"Are you insane?" Linda hissed. She stood beside Lily, bundled up against the winter gales that howled and lashed at them, which funnelled into the streets between the towering carapace of a ruined city.
"How'd you find me?" Lily shouted over the roaring winds.
"Wasn't hard! You weren't in your room, so I knew you'd go to Copperwood alone," Linda tried to reach her arm across Lily's shoulders, but her sister pulled away.
"It's better this way. I know I begged you to help, but it's better this way!" Lily insisted, trudging forward with renewed resolve. Linda did her best to keep pace with her sister, breathing heavily as the sharp winds pushed against her. Her lower centre of gravity and thick legs helped her to push forward.
"I won't let you go alone!" Linda declared. Lily's hood remained stiff as she shook her head.
"Go back, Linda! Least one of us oughta be safe!" Lily yelled over her shoulder, not slowing or stopping. Linda continued to follow her sister regardless, but said nothing more.
After a while, the wind lulled itself to a listless state, and Lily turned on to a wide street, scanning the rows of house frames. Timbers rose like a ribcage of some sylvan titan. Between stretches of hollowed out and heavily damaged houses, a few remained. Lily turned to see Linda still following behind.
"I'm not leaving you!" Linda exclaimed when Lily gestured for her to go.
"It's dangerous!" Lily insisted.
"I know!"
"You're being stupid!"
"I KNOW!"
The two sisters stared hard at each other. Then Lily broke out in something between a laugh and a sob and Linda closed the distance between them. She placed a mitted hand on her sister's shoulder, this time with success. "If we survive, Pa'll whip us both."
"We're too old for whipping," Linda whimpered as she held her sister tight.
"We'll never be too old to Pa," Lily laughed, even though the tears warmed her eyes.
"Won't you come back?" Linda entreated one last time.
"No! Only way I'm going back is if I'm cured," Lily insisted.
"There is no cure!"
"Then I'm not going back," Lily avowed, shaking her head. "We're just talking circles."
"Well, let's find that man then. That's why you came, innit?" Linda said, resigned to her sister's stubborn streak.
"Yeah," Lily said as she resumed walking. "Somewhere 'round here I saw him, I think."
"Will you know him if you see him?" Linda asked as she fell in step with her sister, trying her best to match her stride with her shorter legs.
"I hope so."
----------------------------------------
Being immortal and resistant to pain does not necessarily mean one craves comfort any less. Nor does it make sleeping on the floor any more tolerable. Although Rena had been roughing it during her journey, the hardwood floor she rested on seemed far less hospitable than the snow-covered ground. It produced a very light sleep. Rena rolled onto her back and felt a hand drop down, brushing against her chest. She stirred long enough to swat it away.
After this occurred several times, Rena picked up her pillow, glared at Cyrus who she suspected was only feigning sleep, and stumped across the room. There was no spare blanket; Cyrus hogged the only one. Not that a blanket made much difference. When in a state of rest, vampires generated no heat of their own. Still, even after a couple centuries, Rena still found a blanket comforting. Not that she'd admit it to anyone.
Just as Rena had found the least uncomfortable position to drift off into she heard her name being called. "What is it, Cyrus?"
"Just making sure you're real." She could hear the mattress whining as he moved about. Rena sighed and turned around, staring at him. His small stature, his lithe physique, his owlishly large eyes, his hooked nose - it was all a sight she'd hoped never to see again. And yet it was oddly reassuring. But one positive association with him was conspicuously absent.
"Cyrus... Where's Layla?"
"Eh, don't worry about it. She's somewhere..." Cyrus responded evasively. Rena fixed him with a stern stare and he avoided eye contact as he stroked his scruffy chin. "What are you giving me that look for? I came here against my will! It's not like I know where she is right this moment. She's somewhere, over there, on the other side of the sea, out of reach!"
"Remind me again, how did you get here?" Rena asked, rolling on to her back and folding her hands upon her flat stomach.
"The short version, which I already told you, is someone staked me then shipped me here via air mail," Cyrus explained again as he also laid on his back and stared at the dull ceiling. "Do you want the extended version?"
"The sun hasn't quite risen yet, so might as well tell me. In fact, why don't you tell me just what happened over there? We lost communications so fast that no one really knows who attacked us and why," Rena responded. She needed information, and she knew Cyrus loved the sound of his own voice.
There was a very long and deep sigh from Cyrus, blowing out his cheeks as he let the air escape. "That's a tall order. I'm afraid I can't tell you anything other than it was complete chaos across the pond as well."
