Chapter Six
The group rode on in silence until Nasir changed direction and they approached a cluster of small jagged mountains where the leader called a halt to the convoy.
Marius was surprised and queried the decision. “But it’s still daylight. We can go further. You said to get as much space between us and the city as possible.”
Nasir regarded him with amused eyes. “I understand your concerns, but we need to prepare and this place has an area we can defend. They’ll come tonight and be remorseless. We have to give ourselves and your friend the best chance possible.”
Marius understood his reasoning, they knew what they were doing and had done this before. “Thank you, I see your point. How can I help?”
“There is a cave up ahead. When we get there take your friend and tie him up, then talk to him, distract him from their call as much as you can.”
Marius waited as Nasir helped Junius down then led them both through the rocks to a small opening in the mountains. Marius glanced at his friend but his eyes were closed so he couldn’t gauge how he was feeling. At least he was walking, but how aware he was, was anyone’s guess.
“We’ll stay in here,” Nasir told him indicating the opening in the mountain. “Go in and make yourselves comfortable. We’ll bring water and food later. A few of the party will camp elsewhere, away from here, so that we’re not altogether. Though they will be close enough and watching.” He nodded curtly and moved away, back to the main body of the caravan.
Marius took Junius’s arm and led him into the dark interior. The cave opened up after a few metres into an area the size of a single Roman barracks, which made it an ideal place to defend.
Junius went over to the far wall and sat down. “I need to sleep, Marius. Please let me rest.” As he spoke he removed the headdress which had covered his head during the journey. Even in the shadowed light of the cave, Marius could see that his fair hair had darkened to the pitch-black of the other Kin and his skin was almost glowing in the darkness. For a moment he was reminded that as soon as it was night, Junius would be gone and in his stead would be a creature who wanted to drink his blood.
He fought back his fear and smiled at his friend. “Sleep while you can. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.”
Junius smiled wryly and lay down on his side. Marius turned away to examine the defensive potential of the cave, but when he turned back only moments later his friend was sound asleep.
A while later Nasir came thought the small entrance holding a torch, which he stuck into a cleft in the wall. “It’s time, where is he?” he said without any preamble.
Marius directed him to where Junius lay curled on the floor. The local nodded and handed Marius one of the two sets of rope he had in his hands. Together they bound Junius’s arms behind his back, then tied his legs together. Only once did he speak and that was to tell them that one of the bindings wasn’t tight enough.
When they’d finished he lay on the floor of the cave, bound and powerless. He didn’t complain but thanked them for doing it. A few more men drifted in with torches and handed out food and water. Marius took the food to his friend and fed him. Junius didn’t eat much, and what he did consume he chewed without enthusiasm, but he was desperate for water. He gulped down one canister and then still wanted more. Nasir watched from a distance without comment whilst Marius held the second water bottle to his friend’s mouth.
Eventually he walked over and nodded at Marius. “Keep him drinking, it reduces the hunger. It’ll be soon now.”
Marius knew when it was sundown at Persepolis. Junius suddenly lurched forward shuddering and announced that they were coming. Then he turned to look at Marius. “For all the time we’ve served together and been side by side in the battle line, I beg of you, finish this, I don’t want to be your enemy.”
“No, you’ve got me into a lot of trouble, Junius, but you’ve always got me out again as well. This time, I’m going to return the favour,” Marius told him and watched his friend smile bleakly at him.
“Besides, Roman, you fulfilled your side of the agreement, now we must deliver,” Nasir added staring down at Junius. “Marius, stand guard over him, if any of the Kin get in and close to him, use the stake and remember it goes through the heart.” He handed Marius another long stick with a sharp point. “Preferably destroy the other one and not him, if you can avoid it.”
Marius nodded, and glanced down at Junius, but his friend was staring into the middle distance.
“Nasir, look.” The local glanced down at Junius, then bent down to squat in front of him. He called his name and then held up his fingers in front of his face. Eventually he stood and his face told Marius all he needed to know.
“He’s communicating with them. Telling them our route and where to come. I’ve seen it before and it’s to be expected. They can’t help it. Your friend has gone for the night. Remember that and we’ll be all right.”
He clapped Marius on the back and strode away shouting out instructions as he did so.
Marius had been dreading this moment and, now it had come, he felt unprepared and vulnerable. He looked down at Junius who had thrown his head back against the wall and was breathing heavily.
