First Semester

by Jace Mitchell

  Claire shook her head, her light moving back and forth across the dark tunnel. “Frank. One, you’re not ever going to do that. Two, a footrace is different than fighting. Sure, if you’d teleported when I was after you, you probably could have gotten away. There’s a difference between quickness and speed. You’ve got me on quickness, I’ll give you that, but in a footrace?” She huffed. “Hardly. I’ll beat you any day of the week and twice on Sunday.”

  “All these ridiculous sayings ye humans have,” Frank mumbled. “Twice on Sunday. Like Sunday makes any difference. When we get out of here, ye and I are racing, lass. I’ve had enough of yer mouth.”

  Jack interrupted their arguing. “How long have we been down here?”

  “About an hour,” Marissa answered.

  “Why haven’t we seen any more vampires, then?” Jack asked. His right hand gripped his Impaler, ready for action.

  “Jesus, Frank,” Claire snapped, looking over her shoulder at the leprechaun. “Stop all your yip-yap. I haven’t even thought about why there haven’t been any others, and it’s because I’m focusing on your nonsense.”

  She turned her head to Marissa. “Any thoughts?”

  Marissa was quiet for a second, her feet leading them all over the forgotten tracks. “Hmmm...The only thing that comes to mind is not something you’re going to want to hear.”

  “Well, let’s hear it anyway,” Claire instructed.

  Marissa shrugged. “Probably an ambush.”

  “You’re fucking kidding.” Jack kicked a rock in front of him, sending it scattering up the tracks. “They couldn’t kill us with a few so now—”

  “They’re going to do it with a group,” Marissa finished.

  Does that change things? Claire wondered. Everyone in the group was important, but she knew her role was to make the major decisions. She was the leader, and if she made a wrong choice, everyone would suffer from it. No, it doesn’t change anything. We can’t go back to the surface without killing these things. That’s our mission, and that’s what we’re going to accomplish.

  “How far are we from where the vampire said their home base was?” Claire asked.

  “A half-mile. Another ten or fifteen minutes, I’d guess.”

  “We should have brought a map,” Jack complained.

  “We don’t need a map,” Marissa responded over her shoulder. “I’ve gotten us this far, and I’ll get us the rest of the way.”

  “Okay, enough,” Claire demanded. “We can’t be arguing right now over a stupid map, and Jack knows it. His fear is getting to him, and he’s taking it out on you.” Claire turned around so she was walking backward and looked at Jack. She knew she had to be careful here. Insulting him wouldn’t work. It would only drive him further away from the group. Make him focus. “What do you think, Jack? She can remember things better, or you can hit things from a distance better?”

  “Is that a serious question?” His face was stern.

  “Well, you doubt her mapping abilities. Maybe I’m doubting your shooting abilities.”

  A small grin appeared on the left side of his mouth. “How many have you killed? One? My count has me at three.”

  “Okay, so if we’re about to be ambushed, how many do you think you can get?” Claire looked down at his belt. “Looks like you have about ten stakes left.”

  “Plus one in the chamber.” He lifted the Impaler. “That’s eleven. Given my usual accuracy, I’d say I’ll get eleven.”

  Claire spoke over her shoulder to Marissa. “How many minutes until we’re there?”

  “Ten,” she responded.

  “Got a watch?” Claire called.

  Marissa waved a hand. “On my wrist.”

  “Time it.” Claire resumed looking at Jack. “Okay. We’ll see how accurate she is, and we’ll see how accurate you are. You owe me eleven.”

  Jack chuckled. “Owe you, huh?”

  Claire nodded. “Yup. She owes me ten minutes, and you owe me eleven kills.”

  Jack looked down at his Impaler for a moment, then met her eyes. “I’ll get you eleven.”

  “Damn right, you will.” Claire turned back around and started walking normally again.

  A minute passed in silence, and then she felt Jack’s hand on her shoulder. “Thanks.”

  It was a small whisper, but she heard it. Claire didn’t need to respond since they both knew what had happened.

  The minutes seemed to take forever to tick by as if they’d entered a time warp. That’s only because you’re ready to fight.

