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  Stanley was getting on in years, and it showed in his wrinkled face. Although the blue in his eyes still sparkled, the life was draining from him. Loose sags of skin dangled from under his chin as he spoke. “Good evening, Mr. Hannigan. Do you require a portal?”

  “Please.”

  Without another word, Stanley pushed back his wheeled office chair and struggled to his feet. I held out an arm, which he took, and escorted him through to the stock room. I had no idea why they’d assigned somebody so old to portal duty in the store, but I’m sure the Elders had their reasons. If nothing else, I trusted him.

  As soon as we passed through the red curtain at the back, Stanley stooped forward and raised his trembling fingers. It took a few seconds for him to mimic a wide circle into the air, but by the time he was finished there was a burning red fire hovering before him. Stanley moved aside, and I thanked him before heading into the portal, emerging on the other side with the same awed feeling I had every time I stepped through.

  As if by magic, I stood in the valley between a range of snow-capped mountains. The cold wind bit my exposed skin, although pain paled against the strength of my immortality. In the distance, a looming tower known as the Vault awaited me, and I hurried up the dirt path, urgently seeking advice. I’d need counsel if I wanted to extract the same promise from the vampires that I’d been gifted from Lena.

  Before I knew it I was inside the Vault, dashing up the stony spiral staircase toward the Grand Hall. There was only one door that took my attention, stopping me in my tracks. I pushed it open and leaned against the wooden doorframe, gazing across the circular room at the arsenal of magicards. Keira had told me all about them – about how I now had the ability to equip one. Doing so would grant me the power of the mage trapped inside, but as with everything, there was also a downside; if overused, the mage’s soul would begin to transfer into my own body. I didn’t like that idea, to be honest. It all seemed far too personal for me. I was quite happy sticking with the Sword of Lucada, a gift from the King of the Imps, though my admiration for Keira Poe was undying. How she went thirty years using these cards was beyond me. Wherever she was, I hoped she was getting the vacation of a lifetime.

  Starting at the sound of footsteps behind me, I kicked myself away from the doorframe and spun around to find Dalton, the Elder of Chicago’s Vault. As per usual, the hood of his robe covered his face, leaving me with nothing more than a chin and a pair of dark eyes to look at.

  “Sir Jack,” he said, bowing slightly.

  “Sir Dalton.”

  “Where is your robe, boy?”

  Enough with the robe already. Keira had already grilled me for not donning one at the door. Apparently it was a sign of disrespect not to wear one, but as I always said, wear what you want unless it’s a costume party.

  “I forgot,” I lied.

  “Well, don’t forget again.” Dalton cocked his head. “Come.”

  I cleared my throat nervously and fell in beside him. Together, we circled up the steps and arrived at the Grand Hall – a gigantic spacious room with marble pillars and a great fire burning in the center. At the back of the room was a dark area that led to the Sacred Temple of R’hen, but we Keepers were forbidden from entering. The magic that held this place together – the magic that somehow managed to fit an entire castle within the confines of a slim tower – was simply amazing. I had a feeling I’d never stop being this impressed.

  Dalton swept around and stood by the fire, staring down into the embers as if entranced. I followed, stood beside him and stared with him. I had to admit, the dancing flames hypnotized me. I could see why he enjoyed it so much.

  “How is your first month going?” he asked.

  “Okay.” I shrugged. “I haven’t really done much.”

  “Yes, I know. I should assign you a mission to locate some new magicards. As long as they’re out in the world, I feel unsafe. You can do that for us, Sir Jack. Follow the cards and retrieve them, and then store them safely in the Vault.”

  “Actually, I had something else planned.”

  Dalton craned his neck but said nothing.

  “I’ve paid a visit to the werewolves. I’m hoping to end this entire war between them and the vampires. The alpha has promised to back down, if only I can persuade the vampires to do the same.” I suddenly had an image of the head vampire – a completely fabricated appearance of a large man with thick locks of hair and overly large teeth. I shook it from my mind, dismissing it. “That’s why I’m here, sir. I want your permission to pursue this.”

