Chronicles of the Uprising (Trilogy 1): Trilogy 1 (35 page)

He looked at her suspiciously for a moment.

“Remember what I said to you before I was dragged from the arena? Someday it will be your turn to do something… Now’s that time.”

Recognition and understanding sparked in his eyes, but he still hesitated before taking her offered hand. “What’s your plan?”

Tegan, though an ass, had always been a good fighter. And by all appearances, he was the Alpha in this group of vampires. None of the others had stepped up to her yet. So, Mira was glad to have Tegan on her side. “We form an army.”

“To do what, exactly?” he asked.

“Take down the Magistrate, with our new friends, the Otherkin.”

“You mean these dogs?”

“Careful, Tegan.”

The wolves growled. Stryker stepped in closer.

“The wolves are part but not all of the Otherkin society. Tegan… Sanctuary is real. And, we can all go there.” Mira addressed the rest of the vampires. “All we have to do is help them fight back. Are you with me?”

Chapter 9

A caramel-skinned vampire limped his way to the front of the crowd. His bald head gave him away before Mira could see his face. She’d been worried she hadn’t seen him, hoping something had not happened while she was away. He looked a little more worn than she remembered. He limped slowly, his leg trickling blood without stopping.

George pushed his way to the front of the crowd. He met Mira’s eyes and his own began to water as a smile of pure joy bloomed across his face. “You always said you’d escape. I never believed before – but look at me now, eating crow. I’m not about to do it again. You say you can wage a war and win the hearts of our enemies… I’ll believe it. Whatever you need from me, I’ll do.”

She rushed to him, pulling his large frame into her arms.

“What happened to you? Are you okay?”

“Just a flesh wound…”

“Liar. Let me take a look at it.” She bent down to inspect it. A shard of metal jutted out from the wound, and the skin was refusing to heal around it. “Silver-coated. Someone get me something to pull this out.”

She pushed George to the ground and ripped open his pant leg to get a better look at the wound. The metal was embedded deeper than she could get with her nails. She needed tweezers or something with a little more precision and reach. No one had moved at her first request for help, so she upped the volume. “Help your fellow gladiator, you spineless bastards. No wonder the humans treat you as savages!”

That got their attention. She didn’t see who, but someone handed her a pair of tweezers and a few rags to soak up the blood. “This is going to hurt a little.” That was all the warning she gave before diving into the wound to fish out the metal preventing his wound from healing. Discomfort played across George’s face, but to his credit, he did not whine or complain. He hissed and panted while she worked.

The piece was larger than she’d thought initially, but as soon as she pulled it out, George’s leg began to heal, skin knitting back together as if it had never been cut. She held out her wrist. “Take my blood to help.”

George whispered a thank you and bit into her offered wrist.

She winced as his teeth pierced her flesh and turned away to address the others. “If you will not help one of your own, you might as well put yourself back in those cells, because that is where you’ll eventually end up. You’re still outnumbered by the humans. That’s how they have the advantage. And they’ll always have that advantage so long as you act alone…”

Tegan’s threatening stance relaxed, but he had not agreed to join them; at least not yet.  “So we have to fight for the Otherkin? Those are your terms?”

“I offer no formal terms.” Mira had to hold back the snicker. She was no diplomat come to discuss a treaty. The though alone was absurd. “I’m asking you to join us on this campaign. We want to end the humans’ treatment of our kind. And we do that by joining forces. They will see we are a force to be reckoned with, no longer slaves.”

“We are a force to be reckoned with. And we will use that force to wreck this city!” Tegan spoke to the crowd, rallying them with his confidence.

They roared in agreement around him.

She was losing ground quickly. Of course they wanted revenge. Who would blame them for that? But she needed to focus it if she hoped to rally them to her cause. Mira shouted above the crowds roar. “Yes… you could wreck this city. You could raze it to the ground. But where is the satisfaction in killing innocents? It’s the Elites who enslave us. It is the magistrates and regents who order our deaths. Our fight is with them, not the general populace. Join us and we will make them pay.”

