The City

by Rachael Byrd

  Caele. She was already desperate for the bite, had, in fact, begged all the vampires. Hawk. The drunkard wouldn't even feel it.

  Arjuna's blood trickled sluggishly between her lips, and she sighed, setting him back down. Doubtless his eyes would be a little paler the next day, but what of it? Caele did not wake when Tyrhennia wrapped her arms around her, but she writhed nonetheless, stretching her body out and throwing her head backward as if in pain. Her lips were open, and she gasped desperately. She'd be a favorite of Angel's.

  Sipping Hawk's blood was like drinking pure vodka. She kept at it for a bit, indulging in the heat that blossomed in her stomach, but she set him aside soon enough, slipping out the door and into the night.

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  23

  Melissa tried the door, remembering the day she and Intrigue had first washed windows. It had been unlocked then and they'd thought it careless. Melissa regretted allowing Phoenyx to drink, and although she was desperate for the bite again, she'd come to her senses.

  She'd heard Angel talking. He had a contact, a Chaotic who was not, and the false Chaotic had found Intrigue. They were together, presumably, and Angel had plans to meet with the dishonest Chaotic that night.

  The door was locked but the window that Intrigue had destroyed had not yet been replaced. Melissa made her way through the shattered window, wincing slightly as she passed the cross. She'd not yet taken much human blood but she already felt forsaken, lost, and alone.

  The shards of glass shimmered under the starlight, and she hurried, nervously breaking into a trot as Angel's palace faded behind her. She was not Chaotic, but she was not dead yet, either, and she felt as though she might be healing. She was more vampira than human at the moment; she felt stronger at night, more capable, but still the nagging headache persisted. She considered the alternative and decided to consider the headache a blessing.

  Melissa rushed down the street, following the telltale signs of Angel: a drop of exquisitely flavored blood here, a corpse there. The houses lining the streets were empty, soulless faces smiling out on a soulless world. She hurried faster, her throat throbbing.

  She saw him up ahead, walking leisurely, and she hopped up onto the curb and slipped behind a line of bushes, carefully avoiding letting her blocky heels strike the sidewalk. He turned the corner and Melissa followed him, carefully staying out of sight.

  She remembered her mother, her entire family. Were they still safe, out of the way? They'd lived on the outskirts of The City; it was likely that the corruption had not yet extended to their neighborhood, but if it hadn't, it would be soon. The thought drove her onward. It was not unlikely that Intrigue and the Chaotics could save her family.

  Angel walked down to where the road tapered off to a dirt path and Melissa followed more carefully than ever, cursing the thick boots that wouldn't let her move more quietly. She stayed a considerable distance behind him; there were no bushes between the end of the forest and the road and her prayer was that Angel would not turn around, would not hear her footsteps.

  Melissa reached the tree cover and warm relief flooded her.

  He stopped in a clearing just as the false Chaotic arrived. The woman that approached Angel was fantastically beautiful; Melissa stared in awe, her breath motionless. The woman's oval eyes were brilliant yellow-green, fringed by long, dark lashes that lay sootily against her creamy cheeks. Her lips were full, crimson arches, painted onto a perfectly drawn face by the angels themselves. Long, white fangs curled over her lower lips, accenting her dark beauty. Melissa shivered involuntarily; this girl was the Aphrodite of the Damned.

  Angel tilted the betrayer's chin back and slipped his fangs into her throat. The vampire moaned thickly and Melissa decided that this would be a prudent time to get moving.

  Making a wide path around their clearing and moving as quietly as she could, she took off in the direction that the black-haired beauty had come from. Melissa ran, panting for breath, her long blonde hair streaming out behind her in ropy tangles, her tongue darting out occasionally to lick nervously at short incisors.

  The building ahead was small and black, a discreet dot that was almost indistinguishable at night among the trees. She skidded to a stop, her heels digging deep into the soft earth. This smelled right; her friend was here.

  Melissa pushed the door open and she was not surprised to see vampires and vampiras sprawled out across the floor, sleeping quietly. She walked to Intrigue's side and tapped her shoulder. She did not know how long the damned beauty would be gone or whether she would return with Angel.

