by Justin Sloan
Footsteps sounded behind her, and she turned to see Cammie there, glad to take her eyes off of the sight.
“Why don’t they fight back, or just get up and leave?” she asked.
Cammie shook her head, at a loss.
Valerie approached one and wanted to simply yank the tubes out, but she realized that would likely send blood flying everywhere. She searched the machine and found a button that, when she pressed it, stopped the pumping of blood.
More gunshots sounded outside, signaling the fighting was still ongoing and that she should probably hurry.
But, this was just too much to process.
She pulled the tubes, and then the collar, carefully—when she did this, she saw one of the reasons the vampires didn’t resist. The collar was set up with a silver blade, so if they struggled, it would remove their head from their bodies. She was surprised some didn’t do that on purpose, but then not surprised.
Vampires are fighters.
“You will all recover from this,” she whispered in the vampire’s ear as she undid the collar. She turned to Cammie and told her to stop the rest of the machines and release the vampires.
“It’s too late for them,” Cammie told her, looking out over the room.
“They just need to be fed,” Valerie said, her eyes in thought. Then she was off, returning a moment later with one of the half-alive enforcers. “I’d hoped to not have to kill you all,” she whispered to herself, then bit into his wrist and held the blood coated arm against one of the vampire’s mouths.
At first the blood just dribbled down his chin and Valerie wondered if Cammie was right, but then his tongue was working, and soon his eyes took on a hunger and he was clinging to the wrist.
“Good, good,” Valerie said, caressing the vampire’s hair like a mother would her child. “You will all be coming with us, so eat, recover, and then be ready to fight.”
She’d need help to clear the rest of these, and she’d come here for Diego after all, so she told Cammie to continue feeding them from the defeated Enforcers. Now that she was over the initial shock, she saw another door. When she opened it, the horrors of the previous room were almost replaced by the joy she felt at finally having found Diego.
His eyes held his previous smirk, but his body was damaged, “Damn, took you long enough,” he croaked, a smile trying to make itself known on his face. “I was about to have to order in.”
“Order what?” she asked, shaking her head with the weirdness that was Diego.
“Sorry, a phrase I read in a book once,” he answered. “So are we doing this, for real? I mean, you’re not just a part of my imagination or something, right?” He squinted at the vampire, trying to make sure she wasn’t a hallucination.
She considered the bars.
“Screw it!” She kicked out with everything she had. The lock didn’t break, but her foot was on fire! She could feel a couple of bones trying to piece back together.
Note to self, kicking steel bars… bad idea.
However, one of the bars bent in enough for him to fit through.
He gave her a big hug, and then glanced around, a little worry in his eyes. “Where’s Sandra?”
Valerie smiled and led him to a window, where she pointed out Sandra’s hiding spot. A flash came, showing them that Sandra was still there and had spotted them.
“Don’t worry, she missed you too.”
“I never said,” Diego tried to argue.
“Just smile and nod,” Valerie said. “Right now we have a vampire army to nurse back to health, a fight outside to get us all to safety, and then there’s some jackass in charge of the law enforcement of this city who we need to take out. I know I can trust you for your support,” she said, walking toward the door to leave, “considering I just saved your ass."
"Is that what this was?" He glanced around like it wasn't a big deal, stepping quickly after her. "I coulda gotten out whenever I wanted."
"Right. I would laugh, but considering what I just saw out there, I'm not exactly in the mood. So either you're coming or I can lock you back up." She stopped at the door, turning to look at him, one eyebrow raised.
"I'm coming, I'm coming." He looked around the room, then eyed her electric rod. The shooting outside hadn't died down, and she could tell it was making him anxious. "Any chance you have a weapon for me?"
She lifted her rod, "This one's mine, but there're plenty more out here,” she nodded out the door, “come on."
They returned to find Cammie and her team of Weres, feeding the vampires from the dead or dying Enforcers.
"Gross," Diego said, and then noticed Cammie. He stepped toward her, claws growing from his fingertips as he did. "YOU!"
Cammie took a step back, eyes measuring, but Valerie stepped in.
"Your fight's not with her!” She commanded, a hand on Diego’s chest.
"Tell that to my busted face!" he told her, his finger pointing to his head, eyes still narrowed in Cammie's direction.
