Chapter Twenty Five: Venom
Maddie took three attempts at getting "Jory" out, without stammering, before her Sirius would recognise who she wanted to call.
"Mads?" Her brother answered and Maddie couldn't speak for sobs. "What's the matter? Are you OK?"
Maddie sobbed. "A-A-Angel. Diego's taken her." Each word came out on the inward gasp of a sob.
"What? Shit!"
"I don't know where he's taken her." The sentence came out in a wail.
"Ben, call Kael." Jory said away from the phone. "We need him to get Demetri."
"There's more." Said Maddie, she could hear applause coming from the ballroom. "Dionne's gone after your Mom. She wants to kill her."
"Mom's with the others, she's got back-up. Our priority is Angel."
"Dionne said that Diego was going to kill her."
"We should at least try to save her, let's hope Diego plays with his food. OK, Ben's talking to Kael, he's going to get Demetri. We'll meet you outside the hotel in what, ten minutes?"
"OK." Maddie sobbed.
"Where's Aro?"
"As far as I know he's in the ballroom listening to the speeches."
"OK. Well, as long as he stays there. Oh, Maddie?"
"What?"
"Do you mind if I break into your house and steal your car?"
"No." It was the least of her worries right now.
"OK. See you in ten."
Maddie ended the call and hauled herself back to her feet. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were a red and black-smudged mess, while the very clear imprint of Dionne's hand remained around her neck. The door opened and Maddie bolted into a stall and locked the door.
"Madison?" It was her Mom.
"Yes?"
"Are you OK?"
"Uh… no. I think I ate something that disagreed with me."
"Oh. Wow it's cold in here, what's the window doing open? Oh, it's smashed. Did you do that?"
"No. It was like that when I got here."
"I'll tell Stuart. I'd better get back in there; some guy seems to be presenting a case for why we shouldn't build the Solace Center."
So Jason Jenks was doing his thing, the machinery to bring down the Volturi was in motion and Aro had a front row seat.
There was a loud gasp of shock from the ballroom.
"Oh my God what was that?" Helen bolted from the bathroom and into the unfolding horror of what Jason Jenks was telling the assembled crowd.
Maddie came out of the stall and did her best to straighten herself up, quickly wiping as much of the eye make-up off as she could. She still looked like a weeping damsel in distress; or perhaps a weeping vamp in distress, as her breasts were threatening to escape from her dress. She pulled it up and made her way out into the corridor.
The ballroom was in uproar and as the tide of staff ran to investigate, Maddie made an easy escape out onto the street, just in time to see her shiny red Volvo screeching to a halt outside. Jory was at the wheel and Ben beside him. Maddie yanked open the back door and threw herself onto the seat with Kate, pulling the door shut behind her as Jory accelerated away.
"Turn your phone off." Jory said. "Alice can't see the three of us but she can see your decisions. The last thing we need is a series of messages from angry parents 'cause we didn't stay home."
Maddie fumbled with her phone and switched it off.
"I love your dress." Said Kate. "We were watching on local TV. I think Ben drooled."
Maddie laughed and Ben looked a little embarrassed.
"I didn't think this through. I don't think I'm exactly cut out for running in four inch heels and a floor-length dress." Maddie replied.
"I'll give you a piggy back." Said Ben. "We're meeting Kael and Demetri in Golden Gate Park." His quick check out of her breasts did not go unnoticed and she put her hand across them, slightly embarrassed.
"Sorry." He apologised.
"I didn't appreciate that the corset would make them quite this… prominent."
"He's not complaining." Said Jory.
Ben thwacked him on his arm. Jory hit back.
"Stop it!" Snapped Kate. "Concentrate on the road."
"I know where I'm going." Jory replied, taking a right off Van Ness and heading out west to Golden Gate Park.
