Aria stirred, wincing as she shifted herself uncomfortably in the boat.
“Take it easy,” Cin said.
“I’m…” Aria tried to answer.
“We’re alright now,” Cin said.
“Where are we…”
“On the Minnow,” Cin said.
“…Going,” Aria clarified.
Cin gave a content smile and pulled a flask from her back pocket before throwing down a drink.
“Somewhere safe,” said Cin.
The boat made its way upstream, cutting through the night fog. Aria hugged her knees to her chest, her attention only fixed on the walking corpse slogging their way along the bank of the river.
“What are they?” Aria said.
“They’re zombies,” Cin said, half smirking.
Aria frowned at Cin.
“No, I mean…really.”
Smiling, Cin raised her flask to her mouth.
“What happened?” Aria asked.
Another long drink.
“What does it look like?” Cin asked at last.
Aria stared through the fog at a collection of corpses hunched over, taking turns pulling the flesh off a woman who screamed. Aria winced as Cin chugged back another drink.
“How did you find me?” Aria asked.
Cin shrugged.
“Do you know anything?”
Cin didn’t miss the bite in Aria’s tone.
“I know plenty,” Cin said. “I just don’t think I’m the one to explain, nor is a boat in the middle of the St. Lawrence River the place to break the news to you.”
Aria stared back to the shore line and watched the run of corpses trudge along upstream. Screams followed them through the night as the moon filled the sky. Shadow thickened. Now and then, Cin gave a push off with the oar allowing the current to carry them.
The soft lapping against the boat lulled Aria into a dulled rest, Cin’s composure brightened.
“There,” Cin said pointing ahead.
Aria followed Cin’s enthusiasm and gasped at the large vessel dead ahead.
“A boat?” Aria said.
Cin chuckled. “Don’t let the Captain hear you call it a boat.”
“Captain?” Aria said, and Cin smiled.
“Aye,” she said. “The Cap’n.”
“She’s a ship,” Cin said. “And that be the HMS Slush Brain.”
They drew near the ship. The port holes blazed with orange. On board, Aria could make out the occasional lantern that appeared to be swinging on deck. The closer they got to the ship, the more the fog cleared until Aria could make out a black silhouette. The pigtails that framed a head were dwarfed by the rocket launcher perched casually on a shoulder. The blood drained from Aria’s face as the snap of pink bubblegum broke the silence.
“What be on board the deck tonight?” a voice from the deck carried down.
“Just a Slush Brain filled with pirates, the booze, and the bitter bite of black powder.”
The girl lowered the rocket launcher as the boat drew closer. The swaying lantern cast an occasional light on a woman sporting a long set of blond and pink pigtails.
Cin grinned up at the woman dressed like a Catholic child, who blew a pink bubble. Smiling down at The Minnow, she said one word.
“Amazeballs.”
“Hello, Hawaii,” Cin said, smiling up at the deck where the woman sporting a pair of blond and pink pigtails stood, the rocket launcher still resting on her shoulder.
“Captain’s been worried for you, Cinders,” the woman said.
“Tell her to grab a Guinness and relax,” Cin said. “I’ll be there soon enough. Help me get Aria on board.”
The woman on deck threw down a rope ladder to Cin. Using the ladder, Cin pulled the boat parallel with the ship.
“Come up,” Cin said to Aria who stood too quickly, rocking the wee boat too violently.
“Hold now,” Cin said, grabbing Aria’s arm to hold her steady. “Of all the rivers to swim in, you don’t want to go falling into this one.” Cin passed Aria the rope ladder. “Here. Go on up first. Stanushka will be up there to greet you.”
Aria looked up at Stanushka just as her pink bubblegum popped. Stani smacked her lips, pulling the gum back in her mouth, chewing in delight as she smiled down at Aria.
“Right,” Aria said and pulled herself up the ladder.
“Here,” Stani said, lowering the rocket launcher to her side. She reached down and took Aria’s hand.
“Welcome on board the H.M.S. Slush Brain, Aria,” Stani said. “You’re going to love it here.”
