The hive spread out into a large circle surrounding the Stratosphere Tower Casino and Hotel. It was a wide perimeter and I was worried we were spread too thin to penetrate the building. Blaze reassured me as we peeked around from behind a pile of cars and garbage strewn across the alleyway behind the parking garage. Behind the casino were apartment buildings that had not weathered the ravages of time very well. Windows were smashed and doors hung on their hinges as they creaked in the slight breeze of the dawn. It was still semi-dark, but everyone could feel the sun pushing on the horizon. It was like a hum in the air, vibrating along our skin.
I could see well already, making me know that the vampire blood inside me was working. It was as if I had night vision goggles on and everything was clear and crisp. It made me wonder what I was now. I wasn't vampire, I wasn't human. I had no fangs yet I could see as well as my comrades as we crouched, awaiting our signal from within. Seraphin would be setting off explosives at sunrise to pretty much obliterate the feral vampire population guarding the citadel. I cringed as I thought of the ferals; these would be different than the others, the ones that were now tucked away in the dark crevices of the casinos on the south end of the Strip. These were more aware, stronger. But so was I.
I heard movement behind us and swirled around to come face to face with Rye. He didn't seem as pale as before but it was hard to tell in the dim light of the dawn. He didn't seem as exhausted either and his lips shone a darker color than when I had nearly drained him. I was certain they were red and filled anew with blood. He had fed well before he came, regaining his strength. I glanced down to the naked wrist where I had sucked. Two faint lines of teeth remained, nearly healed from the vicious draining I had administered earlier. I was glad he was healing but I wasn't sure if he was still angry.
I gave him a weak smile and he replied with a nod of his head as he scanned the area before us. He didn't return my smile and my heart seized with a searing ache. I longed to see his smile again.
Rye sniffed the air, taking in the early morning desert air filled with the unmistakable odor of feral vampires. "It should be soon. Seraphin has the bombs rigged to a remote control." I could smell the ferals easily, even if they weren't very close, in the outdoor air. Usually it was just in their dwellings where their withered bodies stank up the closed rooms. Here, I could smell it like skunk floating on the wind. Wrinkling my nose, I turned away from Rye and waited for the explosions to begin.
I didn't have to wait long at all.
The sun peeked like a sliver of gold over the eastern mountains, aptly named Sunrise Mountain, and the first pop and rattle of explosions began. The earth shook as it vibrated through the dirt and concrete, sending puffs of debris and particles into the air. I covered my head, afraid one of the thick fragments of cement would find its way to me. Smaller rocks and sprays of concrete littered the ground and rained onto us. I was relieved to have worn my thin jacket, for the shards and pebbles would have cut up my arms on their way down.
When the cascade of debris was done, it was time to run. We ran into the building, pushing the shattered doors to the side, drawing weapons. I pulled my bow out first, and began sending arrows sailing into the darkness wherever I saw movement. I would run out of arrows quickly, but it cleared my path effectively as I made my way into the crumbling mess of the casino floor. Everything in the place was upturned and literally almost impassable. Old dusty slots, stools and card tables were knocked to the ground, blocking the path. I kicked a few stools of my way as I sent arrow after arrow into the oncoming wave of feral vampires.
There were so many of them, pouring out like ants from an underground nest. Holes from the explosions riddled the roof and let the bright rays of sun pour in, setting some of the unfortunate ferals on fire, crumbling them to ash almost immediately. My quiver, now empty, ended up on the floor as I swung my bow to uppercut one feral that had managed to avoid the sunbeams shining down into the place. I hit him so hard with it, the bow snapped. I dropped it to the ground and pulled out both of my machetes. Gripping the hilts, I felt the adrenaline and blood surge within me. I felt invincible.
The blades flashed in the rays of sun as I sent them swinging along with my arms, slashing off heads like nothing. Hacking at their necks when I could, they fell into piles, forcing me to move farther into the chaotic mess. I spotted Rye to my right, his katana flashing. He jabbed and spun like a dancer, taking ferals down with every move. He was graceful and fluid, like he had fought all his life. I wondered if he had. My momentary glance ended faster than I would have liked when two ferals approached me, snarling and snapping their jaws as if they were wild dogs.
