Twelve Shades of Midnight:

by Liliana Hart

  Her eyes fluttered closed. Blood seeped from various puncture marks on her body, the ones on her neck more than most, and she smiled. I’d given her peace, one simple moment of happiness. She wasn’t long for this world, but if I could save her daughters, this woman’s fight would not be in vain.

  I took off down the street. Normally I wouldn’t leave a victim before the final breath—no one deserved to die alone—but to save her daughters, I had no choice. Without a second glance, I raced into the shadows until darkness swallowed me whole.

  The night didn’t scare me with its dark secrets and the promise of death. I was immune to most of it, cursed to live a long life, sent to this foreign land for a purpose. And my purpose was clear. I hunted those who would harm the innocent.

  And I gave no mercy, for none had been given me.

  I saw the vampires before they saw me, and they were trying to convince two blond, blue-eyed little girls—the eldest no older than ten years—to follow them.

  “…and you can have ice cream every day,” wheedled a female vampire as her overly red lips tipped into a toothy smile.

  “That’s not healthy,” the older girl said.

  I liked her. She showed no fear, which worried me. I studied my options. Their fangs could tear out the girls’ throats in seconds. I needed a better angle to carry out a surprise attack. I rounded a small cluster of trees. If they would just give me a clear line of fire…

  I could almost see the youngest one drool at the prospect of food, and she glanced at her older sister. “But Sage, you love ice cream.” At her sister’s glare, she dropped her gaze and muttered, “So do I.”

  “Your mother is waiting for you.” The lie slipped off the tall, brooding male’s tongue easily.

  Doubt flashed in eyes the exact same shade of her mother’s eyes. “You’re lying. I know you are.”

  My chest loosened seeing the girl wasn’t easily persuaded. It made that part of my job easier, and I slipped closer.

  Three vampires slanted knowing glances between each other. The one who looked like he belonged at a BMX event sneered at what the woman mouthed and in a split second, he grabbed the youngest girl. She screamed and started to kick, but he ignored her. “You’re coming now.”

  Time was up. I sped forward, a smear of color and light reflecting off my armor, and quickly detached his head from his body. The brooding vampire burst into a dirty gray cloud, startling everyone. I darted away, unseen.

  The other guy pulled out a knife. I slipped behind him and plunged my silver blade into his heart before he could take a full breath, then disappeared under the cover of his ash.

  The female vampire backed up. “What’s going on?” She stared at the girls. “How did you do that? Are you witches? Is that why she wants you so badly?”

  This time I paused when I came forward and let the girls get an eye full of my armor and avenging visage. Their little mouths fell open, as did the vampire’s, and I ended the demon in mid gasp.

  I faced the girls. “Go. Hide.” The sky had begun to lighten. I couldn’t let anyone else see me. I had to leave.

  The littlest girl stepped closer, causing me to back away. She cocked her head. “We aren’t witches, I promise. Witches are ugly and have warts. Everyone knows that. I’m pretty.” She held out her arms. “And see? No warts.”

  Sage’s whole body shook and she shoved her little sister behind her. “Shut up, Baby. Just shut up.” She yanked her eyes back toward me. “Go away.”

  I backed up. “I mean you no harm, but you need to hide.”

  Sage agreed and took her sister’s hand in hers. “Come on. We’ll go to where Mommy told us to meet her if we ever got separated.”

  “The water scares me,” Baby whined. “Can’t we go find Mommy?”

  “No. We do what Mommy wanted.” She glanced over at me.

  I nodded. They would find out soon enough their mother wouldn’t show up. It had been made clear to me never to interact with humans. How could I in good conscious leave them alone and vulnerable? I’d check on them tomorrow evening. Until then, I prayed their secret hiding place would keep them safe.

  I twirled around and raced off, but not before I heard Baby say, “He wasn’t going to give me ice cream, was he?”

  Sage yanked Baby forward. “Ya think? Come on.”

  Chapter Two

  Ryan

  Immortal my ass. I brushed off the ash of my latest kill, and nudged the girl who was freaking out into the alley behind us. Vampires died just like everyone else and in a way that made body disposal a non-issue.

