Below her, the driver stumbled from the vehicle while the passenger remained inside. Lydia landed several feet away and raised her guard. The driver shook his head, then faced Lydia. The driver was a clean-shaven white male who appeared to be in his 40s. He’d healed his wounds, but his shirt was torn. One hole in his shirt revealed part of a Chicago flag tattoo. Lydia made out the words “Serve” and “Protect.” The driver snarled at Lydia. Lydia smiled in response.

  “Let’s role-play,” taunted Lydia.

  “I’ll teach you how,” he replied. He rushed at her, but she dodged his first punch.

  “Really?” Lydia asked.

  Sarge cleared the embankment, then hopped from his motorcycle; the force of his telekinetic push sent him soaring. He prepared to throw a kick as he descended towards Lydia.

  For a moment, Lydia felt bemused by Sarge’s attempt at a death from above attack. Lydia pivoted away from his aerial kick and countered with her own kick; her strike connected, knocking him out of the air and crashing into the ground.

  The driver lunged at her; he threw powerful strikes, most of them failing to connect, while she countered with her own relentless assault. Sarge jumped to his feet and joined the brawl. To Lydia’s surprise, they knew how to coordinate their aim. Driver guy targeted her upper body, while Sarge targeted her legs — both trying to hit her at the same time.

  Guess they’re not total amateurs, she thought.

  Lydia backpedaled and circled to keep only one of them before her. Despite her quick strikes and maneuvering, the Cerzas pressed their attack. Her guard absorbed most of the blows, but a few slipped by.

  Lydia worried about the passenger joining the assault. Could she hold off three attackers? Her worry faded when she imagined the Cerzas assaulting Sara. Sara wouldn’t be able to fight back. Only Lydia could keep them away from her, inflating her rage. She spotted an opening and attacked one of the Sarge’s knees; her strike hyper-extended it, and he crumpled to the ground. The driver jumped over the fallen Cerza and threw a kick, which Lydia dodged, countering with a swing of her forearm to his throat. The blow connected and she drove him to the ground. His skull cracked upon impact.

  She heard someone behind her, and she spun, leading with her elbow. The passenger ducked and slammed into her side, clinching Lydia, and lifting her from the ground. The passenger smiled as he launched them towards the sky. Lydia struggled to free her arms as he tightened his hold.

  “You’ll be my first sky—“

  Lydia head-butted his face, smashing his nose; she followed it with another headbutt, cracking his jaw. Lydia countered with her own telekinetic push, the sudden jolt surprising the passenger. Lydia took advantage of his surprise and broke his hold; she grabbed him by the hair, shoving two fingers into his eyes. His eyes turned to dust as he screamed.

  “Not so tough,” said Lydia before she kicked him. The blow sent him plummeting until he crashed into another tree along Briarcliff. The tree shook from the impact as he bounced off it and started tumbling down the embankment.

  That should take him out for the night, thought Lydia.

  As her ascent slowed, she healed her injuries, taking in the view. The streetlights from Bolingbrook and the other surrounding communities stretched as far as she could see. The cars on I-55 flowed like a river of light.

  Decades ago, Matthew, working with anonymous investors, financed the subdivisions that became Bolingbrook. Bolingbrook grew into a community of over 70,000 people. Bolingbrook was Matthew’s legacy. It was Sara’s home and, tonight, it was her job to protect Bolingbrook from these so-called ‘knights’.

  Lydia descended. Directly below her, Sarge and the driver waited, each holding a dagger.

  I hate knife fights, thought Lydia.

  Lydia scanned the field. The motorcycle laid on the ground several yards from her current landing spot. She could see the passenger healing, but his eyes wouldn’t finish regenerating tonight.

  The fight had been strenuous. Yet Lydia felt confident she could go a few more rounds before needing blood. If it weren’t for the weredeer army, Steve would have sent an assault team to deal with the Cerzas. In fact, Steve still could send an assault team. They wouldn’t try to kill Aurora or Lydia but dealing with them could be messy. Steve and Matthew didn’t need a mess to clean up. She needed to end this.

  Lydia fell several yards as the two vampires grinned and raised their knives. Lydia aimed for the motorcycle and pushed. Sarge and the driver watched with their mouths agape as Lydia shot away from them. They didn’t know she could recover from telekinetic pushes faster than they could.