The differences were obvious up close. These ferals were much more muscular in build and their eyes were a more brilliant blood red, almost glowing as they took pains to remain in the darkness. They waited, wanting me to enter their realm just a bit more before pouncing on me. Their eyes were not as vicious and empty as those of ferals I had fought before. These were focused on me, with malice swimming across their faces. Their snarls seemed to morph into evil smiles. This made my heart jump, realizing that there was intelligence behind their expressions. I wondered just how much they could think. The other ferals had been so dead and lifeless that to see life behind the eyes of these made me more aware of them, more cautious.
I bent my knees, ready for their advances. They all-too-willingly lunged forward as I stepped out of the light. I swung my machetes in dual arcs, hitting one in the legs and the other across the chest. Their screeches joined the chorus of pain as their comrades died all around us. I hoped none of the screams were from our hive. I prayed that we were on the winning side; it was too hard to tell in the confusing wave of chaos.
One of the ferals was down but one remained in the fight despite his shredded legs. He pulled himself along on his arms, inching closer to me. I finished him with a hack to the neck and rushed forward. The rest of the ferals were beginning to scatter. Glancing around, I found Rye as he motioned me deeper into the building.
"Where are they keeping them?" I whispered. He shook his head and mouthed "Seraphin" before he was sent hurtling into one of the great pillars that held the room up. A hybrid vampire had jumped onto him and pummeling him with his fists. I ran over to hack into him but another got in my way before I could reach him. This one shoved me too, which seemed to be a popular fighting technique here. I caught my footing before crashing to the ground, turning and running to avoid another hit. The hybrid laughed, taking chase after me, but I was just a hair faster. His hand reached out and grabbed my jacket as I flipped the hilt of one machete in my hand to jab backwards into his stomach.
A screech of agony filled my ears, letting me know the machete had hit its mark. Yanking it out was another problem entirely. Underestimating my newfound strength, I had plunged it so deep into his chest cavity it was stuck on his spinal column. I yanked on it to no avail, leaving me no choice but to let him drop to the ground, writhing in pain, a blade sticking out of his chest. He recovered quickly, pulling himself up onto his arms, then up onto his legs as he lunged back at me, blade and all.
I pulled one of my knives from the bandoleer band across my chest. I was ready to swing my body weight with his, letting his momentum take me on a spin as I plunged the knife deep into his temple. The knife sank into his head like butter, up to the hilt. His body flew onto the debris before coming to a stop, a trail of dark blood in his wake. I landed lightly on my legs, bending them as I landed to absorb any shock. Smiling, I found that I liked this newfound graceful strength that the blood had given me. It was working in my favor in every way and the surge was a high I had never experienced.
Scanning the chaos around me, my eyes could not find Rye. A flutter of panic hit my chest and I began to run toward the spot I had last seen him. Not finding him, I looked for the next person on my short list to see: Seraphin.
Her black-as-night hair was whipping around as she swung a hatchet, slamming it into some ferals that had remained behind as their comrades fled. A hybrid, clearly either her mate or close friend by the way they kept exchanging glances, was next to her fighting off another hybrid from their hive. I pondered why they had betrayed their hive for Blaze's favor. Had she lied about her mate being dead? I wondered if they would be executed if caught or if this went the wrong way today. I still had some reservations about her but now, seeing her diligently fighting and bringing the enemy hive down, I felt unsure, a bit confused, but relieved that she fought on our side. Even if trust was not yet won, I had a whole new respect for her and what she had endured by spending all that time in the enemy hive. She had risked so much and here was the culmination of all her work. I wanted to make it worth it for her, even if she wasn't my favorite person in the world.
I approached her cautiously, knowing her killing spree rage was turned up too high. I was right to hold back a moment, for the feral just in front of me fell before I could even get close to her. She was in front of me in a flash, hatchet poised to strike, when she paused, our blades lightly grazing one another. I gulped, glad she had seen me in time, telling her with my eyes that I was not there to harm her, but pleading instead.
