Dominant Species (15 page)

‘Yes, thank you. In the city we have heat
,’ he said by explanation, then he shrugged and smiled, embarrassed.

‘You get used to it. Anyway, my name
’s Trent and this is Lano and over here…’

Father Matthew held up a hand, he t
wisted in his seat slightly to face Jake,

‘…
Sits a man whom I last saw as a boy, over twenty years ago.’

Jake smiled. ‘Have I changed so little?’

‘You may have changed physically, but your soul remains just as I remember...’ Father Matthew smiled. ‘…And you still wear the cross I gave you,’ he added with a grin.

Jake
chuckled in return and his hand absently brushed the crucifix that hung around his neck, ‘Always,’ he whispered.

‘Even though I imagine there were times when it grew heavy, very heavy indeed
,’ continued Father Matthew.

Ignoring the question Jake pushed on, ‘So, how did you find us?’

‘I trust in a higher being.’ He leaned forward, concern scored deep on his face. Jake sat and listened in silence as Father Matthew continued. ‘I hope there will be time for proper reunions later. But for now I have to warn you of a ferocious and terrible danger that awaits you all.’

In his room, Max sat crumpled on his bed. Sweat pouring down his face, which was contorted in pain. Breathing quickly he screwed his eyes tight shut, fighting to block out the dim light that flickered from the lamp in the corner, to him the dimness seemed to suddenly burn like an inferno. With an uncoordinated lurch he lashed out, smashing the lamp to the floor. A pool of ignited oil spread and slithered across his room like a mini river on fire. He screamed, pulling back as the flames caught hold and began to burn even more brightly.

Father Matthew looked slowly from one face to the next.

‘And you’re sure?’ asked Trent
.

Father Matthew nodded.

‘You risked a lot coming here.’

‘There is much at stake.’

‘How many in this army?’

‘At least a
fifty men, twenty half-lings…’

‘An
d how many vampires?’ asked Lano, not wanting to know the answer.

Father Matthew paused, ‘At least ten,’ he said at last
, ‘maybe more.’

Lano’s face said it all. ‘We have to evacuate immediately. Head up through the Bron
x’

‘No
, Lano,’ Jake said shaking his head, ‘if Father Matthew is right, we haven’t got the time, we have no choice anymore, we have to stand and fight.’

Lano looked at Jake then to the others
, pleading, ‘And tell me just how are we supposed to fight against those odds?’

‘With the will of God,
’ replied Jake, but even as he said it the words sounded hollow.

‘Don’t give me that crap
…’ Lano hesitated, embarrassed despite his fear. ‘Sorry Father’ he muttered before continuing, more quietly. ‘Jake, we’ll be decimated. Ten vampires alone would…’

Before he could finish
, the doors crashed open and Megan rushed into the crypt, out of breath.

Jake, come quickly. It’s Max!

Megan led the way with Jake on her heels; he was always amazed at how fast she could sprint and used to joke about how quickly her legs must have had to motor at her height to be able to cover ground so quickly, behind them Trent and Father Matthews brought up the rear, the Priest puffing, badly out of breath behind Trent who was limping heavily by the time they arrived. Two watchmen were already exiting the room as Jake, closely followed by Megan, Trent and Father Matthew bunched to a halt. The acrid smell of smoke hung in the air from all around Max’s room. Jake went to enter but the watchmen held him back. Megan hung back in the corner, her hand over her mouth in shock, tears pricking at the corner of her eyes.

We had to break down the door, ‘explained the first watchman.’ He waved an arm to the fire damage. ‘We put it out. Max was…’ he hesitated, ‘
…cowering in the corner.’

Jake moved past the man and into the room, sure enough in the corner
sat Max. Jake moved closer, Max was sitting quietly, but something was wrong. His eyes were glazed and he stared blankly at the wall. A hand caught Jake’s arm and he looked round into the face of Father Matthew.

