“Chrono laughed and joked that if they only had his blood in them, they would be immortal. The men mistook his humor. They grew enraged and attacked Chrono. He was eventually slain, and the nine remaining men bathed in his blood. They opened wounds on their bodies to mix the dragon blood with their own. The blood changed them, twisted their minds and bodies. They became, for lack of a better word, evil.
“They are now simply called the Nine Immortals. They remain hidden most of the time. However, they surface for a decade once every one hundred years. They will leave a trail of death and destruction unlike anything man has known, until they return to hiding. They are an ancient evil that cannot be stopped.”
“So these guys are so bad that man never bothered to put them in the history books?”
“Correct. Apparently they place a sort of hypnotic suggestion in someone who finds the scene. That person goes crazy and sets fire to the area, destroying all evidence of the crime.”
“What can you tell me about the way they kill, or their weaknesses?”
“They are immortal. Man, dragon, vampire, shifter, and many others have tried to destroy them over the centuries to no avail. All that is known about the way they kill, other than the obvious, is that if they ever become cornered they turn into ravenous beasts, and that no one has ever faced them and lived. The most notable occurrence was that of the destruction of Atlantis.”
“These guys destroyed Atlantis?” I asked in disbelief.
“Yes. The entire city-state fell in only three days by their hands. It was completely destroyed. What remains that could be salvaged have been hoarded by the local merfolk.”
“They were alive. . . .” Ren whispered from between her gloved hands that were covering her eyes as if to block out the visions.
“What?”
“I touched the blood. They were alive before they died.”
“NO SHIT!” I said, heavy with sarcasm.
She bolted up and ran up to me. “Kieran, listen. Those people were alive, and aware as they were being taken apart. They could see, hear, and feel everything. But, for some reason they couldn’t talk, or cry out for help, or even move. They were frozen, helpless as they were systematically dissected.”
“Most interesting. I will look into this further, and let you know when I find something.” Arkon licked a fang as he stared at the sack Cassie held.
“Can I feed the dragon now?” Cassie asked with a smile.
Never thought I would ever hear that.
I nodded, and Cassie started ripping off the wrappers and tossing the chocolate to Arkon with glee.
* * *
“Welcome home. Miss Vicki was called in to work, so it’s just us. What would you like for dinner? How ‘bout . . . a shower?!?” Mary stopped in her tracks as soon as she stepped out of the kitchen and saw me standing in the living room caked in blood from head to toe. “I thought you were just visiting schools?”
Cassie beamed, “We did. Tanaka found me this great school. It’s made like Japan!”
“Tell her all about it Cassie, I’m going take that shower now,” I said and left them both in the living room.
It seemed to take forever to wash the blood off. When I had scrubbed myself raw I finally stepped out of the shower. I pulled on a pair of panties and a cami, and then reached for a pair of shorts.
“BUUURRRNNN!!!” the voice growled.
Not again! Not here!
I dropped the shorts, grabbed my guns, and darted out of the bathroom.
“Sorry! We had the volume up too high,” Mary apologized as soon as I burst through the bedroom door. “I just wanted to see what it is you really deal with out there. You guys telling me isn’t the same as seeing it myself. Cassie was helpful and hooked up the glasses recording to the TV. I had no idea things were that messy out there.”
I lowered my guns and collapsed next to them on the couch. I reached for the remote to turn the TV off, and froze.
“Did you see that?”
“What?” they both asked.
“The creepy old guy. Back up the tape a little. There! Tell me you see him now, don’t you? You see him right?” I had jumped up and was tapping on the TV where the old guy was lunging for me when the cops were dragging me by the rope across the bloody kitchen.
“Yes I see him, why?”
“Big Sister! He was real?!?!”
“How long does the tape play? Does it show anything after I was pulled out? It is still transmitting?”
“Wait . . . there, that is what they see right now,” Cassie said pointing at the TV with the remote after adjusting something on her own pair.