  “I see.” Dalton made a soft humming sound, as though he were meditating. “It certainly would impress me if you could pull it off. This approach is somewhat different to that of Lady Keira’s. You see, hers was always the way of violence, albeit warranted. Now that we have the favor of the wolves… Yes, yes, I could see this working. You are, of course, aware of the dangers? This is a potential suicide mission even for the most gifted of mages.”

  “But I’m not a mage.” My hand went to my pocket, touching the sword.

  “An experienced swordsman?”

  I nodded.

  “Nonetheless, your confidence could be your downfall.” Dalton stepped away from the fire, turning my way and wringing his hands together. “We Elders have always dreamed of peace. If the vampires and the werewolves were to find a mutual agreement, it could benefit us all greatly.”

  “So I have your permission?”

  “Indeed, but you also have my caution. The vampires are far more hostile than the werewolves, and won’t hesitate to tear you apart if it came to it. You will have to arm yourself and be prepared for defense, but at the same time remain humble.”

  I considered the risk, but my ambition led the way. No matter the danger involved in the mission, there would always be something at the back of my mind urging me to carry on. I guessed that was the way of the Cardkeeper; to fight on in the face of every challenge. To do what was right in spite of what it might cost. If I wanted to be remembered long after my days, a feat like peace was sure to make that happen.

  Dalton returned to the fires, the glow lighting up the sides of his face as he stared lifelessly into them. “Then I wish you luck, Sir Jack.”

  “Thank you.”

  “And Jack…”

  “Yeah?”

  “Next time I see you, be sure to wear a robe.”

  I grinned, turned on my heel and made for the door, thinking through my next move. Whatever I did next, I had to make sure I watched my back. My will to live was never exactly at its strongest, but I had to stay alive until all this was over. I could see my own legacy dangling before my eyes. All I had to do was reach out and take it.

  Chapter Four

  I knew very little about vampires, and even less about how to reason with them. What I did know proved valuable. For instance, I knew that they hated salt, and although they were considerably light-footed, they were as vulnerable against bear traps as bears were. If I couldn’t make good use of those facts, then I didn’t deserve the sword in my pocket.

  The traps were the first to go down, right around the perimeter of the vacant skate park. At this time of night, all the dangerous creatures were out – not to mention the even more dangerous humans. But with all the reports of vampires around this area lately, I considered it a good place to set up as my post, laying down milk to lure the bloodsucking bastards out of hiding. See, vampires love milk and I planned on using that information to my advantage. Some speculated that it was the smell of it, while others claimed that it was due to their lack of vitamin D, hence their translucent skin. I didn’t really give a rip, as long as it meant they’d come running at the opportunity to guzzle some cow juice.

  I laid out some drinking glasses that I bought at a bargain price in a nearby Walmart. The milk itself was actually more costly than the glasses, but it didn’t break the bank. After a trip to a hunting store for the traps, and the Sword of Lucada tucked away in my pocket, I had everything I needed to bring
the fight to me.

  My lure was in place and my traps were strategically positioned around the skate park. I sat at the top of a halfpipe and sprinkled table salt in a perfect circle around my body – a protective ring that the creatures could not break. Thankfully, the winter air wasn’t quite strong enough to carry the salt with it. It was my first tiny victory in the many battles to come.

  I waited a couple of hours before noticing even a slight bit of movement in the darkness. I squinted my eyes and placed a hand above them like a salute, staring into the distance. When I saw a young couple walking past, drunkenly stumbling down the path and yelling at each other about who could sink more Alabama Slammers, I relaxed a little. The vampires were coming – I felt it in my bones – I just had to be patient.

