the press of bodies surrounding me grew until it was almost a palpable pressure. I couldn’t see anyone, though. Columns climbed up the walls to either side, with empty spaces between. The paths led away, bare. But it felt as though the place was packed.
Nervousness crawled up my spine and then skittered across my skin. Adrenaline pumped into my bloodstream. A move had to be made, I felt it.
Trusting my instincts, I grabbed a throwing knife from the harness around my leg, spun, and threw. It flew high and straight, up into the stone platform between the columns. A flicker of movement gave someone away, a hand shooting out of nothing and vanishing just as quickly.
The sound of my knife hitting a hard surface never came.
“Caught you peeking.” I tsked. “That’s not nice, you know. Guests should be welcomed, not stared at by lurkers.”
I felt more than heard shifting. Knew without proof that my watchers were uneasy with my complete lack of fear. Villains were all the same after a while.
“Can I have my knife back, please?” I asked, starting forward again.
The flicker of movement came from the same area. The knife flew through the air, end over end, in my direction. The throw was a little short. I had to jog forward to snatch it out of the air, a feat I probably wouldn’t have been able to duplicate a second time. Luck be a lady.
“Thanks.” I saluted with it before putting it away, extremely uncomfortable that I couldn’t see the watchers, though they could clearly see me. “Say, you guys wouldn’t happen to know where Darius is, would you?”
Silence answered my question, eerie in such a grand space packed with bodies I couldn’t see.
I kept moving as the pathway narrowed. The columns lining it pushed in closer, and with them, invisible vampires who could pluck a knife out of the air. I’d put some heat on that throw, too. It didn’t bode well for my odds of dominating in a fight.
Flickers of movement came from the left. I glanced over in time to see an arm disappear to the side. The scrape of feet on rock hinted that the vampire I’d spied wasn’t as old and graceful as the one that had invited me.
Pace even and body language unaffected, I continued acting as though I were out for a Sunday stroll.
“I can hear you breathing,” someone taunted from above in a raspy voice.
“Dude, don’t be that guy,” I said, not looking up. “No one likes the creepy guy.”
Footsteps sounded behind me and echoed around the walls. I patiently awaited an attack. Nothing happened.
I kept moving, my breath even, my senses on high alert.
Metal scraped against the ground, loud and obvious. Someone wanted attention.
“Yes, Timmy, I hear you. You don’t have to shout.” I kept walking, not looking back or to the sides. Ignoring their intimidation tactics. Bullies hated that.
“You smell delicious,” a woman said from directly above me in a thick, lust-filled voice.
She had a good sniffer, I had to give her that. The columns were right beside me now, but the platform was still at least thirty feet up. That was a long distance for my smell to travel.
“That means a lot, coming from you,” I said, careful not to pick up my pace, even though I was a bit worried that someone would soon want to see if the smell matched the taste.
“We’re going to peel your skin off and lick your bones clean,” someone else called.
“Good grief, that escalated quickly,” I muttered. “I’m bored. Do I have much further to go?”
As if I’d voiced a command, vampires filed out in front of me, clogging the way. Black gums sported elongated fangs. As I watched, claws extended from their fingers, which turned long and bony. Their bodies widened, ripping the fabric of their clothes until the destroyed garments slid to the ground. Skin, once all shades of human-colored, melted into the gristly green of younger vamps, slower and weaker than their older counterparts. They hunched and hissed at me, swampy and gross.
It was the vampire fighting form. Like when shifters turned into animals, vampires could become swamp monsters to gain speed, strength, and magical power. The fact that they’d ruined their clothes to show me their power look meant this was part of the show. Another intimidation tactic.
“Ah, look, wee babies.” I laughed. “How’d it feel, going to bed with a beautiful vampire and then waking up to this? Ugly stuff. Did you guys freak out? I totally would’ve.”
One stepped out from a trail to my right, jerky and much too close. “Ew.” I curled my lip and scrunched my nose. Also for show. “Don’t get slime on me; these are new pants.”
“They are in their most perfect form,” someone said in a haughty tone from above.
“Yeah, keep on telling them that, bro. See if it helps.” I put my hand to the side of my mouth like I was whispering secret knowledge. “Do yourself a favor, everyone. Keep practicing the control of your human form. There is no way the guy up there walks around looking like a swamp thing. Not that I can verify that, since he’s hiding in the darkness like a coward.”
A sheet of some kind fluttered down from the platform. It had been used to render the vampire invisible somehow. A pasty mustard-green monster, with long, matted hair falling over its bony shoulders, stepped forward on bowed legs. Its skin sank between its ribs. At the end of its stringy arms curved large, razor-sharp claws.
“Good Lord.” I held up my hand to shield my eyes. “Put it away, man!”
“Show the proper respect, little girl, or you will meet a most unpleasant fate.”
“Don’t pretend you have any say in what goes on down here. Your gross, hanging balls show your age, and they aren’t nearly low enough for you to be an elder.” I had no idea if that was true, but I was pretty sure the colors went from green, being newer, to the pasty white-green of the elders. I had no idea why it dipped into yellow and mustard in the middle levels, only that I’d seen some monster forms like this guy’s. He wouldn’t be too fast or skilled.