The picture on the TV was upside down on the floor looking at the bloody kitchen. We watched in silence a few seconds. Then the face appeared. The old guy was down on the floor staring into the glasses. Cassie started to breath hard, Mary screamed, I froze. The old guy twisted his head as he looked at the glasses. Then in an unnatural move like someone had yanked attached strings from above, he was suddenly standing. He walked over to the table, picked up a scalpel, and went into the second bedroom.
“FUCK! He’s still there! Cassie we’re going!” I bolted for the door.
“Wait, you can’t go out like that!” Mary hollered behind me.
I skidded to a stop in my underwear at the front door. “You’re right, I need more guns!”
I ran into the bedroom and pulled on my shoulder rig. Mary appeared in the doorway.
“I meant clothes, you need clothes to go out. It’s freezing out there, and you’re a little exposed in just your undies.”
“Right, get me something,” I ordered as I put my glasses on and summoned Julie. “Call Ren!”
After a few seconds of darkness Julie appeared again. “Detective Michaels is not answering.”
“Keep trying, and get me Tanaka in the meantime.”
Julie nodded and faded out. I pulled on the jeans Mary handed me and was putting on my boots when he finally appeared. I never gave him a chance to talk.
“The fucker’s in the apartment! Check the feed from the glasses I lost there for the last fifteen minutes. He’s there! Cassie and I are on our way there now. I can’t get hold of Ren. Meet us there. That’s an order!” I added to make it known how serious I was.
I closed the channel before he could speak. Mary handed me a coat as I ran out of the room.
How could I have missed him earlier? Was there still a victim in the other room? Could they still be alive?
Chapter 10
Cassie and I pulled up to the snow kissed apartment building only to see Tanaka helping Ren out of his car like you would your prom date.
“Why are they together? And why in the world is her shirt buttoned crooked and untucked? It wasn’t like that earlier. You don’t think. . . .” My mind raced away from me with possibilities.
“Big Sister? Is something wrong?”
“No let’s go.”
We hurried to the doors and started up the stairs. Tanaka and Ren were right behind us. Jealousy was rising up within me with each step. I had no real proof, but I just know they were sleeping together when I’d called.
How dare he! And after he was with me only yesterday! The fucking prick just used me!
“Kieran wait up! That hallucination gas is probably still inside the apartment. We need to wait for equipment.” Tanaka called after me.
“Stay here and have sex with your girlfriend if you want! We don’t need you!” I yelled at Tanaka with jealous rage.
“You know–” I saw Ren drop to her knees in my rearview with her gloved hands covering the shock on her face.
That proves it! They were having sex! How could they do that to me? ME?!? My best friend!?! That BITCH!
There were three officers guarding the apartment in the hall. None of them tried to stop me when I drew my guns and rushed past them into the apartment. Cassie and Tanaka were right behind me.
The apartment still smelled. I forced myself to breathe shallow, and concentrated
on putting up shields to filter the air. At least it wasn’t as hot since I had closed the oven on my last visit. My shields flickered on and off as I turned the corner to the kitchen. I stopped and picked up the glasses out of the pool of blood that I had lost earlier. Muffled noises came from the still closed bedroom door on the other side of the kitchen I hadn’t gotten to before.
Tanaka moved around on the outside of the table away from the drying pool of blood. I walked right through it. Cassie stayed right behind me. I was just out of arms reach of the door when the noise came. Wordless screams, a cross between a shriek and a howl that shook the entire room. The sound grew so loud that Cassie dropped to her knees covering her ears, and I was holding my arms over mine. It felt like the noise was piercing through my ears into my skull.
Without warning the bedroom door bulged out and exploded into the kitchen, straight at us in a rain of wood. Shards of shattered door sliced into us wherever skin was exposed. A large chunk of wood imbedded itself into my shoulder just under the collarbone. With the door gone the noise was even louder. I struggled to stay on my feet, when I saw him coming.