They arrived by the deserted Stow Lake and got out of the car, Maddie's heels made an inordinate amount of noise on the pavement. Ben came straight over and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her. In the strapless ball gown she really wasn't dressed for this at all and she was glad that it was a mild night. Ben was only wearing a thin T-shirt and Maddie wasn't objecting to the firm, warm body she could feel beneath it.
"So who's Demetri?" She asked.
"He's a tracker." Said Jory. "A friend of the family. He lives in Italy at the house we run for transitioning vampires."
"You're going to have to explain that one to me." Said Maddie.
"It's for those vampires who want to try our way of life. Go vegetarian so to speak."
"Start drinking animal blood? You need time for that to happen?"
"Yes, in many ways it's like a human stopping drinking or doing drugs. Some get it first time, some take a little longer and others never take to it. It's not for everyone."
"Have you ever..?"
"Killed anyone? No. None of us have." Said Jory. "When we were babies we were fed on donated blood and as soon as we could walk we were out hunting. Here in the city we take more donated blood because it's not as easy to get out into the parks each week. Mom and Dad can go longer than we can."
"I wish they'd hurry up." Said Ben, watching the skies.
"We're looking for an Angel?" Asked Maddie, craning her neck upwards into the night sky. "What's that going to took like?" The cloud cover was total which was why it was so warm.
"Like that!" Kate exclaimed and pointed.
Maddie turned her head just in time to see the remains of a speeding trail of light turn into two men. The man behind, by deduction Kael, had the most enormous set of white wings, which were even now folding up like a concertina into his back. In front of him stood a slightly dazed Mediterranean-looking vampire with shoulder-length black hair.
"However many times I do it, travelling by Angel still freaks me out." He said and adjusted his clothing. "Jory, Ben, Kate, what can I do for you?"
"Thanks for coming." Said Jory, shaking Demetri's hand. "We're trying to find our friend. She's been taken by a vampire and we think she may have been a victim. It's a slim chance but we've got to try."
"Sure. Who knows her best?"
"I do." Said Maddie, stepping out from behind Ben.
"Ah ha… Madison Mitchell I presume. At last." Demetri grinned.
"Is there anybody who doesn't know who I am?" Maddie griped.
"Not if they know Daniel." Demetri replied. "You know that thing parents do when they bore you to death about how fabulous their kids are?"
"Uh huh."
"Well he does that… a lot and he has three of you." Demetri winked.
Behind him Kael chuckled and stepped out from behind Demetri. Without the enormous white wings he was just an ordinary, fairly good-looking guy of around her age. "Nice to finally meet you Maddie, I'm Kael. I'm Heather's father."
"Nice to meet you too." Maddie shook hands with an angel. She would never have known what he was, had she not seen his wings fully extended.
Demetri smiled at her. "Maddie, can you think of your friend for me? Anything will do, just let your mind bring up something you can clearly remember about her."
Maddie replayed bits of this evening in her head; the laughter and the fun, right through to those last few minutes; where the full horror of why Diego hadn't come after her had transpired. Maddie felt immense remorse that her friend could be dead and all because she'd used Angel's name and not something more random. A sob from her drew Ben's arms around her once again. She rested back against him, marvelling at just how warm he was. How strange that vampires could produce warm-blooded children.
"Thank you." Said Demetri and he closed his eyes. He stood there, motionless.
"What's he doing?" Whispered Maddie.
"Searching for her." Replied Ben. "It's like sonar; he's looking for an echo of her mind coming back to him."
"I have her," said Demetri. "She's pretty much due east as the… angel flies."
"OK. I can take two." Said Kael.
"Demetri, will you help us?" Asked Jory.
"It certainly looks like you need a full vampire for this. Yes I will."
"OK." Said Jory. "I suggest Demetri and I go with Kael, the rest of you follow as fast as you can in the car."
"Once Demetri locates her I can guide you in," said Kael. "I can have them there in less than a minute and come back for you."
"Fine by me." Said Ben.