"Your face healed," Cammie said. "It's your ego you're whining about,”
Diego gave Valerie a 'see?' look, but Valerie just held up her hand for everyone to stop.
She looked between the two, "We have these vampires to get to safety, so the last thing I'm going to do right now is play mommy to you two. Diego, I'm super happy to see you, but don't be a dick. Cammie was only acting in what she thought was the best interest of her clan at the time, it wasn't personal. Cammie, considering that you did kick his ass a bit, I think an apology is in order."
Cammie scrunched up her face and folded her arms.
"Okay, let me try this again," Valerie said. "I know you have your pack here, and don't want to look weak in front of them. So let's try this…." She turned to the other Weres in the room and said, "We plan on taking down the headquarters of the Enforcers and police after this, and by 'we' I mean you all are going to help me. So the last thing we need is infighting and bad blood amongst us. I'm going to ask your boss-lady here to apologize to my friend, and her doing so will be a favor to me. It’s not a sign of weakness in any way. Got that?"
They all mumbled that they did.
Cammie just stared at her in shock.
"And if you feel like it is a problem?" Valerie asked, stepping close and lowering her voice, "I'm going to have a problem with you. Are we clear?"
No one said a word.
"That was embarrassing, first of all," Cammie stepped towards Diego. "Second, fine. Diego, is it? I apologize for before. I'll ask questions first next time."
"How 'bout we just avoid any next time?" he replied, putting out a hand to show they were good.
She took it and laughed. "Deal."
A new round of shots went off outside, and a light flashed across the window.
"Great, now we're all besties forever," Valerie mumbled. She was feeling much better now that most of the vampires weren't looking as sickly. One of them was even able to move its head from side to side. "How's the situation outside?"
Cammie went to the window and shook her head. "My pack fell back when more cops arrived. Now they're out there having a shootout between themselves, the good versus the bad. Though I'm not really sure they know they're shooting at their own boys."
"Can we make a push for it?" Valerie asked. "You and a small team of your pack push through, going out the back way, and we'll follow?"
Cammie nodded, then selected a group of Weres, including Godzilla and Mech. They checked on a couple more vampires, then geared up and headed for the door.
"Good luck," Valerie said. "We'll follow in ten."
"Don't worry, your little vamps won't have any trouble getting out of here once we're done with these crooked cops,” she promised, winking.
And with that, they hustled out, leaving Valerie and Diego to help get the last of the vampires on their feet.
"Okay, ladies and gents," she said to the vampires, glad that most seemed capable of listening now. "Some of you might have been using humans before this, others
out on their own. Maybe you were just trying to live your life, or maybe you were evil-ass bastards, feeding on everything that came your way. But here's the deal--you're now part of my army. All past deeds forgotten, since you agreed to help me on promise of an ass-kicking if you do anything I don’t like.”
She looked around to see if the little joke went over well.
Nope. Oh well, can’t win them all.
She continued, "After we deal with these corrupt cops, we will find the bastards who did this to you, and stop the hunting and bleeding of vampires once and for all. But somewhere along the line, my brother means to come here from across the Atlantic and make this his domain. He'll kill everything that stands in his way, but not if the UnknownWorlders here are able to kill him, first."
She paced up and down, listening to the renewed gunfire outside.
"This will be the first time that Weres and vampires have joined forces that I know of, though some say it was the case before the collapse of civilization. I don't know, nor do I care. Because while my Were friend who's out there fighting to clear a path for you might be obsessed with the past, I'm obsessed with the future. A future without a need for all this…" She gestured at the bleeding tables around them, then held up a silver bladed collar. "And without a need for these,” she dropped the collar and held up her rod she was holding in her other hand, “or these.”
"So, while some of you might not find walking so easy right now, you've all been fed fresh blood, and will be back to normal soon. For now, find a Were and accept their help, so that you might live to be able to help them, and all of us, in the morning."
She tossed the rod to Diego with a wink, and then drew her sword.
"Stay here if you want to. Wait for them to come back and finish you off, if you've given up. But if you have any fight left in you, then get your asses off those slabs of death and let’s go!"
Some moved at the speed of a normal human, some moved slower. However, every one of them followed her out through the doors and into the fight below.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Cammie was at the back door, checking for any sign that they’d been spotted. Nothing yet. She motioned her small team forward, and they made their way around to the side of the building.
