The Dying Light (Bloodwitch #1)

‘This plan is insane,’ Vasco muttered under his breath. ‘I must have been crazy to come after you.’

‘Leave, then,’ Charlie shot back, slipping out of the shadows. ‘No one’s stopping you.’

’Charlie, wait,’ Vasco whispered urgently, following him across the landing. They were heading towards a door that stood slightly ajar, spilling light and the rough laughter of soldiers. ‘There’s no way this is going to work. We’d be better off –’

‘Shut up and let me listen!’

Charlie pressed his ear to the door and strained to make out any information they could use. When he heard a triumphant reference to the prisoners they had captured, Charlie turned to Vasco, nervous excitement coursing through his body.

‘They’re holding the witches in the courtyard,’ he said. ‘They’ve brought trucks to take them back to Elysia. Let’s go, while there’s still a chance for us to rescue them.’ He strode forward, but Vasco held him still. ‘What? What are you waiting for?’

‘I don’t like this,’ Vasco said, his expression grim. ‘Alexandra’s mother is the High Witch of Matya. She’s more than powerful enough to take down a force like this, especially with the rest of her coven backing her up. She would never surrender without a fight.’

‘Look, I hate to break it to you, but this isn’t the best time for you to lose your nerve,’ Charlie snapped. ’Alexandra is down there too, or have you forgotten about that? We have an opportunity to rescue all of them – I’m not going to waste it because you’ve got a bad feeling.’

‘And if you’re walking straight into a trap?’ Vasco was watching him pointedly.

‘How could I be? Most of the soldiers are occupied out there with the witches.’

‘There will be more.’ Vasco shook his head, his face set. ‘This is a bad plan.’

Feeling his last nerve beginning to fray, Charlie grabbed the front of Vasco’s shirt, balling the material up into his hand. ‘Are you going to help me or not?’

‘Charlie –’

‘Because I’m going to rescue them. I’m going in there with or without you, understand? If you’re too afraid of getting caught then you should just keep out of my way.’

Vasco’s face darkened. ‘That’s not what I’m afraid of. If you think I’m going to –’ He broke off, paling, and Charlie saw Vasco’s eyes widen sharply, drawn by movement over Charlie’s shoulder. ‘Charlie, behind you!’

‘Whoever knew you’d be so hard to kill?’

At the sound of the familiar voice, Charlie turned his head, his grip tightening on Vasco. He found Marko standing behind him, and a gun aimed squarely between his eyes.

‘I’m going to make sure I put you down for good this time, Carroway.’ Charlie kept perfectly still as Marko lowered the gun to his knees. ‘Or maybe I’ll drag you back to Faulkner and let him have what’s left of you, what d’you –’

Seizing his chance, Charlie sprang forward, knocking Marko off his feet. Forcing Marko’s arm back and up, Charlie bent his other forearm against Marko’s chest, keeping him on his back. Then he slammed Marko’s wrist against the floorboards, over and over again.

It was only when Marko at last released his grip on the gun in his hand, and it span away into the shadows, that Charlie stopped. Flooded with power, he dug his fingernails into Marko’s shoulders and shook him viciously. Charlie heard the sound of his own laughter, brittle and shaky. As his head smashed into the floorboards, Marko’s shouts faded to groans.

‘Charlie, stop.’

Above him, Vasco had collected the gun and disassembled it. Charlie became aware of him tossing the pieces to the floor. Then he felt a hand on his uninjured shoulder.

‘That’s enough.’

‘It was all my fault, wasn’t it?’

Charlie’s whole body was trembling, his hands shaking before his eyes. Blood was speckled up his arms and trapped underneath his fingernails. He could not stop himself from picturing the bodies of children falling in front of his eyes, as though the memory was being played on a loop in his mind. For a brief moment, he brought his hands to his face, thinking of scratching his eyes out. Beneath him, he felt Marko shift, saw the glint of a knife in his hand.

‘Vasco.’ Charlie’s world shrank until only one thing mattered. ‘Watch out, he’s –’

He reached out a hand, grabbed the knife, and the blade shattered beneath his grip. Charlie caught the handle and brought it down against Marko’s head with a sickening crack, knocking him out in a single blow. He struggled to his feet, his head spinning. He was about to stagger forward when he felt a hand on his shoulder, gripping him firmly, preventing his escape.

’What,’ Vasco began, his gaze on the shattered metal littered at their feet, ‘was that?’