Kate started pulling at her shirt and from the depths of it pulled two of the cylinders that they wore around their necks. "I brought extras." She said and handed two to Jory. She reached back in and removed the crystal star from around her neck and gave it to Maddie. "You wear this one; it goes with your dress."
"Why do I need Dad's venom?" Asked Maddie.
"Think of yourself as a St Bernard." Said Kate.
"Think of myself as a dog? Thanks Kate. You're full of compliments tonight."
Kate grinned.
Jory and Demetri each put a foot on Kael's feet and he put his arms around them. From his back his wings unfurled and Maddie couldn't resist, she scooted around him and watched with amazement as they extended from his shoulder blades. She looked closer and discovered there were cuts in his shirt.
"Stand back Maddie, I don't want to knock you over." He said.
Maddie obeyed, she went back to Ben and watched in amazement as he made one strong beat of his wings and shot straight upward into the sky.
"Come on!" Called Ben and bounded over to the drivers' side of Maddie's car.
"Hey, hey, hey! My car, I'll drive!" Maddie snapped.
Ben put his hands up in surrender. "Fine!"
"Can you rip fabric and shorten my dress?"
"Yes."
"Can you break 2 inches off my heels too?"
"I could, but that would put them at the wrong angle for you to run in. How about we stop at a store and I steal you something?"
"You'll get caught."
"No I won't. Trust me."
"OK. You can rip my dress and steal me some Docs."
Ben took hold of the hem of her dress, found the seam and ripped smartly up the side of it to her hip. "Ah, that ripped easier than I thought it would. Nevermind. He did the same on the other side. Ben took hold of the fabric and ripped quickly across it.
"Oops." Said Kate.
"What?" Said Maddie.
"It's a little short you can see the start of your hold-ups."
"Eh… whatever," Maddie brushed it off. "Do the back." She went to turn but Ben put his hand on her thigh, stopping her.
"What's that?" Asked Ben, indicating to the atomiser.
"Make-up for vampires. I need to give it to someone, but I keep forgetting. Do the back, quickly, we need to get going."
"Do it lower." Said Kate. Ben ripped the fabric across. "Better!" She replied. "OK, let's go steal shoes! Can I have some Docs too whilst you're there? Size five."
Maddie fired up the Volvo and floored it out of the park, heading straight down Fulton Street at speed. Ben told her to make for Haight Street and told her to drive on while he raided a shoe store. She hadn't even reached as far as Masonic, when Ben stepped out into the road and she stopped the car. He got in and waved a pair of purple Docs at her. He handed back a pair of patent black ones to Kate.
"Don't tell me I never get you anything." He said to his cousin.
"Oh my God I'll love you forever!" Kate purred.
"That's nothing special around us." He said.
Maddie headed eastwards down Haight Street. At the intersection with Market, Kael joined them again, sliding into the back seat beside Kate.
"They're in a disused warehouse on Pier 36. Take 4th to King Street and go up Embarcadero. It's clear."
"Thanks." Maddie said, pressing harder on the gas.
She pulled to a stop a short distance from the warehouse in a small parking lot that Kate broke the lock off. Maddie pulled on the Docs and the group jogged over to Pier 36.
"Are we going inside?" Asked Kate.
"Yes you are." Said a voice behind them.
They spun around and Maddie's stomach lurched at the sight of Diego. "Staging a rescue, how touching." He said.
"Where's Demetri?" Asked Kael.
Diego looked out to sea. "Oh, out there; somewhere." He pointed vaguely. "In pieces."
"Where's Jory?" Demanded Maddie.
"Currently trying very hard to resist the temptations of Miss Williams. I've left him to it. It can't be long now." Diego gave a mirthless laugh.
Maddie took off; running hell for leather up to the doors of the warehouse and shoving the doors open as hard as she could. She found herself in an empty cavernous space with no sign of either Jory or Angel. The others piled in behind her.
"Jory!" Maddie called.