Cin pulled herself over the gunwale and hopped down to the deck with ease.
“You drink?” Cin asked.
“What?” Aria asked turning to Cin who was already pulling a flask from her other boot.
“Do you drink?”
Aria shook her head as Cin threw down a drink.
“You should,” Cin said. “You’ll need it. Where’s the Captain, Stani?”
“With the guys,” Stani said. “This way.”
Only when Stani stooped to retrieve a second weapon resting on the deck, did Aria notice the flint lock long barreled gun tucked affectionately at Stani’s side along with a Dillinger nestled into her leather boot that stopped at her thighs.
“What’s with the artillery?” Aria muttered to Cin.
“Hm? Stani? Stanushka loves the firearms,” Cin said. “Don’t you, Hawaii?”
“Yep!” Stani said.
Aria studied the gun in Stani’s right hand. “Isn’t a flint lock rather slow for the times?”
“You watch your mouth,” Stani said with a stern look over her shoulder. “This isn’t an ordinary flint lock,” she said and led Aria and Cin through a door below the upper deck.
Inside the room tucked beneath the upper deck, a warm welcoming light filled a small, but cozy room that served as kitchen, dining room, and social room in one. All the makings of a kitchen lined the farthest wall where a short woman, donned in a white gown, tiara, and pirate hat stood hunched over as she combed through the fridge.
On the opposite side of the fridge, a tall Scandinavian dressed too well in leather and swords that dripped from his body, rested his arm on the open fridge door. His long blond hair fell well past his shoulders, and the beard made him look too much like a warrior who had stepped from the pages of Beowulf. The great sword on his back and the scimitar at his waist added to the look of a Swedish warrior. Wide shoulders and large arms confirmed his constant use of the blade.
A tall man with fine hands sat at the table. While fidgeting with something that resembled clockworks, he sat hunched over, oblivious to all else in the room. His only earing caught the light as he paused to adjust his monocle. He slipped his hand into one of the pockets tucked away in his colorful gold vest and withdrew something so minute, Aria couldn’t identify it.
“Hi,” the Scandinavian smiled from the fridge. “I’m Norry.”
“Where’s my Guinness?” the woman in the fridge shouted.
“You drank it, Ange,” Norry said then smiling, looked at Aria as if proud. “She’s the Captain. This is our captain.”
“I didn’t. You took—”
Aria steadied herself on the back of a chair.
“You drank the last bottle yourself,” Norry said.
A sickness rose in Aria. Her head continued to spin worse than ever.
“Guys,” Stani said.
Norry and Angela looked in time to see Aria drop to the floor and Norry jumped, catching her just before she hit the ground.
“When was the last time she ate?” Angela asked, forgetting the booze.
Aria held her head unable to steady her nerves. The room was spinning, churning her stomach.
“You did drink my Guinness,” Angela shouted quite suddenly a Norry. “I can smell it on you!”
“I didn—”
Vomiting, Aria sat up and bathed Norry in her insides. The last thing she heard before passing out was Angela’s
laughter.
* * *
CHAPTER 4
Aria’s head pounded with every creak. Consciousness flooded back as she noted the scent of cinnamon in the warm air. Aria moved. The last few hours, days, or weeks finally paid their toll and every joint screamed in protest. The taste of vomit lingered in her mouth as she attempted to sit up in the dark room.
“Slowly now.”
Aria turned to the gentle voice and was greeted by Stanushka’s bright smile.
“Where am I?” she asked.
“Below deck. Sorry about them,” Stani said, rolling her eyes as if embarrassed. “The Captain tends to forget there are others who aren’t used to the zombies—”
Dropping her throbbing head back to the bed, Aria released a groan.
“You don’t like zombies?” Stanushka asked.
Aria was feeling sick again.
“I don’t—” Aria pursed her lips. A wave of tears burned her eyes.
“Hey,” Stani soothed in a sing-song voice. “You’re alright.”
Aria shook as she quietly cried.
