We sat around the table, eating our dinner much later that day. The training went very well and I found out Alice was a good fighter. Alice was fast and dealt strong blows. She still has much to learn about fighting so we'll be practicing everyday. I'd have to figure out how far I could push her and how long of a rest she'd need.
The door opened and we all looked to see who walked through. Most of us stood, weapons ready, in case demons had found our location. I was one of them. No matter how long we went without being caught, I couldn't rest and not be ready to fight for my life. But it wasn't a demon; it was a person.
"Shaun's back!" someone shouted.
Shaun jumped at the loud shout and then laughed nervously as he turned to face the room. Covered in sweat, he glanced around the room and waved at everyone. A few people went up to slap him on the back and he flinched every time someone touched him. Shaun seemed twitchy.
The way he was acting seemed a little odd to me. He was one of our newest members and was one of the most calm. Shaun was like the quiet but strong type. But no one seemed to notice how he was acting so I just shrugged it off. Everyone welcomed him back from his visit to the northern Black Label.
He was sent on a mission to bring five or so people to our Black Label because theirs was over crowded. My eyes flickered behind and to the side of him but I didn't see anyone with him.
"Hey Shaun, where's the others that were suppose to come back with you?" I asked.
He flinched but shook it off and faced me.
"Oh…um…We were almost here," he said. "Right when we were about to enter the city, they attacked...the demons I mean. The other guys that were coming back with me were killed by Vamps. My weapon was knocked out of my hands and I ran. I uh lost them when I went through the library and snuck back here."
It was normal for us to loose one or two people every time we left The Black Label. Even though we didn't know the guys that recently died, it was sad to know one of us had been murdered. Our numbers were dwindling.
"Well, it's good that you're safe Shaun," my father said with a sigh.
Everyone patted Shaun on the back before returning to their tables. Before turning back to my food, I looked at Shaun one last time and saw something in his eye. Examining him, I saw he was very timid and looked like he wasn't telling us everything. Fear flashed through his eyes when he looked at me but it vanished as quickly.
"Shaun," I said. "Is something wrong?"
"No. No nothing's wrong," he said a little to quickly.
We kept eye contact for a while until he looked to the floor. I watched him as he went to the corner of the room and sat at an empty table. Nervously, he glanced over his shoulder and at the door. Standing, I made my way towards him. As I approached, I heard something in the back of my head. I stopped and focused on it, trying to figure out what it was.
It's only a matter of time before they come. I'll be safe and they'll get their new Queen, plus a little snack.
The voice was Shaun's; that was for sure. But how? I was watching him and his lips didn't move. I though about it and suddenly got the feeling that he thought it, not said it. For a few seconds, I doubted it but then I saw it was true. This has happened before.
While in the kitchen a long time ago, I'd thought I heard Briar talking to himself but realized that he wouldn't talk about his dead wife out loud. Then another day I heard dad thinking about my mom and how he wished he could tell me the truth about her. Sure I could have told someone, but the only way to survive in this world is to keep your cool.
So I kept this knowledge of how I can read minds to myself. It only happened a few times so I forgot about it. Now that I know what I heard was in Shaun's head, I have four questions. Who is 'they'? Who is their 'Queen'? What will he be 'safe' from? And, what does he mean by 'little snack'?
Before I could start towards him again, I heard another thought from his mind.
They're here. It's time.
Just then, I heard a soft but solid thump. Listening, I heard another thump, but more solid.
"Hey…what's that noise?" Briar asked.
The room grew quiet and everyone listened for something.
Thump…
"What was that?" Clove asked.
Thump…
"There it is again," Alice said.
Thump…thump…thump…Everyone looked to the door, listening as the noise grew louder and more solid. It sounded like someone was beating on the wall in front of the hidden door.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.
Briar drew his sword as did a few others. They edged towards the door as the noise grew even louder and stronger.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!Suddenly, the noise stopped and there was an uncomfortable silence. All eyes were on the door, waiting for whatever was going to happen next. Minutes passed as we sat and held our breaths.
"Maybe it's gone," Clove whispered.
As soon as she said that, the door exploded and demons poured into the room. There was screaming all around as the demons attacked. To my left, I saw a Reaper sever Cam's head before he could defend himself. It rolled on the floor and stopped at my feet, a terrified expression fixed on the face. Rage flashed through me, seeing my friend die.
Without hesitation, I swung my kusari-gama at the closest demon, a Shadow. The razor sharp point of the sickle cut it in half and it remains fadded into the darkness. Other demons stepped forward but stopped and looked at me. Without a second thought, I lashed at them and killed them.
To my left, I see a Werewolf grab Clove by the shoulders. I rushed forward but Briar and a Reaper blocked my way, fighting to the death. Clove screamed and struggled but it was no use, the Werewolf wouldn't let go. Lifting her into the air, the Werewolf ripper her head off with her sharp K-9s. Dropping the body as it spewed fresh blood, she turned to me.