Surprisingly, Lucian decided to chime in. He stepped out from behind Stryker. “Why not capture the Magistrate and bring him back to the Otherkin as a prize?”

“That might not be too bad an idea.” Mira glanced back at Lucian. “Take out the head of the government and bring him up before the Otherkin council.”

Lucian nodded, but there was hesitation in his eyes. “That might work. Without their leader though, the local regents would take charge. We would—”

“It takes time to re-establish leadership,” Mira interrupted. “What if we were able to put the Magistrate and his crimes on public display? Help change public opinion before anything rash happens. Revenge is best when it is made public.” She turned back towards Tegan. “That’s what you want, right, revenge in its purest form?”

Now it was Stryker’s time to speak up. “Our orders were clear. Free the vampires and bring them back to join the army.”

She shot him a warning glare and leaned in, whispering low. “You will still have your army, but I have to convince them our ideals are aligned. Besides, what better than an army that never needs to be used?”

“That’s not for us to decide,” Stryker said.

“Right now, it is. Keep quiet. These are my people to deal with.” Her tone brooked no argument and thankfully, the wolf did not press further. Mira turned back to Tegan. “Well, I think no matter which way we go, if the Magistrate is still here, we should go after him.”

“And you think working together as a team will make us want to join you?” Tegan said.

“Yeah. I do,” she shot back at him, and then addressed the crowd. “Your chances are better with us than alone. Let’s say you exact your revenge. What happens next? Daylight comes, and now you’re in a hostile city, hoping to wait out the day. Or, you get with the program, get some revenge, and earn a place in Sanctuary with people just like us.”

A collective rumble of agreement came from the crowd.

“So, let’s grab the Magistrate, and take him back to the Council.”

 “As long as it doesn’t take too long, yes, let’s get him,” Stryker agreed.

“Well? You with us?” Mira looked at Tegan.

“We’ll help get the Magistrate. No promises on the whole army part. You didn’t just free us to make us slaves to someone else’s whims.”

“No one is a slave. Do what you like. I’m finished talking. Let’s go.”

“No promises,” Tegan repeated, looking back over his shoulder to the others surrounding him. “We’ll help get the Magistrate and anyone else we kill along the way.”

“Once we have him, we’ll rendezvous with the Otherkin. Decide then if you want to continue,” Mira said.

“This will need to be a targeted attack,” Lucian interjected. “We’re not aiming for civilians, just the Elites along the way. Those who put you in those cages. We want to make an example of them, but not hurt those who are innocent.”

“No human is innocent. Have you seen the way they cheer for our deaths in the arena?” Tegan snarled.

They were going round in circles, and Mira was quickly losing patience. Talk was something diplomats did. She was a warrior. She was ready to get up and see some action.  “They don’t know any better. They were raised to think we are savages.” She couldn’t believe the words escaped her lips, and yet, she still felt the need to say it in defense of the screaming masses.

“That’s no excuse,” Tegan shot back.

“It’s not a good excuse,” she agreed, “but it is the truth. They don’t believe we are thinking and feeling creatures, so they don’t feel the sympathy they should for our lives and deaths.” Mira said matter-of-factly.  “We have to show them that all they have learned is wrong.”

“Yes. The rest of the human population is clueless. Show them you’re not a threat to them, only to those who have spread the lies about your kind,” Lucian said

“Prove to the humans that we are not just savages,” Mira challenged.

“And you think by killing their leaders that the rest of the human population is going to fall in line?” Tegan laughed. “You’re insane.”

“It’s not a perfect plan, but yeah, by targeting our attack we show them we’re not mindless killers. Lucian here will be our envoy when the dust clears to help smooth the rest of the way,” Mira said.

Tegan and a few other vampires laughed almost hysterically. “No humans will ever trust our kind or treat us with any respect.”