"You don't know anything? Anything at all about nuclear bombs being dropped on Canada and the United States?" Rena asked, tones of skepticism and incredulity competing.
"Well, my dear, it came out of the blue. And then there was a flood of misinformation before everything burst into motion. But one of the prevalent theories is that the nuclear weapons were not politically driven, but fear of the white plague. Since the Pacific Northwest had the highest concentration, it got nuked." Cyrus ran his hand through his hair and turned on his side to look at Rena. "I... thought you may have been in the blast when I learned that Vancouver and Seattle were both completely levelled."
"No, by then we'd moved to southern Alberta."
"Is that where we are? Huh..." Cyrus said, rolling back onto his back and placing his hands behind his head. "Anyway, once one nuke hit the ground, there was no reason for anyone else to hold back. That's why the USA got bombarded so bad. Although it was not a coordinated attack, several nations had warheads with America's name on it they'd been sitting on. Sadly, Canada was in the splash zone - at least anywhere close to the US border. The United Nations was running itself ragged putting out fires. I can't even remember what order things happened. North Korea nuked South Korea and Japan probably pissed its kawaii anime girl panties. Turkey ate Cyprus then long-bombed France for some reason I still don't understand. India didn't wipe out Pakistan to everyone's surprise but turned Palestine into a smudge. And... well a bunch more happened in the Middle East and Africa that was confusing. And Russia? I have no idea what happened with Russia. It turned on itself, beginning a nuclear civil war that poor Belarus got swept up in. Australia decided to tear a page out of Switzerland's book and closed its borders to everyone and stayed out of it." Cyrus lifted his hands. "The World War III that everyone feared happened. The Internet became tightly controlled in many countries, and media and communication broke down. I was in Greece when things really escalated."
"Greece? Isn't that a bit... sunny for you?" Rena asked.
"I tell you about the end of the world, and you focus on me getting some sun and surf?" Cyrus chuckled. "My dam was Greek, so if you think vampires aren't there, you are mistaken. You may be a freak who doesn't mind letting her blood freeze, but most vampires prefer warm climates. Since we switch between endo and exothermic, it makes sense."
Rena sat up, hugging her pillow. It was a lot of information to take in, but she felt it made little impact on her. She took a moment to examine the distance she felt towards the plight of everyone on the other side of the world, but all she could conclude was that it was only natural if hell was let loose on her home soil, it must have been bad everywhere else as well. "And then, how did you end up here?"
"Well, before all that happened I had established a new chapter of the Order of Chamrosh. You're welcome, by the way. It was going well, establishing symbiosis with carefully screened and selected mortals. But then an upstart named Zachary Peddleton started twisting our teachings and started a division. He gained too many followers and challenged my authority, seeking reformation. He envisioned returning to the old ways of Vampire Lords, with mortals as little more than chattel. He no longer wanted vampires to hide in the shadows but to exert their superiority. During the chaos of the war his ways were growing in popularity. It came down to a fight with him, and I was getting the upper hand, but then... I was betrayed by one of my own." Cyrus squinted his eyes and quickly turned towards the wall, to hide any emotion from Rena. "...I didn't see it coming. The stake. I don't know how long I was in rigour. Then suddenly... I was in a snowy field chewing on some random guy in a parka."
Rena was silent a moment or two as she listened to Cyrus's tale of woe. "I'm disappointed that Chamrosh didn't flourish. It fell apart here, too. Though it just dissolved as the world fractured and it was every man for himself," Rena reflected.
"I'm sorry. Chamrosh was your baby. You should have come with Layla and I," Cyrus said.
"Ugh! No. I wanted you out of my life. But now I'm stuck with you again. But it will be different this time, Cyrus." Rena leaned against the wall, staring at Cyrus who still had his bare back to her, the wound she inflicted with the stake in plain view.
"Oh, I very much doubt things will be any different between us, Irene. I'll keep screwing with you - or try to screw you - and you'll keep biting my head off. It's a beautiful relationship." Cyrus rolled back over, also sitting up and looking over at Rena, who was frowning deeply. "We're like a pair of spiders."
Rena snorted and shook her head. "You know, it would be nice, after all this time, if you could respect me enough not to objectify me."
Cyrus burst out in laughter, placing a hand on his flat stomach. He remained spilling his mirth for a while and Rena scoffed and threw her pillow at him, beaming him in the head. This just caused a new peal of laughter to erupt. "Oh, Irene, that's the dearest thing I've heard in a while. Despite being so serious, you always bring sunshine into my life."