  In the meantime, I had my new life to reevaluate. Had I done the right thing by taking over from Keira? As much as I hated to admit it, she was a much better person than I was, probably because she’s a woman and more in touch with her sensitive side. Only a few weeks ago I’d been responsible for the slaying of countless imps. It was one of those memories that came back to haunt me every time I closed my eyes. How could I have been so reckless, tearing apart a mostly peaceful species? I remember being blinded by hatred for the Demon King Zorin, but that was only an excuse and not a reason. I supposed that was why I was doing this; to atone for my sins. I just hoped the Gods of R’hen would forgive me.

  The snapping of a twig alerted me. I sat up straight, listening intently for a repeat of the sound. It came again, this time heavier, as a dark, ghostly figure glided across the grass with all the grace of a ballerina. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that this was a vampire, so I clambered to my feet and reached for my sword, shooting the glowing blade out of the grip and hiding it behind me. I waited patiently for the sound of a snapping trap, and when it finally came, I dismounted the halfpipe and made my way between the trees, where the vampire had hopefully been subdued.

  I wanted an easy kill. Perhaps just a little bit of pushing the creature around and pressing on its wound to make it talk. Just a little bit of information would take me a long way. In times like this, I wished Keira was around to guide me, but I was my own man now, and it was time to put on my big boy pants.

  Within a minute I was stood between the trees, staring into the darkness with my sword drawn. I looked harder, stepping slowly toward the trap and ready to attack. My prey had sucked down the milk and, although the bear trap had been set off, it was empty.

  “Shit,” I mumbled, lowering my weapon. I knelt by the trap and pried it open, peeling off the small, torn piece of black fabric. I held it close to my sword, the glow illuminating it so I could see a little better. It was black denim. Straight from a pair of jeans, no doubt. That only meant that the vampire must have stood on the plate, leaping out of its jaws at the last moment. And if that was true, then I wasn’t alone.

  I dropped the fabric and shot to my feet, spinning around with my sword raised. The vampire lunged at me from nowhere, leaping out of the darkness as its long, curved fingernails lashed out and attempted to claw out my eyeballs. I lost my balance and fell to the ground, the creature weighing down on me as I wrestled with it. I could probably take it, I thought, but when I saw the creature’s companions approach from either side, I knew that I was in trouble. One vampire I could take – maybe even two. But three? Not a chance.

  I should have come more prepared. Lesson learned.

  Chapter Five

  So far, so bad. I had already been up against the werewolves, and now here I was, crushed under the weight of a wriggling, writhing vampire while its asshole friends came at me from both sides. I wrapped my hands around its wrists, but that was the only thing keeping the tips of its sharp fingernails away from my face.

  The other vampires drew closer now, closing the gap between life and death. Although I wanted to keep at least one of them alive for interrogation, I had no choice but to fight, and I had to do it fast. I quickly brought my knees to my chest and stored up strength, before shoving my heels into my attacker’s chest, knocking it into a nearby tree.

  I climbed to my feet, my foes becoming a blur as they ran around me at blinding speed. I gripped the Sword of Lucada tight, staying light on my feet as I circled around and placed my back to a tree trunk. Now they could only come at me from the front, and when they did, I would sever their limbs and send them flying into the halfpipe like a Yoyo Plant.

  “All I want is to know where your master is,” I said. “Give me that and I’ll let you live, but if you take one more step…” I wiggled the tip of my red, glowing sword. “Well, I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what will happen.”

  The vampires didn’t respond. All they did was pull together, all three of them with their shoulders touching as they crept toward me on their toes, light and nimble. Within seconds they would all be upon me, and then I’d be completely screwed.

  They’d removed all my options with their abstinence so I moved to defend myself and take them all down.

  Stealing their opportunity to dodge out of the way, I raised the sword to my shoulder with lightning speed and then threw it like a spear into one of their chests. While the blade tore through the pale flesh and the vampire reeled back, I advanced on another, slamming my elbow into its jaw and hearing it crack. Before I knew it, the third was on top of me, riding me like a horse as it dug its fingers into my eyes. I screamed in pain, pushed back toward the tree and slammed it once, twice, three times into the trunk until I heard it whine and felt the weight drop from my shoulders. My eyes stung like a motherfucker, but at least now I could see again.

