Fangs of Fate (Untish #1)

Chapter 30

CHAPTER THIRTY

CHANCE

I found Holland storming out of Dux Bole’s office. Her normally calm demeanor was replaced with a wild expression.

“We are instructed to stand down,” she spoke, the words barely audible through her clenched jaw.

“What?” I placed a hand on her delicate shoulder.

“I contacted HQ and just got off the phone with them following the report I submitted. They granted a waiver for Dux Bole’s actions given the current circumstances.”

It was understandable, but still felt wrong. “They didn’t want us to change leadership until a hearing?” That was the protocol. Going against protocol was unusual, to say the least.

“Correct. It seems, this wasn’t the first attack on a processing plant.”

“Is there data on the other attacks?” If we could get a better understanding of where these creatures were coming from, we’d stand a chance at destroying them.

“Apparently they’re classified.”

“Classified? We’re duxes,” the words are pouring from my lips, “this is ridiculous. Do they know about the unresponsive vessels and plant processing agents?”

“They don’t care, Dale.” Her honey-brown eyes locked with mine and I allowed them to bore into my soul in a far too intimate way for our current surroundings.

“I can’t believe they’re not following standard protocol for infractions.” I sucked on my fang. We were facing outside threats, and we did have a mole to hunt down, but still…the idea of leaving this place in such a state felt oddly wrong.

“Dale, if things stay the way they are then this whole settlement will be eviscerated. The humans are practically drained, they’re feeding from children, there are hundreds of comatose humans, and we don’t know nearly enough about the creatures from last night’s attack to leave. I understand we have a mole to hunt down, but doesn’t it stand to reason that those things could be sent by the enemy?” She gestured wildly as she shifted on her feet, removing my hand from her shoulder. “We could be missing a very important opportunity to intercept the enemy,” her voice raised at the end along with the red now tinting her cheeks. Angry. She was clearly upset.

“Let me call HQ and see if we can persuade them to at least release the previous reports.” I pulled out my disk and inserted my earpiece before dialing the head intelligence office.

“Dux Dale for Anax Graf.”

“Hold.” The line went silent. If I could at least have a better understating of the dark magic at play, we could have a chance at ending it before it spread. The unconscious humans felt wrong on so many levels.

“Dux Dale,” Dux Richards’ gruff voice answered.

“Dux Richards? I was calling for Anax Graf.”

“You’ve been rerouted to me. She’s not available right now. Are you in route to the Southern Outpost?” Who the hell did he think he was taking Anax Graf’s phone calls?

“No sir, we haven’t left yet. There’s a situation.”

“Yes, I’ve been appraised of the situation. I just spoke to Dux Holland. Did she not inform you? Dux Bole has received waivers. Leave the settlement immediately and continue on to your assignment.” His voice sounded wet, like he’d just fed and hadn’t bothered to wipe his mouth or swallow the blood before taking the call.

“Sir, the creatures from last night were boasting dark magic. The settlement here is in disarray. We worry about the extinction of the human district due to Dux Bole’s multiple?—”

“Let me stop you right there boy. Dux Bole is a fine dux, better than most. He has been granted a waiver and you are to?—”

“But protocol dictates?—”

“Do not interrupt me. I AM FILLING IN FOR YOUR COMMANDING OFFICER!” Rusty’s voice raised, but his excessive spit and gravelly tone made it to where his words were barely intelligible. “Do not interrupt me again. You have your orders. We received Dux Holland’s report. You are to leave immediately! Do you understand?”

I understood alright. Older generational bullshit. Protecting each other even when it clearly went against the Glenn’s guidelines. I would be sure to inform my father about this as soon as I could get a secure audience with him.

I swallowed my pride and the bile rising in my throat. “Yes, sir. I’d like to request the reports from previous attacks to study on our way to the Southern Outpost.”

“They’re above your pay grade.”

“With all due respect, I believe these creatures could be the work of our enemy. An enemy I was sent to stop by first ousting a mole. I believe those reports are pertinent to this research and my mission.”

“Your objective does not involve the events of last night. Leave it alone, Dale.”

The line went dead. I clenched my fists; I hated taking orders from that asshole. But orders were orders. It looked like we would be leaving.

Holland looked at me through her brown eyes; she’d heard my end, and her expression told me she understood.

“We leave in fifteen. Tell the arches.”

She nodded as I stormed off to gather my belongings before we departed. I hated the complete disregard for the new laws—the vampirical ways as decided a century ago after the great war—and I hated the way my father’s legacy and legislation was being cast aside to simply ‘protect’ the back of a less evolved leader. But most of all, I hated the way Rusty spoke to me. No one speaks to me like that, not even commanding officers. Especially not Rusty.

We were the same rank for blood’s sake.

I had a right to know all the data about what those things from last night were. What if they came back? Did Dux Richards really expect me to just turn a blind eye and carry on like nothing had happened?

I nodded a curt goodbye to Dux Bole and stocked for the transport. The human district was quiet when we left. I could still picture the tiny humans huddled together by that fire, almost as lifeless as the vessels in the processing plant. As we boarded, no one said a word. The settlement behind us was bathed in blood and silence.

