Chapter 3 - Final Shot At Redemption

I let go of the soul held inside me, feeling it slip from me and back into the body. The Black Spiral giving up his werewolf form to assume his human form, a young adult, about 16/17 at a guess. He's got short black spikey hair, looks like he's spent far too much time rolling in the dirt and apparently some rather sorrowful brown eyes. Oh dear. Time to get to work I guess...

"Hey there. Welcome back."

The eyes turn to me and sorrow is followed by fear, he's scared of me, or maybe just the whole situation. Can't blame the kid, this shit sucks right now.

"Ok kiddo, don't panic. You're still alive and I've managed to do something about the hold that taint had on you, but now I gotta address that little bit of madness you've got clinging to you."

The kid shakes his head "The voices, they won't stop talking, they're getting louder again, I hear them whispering in my head."

Shit, great. Voices in the head, that's a pretty nasty one. I'm gonna need some more time, I've only got just under 2 hours before dawn. Well, let's see what I can do, if anything that is.

"Don't you worry about them kiddo. Talk to me, what's your name?"

He blushes and looks down, I raise an eyebrow, quite an interesting reaction from a nutjob. I'm so engrossed in my own thoughts about his reaction I miss him mumble out something.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I have to ask him.

He takes a deep breath and sighs "Rainbow, I'm called Rainbow."

I hear several choked laughs from the cleanup crew as they work behind me. I roll my eyes and shake my head, I don't exactly have the time to piss around here.

"Ok, I'm gonna call ya Rain for now if you don't mind, the name's Alias. I'm kinda short on time so I need to work a few miracles here."

I concentrate and draw on my blood's power... Then I realise my mistake. I don't have anything left in the tank. I'm totally dry! I don't have the power to mitigate this little one's madness and I've got no way to replenish my power! I can't keep the shock off my face and I sink to my knees in front of the cage shaking my head gently.

"Oh no... I am so sorry..." I've failed again. Even as a last act, I can't help someone find peace. I'm going to let someone else down now. I don't know what to do...

"Now what's the problem?" says a gruff familiar voice behind me. I turn to see the alpha again.

"I've fucked up badly. I'm dry, I've no power left, I don't have the blood to power my abilities. I can't remove his madness."

The alpha raises an eyebrow "You actually have the power to remove madness?"

"Yes, given a little time and my power. My bloodline is special as I've told you many times. Healing is what flows through us, be it physical or mental."

The alpha hrmphs loudly "Now that I'd like to see..." he turns to his pack and shouts loudly "Any of you up for opening a vein for this guy to see if he's legit?"

There's several exchanged glances between the garou. Each of them looking around for a volunteer.

"If it's any consolation, I don't need much, a pint is more than enough especially from a garou. Your blood is stronger than mortal's and if freely given then it's got one hell of a kick for me. Oh, also my bite is euphoric."

THAT gets a few looks from me, some of them almost immediately rejecting the idea, but two seem to be interested as they both approach. One of the two seems to have a bit of a twitchy demeanour to him, the other seems to walk with confidence until he sees the twitchy one, then I'd swear a look of surprise and a hint of superiority complex peek through. The twitchy one slows a little to allow the first one to get to me first and he looms over me.

"You saved me so I am indebted to you. If I can repay you with a mere pint of blood then you are welcome to take it." his voice almost resounds through my whole body. Bloody hell he'd make a great voice over. Bet girls get wet just hearing it. Gah, didn't need that thought, thank you brain.

"I.. I uhh... I can donate too if... if you want?" says the twitchy one.

I look at him, he's got a sleepless look to him, his hands won't seem to stay still and he can't seem to meet my eyes for long. I'm gonna bet this guy has had or is having a drug problem or drink addiction. Not a good sign. However the macho man in front of me, looks absolutely delicious and that's enough to make me bite my lip and think about this. Last thing I need is for the big guy to blow a load in his pants in front of everyone and get pissed at me. Even at full power I'd have a serious difficulty with him. However twitchy might have something in his blood stream still if he's on drugs, something I don't really want fucking me up right now. I frown, I know that werewolves aren't really affected by diseases, so he should be disease free... He doesn't look high right now, he looks bolloxed actually. Best just to ask though....

