Moving like a shadow among them, Frederick Abberline strolled quietly past
the thralls at the tunnels entrance. He walked in silence, his mind
cloaking him not only from the eyes and ears of the two men there, but from
their thoughts as well.
He wore guns holstered under each arm and a gun loaded with silver- filled bullets in his left hand. A slender backpack rested snugly against his back. He moved, assured of his destination, past his own Guardians and his beloved Lilith. No one could see or sense him. A sly smile graced his fair features.
As the Guardians opened the door into the basement, Abberline was the first to step through. Studying the entrance, he wondered why it was secreted on this side. As he passed the large dusty wine rack and slid through the open door, he could see it was just as well disguised on the other side.
Abberline was forced to quicken his steps to stay ahead of the Guardians, who moved quickly in to secure the area. At the end of the long narrow hallway, a number of Viscalli's troops came rushing down the stairs. Abberline stepped out of their way, allowing the young vampires to pass. He looked back at his own Guardians and hoped that they didn't accidentally shoot him as he slipped behind the enemy and continued up the stairs two at a time. During his ascent the sound of gunfire echoed from below.
Viscalli's troops were more disorganized on the upper basement level. Abberline clung to the walls to avoid being hit by panicked vampires. His sense of Sands' location drew him down the hall and to a short side passageway on the right. A small, very old man stood there, his head down, mumbling to himself. The man's thrall state caused Abberline's nose to wrinkle in disgust. This human had been a thrall for way too long. He no longer knew how to think for himself and his state drove him to madness.
A young, panic-stricken vampire less than ten years turned rushed past Abberline and the crazy thrall down the short passageway and flung open the door at the end. Abberline listened carefully as the vampire called out a warning about the attack, then two more vampires followed the first one out. Cringing and going flat against the wall as they ran by, Abberline sensed a great power and evil in the taller of the two vampires.
Once they passed, Abberline felt Sands was very close. Moving slowly and carefully into the room, he spied Sands, unmoving, unclothed and secured to a table of some sort. Sensing a new danger, Abberline paused. From the doorway he could feel the effects of the silver, reminding him of how the influenza felt when he was human. It would not be wise for him to attempt to touch the stuff. He turned his head back toward the crazy thrall; now his presence made sense.
Abberline retraced his steps to stand behind the thrall. "You will go in and remove the silver from the prisoner in the room now," he said carefully in English. The thrall shook his head and responded in French that he did not understand. Abberline repeated his instructions in French. That worked. The mad little thrall shuffled back into the room, mumbling to himself.
Watching from the entrance, Abberline saw the man pluck three long thick sliver needles from Sands, then turn, eyes glassy, as if waiting for more instructions. Abberline had no time to feel pity for the creature. he walked up behind him. "Go upstairs. Tell them Lucifer is here," he commanded.
The man's face reflected his fear and comprehension. He ran off, obeying the voice that spoke to him.
Setting the safety of his drawn weapon on, Abberline tucked the gun he held into his belt. He moved in a blur of speed to Sands and began unfastening his bonds. "Wake up," he hissed to Sands. "Get up now!" He sent the message both verbally and mentally, forcing his commands into Sands unconscious mind.
Sands' eyes flew open and he turned his head to meet Abberline's gaze.
"You can see me, I hope," Abberline whispered.
"Yes, sir." Sands sounded alert and oriented, although that was far from the truth.
"The troops have arrived. Time to make an exit." Abberline finished unfastening the bonds on Sands' legs. "Up, lad."
"Lad?" Sands asked sitting up. "Technically, I'm older than you. Sir." he sat on the edge of the table and glanced down. "And naked."
Frowning Abberline looked at him, then passed him the gun he'd tucked into his belt. "Now you're dressed."
"Ah, perfect," Sands said, a gleeful smile spreading across his handsome features. "I want to kill some Viscalli in general, and then Viscalli himself, and Jacob, that cur! I want him dead first."
"Don't dawdle. First we rejoin our own," Abberline told him.
Sands stood up, surprised at his ability to do so. The pain from the silver did not fade like the regular injuries, but continued to burn throughout his body. "Where are they?" He checked his weapon, then flipped the safety off.
"Below. They do not know that I am here." Abberline moved to the doorway and looked down the short passage. He moved, with an unconscious grace.
"You mean you hid even from the Guardians?" Sands asked, coming to stand beside him. "May I ask why?"
"And from Lilith," Abberline smiled as if he had said something funny.
"She's going to be angry." Sands began to move down the passage. A vampire darted across the opening, one of Viscalli's troops. Sands didn't hesitate. Moving on instinct, he raised his gun and fired. The vampire fell down, his head blown almost clean off.