  The first vampire had now turned to ash, leaving the Sword of Lucada laying on top of its incinerated body. It glowed from the ground, illuminating its surroundings. When the son of a bitch I’d elbowed followed my line of sight, sudden understanding lit up its monstrous features. I knew exactly where its thoughts were headed; it was about to go for the sword.

  My sword.

  While it had its back turned, I spun around to the one who’d jumped on me and snapped its neck. It made a satisfying crunching sound before its body became loose, slumping to the ground like a bag of rocks. By the time I returned to my final enemy, it had reached the sword and was straining to pick it up. Little did it know, I’d developed a relationship with the weapon, and now only I could lift it.

  “Having trouble getting it up?” I said in my most smarmy tone.

  I marched toward my foe, watching it give up on its struggle to pick up my sword before it fled into the darkness. I quickly bent down, arming myself with ease, and then peered into the darkness where the vampire had escaped.

  “Oh, no you don’t.”

  Arcing my arm, I flung the sword into the distance, watching it rip through the air at breakneck speed, whistling as it chased my enemy with its blade spinning. It eventually became a small, red blinking light in the blackness of the night, and I waited quietly until I heard it slice through something solid. The scream that followed would haunt my dreams for nights to come, but right now, I had business to attend to.

  I followed the trail of my sword until I found it laying flat on the ground, its healthy magic glow lending light to the wounded vampire beside it. The first thing I noticed was that Count Assula’s leg had been taken clean off by my blade. The wounded beast lay beside its limb with tears streaming down its lily-white cheeks, hissing as I approached.

  “I did try to warn you,” I said, picking the Sword of Lucada up off the ground. Since he’d just tried to end me, my heart pumped piss for him.

  The vampire only hissed again like a cat with a firecracker shoved up its ass.

  Feeling a cold sweat break out across my brow, I stepped closer to the creature, letting it feel my presence lurk over it as it struggled to crawl back. I wanted it to know that it had lost, and that I could cause it even more damage if it refused to help me. I let the sword hang from my right hand, in plain sight.

  “You going to tell me wher
e your master hangs out?”

  The vampire’s face shriveled slowly, revealing relatively human eyes. Its fangs shrank too, but the veins and ripples of thick flesh remained on its chest. “Why would I tell you?” it asked. Its voice was full of spite, and I still couldn’t identify its gender. “You’ll only kill me after, no matter what I do.”

  “Well,” I said, “you never know.”

  “I want you to promise me.”

  This sounded like I might be getting somewhere. Okay, I could throw it a bone. “Fine. I promise.”

  “Say it. Say it as a whole.”

  “I promise that if you tell me where to find your master, no more harm will come to you.”

  The vampire finally sat up, swaying as it reached for its leg and tried to push it back onto its stump. When it didn’t stick, it tossed the limb aside, cursed, and fell onto its back. “His name is Edgar George. He runs a nightclub in West Loop.”

  “Which club?”

  “Dante’s.”

  As it happened, I knew the place. I just had no idea that it was a vampire den. I made a mental note to check it out, but I would have to wait until daytime before I did so. The last thing I needed was for Edgar George’s entire army to surround me.

  The vampire sniffled, missing its leg already. “Now go.”

  “Oh, I’m not finished.” I raised the sword high into the air, leaned over and grabbed the vampire by the throat. I squeezed hard, staring into its wide eyes and recognizing the look of surprise immediately.

  “But…” It gargled beneath my vice-like grip. “You said–”

  “I said no more harm will come to you. Meaning I’ll make this swift and harmless.” I heard only the beginning of an aggressive hiss as I jolted the sword forward, sliding it into the vampire’s chest and piercing its cold heart. Its body burned to ashes in my hand, sprinkling into the air and leaving me in deadly silence.