I look at the twitchy one "Hun, have you had any drugs or alcohol recently?"

He does the perfect deer in headlights look at me then looks around nervously. "I, uhh... I haven't, I mean I don't do stuff like that."

I roll my eyes again "Hun, can the bullshit. I ain't gonna judge you and I know that you garou burn through that shit easy enough. I just want to know cos I don't want that stuff in my system. I don't give a toss if you have it in yours."

He looks down then back up "No, I've not done anything for a while. I had to try to give it up. I'm doing better!" and he starts scratching the back of his hand.

Ah ha. Yeah, Mr twitchy is in withdrawal, that's why he's like that. He'll do fine, but here's hoping he doesn't get addicted to me taking a nibble. Though the reverse could be true as well. I'd heard that werewolf blood had one hell of a kick and if you weren't careful, you'd end up craving it. Not like I have a choice right now. Urrrrgh... Oh... Shit, the other guy is looking pissed at me.

"What, my blood not good enough for you leech?!"

Eep.

"Don't be daft, of course it's more than generous an offer, my concern is that you appear to be well fucking able bodied as well as able to kick ass if needed. After that attack, I'd rather NOT accidently disable one of the more able bodied fighters in case there's a second wave or a straggler or two."

He seems to puff his chest out a little, oh my god this guy's ego must be huge. Hope he's not compensating for something.

"Well at least you're not blind to the situation. So I'll let Sparky here take my place this time."

Inwardly I let out a sigh of relief. Looks like tonight won't be my last night after all. Ok, time for the next hurdle, this guy has no idea what he's really about to get, oh well. I look up and see Soothing has returned and watching me intently. I wince, I didn't really want to upset him, but I had to be honest with people here and I guess a part of me hoped he understood why.

"Right, time is running short. Please come here Sparky wasn't it?"

Sparky nods and walks over to me. I stand up and realise I'm taller than he is, which will make this easier.

"Ever found men attractive Sparky?"

"Can't say I ever thought about it. I'm more interested in the wild ride you said."

"Ah, well it's certainly about to be something you've never had before I can guarantee. Hold still and I'll do the rest."

I slip my arms around him and move my lips to his neck "Final chance to back out here."

He chuckles "Just go for it, thanks for the option though."

Huh, nice to know he's a decent sort as well. I feel my fangs slide free and I plunge them into his neck, feeling the hot fluid splash onto my lips I grip him tighter. I drink down the nourishing life blood, my mind barely holding onto sanity as I fight the urge to drink him dry as well as the huge rush of power. His blood was like drinking electricity. My body felt fired up from the first few drops. I knew in that moment that this was dangerous as hell, no wonder it was addictive. I had only tasted vampire blood that was sweeter than this. It was like drinking liquid chocolate when you'd been starving for days. I was on a total power rush.

What felt like an eternity was only a matter of minutes as I managed to prise myself from the delicious source of nourishment. I knew I had taken a bit more than a pint, but not by much. I panted as I felt the vitae surging through my system, barely able to hold up Sparky's weight as I realised that his eyes had rolled back and he was making very interesting noises. This could be bad I thought, until I realise that his pants were wet against me and a familiar male scent hit my nostrils. Ah, post orgasm. That's good, I'd have had an interesting time if I'd accidently killed him from pleasure overdose. Better get him laid down or I'm gonna be holding him up most of the night, what's left of it anyway.

With the new vitae surging through my body, it's easy for me to scoop him up in my arms and lay him down in one of the cells with the door open. I'll let him sleep it off for now. The other garou are watching me so I'm trying to act nonchalant, but I can't help taking a glance at Soothing. He's watching me intently, the look on his face doesn't seem that friendly right now. Then again, nor does the alpha, but at least it doesn't look like he's pissed at me. Urrrgh, one problem at a time, take care of the kid.

I turn back to the cell with Rain in it. He's shivering a little but watching me.

"You alright there Rain?"