"Here." Came a small, but still audible reply. They ran through the space and into the second warehouse. There, in the corner, were Jory and Angel. Angel was laid on her side and sobbing. They ran to them, but at a point still a distance away, Ben pulled up sharply.
"Oh no." He said.
Kate pulled up equally sharply.
Maddie span around to them. "What?"
"Blood." Said Ben his hand over his mouth. "Angel's bleeding."
"Where? I don't see any blood." Said Maddie.
"Jory, can you move away?" Asked Ben.
"No. I'm surrounded by sensors. I trip one and the explosives he's tied around her go off. Nice."
"Well that's easy enough to solve." Said Kael; bending his knees to jump.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Said Diego, appearing from behind and swinging Jory's venom phials from his hand. "Interesting. the subject of hybrids. I have been learning all about them. Their strengths and, just like Samson, their weaknesses. You look like Daniel," Diego said, pointing at Kate, "so I'm guessing that you're also carrying these. Hand them over."
Kate removed the two phials from around her neck and handed them to Diego. He patted her down, checking her pockets and sickening Maddie by squeezing her sister's breasts.
"Get off her!" Maddie spat, trying to push Diego away. She might as well try and push a mountain. Diego just laughed in her face and did the same to her.
"Magnificent." He growled. "You must keep your father so entertained with these." Maddie pulled back her hand to punch him but Ben grabbed her arm before she had time to smash her hand into a thousand pieces. Diego turned his attention to Ben. "And who are you? You don't look like them, so whose kid are you?"
"That's none of your business. Now let Jory and Angel go."
"No. I'm thirsty."
"Why haven't you had her then?"
"There are juicier specimens out there. Still, I broke her in for you. She rides well. Bit of a screamer, but then again they all are when you smash through their cervix. I used to make Daniel do that bit."
"You disgust me." Hissed Ben.
"Whatever makes you think I'm looking for your approval? This is my city, my rules."
"Well, we're taking it back."
Diego looked around. "Just you?"
"No, we're with the people who are currently swarming through your house and den, while we take care of you." Ben hissed.
Maddie saw the momentary darkening of Diego's face. He didn't know after all. Dionne hadn't told him, so what was her game?
"There are hundred of vampires in my Den." Diego growled.
"Bullshit." Levelled Ben. There are thirty, thirty five at most in the entire city. We've been here a while and we've been watching you."
"It must have been educational."
"It was. It reminded me of all the reasons why I live the life I do. I will never stoop to your level."
"What, you mean this?" There was a blur in front of Maddie and suddenly Ben was slumped on the floor writhing in pain. Maddie dropped to her knees by him. Ben was pulling at the neck of his t-shirt trying to get his phial. Maddie got it and put it in his hands. Writhing in pain all the time, Ben snapped off the top.
"Pour it, in the, wound." He gasped. "Quickly." He collapsed onto the floor, exposing the bleeding bite on his neck. Maddie's hand shook as she tipped the silver liquid into the bite. Ben went rigid and gasped louder; he seemed to be hurting even more.
"Oh my God what did I do!" She wailed. Suddenly Kate was there.
"It's OK. It hurts more than the venom and it's cold, it feels like ice going through your veins. It'll pass."
Above them Diego laughed. "And what the fuck are you?" He said, addressing Kael. "You're not human and you're not hybrid."
"No I'm heavenly." Kael replied, standing nonchalantly with his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. "You can bite me all you like; it won't make a scrap of difference."
Diego did and got nothing. Kael didn't even wince.
"Satisfied?"
"You're immortal?" Questioned Diego.
"Yes and more so than you." Kael pulled a lighter from his pocket. "All I would have to do is pull you apart and burn you. Whereas you'd have to kill God to get rid of me. Now be a good boy, let Jory go and let us take Angel to the hospital. Go and have your fun somewhere else."
"I don't think so."
Maddie suddenly found herself pressed up against Kate, carried out of the warehouse and up over the rooftops of San Francisco.
It had started to rain.