  Intrigue was up in a heartbeat, snarling like a wildcat as she pinned Melissa against the floor. The others were all up a few moments later; the last to rise was an exhausted-looking vamp with dark blue eyes and startlingly pale skin. Intrigue's handhold did not loosen when she recognized Melissa.

  "How did you find us?"

  A tall, pale girl with long dark hair looked over Intrigue's shoulder. Her brown eyes were narrowed.

  "Is she a vampira, ‘Trigue?"

  "She's one of Angel's."

  "Angel!” Melissa coughed, trying to sit up, but Intrigue pushed her back down.

  "How did you find us?"

  "I followed her scent ... Intrigue, please, let me breathe, I'm not dead yet."

  Intrigue relaxed a bit, letting Melissa up but keeping her muscles tense.

  "One of your friends isn't Chaotic. Angel's meeting with her now; I've heard rumors that he's planning to bring his army down on you, to stop you before you become a threat."

  "How did you find us, Melissa?"

  "She came from this way."

  "Who?"

  "The not-Chaotic."

  "Who is that?"

  A boy with dark hair and an acne-scarred face wrapped an arm around the waist of the tall girl. “Don't turn around, Intrigue. Take a guess. Who isn't here?"

  Intrigue rose smoothly to her feet, fangs bared. “Shit! Tyrhennia!"

  "What will we do?"

  Intrigue turned to a boy with light brown hair and frowned. “What choice do we have, Crow? It's a massive army. They'll surround us ... We have to move."

  "Move where?” asked Crow.

  A grey-eyed boy spoke up, running his hand nervously through his white hair. “I have a place. It was my parents’ but they're dead now—natural deaths, both of them."

  "Let's go,” Intrigue said.

  "Now?" demanded a boy with lavender eyes.

  Intrigue nodded. “Yes, Jonathon. Now, if you'd like a chance to live long enough to get back at them. Would you?"

  The boy nodded shortly.

  "Take what you can carry; we're not coming back.” Intrigue slung a pair of gleaming claws over her shoulders and pulled a small box from under the couch. “You've all got two minutes and we're out."

  The others scrambled, gathering clothes and utensils. Melissa caught Intrigue's arm as she turned away.

  "Intrigue?"

  "Yeah?"

  "Forgive me, please."

  "For what?” Intrigue raised an eyebrow.

  "I let them bite me,” Melissa whispered. I let Angel bite me, knowing he wished I was you. I let Phoenyx bite me because I missed Angel.

  "You'll be damned for it; we all will be. You'll have to forgive yourself; I hold nothing against you."

  "I renounce it—all of it,” Melissa gasped. “I never want another pair of fangs against my throat. Where can I go now? Let me come with you."

  Intrigue's glanced from Melissa's eyes to her throat and back, then closed her own eyes and pulled a bottle from her pocket. She twisted the cap off, poured a bit of something oily over her fingertips, and smeared it onto the incisions on the side of Melissa's throat. A shrieking, burning pain rocketed through Melissa's body and she howled, barely able to see the tears in Intrigue's eyes through her own pain.

  "I'm sorry, Melissa,” Intrigue said. “Go back."

  "No!” Melissa collapsed at Intrigue's feet. “Please, no!” Tears welle
d up and she let them fall. “My family might still be alive! Angel will come for me if I go back, I know he will, and there'll be no hope."

  * * * *

  Intrigue felt Gemstone's coldness recede to the back of her mind and she was sorry: a cool detachment was precisely what she needed at the moment. She had never known anything so torturous as looking into those agonized eyes, still horribly human, and telling Melissa that it was too late.

  "There's no hope for you now. I swear on my own grave, I'd do anything to help you if there was some hope. The infection's got you; I can see it spreading along your neck. You can't even take a bit of the oil to hold it off a while longer. We're all damned to the same fate, but you're so much closer. My friend...” She trailed off, unable to continue, and Melissa collapsed onto the ground.

