Ehh not so good with action scenes so bear with me. Also I'm not trying to make Heather a super powered Mary Sue, but she IS a Priest and I assume they're all pretty bad ass right? Anyway your opinions are most welcome.
Thank you for the reviews. They actually encouraged me to write this sooner than usual!
Here goes…
My throat tickled as I breathed in the dust thrown up by our bikes.
I shook the vibration out of my hands as I turned off the engine and dismounted. Nine other Priest and Priestess around me did the same staring up at the looming nest before us. It was a large, domelike structure with several caves near the top and had death written all over it. I only hoped our sources were accurate in stating that the place was deserted save for the queen; which in my opinion made no sense at all.
"Are you thinking the same as I?" Juno said beside me as she peered up at the house of the demons.
I held up my hand to shield against the harsh rays of the sun that nestled directly overhead, "That this is a mistake, or that this is foolish?"
"Both", the Asian woman replied glancing over at me. I ignored her stare and swiveled my head in the direction of Michael and Gabriel. They were discussing something out of reach of my ears. Maybe Michael was talking Gabe out of this stupid idea, but I knew it wasn't an idea. It was an order.
"We should just get this over with", I whispered to seemingly no one and tightened my Priest robe around my waist. I ran my hands over the outline of my blades hidden within their depths; mentally preparing myself to use them. The other Priest surrounding us whispered idly amongst themselves; whispers of doubt and suspicion but mostly fear of what was to come. This was the largest hive any Prests' have ever dared to enter.
"Brothers, Sisters", Gabriel walked over to us as we subconsciously gathered around him in a circle. Michael trailed behind him glancing over at me. "Once we enter in line formation spread out throughout the hive and check the perimeter. Kill any stray vampires you find, but meet up at the base in no less than twenty minutes. If we are to kill the Queen then we need the element of surprise on our side, so no unnecessary noises".
His piercing blue eyes remained calm despite the fact we were entering hell, "Let's move".
Uniformly we began our ascent up the thousand foot hive keeping our eyes and ears open for any movement within the caves up above. I dug my gloved hands into the mountain as I hoisted myself up under Michael. The sun beating down on the back of my neck made beads of sweat drop down into my clothes irritating me.
When we were finally on flat surface Michael walked beside me as we made our way up the spiral cliff side dotted with several smaller caves that peered out at us like hollow eyes.
"Whatever happens don't let your guard down", he whispered staring straight ahead at the others.
I used a hand to wipe the sweat off the back of my neck, "No kidding. This is a mistake Michael".
His dark eyes found mine hiding all fear, "I know. Gabriel is determined to find her. I couldn't talk him out of it".
I started to feel an uncomfortable feeling well up at the back of my throat; a feeling I hadn't felt in a long time. The hives' shadow stretched out blinding us from the suns light. The Priest in front of and behind me craned their necks to look above.
"Are you okay?" he asked in almost a whisper, his eyes never leaving mine despite the inclination of the terrain.
I set my jaw, "I'm afraid".
It was a strange thing to admit, especially to Michael since he was a key witness to how fearless I was in battle. We've invaded several small hives and clusters of vampires and none of us so much as blinked, but there was something about this day something that gave me fear. It wasn't a simple group of vampires we were attacking; it was a supposedly empty hive.
Risking revealing our friendly relationship he reached over and gave my forearm a squeeze, "Just keep your eyes and ears open. We'll be fine", his smile put me at ease, but only for a moment as the shadows loomed over me; threatening to swallow me whole.
We reached the mouth of the hive. Everything would be quiet from here on out.
Michael worked his way to Gabriel staring into the hollow cave before him, "I don't know", he whispered to his friend while his depthless eyes searched about. "It feels like our grave".
"The Queen is down here", was Gabriels' reply not moving an inch, "We have our orders".
When Gabriel gave the signal we expanded out behind him in V formation with him being the lead, Michael and Juno flanking him, me behind Michael and rest behind us.
When we were in formation he gave another wave before we steadily advanced forward. The moment our company entered the temperature dropped at least ten degrees. Moisture clung to the engraved walls in droplets and an eerie air drifted through and brushed over my sweat soaked skin. My eyes darted everywhere at once; from the shadows that played on the walls to the slightest trickle of liquid from the ceiling.
