The Immortal Coil (13 page)

“No!” the other man exclaimed and kneeled over the ashes. “He was your nephew, Minerva! Why, why would you do this?”

“He was incompetent. Take the book, Vance, unless you wish to share his fate. Have the ritual prepared by the time I return at midnight,” she demanded before leaving the room in a magnificent display of fire and smoke.

Vance worked for hours in the poor lighting while I lay there unable to move or feel anything. He didn’t look at me or his brother’s remains once. Every so often he would glance at the jars of blood he took from me and then continue reading to himself or mixing some concoction. The anxiety of not knowing what was coming, or how bad it would be, was worse than anything I had felt up to now. I just wanted it to be over, one way or another.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” Vance’s voice spoke in my head. “But I promise your death will be swift.”

“Just let me go, please! I’m really not worth all of this.”

“I can’t do that, or she will kill me too.”

“Your brother died standing up to her because he believed what she was doing was wrong. I know you feel the same way; I could see it in your face. Don’t let Tristan’s death be in vain!”

He didn’t respond; I wasn’t even sure he was still listening. He just kept working with the same stoic expression. It figured the braver of the two brothers would die, leaving my only chance at survival barred by the one too afraid to act. Noah was always preaching that cowardice would be the end of me, but I assumed it would be my own.

After a while, he left the room with his head still stuck in the diabolical spellbook. The wriggling in my veins had been creeping up this whole time, but at a much slower rate than usual, thanks to whatever paralyzing spell he had cast.

Once he was gone, I started to regain my motor functions along with the increased spread of the infection. I got up slowly and banged on the glass for help, although I wasn’t sure why I expected to get any. The vibrations from the hair-raising death rattle shook the glass around me.

I clawed frantically to get out as my body went numb again. The only feeling left in me was a brief stinging in my fingertips from the nails breaking off. There was no holding off the frenzy any longer. I didn’t recognize my own face in the reflection of the glass. I was hideous; the whites of my eyes were black again, leaving just the gray ring of my iris, and my skin was covered in dark veins and dried blood from where I was bled out.

The massive steel doors opened again. I expected to see Vance, but another group of robed Strigoi entered instead. They investigated the piles of ash scattered around the room and the curious machines and notes lying around, occasionally muttering to each other in German. My body was acting on its own, twitching and jumping aggressively at them as they passed by and looked in at me. My mind was fading away in a pre-sleep state, but I could still make out a little of what was going on.

Vance marched into the room with his head down, reading, just as he had left. He seemed startled by the visitors.

“So it is true, demon worship in our very own coven!” an elderly Strigoi said, taking one look at the book Vance carried. “You know this act is forbidden. Hand over the
Grand Grimoire
and I may grant you leniency.”

“No,” Vance responded. “This artifact is not mine to give. If you wish to claim it you would do best to speak with the Archmage of this house, but you most certainly will come to regret it.”

The group was aghast at Vance’s insubordination. They chattered among themselves for a moment until the elderly man silenced them with a raised hand.

“You dare threaten a member of the Council? Contact of any kind with demons will not be tolerated, nor will your insolence. I will not have you, nor your Archmage, bring doom upon our coven over some foolish lust for power.”

He raised his hand, summoning the grimoire to him from across the room, and spoke a phrase in some unfamiliar language that bound Vance in rings of light. Vance was a lost cause now, but I was more scared for myself at the moment. I felt like my tongue was trying to crawl its way out of my throat. I kept grabbing at my neck to make it stop as it drove me mad. The glass began quaking as my powers flared out of control, clashing with the magic that shielded it. My vision was almost completely obscured by pulsating darkness, but it was a single sound that mattered to me the most. A sound I heard even above the shrieking, snarling death growls. It was the sound of glass cracking.

“We’ll be taking this specimen for our own studies. Don’t worry, it will be put to good use.”

The leader approached my prison and gawked at me like he was at the zoo. I was overtaken by anger and an irrational hunger as I looked back at him. I wanted to … eat him? My body was acting completely on its own. A sliver of consciousness was all that was keeping me from fading away for good. As unlikely as it might be, I was hoping I would cause at least one of them some trouble when I turned as payback for everything they had put me through.

The glowing runes dissipated from the glass. It only took a second, but I watched in slow motion as my prison shattered around me. The impact from my heightened powers continued, turning the leader into nothing more than a bloody smear before he could react.

My body stepped out of the circle and over his remains. The other mages were scrambling to wrap their heads around what they had just witnessed, but weren’t fast enough to take action. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see each one of them exploding in a shower of blood as my powers raged out of control. This was more than I could have asked for. I’d been living on borrowed time since this started. Even if I were to die here, at least I would go out with a bang.

Vance was already gone. He had probably escaped during the initial chaos. The blast doors slammed shut to seal me in, but no piece of metal was about to stop my rampage now. Door after door crumpled like tin cans under my power. Each crushing blow was accompanied by a dreadful symphony of gears grinding from the door motors trying to close and the infection’s eerie growls inside me.

