Frenzied (8 page)

She bared her fangs at him as a red haze clouded her vision as if blood had been splashed over her eyes.

“Such a shame to waste a good heart, but I can still eat you once you’re dead,” he muttered with his head lowered. When he lifted his eyes to her, they glowed red.

She took a step back while watching his body shifting into something else. She hunched low and launched at him, deciding not to wait for him to grow any larger.

Thick horns grew out of his head as she flew at him. He hunched his head and knocked her sideways off the stage with the curled horns on his bullish head.

She crashed into the first row and arched her back in agony. Blood poured from a slice in her side, causing her to roar. She looked up at the stage and saw Ben charge at the bull on all fours and knock into him with a force that shook the stage, his claws ripping into the Minotaur-looking man.

Colin was far larger than her or Ben. He kicked out with cloven feet, and there was a loud cracking sound when the kick landed on Ben’s arm.

Ben fell backwards, rolling on the floor in agony.

She sprang to her feet, ignoring the pain in her side and leaping across the stage onto Colin’s back. She clawed at his eyes while his cloven hooves hammered into the top of her head, trying to dislodge her. She extended her claws and pierced his eyeballs, blinding him.

A punch knocked into her skull, sending her senses reeling as she fell back off him, slamming into the stage behind him. He turned and raised his foot over her, clearly planning to stamp her to death. She inhaled and rolled sideways. He didn’t notice, and his foot hit the stage.

He’s blind, she realized as he waved his arms around in front of him.

She watched Ben push himself off the ground behind Colin, using his once broken arm.

He won’t be blind for long if we heal that fast.

She hunched low and stalked to his side, indicating for Ben to attack from the other side. Colin was stronger, but he was injured. They could take him down together.

Ben’s massive bear head nodded back at her, and he too hunched low before stalking to the left side of the giant creature. Together they leapt at him, knocking him onto his back and pinning down his arms with their bodies. Ben clawed at his chest, while she tore into his throat with her enlarged fangs, ripping away at the beast beneath her.

His arm tensed under her, lifting and flinging her off him. She yelped and crashed into the wall beside the stage, feeling her bones snap and the wall crack upon impact. She slid down the broken concrete in agony, pain blossoming all over her body. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t feel her legs. They were useless lumps attached to her torso.

Oh god! Is my spine broken.

Her head flopped to the side as she watched Ben rip the creature apart, tearing him limb from limb. Colin was most certainly dead because his body shifted back into human form, what was left of it.

Ben stood up and roared. Then he turned to face her with red glowing eyes. He stalked towards her, and she let out a small whimper. Feeling began to tingle into her toes.

At least I’m healing.

She stared up at Ben, unsure of what would happen next.

His eyes faded to green, and his bear form faded to human. He knelt beside her with concern in his eyes.

“Are you okay? Can you move?”

She tried to reply, but her mouth was still a snout, and the words seemed awkward to form.

Why am I still a monster?

He reached out to touch her, and she snapped at his hand.

He pulled it away, watching her with concern. “Change back.”

She tried, but her body was busy mending her broken bones and refused to listen.

I can’t.

She whimpered, but it came out a growl.

“Give it a moment.” He studied her arm as it snapped back into place, and she let out a howl of pain.

She whimpered as her back straightened, closing her eyes as nerves knitted together and sensations returned to her legs.

Her body shrank as it shifted back to human form, and she sighed with relief.

Ben reached for her again. “Don’t bite me, okay? I’m going to pick you up.”

“Okay.”

He slipped his arm under hers and around her back while his other arm curled under her knees, and he lifted her off the ground. She winced in pain, but felt relief as she curled her arms around his neck. She could move them again, albeit painfully.

“Let’s get out of here,” she whispered into his ear.

“Which way?” he asked. They had yet to find a way out.

“Try the roof.” If nothing else, it would provide fresh air. The climate control in the cinema stank of death, blowing the odor into every room.

He nodded, holding her close as he walked up the theatre towards the door. He kissed her on the top of the head. “We’re going to be okay.”

It was crazy. Everything they’d seen and done was insane. Sure, her life as a human hadn’t been very enticing, but at least it had been normal. She couldn’t imagine going back to her daily routine of work, and then sitting at home alone each night afterwards. It wasn’t much of a life to lose.

What kind of sad-sack ends up going to the cinema alone anyway?

There wasn’t anyone who’d miss her if she never went back to her life. Not even a goldfish to mourn her loss. She glanced up at Ben. They hadn’t discussed what would happen if they did get out of here.

She frowned when his eyes narrowed, and then turned her head to look out onto the roof of the cinema.

She inhaled sharply as she scanned the flat roof of the building.

A large group of creatures stood on the roof amidst the pipes and aerials. They were a range of beasts with different animal features; bears, wolves and big cats. At the front of the group stood a large bull.

“How are you feeling?” Ben asked her.

“Okay. The pains have all gone.”

He lowered her to her feet, holding her shoulders as she stood up. She flexed her muscles, relieved to discover that all her limbs were working. She nodded at him and stood by his side, preparing for another battle.

These creatures weren’t snarling or making any sound at all. They were just staring at them. The bull stepped forward, transforming into the shape of an old woman. Her grey hair was twisted up into a knot, and she wore a tan robe that was decorated with sigils. “You cannot leave this place.” Her voice was commanding and deep. “If you try to, we will stop you.”

“Why?” Lucy asked.

The woman frowned before narrowing her eyes at her. “You know why, Ketis.”

Lucy frowned.

Ketis, wasn’t that the name of the manager?