  I prodded their intended victim deeper into the dimly lit alley, watching the vampire numbers grow like cockroaches when the lights go out at a cheap hotel. For the past three years, I’d lived in the dark. I drew comfort from it. It hid my intent, and when I was done turning demon into dead, it hid me.

  I pushed the pretty, yet highly inebriated little female “snack” between two huge dumpsters.

  She squeezed herself into a tiny ball, her eyes wide, and whispered raggedly, “This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening.”

  Once upon a time, I’d felt the same. No doubt she hoped none of the vamps would pay her any attention. Surprisingly, they didn’t. Their eyes locked onto me like heat-seeking missiles as I moved to the opposite side of the alley.

  It suddenly became clear. They’d used the woman to set a trap. My brother and I had become a nuisance they could no longer afford to ignore, and I’d been dumb enough to think there was only one of them on the hunt for dinner when there’d been nearly a dozen waiting to feast on me.

  “Guys, I’m flattered by the attention, but isn’t this a bit of an overkill?”

  The guy closest to me, wearing a seriously cool leather bomber jacket grinned, flashing his fangs. “Who said anything about killing you? We’ve come to play.”

  I continued to back up, drawing the group deeper into the alley. They passed the girl without looking her way, and she wasted no time in exiting the premises as fast as she could in her spiky heels and barely there dress. When she woke up tomorrow, if she were smart, she’d put this down to an alcohol induced nightmare.

  I spread my arms wide, yet I fidgeted with the wooden stake in my hand, twirling it between my fingers nervously. “You got the wrong brother. I’m more of a one-on-one guy.”

  The main group had stopped as the two of us continued our little dance of prey and predator. The vamp tsked his tongue. “So there’re two of you? That explains a lot.”

  Damn. I should’ve kept my mouth shut. “Just call us the Brothers Grimm.”

  “Catchy.” He shrugged out of his jacket and placed it neatly on the ground out of the way.

  I greedily eyed the jacket. “American made?”

  “British. Peter Botwright. My own design.”

  “Nice.” And I meant it. Good handcrafted leather was hard to come by these days.

  He nodded at the compliment. I loved vamps with fine taste in clothing. They always protected their goods by divesting of them before a fight, which meant it wouldn’t turn to ash when the vamp did…and I’d look damn good in that jacket.

  He rolled up his shirt sleeves, his fangs gleaming as he talked. “We just saw you fight one of our best without breaking a sweat. Don’t sell yourself short. You have skills.”

  I slipped my gaze to the expensively dressed vampire. “Again. Flattery. Are you thinking of turning me?”

  “You’d be an asset, but no. This is all about having fun.”

  It was my turn to waggle the finger of shame at him. “Didn’t your mommy teach you not to play with your food?”

  A good fighter is like a good magician. Distract your audience and then strike. While my overconfident opponent’s gaze focused on my hand, I slowly switched the pointer finger for a more disagreeable one. His carefree look morphed into a frown, and at that moment, I threw the stake, striking him in the heart. Lunging forward, I pressed the weapon home, much to his surprise. A second later, he vanished in
a cloud of ash, and I easily caught the stake before it hit the ground.

  His friends stood frozen, shocked at his quick demise, affording me the time to pull out the sword I kept strapped to my back under my jacket. “Yeah. I’m upset for you guys. It appears immortality doesn’t live up to its hype.”

  Poking a crowd of creatures of the dark isn’t wise, but wisdom isn’t one of my strengths. I met the snarling herd head on…out numbered. Not in a Sylvester-Stallone-movie way, but in the very real I’m-totally-going-to-die-tonight-and-I’m-taking-down-as-many-of-them-as-I-can way.

  I’d like to think I’m special, that I can kick ass better than the average hardcore fighter, but it was sadly shocking how quickly they disarmed me and had me up against the alley’s brick wall. In my defense, I was heavily outnumbered, but I did manage to kill two of them, which only whipped the rest into a frenzy.