Gabriel held up his fist and with both arms he gestured to the left then to the right.
Stealthily, I drew my blades as everyone around me did the same and in single file separated from the V and into our own tunnels. My nerves tingled and my muscles clenched in anticipation for anything as I walked along the forsaken hole; my group disappearing behind me making me feels alone. My boots crunched lightly and I wanted to cringe at every sound that grated my ears. I used every sense to stretch out beyond my body as I was taught. If it wasn't for the dim light coming from the main cavern I wouldn't be able to see past my own nose. It smelled of mildew and the wind almost made the cavern feel as if it were breathing.
I rounded a corner several minutes later and came to an edge where I could overlook the entire hive. I marveled at how massive and how cleverly designed it was. The Queen would be at the bottom lair underneath it all. I was sure of it. Whether she would be alone remains to be seen. I saw pinpricks of shadows I knew were the other nine Priest scittering throughout the hive tunnels.
Something touched my shoulder and I spun around bringing my blades along with me. In a flash I had the figure pinned against the wall.
"Easy darling it's me", Michael whispered his stern grip on my wrist the only thing that kept the knife point away from his throat. He seemed surprised at how on edge I was. Perhaps because my eyes were about as wide as saucers at this point.
I stepped back hissing at him, "Don't do that".
He straightened himself rubbing where the back of his head made impact with the wall, "I was checking on you. My levels clear, no sign of anything".
We both started making our way down to join the others, "I'm sure if they were here they would have known of us by now".
"Then hopefully it's desolate, and we can leave this hell hole", he muttered before jumping down a twenty foot ledge and joining with five others who have finished their sweep. I muttered an agreement before following suite. There were seven of us here waiting on the others who would soon join so we could continue deeper into the hive.
While Michael conversed with Juno about something I couldn't hear I moseyed off and away from the group to the nearest wall. I came to a halt when the heel of my boot crunched on something hard. I reached down and picked up the jagged object. Holding it up in the dim light I saw it was the remains of a bone; a human bone from the looks of it. In fact, it was the remains of a hand. They looked old but not ancient; at least a few months worth.
I looked over and saw Michael searching the crowd of people before his eyes caught mine, a sign of relief reflecting in them as he made him way over. I propped my hand up on the wall, but quickly retaliated when I felt something sticky and wet squish between my gloved fingers. I lifted it into the light and my eyes widened. Vampire saliva.
"Michael-"
"It's a trap", we both heard Gabriel whisper, but only too little too late.
Out of the black, Helena, a dark skinned Priestess who's trained with my company since I could remember, screamed as she disappeared into the ground. Her clothed arms flailed and her eyes so full of fear I could see it ten feet away. My brain couldn't keep up with the quickness of the next events that played out before me.
I unsheathed my swords, clenching the hilts so hard my knuckles turned white. A vampire lunged out of one of the vacant tunnels and slammed into another brother of mine while he was unaware. It was a trap. Screeches filled the air as several more revealed themselves, bald heads twitching as their long teeth dripped with the same substance on my hands. Their sinewy body's crawling along the dark walls like wraiths.
Michael left my side, his own weapons drawn, to aid a sister. My attention was taken from him when another white demon sprang at me from a cave located above my head. Its long claws scraped along my back before I ducked and rolled to the side. A burst of wind and I knew it had cut me. Using the momentum I gained I rolled myself back up and lunged through the air slicing its neck nearly in two. It dropped lifelessly to the floor. Another two came at me from both sides, raving at me as I bolted forward so I couldn't be caught in their snare. Brothers and Sisters around me were lost in their own battles as I drew the two away from the crowd and up an adjacent wall. My heart pounded as I strained to remember the trainings and experiences I had dealing with vampires. They were erratic and determined which gave them a weakness.
As I ran in a semi circle around the main chamber the two vampires following fought with each other to stay ahead; one crawling alongside the wall and the other next to it, parallel to the floor. I could hear their claws scraping against the rock as they neared. I needed to make a move soon.
The next engagements were so fast I couldn't comprehend them for a brief moment. I saw a flash of Michaels face in the crowd of vampires and Priest fighting below, before another flicker of a silver object soaring through the air and attaching itself to the chest of the vampire nearest to me. I had to remember to thank him. The second creature hurdled over its dead counterpart, mouth clamping open and shut in anticipation for its next meal.
