‘Everyone all right?’ said Denny.
There were murmurs of assent; although “all right” is a relative term. They were muddy, bruised and spattered with blood. On the other hand, they had all their respective limbs, and nobody was feeling faint.
‘Okay, let’s go, Peirce – after you.’
Peirce stepped forward. ‘You really can’t see it?’ he asked. ‘All right, stay close to me, it’s not very big.’
‘If it’s just here, how is it people don’t walk through it by accident?’ asked Cindy.
Peirce slapped his head. ‘Of course, that’s why you can’t see it, that’s obviously the point.’
‘What is?’
‘That people do walk through it by accident.’
‘Oh, eeeew.’
They all followed Peirce as closely as they could without actually getting close to him. The portal was a disappointment. They stepped forward and then they were in a wood. Peirce said he could see the wood from the other side.
‘I don’t remember a wood,’ said Denny. ‘Are you sure this is the right place?’
‘The house is over that way,’ Peirce assured him, pointing.
Suddenly the air was split by a resounding horn blast, and the sky was lit up by what appeared to be searchlights.
‘What the hell was that?’ said Tamar.
‘I think we tripped an alarm or something,’ said Denny.
‘Oh no,’ said Peirce. ‘That’s nothing to do with us; that’s just the hunt starting.’ He sounded wistful.
‘The hunt?’ asked Cindy. ‘You mean like a foxhunt?’
‘I suppose, sort of, that’s the general idea, but it’s not foxes they’re hunting.’
‘So, what do vampires hunt?’
Peirce gave her a sardonic look. ‘Humans,’ he said eventually, when she failed to figure it out. ‘You see,’ he continued, to fill the stony silence that had descended, ‘vampires are predators; we hunt in the streets or the villages or whatever. But out here, well it’s isolated, so they keep people in cages, cells, sort of like fast food.’
‘That’s disgusting,’ said Cindy.
‘Is it?’ said Peirce in surprise. ‘Any more than battery hens?’
‘Yes, these are people, with feelings and loved ones and lives.’
‘So, what’s the hunt about?’ asked Tamar.
‘They let some people out and hunt them down, you know for the sport, like humans do with animals. Hunting is our natural instinct. Of course, sometimes they get away, but that’s the sport you see?’
‘I think I’m going to be sick,’ said Tamar.
Cindy looked grimmer than they had ever seen her. ‘That’s it,’ she announced. She drew out some candles from her backpack and set them in a circle around her and sat cross-legged in the centre of them, with her elbows resting on her knees, her hands in the air. The candles levitated around her. She pointed to each one and they lit as she did so. She resumed her position and closed her eyes. ‘I’m going to give this one last try,’ she said.
What?’ asked Tamar.
Cindy was not listening. ‘Dea Hecaté audite meus vox,’ (Goddess Hecaté hear my cry)she said. Her eyes snapped open; they were blank, with no iris. ‘Cursusdedecor trans divum,’ (Course unseen across the sky) she rasped, in a strange guttural tone, the voice was not her own. ‘Retraho id veil of infinitas infinitio nox noctis,’ (Draw back this veil of endless night) Quod permissum sol solis fulsi videlicet quod perspicuous,’ (And let the sun shine clear and bright).
Silence greeted this strange pronouncement. Cindy closed her eyes, and then opened them again; they were now back to normal.
They waited; Cindy sighed. ‘Well. I tried.’ And then she was lit by a shaft of sunlight that pierced the trees. Peirce ran for cover beneath a shady oak, as the sky brightened. The sun was out, and it was a beautiful day.
‘It worked.’ Cindy was delighted. ‘I tried it so many times and it didn’t.’
‘How come you never tried that?’ Stiles asked Tamar.
‘I don’t have that kind of power,’ Tamar admitted. ‘How did you do it?’ she asked Cindy.
‘I didn’t,’ said Cindy. ‘You are witnessing the power of Hecaté. But it’s still only a Band-Aid, a short-term fix, it won’t last, and it’s only local. But at least that poor sod who’s being hunted will get away now. The vampires out there won’t last long in this sunlight.’
‘And now we have a clear run to the house,’ said Denny. ‘Nicely done.’
Cindy smiled modestly. ‘Thank Hecaté.’ she said. ‘She answered my call.’