"Yeah... What did you do?"

"Huh? Oh, I fed on his blood. It's how I exist I guess. Granted, not the nicest of existences, but we all have our purposes I guess."

"That's kinda weird."

That makes my mouth twitch, I barely manage to restrain a laugh at the comment of a Black Spiral Dancer saying something is 'weird'. Hrm, looks like the effects of werewolf blood have made me a tad giddy, had better watch that. However there was another nasty thought following in on the tail of that. I wouldn't die tonight, but I'd just upset one of the pack members, so maybe tonight 'might' be my last night after all. One problem at a time though, time for a song.

I smile at Rain who immediately cringes back a little.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you. Thanks to Sparky boy, I've got a chance at sorting you out now. Well, at least I can do something about those voices. You still hearing them?"

He blinks and actually blushes.

"Umm, no I... I was watching you two..."

That makes me raise an eyebrow, here's hoping that just horny teenager syndrome. Well, time to get to work, I know how this works in theory and I know that I need to concentrate for at least the next ten minutes whilst I'm doing this, but the words and actions are important too. Now for voices inside the head, or schizophrenia I'm going to need to bring his voice to the forefront and make him only hear that.

I'm coming up blank with ideas here. I know how to put on a show, I know how to get his attention and keep it. I'm pretty sure he'd be happy just chatting to me rather than I dunno, going batshit or being killed. I bite my lower lip, I'm not exactly sure how the hell I'm meant to do this. Wait, a show. The idea behind the discipline is to draw the subject's attention into giving into the idea that the problem can be fixed. Giving hope and soothing fears so that the ability can take root and drive out the actual mental derangement. Its gonna seem very Disney right now, but if I can use some of the songs I know, maybe I can use that as the way in for m y power.

At this point, it did occur to me that I was about to start singing and doing a Disney moment of healing through song in front of an entire garou pack. The blood must have been more potent than I thought because it still seemed like a good idea. Was I drunk? Oh fuck it.

"Well my dear, let's see. Would you like to tell me a bit more about yourself? I mean, where were you born, how long have you been a Black Spiral?"

He flinches at the question, I'm not surprised, but I need somewhere to start here. Just singing isn't going to cut it, much as the idea entertains me.

"I've.. Been a Spiral all my life. I was brought up in Malpheous."

THAT causes an interesting reaction behind me. I've never heard a room of werewolves go deadly silent like someone just pissed on the prince at a court meeting. I thought only vampires were capable of that stony silence, huh, you live and learn. Well, I don't, I'm still dead, but learning is definitely possible. Did I mention I might have a slight intoxication issue with the blood?

I fake a cough and smile at Rain "Well, I have no idea where that is, is it in the middle east?"

The look that earns me makes me blink. Anyone would think I'd asked a question that he expects everyone to know the answer to. Oh.

"No. You really don't have any idea about werewolves do you?"

"I have some idea, I just try not to pry on the grounds they get pissy and try to remove body parts if you're too knowledgeable"

That actually gets me a smile from him. He has a nice smile, I think this kid can't have been a BS that long as he seems to still have shards of innocence about him. Or I could just be projecting my hopes on to him here.

"That's true. No, Malpheous is the home or hive of the Black Spiral Dancers in the umbra. You know about the umbra don't you?"

"I have a mild understanding. I know it's basically the spiritual world and werewolves can enter. That's about it"

Rain nods along with my explanation "Basically yeah, but there are other worlds within the umbra, deeper, that you can only get to by certain ways. Malpheous is one of them. I was born there and I was raised to dance the black spiral to become a Black Spiral Dancer. I wasn't good at anything, but I was smart enough not to get in trouble for it. Until I learned I could do some pretty impressive stuff with weaponry and armour. Then I started to become useful to them. This was my first mission as it was supposed to be easy and I could have acquired more materials to create weaponry from these Glass Walkers."

Glass Walkers. Oh yes, one of the 13 tribes of the werewolves. That explains a few things, I'd not noticed from my cell. These guys don't have the kind of problems with technology that I'd seen some werewolves have. Even Colt wasn't entirely happy with using tech, but he'd always been the more practical sort instead of actually paying attention to his emotions. I missed that about him. Fuck distracted again! Get back into it Alias!