"Let's hope his pants fit," Sands muttered, rushing down to the corpse. He looked left and right, then grabbed the dead vampire's ankles and dragged him back into the passage. "I guess it would be too much to hope his shoes fit."
"Get dressed then," Abberline grumbled. "If you'd do what I told you, no one would see you anyway. Being naked is meaningless."
"I need practice with the mind cloak," Sands retorted, pulling the pants and shoes from the corpse. "I appreciate you giving the gift to me, don't take me wrong, but we didn't have much time for instruction and no time for practice." He handed his gun to Abberline, using both of his hands to get into the pants, he pulled them up. They were way too large for his slender hips, so he tied the cloth belt tightly, then held out his hand for the gun. "We were lucky it worked. More than 80 per cent of the time, you can't pass on a gift like that," Sands continued talking in a conversational tone, trying to keep his mind off the pain.
"It worked because I put intent behind it." Abberline handed the gun back," Ready?"
"Ready," Sands replied with a nod.
The two moved into the hallway as Abberline drew one of his remaining weapons. 'This way." He gestured for Sands to follow him to the left. "Don't shoot our Guardians." Abberline warned, "Oh, and your new friend Victoria is here, also."
"I'll kill someone if she or Lilith is hurt," Sands said, his tone suddenly vicious. "Why didn't you tell them you would come, and why did you let them come to begin with?" he asked again.
"That would be up to you," Abberline told him, "but they have their own minds lad."
Sands noticed Abberline wasn't answering his question and he bit back a retort at the response. That would be for another time. They came to the stairs and he sensed several vampires below. "We could just join our people and leave," he whispered to Abberline.
"Or we could call them up and go after Viscalli," Abberline told him. "I sense he will be a continuing problem if he escapes tonight."
Pausing, Sands looked at Abberline. "What do you foresee?"
Brown eyes met brown eyes. Before Abberline could answer, bullets bit into the back wall behind Sands. Both vampires turned, ducked, and fired back.
~*~
Victoria clung to the wall weapon in hand. Bullets flew by as the Guardians made quick work of Viscalli's troops. Bodies fell to the ground screaming as the silver ripped through their flesh. Her eyes scanned the corridor. Lilith stood surround by a small group of Guardians, she seemed uninjured. They would be sure to keep her safe.
The gunfire quieted and for a brief moment Victoria's and Lilith's eyes met; a cool, emotionless exchange.
Victoria turned as she heard the distinct sound of metal scraping against bone in time to see Andre running his sword across the throat of the last Viscalli foot soldier. Victoria watched as he knelt down to wipe his blade clean on the shirt of the vampire he'd just slain. A smile graced his full lips.
Her attention was quickly diverted back to the threat from above, her eyes frantically searched the ceiling. Every nerve in her body was standing on end. He was coming, and he was not alone! Victoria decided to meet Jacob on his own ground.
She glanced around and located a familiar staircase which she knew would grant her quick access to the general quarters; library, parlor, study. She remembered a servant's passage, designed to allow free movement from floor to floor without the inconvenience of being seen by the masters. Seeing the Guardians otherwise occupied, Victoria quickly headed for the passage.
"Victoria!" Andre called to her. He appeared annoyed to see her slipping away unattended once again. "Victoria!" he called once more taking a step forward. She stopped and looked at him fiercely with her glowing green eyes.
"Andre," she called to him silently. Andre's eyes widened in surprise. "Andre, Jacob is coming. Viscalli is with him. He is determined to find me. We, after all, have unfinished business to attend to. We cannot let them near Lilith. That is what Viscalli wants." Andre looked confused and angry, as he paused.
"I'll go with you," he thought back as he took a step forward, "My brother would want that."
"No, " Victoria said as she looked over his shoulder towards the main stair. "You're about to have company."
Andre turned his head ever so slightly and listened. A smile appeared as he lifted his sword. Victoria smiled back and slipped away. As she headed up the stair case, weapon in hand, her smile quickly turned to a scowl. She felt the blood pumping through her body, her senses were heightened. Her sire's presence called to her. This was the closest she'd been to Jacob Connor McCloud in over 100 years. She checked that the safety was off on her weapon as she neared the top of the staircase. Soon it would all be over.
Heavy footsteps echoed down the hall. Victoria pressed herself into the small space between the wall and a large curio cabinet. A small group of Viscalli foot soldiers ran past, too young, and too focused to notice her. At that moment something inside her snapped. She raised her weapon and carefully took aim at the back of the head of the last vampire. Remembering Sands instructions she exhaled and gently squeezed the trigger. The bullet found its mark as it struck the back of the young vampire's head propelling him forward into the others with a spray of blood! (To Be Continued)
He wore guns holstered under each arm and a gun loaded with silver- filled bullets in his left hand. A slender backpack rested snugly against his back. He moved, assured of his destination, past his own Guardians and his beloved Lilith. No one could see or sense him. A sly smile graced his fair features.