"You respected Layla. Why not me? I'm her spawn," Rena asked. The suppressed sneer on Cyrus's face was very telling, even after he chased it away with a smile. Cyrus got up and walked over to her, crouching in front of her.
"Layla is in a class of her own, where she will stay." Although he tried to speak with lightness, Rena could detect a tone of bitterness.
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"Cyrus. Where is Layla?" Rena asked again, firmness steeling her voice as she locked eyes with him. His lips twitched and his chin quivered briefly, his eyes rolling off to the side.
"She... sided with Zachary..." Cyrus admitted in a quiet voice.
"She would never!" Rene exclaimed. Needles stung Rena's heart at this news. She could hear about countries being obliterated, but this news impacted her on a much more personal level. "It must be a misunderstanding!"
Cyrus's gaze, which had remained distant, focused into a glare and returned to meet Rena's golden brown eyes. He did not hide the sneer any longer. "She's the one who staked me! Just as I was about to finish that snaggletoothed shark-monkey off, she drove a stake through my heart!" Cyrus said, beating his bare chest with his fist. "And then you tried to do the same!" Quick as lightning, Cyrus' hand was at Rena's throat, but paused, fingers splayed, just short of clamping down. Rena lifted her chin, swallowing hard as she looked down at the hand which hovered in front of her neck. Cyrus's gaze dropped and he withdrew his hand, standing up suddenly. Relief washed over Rena as she watched him turn away. She almost felt sorry for him. Almost.
"She didn't remove your head, like I would have," Rena said against all common sense. Cyrus pivoted on his heel and looked down at Rena, eyes wide and mouth agape. After a flicker of rage evidenced by wrinkles upon his nose, it faded into another laugh.
"I'm rubbing off on you. Alright. Shock value reached. Yes, you DID swing that axe all the way down without hesitation. If I hadn't been faking it, I'd be dead." Cyrus rubbed his chin, evaluating Rena a moment longer. "But if anyone was going to kill me, I think I'd like it to be you, Irene." Cyrus smirked, but there was still the hint of a snarl.
Rena got to her feet, facing him. "She didn't kill you. I'm guessing she sent you here, for a purpose. Give her some credit Cyrus, this is probably a ruse," Rena cautioned. Cyrus blinked a few times, slowly crossing his arms as he looked off to some nearby dank corner.
"Maybe. But she usually lets me in on her plans," Cyrus said quietly.
"Not if she was making it up as she went along. You're not here by accident, Cyrus," Rena observed. "Which... means my ploy to have the townsfolk kill you might need reconsideration."
"Seriously, Irene? You coward!" Cyrus said, frowning.
"Well, maybe you did rub off on me."
"Hmph." Cyrus went back to crossing his arms, thrusting out his lower lip petulantly. "So what's the plan now?"
"The plan-" There was the sound of crunching on snow. Was someone approaching? Rena tilted her head. Then the unmistakable noise of a door opening. "...who else could possibly be here? The front door was bolted..."
"That's the side door," Cyrus remarked. Rena glanced at Cyrus. There was a side door? She scrunched up her face, but then held her breath. Cyrus walked over to the bedroom door, cocking his head to the side. "Uh oh..."
"What do you mean 'uh-oh'?" Rena asked.
"Uh..." Cyrus inched away from the door.
Rena tilted her head and knelt by the door, listening to what seemed to be a female voice. No. Two female voices. "Sounds like they are looking for someone..."
Rena opened the bedroom door, but Cyrus shook his head and tried to gesture for her not to. Rena ignored him and poked her head out of the door. "Hello? Who is there?"
There was a clatter as her voice clearly startled whoever was in the house. But after a moment one of them spoke. "Um... wait, who... where are you? Do you live here? If you live here, we're sorry..."
"No. No, I don't... if you are seeking shelter, I won't fight you for it." Rena called. From around the corner down the hall two women approached. They stared at Rena for a while, as Rena stared at them. Then Rena smiled and beckoned them. Seeing this Cyrus shook his head again, making slicing motions with his hands to try and stop her. Again, Rena ignored Cyrus's silent pleas.
"I'm sorry. No. We wanna keep our distance. But you seen a man around here? Black hair?" one of the girls asked. Rena looked over her shoulder at Cyrus whose hand was covering his face.
"Yes. He's in here. Why?"
"Wait... he is?" one of the women asked. The other began rushing forward before the other grabbed her arm, slowing her down.