“I know…,” Stani said, rubbing Aria’s arm. “It’s a lot to take in at first.”
“What—” Aria took a deep breath. “What happened?”
“You were sick, then you fainted, an—”
“No,” Aria punched the bed. “What. Happened.”
“Oh.” Stani’s shoulders dropped with understanding. “Yeah, I guess we didn’t do a great job explaining things.”
Aria stared at the ceiling as tears streamed down her face.
“We’re being invaded,” Stani said. “Well…have been invaded.”
Aria turned to Stani, her mouth agape with shock.
“A year ago, the Office for Outer Space Affairs-or OOSA-received communications from an unidentified alien source,” Stani said,
“Unidentified alien?” Aria repeated. “A year ago?”
Stani nodded. “Yes.”
“And they didn’t tell anyone?”
“Global panic, terror, chaos, religious zealots, apocalypse… Would you?”
Aria returned her gaze to the ceiling.
“OOSA kept it quiet,” Stani said. “The public. The press. Governing bodies…” Stani shook her head. “No one knew about the Weeches except for the Office for Outer Space Affairs.”
“Aliens,” Aria repeated.
“Weeches,” Stani said.
“Weeches.”
“What you think are zombies, they aren’t zombies at all. They’re an alien race called Weeches.”
“Of course, they are,” said Aria.
“It helps if you think of them as Weeches,” Stani said. “When the Weeches arrived, OOSA kept things quiet and suggested a plan that would prepare the public for their reveal. The Weeches loved the idea, and OOSA financed the Mission to Mars through NASA which they planned to use for the Weech reveal.”
“Weech Reveal,” Aria muttered.
“Things appeared to be going along to plan. The scheduled reveal was weeks away. Men had taken their first steps on Mars when one of the OOSA employees stumbled upon the Weeches’ real agenda. The communications and negotiations were all a ruse. While OOSA danced like puppets, focused on trade agreements, negotiations, and the Mission to Mars, the Weeches were organizing a full-scale invasion hidden in the guise of peace and friendship. By the time the OOSA learned all of this, the Weeches had moved in. They took over everything all before anyone had grown wiser. They began with the military bases around the world, the media, and all governing bodies. Civilians were left with no defenses, no leaders, no communications, and no warning that this was coming…or that an alien race had even arrived.”
“They took out our organized militia,” Aria said as the words sunk in.
“And all communications. Television, news, complete stations…”
“The power of the media,” Aria whispered.
“Of knowledge,” Stani said. “By the time the government learned of the invasion, the media and militia was gone.”
“They had no way to warn the public or prepare them,” Arias said.
“Or protect them,” Stani said.
“We were sitting ducks.”
Aria’s head spun as she tried to imagine the walking corpses as capable of establishing an undercover and discreet operation. “How could something like that sneak up on anything?”
“Those aren’t the Weeches exactly,” Stani said.
“Well then what are they?” Aria sat up, and spun her legs around so her feet touched the floor.
“We’re not quite sure,” Stani said. “OOSA fell before their research department made it that far.”
“OOSA,” Aria said. “If it went under, how do you know all this?”
“We have a crew member from OOSA,” Stani said. “The Professor continues what he started with OOSA.”
Aria sighed.
“The Professor thinks they are a kind of foot soldier responsible for harvesting on behalf of the Weeches. Or maybe their fighters... Maybe they really do look like that. We just don’t have enough information yet,” Stani said.
“Who are all of you?” Aria asked.
“Just a group of…well…we’re kind of an assortment—”
“An imbroglio,” Angela said, cutting Stanushka off. At the base of the steps, the Captain stood with an apple in hand. “A confused mass. Sorry we came off strong,” Angela said, handing the apple to Aria who accepted the fruit. Within a few large bites the apple was gone. “We are whipping something up in the kitchens for you. Feeling better?”
Aria nodded.
“When was the last time you ate something?” Angela asked.
“The night my father…”
A lump stoppered Aria’s words and she dug her fist into her brow.
“What happened the night you lost your father?” Stanushka asked.
