Enid had put on her Sarah face and started applying her make-up for the night out. She frowned and wiped her face down. Eyre leaned Enid’s bathroom doorframe; Her arms crossed.
“Problems, mom?”
“I’m terrible at make-up. Lip gloss I can do the rest.”
She threw her eyeliner down in frustration. Eyre laughed. Looked her mother up and down.
“She can fly F-22’s off of an aircraft carrier, kill demons like she’s slicing through wheat, do open heart surgery, but she can’t put on eyeliner.”
“Don’t give up your day job, what was that anyway?”
“Babysitting my relic of a mother.”
Enid shook her head and looked over the scattered make-up containers.
“How is Deloriss doing?”
“Changing the subject? Too proud to ask your daughter for help?”
“Fine, Please help me?”
Eyre laughed and pushed herself up.
“Okay let’s get started.”
*****
Enid sat in the car she had registered in Sarah’s ID. It was a plain silver SUV older model. She looked in the rearview mirror.
Its just a fucking dinner then easy out for a witness. Fucking immune mortals.
Enid took an unnecessary deep breath hit her steering wheel a few times then slid out of the driver seat and tugged her coat close. Not that she could feel the cold. She walked up to the door of her date’s apartment building and pressed the buzzer. She answered.
“Hi?”
“Hi Allison, it is Sarah.”
“Oh! I’m on my way down.”
At least someone’s excited about this, I feel bad for the girl.
Enid waited for her patiently. She saw Allison, who had been cute if a bit freaked out at the Vampire building. Allison blushed when she saw Enid.
“I can’t believe it you came out.”
“Of course, I did, you are cute.”
“You’re so glamorous and beautiful, I Just…thought.”
Allison, in my true form thirteen-year-old boys have bigger breasts then me, and I’ve got more scars than Mike Tyson.
“I don’t have much choice, you know some pretty damning things about me.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry, I don’t even know why I said date.”
She blushed and turned to go back inside.
“Hey, where are you going? A deal is a deal. I’m here, you’re here. I’m sure we can have some fun. Why waste our nice outfits and awesome make-up?”
Allison looked back at Enid who smiled at her. Allison still looked like she was about to run inside. Enid was many things but she never went back on a promise.
“Look Allison, I haven’t been on a date in almost six years. And never with a woman. You’re doing me a favor here.”
“Six years?”
“Yes, one of the flight doctors on the George Washington, totally inappropriate and against regs. I’d love to tell you about it.”
Allison pushed her hair blonde hair back behind her ears. She was everything Enid’s true form was not. Curvy, vivacious, a bit nerdy. Enid was a bit jealous of the woman who lived this normal life barring the occasional vampire bloodbaths. Enid offered her hand.
“I’ll drive, my SUV is a piece of shit, but it goes from point A to point B just fine.”
“Don’t you have a private plane?”
“Ya, so? This city, I want four-wheel drive, big ass snow tires and something that isn’t made of tinfoil.”
Allison laughed.
“You’re so normal.”
Not by a longshot.
“In comparison to what?”
“Well, I mean you…you know what, never mind.”
“Well, you wanted this date, we’ll make it your night, where too?”
“Is it my night because you have no ideas?”
Enid laughed.
“You got me.”
“I’ll be honest, I have never been on a date. I kind of was in shock and just said the first thing that came to my head, then I was embarrassed and then…I scrambled. You’re you…”
“Well, I’m freezing. Let’s go to my car. It has seat warmers. Dresses in winter, we must be crazy.”
Allison nodded and the pair got into Enid’s car. She turned the heat on full blast she’d noticed Allison was starting to shiver outside. A few minutes of warmth and Allison was loosening her coat and Enid smiled at her and turned down the heat.
“Okay I’m not from Edmonton, where is fun?”
“Well, I mean we could go to a club. But then we can’t drink.”
“I can be the driver.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I’m immune to poison, so… I can drink and drink and drink and…not get drunk. Won’t even show up on a breathalyzer if I drink a coffee afterwards.”
“So, club is a no, no way I want to be drunk me in front of sober you.”
“How about that arcade, nice food… thing on the south side? You know with throwing axes?”
“Oh, I know the place my company took us there for Christmas one year.”