  “There,” Marissa told them, coming to a stop.

  Claire had been deep in her own thoughts, but she quickly pulled out of them. The light was faint but visible. Four hundred yards off, perhaps, but she could see the ancient subway stop.

  “Where are they?” Jack whispered as he pulled up next to Claire.

  Frank finished the line of four. “What do they teach you in that school? Don’t you know anything about vampires? They don’t exactly wear neon lights and dance around. Those blood-sucking bastards are down there, but they’re hiding.”

  “What do we do?” Marissa asked.

  Claire squeezed her Impaler, then brought her hand down to feel the pointed stake sticking out of the tip. It was hard and deadly, like her. “They know we’re here. No sense in trying to hide. Let’s go down there and make ourselves known.”

  Jack grinned. “Sounds good to me. I owe ya eleven.”

  “Damn right.” Claire stepped forward, taking the lead for the first time since they’d entered the tunnels. As she walked, the station’s light grew brighter, but she still didn’t see any movement. They went a hundred yards, then another, and after the third, Claire understood.

  “They’re on the ceiling,” she whispered.

  She tilted her head upward, her light illuminating the ancient ceiling. There were no vampires there, but there would be if they kept walking.

  “Jack, I want you to walk with your head tilted back,” Claire instructed. “Keep the light focused on the ceiling, about twenty yards ahead of us. Just be careful not to trip.”

  She watched as Jack’s light followed hers, showing the ceiling in front of them. They could all do it, but Claire understood they needed a designated person. “They’re going to drop on us like bats. Frank, you have apparently been around them. You got any advice?”

  “Turn into a leprechaun, and then you can fight like me.” Frank grinned, his own light shining on the ceiling with Jack’s. “No, lass. No advice. Don’t let them bite ye.”

  “Great, Frank.” Claire sighed. “Thanks for all your help. Let’s go.”

  Again she started forward, knowing they were nearly at the end of their travels. The subway stop grew closer by the step.

  Jack grabbed Claire’s shoulder. “We’ve got company,” he whispered.

  Her head flashed to the ceiling, and she saw the first row. Vampires lined shoulder to shoulder, their skin pale and their eyes reflecting the headlamps.

  One hissed, and the others followed.

  They dropped from the ceiling like falling night. Claire couldn’t possibly count them all. Row after row fell, one after the other.

  “Excuse me.” Frank stepped forward. “I’ve got a date with destiny.”

  He rushed forward, and the first row of vampires fell on him. Six at least, blocking out any sign of the little green leprechaun.

  He’s dead, Claire’s mind though in cold fear. Just like that.

  She was stunned, unable to move. They thought they’d had a chance, and now it was over.

  “You three going to frickin’ help?” Frank’s voice rose above the commotion of the oncoming undead. Claire still couldn’t see him.

  Frank burst up through the crowd of six who had all bent over to drain his blood without a scratch on him.

  There’s not a scratch on him!

  Frank touched down on one vampire’s head, his Impaler plunging through its back and into its heart. He didn’t even shoot the thing, just used it
like a regular stake. It was like he was walking on air, bouncing from head to head and ruthlessly cutting them down.

  The vampires fell around him, and Frank finally landed on the ground, one foot resting on the chest of the now-dead creature. He looked at the three. “Seriously, any of ye going to help me?”

  He turned to the vampires. They’d all paused, watching the small creature decimate the first six. “Who wants some more?”

  Claire didn’t look at her friends. Frank was an amazing warrior, but if they didn’t jump in now, it wouldn’t matter. There were simply too many vampires. “Time to soldier up.”

  “My pleasure.” Jack raised his Impaler and fired. The stake soared past Frank and nailed a vampire in her chest. She stared as if unable to believe what was happening, then fell forward.

  That broke the hold on the horde. A few hissed, fangs bared.

  They surged forward.

  Frank darted to the left, bounding onto the wall. Vampires flung themselves at him and Claire lost sight of him. She had to focus on making sure she didn’t fucking die.

  Four vampires came for her. A stake whooshed by her side and impaled one a bit farther away.

