Three Days, Three Nights - Act 3
Night 3
Niki shuddered into consciousness at Logan’s touch. Her lips were parched and there was dried blood in a line from the corner of her lips across her cheek. Before she could speak, Logan drew a cool wet cloth across her mouth, squeezing the cold water into her mouth. Momentarily, her troubles were forgotten and she drank, sucking hard on the cloth. Logan proceeded to wipe her face clean and finally patted her sweat covered forehead with a frown.
“Logan,” she croaked, her eyes closed.
“Shh,” he said gently, rearranging the gauze around her stomach wound.
“Dammit, Logan,” Niki growled, her eyes glaring through the darkness at the man who stood over her. “Would you just listen to me?”
With a look of concern, he drew closer so she wouldn’t have to speak so loudly. “What is it?
“Pierce,” she said with a raw voice, “isn’t Pierce any more. He’s a Nosphorus— fully and totally.” Logan kept his gaze concerned and troubled. Not an eyelash batted. To the full extent she could, Niki turned her head in amazement. “You don’t believe me.”
Logan shrugged. “It’s not that I don’t believe you,” he said apologetically. “You’re in a great deal of pain, you’re having delusions – hallucinations.”
“Dammit Logan!” the Slayer shouted, her throat bleeding freshly. “I’m not hallucinating! He came in here, he vamped out, he said he’d been waiting for this. You have to kill him.”
Logan sighed, drawing in a deep breath and slowly letting it out. He knew she was right. He had never intended to allow Pierce to survive this ordeal, but he had hoped to first glean all usefulness from him in the upcoming encounter with the Nosphorus. The other Nosphorus. Now, however, it would seem the General was back. The army was being called up.
“Do you want me to let you out?” he asked seriously. It was the only way he could think of to test her. If she was hallucinating in order to find a means of escape, she wouldn’t hesitate at this chance.
“No,” she said with a clenched jaw. “I trust you. Besides, he can’t kill me.”
Logan felt in his pocket for a new hypodermic syringe and the tiny glass bottle of penicillin. “Why not?”
Niki couldn’t help but smile. “Because of how he can vamp out: The curse was lifted until he gets vengeance on me... until he kills me. As soon as he does, it’s back to being the Little Vampire Who Couldn’t.”
“Vengeance?” Logan asked skeptically. “On you?”
Niki made a little laugh then winced as the action raked her throat. “On your behalf, actually,” she explained. She winced again as the hypodermic pricked her arm. “The demon who temporarily lifted the curse thinks I broke your heart.” She had amusement in her eyes but when they met his, they encountered something she didn’t expect.
Logan glanced down at the floor and swallowed. “Imagine that,” he said with a hollow chuckle. After a moment he glanced up and began to unbuckle her wrists and ankles.
“W- what are you doing?” she asked with worry. “We can’t fight what’s coming if I’m not cured.”
“I know,” Logan said, laying the leather bonds back across her outstretched arms and legs to make it appear as if she was still bound. “But I can’t fight what’s coming on my own if you’re dead. This is just a little... insurance.”
“Is Addison here yet?” she asked, the despair of the darkened room momentarily abating. Perhaps things were back in control. Thank God for Logan Kilpatrick.
“Yeah, he’s cooling his heels in your apartment.” Logan’s eyes shifted uncomfortably for a moment. “He... uh, he doesn’t know about you and Pierce.”
Niki smirked. “Hmm, won’t he be shocked?”
Logan licked his lips. “There’s one more thing.” To the Slayer’s raised eyebrow, he absently scratched an eyebrow with his pinkie. “You remember when you were all after me... to get me on this baby–” he knocked on the wooden table, “and I went postal and killed Hobbs?”
Niki nodded as slightly as she could. “That’s one each now, I think.”
Logan winced. “Yeah, um, that book I stole... I kinda lost it.”
Niki’s brow furrowed. “What book?” After a moment of silence, her expression registered her sudden realization. “That book?” Logan winced. “The book which tells exactly how to make a Nosphorus from nothing but a vampire?”
Logan took a deep breath. “Yeah, that book— well, I should be out looking for Pierce, shouldn’t I?” He took a step when Niki’s hand lifted from the leather strap and grabbed the hem of his black sweater.
“It could just be the Plague talking, but I think you should make an effort to find that book... before Addison finds out and eats you alive. Don’t you think?” The Slayer could almost forget the stabbing pain through her gut as she glared at the man heading quickly for the door.