George stood, his leg almost completely healed now. “If Mira says she’s going to do something, she will. I have complete faith in her. She’ll make this plan work.”

“What say the rest of you?” Mira looked around the crowd. “Will you stand with me and work towards peace, or will you mindlessly kill every human you can until they find a way to imprison you again?”

Murmurs swept through the space. Mira could tell not all were convinced she could do what she claimed. The fact of the matter was, she wasn’t truly convinced either, but they had to do something. Things could not continue the way they had. Between human, vampire, and Otherkin, there was too much at stake. Peace, even a tenuous one, was better than what they had now.

Tegan spoke up as representative of the mass. “We’ll fight our way out of the city with you, and help you take out the Magistrate, but we make no promises beyond that.”

“I guess I’ll have to take that, for now.” Mira said. “Lucian will lead the way. Our next target will be the capital building.”

“Sounds tasty,” Tegan said.

“Only take out the Elites. The rest of the humans are to be left alive. Incapacitate them only if necessary; do not kill them. Spill none of their blood!” 

“I don’t take orders from humans anymore,” Tegan spat at Lucian.

Lucian appeared shaken being threatened by the larger vampire, but he didn’t back down.  “If you want this to work, you’re going to need to work with me, not against me.”

Seeing Lucian confident and even a little arrogant made her smile. If only he weren’t human…

“What he said goes.” Mira added further weight to Lucian’s order. “We’re not on a blind massacre. Now you either do as we ask, or I’ll put you on your ass faster than I did in the arena.”

George flashed her his brilliant smile. “I got your back, lady!”

Having his support warmed her heart, but she needed to get the rest on board, and they all seemed content with Tegan as their spokesperson.

Tegan muttered something under his breath then waved his hand as if to say, “Lead the way.”

Mira let out a sigh of relief. She knew the animosity between them wasn’t over, but for the moment, they were on the same team. “Where to?” she asked Lucian.

Chapter 10

Lucian led them down a series of hallways, all of them lit by red blinking lights accompanied by sirens blaring. There was no point in trying to shut them down now. They needed to get to the capitol building and find the Magistrate before he was whisked off to some safe and undisclosed location.

Every twist, every turn, each new corridor they traveled down brought on a new series of soldiers. Despite Mira’s order to try to leave humans alive, she knew the soldiers were dead before she rounded the next corner. Minor casualties, she told herself, as if it might be a comfort. They were all part of the problem as it was, armed with UV torches and fully intent on using them. It was the hearts and minds of the normal folk that she needed to sway.

On they went, traveling as fast as they could, until they found an underground corridor with a large instrument panel next to it.

“This one should take us straight to the capitol. It’s how I came down to find you that first day.” Lucian said to Mira. “Triple locked, and the door handles are silver coated. If the wrong code is entered, silver nitrate will release from above.”

“A bit of overkill, don’t you think?” Mira asked.

“When you’re dealing with half-starved and lethally trained vampire prisoners… no.”

She frowned. Clearly, he hadn’t heard the sarcasm in her tone. “Can you open it?”

Lucian stared intently at the instrument panel, studying its every button and light. He waved a hand behind him as if to say, “Quiet.”

Mira took the hint. She turned back to the crowd of vampires and wolves who’d been following in her wake. “Watch our backs. Going to be a few minutes here.”

George found his way in front of the crowd again. He pulled Mira in to an unexpected hug. “Sorry. I just had to! All those years separated by the bars in our cell. You always had it rough. You need this more than anyone.” He squeezed her so tight she felt the air being pushed out of her lungs.

“Not the time nor the place, George.” Mira choked on her breath. She wasn’t the hugging type, no matter who it was on the other end of the squeeze, but somehow, she didn’t mind too much when it came from George. He’d saved her so many times from the effects of starvation. Shared the last of his rations, and his wisdom. If any vampire out there could be considered kin, he certainly could. 

“Never is the time and never will be the place. Quit complaining. You can knock me on my ass if you want, but I have thirty years’ worth of hugs to give you.”