  Thank God for Jack, she thought as the first vampire swiped at her face. She dodged back, her moves almost as quick as theirs. She grabbed the Holy Mace from her belt and started spraying. The aerosol liquid shot out, misting the creatures, and they screamed into the dark tunnel.

  Claire wasted no time. Her hand darted forward with the Impaler, using it like a regular stake so as to not waste ammunition.

  Wham. Wham. Wham. Wham. The four dropped around her.

  “How’s everyone doing?” Claire yelled.

  “Could use some help!” Marissa called.

  “Focus forward, Claire!” Jack yelled. “I’ve got her!”

  Claire glanced to her left. Three vampires were nearly on top of Marissa. She simply wasn’t as fast as Claire. Jack’s Impaler slung stakes at them. Two vampires went down in seconds, leaving Marissa to face one alone.

  “This way, bitch.”

  Claire turned her head toward the voice. She’d just put down four, but now she looked at nine.

  A dark-haired female stared back at her. “Go ahead and spray that shit. There’s too many of us.” She raised a hand and pointed behind Claire.

  Claire turned around, not understanding—until she saw. Vampires flocked to the ground, falling from the ceiling as they had moments before.

  I didn’t realize it soon enough, she thought. We’d already passed them by the time I understood what they were doing. Now we’re trapped.

  “Jack! Behind you!” Claire shouted, pointing. “Hold them off as long as you can!”

  Jack slowly turned around. “Christ on a cracker.”

  “There are too many of us, human,” the female vampire sneered. “Even with your little tricks, you’ll never kill us all.”

  Claire whirled back around. “Maybe not, sweetie, but I can kill you.” She pushed on the back of the Impaler and the stake ripped through the air, landing in the creature’s chest.

  Claire heard hisses and saw the crowd rush forward.

  Reload. Fire. Reload. Fire.

  Vampires dropped in front of her but more came, replacing the ones she killed as if there was an unlimited supply.

  “Frank!” she called. “Can you help?”

  “Sorry, lass!” he yelled from somewhere else. “Got about twelve of these bastards trying to give me a hickey!”

  The horde came on, reducing Claire to hand-to-hand combat. She batted left and right, spraying her mace and stabbing as many as she could.

  It’s too close for the Immolator, she thought. I’ll burst into flames, too.

  She grunted, feeling a slash on her shoulder and knowing she was bleeding. Nails scraped across her face. Still she fought, the Impaler cutting through chest plate after chest plate.

  There are just too many!

  She shoved the Impaler into her holster, knowing that it didn’t matter anymore. If she relied only on that, she would be dead. She pulled the Nova out of her pocket and pressed its button. Bright light rushed out all sides, a star in the palm of her hands.

  One last hand slashed across her other cheek, then screams replaced the attacks.

  “Novas!” Claire screamed as she thrust her light forward, forcing the horde back. She saw the rest of the tunnel lighting up; her team knew what to do.

  The screams were awful, like dying animals being thrown from cliffs.

  Claire kept marching forward. They covered their faces, howling as smoke rose into the rafters. Some broke away from the pack, fleeing into the darkness. One dropped in front of her, rolling on the ground as if that would somehow put out the flames.

  “Run!” Claire hissed back at them.

  More did take off, trying to reach the darkness. Anywhere to make the pain go away.

  “Badda-bing!” Frank shouted, and Claire heard a body drop. She glanced to her left and saw him still using his Impaler. He hadn’t pulled his Nova out and was offing the ones around him who were trying to hide their faces from the burning rays of light.

  He moved fast, and vampires fell wherever he went.

  Claire turned all the way around, her Nova high in the air to keep the killers at bay. Marissa had moved closer to Jack and was standing across from him on the other side of the tunnel. Both held their Novas out from their chests, shoving them toward the vampiric masses.

  Many had broken and run on the other side, while the rest were simply trying to shield themselves from the pain.

  “Watch this!” Jack shouted. He grabbed his Impaler off his belt with his right hand. Using only his right hand, he placed it below a stake hanging from his belt, and jammed the Impaler upward, loading the weapon. It took only a second.