Rena beckoned again, holding the door open wide and stepping back inside. Slowly, the two other women filed in. Cyrus had sat down on the bed and placed his face in his hands, elbows on his knees.
"It IS you!" one girl said excitedly and she rushed over to Cyrus. He slowly lowered his hands, looking her up and down, then he glanced to the side. Both Rena and the shorter woman crossed their arms, staring intently at Cyrus.
"Uh... well, good to see you're... okay," Cyrus said after a moment or two. The woman sat down beside him.
"I'm sorry if we interrupted. I'm Linda, and that's my sister, Lily," Linda introduced herself to Rena. Rena nodded her head.
"Rena." Rena said shortly. She did not bother introducing Cyrus, as the women seemed to know him already. "I think I saw you in the Sheriff's office."
"Oh... yes... I remember you now," Linda said, looking uncomfortable.
"Sisters? Great," Cyrus muttered.
"I'm glad I found you. I was sure you could help me! You can, can't you?" Lily said, her wide eyes consuming Cyrus eagerly. He looked her over, as if seeing her for the first time. Lily pulled down her hood, shaking out her hair, including the strands of white.
"Oh.... I guess I didn't... get all of the venom. I'm sorry," Cyrus responded lamely.
"Venom?" Rena asked.
"Ah you see, this girl has been bit by one of those... what do you call them anyway?" Cyrus asked.
"Vamps! You must have come from really far to not know that," Lily babbled. Linda squinted at Cyrus, and Rena arched her eyebrows, growing more tense with the revelation that she was in the presence of an infected.
"Wait, you've been bit? How long ago?" Rena asked. Lily frowned, suddenly realising that she'd just told her secret to a complete stranger. Rena also eyed Linda. She must have been protecting her sister when she reported the abomination sighting. Linda looked away upon seeing that scrutinising gaze.
"Oh please don't tell anyone!" Lily pleaded, clasping her hands together. "Please!"
"Okay, okay, someone tell me what is going on. Cyrus?" Rena turned to him, and he stared at Rena like a deer caught in headlights. He then looked back at Lily.
"I'm sorry, Lily, there's nothing I can do for you. You're pretty screwed. Ah well..." Cyrus shrugged his shoulders. Lily recoiled at his callous words, and Linda's eyes lit up like flames. She strode over to Cyrus, poised to slap him. But with suddenness he was on his feet and had Linda's hand. "Don't."
"Let her go!" Lily insisted as Linda struggled against his grip, unable to break free. Rena watched this, her stomach lurching as she remembered when she was that helpless, and he was that immovable.
"Cyrus. Stop," Rena said, taking a step forward. He looked at Rena for a moment, then let go of Linda. She retreated back until her back was against a wall Lily had also moved away from him, rushing to her sister's side.
"How can you be so cruel? You were so kind.... You saved me... You... we..." Lily sputtered, her tears getting plenty of fresh air. Cyrus rubbed the back of his neck and Rena gave Cyrus another sharp, scathing look.
"Honestly? I killed that... thing because it was an abomination." Cyrus sat back down on the bed, staring hard at Lily, showing none of his charms. Rena walks over to Cyrus, sitting down beside him.
"Let me see if I got this right. You were attacked by a Vamp. Cyrus here killed it. And then..." Rena tilted her head for the rest of the story. Cyrus and Lily locked eyes, waiting for the other to speak first. There was a pregnant pause between them, and then they both began speaking at once. A jumble of syllables came out and it was back to a pause.
"Enough. Lily, what happened?" Rena asked.
"It don't matter. That man took advantage of my sister! He lied, saying he could cure her!" Linda said, stepping in and pointing at Cyrus. Rena placed her hands on her lap, raised her eyebrows, and then looked at Cyrus for his response.
"I didn't say I'd cure her, I said I'd try and suck out the infection. Honestly, I thought it might work. But I also considered it might not," Cyrus clarified. "As for taking advantage of her... heh, well, I won't deny that one, because if I did, this one would probably tear off my ear," Cyrus said, not an ounce of shame in his tone as he tilted his head towards Rena. Rena crossed her arms and dipped her chin. Oh, she'd do so much more than that.
"Up to your old tricks, I see," Rena grumbled. Lily sniffled, and went from sickeningly pale to bright red in her cheeks. She ran out of the room, covering her face and crying. Linda stepped to go after her, but then turned to look at Rena and Cyrus.
