Immortal Terror

Ethan hadn't expect that this was the way he was going to die. Held in a virtual choke hold by an angry vampire, and suspended nearly 1000 feet over Toronto's Gardiner Expressway. The tallest skyscrapers of Canada's largest city and Ontario's capital lay just below Ethan to the north. That is, except for the CN Tower, which still stabbed into the murky summer sky hundreds of feet into the sky above his head. Far, far, below Ethan the cars streaked along the elevated highway like so many illuminated ants.

That angry vamp was levitating effortlessly. Whatever strength the bloodsucker was using to hold up Ethan must have been infinitesimal; while gravity didn't seem to affect the bloodsucker, Ethan was suspended in the air like a rag doll and gasping for breath. The only weapon Ethan had on him was his ultra-violet light sabre in a scabbard on his side, now with a new retractable blade.

But it was useless. Ethan had barely the strength to breath, much less pull out the weapon. And even if he did use it, and succeeded, Ethan knew all it meant for him was a quick death on the pavement far below.

Ethan's best friend Benny was being held a short distance away, and a short distance below. His bloodsucker had tied him up with rope and given the spell master the indignity of being treated like an airborne, human yoyo, jolted up and down. Benny's face was as pasty white as his captor and Benny's pupils rolled confusedly about in his eyeballs. His light sabre was also hanging uselessly in his scabbard.

"So, loser" said Benny's captor, "before I drop you how about you teach me one of your magic tricks before I kill you?"

Benny put down the urge to retch and, with great effort, muttered "You're not a spell master and you're un-dead. No way you can do magic. No way I'd want to tell you."

Rory was being held upside down like the catch of the day, a little below the other two. The ex-vampire had the privilege, if you can call it that, of looking directly at the highway far below. All the better to focus his mind on the splat he'd make if (and when?!) he were dropped onto the pavement far below. Rory was quaking like a blender.

The third vampire practically hissed into Rory's ear "Bet you could wish you could still fly!"

"J-J-Just don't h-h-urt my pals and y-y-y-y-you can d-drop me n-n-n-n-now" stuttered Rory, though he meant every word. "B-but I'd s-sooner d-die t-than be a b-b-bloodsucker again."

"If it weren't so much time and trouble I'd turn you again" said the vamp, "just so you'll die like one of us, impaled through the heart with your own light sabre, and your body burning quickly to a crisp. But you're not worth biting, you'd taste so sickening. A greasy teenage boy. Even worse than those unprepared specimens I've been forced to dine on since your lot exiled me from my quality Whitechapel place de cuisine."

"You're such a gourmet" jeered Benny's persecutor.

"Well seer!" said the first vampire with a fanged grin, that is to say the bloodsucker with Ethan by the choke-hold. "Maybe we can't get anything useful from your friends. But a vision of my future or some prognostications into how we'll set up a new vampire council here? That'll be useful!"

Ethan wasn't going to give them that. His last act alive wasn't going to help the bloodsuckers get the same hold over Toronto that they used to have over Whitechapel. And even though he was terrified, Ethan was gratified neither of his friends would give an inch either. So, with what seemed like his last breath Ethan forced out his answer.

"NO WAY. NOT if MY LIFE DEPENDED ON IT."

"It doesn't" said the bloodsucker evenly. "I intend to kill you anyway. But first I'll shake some information out of you before I let you end up as a splat on the pavement. A splat that will be a mystery to most people. But a splat that for us will demonstrate that we vampires had our revenge for our Whitechapel defeat."

The bloodsucker did as he had threatened, literally shaking Ethan in midair. But Ethan wasn't going to give any information unwillingly. While Ethan's seer abilities were sometimes beyond his control, his visions were never under the direct command of a bloodsucker. So while Ethan's pupils dilated, and his eyeballs shone bright in the night sky, all Ethan saw were his memories of the events leading up to this.

Author's Note

This story is fourth in a series starting from "The End of the Beginning" (which takes up the moment where "The Date to End All Dates Part II" leaves off), followed by "Ethan to the Future" (the immediate sequel to "The End of the Beginning"), and "Good v. Evil; or, Some Assembly Required".

Thanks to everyone who has read or added these stories to their favourites or follows list. Any and all reviews are greatly appreciated.