‘What are we going to do about him?’ said Stiles, indicating the shivering Peirce.
‘Oh hell,’ said Tamar. ‘Can’t we just leave him?’
Denny was in favour of this plan. But Stiles said that he might come in handy, so Tamar manifested a reflective blanket for him and they set off in the direction of the house.
‘How do we get in?’ asked Tamar.
‘Round the back,’ said Denny, anticipating Peirce. ‘The cells.’
Peirce nodded. ‘It’s not guarded.’
The darkness was creeping back as they rounded the house. ‘Probably just as well,’ said Denny. ‘We’ll be better hidden.’
‘Are you all right, sweetie?’ Cindy asked Eugene. ‘You’ve hardly said a word.’
Eugene was as white as a sheet and sweating; he wondered why he had come. It was not as if he was any use. ‘I don’t seem to have much to contribute,’ he said.
‘Well, I’m glad you’re here,’ she said.
Eugene gave a weak smile, but he did not really feel much better.
‘In here,’ said Denny. ‘They’ve kept my room for me.’ He indicated a barred window with several of the bars severed. ‘How thoughtful.’
They had clambered in awkwardly, before they remembered that there was an easier way – for them at least. The cell door was open; they filed out; the passage was deserted. Most of the cells were occupied, but Denny said they should let them out later, after they had dealt with the “Master”.
‘Let them out now,’ he said, ‘and it’s a party. Vampires like to hunt, remember? And this place is bound to be full of them.’
‘Where are they all then?’ said Stiles.
‘Maybe they were all out hunting,’ said Eugene, hopefully.
‘We can’t count on that,’ said Denny.
‘They won’t have been,’ agreed Peirce. ‘Only the privileged few get to hunt.’
‘So, where are all the commoners?’ said Tamar.
They wandered through one deserted passage after another. ‘I don’t like it,’ said Tamar. ‘It’s too easy.’
Then they heard the singing. It was beautiful. Stiles, in particular, seemed mesmerised. It was coming from a cell further down the corridor.
‘Why the hell would anyone be singing in this awful place?’ thought Stiles, as he was drawn to the sound. He broke in the door, and there inside was – ‘Hecaté?’ Stiles recognised the beautiful witch’s goddess from her manifestation in Denny’s living room, but there was something different about her, the voice for one thing.
‘Have we met?’ she asked, in golden tones that made Stiles weak at the knees.
‘Don’t you remember?’ he managed.
Hecaté smiled. ‘I’m sure I would have remembered you,’ she said flatteringly
Tamar appeared. ‘It wasn’t you, was it,’ she said, ‘who manifested to us.’
‘No I do not think so.’ Hecaté frowned in thought.
Tamar met Denny’s eyes in a brief moment of communion. They both nodded in unison.
‘How long have you been here?’ asked Denny glancing again at Tamar.
‘Oh a long time, I do not remember.’ She held up her wrists. ‘These chains are the only things that can hold a god,’ she said. ‘I remember when they were forged by Hephaestus. Nothing can break them. I am his prisoner forever.’
‘I wouldn’t be too sure about that,’ said Stiles. ‘Denny?’
Denny unsheathed the Athame and struck the chains; sparks flew, but the chain remained intact.
‘You see,’ said Hecaté, sadly. ‘Only the one who imprisoned me can release me.’
‘How the hell did he get hold of those chains?’ said Tamar.
‘If she didn’t manifest that day, then who did?’ said Stiles.
‘The “Master” obviously,’ said Denny. ‘If we kill him, will it free her?’
‘Oh,’ said Cindy. ‘It must have been he who came to me that day too, in the mirror.’
‘I really am going to gag her in a minute,’ thought Denny viciously. ‘Or cut her throat maybe.’
‘We have to free her,’ said Stiles, fiercely.
Tamar and Denny were looking at each other, thoughts flashing rapidly between them. Denny nodded. ‘We’ve been set up,’ he said out loud.
He turned to the others. ‘Eugene, get Cindy out of here. Jack you stay with Hecaté, keep an eye on her, we’re going to find this “Master”.’
Stiles, Cindy and Eugene all opened their mouths to argue, but Denny’s face was set. ‘Do it,’ he said. ‘And don’t argue.’