As the Guardians opened the door into the basement, Abberline was the first to step through. Studying the entrance, he wondered why it was secreted on this side. As he passed the large dusty wine rack and slid through the open door, he could see it was just as well disguised on the other side.
Abberline was forced to quicken his steps to stay ahead of the Guardians, who moved quickly in to secure the area. At the end of the long narrow hallway, a number of Viscalli's troops came rushing down the stairs. Abberline stepped out of their way, allowing the young vampires to pass. He looked back at his own Guardians and hoped that they didn't accidentally shoot him as he slipped behind the enemy and continued up the stairs two at a time. During his ascent the sound of gunfire echoed from below.
Viscalli's troops were more disorganized on the upper basement level. Abberline clung to the walls to avoid being hit by panicked vampires. His sense of Sands' location drew him down the hall and to a short side passageway on the right. A small, very old man stood there, his head down, mumbling to himself. The man's thrall state caused Abberline's nose to wrinkle in disgust. This human had been a thrall for way too long. He no longer knew how to think for himself and his state drove him to madness.
A young, panic-stricken vampire less than ten years turned rushed past Abberline and the crazy thrall down the short passageway and flung open the door at the end. Abberline listened carefully as the vampire called out a warning about the attack, then two more vampires followed the first one out. Cringing and going flat against the wall as they ran by, Abberline sensed a great power and evil in the taller of the two vampires.
Once they passed, Abberline felt Sands was very close. Moving slowly and carefully into the room, he spied Sands, unmoving, unclothed and secured to a table of some sort. Sensing a new danger, Abberline paused. From the doorway he could feel the effects of the silver, reminding him of how the influenza felt when he was human. It would not be wise for him to attempt to touch the stuff. He turned his head back toward the crazy thrall; now his presence made sense.
Abberline retraced his steps to stand behind the thrall. "You will go in and remove the silver from the prisoner in the room now," he said carefully in English. The thrall shook his head and responded in French that he did not understand. Abberline repeated his instructions in French. That worked. The mad little thrall shuffled back into the room, mumbling to himself.
Watching from the entrance, Abberline saw the man pluck three long thick sliver needles from Sands, then turn, eyes glassy, as if waiting for more instructions. Abberline had no time to feel pity for the creature. he walked up behind him. "Go upstairs. Tell them Lucifer is here," he commanded.
The man's face reflected his fear and comprehension. He ran off, obeying the voice that spoke to him.
Setting the safety of his drawn weapon on, Abberline tucked the gun he held into his belt. He moved in a blur of speed to Sands and began unfastening his bonds. "Wake up," he hissed to Sands. "Get up now!" He sent the message both verbally and mentally, forcing his commands into Sands unconscious mind.
Sands' eyes flew open and he turned his head to meet Abberline's gaze.
"You can see me, I hope," Abberline whispered.
"Yes, sir." Sands sounded alert and oriented, although that was far from the truth.
"The troops have arrived. Time to make an exit." Abberline finished unfastening the bonds on Sands' legs. "Up, lad."
"Lad?" Sands asked sitting up. "Technically, I'm older than you. Sir." he sat on the edge of the table and glanced down. "And naked."
Frowning Abberline looked at him, then passed him the gun he'd tucked into his belt. "Now you're dressed."
"Ah, perfect," Sands said, a gleeful smile spreading across his handsome features. "I want to kill some Viscalli in general, and then Viscalli himself, and Jacob, that cur! I want him dead first."
"Don't dawdle. First we rejoin our own," Abberline told him.
Sands stood up, surprised at his ability to do so. The pain from the silver did not fade like the regular injuries, but continued to burn throughout his body. "Where are they?" He checked his weapon, then flipped the safety off.
"Below. They do not know that I am here." Abberline moved to the doorway and looked down the short passage. He moved, with an unconscious grace.
"You mean you hid even from the Guardians?" Sands asked, coming to stand beside him. "May I ask why?"
"And from Lilith," Abberline smiled as if he had said something funny.
"She's going to be angry." Sands began to move down the passage. A vampire darted across the opening, one of Viscalli's troops. Sands didn't hesitate. Moving on instinct, he raised his gun and fired. The vampire fell down, his head blown almost clean off.