Charlie could not have answered him even if he had known what to say. He felt all the strength leave his body as his legs collapsed beneath him. It was only Vasco’s quick movement to hold him upright that kept him on his feet. There was a ringing in his ears blocking out all other sound. He could hear his own racing heartbeat, his ragged breath.

His skin was on fire. He would surely not be able to withstand this pain. He wanted to hurt someone – anyone – simply to make them feel the slightest bit of what he felt.

The thought of hurting someone felt good.

It felt too good.

Someone was shaking him – hard. There was a pounding, screaming noise in his head that made him want to crack his skull wide open. Vasco was speaking to him in an urgent voice.

‘Charlie, are you still with me? We’ve got to get out of here, Charlie.’

What happened next was a blur. He was vaguely aware of Vasco supporting him to walk, and of an intense burning sensation somewhere beneath his skin.

By the time Charlie knew where he was, they were lurking in the shadows off the courtyard, where the witches were being loaded into military trucks. His vision clearing, Charlie caught sight of Jasmine, Alexandra, and her mother. His legs were still shaking.

He was too weak to help anyone.

Vasco’s face was set. ‘I can’t let him get his hands on her …’ He took a step forward.

‘You won’t get close,’ Charlie said, grabbing Vasco’s hand to hold him back, his mind clearing in the night air. ‘You go out there now and he’ll kill you the second he lays eyes on you.’

‘I was supposed to protect her.’ Vasco’s teeth were gritted, his gaze on the trucks.

After a moment’s pause, Charlie squeezed his hand. ‘We’ll get them back,’ he said, with more confidence than he felt. ‘We just have to be smart about it. We’ll find a way – trust me.’

Charlie’s eyes lingered on Vasco’s expression as he watched Alexandra and the others being loaded into the trucks with a hungry, desperate look on his face. They stayed where they were until the trucks had disappeared across the wasteland into the darkness of the night. Soon, the sound of the rumble of their engines on the cobbled stones of the alleyways had faded away.

In the silence, Vasco heaved a sigh. Without a word, he strode determinedly out of the building, heading in the opposite direction of the trucks. His height was such that his stride was already long, but the speed at which he now moved meant that Charlie had to break into a jog from time to time to keep up with him. Once or twice, Charlie considered saying something to break the tension, but the look on Vasco’s face made him think better of it.

‘We can access the Vaults through here,’ Vasco said, removing a drain cover to reveal a narrow iron ladder that plunged deep underground. ‘If we follow the tunnels, they’ll lead us back to Elysia. It’s how the Hunters move around the city undetected,’ he added, seeing the doubtful look Charlie threw his way.

‘You’d better know what you’re doing,’ Charlie said, as he gripped the ladder and lowered himself down into the shaft. ‘I’m not exactly a fan of the dark – or confined spaces.’

Vasco followed him down, closing the grate above him and leaving them in almost complete darkness. ‘I suppose it’s a good thing you’ve got me to look out for you, then, isn’t it?’ he said, causing Charlie to almost lose his footing on the ladder. ‘Besides, I thought you worked in the mines.’

‘Only because I had no other choice.’

When they reached the slimy flagstones at the bottom of the ladder, Vasco glanced at Charlie. ‘That was quite a performance back there,’ he said, the ghost of a smile flickering across his face. ‘Do you think if we get out of this alive, we might even end up as friends?’

‘I –’ Charlie swallowed hard, taking a deep breath. ‘Thank you, for taking care of me.’

‘Don’t thank me yet.’ Vasco dragged his fingers through his hair. ‘Come on, let’s go.’

Charlie nodded and followed Vasco along the narrow passageway, which quickly opened up into a wider, vaulted space. Up ahead of them lay long tunnels interspersed with arched pillars, which rose high above their heads. Torches in brackets lit their way in the gloom.

‘First, we need to get a couple of things straight,’ Vasco said. ‘We’re heading into Elysia, understand? Once we cross under the Wall and make it up to the surface, you need to stay close to me and make some attempt to fit in.’

‘What d’you mean?’

‘Lower your shoulders and stop looking around all the time. No one’s going to jump you.’ Vasco gave his orders in a clipped voice that brooked no opposition, and Charlie felt his hackles rising. ‘You always have an edginess about you, like you’re expecting to be arrested or attacked at any moment.’

‘I wonder why that might be.’

‘If anyone says anything to you,’ Vasco said, ignoring him, ‘leave the talking to me.’

Charlie could not resist needling him. ‘Is this your attempt at chivalry?’ he asked. ’Don’t you think you’re being a little overprotective? I am capable of looking after myself, you know.’