* * *
Left alone with Hecaté, Stiles was tongue-tied; he had never seen anyone like her. Even in chains she exuded a dignity that was extraordinary.
‘You should follow your friends,’ she said. ‘What can you do here?’
‘You heard him,’ said Stiles. ‘You don’t argue with Denny.’
‘You have the advantage of me,’ she said. ‘You know my name, but I do not know who you are.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry; my name is Jack, Jack Stiles.’
‘Then you were very brave to come here, I have heard your name mentioned here. I know who you are.’
Stiles reddened. ‘That’s precisely why I did come here,’ he said. ‘I prefer to have things out.’
There was a silence in which Stiles fidgeted uncomfortably.
‘You wish to go,’ observed Hecaté. ‘You wish to join the fight, not baby-sit me.’
‘No, it’s just …’
‘I am not offended,’ she assured him. ‘It is only natural.’
‘I just wish I could do something for you,’ he said. ‘I hate to see you like this.’
‘You do not even know me.’
‘I know, but … You’re just so… you – I,’ he floundered.
‘I like you too,’ she said.
Stiles went red again. ‘Someone like you shouldn’t be chained up,’ he said. ‘It’s wrong.’ He grasped the chains in frustration.
* * *
They were barrelling along a corridor, still in silent communication, when suddenly Peirce stopped. ‘What?’ said Denny, impatiently.
‘I can go no further,’ said Peirce. ‘I am – compromised. You can no longer trust me, at least not for much longer. The influence of the “Master” is taking control of my mind, I can feel it.’ He looked at Tamar. ‘I want you to succeed,’ he said. ‘You must leave me behind.’
‘Suits me,’ said Denny, shoving him into a nearby cell and slamming the door.
‘Thanks for the warning,’ said Tamar.
‘I feel the power emanating from that direction,’ said Peirce.
‘How do we know you’re telling the truth?’ pointed out Denny.
Peirce grinned through the bars in the door. ‘You don’t,’ he said.
‘We’ll just have to risk it,’ said Tamar.
Denny brought his face close to Peirce’ and stared into his eyes. ‘I believe him,’ he said, eventually. ‘Let’s go, we’ll let you out later – if we survive.’
‘You will,’ said Peirce, almost winking at Denny. ‘I have this feeling.
‘You, I’m not so sure about,’ he added under his breath, meaning Tamar who was already off and running, and he grinned, evilly. Then he frowned and shook his head as if to clear it. ‘Wait!’ he called. ‘Wait!’ But they had gone.
As they rounded the corner, it appeared that Denny had caught up with and overtaken Tamar. He halted and looked back at her. She nodded and stepped in front of him. ‘Ladies first,’ he said and smiled enigmatically.
‘Very funny,’ said Tamar frowning.
They burst into the chamber; there was no point in being subtle. The “Master” turned in his chair and smiled sardonically. ‘Took you long enough,’ he said.
‘Askphrit,’ said Tamar. There was no surprise in her voice; she sounded as if she were following a badly written script. She waited for the next line.
‘Tamar my dear, how delightful to see you again.’
‘You’ve gone too far this time. ’ There was no passion in her voice.
Askphrit laughed. ‘You have no idea how far I’ve gone,’ he said. He looked at Denny, who nodded. ‘Sorry babe,’ he said and thrust the Athame under her ribs. ‘Actually, I’m not, really,’ he added.
She fell to the floor. ‘Why?’ she gasped.
‘I want your power,’ he said. He held up the Athame. ‘Thanks for this,’ he said to Askphrit. ‘I guess it was you who gave it to me?’
Askphrit inclined his head, and threw a cage around Tamar. ‘She may have lost her power,’ he said, ‘but you can’t be too careful with this one, she has some tricks up her sleeve.’
At this point Stiles burst into the room.
‘Jack, don’t,’ cried Tamar. ‘Run for it, Denny’s gone dark side on us.’
‘What a shock,’ said Stiles, as if it was anything but. ‘I guess you didn’t …’
Denny casually manifested chains around Stiles and flung him telekinetically into a corner with a gag in his mouth. ‘Shut up!’ he hissed.
Stiles frowned, trying to understand.