“Okay, I give!” Half choking and half laughing, Mira beat her fists into his back. “Let me go.”

George released her and met her eyes with a smile so wide she felt his face might split in two. “Now I can die a happy man.”

“No one is going to die today… well, no vampire. But don’t get your hopes up. We still have a long way to go.”

 “Always the optimist.” Stryker joined Mira. He held a hand out to George. “I’ve had the pleasure of her positivity for the better part of a week now.”

“Try thirty years…” George chuckled. He grabbed Stryker’s hand and introduced himself. With a little wink, he whispered to Mira. “I approve.”

Warmth rushed to her cheeks. She turned away to hide the blush. What was George implying, and how could he even suggest…?

“I think she likes you, Stryker,” George teased.

Before she could respond with an angry threat to both of their manhoods, Lucian shouted, “Got it!”

Thankful to have the change in subject, Mira rushed over to Lucian.

“I think I can override the security protocols and get my code to work. Just in case it doesn’t, though, you might want to have everyone stand back ten or so feet.”

Mira turned. “Step back a bit,” she ordered.

“Good! When we get inside, things might get crazy,” Lucian warned. “No doubt the Magistrate has been alerted. He may already be en route to a safe home. But any and all guards will be waiting and ready with orders to kill.”

“No worse than what we have already encountered.” Mira shrugged.

“That remains to be seen. The Magistrate will be heavily guarded. Just be prepared for anything,” Lucian said.

“Lead the way.”

In they went, Mira expecting a hoard of guards to greet her. She was surprised instead by the complete lack of any sign of human inhabitants. There was barely a trace of human smell in the sterile white corridor.

“You said prepare for anything… how about nothing?” she said, disappointed.

“He’s already gone,” Lucian confirmed. “But we might be able to pick up a trail. This way.” He took off in a sprint.

They followed behind, winding through ever more maze-like hallways. Mira was sure she’d never be able to find her way out again as many times as they had twisted, turned, and gone up and down various levels of stairs.

Suddenly, Stryker stopped and sniffed at the air. “I smell something. This way.” He darted through a set of doors that opened into a cavernous room not unlike the cave where the Otherkin stored their collected transport vehicles. And there, in the center, a transport sat. One that looked like the VT Curtis had so lovingly inspected back in Caldera Grove. Its engines rumbled as they began to power up, but its hatch door still remained open.

As soon as Mira entered the room, the plane began to empty of its passengers. At least two dozen men dressed in black poured from the small hatch door, opening fire as they fanned out around the flying transport.

Bullets ricocheted off the walls. Lights from the UV torches flashed in the vampires’ direction. 

“Kill all but the Elites,” Mira bellowed over the noise, and blindly charged forward.

Bullets raced through her skin, stinging and searing her flesh as they passed through her, but she was undeterred in her mission. Grabbing the closest soldier she could reach, she snapped his neck and dropped his body to the ground. Another soldier was on her before she could turn around. The butt of his rifle poked her in the back and he let a few rounds go. She shrieked with pain and twisted around, knocking the weapon from his hand while simultaneously snatching him by the neck. He would not be allowed to die so quickly. She needed his blood to heal and needed him to feel some of the pain he’d just inflicted on her. Baring her teeth she sank them into his hot flesh.

Blood had never tasted so good, but she had no time to indulge. Ripping out his throat as she pulled away, Mira left the soldier to bleed out and die at her feet while she moved on to the next. The hanger was a mess of blood and carnage as all the vampires took to feasting on their prey. The aircraft was beginning to move. Passengers or crew – Mira wasn’t exactly sure which they were – began to pull up the hatch door, attempting to close it before anyone else could get onboard.

Stryker was one step ahead of Mira, jumping to catch the door before it sealed shut. He grabbed and pulled with all his might, slamming it back to the ground. A human fell out with the door, but rather than attack Mira, he scrambled up and ran the other way. Mira didn’t give chase, knowing someone else would take care of him.