My sudden appetite was consuming me from the inside. I could sense food where my body was going. I tore my way through the facility, not sure what I’d find in each room. Some of the rooms were libraries or arcane laboratories, and others contained more clockwork contraptions.

Down at the end of the hall was a door protected by runes I couldn’t break through. On the other side, two voices were conversing. I strained to hear over the ghastly sounds emanating from me.

“I know why you’re here, but the boy is our property,” said Vance.

“I’m here because you jackasses thought you could bribe our people to do your dirty work and stroll up onto our land uninvited dressed like that. Oh, and the whole mutant plague has gotta stop, it’s getting annoying.”

That was Noah’s voice! His blood was the only hope I had of returning to normal.

“We have nothing to do with those abominations. Our only concern has been reclaiming what is rightfully ours.”

“Doesn’t seem like he’s too fond of being your little science experiment or having mercenaries sent after him. You may have bitten off more than you can chew there, champ.”

“This wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t been infected during his time with you.”

“What’s the big deal with this kid? You should be thankful; he’s a lot more entertaining this way, if you ask me.”

“He is a construct of biological and magical engineering. We created him to be a living psionic weapon, but he is uncontrollable in this state. He has always had this potential. I’m sure even you figured that out by now, since the Archios were so adamant about keeping him from us.”

Created me? What is he talking about?

“Whatever you say. I’ve got my weapons strapped to my side and that’s all I need,” Noah boasted. “I’m just interested in one thing now, and that’s ending this plague so I can go back to watching TV.”

“Then the Carpathians are the ones you should be after, not us. I can’t say I ever expected the Archios to look away from their luxuries long enough to notice.”

“That hurts, really. But why would the Carpathians do this?”

“It’s simple. The Carpathians resent humankind for forcing them into hiding. They believe they are superior and this is their attempt at population control. We decided now was the time to reclaim this specimen and all the others from the field once the plague threatened to endanger them.”

There are more people out there like me?

“Others? You weren’t making a weapon, you were building an army. So that’s why the mutants kept going after him. The Carpathians found out what you were doing and felt threatened.”

“I don’t know how they could have found out. It was supposed to be a contingency plan, not a declaration of war. Archmage Minerva preached to our coven about a way to keep us safe as the world continues to fall out of our hands. Even in daylight, we would have these living weapons to watch over us. They fit in perfectly with human society, but have the power of any Ancient.”

“Infection or not, I don’t think he’d be on board with that plan after everything you put him through. You keep beating a dog and eventually it’s gonna bite back.”

“Sound advice from one whose master keeps him on a tight leash. I’m surprised you were allowed to travel this far from her hip.”

“Normally I’d kill you myself, but I think the kid has earned this one.”

With a big smile, Noah threw open the door. My powers took over and lifted him and Vance into the air. I had to fight the destructive urges as if I were drowning in a powerful current, desperately trying to swim to the surface. Noah transformed into a cloud of mist, making me lose my grip on him. I wanted answers and Vance had them.

“Hey buddy, it’s your pal, Noah.” He reformed beside me with his arm around my shoulder. “Let me introduce you to the guy who’s responsible for killing your friend, sending a bounty hunter to kidnap you, and been the cause of all your troubles.”

I tried to demand answers from him, but all that came out were growls and a barely intelligible “Answers.”

“Wait!” Vance looked utterly terrified. “I can cure you and answer all your questions, but we must leave now. Minerva will be returning at any moment.”

“So? What’s she gonna do, hit me with a book?” Noah scoffed.

“She is more powerful than you think. Minerva has been consorting with a demon behind our backs and is expecting to use this specimen’s body as a vessel for it.”

“Hmm, never killed a demon before.”

“You wouldn’t stand a chance. To them, we are little more than insects. Our origin stems from their machinations during the last contest between Heaven and Hell.

“Angels, tasked by God, escorted the purest and most devout of mankind through the Gates of Heaven. Out of spite, the Demon Kings of Hell tempted man with immortality and power so they could remain on Earth as gods instead of commoners in Heaven. Those who accepted the gift received the brand of Hell upon their soul. The Demon Kings used our predecessors to drink God’s flock dry and spread the curse.

“The angels struck back, vanquishing the undead, but not all of them were destroyed. God placed His own curse on those cunning enough to survive. Their bodies may never again walk in the light until they cast off their sins in the dark. Disappointed in the new frailty of their creations, the Demon Kings abandoned them as forgotten children.

“The only time a demon holds any interest in us is right before it devours our soul in Hell. Association with Infernals is forbidden because of how volatile and untrustworthy they are. Besides, weren’t you only here for information on the plague?”

“I like a challenge,” Noah replied, “and I could use a new trophy for my room. What’s in this for you, anyway? I know how weaselly you Strigoi are. The second your hide is on the line you’ll go running.”

“I have a more personal stake in this than some trophy. My brother was killed because he didn’t want to see Minerva use our work like this.”