"Where are they?" I inquired, hoping she could hear me over the snarls and screams that echoed across the casino floor. She straightened and nodded, motioning me to follow her. She took off in a blur of speed. I took chase after her, keeping my eyes wide open for any side attacks. We had not gone by unnoticed; Seraphin had to hack into at least two hybrids before we made it to the elevator shaft. It was rigged with electricity and I groaned as she punched in the key code, making the metal doors slide smoothly open. Of all the places in this building, I did not want to go up into the citadel of the Stratosphere tower.
Of course, they would hold prisoners up there, it was almost unreachable.
I jumped into the elevator with her as the doors slid shut behind us. I was relieved to see Rye pass in front of the doors and smile as he nodded toward me. He was okay; we would be okay.
The lights inside were faint but seemed brighter after the engulfing darkness of the battle below. I shifted my eyes to Seraphin, who was standing perfectly still beside me, hatchet still in hand. Scattered drops of blood and ichor were splattered her clothes. She looked like a killer–deadly, dark and cold. I could almost feel her iciness pierce into me as the elevator moved, quickly gaining momentum until the lights of the floors flashed rapidly by. I'd forgotten how fast it moved, how it made my stomach shift to my feet.
I was determined to not lose my breakfast yet. Not when the end was so near.
"Why did you choose our hive? Your husband err...whatever that guy I saw down there is to you, he is not one of us. Did you lie about your husband's death? Why did you switch sides?" I asked her, my voice rough and guarded. Seraphin turned to me, her black irises flashing under the sickly artificial illumination above us. Her face was still like stone but her eyes told me many things. She wasn't trusting of me yet either, she eyed me curiously with a mixture of contempt and respect. I wasn't sure if this was good or not but she made me shift in my boots from the intensity of her glare.
"Who says I switched sides?" She sneered at me before turning back to stare at the doors before us. I watched her for a moment, hoping she meant what I thought she did. I wasn't sure of anything. Her words were cold comfort.
Our reflections stared back at us, looking gruesome and hard at the same time. I wouldn't want to face the two women that watched me right now. They looked like something out of a horror movie. I would've wanted to run for the hills before I'd ever face one of them. Blood and grime streaked my face, concrete dust from the explosions clung to my hair and the blood, making me look somewhat like I had been caught in a blood-streaked snowfall. I didn't look the same; my haunted but hard eyes made me want to do a double-take at the mirrored doors, almost sure that I was not really looking at myself but a stranger, one I would not want to ever confront. My hair was falling out of its tight restraint and wisps of night hung down in straight lines like wires. If I made it out alive, another shower was definitely in order.
The elevator's speed seemed to slow down and my stomach eventually crawled back into my abdomen. I watched Seraphin ready herself, pulling out a short sword to use instead of the hatchet. She was ready to run out into action. I wondered if I should too or hide in the elevator, waiting for the ambush. I wasn't sure but I readied my machete, the only one I had left, bending my knees to make a run for it but leaning against the side of the elevator to have a bit of cover in case these vampires used guns. I didn't use guns much. Rye had some with him but he had yet to use them by the time I'd lost sight of him.
A bell dinged right before the doors whooshed open. My hair flew back as the semi-vacuum of the elevator filled with cold air from the tower. Seraphin growled and pounced right out into the lit interior, immediately clanging weapons with a hybrid guard. I stepped out, waiting for the ambush and found none. Seraphin yelled at the guard, shoving him to the ground before plunging her blade deep into his chest. She yanked out the blade and swung it in a wide arc before bringing it down to hack off his head. The thump of the blade on the carpeted floor absorbed the sound of the cut as his head rolled off with the momentum of the blow. A spray of thick, crimson blood went with it, staining the floor. I was relieved there were no others here but I suspiciously glanced around, feeling that it had been too easy. Leaving only one guard at the elevator was not something a hive of intelligent hybrid vampires would do.