A newbie on the path in front of me jerked, which turned into a stilted walk forward. Black took up its eyes, banishing the whites. Saliva dripped from its fangs, something that happened when a vamp was about to feed.
Newbies didn’t have much control over their need for blood. This all might unravel in the next few moments.
I stared at it, ready for action. “If you lose control and try to bite me, I will kill you. Do you understand me?” I raised my voice. “Do you all understand me? I’ll play nice until you go for my neck. Then vampires will die. That is the only warning you’ll get.”
Laughter crowded the space above me. They wouldn’t be laughing when I fulfilled my threat.
More sheets fluttered away and sailed toward the ground. I half wanted to rush over and grab one. Those would be really handy on the job.
Someone grabbed the hungry newbie and pulled it to the side. The throng of monsters parted in front of me, revealing a naked vampire in human form blocking my way. Huge and rippled with muscle. His fangs were elongated, distending his jaw, and his eyes were wells of black. Not handsome like many of the others, it looked like his face had been hit with a bat a few times. Nothing else had changed yet, meaning he had some control. When he stepped forward, though, showing a jerky movement, I realized that while he might not be a newbie, he wasn’t far from it. His control to keep from biting me and draining me dry would be slippery, at best. A fight would bring out his urges th
at much more.
Not to mention he was a mammoth of a man.
He had been sent to kill me. Or try, anyway. Clearly this was a test.
“Well holy-moly, look at you. You’re a big mother-trucker.” I whistled. The vampires around me made a circle, either trying to keep me from running, or excited for the fight. Probably both.
“It’s a lovely day in the neighborhood…” I sang as I took out my sword. I paused. “I am supposed to kill you, right? We aren’t getting ready for a thumb war?”
“Oou’re aun insif-icat ooman!” Meat-grinder Face said.
“What’s that? You’ve got fangs in your mouth…”
“Fight to the death,” a lovely voice rang out, musical and cultivated.
“And that is why the human form is so useful. Communication.” I ripped out my gun, sighted, and shot. The bullet tore through the big vamp’s chest, just missing his heart.
Dang it. That was almost cool.
I shot him in the legs. Mostly.
He crumpled to the ground with a roar.
I slammed my gun in its holster and ran forward. The huge vampire roared again as his body changed. He flailed and then pushed himself upward, roaring a third time.
“You’re angry, we get it.” I kicked him in the face, flinging him away from one of his planted hands. I swung down with my sword. It hacked into his neck a fraction, not even making it a quarter of the way through.
“Holy shiznit—what are you made of, iron?” I hacked down again as his tree-trunk arm lashed out. I dove over it and rolled back onto my feet, pushing the circle of vampires wider.
Meat-grinder staggered to his feet, and I could see that his neck was already trying to stitch itself back together. This one healed at an incredible rate, even for a vampire. I saw now why they’d chosen him.
His fist came around, fast. I ducked and thrust forward, stabbing him through the stomach, a nonlethal area. He staggered back instead of bending over it, so I hammered a foot into his balls. He bent in time to meet my fist’s upward swing. His nose smashed, sending a gush of black blood over his face. I leapt onto his chest like a spider monkey, helping his backward fall. His arms windmilled, but there was too much momentum.
Timber!
I rode him down until his back hit the ground. Nimbly, I hopped off, planted my feet to either side of him, and stabbed down with everything I had. The blade pierced his chest, prompting a monstrous sort of squeal. Thick black sludge oozed out of his chest while his body started to disintegrate.
Panting, I took a cloth from my pouch and wiped off my blade. I dropped the cloth on the body, since it had to be cleaned up anyway, and started forward, continuing down the path again.
A stringy vampire in its fighting form hissed at me as I passed by. When I didn’t react, it leaned toward my neck.
I turned and thrust my sword through the vampire’s gut. Its eyes rounded and the hiss turned into a howl. It staggered backward, holding its stomach.
“Don’t do that.” I shook my head at it and took out another cloth—I’d brought several.
The vampires above me, which had been right at the edge of the platform to watch my fight, turned almost as one and began clearing out. The minions around me continued to dog my steps, irritatingly close.
“While I have your ear,” I said conversationally, trying to keep my rage at bay. I really wanted to go on a vampire-killing spree. “Am I going the right way?”
“For a while longer,” someone mumbled. He grunted a moment later, probably from an elbow to his ribs.
I sneaked a glance behind me and saw a very attractive guy about my age. “Resisting the swamp-thing look, huh? Are you new to all this?”
He nodded before scowling, clearly annoyed he’d answered again.
We continued on, all my new friends and me, until the air smelled heavy and moist. We were deep underground, probably amidst the oldest vampires who had ever walked the Realm or the Brink.
The surroundings had become almost catacomb-like those last few hundred feet, but they opened up again and spread out into a huge chamber fit for a king. At the far wall was a massive table with ornate chairs seated around it. A beautiful chandelier made of crystal, gold, and probably diamonds hung down in the middle. Nothing was on the table at the moment, but it made me wonder what typically adorned it when the vampires met. I knew they didn’t have to eat food, but had no idea if they did it anyway as sort of an homage to their former life.
