“Let’s go,” she said.
“What the hell is going on?”
“Station is under attack.”
“I can see that. By who?”
“Julian. He’s come for Alex.”
“What? We’ve got to get to her, now!”
“Relax,” Melina said, halting Michelle with a hand to the chest. “We’ve got goons between us and her. Julian didn’t come alone. But neither did I.”
Chapter Thirteen
The Cavalry Arrives
Alex sat with her face down in her hands, thinking many things. How she had landed here. How impossible all this was. She hadn’t been in the position long but when she sat up, her cell was almost completely black. The only light was from outside her door, to the right of the corridor, a yellow light flashing.
Bullets and screams followed shouts and cries. Alex bolted to the door, peering out of the Perspex viewer.
“Hey!” she said, slapping her hand on the door.
“Do not be afraid, Alex…”
Alex turned on the spot. Of course her cell was still empty, but the voice sounded as if right next to her. “Is someone there?” Alex whispered. She didn’t know whether she wanted a response or not. She didn’t have to wait long.
“In a manner of speaking.”
Alex pressed her fingers to her cheeks. “Fuckety…I’m hearing voices. Oh my God…the hospital, the memory. I’m going insane.”
“No, you’re not. Though you are in danger.”
“I’m not hearing this…I’m not hearing this…” Alex chanted. It was a lesion on her brain. A dream. A delusion. It had to be.
“Remember the V, Alex.”
“Please, leave me alone.”
Alex turned towards the outer entrance as a tall figure walked in, one she recognised. Scum that she hated. Julian walked forward, blood streaming from his mouth, with an arrogant stride.
“Oh shit…”
“Back away from the door…”
Alex didn’t need to be told twice, moving several steps until her calves hit the bench. The thin vampire that brutally tortured Michelle for sheer pleasure stood there, gazing at her with a look of smug triumph.
“I’m so fucked…”
*
“Hello there…” Julian hissed. “Long time no see. Have you missed me? It pained me so much to miss out on your recent unpleasantness. Being the puppet master works for me, for a time, but now comes the time to cut the strings and take the prize the demon should’ve,” he breathed coldly, reaching for the door handle. With one move he could obliterate the lock, then she would be his. “The life of a vampire whore.”
His head snapped back to the side and he stumbled away from the door. Spinning around, he saw Lauren materialise out of nothingness; her power concealed her approach and her cheap shot.
“I can’t decide if you’ll be first or if I’ll make you watch what I do to her first.”
“You ain’t getting anywhere near her, you greasy haired cunt.”
Julian popped directly in front her, from several feet away, in less than a second. She jumped in surprise and he gripped her throat, slamming her into the wall. “Is that so?”
With a twist of his body, he sent Lauren flying back so hard she landed on the floor with a thud and rolled several feet.
He wasted no time. Reaching again for the door of the cell. “You might taste terrible, but I’m going to drain you anyway.”
As Julian reached the door handle, his hand struck a barrier in front of the cell. What looked like blue lightning crackled just in front of him. He screamed as several bolts struck him in the chest, blowing him backwards and away from the cell.
*
Alex saw him being launched backwards just as Lauren rose, fangs flaring, blonde hair whipping behind her. Alex’s instinct was to shout to her that he was getting up, but Lauren moved so fast it would’ve been pointless. Julian swiped at her but Lauren used the wall as leverage to push off, spinning in mid-air and cracking him across the face with her heel. Julian smacked the ground hard. Lauren lifted her foot to deal a crushing blow to his skull just as Julian disappeared in his customary puff of smoke. He reappeared behind Lauren and gripped her by the hair, slamming her face into the concrete. Lauren rocked him with a quick elbow before Julian struck with a kick to her gut, causing her to sink into the wall before crumbling to her knees.
Julian stumbled as gunfire rang out. Alex saw Michelle enter the hall with a pistol in each hand, firing at will. The bullets must’ve taken him by surprise as three of them struck him, one in the shoulder and two in his upper arm, before popping away again. This time, without returning. Michelle glanced at Lauren, appearing to check on her, before turning to Alex, a look of relief spreading across her face. Michelle produced a set of keys from her pocket and moved towards the cell.
“Michelle, no!” Alex cried, but without reason. Michelle placed the key in the lock without a hassle. No barrier was present. Nothing. As if what happened two minutes ago were merely a dream. Was it? Did she see the electricity? The shield? Of course, she did. It made about as much sense as her being in this cell, and the voice that seemed to follow her, but she saw it.
The door flew open, and Michelle gripped her in an embrace that spoke of strength and joy.
“Are you ok?” Michelle asked.
“I am now. But what the actual fuck?”
“Not the time honey.” Michelle took her by the hand. “Later, I promise. Fight isn’t