For a while nothing happened. Nasir’s men were grouped outside with flaming torches watching for the threat. Inside, Junius was still leaning against the rock, his breath coming in short rapid bursts as if he was struggling with pain. Marius watched anxiously, wondering how he could help his friend, but knowing there was probably little he could do. Then Junius suddenly lurched forward making Marius jump. The Roman’s head sprang up, then he threw it back and let out a mighty shriek that filled the cave. Marius was sure it was a call and wasn’t surprised when Junius continued to emit the terrible noise repeatedly. Suddenly he knew where he’d heard that sound before; it had been that first time in the city when the sun had gone down and those strange ungodly shrieks had echoed through the darkness. He’d assumed it had been the brass doors opening, but now he knew that it had been the sound of the Kin calling.
Nasir returned and regarded Junius for a moment.
“He’s calling, isn’t he?” Marius asked.
Nasir nodded grimly. “They know where he is anyway, but he wants to be with them. Don’t trust anything he says, it’ll be one of the Kin talking,” he reminded Marius and left.
Abruptly Junius stopped making the noise. Slowly he dropped his head down to a level and stared at his friend. Marius’s heart sank when he saw the blacked-out eyes and the slow smile spreading across Junius’s face. He knew what it meant. Without taking his eyes from the Roman, he moved around to the entrance and informed the man closest that the Kin had arrived.
It remained ominously quiet, and the men outside muttered nervously in the night, fluttering their torches around to give them courage and illuminate the darkness. Inside the cave, Junius watched Marius with pitch-black eyes and smirked. It was unnerving and uncomfortable, so to Marius it was almost a relief when the unholy shriek echoed across the stillness of the desert. Marius glanced back to what had once been his friend, but he hadn’t moved nor had his expression changed. It was obvious that he knew what was happening.
Moments later the night was filled with the shouts and yells from the men as the Kin descended upon them from the darkness. The locals were ready and knew what to do. They stood several men thick outside the door forming a barrier of torches and long wooden spears, which they thrust at any of the Kin who came near.
Despite his fear Marius was curious and frustrated not to be fighting these creatures as well, he was a soldier and that was what he’d been trained to do. Junius was still watching him, so he dared to take a look at what was happening. But what he saw made him wish he hadn’t. The horde storming the cave seemed to consist of an army of wraiths, creatures spawned from the bowels of the deepest darkest recesses of Tartarus. He’d known that the Kin weren’t people but they’d at least looked human. He glanced back at Junius, realising no
w what he would eventually become if he went with them and, his friend stared calmly back at him.
“No. I won’t let it happen, Junius. I know that you’re in there somewhere. I gave you my word that I’d kill you rather than let that happen to you.” Marius knew that it was probably useless talking to him, but he needed to voice his resolve.
Junius smirked, then suddenly he threw his head back and screamed. All the other Kin shrieked as well, then fell silent again, but the men cheered and Marius realised that one had been destroyed. Junius dropped his head back down, pulled back his lips and hissed at Marius, wriggling in an effort to free himself.
Whilst the battle raged outside, Junius continued to strain and struggle, interspersed with hisses and snarls at Marius. Every so often he would stop and cry out with the other Kin when one of their number died, and overall in that period alone Marius counted seventeen deaths.
Finally it fell quiet as the Kin retreated. Marius could hear the men outside murmuring, whilst they watched and waited for the next attack. Inside, Junius glared from the floor where he’d fallen during his struggles.
A sound at the entrance to the cave informed him that Nasir was taking the opportunity to check on things.
“How is he?” the leader asked as Junius hissed and snarled his fury at him.
“He’s learnt how to do that,” Marius informed him wryly.
“But no other trouble?”
“Just struggling to be free, that’s all. Do you want me to check the bonds?”
“No,” Nasir snapped. “Don’t go near him. As long as we keep him out of moonlight and from drinking blood we can save him. Remember that.”
Junius laughed then. “You don’t know anything. We know your plan, little man. I told them. They’ll come for your women and children whilst they sleep. When you get back, they’ll all be dead. And we’ve left the caves, so the information you were told this morning’s useless. The agreement is broken. We’ll destroy you all.”
Nasir glared at Junius who smirked back. “As I said, don’t go near him.”
Marius nodded his understanding and watched him go.