  He’s definitely better with it than I am, Claire thought.

  Jack raised it and fired, and a vampire covering her face dropped to the ground.

  Claire looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was coming, but between the Novas and Frank’s killing spree, her side was empty. “Come on, Frank. Let’s take care of these.”

  “Hold yer little glass orb there, lass. I’ll do the real work.” Frank didn’t look at her as he spoke, just grinned maniacally.

  He’s enjoying this, Claire thought and smiled. He hates vampires.

  Claire followed Frank, reaching the line Jack and Marissa had already set up. Frank walked past them, and Jack raised his Impaler to shoot again. Claire touched his hand before he could. “No, don’t waste them. Let Frank do his magic. Dracula wasn’t here. We’ve still got another vampire to find.”

  Jack nodded and grinned. “His magic.” He shook his head in awe as Frank got started. “That’s what it is. Magic.”

  Frank moved through the remaining vampires like a phantom, something they couldn’t see or touch.

  “I think he likes it,” Marissa said with more than a bit of awe.

  “Yeah. We might wanna be careful around Frank from now on.” Jack grinned. “The little guy has a taste for killing, I think.”

  The last vampire fell to the ground and Frank stood above him, breathing heavily and holding his Impaler.

  “Did you shoot even one of those?” Claire called.

  Frank shook his head. “No. You can’t see ‘em as good when they die if you’re far away, lass.”

  “One of those vampires must have done something to you, huh?” Jack asked.

  Frank looked up. “Fuck vamps, every single one of them. I hope that once we kill Dracula, I never have to see one again. I just pray they don’t appear back in my world.” He walked over to the group and stood in front of Claire.

  “What makes you hate them so much?” she asked.

  “Besides the fact all they want to do is drain your blood? Oh, I’ve got a few reasons.” Frank shook his head and looked at his feet. “They’re awful, awful creatures. They bring no one joy. Their only purpose is to take from others.” He tilted his head and g
rinned, light in his eyes. “Not like Frank. Not like leprechauns. Sure, we’ll chase gold or beer, as the case may be, but we can bring joy. Those creatures don’t.”

  “I’ve had boyfriends like that,” Marissa volunteered.

  “Eh?” Frank raised his Impaler. “I’ll go take care of them when we’re done here.”

  Jack laughed. “Sissy’s never had any boyfriends.” He surveyed the scene in front of him, then turned around. He didn’t see any more vampires. He looked at Claire and raised the Nova. “Think it’s okay to turn these things off now?”

  “Yeah. I think so.” Claire pressed her button but didn’t shove the thing back in her pocket. She wanted to be ready in case they were surprised again. She looked at the subway station. “How do they have lights on down here?”

  “Probably running a generator,” Marissa answered as she turned off her Nova. “Or they’ve got some other kind of technology that we don’t understand. I imagine it’s that.”

  “Why?” Jack asked. He hooked his Impaler back on his belt.

  Marissa glanced quickly at Claire and winked. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because they’re somehow breaking down a thousand-year-old barrier to a universe we didn’t even know existed? I doubt they’re doing it with rain dances.”

  “Hardy, har, har,” Jack mocked. “Well, however they’re doing it, I’m glad they are. Makes it easier to see once we get up there.”

  At that, the lights in the station shut down. Their headlamps were still on so they could see around them, but the subway station was shrouded in darkness.

  “Nice going, Jack-ass,” Claire told him.

  Jack shrugged. “Don’t blame that on me! They would have done it anyway!”

  Claire smiled. “Don’t get your panties in a wad. We just killed I don’t know how many vampires. We’ve only got one left.”

  Frank moved in front of the three, his headlamp shining on a bench in front of the station. “This one’s different, lass. Make no mistake. Dracula is not like the rest of them. He’s the most dangerous. I don’t know how all this works—if it’s true you all dream us up over there, or if maybe we’re over there already so we come through your dreams, but I know this vampire has been around a long, long time. I know the power he holds makes these things we just killed look like mere children.”