Seeing an opening between Briar and the Reaper, I jump through and lung at the Werewoolf, avenging Clove. The Werewolf blocked my Kusari-gama's sickle and swiped at me. Stepping a safe distance back so she couldn't reach me, I glared daggers at her. Her eyes widened when she got a good look at me.
"Nb oliw, xlnv yzxp slnv!"
I was stunned. It was the language that the demons used. There are few to be known who can speak English or anyother human language. But what stunned me was that I understood it perfectly. This was the first time I heard a demon speak, and I understood her. I lowered my weapon and started at her in confusion.
The Werewolf took a step towards me and I was brought out of shock by the movement. Raising my weapon, I lashed the Werewolf and the sickle struck her in between the eyes. She fadded into darkness with a look of surprise on her face. As I brought my sickle back in, a pair of strong arms wrapped around me.
Automaticly, I struggled against the strength of my enemy.
"Sz krs gkdovaux dj zajetu, X dtoc pahec idh bjsu."
Another demon. One that I understand what it's saying. It freaked me out and made me want to get away even more. I swung my head back and it hit whatever demon had me in the jaw. Stagering back, he let me go and I jumped away. I swung at the Vampire dut he doged.
"Dj zajetu! Idh phsf ofhsjrnvts!" he shouted.
This time, I ignored the fact that I understood him and swung again. The sickle caught him in the shoulder and I ripped it out. The Vampire didn't even cry out, just looked at me.
"Idh phsf ofhsjrnvts, cxs nyz rks idh dtoc," he said sadly.
Sick of the demon talking, I swung again and decapitated him. His body and head fadded as I turned to face the next enemy. Another Shadow stood next to Kim who was on the floor, blood flowing out of the gash on her back that showed her spine. Don, her husband, yelled in rage and went for the demon.
Seeing an opening, I jumped in the fight.
"No! this one's mine!" Don yelled, fire blazing in his eyes.
Understanding that it was between him and the murderer of his wife, I stepped out and waited for any sign that he needed help. Glancing around, I saw that half the demons were killed and we had a good chance of winning this fight. Before I turned back to Don and the Shadow, I spotted Shaun hidding under his table, watching the fight.
The demons knew he was under there, they glanced at him and moved on. But why weren't they trying t kill him? I'm not trying to be heartless, but the demons should be trying to rip him in half like they would anyone else. So why not him?
Just then, I caught one of his thoughts.
Just stay under the table and they won't hurt me. They promised. If I gave away the location, I'd stay alive.
Traitor! He led the demons here! He's not a human. A human wouldn't betray his own kind to the ones who want to kill us all! My vision went red and everything around me seemed to move slower. Filled with rage, I dashed over to Shaun. His eyes widened when I was suddenly in front of his table.
Picking up the table, I flung it over my shoulder and glared down at the traitor cowering on the floor.
"Bastard! You betrayed us all!" I yelled.
Shaun's eyes filled with fear and he stood, trying to step away. Growling, I blocked his escape. Seeing he was trapped, he reached to his shealth and pulled out his fighting daggers. From behind me, I heard a series of hissing and growling. Ignoring all destractions, I whiped my kusari-gama down and it stuck him in the shoulder. He screamed in agony.
Ripping it out, I swung again and again until his body was nothing but shredded flesh. Turning back around, I lunged at the nearest demon and hacked it down. When it was dead, I went for the next one. Then the next one. I saw Don dead on the floor next to his wife and I searched for their killer. Spotting it fighting Briar, I dashed to it and stabed the sickle into its back.
It cried out in pain as I twisted the sickle and pushed it farther in. Soon, the Shadow fadded and I looked for more demons. There were none. All the demons were killed. My rage slowly left me and I stood there, looking around at the survivers. Alice was next to my father, maces bloodied, dress ripped but alright. Father was limping slightly but otherwise he was ok.
Briar had only a scratch on his arm that was already scabing up. Caleb was holding his arm to his chest, broken. Cam, Macy, Don, Kim, Sarah, Erik, Jeff, Anna, Danny, Cassidy, Peter, Clove, and Shaun were dead. Only five survived, me, Alice, my father, Briar, and Caleb.
"Thanks," Briar said, dusting himself off.
I nodded and loosened my death grip on my kusari-gama as the red in my vision disapeared.
"How did they find us?" Caleb asked.
"Shaun did it. He sold us out to save his life when the demons ambushed him and the others," I said.
"Why would he do such a thing?" Alice asked. "Wouldn't they kill him later when we were all dead anyway?"
"I don't know Alice," I replied. "But he was a traitor and no longer one of us."
"Speaking of the traitor…where is he?" my father asked.
I pointed to the pile of meat and blood in the corner and everyone turned to see it. Alice gasped and looked away. Briar, who was close to the pile, spat on it in disgust.
"Well, we have no time to waits. Once other demons find out we survived, they'll come after us. Our best chance is to pack what we need and can carry then leave to the nearest Black Label," my father said.
Everyone nodded.
"Briar, you pack food. Caleb, you pack water. Raven, you pack weapons. Alice, you pack jackets for everyone and other cloths. I'll keep watch," he said.
We nodded again and set off on our assignments.