The noise came from the old guy’s open mouth as he rushed us. I dropped my gun from covering my ear and fired. The left side of the man exploded in a mist of red, but it didn’t stop him. His right arm flung back, then launched straight at my head fast enough I could barely react. I focused, trying to force my shields to stop the blow. His hand collided with my shields and pushed through like they didn’t exist. The fist slammed into the side of my head shattering my glasses into pieces. Knuckles tore into my flesh and bone. I heard and felt the CRACK as my skull disintegrated around my cheek and eye. It felt like my eye exploded when I started to fly back from the blow.
The hit threw me on top of Cassie. She grunted as I landed on her. The world swam as I heard Tanaka scream, followed by the sound of breaking wood and more screams. Everything was spinning, and I was blacking out. On top of that, I couldn’t see out of my left eye. I forced myself to get off Cassie. The movement left me swaying, then the nausea hit. Instantly I was sick all over the floor and myself. Cassie shrieked. I tried to look at her. I knew she was sitting still on the ground, but it looked like she was flying around the room to me. That didn’t set well with my stomach.
“BIG SISTER!!!” Cassie screamed in horror.
Is she okay? Did she get hurt?
I tried to talk. Pain shot through my jaw and throat. The only sound I could make was a wet gurgling noise. Then I noticed the coppery blood taste in my mouth. I moved my tongue around and felt sharp chunks of bloody bone sticking out through the roof of my mouth and teeth either missing or jutting out at odd angles.
That bastard really fucked me up.
I nodded and tried to smile. Both movements made me get sick again. I was on my hands and knees staring at the growing puddle from my stomach below me as I pointed at Tanaka and waved her to him. I don’t know If she caught my hint or not, but she moved to him anyway. I heard them talking to each other, but I couldn’t make out a word of it. I slipped away into silent darkness.
Suddenly I felt myself being lifted. The world swam impossibly fast when I tried to look around. Ren was dragging me in a Fireman’s carry. A second later I was out again.
My feet slamming into the steps woke me again. I was being drug down the stairs now. I forced myself to focus. I saw Cassie, she was carrying Tanaka draped over her shoulders like a human shaped blanket. All those heavy cybernetics of his, and the little girl was carrying him like he weighed nothing. Then I noticed Tanaka’s neck, or what was left of it. Almost all of his neck was missing. He was covered in white and blood red fluids.
Is he even alive?
Ren spun me around to head down the next flight. My stomach emptied again, blood and bile all over her shoulder, then I passed out for the last time.
* * *
“I don’t want to leave with her like this,” Mary’s voice woke me.
I lifted my hand to my head. It was wrapped in thick bandages. The entire left side of my head, including my eye and jaw, was buried under the heavy wrapping. My head throbbed and the world spun when I tried to open my eyes. Slamming them shut, I stuck out my arm to lean myself over. I felt a bucket being shoved under my chin as I started getting sick again. When my stomach stopped lurching, I laid back again. Something cold pressed against my neck. WHOOSH! I felt the osmotic injector force something into my system.
“That will help with the nausea. Here, part your lips, I’ll give you some hydro. Don’t try to move your jaw around yet.” It was Vicki’s sweet voice.
I opened my lips painfully. The drop of hydro hit my front teeth, slushing through to my tongue, and I felt better instantly. I tried three times to talk before any sound came out of my clenched teeth.
“W-w-where?”
“Ssshhhh, you’re home, you’re safe at home with us. Everything will be okay, just rest.”
“Mary?”
“She was about to leave on her date. Do you want to talk to her?”
I nodded slowly. The bed shifted around me gently, and I heard movement in the room. It was then I realized I could only hear out of my right ear.
Just how bad had I been hurt?
“It’s me, Mary, I’m here,” she said as I felt her lean across the bed over me.
“Date?” I asked through the right side of my mouth and closed jaw.
“Yea, it’s Saturday night. My date is downstairs waiting for me, but I don’t want to leave you like this.”
I waved my hand absently at her. “Go. H-h-have fun. I alright.”
“Are you sure? I can always go out later.” She had tears in her voice.
