Almost an Apocalypse

Chapter 7 (Tomek)

Since the skirmish with the emojis we travelled without any more trouble. Strangely Lily didn't need to drink anymore – maybe she was out hunting during the nights, I have no idea. After over a week of marching we saw Warsaw's skyscrapers on the horizon. That was the moment we had to figure out how to traverse the ruined city crawling with emojis and find the Bloody Court.

"There's no way we can make it in the daylight. Too many emojis, even for you," I heard Lily say. There was a hint of admiration in her voice which I didn't understand.

"At night there will be plenty of vamps for a change," my savior responded.

"I can deal with that. I'll get us through to the Court. I'm an emissary," the vampire said calmingly.

"Sure, let us all walk into those leeches' trap," Francesco snorted.

"You want to get to the Court anyway – there will be plenty of us leeches there, you know," the redhead retorted.

"This wasn't my idea," Francesco muttered.

"But now that you have the worm you should be really interested in getting to the doc. Or you prefer to turn into an emoji?" the bald woman cut in. She was obviously right and the man didn't say anything to that. I wondered what was her motivation to want to go with me. This was pretty much a suicide mission, with Milena working for the Bloody Court.

I didn't interfere – I was in no position to make any decisions here. Without those two dangerous women I had no chance of getting to my sister. The living one sighed and agreed to the dead one's suggestion. Francesco didn't look pleased, but kept quiet.

We entered the suburbs when the night began to fall. Emojis went to sleep, strangely enough never keen on hunting in the dark. The shadows seemed to be alive though, as if something was lurking in them, watching us, ready to attack any moment. The air was crisp and cold, but I found it hard to breathe, the oppressive feeling suffocating.

We moved in a tight group, keeping close to Lily. The small suburban houses gave way to downtown blocks of flats and the streets were drowned in shadows of the tall buildings. There was a strange silence, as if everything here was dead.

One moment we were alone in an ally, the next we were surrounded by a group of young looking, pale people. Their eyes were slightly glowing in the darkness. I gasped. I heard Francesco's muffled curse, painted with fear. My savior came closer to me, her axe at the ready. Lily remained calm, her body relaxed and commanding.

"Who's coming?" a tall woman from the group asked in a cold, firm voice.

"Lilianna d'Agencourt, the emissary for the Matriarch Silvia de Molnay. I have important news for Her Majesty and I seek the audience with the Court," our vamp responded proudly. Wow, I wasn't expecting that.

There was a whisper among the bloodsuckers and their leader pointed to me, "That your bloodbag?"

I swallowed hard, when Lily nodded.

"And what's with the infected?" the inquiry continued.

"They're part of the message I have for Her Highness," vamp responded unfazed.

The bloodsucker's leader gave our little group another long look and shrugged. "Come with us, we'll take you to the court".

And so we followed them through the dark, deserted streets, from all sides surrounded by the vamp guard. I felt my skin crawl every time one of them looked at me for longer than a moment. It isn't nice feeling like somebody's next meal.

Blocks of flats got replaced by skyscrapers and after an eternity we were at the feet of the Palace of Culture and Science. Well, I guess it was grand enough to be the seat of the Bloody Court. We got escorted to a small hallway on the fifth floor. Vamps obviously didn't mind the climb, but we humans were panting by the time we got there by the stairs.