Seraphin waved me on. I followed her closely but took the rear position in case any others popped out. There were windows everywhere and I remembered these old gift shops that lined the hall. Now they were filled with couches and chairs. This seemed to be the meeting place of this hive's leaders, or maybe even their living quarters. I was surprised that they would choose such a bright area for themselves. The morning sun relentlessly poured in through the windows. I wished I had brought sunglasses, it was that blinding. Seraphin winced slightly as the rays hit her full on. We came to the end of the hallway and emerged onto the circular walkway that had been the tower's observation area.
I didn't know how she could stand the sunlight. Her skin was turning a slight shade of pink and her face was tense with the pain. I could barely see beyond the bright rays of light piercing the walkway.
I was tense, expecting something to happen and as if on cue a whirring hum filled the air, making us both back into the glass wall. My heart was fluttering as the walls vibrated from some machine gears spinning. I was slightly relieved to see that the noise was caused by slow-moving shutters that lowered over the windows, dimming the walkway.
Relieved that it wasn't some sort of trap, we continued onto the circular pathway. Through the slats of the blinds I could see the desolate city below. How serene it seemed from up here, bright and undisturbed. I almost thought I could see the little ants of people milling about as they had when I had visited this landmark so long ago. I blinked and they faded before my eyes. Only dusty streets littered in debris remained.
Gripping my blade tighter, I listened for any movement, the vampire blood still heightening my vision and hearing, making every creak and howl of wind louder than normal. The silence was disturbing. Seraphin crept quietly on, poised to strike but equally cautious. I admired the fluidity of her movements. She made no noise as she padded along and I felt quite like an obtuse ogre compared to her agility. I scanned the walkway ahead and the glass rooms of the interior, wondering if we were even in the right place. I knew there was another area above us and I was about to suggest going up there when Seraphin stopped and motioned me forward.
Standing next to her, I spotted what had her on alert. Two hybrids stood guard on our left at the bottom of a set of stairs. We would have to ascend them if we're going to find out where my family was. I was sure Seraphin knew that but I wasn't so positive she expected anything. She was not very forthcoming with information and I didn't quite trust her yet. I hoped I could trust her; this would not go well otherwise.
She turned to me and nodded, holding a finger up to signal our attack. I acknowledged her and readied myself to take down one of the guards. Together, I was sure we would be just fine but I was hoping this wasn't a trap, either. I gripped my machete, its blade messy with drying, clotted blood. I loved my blade; it was sharp, reliable and easy to maneuver. It felt like an extension of my arm, especially now. The feel of the hilt felt like an old friend that hugged me right back. We had an understanding. I wished I hadn't lost my second blade. I made note to retrieve it if I possibly could when this was all over.
Seraphin jerked her hand down to start the attack. We ran into the small inlet where the stairway stood, looking like a majestic entrance to the heavens. Our blades swung at the guards who had been completely oblivious of our approach. Good, I thought, better for us that they were slacking off in their duties. They recovered quickly enough to counter our attack. Seraphin's was well-matched with foe; they paused briefly between each exchange as they sized each other up. This guard had surfer blond hair that was long enough to fly into his face. His blue eyes narrowed at her as he shoved at her when their blades crossed, almost sending her into a plate glass window.
My opponent was also quite skilled. His chocolate skin rippled as his muscles contracted. His hair short, closely trimmed and a shade darker than his skin. His eyes were an unnatural golden brown, making the gleam of the vampire's ring almost imperceptible. His face was hard and determined to finish me off. He was a good head and a half taller than me and I was pretty sure he ate little women like me for breakfast. I was surprised that I could hold him at bay.
He grew frustrated quickly and gave me a shove but I would not go down. His eyes pierced into me, a wild and disgusted look crawling across his face.
"What are you?" His voice came out in accented English, like his first language had been a dialect of French. I had taken three years of it in high school, just so I could visit France and the French colonies around the world. Now that seemed like a long-lost dream, one I would never get to experience. His voice was a bitter, melancholy reminder of how different the world was.
"You're not a vampire," he snapped when I didn't answer. I gave him a slight sneer as I waited for his next move. I didn't want to chat, who chats with their prey? It was too dangerous to get too close. In this war, I didn't want any mistakes made; my life depended on that in every way.