  "Intrigue, you're like my sister,” Melissa whispered. “Take me with you, save me. Please, Intrigue, I promise I won't betray you."

  Intrigue knew it was a promise that the girl would not be able to keep, and although guilt clutched at her heart, her mind was made up. Melissa closed her eyes, clutching at her throat. Her body trembled.

  "Thank you for helping us,” Intrigue said. “You need to go home now, or I guess you could stay here and wait for them."

  "No!"

  "I didn't think so. You'll have something of a chance if you go back to Angel's Den. Just stay with the humans for a while,” she soothed, “don't let the vampires bite you and don't bite the humans. It'll be all right. Drink as much of this as you can.” Intrigue dropped one of the smallest vials of oil onto the floor beside Melissa. “I'm so sorry, Melissa. You've done so much for us. You've saved us and you might have saved your family. I only wish we could return the favor."

  * * * *

  The others had collected themselves. Intrigue pulled one of the boys onto her back and lifted another girl in her arms. Hawk—he was here too?—lifted a cat-eyed girl into his arms and the Chaotics ran out the door, led by the boy with the snowy hair.

  Melissa lay silent, listening to their fading footsteps. She lifted the vial, twisted the cap off, and gingerly smelled the contents. The odor was vaguely like eucalyptus; it burned her nose. Her mind was a mess; she wished that she'd had the temerity to follow Intrigue deeper into the woods toward possible salvation. She'd helped her friend, saved her friend's life, and now all that was left was to accept that her own life was shattered.

  The oil was violently bitter. She tipped some down her throat and hot pains gripped her stomach. Her muscles rolled, threatening to force her to vomit, but she clenched her teeth and waited for the feelings to pass. Over half the vial was left but she couldn't bring herself to down it yet. The pain was too intense; her mind reeled with it. She dabbed some of the remainder onto her throat and another wave of pain rolled over her, nearly sweeping away her consciousness. She saw now that Intrigue was right; the infection was horribly deep. Crying out like a lost child, Melissa opened her mouth and poured the remainder of the oil into her stomach.

  Melissa awoke later with no idea of how long she'd been unconscious. She rose to her feet and stumbled toward the door, hauling cool night air into her lungs.

  She felt a little better; her head no longer throbbed quite so badly and her throat didn't itch. Her mind began to clear and a single tear traced its way down her cheek. She'd have done anything to help Intrigue. She felt abandoned now, standing here in the doorway of a forsaken refuge, smelling the fresh air, and listening to the silence of the forest.

  Never before had she heard such complete silence in a place like this. There were no owls on the wind, no crickets chirping. The emptiness filled her. There was fear here now, and danger. She could smell Angel on the breeze and she knew her time here had ended.

  Melissa slipped out of the door, carefully skirting the path he would be most likely to take, rushing through the night as expertly as she could. She swept past trees, their silent leaves unruffled by her passing. The clearing was empty; Angel and Tyrhennia had long since parted and there were no smells or markings to indicate where they had headed.

  Feeling more nervous and pressed than before, Melissa pushed onward. She could see the edge of the line of trees ahead; she was almost back into The City when the figure stepped out from behind a tall oak.

  Phoenyx was resplendent in a blood-red dress that floated a few millimeters from the dusty earth, skin radiant beneath the moon's pale glow. Her long hair was twisted into an elegant knot on the back of her head, held in place with an ornate golden clip; her lips were red and full, slick and wet. She held herself like a goddess, her shoulders flung back, her back ramrod straight, her chin lifted arrogantly.

  Phoenyx took a step off the path and Melissa could clearly see that the eyes caught in the moonlight were flat and hollow. Melissa's breath caught in her throat.

  Phoenyx descended on her, every movement the regal perfection that Angel had once been stunned by. Melissa managed to open her throat, her lips parting to a scream.

  "Intrigue!"

  The sound resonated through the woods then faded away. Nothing answered it, not the hoot of an owl nor the call of a Chaotic. She was alone, completely alone, and in the last few seconds of her existence, she decided that ‘alone’ was the most terrible word in the human language. She reached for the knife in her pocket but Phoenyx was on her before her fingertips brushed the hilt.