The hanger filled with a horrible metallic screeching as the vertical transport dragged the heavy door while it taxied around the space.

“Get onboard, quick!” Stryker said, holding the door open, as the transport dragged him behind it.

Mira jumped up the small stairs built into the door frame and climbed into the cabin.

Inside she met with the barrel of a gun held in the shaky hands of the Magistrate. “I’ll blow that pretty face of yours right off,” he said.

“I’ll heal.” Mira slapped the gun from his hand as if it were a toy.

The Magistrate jumped backwards in fear.

Something hard came crashing down on Mira’s head. It hurt, but did nothing more than annoy her. She turned to find another man, one she’d never seen before, holding a suitcase in his hands.

“Did you think that would work?” Mira said with annoyance.

Jaw agape, the man stood dumbfounded and shaking.

“Cut the engines and stop this plane now before I kill you all,” Mira ordered.

“You’re going to kill us anyway,” the Magistrate said.

“Not yet. But if you don’t do as I ask, I most certainly will... Slowly and very painfully.” Mira licked her fangs. “Your call.”

“I could just take off and let the sun bake you while we fly.” The Magistrate stood and regained some of his cocky attitude.

“Empty threat. Sunrise isn’t for a few more hours. Besides, you’d never make it past the hanger door, and there’s a hungry band of vampires ready and willing to feast on your flabby flesh. I’m the only thing preventing that at the moment.”

Curiosity seemed to overtake the Magistrate’s apparent fear. He suddenly stopped trembling. “Why?”

“I have my reasons. But none of them include patience. Cut the engines now, or I’ll kill you myself.”

The Magistrate nodded to his shaking friend. The man turned and disappeared into the cockpit. A moment later, the aircraft came to a sudden stop.

“Smart man. Now move your lard ass and do exactly as I say.” Suppressing a sneer at his horrid scent, she walked behind him, seized his wrist, and jerked his arm nearly straight up his back. The Magistrate hissed in pain but was smart enough not to fight back.

“Let’s go.” Mira nudged him forward.

She emerged from the transport holding the Magistrate’s arms behind his back.

Below them, waiting patiently on the ground, eyes filled with bloodlust, were her vampire allies. All of them looked moments from pouncing. She tightened her grip on the Magistrate’s arm and glared down at the hungry mass. “We have what we came here for!” Her voice was loud, poised, and carried an authority that they dared not oppose. “Let’s take him back to the Otherkin and collect our reward…. Sanctuary!”

She pushed him forward, and he slowly stepped down toward the mass of vampires and other creatures cheering below.

“Remember – no one is to harm him. We’ll take him to the Otherkin leaders at the rendezvous point. Is this clear?” Though she had already warned them enough, one more time wouldn’t hurt. 

The crowd grumbled in agreement. Mira really hadn’t expected more than that. She was asking so much of them. And, to their credit, the vampires were all restraining themselves better than she’d expected.

“And how do you propose we get there?” Tegan asked.

“We walk out the front door. We have their Magistrate,” Mira said. “And the Regent too.” She nodded at Lucian.

“We’re not walking the entire way,” Tegan scoffed.

“No, just to the city center to show them we have their leader. Then, we can steal some transports and make our way out in style.”

“Good, because for a second there I thought you forgot what time it was.”

Mira had forgotten, but didn’t want to let on. “No, of course not. We still have a few hours, but we do need to make a good show before we go.”

Stryker, standing at Lucian’s side, grabbed the former Regent’s arm and twisted it behind his back. “Ready to transport the prisoners.”

Lucian grunted in pain, turning an angry eye to the wolfman.

Stryker said nothing, all the while looking as if he were suppressing a smile. Mira was certain he was enjoying manhandling her human friend, but there was no time to worry about it now. They had more important things to deal with.

“Stick together, Move out. And remember… no unnecessary deaths!”

“As soon as we get outside, I’ll send word of our victory,” Stryker promised.