‘Hilarious.’ Vasco fixed him with a disdainful scowl. ‘I meant that you don’t sound Elysian. You open that smart mouth of yours across the Wall, it’ll give us away in an instant.’

‘Anything else?’

‘If you follow my lead and do exactly as I say, we’ll be fine.’

‘You got it, captain.’

‘Good. I’m glad to hear it.’

They continued walking for some time without speaking to one another. It was Vasco who eventually broke the silence.

‘We’ll get her back,’ he muttered, and Charlie nodded, unsure whether Vasco had intended for his words to be overheard. ‘She’ll be fine.’

‘You two go back a long way, don’t you?’ Charlie said carefully, his curiosity getting the better of him at last.

‘We grew up together,’ Vasco said. ‘I’ve known her for as long as I can remember.’

‘You grew up in the Elysian Castle too?’ Charlie asked. ‘What about your parents?’

‘I don’t remember them,’ Vasco said, with a slight shrug, his voice flat. ‘The Great Protector was the closest thing to a father that I ever had – he was to Dragomir, as well.’

Charlie frowned. ’How is he involved in this?’

‘Alexandra’s father adopted us both,’ Vasco explained, after a slight pause. ‘We were raised as rivals, I suppose. Growing up like that, it wasn’t exactly … easy. The Great Protector’s discipline methods were …’ Vasco paused for a moment, his hand coming to rest against his heart, before he shook his head, as though to clear it of an unspoken thought. ‘But everything he did was to make me stronger. He made me who I am.’

Charlie snorted. ‘He’s a monster. You don’t have to waste your breath defending him.’

‘Maybe he never treated me like a son, but I never expected that,’ Vasco said, his eyes hard. ‘I was always going to become a soldier. I always believed that if I worked hard – if I did enough to earn his respect – I could prove myself worthy enough to become part of their family.’

‘No child should have to prove themselves worthy of love,’ Charlie said quietly.

‘Whatever he did to us, his actions had a purpose. And it meant that I could be close to Alexandra …’ Vasco trailed off with a sigh. ‘She’s like my sister, Charlie. She was the only friend I ever had. If I can’t save her –’

‘We’ll save them,’ Charlie said. ‘All of them.’

Vasco frowned. ‘I was raised to believe that witches were evil, and that the covens were a danger to our country and its stability,’ he said. ‘But I think I’m finally starting to understand. The ones in power – the people I’ve defended and fought for all this time – they’re the ones in the wrong. I thought I did what was right, but I was part of it, all along. I’ve been so blind …’

‘It’s not your fault that you were messed up by your childhood,’ Charlie said, with a gentle touch on his arm. ‘I had a warped father figure growing up, too. I know it’s not easy.’

‘Faulkner.’ Vasco spat the name out with a murderous look on his face, before fixing Charlie with his steady gaze. ‘I don’t know what you’ve been through, Charlie, but I want you to know that I’m here for you. Whenever you’re ready to talk about it, I’ll listen to you.’

‘You don’t want to hear about any of that,’ Charlie murmured, his hands in his pockets.

‘I care about you, Charlie.’ Vasco was still looking at him, his dark eyes full of sorrow.

Charlie made a strangled sound. ‘I don’t know what you want me to say to that …’

‘I don’t want you to say anything – my feelings in this situation don’t matter.’

’They matter to me.’

‘Then …’ Vasco’s eyes widened, and his voice wavered. ’How do you feel?’

‘I don’t know anything about how I feel!’ Charlie scratched his throat, suddenly full of nervous energy, and looked away to avoid the intensity in Vasco’s face. ‘I never have. What d’you want me to tell you? That I have …’ He swallowed, his throat dry. ’Besides, even if I did –’

‘Wait.’ Vasco stopped dead in his tracks, flinging out an arm in front of Charlie to prevent him from taking another step forward. ‘Watch out.’ He gave the warning under his breath, with a meaningful nod. ‘Someone’s there – up ahead.’

‘Charlie?’ A familiar voice called to him, and his brother emerged from the gloom, re-settling his glasses on the bridge of his nose with a cold smile. ‘Don’t be afraid. It’s only me.’

Charlie’s blood had gone cold. ’You.’

Ignoring Vasco’s warning to stay away from him, Charlie stumbled forward, his knees shaking, towards his brother, who remained still.

‘I didn’t think you would actually go after them,’ Max said, a note of hesitation in his voice. ‘Perhaps a part of me was hoping that … but you can’t stop him now.’