  There was a brief moment of the sweet pain that she had longed for, then nothing. Her head snapped back, her muscles went slack, and her soul slipped under the black water, drowning quietly in the lake of death.

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  24

  "Intrigue!"

  Intrigue skidded to a halt. The others pelted past her and slowed up a few yards ahead, then returned to stand beside her. Crow tightened his grip on her shoulders, resting his head against the back of her neck. She ignored him. She had recognized Melissa's voice. She moved to run back toward her friend, but Adrienne caught her shoulder, pulling her back.

  "She saved us,” Intrigue hissed. “I have to—"

  "She's dead already, Intrigue, and if you go back, everyone else will be dead too. You already made the decision to leave her behind."

  Intrigue hesitated, remembering Melissa's pleading eyes. The blonde had been sobbing, begging Intrigue to save her, and she had left her to suffer the worst of curses: Undeath. There might still be time. There might not be, but what if Melissa was being pursued by a group of transporters? She could have a chance. Melissa couldn't come with them, but surely Intrigue could save her and find her a place to rest?

  "Intrigue?"

  Intrigue turned back to the group, pulse thrilling with adrenaline. “Go."

  "Intrigue, you have to—"

  She shoved Caligula forward. “Go now. I'll follow your scent later."

  Caligula turned and headed back off into the trees, quickly, but not with the incredible speed he'd employed earlier. As the others moved to follow suit, Intrigue shifted Crow off her back and set Talon down. She motioned to Adrienne, who quickly scooped up the humans. The group moved off into the darkness and Intrigue plunged back into the forest.

  Mentally cursing herself for her weak resolve, she stretched her legs, beating every ounce of speed from them and begging herself for more. There was no pain, no exhaustion; she was beyond such now. The moments stretched out, infinitely long, and she knew with each second there was more of a chance that Melissa had died already. There had been no screams since the first.

  Her heels sank into the soft mud as she pulled herself to a stop, leaving a fresh pair of skids in the earth. Phoenyx and Melissa stood together in the clearing and Intrigue's heart sank.

  Two pairs of hateful, red rimmed eyes turned on her. She froze for a moment, her stomach turning over as she looked at the flat silver that had once been white. There had been no time spent as a vampira for Melissa; she was Nosferatu already. The damned women moved apart from each other, stalking in the easy, deliberate circle of a pair of hun
ting cats.

  Melissa was more beautiful than she had ever been. Her slender body was wrapped in a full length blue-black dress, and Intrigue had a moment to wonder where Melissa had found the change of clothing so quickly. Melissa's lips were pink and full, parted slightly to allow her long, yellow-streaked fangs room to protrude. The damned sapphires of her eyes were infinitely deep, but at the same time as flat as paper, and they looked in on nothing.

  Intrigue was taken by a moment of pure regret. Had she taken Melissa with her, the girl would eventually have descended into this but been spared for now, or had Intrigue kept running, she might never have had to see this awful creature. As it was, she would have to kill her.

  She slung the claws off her back, strapping them quickly and efficiently to her wrists. The stake stayed in her shirt. Intrigue's eyes narrowed, tracking the slow, rhythmic movements of the hunting pair, and she took a moment to feel grateful that there were only two of them. She felt Gemstone's cool calculation flood her mind, and with it, a sense of easy detachment and confidence.

  They sprang for her and she lunged upward and sank her claws deep into the branch of a tree directly above her. Intrigue flung herself up and over the branch and let go, plunging back down to rake her claws through Phoenyx's back. Her claws had ripped bits of the branch out with them, and now they forced dozens of tiny splinters into Phoenyx's back. The Queen howled and stumbled away.

  Melissa turned and Intrigue feinted to her right and jumped nimbly backward as the Nosferatu made to follow her. Phoenyx was already back on her feet and coming forward; Intrigue swung her right claw hard and sank it easily into the soft muscle on the side of the Queen's throat. Melissa was coming back but Intrigue couldn't give Phoenyx a chance to regain her feet.