‘Wait, Jake. Get me some cold water. Have you any painkillers and
some garlic?

Trent nodded to Megan who disappeared immediately.

‘What’s the matter with him,’ asked Jake, fear rising in his voice.

Father Matthew knelt in front of Max, ‘Max? Max, concentrate
,’ he demanded, Max’s head jerked round. His eyes narrowed as they tried to focus. Somewhere inside comprehension dawned and Max’s eyes widened.

‘Father… Matthew, is that really you?’

‘Yes my son’ said the Father with a forced smile.

‘Thirsty.’

‘I know.’

Megan reappeared with a
steel jug of cold water, bandages and two jars wedged under her arm. One full of pills the other stuffed with garlic cloves. She laid the steel jug by Father Matthew’s feet. Max smiled.

‘Max. Let me see your arm.’

Max looked down at his arm as if it didn’t belong to him, and then slowly raised it towards Father Matthew.

‘He’s been bitten?’ Jake
asked with an edge of despair in his voice.

‘I’m afraid so.’

Father Matthew tore off a piece of bandage and dipped it in the jug, then wrung it out and placed it on Max’s forehead. He grabbed a glass from the side cabinet, poured water from the jug. Opening the painkillers he tipped out six.

‘Take these.’

Max struggled with the cup swallowing the pills, before gulping down the rest of the water greedily.

Jake kneeled by the priest; grabbed Max’s hand with his left and took the wet cloth from Father Matthew, ‘Father, he’s burning up.’

‘I know,’ said Father Matthew as he glanced up at Jake. ‘Megan?’

‘Yes?’

‘Can you crush the garlic please?’

Megan pulled her
Bowie knife from her boot and crushed three garlic cloves with the hilt. She watched Father Matthew as he took the remaining bandage and doused it with water before he removed his belt.

‘Max? Max?’ He snapped his fingers. Max looked into the Father’s eyes. ‘I’m afraid this is going to hurt, my son. Bite down on this.’ Obediently Max opened his mouth, biting down on the leather belt offered to
him by Father Matthew. Then the priest took Max’s arm in one hand and the crushed garlic in the other. ‘Lord, give us strength.’ Father Matthew then placed the crushed garlic on Max’s open wound ignoring the screams as he quickly tightened the bandage. He showed no surprise when Max bit clean through the thick leather belt.

The Priest had insisted he be left alone to deal with Max and so Jake, Trent and Megan waited impatiently outside Max’s room for him to join them. Jake could hardly bare, or indeed recognise, Max’s screams that came from within the room and had been held back on more than one occasion by both Megan and Trent. When the door finally opened the priest looked exhausted.

‘He’ll rest now.’

‘Is he going to be okay? Have you caught it in time?’ asked Jake before the Father had closed the door fully.

Father Matthew turned to Jake, a worryingly solemn look on his face. ‘Jake, I’m sorry. There is no ‘catching it in time
,’ all we can do is slow the change; not stop it.’

‘But, the garlic - ’

‘It slows the enzyme in the infection caused by the vampire’s bite, that’s all. It won’t stop the change, nothing can,’ he added helplessly.

‘Any effect on vampires?’ a
sked Trent in his gravelly voice.

‘Sorry?’

‘Garlic.’

‘No
, other than bad breath I’m afraid,’ replied Father Matthew absently.

‘So what now?
’ asked Jake, his voice cracking, ‘How long does he have?’ Jake felt numb, the words seemed to be coming from somewhere far away.

‘I’m no expert - ’

‘- You’re the closest we’ve got,’ growled Trent.

Father Matthew paused, looked at Jake
. He could see the pain etched in the young man’s face. ‘After being bitten, and dependant on the conditions, the change usually occurs within twelve hours if it’s a main artery, to thirty six hours if it’s not...  with the compress… maybe a little longer.’ He looked at the others. ‘Do you know when he was infected?’

‘It must have been in the battle; day before yesterday.’