Aria thought back to that night.
“It was raining,” she began. “Pouring, actually. Then it stopped…suddenly like—” Aria shook her head. “Like something paused the rain. There was a whistle. It was so loud… It hurt so much, I fell. When I looked out the window, it was pouring again, but…my father was gone.”
“And you saw no one?” Angela asked.
Aria shook her head.
“How did you end up on Singer Island?”
“Singer…” Aria stopped.
“Singer Island,” Angela repeated. “Yes. With Caius and his clan.”
“Who…” Aria thought back to the night she met Caius. She truly had no idea how she came to be there when she woke or where even there was. “I don’t know,” she said. “After my father vanished I was alone… but the…Weeches…They came and…I would have been dead if…”
Aria couldn’t say the word. ‘Vampire’ sounded just as ludicrous as ‘zombie.’
“Caius was there,” she continued. “He saved me.”
“He didn’t save you,” Angela said. “He was saving his dinner.”
Aria hugged her stomach wishing it would stop flipping.
“I’ve been to Singer Island,” Aria said. “Once. Years ago. It was crawling with tourists and brides. Not Dracula.”
“Same difference,” Angela said. “When the Weeches invaded, Caius moved in and cleaned house. We think he liked the Gothic look of the place. Made him feel right at home.”
“I don’t…” Aria dropped her head into her hands. “Did Caius come in then with the Weeches?”
Angela and Stanushka exchanged a look.
“Perhaps we should see if dinner is ready,” Angela said. “Stani?”
“Captain.”
“Let’s show her the boots.”
“Boots!” Stani squealed. She was up in a moment. Her gun hung affectionately at her side. “Oh! Aria! You’re going to love this! Let’s get you out of the granny gown and into some leather!”
* * *
CHAPTER 5
“We are part of a small group that hunts Caius’ clan,” Angela s
aid.
“Slayers,” Aria confirmed, pulling a pair of black jeans over her hips.
“Vampire is the best way to describe what Caius is, but vampire is only the stories that developed over centuries to describe what he really is. Mortal’s explanation for something they don’t understand.”
“So then, what is Caius…really?”
“They don’t drink blood, if that’s what you’re asking,” Angela said with a grin. “They are cannibals. kind of. They would be if they were human. There are no silver bullets, no garlic, no crosses or holy water. Those were superstitions developed by religious men who turned to their gods to protect them. And garlic was once used only as a standard medicine to treat a range of ailments.”
“They thought it was a disease,” Aria said, pulling on a pair of black leather boots she then sipped up the inside of her legs.
“Exactly. They do lack a tolerance to light, but that is because of where they live and their evolution and not because of what they are. They do not turn dead. No bats. No coffins. Caius is immortal. He and his clan just…don’t age. But they can be killed as easily as you or I.”
“If there really are vampires, then why don’t we know about them?” Aria asked.
“We did once,” Angela said. “Mortals are terrified of that kind of power. So we specialized in hunting them down and killing them. They would have gone extinct if they didn’t go into hiding and encourage the stories that we know today.”
“Then why—”
“Because Caius has us at an advantage. He has centuries of training under his belt. While we only have one lifetime to master any one field, Caius has an infinite number of lifetimes. His clan has had the time to master every skill known to man. That puts him at a slight advantage.”
“But…” Aria’s hands went to her neck. Two pair of small punctures had scabbed over, but there was no denying what she had seen.
“The canines,” Angela said. “That’s what gave birth to most of the rumors. They don’t use them to drink blood like bats. We all had canines once. Over the years, we evolved and our canines diminished. Theirs didn’t. The canines are venomous—”
“Like snakes,” Aria deduced.
“Yes. The venom paralyzes their prey. That’s all. It renders them unconscious for…easy dining,” Angela smiled at the thought and Aria swayed. The room was still spinning. “Those with allergic reactions have died from the venom. Hence the rumors. And an anecdote can be made… just like an anecdote for snake venom. In fact, that’s what the Professor is working on now.”