I could see the bright blue hair, matted in mud, of Shea’s head leaning against the back of a seat two cars down. I strode toward her; I needed a friendly face.

“Shae, how are you holding up?” I leaned against the wall of the train car, resting and wishing it would take more than just my physical weight.

“Did you know butterflies only live a few weeks? They go through this metamorphosis and change from these sluggish, little worm-like things, to glorious insects; they sprout wings, becoming gloriously free. But it’s short. So short.” She blew her bangs out of her face, revealing her grey-blue eyes. Sorrow pooled in them just above freshly healed scrape marks on her face.

“I think I remember learning that in school.”

“Yeah, well I used to think that it was tragic. To live such a short life. I mean, that’s the equivalent of seconds for us. But maybe that’s nature’s way.”

She was always one for metaphors. Intrinsic to a fault. “I don’t think I understand what you’re getting at.”

“Those things from last night should not exist. They morphed. I knew one of them when they were one of us. He was a year ahead of me in school, interested in internal intelligence like myself. Whatever they became is unnatural. They shouldn’t exist for more than mere seconds.”

I had no response, so I merely sat down next to her and draped an arm around her. She didn’t hesitate to scoot in, resting her head on my chest. Normally when a female snuggled into me it was preceded by sensual pleasure. Not with Shae. She was always more of a sister to me than anything. We rode like this for several minutes, content in one another’s quiet company.

“You know the humans have a nickname for us?” I spoke, breaking the silence.

“They do?” She angled her head up at me.

“Yup, ‘Skeets.’”

“Skeets?”

“Short for mosquitos.”

She snorted, her eyes narrowing at the sides as the dimples in her cheeks appeared. “Humans are funny.”

“Yeah, I suppose they are good for more than just their blood.”

“Is the big bad mosquito coming around to realize that other life forms matter?” Shae teased, elbowing me. We both knew there was more truth to her joke than just an offhanded lighthearted remark.

“Perhaps. Maybe I too am ‘sprouting’ wings.” I winked at her. This didn’t need to become a deep conversation.

“I’ll visualize that.” Her nose wrinkled up as she thought about it. “In fact, I don’t think I’ll be able to look at you from now on without seeing wings on you. Big pink fairy wings.” She slapped her knee.

“You amuse yourself,” I spoke, shaking my head. I couldn’t stop the grin pulling at my lips. This felt good. Right after all that bullshit in Brookside.

The train car continued; the circuit jostled—still my least favorite form of travel. It was metal, thin, the air was stale and putrid. Several soldiers, myself included, still had not showered, which meant the scent of rotting blood filled the air.

But Shae was here. The trauma from last night didn’t break her. She would survive.

“Any word on Tate?” Her question jarred me. I hadn’t checked in on her since yesterday. She’d been drafted.

“She will be joining the guara.”

“What! You waited until now to tell me?” She pulled away, hurt and accusation filling her eyes. So much for light conversation.

“I just heard yesterday. Apparently, she broke the no-kill law veil side and was forced to enlist.”

“That’s absurd! I mean, that bastard back there was breaking all sorts of laws, and we just left him like nothing ever happened.” Shae was always more observant than I gave her credit.

“Think of it this way Shae, with Tate joining the guara, she’ll be tactically trained and with the creatures last night, perhaps it’s not the worst thing.”

“You think they’ll come back?” Her wide eyes couldn’t conceal her fear.

“I don’t know.” I hated the admission. Unknowns and I did not mix.

“I think that’s the first time I’ve heard you say that in ten years.”

Punk. Shae was definitely bouncing back after last night. Maybe her therapy was helping. Maybe.

“You know, Dale. You need to make sure Tate is brought to the Southern Outpost. She needs me. She needs…you.”

“I have no control over where she goes.” Last thing I needed was Tate lingering nearby. Her very scent still messed with my head. “Given our history, I very much doubt she’d want to be anywhere near me while she’s being forced to serve in the guara.”

“Don’t be so proud. She needs us. We’re her family. Please try to have her sent to the Southern Outpost. For me?” She gave me the puppy dog look that she’s mastered over the years. “Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if her breaking the no-kill law was a cry for help—an involuntary action intended on bringing her closer to us, forcing her to join.”

“That’s a stretch.”

“Maybe, but you didn’t see her face when I told her I was enlisting…”

“I’ll think about it, Shae.”

She smiled and then snuggled back into my side. I had no intention of bringing Tate to the Southern Outpost, not with these creatures and the mole hunt. No, I’d try to send her to the Western or Northern Outposts. She would be safer freezing her ass off than she would be around me.

I closed my eyes, and for just a second, I wasn’t a dux heading to oust one of my own, to condemn a traitor. I was young, an arche on his way to training with his best friend. Try as I might, I couldn’t shut out the mahogany eyes from my mind. Tate, damn her, would follow me to my death—of that, I was sure. I just hoped that wouldn’t be for several decades.