“It’s not too late, my friend. You can come with us as well. Cassia’s outside and she’s willing to forgive you for hurting her like that. You liked her. I know you did.”
“Shut up, Junius,” Marius shouted. “I was drugged, and so were you.”
“You think that, my friend. But we both know better. We know what happened once the drug had worn off: we both chose to stay. You wanted what came next as much as I did. Cassia asked you and you accepted.”
“Only I changed my mind and got away.”
“And you still think about her, you wonder what it would have tasted like, how it would have felt running down your throat. Let me go and I’ll show you. You can take it from me.”
Marius shook his head in bemusement as the beguiling and seductive voice slipped out of his friend’s mouth. “Junius, if you’re still in there and we get back, I’ll remind you about the time you tried to seduce me. It won’t work. You’re not my type.” He glanced across to see his friend glower in annoyance. But he didn’t say any more.
They waited in silence, but they knew the Kin were out there. Junius remained still and quiet; only occasionally would he meet Marius’s eye and then he would sneer and look away. If he was trying to make his friend uncomfortable, then he was certainly succeeding.
The Kin came quietly this time. There were no shrieks and calls, and even Junius remained quiet. Only briefly did he glance towards the entrance, but then he turned back and continued staring at nothing. The men outside heard them and grouped together, standing in a cluster several men deep to protect the mouth of the cave.
They attacked in silence, which was unnerving, and Marius could hear real fear in the men outside. They were used to shrieking hordes, but instead they were fighting ordered ranks of Kin, who marched as a spectral army and bore down upon the defenders in wave after unremitting wave.
“Marius, I need your help.” Nasir stood at the entrance behind the lines of his beleaguered band. For a moment he glared at Junius, who met his glance then turned away, amused. “He’s doing this. They’ve changed tactics. I need advice.”
Marius listened as the local explained what was taking place. His gaze fell on Junius, who though sitting staring at the cave wall, was obviously directing the Kin and using army formation to beat the defenders into submission. No longer were they the screaming disorganised horde, they were moving and working as a unified army.
For a moment the temptation to kill his friend was overpowering and he felt his hand move to the stick he kept in his belt. Nasir stayed his hand.
“I gave my word. We can still get out of this.”
Marius nodded. “Have you heard of the battle of Thermopylae? When the Greeks led by the Spartans delayed the Persian forces for three days?”
Nasir nodded. “Yes, I know the legend. Though we probably have a different take on the story. I understand. Thank you.”
Nasir returned to his men, leaving Marius staring anxiously after him, then suddenly he was falling. He struggled to get up, but Junius was already on top of him, pinning his body to the floor. Marius flailed about with his arms and tried to bring them up, but Junius was surprisingly strong so he could only kick his legs uselessly in the dirt.
Junius peered down and smiled. “I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”
Marius struggled and writhed but to no avail. Above him, Junius was still, and as he closed his eyes Marius could see something building inside him. His breathing became heavier and faster until, suddenly, he thrust his neck forward and opened his black eyes, gasping in pleasure as he did so. Junius took another deep breath then smiled triumphantly at Marius, as he pulled his lips back to reveal the changes taking place inside his mouth.
The transformation was obviously pleasurable, and for a moment he was distracted and clearly revelling in the sensations flowing through his body. Marius took advantage of Junius’s momentary lapse and pushed up with all his might, hoping to dislodge his friend. Somehow he succeeded and Junius fell back on the dirt, hissing with his fangs now fully formed. To Marius’s relief he didn’t move and he realised that despite the scrabble the bonds had held. Breathing heavily Marius regained his feet and moved away.
It wasn’t Junius anymore; the creature that lay writhing and snarling at him from the floor was one of the Kin, and no longer his friend and commanding officer. But it wasn’t giving up, and somehow it was propelling itself towards the entrance.
Suddenly Nasir and two other men were there.
“What’s happened?” the leader demanded. “They’re disorganized and all over the place again.”
Marius gestured towards what had been Junius. “Their battle commander was a bit distracted. He jumped me and almost got what he needed.”
“Did he?” Nasir asked.
Marius shook his head. “No, but he’s got fangs now.”
“So I can see. Don’t worry, he’s still saveable. We’ll pull him to the back of the cave.”
Two of the men obtained sticks with hooks on the end and together they dragged the angry Kin away from the entrance.
Nasir left, but the two other men stayed with Marius and watched Junius as he stared sullenly at the wall.