“Don’t tell me you’re getting sentimental.”

“Sentimental, no. Responsible, yes. This life-form is the first of its kind, a collective progeny birthed through a fusion of sorcery and science. I cannot allow our investment in him to be lost to any affliction or Infernal.”

It sickened and angered me hearing them talk as if I were some lab rat.

“Touching. How do you plan on getting out of here with him like this? I can’t read his mind. I’m pretty sure he’s checked out and going to kill you soon.”

“He’s still in there. I’ll explain later, but for now you have to give him more of your blood so he’ll regain control and put me down.”

“Why would you think he had my blood?”

“We can discuss this later. Time is of the essence.”

“Shit. I knew I was going to regret giving him that. If you made some unflattering voodoo doll of me I’ll kill you myself.”

“The blood of yours that I removed from him is in the ritual room. We can use that if it makes you feel better. Just hurry.”

I’d never seen Noah move as slowly as he did, strolling out of the room just to get under Vance’s skin, but he was back soon enough. I couldn’t see him at first, but knew he was there thanks to the blood suddenly going down my throat. The dark tide churning inside me barely eased. I was too far gone for Noah’s blood to fight back the infection. My head cleared enough to let me release Vance, but I felt numb and stiff as I tried to direct my body.

“Do your thing,” Noah said to Vance as he turned visible.

“There is another stronghold not far from here. Unfortunately, Minerva will know all the same places to hide, so we won’t have long until she finds us.” Vance picked up the cursed tome at his feet and made his way out of the room. “We can take one of the vehicles upstairs.”

“Take the kid and go on ahead. I can crawl faster than any car you’ve got. I’m gonna hang back here for a while to see if I can get the jump on the witch and her pet.”

“I’m not going anywhere with him,” I whispered to Noah after Vance left. “Let me help you.”

“You want to fight?” Noah stared at me in disbelief. “Look, I don’t know if you’ve lost your mind or finally found it, but I don’t need your help.”

I glared back at him in defiance. “Isn’t that what you’ve been wanting me to say this whole time? The more I run and hide the more I lose, and I’m tired of it. I’m a person, not somebody’s lab rat. I want to end this, one way or another.”

“I don’t know what the hell you are, but if you wanna do something useful go blow up some mutants in New York.” As usual, Noah had to have the last word. He vanished. I didn’t care what any of them said, I was still human.

The lights were on when I reached the ground floor where Noah and Vance were waiting. The room we had entered the facility from was much bigger than I had realized at first. It housed an entire fleet of abandoned ATVs and rusted tanks that were covered in decades of dust. Many of them looked to have been salvaged for scrap by the Strigoi to use in their machines.

“The tome,” Minerva’s voice sounded, followed by an explosion of black smoke from the catwalk above. Her hand was extended in Vance’s direction as she looked down her nose at him.

“Your scheme will fail,” he said, clutching the
Grand Grimoire
to his side. “You cannot hope to tame the denizens of Hell. It is a demon’s nature to betray those with whom it deals.”

“Your ignorance insults me, nephew. My actions are not so shortsighted; there is something much greater at hand. The eternal crusade between Heaven and Hell will soon claim the Earth as its battleground. And from the ashes, the rebirth of civilization will begin anew, as it has many times in the past. I am doing the Devil’s work, and in exchange for my aid I will be granted a position of leadership.”

“I’m sorry, Minerva, but I can’t let you do this.”

“Pity.” She pointed her finger and ignited the area around him in green flames.

“First the kid, now this book. Why are women always so indecisive?” Noah made it across the room and back with Vance before he could be set on fire. Minerva gave another attempt at roasting them, but Noah evaded her just as easily, even while carrying Vance.

“Bring it on. I can do this all night long,” Noah said.

Vance was sneaking away with the book as Noah and Minerva continued to intimidate each other. Now was my chance. I concentrated all my anger and released it in a pulse of energy at her that shook the catwalk. She put her hand to the side, negating my attack without even turning her head. It didn’t make sense. I had been so much more powerful earlier.

“I’m through here. You can all perish together if that’s what you want. I have plenty more untainted specimens to use as vessels. I won’t mind reaping your souls so I don’t leave empty-handed.”

“Talk all you want, lady,” Noah taunted. “I’m still gonna cut your head off.”

I motioned to the walkway, tearing it out from under her, but failing to do her any harm again. Why wasn’t I strong enough all of a sudden? Why now, when I needed it most?

“Be patient and wait your turn.” Minerva scowled. “You’ll have your chance to die soon enough, just like the cattle you called a family.”

I had never wanted to hurt somebody as badly as I did her. Noah took the opportunity to pounce on her with his swords drawn, but was repelled by a force field similar to the one around the containment chamber. Minerva shrieked with laughter at his failure.

“Absolutely pathetic! Do you believe someone of my genius would not be prepared for such a foolhardy attack? It was I who single-handedly defeated one-half of the infamous Saint-Pierre sisters, after all. No, compared to her you are nothing!”