  “She’s full of surprises,” Sarge said.

  They ran after her.

  Lydia touched the ground and used her momentum to roll several feet towards the motorcycle.

  “Don’t even think about it!” growled Sarge.

  Lydia bounced to her feet next to the motorcycle.

  “Get away from her!”

  Get away from her, thought Lydia. That’s what Sheila’s father had said. Miriam and Shelia had been taking a break from studying. Miriam asked about baton twirling, and Sheila started teaching her. At some point, they kissed. Did Miriam start it or did Sheila? Did it matter? They blushed afterwards. Both of them liked it, so they returned to kissing. Miriam was excited. She didn’t have to hold back anymore. She didn’t have to pretend she only liked boys, yet the joy she felt crashed down upon her as soon as Sheila’s father charged into the room. He hauled Miriam away from Sheila as hate consumed him.

  “Get away from her!”

  Miriam thought she’d heard the worst, but she was wrong. Miriam’s father picked up where Sheila’s father left off. Years of resentment and hate exploded. He always blamed Lydia for ruining his life because her mother died during childbirth. Her perversion, he said, was the last straw. He wished she had never been born and kicked her out of her home. The only home she’d ever known. Her older sister hung up when she asked for help. Miriam was afraid of what her relatives would say, or how her classmates would treat her. She had to leave and the only person she could run to was in Iowa City — even if he was involved in drug trafficking and other shady businesses. Things only got worse for Miriam. She had to become Lydia to escape, but Lydia couldn’t forget who she was. She couldn’t forget Miriam’s pain.

  Sarge’s voice brought her back to the present. “I’ll dust every limb if you don’t get back.”

  Lydia remained still. The two vampires closed in.

  They want to ruin Sara’s life, she thought.

  “Last chance.”

  Lydia grabbed the motorcycle and swung it. She knocked Sarge over in a single blow. Then she kicked the driver and smashed the motorcycle over his head. Lydia kept bludgeoning them with the motorcycle. Her attacks savaged both vampires. In her rage, she couldn’t tell them apart. They wanted to ruin Sara’s life, and that was all that mattered. Lydia kept pounding their ravaged bodies, but she still felt Miriam’s pain.

  A shotgun blast lit up the field. Lydia stopped attacking as the smell of phosphate hit her. Someone had fired a dragon’s breath round. The scout stood by the car wielding two shotguns.

  “Don’t move.” The scout snarled. While his clothes were still torn, he’d fully recovered from the beating Aurora and she had given him. The scout dropped the smoking shotgun and pointed the other at Lydia.

  Lydia’s thoughts raced. How did he escape? Where’s Aurora? Did he harm her? Did someone else harm her? Was it the fifth Cerza?

  The scout surveyed the battleground. “I thought you were the good cop.” He whistled in astonishment.

  Lydia took deep breaths to calm herself.

  “Back away!” the scout commanded.

  Lydia walked backwards. On the ground, the ravaged vampires moaned. Broken bones poked through their skin. Their faces caved in from her blows. It would be a long time before they could threaten anyone.

  Get it together, thought Lydia. You can’t afford to fall apart like that again.

  The scout advanced past the injured Cerzas. “Stop.”

  Lydia did.

  “Drop the bike.”

  Lydia locked her eyes on the scout. She considered throwing the motorcycle but rejected the idea. He’d have enough time to dodge it and shoot. She thought she could only use the motorcycle as a weapon if he were distracted.

  “I said drop the bike.” This time, Lydia sensed the fear in his voice.

  Lydia tightened her grip on the ruined motorcycle. She smelled gasoline and noticed oil dripping on her skin. Now the motorcycle was a liability, she thought. His shotgun could ignite the leaking gas and oil. During their sparing sessions, Matthew stressed that if she was conscious, she had options. She tried to think of any other options besides surrendering to a newbie enforcer.

  The scout pointed the shotgun at Lydia. “I’ll shoot you if I have to. Drop the goddamn bike.”

  Lydia remembered one of Sheila’s performances. Her performances captivated her back then. Lydia’s recollection of that performance gave her an idea.