He seemed to recover from his initial shock that I wasn't a vampire, though I could see he didn't believe that I was just a human, either. He was smart, I could tell from his intense glare as he readied his sword again. His teeth slipped from behind his lips as he smirked and jolted forward, arcing his blade. I narrowly dodged it as I crouched and spun out of its path.
The whoosh of air above me made me realize how close he had come to slicing my head right off. I jumped up and turned to meet his sword with my blade just in time, a sharp metallic twang ringing out over our yells. We held each other off, pushing against one another with everything we had. I could see sweat building on his temples as he clenched his teeth together. His dramatically white fangs seem to bite into his lower lip as he grunted to hold me at bay.
"You are no human and you are no vampire, either. What does that make you, woman?" As he studied my face through the grime and streaks of blood, a look of recognition passed over his features. He knew something and the longer I stared back into those golden-brown eyes, the more I wanted to know what it was.
"Ah, the warrior daughter has come," he huffed as he stepped back, making me drop my stance and step away from him, too. Confusion filled me, wondering what he had meant.
I glanced about quickly for Seraphin and found that she and her opponent had retreated up the stairs and out of sight. I could hear their weapons clanging over the sounds of breaking glass and tumbling furniture. I sucked a breath in, waiting for Mr. Tall and Dark to pounce toward me again. I couldn't yet find his weak spot; he was a worthy opponent. His eyes seared into me, probably assessing my own weaknesses, wanting to tear me down sooner rather than later.
But I'd had enough of this dance.
"You know where they're at, don't you?" I accused him, watching his sneer grow wider. "Where are they, then?" My impatience came through in the acidity of my tone. I was tired of waiting–I had waited too long already and this man was just another obstacle in my way.
"Do you think I'd tell you? Look, mademoiselle, I respect your sense of family. There are not many left in this fallen place that do. But," he snickered, his eyes dancing in the muted light, "I have orders to kill you; you will never see them again." He raised his sword, pointing it at my chest as he charged at me, confident he would hit his mark.
The moment felt suspended in time. My anger at him for denying me what I wanted most ignited a new fire, one stronger than I had felt before. That this man could think this would be the end of me, before I had finished my mission, before I could hold Jeremy and my mother in my arms again and cry tears of joy, it was unacceptable. I wanted him to suffer as I had, rip his heart from his chest so that he would know what my pain felt like. I watched his movements, every twitch of muscle, every ripple that his body made as his feet landed on the floor. The moment slowed down, like a dramatic action scene in a film, giving me plenty of time to ever so slightly slip a blade from the bandoleer strapped across my chest.
He didn't notice, and I didn't even feel it when I let the blade sink into his chest, my hand following it through the warm opening. I felt the pulsating mass of his heart, jerking and shuddering as it realized it was no longer king of this vampire. I let my fingers wrap around it, feeling the life force shoot out of it as I ripped it from his chest. His face was twisted in surprise as he froze, paralyzed in the grip of death. Horror splayed across his features as he watched his heart beat in my hand. Its crimson fuel fountained down my arm and puddled on the floor. It continued to beat, succumbing to irregularity and finally stopping as the vampire's body slammed to the floor.
Even though my own heart was leaping in my chest I felt an overwhelming, hypnotic calm. I stared at the wet and veiny thing in my hand, like a token of battle. It made me feel a strange sort of ecstasy, filling my mind with pleasure.
"April!" Seraphin's voice pulled me back into myself. The horror returned with her voice as I stared at the organ in my hand, making me fling it to the floor, appalled and disgusted. My hand tingled, with the salty blood clinging in ribbons of clots and bits of muck. I wiped it on my pants and stared up at Rye's ex-wife. Her face was still, almost ethereal. Unlike me the rush of battle had not made her crazed and mad at all. I hoped I wasn't losing my sanity. Maybe it was the vampire blood inside me that had turned the world into such a strange and unfamiliar place.
I didn't know myself anymore. Ripping out a man's heart out was nothing I had ever done or trained to do. The blood inside me called for it, craving the hybrid's death, desiring blood and metal. I wasn't sure of anything anymore. This disorienting feeling made me want to question where I even was and what I was doing here in the first place.
I had to get a grip on this now.