“Video games and food it is.”
Enid put her SUV into drive and pulled out. Allison was twisting her long blonde hair with her finger.
“How is your hair so perfect Sarah? Like…it looks like a sheet of metal, then you move and you can see its hair.”
“Oh, trust me my old hair was a nightmare. Curly refused to do anything I asked of it. This is part of…well the thing.”
“Do you wish you were normal?”
“Every fucking day.”
“Why?”
“Do you know how much I envy you?”
“You envy me? You’re so beautiful. You are a superhero. You were a fighter pilot.”
“Yet this date could end with you in an Uber and me flying to fight something that could kill me. I am anything but normal.”
“Or it could end with me getting a phone call about a crypto attack that needs my attention immediately, and you driving me to the place I need to go.”
Enid laughed. She stopped at a red light hitting her turn signal.
“Allison thank you for asking me out.”
Enid pulled into the parking lot of their destination and got out of the car, she hurried to catch up with Allison who was walking at quick pace towards the entrance.
“Legs cold?”
“No, I have to pee.”
Enid laughed again.
“Go on, I’ll get the seats and tags sorted out.”
Allison hurried into the bathroom and Enid went to the front desk.
“I need two game passes and we’ll want to eat.”
“Sure thing.”
He typed into his tablet for a few minutes. Allison popped up beside her just in time to see Enid tapping her card.
“You two have fun.”
“Oh we will.”
Enid handed the wristband to Allison and slipped her own around her wrist.
“I have never seen a credit card like that before. I’ve never heard of Aurelius bank.”
“Its what my family has used for centuries.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“Wow, I guess it is European.”
“You guessed right. Now what first? Food? Games? Axe throwing?”
“Food?”
“Food it is, I hear its pretty good here.”
*****
Allison was leaning on a ledge at the back of the axe throwing range watching in amazement as Enid threw one bullseye after another. The last one she threw hard enough to split the target board in two. She turned to Allison and took a bow. Allison put her long island iced tea down and clapped.
“Your turn.”
“Oh, I couldn’t. I mean, I’m clumsy.”
“I will show you how.”
“I might hit you.”
“Well, if I’m bullet proof what do you think an axe wielded by an IT nerd will do to me?”
Allison laughed and blushed. Enid picked up one of the axes and stood in the circle for throwing and began showing her companion how to hold it and figure out its balance. She handed the axe to Allison who threw it and it bounced across the floor. Enid smirked.
“You throw like a girl.”
Allison laughed.
“Pick up another.”
Enid got behind Allison and started moving her feet gently with hers. She could feel Allison’s breathing quicken with the closeness. The mortal warmth wasn’t exactly unwelcome to her undead body either. One of the facilities people approached.
“Sorry, safety rules, you can’t be there when she’s throwing.”
Enid blinked at him put her hand against the barrier and hit it with an axe. It did nothing of course. She didn’t use her full strength she may have damaged her hand and the axe. Allison and the man gasped as it hit. Enid wiggled her fingers and hand.
“Its not going to hurt me.”
She turned to Allison and continued her lesson, ignoring the man who was just standing staring at her. Allison took a few moments to snap out of her own shock. Allison wasn’t paying attention to Enid’s lesson and grabbed her hand looking at the palm.
“I didn’t believe it.”
“You thought an axe is going to hurt me after you saw me take a punch from that guy downtown?”
“Okay, show me how to throw it again please?”
Enid got her into her stance again. The next throw at least reached the end of the lane. After four more Allison hadn’t hit the target. Enid could sense she was getting frustrated. She offered her another axe.
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“One more true Allison.”
“Nah, I obviously suck at this.”
“Just one more try?”
Allison sighed and took the axe and Enid got her into the proper stance again. Allison threw it and Enid flicked her hand and used her telekinesis to set the axe into a perfect spin and it hit the bullseye. Allison blinked at it and then jumped. Enid found herself distracted by Allison’s chest as she did so. She shook her head.
Why am I so enamored with this woman?
Enid took a better look at Allison’s face and other features. Then it hit her.
She looks like Hazel, the hair color and eye color are different and she’s smaller but her face, her laugh, her smile. She’s not Hazel. Hazel died two thousand years ago silly girl.