The Priest nodded, calculating quickly. ‘Based on where the bite is, the way he’s behaving… my best guess if that he probably has no more than three to four hours left. Jake, I’m so sorry.’

‘What
usually happens to them, once they’ve changed?’ asked Trent.

‘Under normal circumstances he would be adopted by the vampire that turned him.’

‘He was killed,’ muttered Jake his tone dispassionate and deathly cold.

‘Lord Tolon…
yes I know, it made quite a stir in the city.’

‘And without a master
?’ Trent continued, pushing the Priest.

‘I’m not sure... but
from what I’ve seen in the City, I think any vampire near enough could claim him now.

Trent looked at Jake, ‘y
ou realize what this means, son... what we have to…’ he didn’t finish his sentence.

‘
I know, but not yet.’ Jake’s words came out as a whisper.

Megan watched helplessly as Jake simply turned
and without another word walked away.

When Jake was out of ear shot Trent spoke quietly, ‘Megan can you arrange two
more guards, armed, to keep watch at all times please?’

Megan nodded
still in a daze, her eyes still fixed on the distant figure of Jake as he stormed away with his head down.

‘What about Jake?’
She asked.

‘He’ll find a way. With time, he always does.’

‘I’m afraid that time is something we may not have much of. Look I know this is another problem, but I came to try and help you. I have a plan. I think it would be best if you surrendered. I believe that I can broker a truce and - ’

‘- No, there will be no truce.’ Trent’s voice cut across the Father’s like a sharpened blade
leaving no room for debate.

From two blocks away, through the gaps in the derelict buildings, a dark, hooded figure watched, unseen. He tracked Jake as he set off across the street outside Max’s home. Jake knew he had to keep walking, knew he mustn’t stop. Finally he reached a gap between two houses and collapsed against a wall.

The figure moved slightly so he could still see Jake,
It was Zidtool. He stood in the shadows of a long disused bedroom, in a dilapidated building. But there was something different about his demeanour, something about the way he acted and it had nothing to do with the fact that he was wearing traditional vampire dress with full body armour, rather than the normal scruffy clothes he usually chose.

Jake tried to control his breathing his eyes were tight shut
, he felt like his head was going to explode. He was finding it hard to comprehend, not so much the fact that Max had been bitten, more the fact that it had happened now, just when they seemed to have buried their differences. Then Jake realised that this was probably the reason Max had been different, time running out. Suddenly any thought of his own pain, or that of his brother disappeared as a watchman’s low call went up. Jake’s head jerked round as Megan appeared from the doorway across the street, out of breath.

‘Jake!’
She yelled.

Jake was shocked at the sight that met him when he entered his brother’s room. Three guards, together with Father Matthew, were desperately trying to hold Max down as he writhed in agony on his bed. Another guard lay unconscious against the wall, blood oozing from a deep cut in the side of his head. Max’s veins bulged, his muscles flexed. Jake hesitated in the doorway with Megan holding his arm tight behind him. Suddenly he seemed to wake from his dream, but as he stepped into the room to help he was pinned to the spot as Max’s bloodshot eyes flew open, glowering, almost burning red and seemingly staring straight through him.

‘Jake. Help us,’ shouted Father Matthew.

But Jake couldn’t move as those blood shot eyes seemed to plead with him, leaving his legs leaden. Sparing him a quick glance Megan ran forward and grabbed Max, whose eyes turned on her, then he growled. Increased strength ripped through his body as he threw Megan across the room, then wrestling himself free he leapt into a half crouch punching one watchman and knocking Father Matthew into the wall.

Seeing Megan hit the wall
had brought Jake back to reality and now he moved forward just as the second guard, a large framed man, grabbed Max’s throat with a heavy, meaty hand. Max looked at the man as Jake grabbed Max’s other arm. Jake watched as Max slowly, and with ease, released the watchman’s grip, crushing the man’s hand and ignoring the man’s screams.