Note

This is a re-write of an old Valduggery story I published. It has been un-Valduggeried and reads better for it, I think. The old version is still up under my Valduggery Oneshots section.

Synopsis

Set after TDOTL (written pre-phase 2), Valkyrie finds herself in the middle of a fight with a whole load of vampires and a warlock. She calls Skulduggery for backup.

Valkyrie wasn't a fan of walls, she reflected as she smacked into one. She could hear it behind her, feet bounding after its prey on the concrete floor, so she forced herself up and ran.

She was tired. She was cold, and wet, and tired and in so much pain but she kept going. To stop would mean death. Death wasn't exactly number one on her to-do list.

Nine vampires. Nine vampires and a bloody warlock. It was just her luck, of course. She'd been in the wrong place at the wrong time, as per bloody usual. She wanted to shoot something. Or someone.

"Update," Valkyrie called into her phone.

"Driving as fast as I can," came her partner's velvety voice.

"Well," she replied. "Drive faster."

"Remind me where you are?"

Valkyrie almost stopped in her tracks. Skulduggery wasn't saying anything. "You have to be kidding me. Pleasant, tell me you're joking right now."

"I'm joking."

She allowed herself to breathe again. "Yeah, now isn't the time."

"Right, yes. How many are there?"

"Ten in total. Nine vamps, one warlock."

"Any idea who it is?"

"I didn't exactly have time to check his ID," she snapped. "Too busy avoiding being eaten alive. I don't even think he knows who I am."

"That must be so difficult for you," Skulduggery mused. "Is he behind you?"

"No. Three of the vampires, don't know where the other ones are."

"Be careful," Skulduggery said.

Valkyrie sped up, rounding the corner and taking a sharp right. She ducked into a small, darker corridor while the other three ran on. Breathing far too heavily, she leaned against the wall and held her side. Flying, she decided, was becoming far too convenient for her. She needed to run more.

"Valkyrie? Are you there?"

"Yes," she muttered.

"Be careful."

"I'm me," she said, stepping back into the main corridor. "Of course I will." If she was right about where they were, the vampires would be doubling back any moment now.

"That fails to bring me confidence."

"You don't trust me?" she said quietly as she padded back the way she had come. She heard a scrabbling from around the corner and dived into the nearest room she saw.

"What's going on now?" Skulduggery asked.

"I'm hiding," Valkyrie hissed. "Now shut up, or they'll hear us."

She pressed to the wall, closing her eyes and breathing out slowly. She heard the bounding stop, now much slower. There was a growl, low and guttural. Valkyrie heard a noise from the next room over and opened her eyes. The steps got closer.

"They're getting closer," she breathed.

"Nearly there. Won't be a minute."

"Great, hurry up."

"I'm parking."

There was a moment of silence in which Valkyrie had to stop herself from frying her phone to a crisp. "Jesus Christ, leave it in the street!"

"I can't just leave it. She could be damaged."

"Yes, well so could your partner," she hissed. "Would you rather her or your car? Actually, don't answer that."

"Okay, I'm here," Skulduggery said. "Where are you?"

A growl came from right outside the door, and Valkyrie swallowed. "Eleventh floor," she breathed. "One of the offices, don't know which one."

"Okay. Stay where you are, and-"

There was a crash and Valkyrie cursed. "Not an option," she said as she leapt from the wall. One of the vampires burst in through the door, showering the carpet with glass, and Valkyrie snapped out her free hand and lightning flew from her fingertips. It hit the vampire square in the chest and it shot backwards, ploughing through into the room on the other side of the corridor. "Well, that was easy," she said.

"From the sound of things, I'd advise moving," Skulduggery said.

"Yes, thank you for that." Valkyrie sprinted from the room in time to see the vampire getting up. She turned left, looking back as she ran. She cursed again when she saw all three now bounding after her.

"What is it?" Skulduggery asked.

"I'm running," Valkyrie said.

"Good plan."

"Thanks. Where the bloody hell are you?"

"Coming, dear," he muttered.

Valkyrie scowled, taking another left. "That's grand. You might want to... I don't know... Speed up?"

"I'm currently fighting two at one time, but I'll do my best."

"Well, I'm running from three. And you have a gun. Use it."

"But of course."

She heard four shots fired through the receiver.

"Are they dead?"

"Remind me why we're partners again?"

"Because you love me," she replied. "Because I'm intelligent and beautiful and witty and extremely modest. You can't deny it Skulduggery, I'm a great person to have around. Everyone just adores me and-"

"Yes yes, you're hilarious."