“Sarah this was so much fun. Thank you. I would never have tried it if you hadn’t nudged me.”
Enid smiled at her.
“We all have things we’re scared to try. And we might be terrible at them but who cares if it is fun right?”
The pair spent a few more hours at the adult arcade. Playing video games. Laughing. Allison had a few more drinks and was drunk by the time they finished. Enid helped her into the car. Allison got quite handsy on the way home. Enid didn’t mind overly much, no way she was going to do more then take her home though, well maybe a nibble…blood was always welcome.
*****
Enid had her Sarah face on for the sixth weekend in a row. She was putting her make-up on and looked at her black dress. The back was low enough it showed off her tattoo, but she found she didn’t care so much at the moment. Perhaps it was the giddiness of another date, or therapy was having an impact on her. The snow had melted, and the weather had been uncharacteristically warm. She had playlist going on her smart speaker. She looked at herself in the mirror.
“I did a really good job with this body and face. Of course, she likes it.”
But it’s not your real face or body, is it?
“Shut up conscience, who needs you anyway.”
She walked out of her bathroom and toward the balcony window. She looked out over downtown Edmonton. The sun was shining today. She looked down towards the river valley. She could see ice still floating and bobbing on the river. Her keen eyes focused on a blue hybrid pulling into the side street and got ready to answer the buzzer. It went off about when she predicted it would.
“Hi? It’s Allison.”
Enid pressed the button on her phone to speak.
“I’ll be right down.”
She slid on a pair of runners. They were going to Jasper for the weekend. She hopped on the elevator and rode it down, hooking her pack over her shoulder, and a back pack with clothes in it. Allison was waiting for her out front of the building. She was dressed casually and looked embarrassed by how much Enid had done to get ready.
“I… oops I’m sorry.”
“Why? I felt like getting dressed up, doesn’t mean you had too.”
Enid kissed Allison on the lips very gently. Allison smiled and tugged her close in a hug.
“You look amazing.”
Enid shrugged.
“Its not natural at all.”
Allison laughed.
“I’m just parked back here. Sarah, I had so much fun last weekend. I was… was wondering if you like, we could uh, see each other more often?”
Enid shifted a bit as she got into the car. She pondered how to answer that question. She knew it would be coming soon. She was having fun with Allison, but she couldn’t get serious. She was living a double life if not triple life.
“Allison, my life is complicated. I’m not who you think I am, I’m really not. We have fun on Saturdays, its what I have to give at the moment.”
“Are you married or something?”
Enid coughed in spite herself at that mention.
“I’m not legally married, no.”
“What? So, you are but you’re divorced?”
“No, no, its complicated but you’re the only person I’m seeing romantically at all.”
“Then why can’t we have more time?”
Because when I’m not out with you, or saving the world as Sarah, I’m my ID says I’m sixteen and I’m going to high school and have a whole circle of friends there.
“It is very complicated.”
“Its not complicated at all, we like each other, and I mean…the last couple of Saturday nights have been…”
Allison’s cheeks had become flush. And Enid had the same reaction. She couldn’t control it while the sun shone down on her. She shifted in her seat.
“Enjoyable?”
“I was going to say mind blowing, why can’t we be more now?”
“Because… Look, Allison, I am likely going to be dead by the end of the year. If you’re looking for a partner… something long term, you need to find someone better.”
“What do you mean? Are you sick?”
“No, I just can’t explain, its, secret, I don’t know how to explain. Look once I get my head on straight and we figure this… other thing out. I’m going to war, and its going to be mutually assured destruction.”
“I don’t understand you’re like Superman aren’t you?”
“No far from it, look, the thing I’m going to be fighting, its, its basically a dark reflection of God. This isn’t some…mutant human. It is a primordial force, like that giant red storm on Jupiter. Somehow I not only have to survive it, I need to kill it.”
“I don’t see it as any different from soldiers going to war, and they have wives and husbands.”
Enid sighed and glanced out at the highway, as they left Edmonton she could see some snow still gracing the farm fields. She glanced at her reflection in the window. Sarah’s face looked back at her and she wished it was her own.