How she’d gotten wrapped up in this, she had no idea. Yes, she’d been helping Weres escape the Bloodhounds—the word she used for the Weres that joined the hunters—but her main plan was still always to lie low and stay out of the way—not start a damned war.
Still, if there was one person she’d follow, it was Valerie. The way the others looked at her told Cammie they felt the same.
Hell, if they didn’t, then Valerie would simply slap them into shape. Either way it looked like a war was inevitable.
Cammie just hoped Valerie would be enough to take on the Enforcers and whoever was behind them.
BAM! A piece of the wall next to her exploded and she dove, her crew instantly moving to the offensive. Deafening shots went off in all directions, then the attacker was out of the fight.
Permanently.
Unfortunately, the others had likely heard the shot.
“Move!” she hissed, and then provided cover fire while the team ran to flank the enemy.
Her eyes piercing the gloom, she shot down one enforcer that had stood with two pistols at the ready. Next, she took out another who was seeking cover behind a section of the guard post, but had peeked out at exactly the wrong moment.
His head exploded like a watermelon.
Motion caught her attention. Damn! A pod was moving in and she prepared to fire on it, when she heard shots and turned to see an Enforcer shooting at the pod himself.
What the hell? That didn’t make any sense—they were on the same side, right?
She craned her neck to see more police arriving, and the Enforcers who’d been in the building were firing on the new police arriving. A couple Enforcers had arrived with the cops, and now those had turned on the cops, too!
This was becoming a fustercluck. She looked around, making sure in her confusion she wasn’t allowing anyone to sneak up on her.
If she had to guess, she’d say the Enforcers had received an order to kill everyone here, and make sure nobody outside of their circle was left to talk. Which meant, if she was right, that these police weren’t on the take, or at least most of them.
The police had less power in the city, and they weren’t armed as well. Still, an enemy of your enemy is your friend.
Right?
She hoped so, as she darted over to her crew. In the coming fight for this city, she’d need all the help she could get.
She had to dodge a few shots aimed in her direction. As she ran past her crew, she shouted, “Take out the Enforcers, but don’t harm the police.” She slid behind a small wall and did a quick look over the top. She assessed all of the police and Enforcers, then the action between the two groups.
Her eyes flashed yellow and she turned to her people. “Their infighting will provide a distraction… I think it’s time.”
Her Weres smiled, then quickly undressed and transformed into her pack of wolves, and she did the same. Why waste bullets when they could have fun the old-fashioned way?
***
Sandra followed another Enforcer, his slow moving body unaware she had him in her scope. She exhaled gently, then gently stroked the trigger.
CRACK! The shot rang out, and the man fell, half of his lower jaw gone.
It was only the third Enforcer she’d managed to hit, but already her chest and shoulders were shaking with the adrenalin. People dying wasn’t new to her, but it’d always been at the hands of vampires, or Valerie while saving her life. Not like this.
Still, part of her shaking was more adrenaline and excitement than anything else, she had to admit. This wasn’t the role of some servant girl, some slave to a master vampire—this was her doing her part in a struggle of the UnknownWorld versus evil, as she saw it.
She breathed deep, letting her eyes rest, then looked back through the scope.
A team of wolves had just charged out from behind the trees and were moving in the shadows toward a group of Enforcers that had just slaughtered one of their own. Wait, no, not one of their own, but a policeman.
That made her wonder—she’d assumed the Enforcers and police were together.
One of the Enforcers noticed a movement and turned, raising his pistol as he was about to shout a warning for the others, but—
CRACK!
That made four down at her hand. She watched him fall as the wolves swarmed over the group like a wave of furry death.
She was shaking badly now, so she pulled back and hunkered down. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. If she tried to shoot like this, she had just as much chance of hitting someone on their team as the bad guys.
A new group of shots went off, followed by shouting—Valerie!
Sandra rolled back over and sighted in, then scanned back toward the building. There she was, leading the charge with two other Weres, taking on a group of Enforcers that must have come in as reserves. But, behind her—damn, what a sight! There must have been thirty or so vampires, all looking a bit haggard. All thought of them appearing tired vanished when they moved in and were feeding! The Enforcers screamed, and one tried to run.