Day 3
In the artificially lit underground parking lot, Addison walked casually until he came to one of the concrete pillars holding up the ceiling. Stopping, he turned and crossed his arms.
After a moment, Pierce —or what looked like Pierce— stepped out from behind the pillar. “How was your flight?” he asked calmly, his hands deep in the pockets of his dark jacket. “Jet lag?”
Addison smiled, baring his teeth. “Indeed.”
“What is the situation in Europe?” the Nosphorus asked, his tone cold and calculated. Like a good slave, the old man had done what he had been commanded to do.
“They are ours,” Addison reported with pleasure. “The entire Council.”
“The entire Council?” the Nosphorus prompted, his head tilting to one side. “Then where did the message warning of our coming originate?”
Addison swallowed. “One Council member did escape,” he admitted, nausea churning in his stomach for having failed, even so slightly, to obey his master’s wishes. “We have been unable to track him.”
The Nosphorus snarled. “We shall deal with him in due time. He is likely still in England.” With his calm and calculating tone returning, the Nosphorus made a small bow. “You have done well. Soon we will assemble the army for the great one. He shall bring about the New Reign. And all shall be righted once more.”
Addison nodded. “What are your wishes?”
The Nosphorus thought about this. “We need to kill the Slayer before our power is taken from her. We cannot afford her interfering as she did before.”
Addison frowned. “Have you not killed her yet?”
“Silence!” the vampiric master raged, striking the old man across the cheek. With a whimper, Addison went down on his knees, his eyes averted. He made no sound. “Listen,” the Nosphorus explained gently, after he had a moment to calm himself, “listen and obey.” Addison nodded. “You must kill the Slayer: I cannot, or I will lose my ability to kill.”
Addison lifted his head, looking like he had something to say. The Nosphorus sighed. “Speak.”
“Begging your pardon,” the old man said apologetically, “but I surely cannot kill the Slayer. And you yourself are of no consequence. Once the Slayer is dead, the great one will not miss a single Nosphorus.”
The thing in Pierce’s body nodded. There was no insult there. He was entirely correct. All was to serve the greater good of ridding the planet of all impure and mongrel creatures. Only the pure shall remain. Then the Old Ones would return. “You are correct,” the Nosphorus admitted. “We are of no consequence.” He thought for a moment. “I shall kill the Slayer, then you shall kill her male. Then the great one will be unchallenged.” He motioned for Addison to rise. “Listen and obey.”
The vampire in the black suit slowly turned the page of the book. The Nosphorus surrounding him were growing restless. But they would obey him. There were at least as many vampires tied and unconscious in the other room. Soon they would all be Nosphorus.
To each of the Nosphorus filling this room, there were ten infected humans, going about their lives, unaware they were soldiers in an army poised to rid the world of the plague called humanity. There was just one last thing to attend to...
“Victoria,” the vampire in the black suit said politely, turning his attention to the girl sitting happily on the suitcase in the freight storage warehouse.
Her expression read something in his tone and her face became somber. “Is Diego dead?” she asked worriedly. Always her affection for the current bartender kept her attuned to reality. If it weren’t for their visits, the dreams she had might drive her truly insane.
The vampire smiled. “No, of course not. You know that could never happen, don’t you?” She nodded, scolding herself for thinking it. “Do you remember why?” he asked with an appropriately patronizing tone.
She nodded again. “Because he has pure blood.”
The vampire nodded with a grin. “That’s right. And what happens to those with impure blood?”
Victoria seemed to be searching through the gauze across her face for the answers. “They’re... purged?” She attempted.
“That’s right,” the vampire smiled. “You’ve seen that, haven’t you?”
Victoria nodded vigorously. “Uh huh, I saw it last night.” She knew what answering affirmatively would get her.
The vampire smiled even more. “That’s very good. Would you like some more candy?” She giggled and took the package of m&m’s that he placed in her hand. He momentarily glanced up at one of the hideous rat-faced Nosphorus fresh from infection as the thing walked by. He reached for his black briefcase which lay open on the chest of the dead security guard from the institution where the girl had been living. “Now, Victoria,” he said with a hint of sternness in his voice to make her pay attention. He removed the small vial of white powder from an interior pocket. “I have one more question for you.”
Pierce looked down at the Slayer laying on the table. Even though she was unconscious, the virus in her brain would be able to hear his commands. That part of her brain never slept. It needed to acknowledge only one more command.
Addison stood behind him near the doorway. The Nosphorus leaned over the table and took a deep breath. He would enjoy this. “Die.”
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