“We’re not him. Whatever the hell he was.” She turned to Ben. “They think we’re the freaky manager guy.”

“We just killed him.” Ben turned to face the older woman. “If you’d care to examine his remains, you can find him in pieces in theatre twelve.”

The woman fixed her glassy silver eyes onto Ben for a moment before nodding at the two bears on her left. “Check it out.”

Lucy and Ben moved aside as the two bears raced past them into the cinema.

“Who are you?” Lucy asked.

“We are Odin’s warriors,” the woman said. “And if what you say is true, then I would like to hear your story.”

Lucy stared at the large group of creatures. They would overpower her and Ben in an instant, so she nodded.

“Okay. We both woke up in the cinema with amnesia. Everyone was dead. There were monsters stalking the halls. When we were attacked, we became monsters too, but we could er, turn it off.”

“And we found a freaky room full of magical crap,” Ben added.

“Oh yeah, these books.” She pulled the books out of her bag and offered them to the woman. “We’re not sure, but we think is means we’re Berserkers,” she said as the woman waved away the books.

Lucy shrugged and dropped them back into her bag. “Anyway, we tried to get out, but all the doors were locked. So we kind of figured out that this Ketis guy, the manager, had done something that made everyone into a crazy creature.”

The woman scowled at her.

“Not that I’m er, saying you are …” She trailed off.

“So you killed him without evidence?” The woman clenched her hands into fists.

“No! He had a creature on a table and ate its heart out of its chest while it was still alive.” She shot the woman an annoyed glance. “That was a good enough reason to kill him. And I’d do it again.”

“So would I.” Ben straightened his shoulders, and his muscles bulged in his arms as he tensed.

“I see.” The woman frowned at them. The wolf-like creature behind the woman transformed into a man in his forties. He leaned over and whispered into her ear. She nodded, her eyes not leaving Lucy and Ben for a second.

Lucy jumped as the two bear-like creatures bounded up the stairs behind her. They brushed past her and Ben, heading for the old woman. One reported to her in a low voice before bowing. Then he stood by her side.

“It seems you are telling the truth,” the woman said.

“Would you mind telling us what this is all about?” Lucy asked. She was getting annoyed with the vague answers. Odin’s warriors or not, she wanted to know what the hell was going on.

The woman sized them both up in silence.

Ben stepped forward. “Tell us what you want. It’s been a long fucking day!”

The woman walked towards them, sniffing the air around them when she reached them. “You are blessed by Odin.”

“Blessed?” Lucy grimaced. “This is no blessing.”

“I didn’t say you would like it.” The woman said. “It’s rare that humans can take our form. Most simply become mindless animals—abominations. They lose their souls, and act only on bloodlust. However, some can retain their human soul. I believe that is what has happened to you.”

“Why did it happen at all? Who was Ketis?” Ben asked.

“Ketis was druid, much as I am. We were not sure until now what had happened, but now it becomes clear. His pack died, and he went missing. We tracked him here, but the infestation had begun. We had to block the exits to ensure it did not infest the Earth.”

“So, are you different from us?” Lucy asked.

“We are born into our packs. Odin’s gift should not be given by anyone but him.”

Lucy frowned. “So we’re abominations too?”

Ben scowled at the word.

“It seems not. Odin has bestowed your souls upon you. You are part of our pack now.”

“What if we don’t want to be part of your pack?” Ben folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at the woman.

“Then you die.”

Lucy shot him a warning glance. Right now, they didn’t have a choice. There was no way they could take on a whole pack of these things.

“Um, what does being in a pack mean, exactly?”

“You live to serve Odin.”

“Well, that’s nice and vague. Serve him how?” Lucy narrowed her eyes at the woman.

“You are Odin’s warriors! You fight for his causes.”

“Which are …?”

The woman narrowed her eyes. “We fight in the great battles for this planet, we protect life on the planet, and we serve Odin.”

“Okay.” Lucy sighed. The woman wasn’t going to give her anything else that was helpful by the sound of it.

Great battles? Was there such a thing?

“So um, why did Ketis create abominations?”

The woman stared through her for a moment. “Ketis always wanted to be human, but he could not keep his form for very long. It seems that he used the dark forces to try to become one of them.”

“So, eating hearts makes you human again?” Lucy wrinkled her nose.

“There are dark arts that can give you the power to change your shape, but nothing can restore humanity into a creature that does not have it.”

“Are you saying that we have no humanity anymore?” Ben widened his eyes.

“No. I’m saying that we don’t.” The woman gestured to the group behind her. “Only humans have humanity.” She waved an arm at Lucy and Ben. “I don’t know if you retain your humanity. You are only known by legend to us.”

Lucy caught Ben’s eye. His jaw muscles tensed as he offered her a subtle shake of his head. Even these creatures didn’t know what she and Ben were.

“Er, what happens now?” she asked.

“The guard will clean up this mess.” The woman waved to a pack of bears at the back of the group, who moved quickly into the building. “The rest of us will return to camp.”

Upon her command, the remaining group of creatures transformed into humans. They varied from young to old.

Lucy studied them as they began climbing down the fire escape. They looked like a mixture of travelers and bikers, some dressed in smocks and others in leather jackets and combat trousers.

The woman turned and walked away from them.

Lucy turned to Ben. “We should at least go and find out what they know about us.”

“I don’t like it, too many rules and religious fanatics. And what do they know, a legend?” He shook his head.

“It might not be so bad.”

The two bears who had confirmed their story flanked them on either side. She glanced up at them as they transformed into bulky-looking bikers. A shiver of fear shot down her spine.