The flock of newbie vamps shifted their flight pattern to the right. I dutifully stayed within the haphazard circle, just to keep everything moving, until we came to a throne-like chair against a heavily decorated wall. Gold and precious gems adorned the stately seat, and beside it were two lesser chairs with a smidgen less finery.
“Wow,” I muttered. “Who gets the little chairs? And don’t say wives, because that’s just messed up.”
“Wait here,” one of the newbies said. My new friends drifted to the side of the chamber.
I continued to look around, noticing a crown sitting on a cushioned stool against the far wall. I wasn’t great at Brink history, but I’d bet that was real. Next to it was a chest filled to the brim with gold coins and large hunks of precious gems. It looked like pirate treasure, but it had probably been taken from some monarch. Along with that crown.
“You guys are way better thieves than I am,” I whispered in awe.
My eyes ate up all the jewels and regalia around me. It was endless, staged in clusters that were designed for flaunting. I noticed the newbies staring at it, too, with wide eyes and sometimes gaping mouths. They seemed just as impressed as I was. Newbies clearly weren’t often allowed down in the spacious room. It made sense, then, why all the finery was on display. Vampires did love to show off.
“Miss Somerset,” came a deep voice I recognized.
The vampire from last night stalked into the chamber. His wide shoulders swung with each confident step. Behind him came two other vampires, their faces vaguely familiar, which meant they’d probably made an appearance last night as well.
“May I call you Reagan?” He took the throne-like chair, and I couldn’t help a smirk, the words compensating for something? on the tip of my tongue.
“Yes,” I said instead, trying to regain control of my expression.
“What happened to your face?”
“My eyebrows melted off from the warm welcomes you guys gave me.” My response was met with a blank stare. “That was sarcasm…”
He continued to look at me, his gaze rooted to mine.
“Now it’s getting awkward,” I mumbled.
“As you probably know, I am Darius. I summoned you here.” A slippered foot swung up and braced on his silk-clad knee. He leaned back in relaxation, but his eyes didn’t soften as he took me in, his gaze traveling from my head down to my toes. He noticed my weapons and the way I held myself, and even paused on parts he had no business checking out.
Preventing myself from shifting uncomfortably, I waited him out. Finally, when every creature in the room was inhumanly still, he said, “Your smell is abnormal.”
“Wow. You’re a real lady-killer, huh? Mr. Charming.”
“I have never had an issue attracting members of the opposite sex,” he said before returning to his assessment.
Clearly he’d been handsome before being changed. That explained the confidence, and certainly the arrogance.
Turning into a vampire enhanced a person’s appearance, so an eight on a one-to-ten scale would be bumped up to near perfect. Not everyone started out hot, though, like Meat-grinder Face. No one had probably warned him a three would only get bumped up to a five. That was probably the reason for all the roaring. Always being the ugly guy, no matter how strong, had to gall.
“You are deformed,” Darius said, his gaze on my cheek.
“And you’re an asshole. Now that we’ve pointed out each other’s flaws, can we move on?”
His brow furrowed as a figure strolled out from the sid
e of the room. I hadn’t noticed a body in that location a moment before, nor had I seen the flip of a camouflaged sheet. This vampire was sneaky, and that usually meant dangerous things.
He walked toward the trio of thrones. Slowly. Purposefully.
His eyes didn’t sweep my body like Darius’s had. Instead, his intense black gaze stayed rooted to mine, glimmering with intelligence and humor.
My jaw dropped.
Whereas Darius was super handsome with the natural ability to melt panties, this new guy was…
There were no words.
No words.
He was absolutely the most attractive person I had seen in my entire life. Ever. In his human life, he must’ve been a ten, hands down. Now, off the hotness scale. They didn’t make numbers for how gorgeous this former person was.
If I hadn’t been rendered simultaneously on fire and mute, I would’ve sidled toward him and slapped him a high five. Then sketched a selfie (since he wouldn’t show up in a picture).
“Hello, Reagan,” he said in that lovely, musical, and cultivated voice that had instructed me to fight to the death a few minutes ago. “I’ve heard so much about you. Please, will you have a seat?”
Newbies walked forward with a large chair inlaid with gold. It had to weigh a ton, given how the vampires were struggling. They set it down right behind me, bowed, and backed away quickly.
I had no idea who the new vampire was, but there was something regal about him. Something so old world that I felt like I should probably bow, too.
“It seems you’ve found yourself between a rock and a hard place,” he said. And smiled knowingly.
Chapter Six
Adrenaline surged through my body. Those words, teamed with his knowing smile, were not doing kind things to my fight-or-flight reflex.
“You are depleted of funds and my associate has taken your recent mark,” the vampire went on. “We’ve put you in a tight spot, as they say.”
The breath left me in a relieved gush. I quickly regrouped. “Yes, it seems you have.”
“What luck, that we find ourselves in need of a bounty hunter such as yourself. I’ve been told that you not only move quickly and with great skill, but you have a working knowledge of magic. Is this true?”