“Go. Enjoy. Bring back your room, have sex.”
“What?!?”
“You want sex, use your room. Is your room, use it. No lectures, but be safe. Safe here, controlled environment, better then backseat.”
“You would let me bring my boyfriend home, and let us have sex in my room? Why?”
“Going to do it anyway. Safer, comfortable here, your room. Just warn when he over. Don’t want have boyfriend catch me walking around naked, would be . . . embarrassing. And mark your door, so don’t disturb.”
I felt her lean down and lightly kiss my unwrapped cheek. “Thank you Old Mother Grey. Please get well soon.”
She got off the bed and left. I struggled to hear anything. It was deadly silent in my room. I lifted my head and tried to force my eyes open to look around. All I saw was spinning and swirling colors. I groaned and collapsed back on the bed. Suddenly a cool wet cloth pressed against my neck.
“Please get better Big Sister . . . I, I can’t live without you.”
Cassie was sobbing.
Dammit, I made her cry.
* * *
I woke up thirsty. Slowly I opened my eyes, well my right eye. My left was taped shut and wrapped still. For the first time since I got hit the room wasn’t spinning. I lifted my head, then sat up in stages until I was sitting on the edge of the bed. Cassie was in a chair next to the bed, using it as a pillow. She was sleeping soundly under her blanket. I glanced over my shoulder. Vicki was crashed out just like Cassie on the other side of the bed.
They looked too peaceful to disturb. I pushed myself up and stood at the foot of the bed. The world wavered underneath me. I stood there for several minutes. When I felt stable I took a step. Again I had to wait for the world to settle down. It must have taken me at least thirty minutes to reach the bedroom door only five feet from the bed.
A new definition of slow going.
I stepped through the door into the living room. It was dark like the rest of the apartment. I could see light and hear soft voices coming from the kitchen. Moving slower than a turtle on Valium, I made my way across the room. I kept staring at my feet to help keep the world from spinning.
Perhaps I shouldn’t be outta bed yet?
“KIERAN!?! What are you doing?!” Emmy shrieked across the room.
I lifted my he
ad to look at her. The move was too fast. Everything spun as my knees gave out from under me. I felt Emmy catch me as I crashed to the floor. She eased me to the carpet.
“Sit down here. Damn, you are the most stubborn person I know. You shouldn’t be out of bed yet, much less walking. Your wounds haven’t healed enough.”
I sat there on the floor with my head in my hands as I waited for the roller coaster to stop. A cold glass was pressed against my neck.
“Here drink.”
I took the glass and drank the ice water. It was so cold it hurt my mouth, especially the teeth on my left side, but it felt good on my throat. Cold metal pressed against my neck. WHOOSH!
Another dose? What are they giving me?
“That will help you for a few hours, but then you’ll have to rest again. You gave us all quite a scare. Our medics were able to fix you up, but you still need time to heal. You will need to be in a wheelchair for a while until you get adjusted. Otherwise you will become dizzy and disoriented, resulting in nausea and passing out whenever you try to walk. I will be honest with you. Y-y-you, you lost your left eye in the attack. It was damaged beyond repair, s-so we. . . .”
“You what?” I asked, surprised that my jaw worked and I could talk normally. I ran my tongue around and shocked myself to find everything back in place.
“Don’t be mad. It was to help you. You’d be blind otherwise.”
“What did you do?” I questioned with my head still in my hands against the cool glass.
“We implanted the eye from the Vixen cyborg in you. The reason you aren’t any more sick than you are is that the nanites are adjusting your brain with cybernetics so that you can use the eye. While you were out we had your face reconstructed, and partially synthesized your brain with cybernetic implants. When the nanites finish, you will be able to use all the functions of the prosthetic eye. I wanted to get your permission first, but you couldn’t answer and we were out of time. I’m sorry.”
“I’m a cyborg now?!” I asked twisting to look at her.
Immortal Death (Kieran Grey Psionic Hunter Book 3) Page 9