“Allison, I’m older than you. This isn’t even my real face. If you want to find real love, you need to find someone normal, someone, who isn’t a lifetime older then you, someone who isn’t a beacon for the unnatural.”
“I don’t want someone normal. I want you. When I’m with you, I feel…”
“Its not a normal feeling. I have that effect on people, as much as I try to suppress it, they just flock to me.”
“No. You’re just a good person. I knew it the night we met. I knew you were threatening me but I also knew you didn’t want to hurt me.”
“I could have. There was time I wouldn’t have even given you a choice. If my power had failed I would have just killed you and let you burn with the rest.”
“I don’t believe that. You have a good heart.”
“Like I said, you don’t know the real me, what I’ve done, what I’ve seen.”
“I know the real you. I saw you heal that woman. I heard you wheezing. I’m not dumb you know or blind.”
“Did you know I used banned weaponry to burn down two buildings and took part in killing seventy-five super terrorists the night we met?”
Allison sat in the driver seat staring at the road silently. She finally spoke.
“No.”
“That’s what I did, I covered up the deaths of over a hundred people that night. Its not even the worst thing I’ve done in my life.”
“Well, if you’re God’s daughter then you must have had a reason. The bible even has Jesus saying he came to be a sword or something like that.”
“Jesus was the New Testament, if I am God’s child, I’m the Old Testament version.”
“Sarah, angels have spoken to you, you were tested, everyone knows that story now, Gabriel came to you, tested you and you passed.”
“Allison, I almost killed Gabriel, I had my sword at her throat when I realized what I was doing, I failed that test. I failed it so badly she told me to get therapy.”
“But you didn’t kill her.”
“I could have easily done it.”
“But you didn’t.”
Enid closed her eyes.
“You shouldn’t have so much faith in me. If I were really a Catholic, would I have had sex with you several times?”
“No”
The pair lapsed into silence. Enid was half pouting at this point, she was hoping this would be a fun weekend and not dragged down with dramatic bullshit.
“Should I turn around?”
Enid closed her eyes for a few moments.
“No, no, I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too, I shouldn’t have pressed.”
Enid put her hand Allison’s thigh.
“No, you deserve someone who can give you all their time.”
“Well, I get you for a whole weekend, right?”
“I’m glad you could take the afternoon off.”
Enid released Allison’s thigh.
“You could have left it there.”
“Focus on the road we can spend the whole weekend doing what you’re thinking about.”
Allison blushed. Enid leaned her head against the glass of the passenger side window silently wishing she could sleep like she saw so many mortals do in cars. She had a sudden flash of the truck in front them losing control and their car getting its top cut off, the display on read twenty seconds in the future.
“Allison the truck is going to jack-knife and spin out.”
Allison blinked at her, was about to argue the point and the truck was already losing control. Enid grabbed the steering wheel and wrenched it to the right causing the car to spin out and lose control falling over the side of the mountain road.
*****
Enid blinked and looked around herself she was in St. Peters again. Maria was at the front she put a book down and opened it. Enid looked around and she was surrounded by priests that were wearing Bloodseeker pendants instead of crucifixes. She noticed Maria was also wearing one, with a female angel crucified to the sword. Maria put her finger on the page and began to read.
“Metamorphosis: 1:1, God’s first-born daughter, the Archangel of the Universe the keeper of creation the greatest of his children, held only nurturing and peace in her heart. He decreed she would be forged into a weapon. So it was, that his daughter was given mortal form. On to that form all manner of abuse was unleashed to fill her with righteous anger and wrath. Her brothers and sisters in the heavens, whom she had tended to as a mother would, wept at the abuse. Her brothers and sisters cried but why must she suffer so. And the creator spoke thusly: So that she may be my wrath against the wicked. Any who interfere shall be cast out of heaven and into the pits.”
“Metamorphosis: 1:24, The first son whispered his wickedness into the ears of the second among God’s host. To Lightbringer the betrayer spoke thus: Look how she suffers. Look how he lets these mortals torment your sister. How long before you suffer the same fate. He is not fit to rule creation. Were I the master of creation I would free her from her shackles and smite the mortals who dare harm such beauty. The Lightbringer saw wisdom in the lies of the betrayer and convinced half of God’s host that their sister should not suffer so. And thus, the war on heaven began.
