Page 45 of Fallen Thorns
Multiple eyes burned into my skin.
“It is evident she it not working alone, and two nights ago, the patrol group reported unusual, inhuman activity near the old swimming baths. They returned last night, and we managed to ensure a follow up this morning. I can confirm we have successfully reprimanded two potential suspects, who will be held for questioning later today.”
Cheers chorused across the room, the group closest to Marianne began patting each other on the back.
“Did you know about this?” I leaned into Mars’ side.
They shrugged. Odd, I thought. I presumed Mars was a highly regarded member of The Thorns and would be in the loop on current affairs. I chose not to press it.
“Furthermore,” Marianne continued, pausing for dramatic effect. The cacophony of pride dissipated and she lowered her tone while stepping forward. The room fell deathly silent in an instant.
This was the leader of The Thorns. This woman who held truepowerand had done for a very long time.Despite her oddities, she meant business. She got things done.
“We also have a few leads in the city’s outskirts, too. A singular vampire attack was stopped before the victim was even aware. Threat neutralised.”
Neutralised.I shuddered.
“We do not know if this rogue was working with this Lucy, but we succeeded regardless. Well done everyone.”
More cheers followed. I made quick work of scanning the room for faces, searching to identify those not so in tune with the truth laid before us: Ben and Casper were amongst them. Their claps were delayed, and I noticed shame — anddisgust? —in their expressions.
Marianne did not wait long before she cut everyone off again, her voice low and collected.
“Now that’s out of the way, as of today, we will be upping patrols. No more niceties. If you find something, anything that is potentially linked, pursue it. If we have any more deaths, police will begin looking for a serial killer, which could put us all at risk. We’ve kept ourselves quiet for many years now and we’re not about to hinder that. We’ve looked after each other as a family, hidden perfectly from the humans, and we won’t stop now. So, with that said, I have decided to commence training again.”
Audible gasps echoed across the floor. Some, clearly only a few years into their new lives, glanced around at their peers in confusion. Mars tensed again, though they didn’t look to me this time. Rani joined my other side and crossed her arms, her heartbeat had increased significantly, and I could detect a slight tremor in her hands as she tried to contain whatever fear threatened to take over. I no longer felt in the loop, as much as an outsider as she. She may have even been hiding it better.
“Twelve years ago, we lost our most loyal member to the evil of our kind. I had been blind to the fact that maybe we never had his loyalty at all. Darkness fell over The Thorns and many fled — some turning to join him in this betrayal. I made a promise to the human race, and all of you, and I am willing to do whatever it takes. I want you to be ready for anything.”
I watched Carmen’s face fall in the shadows, her stature depleting.
“Whilst his threat no longer remains, something new has emerged. Something very different, nothing like I have experienced before. An unknown blackness in this reality that I fear has the potential to become much worse.”
I sucked in a breath, and almost simultaneously, two gentle hands hovered over each side of my back. A spark of reassurance from Mars and Rani. I couldn’t look at either of them, but I wanted them to sense my gratitude.
Marianne stepped down from her platform and began to weave amongst the crowd as she concluded her speech. She knew how to play this.
“I fear the worst. That some other worldly being has entered our world. Whom this creature is, I do not know, but hear me when I say this is no caution; this is an order: watch your backs. There is no version of this darkness that comes from unity. It seeks to cause harm and to toy with us. It is unclear whether it is targeting specifically our kind or not, but if this is connected to our string of murders — which it very much could be — this is not what we predicted. A great death is in the air.”
I shuddered again.A great death. What does that mean?Why had she chosen to speak so cryptically? She clearly didn’t want to alarm anyone, and thus, she didn’t tell them about me, or how it was afterme. Something is after me. Something is in me. Something called for me.
But I never told anyone that part though, did I?
I remembered a voice. One as smooth as velvet, gliding over my soul.
It needed me.
It was waiting.
My legs carried me out before the rest of my body realised. I was out into the cool corridor, pulling at my collar in a second. Mars at my heels, Rani a beat behind.
“You can’t keep doing that!” Rani was the first to speak. “A bit of warning please, I’m out of my depth here.” Her tone was light-hearted, perhaps to ease the situation, or perhaps because she had not yet grasped the severity of it all. Maybe I hadn’t either. Well, I knew I hadn’t.
“Arlo, we know very little about this yet. Marianne is purely speculating; she doesn't know anything for definite,” Mars said.
I looked up from my half-slouched position against the wall. “So, you knew it was some sort of creature too?”
Mars placed both hands firmly on their hips. “Well, what else could it have been? I used my intuition.” Their shoulders raised defensively.