Two burly vampires appeared, holding a struggling Cindy and Eugene.
‘Ah,’ said Askphrit. ‘The gang’s all here.’
~ Chapter Thirty One ~
Tamar was staring at Denny with despair in her eyes. ‘What have I done?’ she said.
‘Ah,’ said Askphrit in satisfaction. ‘So you do understand? You always were a clever girl.’
‘Yes, I understand. I did this with that foolish wish I made before I set you free.’
‘Just to recap,’ said Askphrit, ‘for those of you just joining us.’ Here he nodded to Stiles, Cindy and Eugene. This woman is the reason that you are all in this mess. You don’t understand? Well then let me explain. I was a Djinn, and she wished me free, but before that, she made another wish, that this boy,’ he indicated Denny, ‘would have powers of his own.’
‘I thought, I could avoid the consequences,’ she sobbed. ‘I assumed that you wouldn’t be able to interfere and cock it up for him, not after I made you human. My arrogance did this. Denny always said, that I didn’t know everything.’ She looked at Denny. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said.
‘Hey, don’t be sorry for me babe,’ said Denny. ‘I never felt better.’
‘Say that again when you’re enduring the fires of hell. A red hot poker up the jacksy puts a different perspective on things, just ask Edward II.’
Denny lit a cigarette with his finger and leaned back, he was still wearing his unnerving grin.
Tamar looked away from him, as if she could not bear it.
‘You were not entirely wrong,’ said Askphrit to Tamar. ‘But my non interference was dependent on my not regaining my powers. Which, as you can see, I have’
‘You must have opened every bottle in the world,’ she retorted.
‘Ah ha, ha, no. I considered finding a Djinn, but the possibility was remote, especially with you out there, freeing Djinn all over the place. And as a mortal, I had limited time.’
‘So, how did you do it, come on, I know you’re dying to tell us.’
‘Ah, that’s a long story.’
* * *
‘Done,’ said Askphrit, and for your second wish?’
Tamar smiled. ‘I wish that you were free.’
‘What?’ Askphrit shrieked, as he felt himself becoming mortal, he was furious. ‘W
hy did you do that?’
‘We were going to leave you in the bottle, but I can’t do it. I can’t sentence you to an eternity in captivity, even though that’s what you did to me. Denny doesn’t understand, but I do. At least this way, you can’t do any more damage.’
‘Compassion?’ screamed Askphrit. ‘That’s the reason you’re giving me? That you feel sorry for me? You bitch, you absolute …’ Words failed him, as he gasped and spluttered in his fury.
‘Being human’s not so bad,’ she said. ‘You’ll get used to it, now shut up, don’t make me hurt you.’
Askphrit glared at her. ‘Can I go now?’
‘You can do anything you want now,’ she told him. ‘Free will.’
Askphrit stalked off. ‘Free will,’ he muttered. ‘Anything I want! Yeah, until I die. No way sister, this isn’t over.’
Askphrit sat huddled in an alley, sipping out of a paper bag, it was raining. He had been mortal now for almost forty years, forty years! He was an old man now, and his bitterness against Tamar had escalated into a kind of madness, he would have his revenge on her, if it killed him. But time was running out, soon his mortal life would run its course, and then it would be too late, his hatred of her was the only thing that had kept him alive this long, the belief that he would find a way to make her pay.
He knew that in order to do this, he would have to regain his power, and to this end, he had been using his contacts, the ones he had made while masquerading as the sorceress, Kelon. He had a definite plan in mind, but it was dependent on finding a certain sorcerer. The parallels with Tamar earlier quest were not lost on him.
Because of his obsession he had not led a normal life, thus his current status as a bum. Homeless and friendless, he had experienced only the worst aspects of being a human; he had even spent time in prison. This only increased his bitterness toward she who had done this to him. But it was nearly over, he believed he had finally found his man, as long as he could cling to life long enough to see it through, he was going to make Tamar Black sorry.
A figure loomed out the gloom. ‘This way,’ it said, and led him to a large black limousine. Askphrit felt the excitement rise in him; it was finally happening. He felt his heart leaping. ‘Be careful,’ he admonished himself; he did not want to keel over from a heart attack now, not when he was so close.
Reality Bites Page 20