‘What’s he planning to do to them?’ Charlie demanded, an icy chill enveloping him.

‘This is how it has to be. There is no other way.’ Slowly, Max drew a handgun from his pocket. ‘Any great leap forward,’ he continued, as he pointed the gun at Charlie, ‘demands sacrifice.’

Silently, Vasco edged half of his body in front of Charlie’s, into the line of fire.

‘You think I’ll hesitate?’ Max asked, regarding Vasco with a cold look. ‘I won’t.’

‘Vasco, what are you doing?’ Charlie whispered, not daring to move. ‘Get out of here.’

Vasco gave a barely perceptible shake of his head, his eyes fixed on Max. ‘I won’t abandon him to you,’ he said. ‘You’re about to gun down two unarmed opponents in cold blood, Doctor. If you think you can become your own brother’s murderer, go ahead and do it.’

Charlie’s eyes roved around the shadows in the vaulted arches of the tunnels, desperately trying to think of a way that they could get out of this situation alive. He felt something prickle at the back of his neck. He had the strangest feeling that they were not alone. It was as though he could sense another presence somewhere nearby, although there was no one else anywhere to be seen.

Then he caught sight of movement in the darkness.

‘Vasco, run!’ he said, his voice sharp. ‘Run away, leave me behind – I don’t matter!’

‘What?’ Vasco swung around, a stubborn set to his jaw. ’Charlie, no, I –’

Charlie had a single moment to take in the bewildered expression on Vasco’s face. Then the lights went out, and they were plunged into total darkness. Charlie sensed movement behind him a split second before his arms were wrenched behind his back. He heard the snap of steel handcuffs at his wrists. A strong hand gripped his scarred shoulder, keeping him firmly in place where he stood, despite his attempts to get free.

‘The prisoners are secured, Doctor Ivanov.’

Charlie felt his heart plummet. They had been caught. Yet again, he had failed.

As the lights flared back into life, Charlie searched wildly for Vasco, and found him at his side. He, too, had been restrained with handcuffs, and was struggling against another grim-faced soldier, who stood behind him, unyielding.

‘Jumping us in the dark?’ Vasco let out a harsh laugh, sounding as though he could not quite believe what had just happened to them. ‘You really are cowardly sons of bitches, aren’t you? I guess they knew they couldn’t take us in a fair fight, right, Charlie?’

‘You appear to have forgotten your manners, Lieutenant Kovalev.’

Max approached Vasco and brought the butt of his handgun down against Vasco’s forehead. With a groan of pain, Vasco raised his head, glaring at Max with a look of unreserved hatred as he blinked blood out of his eyes.

‘Well done, both of you,’ Max said, nodding to the soldiers as he surveyed Charlie and Vasco with some satisfaction. ‘The Great Protector will be more than grateful for your efforts, I have no doubt. With my little brother’s arrival, the sacrifice ritual can proceed as planned.’

‘Max!’ Charlie shouted, trying to shake off the soldier. ‘Max, what are you doing?’

‘Don’t fight them, Charlie,’ Max said, smiling. ‘I don’t want you getting hurt – yet.’

‘You stay the hell away from him!’ Vasco snarled, almost managing to tear himself free of the soldier straining to hold him back. ‘I won’t let you hurt him ever again.’

‘You have good instincts, Lieutenant Kovalev,’ Max said, turning to Vasco with mild interest. ‘But there is nothing you can do to help my brother now. Don’t harm him,’ he snapped at the soldier restraining Charlie. ‘He has information we need. I can still extract it, given time.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Charlie spat, before the realisation hit him. ‘Wait – you don’t mean?’ He watched in horror as the slight young man before him grinned, a menacing glint dancing in his eyes behind his glasses. ‘It was you. You’re the one who experimented on Seren … you’re the one who hurt her.’

Charlie drew back as Max approached him slowly, a curious expression on his face. ‘You’re angry,’ he murmured, ‘but you are also afraid.’ He pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, a strangely intense smile gleaming on his sharp-featured face. ‘Fear is good. I like to watch the fear in the eyes of the creatures I work with.’ His grin widened horribly, and Charlie shuddered. ‘You held out fairly well the last time we were together, but I don’t like your chances this time.’

‘I’ll never give in,’ Charlie whispered, a high-pitched whine in his ears as horrified understanding dawned on him at last. ‘No matter what you do to me, I’ll never stop fighting you.’

Max smiled placidly. ‘Well, we’ll soon see about that, won’t we?’