She grinned.

Valkyrie burst through a set of doors, coming to a stairwell. She started down, taking them three at a time. It was going to take too long. She placed one hand on the rail, shut her eyes, and vaulted over. Valkyrie fell, cursing when she thought about the height she was dropping from. She thrust her hand out and felt it close around metal. Her eyes snapped open, and she yelled out as her arm was nearly yanked from her socket. Valkyrie looked up, saw the vampires following her over. She took a breath, then let go of the rail and fell. Again.

She hit the ground and rolled, smacking straight into the wall for the second time that night. Damn these cursed walls.

"Owwww," she groaned. "Yeah, I'm on the bottom floor now." She stood on shaky legs. "Definitely on the bottom floor," she grunted. She picked up her phone.

"Valkyrie?"

"Hi, Skulduggery."

"You okay?"

"Fine," she said. "Grand. Ribs hurt a bit, and, uh... feeling a little bit dizzy but... but... but apart from that... She turned and froze, just as all three vampires landed silently before her. "Give me a moment."

She hung up, jammed the phone into her back pocket and raised her hand slowly. The one on the left growled. She grimaced, then fired. The energy hit two of them, and those two flew back, going through the wall behind in a cloud of plaster. The other one leapt and Valkyrie ducked just in time. It flew over her, but twisted as it hit the wall, springing from it. The vampire landed on top of her, frantically clawing at her. If it weren't for her suit, she'd be shredded to pieces, but it didn't stop her from crying out in pain. She forced back the panic and heaved, and managed to roll it off her. She stood up again and it crashed into her, taking her through the double doors and into the lobby of the building. She pressed her hands on the vampire's chest and pushed, keeping the jaws away. They lit up and it flew backwards. She lay there for a few moments, catching her breath, then got up and turned, bumping straight into Skulduggery.

"Hi," she panted.

"Hello," he replied. "We should probably move."

"Yeah."

They bolted from the room, blasting through the doors and out into the empty street. She glimpsed the Bentley, perfectly parked down the road, and glared.

"Question," Valkyrie said. "Where are the other ones?"

"Well-"

One vampire dropped down, landing in front of them. They skidded to a halt. Another dropped behind, two on either side of it. The three that Valkyrie had blasted through the wall came bounding out of the building and joined the others.

"There they are," Valkyrie said, beaming.

"So it would appear."

"There are seven of them."

"Yes, there are," Skulduggery replied, taking out his gun.

"You don't happen to have a spare?"

"Not on me."

"Great." Valkyrie glanced at him. "We've never fought seven at one time."

"We'll manage."

"Right..."

"This was easier than I thought it would be," Valkyrie said as she shot lightening at the last vampire. It fell to the ground and Valkyrie stalked over, held it down with her foot while Skulduggery manipulated the air around it. It kicked and stuggled and snarled, but didn't break free.. "Gun." She caught the from the air, and fired twice. The vampire went limp. She lowered the gun, and kicked it in the head for good measure.

"Speak for yourself," her partner grunted. She turned, smirked when she saw him lying, propped up by his elbows. "I'll have my gun back now."

Valkyrie grinned, and walked over. She sat next to him. "It's a really nice gun, you know."

"Gun."

"Really cool style..."

"Gun."

She laughed, and handed it to him. "You okay?" she asked.

"Never better," he said, sitting up. "There's still the warlock to round up."

"God, give me a minute. I'm pretty sure we just broke a world record or something."

Skulduggery laughed. "Well done, by the way. That wasn't bad."

"Why, thank you."

"Nine vampires in twenty minutes."

"I am brilliant."

"Taught by the best."

"Yeah. Wreath's great, isn't he?"

"Bloody git," Skulduggery muttered.

Valkyrie laughed and him. "You jealous, Pleasant?"

Skulduggery tilted his head. "Never."

"Good."

"That would get annoying."

"You're already annoying."

"Charming."

"I know. But it's only sometimes, though."

"Am I annoying now?"

She smiled, and rested her head on his shoulder. "Nope," she said. "Now's a good moment."

"Now is."

Valkyrie sighed. "We should probably go and get the warlock."

"Probably," Skulduggery agreed.

"Are we going to go and get the warlock?"

"Why ruin the moment?"

Valkyrie grinned, was about to say something when a stream of white energy sizzled the air above her head. The grin dropped, replaced by a glare. "You have got to be bloody kidding me."