“Metamorphosis: 1:39, The creator spoke: As I swore, any who interfere would be cast into the pits. Your sister made the sacrifice of love for you and you repay her by betraying everything she stood for. You waged war on your brothers and sisters. You are the ultimate betrayers. So shall you be shall forever more be out of my light. May she never learn of your betrayal. Thus, it was that the enemies of heaven, the fallen ones that betrayed their creator and their covenant were thrown into the pits of Hell. Their wings twisted and corrupted with the darkness that dwelled there never to see their beloved sister again.
Maria crossed herself and moved her finger to another bookmark and flipped the page then she touched her crucifix then looked directly at Enid.
“Darkness has found you. You must wake up now, daughter.”
Enid snapped awake the car was smashed and by the looks of her body she had likely been dead or almost dead before the sun vanished form the sky she gasped for breath and pushed the torn mental off of herself. Allison had a large tree limb through her stomach, but she could still feel a heartbeat as faint as it was. Enid tore the remnants of the roof off and broke the thick branch in half. She could see bone through Allison’s injuries. Blood tears were dripping down her cheeks.
Better then being cut in half by a truck.
Enid pulled Allison out of the car and put her down. Allison had woken up with the movement. She was looking up at Enid with tears in her eyes. Enid could see blood trickling down the side of her mouth.
“I’m..gonna die aren’t I?”
Enid shook her head.
“No, you’re not.”
Enid closed her eyes and touch Allison and started chanting the words of the wound transfer spell she felt her body tear itself apart as Allison’s injuries mended. Enid collapsed back down. She had used most of her supply of blood healing the woman’s and her wounds. She would be useless until she could get more, and she had no blood stones in her pack. Allison leaned her against a tree.
“Sarah are you alright?”
Enid shook her head.
“Allison, my name isn’t Sarah, its Enid.”
“What?”
Allison leaned against the same large tree.
“My name is Enid, Sarah is just a disguise.”
“Why?”
Enid smelt something on the wind and felt a familiar twisting in her gut. She put her hand over Allison’s mouth. The underbrush parted and a twisted werewolf in hybrid form rose to its full eight-foot height. Enid’s made out extensive scarification in the form of demonic runes.
“If it isn’t Lilith’s she-bitch. I smelled her on you.”
Enid struggled and pushed herself up, back still to the tree.
“You got a little demon in you…”
“What gave it away?”
Enid stood up straighter and reached into her pack and pulled out Bloodseeker. Enid hesitated. The treaty that bound her said nothing of possessed wolf-born.
I’m kind of fucked either way. Unless the demon flees.
“Tell me, can you still speak to the spirits with the spirit-born’s mouth?”
“Yes, the dark ones told me you were here.”
“Did they also tell you what my true name is?”
He laughed.
“Lilith’s she-bitch was enough for me.”
“I am Slays-Demons, blooded and named by tooth and claw. This sword will destroy you, no fleeing back to Hell. Ask your dark spirits if I lie?”
“Talk, talk, talk, talk, you’re like your mother. She talked and talked, whispering promises into Lucifer’s ear, then she betrayed him. I will be richly rewarded when I drag you into Hell with me. You can’t even fight back because of the treaty.”
Enid looked around at the trees.
Help me out here can I kill it or what?
Enid felt the wind pick up, as it whipped through the evergreens, she heard a voice in the rush of branches and needles.
“He is spirit-born no more. Slay it. Slay it. Slay it.”
Enid pushed off the tree. She was weaker than she ever remembered being as a vampire. The demon seemed to have heard it too. As it howled, and prepared to lunge at her, she felt the wind rush into her and heard more whispers.
“Take our strength mother.”
Allison started to scream as the werewolf lunged towards the pair. Enid felt a flood of strength that was not her own flow into her muscles, and she swung her blade outwards lopping off of the clawed hands and the head of her attacker. They spiraled through the air carried by the moment of the lunge. Enid felt burning in her stomach and chest as his other claw found purchase. She fell to the ground and the body of the werewolf skidded across the snow then rolled a few times stopping at a tree. By the time it came to rest it had reverted to a human body, as had the hands and head. Enid crouched in front of Allison so she wouldn’t see. Enid felt the strength leave her as swiftly as it came and collapsed on top of Allison. The gash on her chest would not heal without blood and she had none. Nor could she take it from Allison without killing her which she refused to do.