’He’s your brother!’ Vasco almost managed to wrench himself out of the soldier’s grip. ‘How can you follow the Great Protector’s orders if it means betraying your family? Where the hell is your loyalty?’

At Vasco’s outburst, Max turned towards him, his head cocked to one side. There was a lopsided smile on his face. ‘You have some very strange ideas about right and wrong, Lieutenant Kovalev,’ he said, his voice dangerously pleasant as his gaze fell to Vasco’s chest. ‘Perhaps you need another lesson in loyalty yourself.’

A shadow of fear passed over Vasco’s face before his furious scowl replaced it.

‘However, I’m afraid to say that there is no time for that,’ Max said. ‘Lieutenant Dragomir’s orders were quite clear when it comes to you, Vasco Kovalev.’ He tightened his grip on the gun in his hand and aimed it squarely at Vasco, who stared right back at him, his face emotionless. ‘No mercy for traitors.’ He pulled back the hammer with his thumb and inhaled sharply.

’No!’ Charlie yelled.

Everything seemed to slow down around him. With an intense effort, he managed to wrench himself free of the soldier restraining him. His arms still handcuffed behind his back, Charlie took a flying leap at his brother, kicking his legs out from underneath him, and leaving them both sprawled and brawling on the ground. Charlie’s only thought was to keep fighting.

‘Don’t shoot him!’ Max shrieked at the soldiers. ‘We need him alive!’

He could not use his hands, so instead Charlie lashed out with his feet. He rained kicks down on Max’s body for as long as he could manage. Then both the soldiers placed their hands under his arms, and he was dragged away from his brother. A fist connected with his face, and Charlie tasted blood in his mouth.

‘Where is Kovalev?’ Max demanded, staring around the shadowy passageway in fury.

‘He escaped in the struggle, sir,’ the soldier who had been restraining Vasco said. Charlie smiled viciously through the blood dripping from his mouth as he saw that the soldier looked shamefaced and worse for wear. Vasco had apparently managed to get some kicks of his own in, too, before getting away.

‘Find him!’ Max ordered, getting to his feet, and wincing as he clutched his ribs.

Charlie glared at him, hoping he had broken some bones. ‘You won’t find him.’

‘I suppose you think that was clever,’ Max murmured, turning back to Charlie. ‘Perhaps even now you are revelling in your bravery, congratulating yourself for your noble intentions.’ He was watching Charlie closely, but Charlie said nothing. ‘But you have merely prolonged your friend’s suffering. He will be found. He will be killed. You will live on, and you will live with the knowledge that you failed to save him.’

‘It looks to me like you’re the only ones around here who have failed,’ Charlie retorted, breathing hard against the pain in his chest and heart. Once again, he was alone. ‘Vasco’s going to escape. You won’t find him. And I heard what you said – you need me alive. I’ll be fine.’

‘You may yet come to regret those words, little brother,’ Max said, his voice soft. ‘Oh yes, we will keep you alive, but believe me, you will wish that we had not. Soon enough, you will find yourself wishing that we had been merciful enough to kill you quickly. Soon, you will be begging for your death.’

‘I surrender,’ came a voice from the shadows, turning Charlie cold. ‘I’ll come quietly.’

‘What are you doing, you idiot?’ Charlie hissed, as Vasco was brought into line beside him and held fast by one of the soldiers. ‘You escaped. You could have got away. I don’t –’

‘No, don’t shoot him yet,’ Max said to the soldiers. ‘He’ll keep my brother honest.’

He looked between Charlie and Vasco, distaste written across his features. ‘You lovesick fool,’ he muttered, shaking his head with a scornful look at Vasco. ‘You could have had everything, but you turned your back on it – and all for what?’ Max’s lip curled as he threw a black look at Charlie. ‘Some sewer rat with a pretty face and a pair of big brown eyes?’

Charlie felt his cheeks burn with shame, his gaze falling to the flagstones beneath his feet. The silence went on and on, and it hurt. He wished the ground would swallow him up.

‘I hope he was worth it,’ Max sneered, turning his back on them.

From beside him, Charlie heard Vasco’s words, calm and clear. ‘He was.’

Charlie’s eyes shot to him, his heart suddenly racing in his chest. ‘Vasco, you …’

Vasco smiled back, his dark eyes soft and sad. ‘You were worth everything, Charlie.’

‘I …’ Charlie’s ears were ringing, his chest tight. He blinked, confused. ‘You …’

Max, who had frozen, addressed the soldiers without turning around. ‘Lock them up.’