I leaped down from the ledge hearing the pounding of its' clawed footsteps right behind me. I sheathed one sword and pulled out a shrunken in the shape of a cross and about the width of my palm. I strained my ears to hear the timing of the vampires' footsteps, but could hardly discern them from the thudding of my own heartbeat. I was running out of room and out of time.
In one motion, when the time was just right I stopped, turned and ducked down, laying flat on my back with my knees under me. The vampire leaped, missing my body and catapulted over me. As it was in midair I launched the cross shaped weapon up, hitting it straight in the chest. It convulsed as it landed then went still.
Adrenaline pulsed through my veins causing my vision to blur. I heard Gabriel's grunts as he finished off a demon with a dagger to its temple. There were bodies everywhere; at least four of them were Priest caught off guard in the first seconds of attack. They were moving so fast, and they were everywhere; crawling out of holes and even out of the ground. We had to get out of here.
Holding my blades in front of me I ran over to aid Juno whom had a vampire on top of her about ready to devour her face. My brown eyes darted everywhere looking for Michael. Where was he?
I kicked the vampire off of Juno and she finished it with a practiced stab to its' chest. Her eyes thanked me, but shifted over to Gabriel as he ran by.
"Get to the surface!" was all the remaining six Priest needed to hear to start darting into the tunnels. Vampires scuttled after us, separating into different holes probably to find a way to cut us off. I lingered to the back of the line, my eyes darting everywhere for Michael.
Another Priest named Jin grabbed my arm and forced me to head toward the surface, rambling things I couldn't comprehend. I stumbled and started to fall into step; at least until a clawed hand wrapped around my ankle making me smack into the hard rock.
In a millisecond the vampire was on top of me. Its massive arms pinning my chest down as it roared in my face. I saw my pathetic life flash before my eyes, and just for a second I could picture my mother and father together holding me the day I was born. Whether it was actually them or an image I conjured up out of thin air I wasn't sure, and frankly I couldn't care less.
As I thought my life would end then and there and blade shot through its mouth from the backside of it's' head. The lifeless vampire was thrown back and I was yanked up on my feet and being forced to move.
"I thought I told you to watch yourself kitten", Michael gritted falling in step behind me. If I had the energy I would have conjured up a smart aleck reply.
I could hear the growls and shrieks of other vampires behind us, the heat made it feel as if the tunnel was alive. Maybe I was so afraid I could even feel their breaths running down my neck, but that was just Michael huffing behind me while one of his hands pushed against my back to keep me going.
We were coming upon a split in the tunnels up ahead, "Take the left one!"
"You!" I asked, hearing the contemplation in his voice.
"Just go!" With a final shove he boosted me into the left tunnel while he disappeared into the right. As soon as the other vampires following us scampered in his direction I realized why he split off. Fear settled in the lump at the back of my throat, but I couldn't impede long enough to swallow it down.
My rib cages rattled from all the pumping my lungs and heart were doing against them, and I lost all feeling in my legs. I was running off of adrenaline and fear.
As if God was answering to my pain a pinprick of light could be seen ahead, and that pinprick of light turned into an exit from this hell. I bursted into the sunlight, collapsing on the cliffside as I sucked in all the available oxygen I could. The hot rays against my skin felt like heaven while a breeze brushed against my sweat slicked skin.
I have never been so happy to be back in the wasteland. I laid there for minutes as I fought the urge to black out.
Michael. I forced myself up feeling the pain in my arms. In front of a cave a level above me, five Priest were settled around the dark hole staring solemnly into it.
Running off of Gods energy I climbed up to them. That was when I noticed my head and hands were bleeding from the ascent to daylight. A brush of cool air told me my back was still bleeding as well.
Four Priest were settled around Gabriel who stared at the ground with his fist clenched up in balls. Before I was close enough he whispered something to Juno. Her eyes were dark and sad, and that's when I noticed.
"Where's Michael?" I asked looking around. Perhaps he exited out another cave.
Gabriel stopped in front of me, a good distance away from the others as they stood watching. His hands found each other within the sleeves of his robes. The lead Preists' blue eyes stared straight through mine like an endless blue fire searing through my skull.
"He's gone Heather".
My world crashed around me.
Dun dun dunnnnnnnn! REVIEW PLEASE!