Blood Magik: A Cold Day in Hell (Book One)

22: Holy Assemblage! (A Reunion of Priests)

1

The sound of the exhaust blaring from his hog roared through the city with enough pomposity to piss off the dead, but most were too preoccupied with building the army Imala demanded to go gallivanting off in search of the knuckles that bruised their ego.

The inner-city streets were devoid of demon soldiers, but the Damned, those whose souls were trapped in the minutes before dying, haunted corner-stores and turned over vehicles throughout, reaching with despairing pleas for Marty's aid as he passed... But he knew they were beyond his help – he could smell that none of them were still alive.

When he pulled up to Alex's complex he sprung off his hog in a hurry, momentarily forgetting about the half-naked young woman perched on the back of his bike. He glanced back to see the fear of abandonment in her eyes and quelled her worries with an extended hand.

"Come on. Let's get you some clothes."

"Do you think she's home?"

He gazed up at the apartment building toward Alex's window.

"No... She's not."

"H-how do you know?"

"...I just do." He wasn't a hundred percent sure but believed for now he could trust his instincts. "Hopefully she left a note...or some sign she's still alive."

Desi scooted off the bike and scuttled up behind him, careful where she stepped since she had nothing on to protect her feet, her canary-yellow toe polish an ironic contrast to the collecting filth at the base of her arches.

The walkway toward the apartment cut through two other buildings on either side and then opened into a front yard before a few stairs led to the apartment's entrance. Blood splatter befouled the face of the building, broken glass polluted the lawn in front of the walls, and the steel gate that used to protect the doorway was lost to the anarchy the block had suffered. When they reached the entryway, they found the door kicked in with the interior halls telling tales of undead turmoil.

Marty wanted to dash up the stairs as fast as he could but knew not to leave Desi alone. Instead, he examined the wall to his left and found the Up button to call for the elevator. The button lit at his touch and the gears groaned in response.

"M-maybe it's out of service..."

The groan turned to a wail as the metal in the lift's mechanics sounded like it was at war with itself. A clanking echoed through the shaft and the cry of a ton of steel shrieked down, vibrating the walls and rumbling the ground around them.

Desi jumped into Marty's arms as he turned to shield her with his undead bulk. The boom of the elevator cart blew sparks and dust through the crack as it settled on the lobby floor, and the Up arrow dinged above while the doors unsuccessfully creaked to open.

They both looked through the swirling dust at the disaster that landed at their feet and then at each other. It didn't take a deep, emotional connection, or some form of supernatural telepathy for them to quietly reach a mutual decision to take the stairs. He set her on her feet and then grabbed her hand to lead her up.

Five flights of vacant floors got them where they needed to go. From down the hall, Marty immediately noticed Alex's door broken from its hinges, the frame jutting splintered wood into the passage. He let go of Desi's hand and raced against the rising image in his mind of his sister's blood decorating the interior walls.

He found himself in the dark apartment within a blink of an eye and stood as fixed as stone, scanning his surroundings with every heightened sense he could muster from his cursed existence.