"I've a mind to more'n tear off an ear, for what you did to my sister. She came here, thinkin' you'd save her!" Linda growled. "And you say those things? You piece of -"
"Hey! Don't waste your breath on me and go comfort your sister," Cyrus said, rising to his feet and pointing to the door. Linda drew in a deep breath, her hands balled into fists and arms shaking. But without another word, she turned and left, slamming the door behind her. "Pft. Women."
"I can't believe you..." Rena said in a sombre tone.
"Ahem! Who do you think you are talking to? Of course I'd fu-"
"I meant drinking tainted blood!"
"Oh." Cyrus looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. Rena grabbed his ear, forcing him to turn and face her.
"This isn't a laughing matter. You could become a vector," Rena said.
"A what now?"
"Vampires who drink from the infected can spread the White Plague." Cyrus's eyes went wide, his hand going to his mouth. Rena scraped her bottom lip with her teeth. "Tell me honestly, have you bitten anyone else since drinking from Lily?"
Cyrus began pacing, hand still covering his mouth as his eyes squinted, thinking hard. He finally shook his head, no. "I was going to snack on my captive, but hadn't got around to it." Rena was met by a surveying gaze. "I've never heard of a plague that vampires could spread. Just what is the White Plague? Information on our side was so scattered..."
"Nobody really knows," Rena said with a shrug. "I'm not well versed in microbiology or epidemiology. All I heard was that it was not a fungus, virus, or bacteria. Some said it was a kind of prion, but others argued it was something else entirely."
"Prions? Let me think let me think... that's like Mad Cow Disease, isn't it? So I'm a Mad Cow, now? Lovely..." Cyrus began rubbing his hands together. "Am I going to go mad? Be in a perpetual frenzy like those things?"
Irene shook her head. "No... I've never seen a vampire go mad from drinking tainted blood. But... one of the other reasons Chamrosh fell apart here was the plague. Vampires who obeyed the Law of Consent were spreading it among their charges. Vampires who drank the tainted blood could transmit the White Plague through biting - it seems to be transmitted through saliva."
Cyrus arched an eyebrow, and went back to rubbing his chin, finger stroking the darker, denser collection of whiskers just under his lip. "So... wait... saliva... so anyone I've licked or kissed, or that she kissed, could have it?" Cyrus was then staring at Rena more intently now, the slightest hint of chagrin creasing his face.
Rena crossed her arms, and shook her head. "Not quite. The saliva has to enter the bloodstream, so unless you are biting someone or licking a wound, you won't transmit it by just kissing. In the meantime, no drinking directly from the source for you."
"Eh, I can live with that." Cyrus placed his hands on his hips. "So I'm not at risk of losing my beautiful hair and whistling like a murderous tea kettle?" Cyrus asked again.
"Not that I'm aware of. But this plague has evolved a few times already." Rena shrugged her shoulders.
Cyrus threw up his hands as he resumed pacing. "Well that's just lovely. So there's always a chance I might be as sick as that girl out there." Cyrus sputtered. He then glanced at Rena, catching her smile. "What's that smile about? Waaaait, have you been pulling my leg?"
"No. I was just thinking how your karma caught up with you at last." Rena admitted in a rare moment of smugness. Cyrus growled and threw up his hands again. Rena watched him pace like a caged animal, seeing him feel like how she'd often felt. Anxious. Uncertain. Trapped.
Cyrus stopped and spun on his heel to face her. "Well, what about the girl? We can't let her live."
Rena glanced down, and looked off to the side. She had dispatched many of the infected who were far gone, whose transformations had been complete. But she'd never had to kill someone in the early stages. Rena looked at Cyrus. She'd made him pledge not to kill mortals either, but his pledge did not include the infected.
"We ought to kill her swiftly, with as little pain as possible."
Cyrus shook his head and shrugged. "Good thing I'm here to get my hands dirty for you, so you can remain on your ivory tower, hey?" Cyrus said with a cruel smirk. Rena arched her eyebrow at Cyrus.
"My hands get plenty dirty, just for the right reasons," Rena countered.
"Dirt is dirt." Cyrus's smirk grew as Rena's scowl darkened. "Anyway, we should get rid of her and make our way back to your Fisher brood."
"No. Not Fisham. We will be going to Goldilocks."
"Goldilocks? What the hell is Goldilocks?" Cyrus asked.
"It's a settlement near here. It is to the Goldies that I must first report the result of my mission," Rena said as she picked up her backpack and slung it over her shoulder. "Let's get this over with."