  The scout put his finger on the trigger. “Well?”

  Lydia started to lower the bike and, as the scout gradually removed his finger from the trigger. Then she heaved the motorcycle towards the sky.

  “That works,” said the scout. Lydia raised her hands. The scout’s eyes lit up with sadistic joy. “That’s more like it.” He shuddered, then cleared his throat. “As a Rycerze for the Kingdom of Chicago,” he said with a hint of fear in his voice. His hands started trembling. “I find you guilty of the following crimes. You housed an invading army, challenged the Dux’s rightful claim to Greater Chicago, assaulted officers of the court and mocked the rightful Dux of Chicago.” His hands remained trembling as he said, “Speak now before I sentence you.”

  “Catch.”

  The motorcycle dropped in front of Lydia, so she spun, hauling her bodyweight to kick it at the scout. The scout pulled the trigger and the motorcycle burst into flames, colliding with him, the impact knocking him to the ground. He screamed as his clothes ignited. The other vampires rolled away as the scout tossed the burning motorcycle off his burning body, screaming and thrashing amongst the flames.

  “Roll,” ordered Lydia. “Roll on the ground if you don’t want to burn to death.” The scout started rolling past one of his fellow Cerza and, as he rolled, the flames diminished. Lydia winced when she saw his burns.

  All of them will survive, Lydia thought. They can’t hurt Sara now.

  Lydia heard the faint sound of crumpling leather behind her as she turned. A man in the air kicked her in the chest. As the kick knocked her several feet back; she felt as though a piston had hit her. Lydia lifted her head and let her shoulders absorb the impact, then cursed as she hopped to her feet. The fifth Cerza levitated high in the air: a white male with black hair and a trimmed mustache. Strapped to his back was a dark blue pool cue bag. His clothes bore the Cerza marks, and red marks she’d never seen before. Lydia guessed he was their boss.

  The boss dived at Lydia, and she dodged his flying kick. He landed, spinning his body to throw a punch as Lydia leaned back; his fist glanced off her chin and dislocated her jaw. He followed with a kick that fractured her ribs. The boss threw a hard right punch, but Lydia raised her guard as his strike connected, breaking both of her arms. She struggled to maintain her balance. While she knew how to react to getting her bones broken in combat, she still hated the sharp pain, and the sickening sound of breaking bones.

  She, however, didn’t have experience fighting a much older vampire like the boss. No time like the present, she thought. She kicked the boss, and the blow pushed him backwards. She only had moments before the boss could resume his attack.

  Lydia healed her arms and started to backflip, and once the soles of her boots faced the boss, she unleashed her strongest telekinetic push. The force staggered him back as Lydia flew several yards in the opposite direction. Lydia healed her remaining wounds but knew she couldn’t keep up the pace.

  She landed, using her momentum to perform a back roll and bounce to her feet. The boss hovered over her again, only he wielded a dagger. He dived. Before Lydia could dodge, Aurora swooped in, colliding with the boss midair. They shot by Lydia and crashed into the ground; the dagger fell from his hand. Both recovered quickly, scrambling to their feet. The boss advanced with quick and powerful strikes. Aurora struggled to dodge and block them.

  Lydia pulled out her knife and rushed to position herself at the boss’ rear flank. If he’s focused on Aurora, thought Lydia, I might surprise him. It was a long shot, but better than doing nothing.

  Aurora leaped into the air. The boss followed and rocketed up to Aurora; he caught her by the throat, tossing her aimlessly to the ground. Lydia’s eyes widened. Aurora impacted the ground face first, moaning as she struggled to push herself back up. The boss landed and picked up his dagger. Lydia charged as the boss pounced on Aurora’s back; she swung her knife, just as he plunged his dagger. Lydia’s blade intercepted his wrist, severing his hand. The severed hand disintegrated, and the dagger bounced off Aurora’s body. Lydia followed with two strikes of her own, knocking the boss off Aurora, and finishing by thrusting her fingers into his eyes. He screamed and struck Lydia with his knee. The blow knocked Lydia back several feet. The boss levitated. Aurora rolled over as Lydia regained her footing and rushed to her side. Gently, she pulled Aurora to her feet.

  Who’s that?

  Their boss.