  One of the vamps had his hand on my throat and wasn’t shy about slowly, methodically crushing my windpipe. His breath stank of liver and onions. It’s a misconception that vamps don’t eat regular food. They just can’t eat a lot of it or else they get serious indigestion. Smelling his unfortunate meal choice had me turning away for fresher air.

  That’s when I saw her.

  I hadn’t noticed anyone hiding in the shadows, not until she shifted and slowly stood. As the vamp’s hand tightened, successfully cutting off my last hope of oxygen, no one would blame me for thinking she wasn’t real. My vision was narrowing and she filled it. Only her. An angel if ever I’d seen one. She stepped forward, her Persian white hair flowing down her back, her porcelain skin so clear it looked freshly fired from a kiln and her piercing blue eyes the changing blue color of the Caribbean Sea.

  The scraping sound of swords being drawn turned the vamps her way. She was a glistening form of power in what looked like armor…but that couldn’t be right. On the verge of passing out, I was obviously delusional. Four vamps rushed her, and in less time than it took me to blink, they were all ashed. The “immortal dark one” holding me let go, and I slumped to the ground, gasping. Rubbing my throat, I couldn’t look away from the woman who’d come to my rescue.

  My brother and I were sort of a big deal in Boston…well in our eyes. We trolled the night, slaying demons in the shadows. The Brothers Grimm is what he’d called us, except we hadn’t created this messed up fable where the innocent either got killed or were turned.

  We rescued the good and destroyed evil. It goes without saying I wasn’t used to being rescued. Though grateful, I didn’t like how the word victim sat on my shoulders.

  In well under a minute, the group was gone and the air was filled with choking ash. Knowing my lungs were filling with disintegrating vampire urged me to my feet. I stumbled over to my new leather jacket, eyes firmly on the woman. “Thanks,” I managed to croak out.

  “You made a mistake tonight, Ryan. That’s not like you.”

  Her voice slid over me like warm, sweet butter. I stalled, bent over in mid possession, jacket in hand and stared up at her.

  She knew my name. No one knew my name.

  My brother Beau and I made sure we were anonymous. It was the only reason we were still alive. No one ever got away and ended up an innocuous pile of ash. Yet this woman looked at me like she knew me. Impossible. I was certain I’d never seen her before. A guy would remember a face like hers. “How do you know my name?”

  She didn’t answer and backed away, stepping into the shadows where she’d been watching. Retrieving a dark cape, she slung it over her shoulders, covering her armor, and with one last glance my way, she headed out of the alley.

  I popped up straight. “Wait.”

  She shook her head and when she glanced back, I caught her smile.

  Something twisted inside of me. Suspicion turned to fascination. I wanted answers, but now I needed an explanation for that smile. I followed. Dumb, I know, but I couldn’t help it. She was like a female Viking warrior maiden, beautiful, pale and kitted out in ornately etched leather and armor. Who dressed like that? Who fought like she fought? I dogged her steps, not even trying to hide I was following her. In the span of one night I’d gone from rescuer to stalker.

  Downtown Boston twisted and turned with streets and alleyways that could get a sober guy lost if he wasn’t paying attention. She disappeared somewhere between High Street and Franklin near Brandy Pete’s Restaurant. Wind whipped through the cross streets and alleys, haunting the night with mournful sounds. It didn’t matter what direction I looked, there wasn’t a soul around. I stood there like a confused, jilted boyfriend and shoved my hands in my pockets before leaning against the corner of the building. I’d been ditched. Professionally. That hadn’t happened in years.

  My lips twitched into a smile. This wasn’t over. If she knew me, she’d know I wouldn’t give up…not easily. I’d find her.

  As I made my way to where I’d stashed my motorcycle near the Old South Meeting House and a tiny convenience store, I thought on the suspicious coating of ash and blood I’d found last night in a gated alleyway off Revere Street. It hadn’t been the first time I’d noticed the after effects of a vampire kill my brother and I hadn’t instigated. It looked like someone else had decided to join our late-night party game. But who was she and why was she willing to risk her life?

  Chapter Three

  Anara

  What was wrong with me? Twice in as many nights I’d made myself vulnerable. I shouldn’t have saved Ryan. It had been foolish. He now knew I existed, but I couldn’t let him die. Not like that. Not by the hands of those monsters.