“What…what was that?”
“Demon possessed werewolf. I’m sorry Allison, I can’t fly us out of here I’m too weak… I can’t save you.”
Allison reached down and touched Enid’s blood-soaked platinum blonde hair.
“No, we’ll be fine.”
Allison was not looking at Enid’s face but the massive gash across her chest and stomach from the werewolf claws. The wound looked like it was festering. There was blackness around it from the demonic taint. Enid heard more movement and smelt more wolf-born she struggled to push herself up. She put her hand on the tree heavily. The tip of Bloodseeker buried in the snow as she leaned on it and the tree.
“Fuck. More of them.”
Seven more hybrids pushed out of the brush. Their long fur covered in snow as they trees dusted them with it. She didn’t feel the usual twisting in her gut that demons would cause but that didn’t mean much. She’d just killed one of them, their reaction would be unpredictable. She stood up straight and with great effort and burning pain from her festering demonic wound she leveled the sword at the biggest werewolf and spoke in the wolf-born language.
“I am Slays-Demons, blooded and named by tooth and claw. Empress of the Court of Eternal Night! Who’s next?”
To her shock the werewolf started laughing.
“You live up to your true name.”
The werewolf shifted and it was an indigenous woman. A very large and muscular indigenous woman. She was wearing a heavy coat.
“We heard the tainted one’s howl. We’ve been hunting him for days, only to find him slain by a pale stranger. Your name is known to the spirits, we heard them calling that Slays-Demons, the Mother of Spirits lay dying as we raced here. Yet here you stood sword pointed at me defiance even in the face of death. You have a wolf-born soul. You are injured and she is starting to feel the cold. Let’s go back to our cabins.”
Allison was still sitting where Enid had left her. Cowering at this point would be a better description. The rest of the wolf-born shifted to their human shapes and one helped Allison up. The pack alpha scooped up Enid and carried her. Enid lost consciousness again the festering wound would not relent until she fed.
When Enid woke next she was laying in a warm bed with a fire going. Her chest wound had healed. Allison was curled up beside her deep asleep. The sun was shining and looks like it had been for a while. Enid saw movement in a chair and noticed the Pack Alpha sit forward holding a cup between her hands. She smiled at Enid.
“Spirits were right. Waited until dawn, and we were able to heal you right up like you were alive.”
Enid tried to sit up but collapsed again. She was still weak.
“Healing takes a lot of the patient and the healer. I assumed you two were together so I didn’t resist her laying beside you.”
Enid nodded.
“My sword?”
“Bundled in cloth and beside the bed. Spirits said not to touch it with flesh.”
“They were right, would have killed you.”
“Lot of bad in that sword.”
Enid nodded weakly.
“Relax Slays-Demons, I’ll get you some breakfast. Hope you’re not a vegan.”
Enid laughed and held her side as she still felt pain there.
“If I was, I’d be in serious trouble come nightfall.”
The woman gave a knowing look and walked off. Enid looked at the wooden ceiling.
Thank you spirits.
She saw the wind pick up outside the cabin kicking up the snow and smiled. Allison started to stir beside her. And turned over and her hand along Enid’s once again flawless chest and stomach.
“What terrible nightmare.”
“Wasn’t a nightmare. We really were in a car accident and attacked by a demon.”
“But you were… there was…”
“They healed me.”
Allison lifted herself up and kissed Enid on the lips. Enid wrapped her arms around her and hugged her as tightly as her weakened state would allow.
“Sorry Allison. I think the Demon attacked the truck, if I hadn’t been with you, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“I guess this means our weekend in Jasper is off.”
“How does a weekend in a off the map wooden cabin with a bunch of werewolves and their families sound?”
“Strange.”
Enid shrugged.
“It’s what we got. I’ll get a helicopter to pick us up. I’ll replace your car. I’m so sorry this happened.”
Allison kissed her again and the pair were interrupted from going further by a knock at the door.
“Breakfast?”
Allison and Enid both blushed deeply as their hosted carried a tray of food in.