  The boss landed about five yards in front of Lydia and Aurora; his eyeballs had finished regenerating. Lydia raised her knife while Aurora picked up her own. Raising his right arm, he revealed the stump where his hand had been. Bones sprouted from the stump, making a crackling sound as they grew. Lydia had never seen someone regenerate a limb that fast. Even Matthew needed a day to regrow a finger.

  “Lydia?” Aurora, her voice trembling, backed away from the boss. But Lydia maintained her knife fighting stance.

  You don’t really know Sara.

  Lydia waited.

  Do you really want to risk everything for her?

  Soft flesh creeped up the boss’ new bones.

  Is she worth it?

  “My name is Lydia and I represent the Vitalis Corporation.”

  His skin started regenerating.

  “You are trespassing on Vitalis property. Your Dux has no legitimate claim to Bolingbrook or its residents.”

  The boss focused on Lydia. He’d healed his other wounds and would be fully recovered once his hand regenerated.

  “We’re not allied with the weredeer. We do not believe they are a threat to your kingdom. If we need your help, we will ask for it. Until then. Get the hell out of Bolingbrook!”

  The boss’ right hand finished regenerating. He looked down at Lydia and Aurora with his cold, calculating gaze. It was as if he regarded them as annoyances, rather than opponents. Aurora reluctantly assumed a fighting stance as she looked up in fear at the boss.

  “Final warning,” said Lydia, undaunted by the deadly predator hovering above her.

  He unsnapped the top of the bag strapped to his back and began to draw his sword.

  Oh shit! Lydia?

  Yet the boss stopped and looked up.

  Several hundred feet above them, shadows fluttered around a humanoid figure, like a sheet of fabric. Lydia struggled to peer through the shadows, only able to make out a person who presented as female. Few vampires could blend into the shadows like that.

  Aurora whispered, Is that The Counselor?

  Lydia nodded. She’d heard the rumor the Counselor was one of the original 11 vampires. Judging by the boss’s reaction, and her shadow blending skills, Lydia believed it.

  Aurora whispered. I don’t know if I should be grateful or worried.

  We’ll find out.

  The boss closed the bag and turned away from the Counselor. The scout limped past him; he had healed his face, but he was still bald. Burns covered his hands and legs.

  “The Dux’s High Counselor apologizes for the—“ The scout looked up at the Counselor. He seemed surprised. He blinked several times, and, after a few moments, he looked back at Aurora and Lydia. “She apologizes for this misunderstanding. She will remind all Rycerz of the Vitalis Corporation’s legitimate claim to Bolingbrook. We will leave your territory at once. The Counselor does request that you forward any information about the weredeer that may be of use to us.” He closed his eyes, then spoke slowly as if reading a script. “The weredeer invaders are a threat to the Kingdom and the free territories. So, the Kingdom will send a delegation to… establish diplomatic relations.” The scout sighed. “You’d better accept her generous offer.” He added, sounding more like himself.

  A gray SUV parked on Briarcliff and the Cerzas hobbled towards it, while the boss flew towards Chicago. The Counselor faded into the night sky.

  Lydia and Aurora waited in silence for several moments. The motorcycle’s flames were dimming. Divots and craters littered the field. The wrecked car’s lights had flickered out during the battle.

  Aurora broke the silence first. “You know, the only reason I helped you is because Matthew would have killed me if you died.”

  Lydia shrugged.

  “Do you really want to bring Sara into our world?”

  ***

  Lydia had been in many dangerous situations. Yet she had never felt this afraid as she walked towards the Babbler’s offices. She had to try; Lydia told herself. She couldn’t go on like this. Steve’s rejection last night hurt, but it also meant she could move on. Find another person to understand her. Someone who could end her loneliness. Lydia and Aurora planned to leave the next night. It could be years before she returned.

  Babbler staffers began streaming out of the office and Lydia felt her heart tense. She blended with the shadows and jumped onto the roof of the neighboring auto repair shop, chiding her panic, and felt fortunate that Aurora was searching for the surviving Reds.

  Lydia didn’t see Sara’s car when she arrived. Had something happened to her? Lydia scanned the entire parking lot. Did she park somewhere else? Was she captured? Was she dead? Or worse?

 

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