"Let's hope his pants fit," Sands muttered, rushing down to the corpse. He looked left and right, then grabbed the dead vampire's ankles and dragged him back into the passage. "I guess it would be too much to hope his shoes fit."
"Get dressed then," Abberline grumbled. "If you'd do what I told you, no one would see you anyway. Being naked is meaningless."
"I need practice with the mind cloak," Sands retorted, pulling the pants and shoes from the corpse. "I appreciate you giving the gift to me, don't take me wrong, but we didn't have much time for instruction and no time for practice." He handed his gun to Abberline, using both of his hands to get into the pants, he pulled them up. They were way too large for his slender hips, so he tied the cloth belt tightly, then held out his hand for the gun. "We were lucky it worked. More than 80 per cent of the time, you can't pass on a gift like that," Sands continued talking in a conversational tone, trying to keep his mind off the pain.
"It worked because I put intent behind it." Abberline handed the gun back," Ready?"
"Ready," Sands replied with a nod.
The two moved into the hallway as Abberline drew one of his remaining weapons. 'This way." He gestured for Sands to follow him to the left. "Don't shoot our Guardians." Abberline warned, "Oh, and your new friend Victoria is here, also."
"I'll kill someone if she or Lilith is hurt," Sands said, his tone suddenly vicious. "Why didn't you tell them you would come, and why did you let them come to begin with?" he asked again.
"That would be up to you," Abberline told him, "but they have their own minds lad."
Sands noticed Abberline wasn't answering his question and he bit back a retort at the response. That would be for another time. They came to the stairs and he sensed several vampires below. "We could just join our people and leave," he whispered to Abberline.
"Or we could call them up and go after Viscalli," Abberline told him. "I sense he will be a continuing problem if he escapes tonight."
Pausing, Sands looked at Abberline. "What do you foresee?"
Brown eyes met brown eyes. Before Abberline could answer, bullets bit into the back wall behind Sands. Both vampires turned, ducked, and fired back.
~*~
Victoria clung to the wall weapon in hand. Bullets flew by as the Guardians made quick work of Viscalli's troops. Bodies fell to the ground screaming as the silver ripped through their flesh. Her eyes scanned the corridor. Lilith stood surround by a small group of Guardians, she seemed uninjured. They would be sure to keep her safe.
The gunfire quieted and for a brief moment Victoria's and Lilith's eyes met; a cool, emotionless exchange.
Victoria turned as she heard the distinct sound of metal scraping against bone in time to see Andre running his sword across the throat of the last Viscalli foot soldier. Victoria watched as he knelt down to wipe his blade clean on the shirt of the vampire he'd just slain. A smile graced his full lips.
Her attention was quickly diverted back to the threat from above, her eyes frantically searched the ceiling. Every nerve in her body was standing on end. He was coming, and he was not alone! Victoria decided to meet Jacob on his own ground.
She glanced around and located a familiar staircase which she knew would grant her quick access to the general quarters; library, parlor, study. She remembered a servant's passage, designed to allow free movement from floor to floor without the inconvenience of being seen by the masters. Seeing the Guardians otherwise occupied, Victoria quickly headed for the passage.
"Victoria!" Andre called to her. He appeared annoyed to see her slipping away unattended once again. "Victoria!" he called once more taking a step forward. She stopped and looked at him fiercely with her glowing green eyes.
"Andre," she called to him silently. Andre's eyes widened in surprise. "Andre, Jacob is coming. Viscalli is with him. He is determined to find me. We, after all, have unfinished business to attend to. We cannot let them near Lilith. That is what Viscalli wants." Andre looked confused and angry, as he paused.
"I'll go with you," he thought back as he took a step forward, "My brother would want that."
"No, " Victoria said as she looked over his shoulder towards the main stair. "You're about to have company."
Andre turned his head ever so slightly and listened. A smile appeared as he lifted his sword. Victoria smiled back and slipped away. As she headed up the stair case, weapon in hand, her smile quickly turned to a scowl. She felt the blood pumping through her body, her senses were heightened. Her sire's presence called to her. This was the closest she'd been to Jacob Connor McCloud in over 100 years. She checked that the safety was off on her weapon as she neared the top of the staircase. Soon it would all be over.
Heavy footsteps echoed down the hall. Victoria pressed herself into the small space between the wall and a large curio cabinet. A small group of Viscalli foot soldiers ran past, too young, and too focused to notice her. At that moment something inside her snapped. She raised her weapon and carefully took aim at the back of the head of the last vampire. Remembering Sands instructions she exhaled and gently squeezed the trigger. The bullet found its mark as it struck the back of the young vampire's head propelling him forward into the others with a spray of blood! (To Be Continued)