  I shook my head and waited in the darkness for him to leave. Who was I to speak of monsters? My curse condemned me to the shadows. Alone. Unknown. Its fingers had reached farther into the future than I’d ever imagined possible. I’d been stagnant for centuries, frozen without hope. My prayers had gone unanswered for so long, relief didn’t seem possible. Then it happened. My miracle. I’d crossed the ocean to America, and I’d found Ryan.

  I couldn’t help observing him, even now. The way he moved. His purposeful focus. His dedication to others. He stood out in a world obsessed with itself.

  Ryan finally walked away, and I let out a sigh of relief. I was a fool to risk it all for a man I didn’t know just because he reminded me of Kettil, dead these past centuries. My heart physically hurt with that thought. How could one man behave so similarly to another? I had trusted Ryan the instant I’d seen him walk across Copley Square. He was nothing like Kettil, but exactly like Kettil in so many ways.

  In fact, Ryan could be the answer to my current problem. From my search earlier, I knew where the girls were. Though I’d saved them from the vampires, they still faced the harsh reality of life, and without protection, they were ripe for those bent on evil to find and abuse. I couldn’t let that happen.

  What if Ryan helped me? No, I couldn’t ask. Magic was unpredictable. Everyone knew that. Unpredictable and evil.

  Yet, my options were limited. I couldn’t do this on my own. Tomorrow, I would ask. Surely he would help. He was a man who did the right thing, and helping the girls was a deed no honorable man would refuse.

  I ran through Boston, aware of all the security camera locations. Even if I moved within range, I was too fast. Only a blur would show. Since I’d saved Ryan, I had precious little time to do what I needed to do.

  After slipping across Copley Square, I dove into the underbelly of Trinity Church and into a room deemed too small for anything but storing things long forgotten. I swept off my cape and stacked the provisions I’d been able to scrounge together in its folds. After collecting the corners together to make a crude sack, I carried the supplies to the Longfellow Bridge that spanned the Charles River.

  I slowed near the river’s edge, my gaze piercing the darkness beneath the iron girders. I could just make out two small figures huddled on a workman’s platform. A little skiff, no bigger than a toy, floated beside it.

  Once on the bridge, I secured my bundle and easily threw m
y legs over the railing. In no time, I was deep within the bridge’s underpinnings. The fall air made for a cool night. They had picked a place to rest that promised relative safety, but no comfort.

  The steel girder’s rough edges bit into my hands. I was never so grateful when my feet lightly touched the floating platform. I quickly crouched, my hand flat on the wood, my body swaying with the action of the tide. From across the platform, a small head pop into view.

  Another, smaller head rose beside it. “What’s wrong?”

  I stared at Sage. Whether nine or ten, she was too young to be responsible for herself and her little sister. Wide startled eyes sat above a mouth forming a small circle of surprise at seeing me. Without saying a word, I stood and stepped closer. The moon rose bright and clear. I collected its light until my body shone with a white halo. It was my standard trick and usually stopped most from approaching me.

  “What do you want?” Though awe filled her face, bravado hid in Sage’s voice.

  “Be nice, Sage. Mama says angels are our friends,” her sister said.

  I moved closer and slowly unfurled the cape to reveal food and a heavy blanket. I stepped back. “I won’t harm you. I’m not like…those people the other night.”

  “Is my mommy…” She couldn’t finish the sentence. “She never showed up.”

  I shook my head and her lips thinned into a grim line. I glanced at the construction material covering the platform, hardly a suitable place to sleep. “Do you have someplace else to go?”

  “No.” A lone tear slid down her cheek. It nearly undid me.

  “I want Mama,” her little sister cried.

  Sage wrapped her arm around her sister. “Hush, Baby.” She studied me, and whatever she saw made her trust me. “Take us with you.”

  I took a startled step back. “I can’t. It’s not…possible.”

  Sage looked at her sister and her eyes filled with tears. “They’ll take Baby from me. I can’t lose her. Please. Take us home with you and I promise we’ll be good. We won’t be any bother.”