"Well sorry I threw a spanner in the works, but I'm afraid as unwelcome as these guys have made me feel, I couldn't really let you guys take them out. I know these ones are the good guys. If you can call them that I guess"

"It's ok actually. I hated my life, the voices in my head kept telling me it was always better to get whatever I can from everyone else. I don't want everything, I just wanted to be happy. But they say the only way to happiness is to build weapons, build armour that no one would ever dare to upset me again. To do that, I had to take everything I ever needed from everyone."

Hrm, voices of greed and treachery in his head. I'm sure Colt mentioned something about the wyrm. What was it again? Wyrm corrupts, it promises you the world and hands you a lovely snow globe. It's a lie wrapped in your favourite candy just to tempt you to take a bite. So this kid's voices were encouraging him to be greedy and take what he wanted just so that he could be happy. The manipulation stuff must have been from the ideals of bettering the hive as they could just take the weapons and armour he made and turned them on the garou they attack. Hooboy.

"So, did you believe what the voices were telling you?"

He shakes his head gently "It didn't make sense. I mean yeah I could build some mean weapons or armour and keep myself protected forever, but then I'd just be alone, how would I be happy being alone?"

Wow, this kid is sharp. So the brain washing thingamajig they do on these guys must not have sat with him cos he's too smart. Smart enough to avoid being detected by the other Spirals and to realise the lie they'd fed him. Which meant he could also be smart enough to be leading me by the bollocks here. This could be bad. One thing at a time. If I take care of those voices then maybe we can get that intellect on our side, however I bet this kid isn't used to controlling his emotions in human form. He's smart I'll give him that, but he's in a different league when it comes to emotions. Unless he's the world's best actor and is totally about to fuck me over, I'm gonna run a risk and see about tugging those heart strings of his.

"So, you're alone here right now, facing the chance of death or imprisonment for the rest of your life. You're a kid and soon you'll be of no use to either the garou or Black Spirals and you'll be done away with."

I fight the urge to cringe as speak. His eyes have already filled up and tears are sliding down the sides of his face. Point in his favour though, he's not making a single sound, he really has had that beaten out of him, but he's just too scared right now. I don't really like doing this, but he has to grasp this only chance at redemption not to save his life but to have a fucking life worth living.

"Why the hell should any of us waste any more time on you right now? You're too young to have any knowledge of real use to any of the garou here, you're wyrm infected and hearing voices. Why, why should any of us care?"

He's looking at me and he nods swiftly, the tears being flicked out onto the floor. "You shouldn't, none of you should, you've already done more for me than I'd have done for you. I'm so sorry to have caused you any problems and I'm grateful for your help. You're the closest thing to a friend I've ever had."

Yes! Fucking YES! He's got a spine and some nobility to him! Now, here's hoping the garou don't go buggers and kill him anyway.

"So what you're saying is that you're not afraid of dying now?"

"I've never been afraid of dying, it's what I'm having to live with I'm afraid of."

Wonder if I'm about to get a slap or a round of applause for what I'm gonna do, just hope no one bloody interrupts, I'm almost done here.

"Ever gone white water rafting?"

That makes him blink in surprise "Errr, no?"

I grin at him "It's fun, but the best part about it, no matter how many times I go to the same place, there's 1 thing that is never the same. Can you guess what that is?"

I can almost hear every single garou watching me intently now, they've all picked up on the change of pace and they're all curious as to what's about to happen. Mustn't disappoint my audience now.

"Errr, the boat you use?"

"Heh, nope. The river." my voice changes and I concentrate on the power of my blood, tapping into the other little trick that Sveltte showed me so that I don't get interrupted since I've almost finished with the power of my Salubri blood ability. My lips open and I softly begin to sing;

"You see, what I love most about rivers is:

You can't step in the same river twice,

The water's always changing, always flowing,

But people, I guess, can't live like that,

We all must pay a price,

To be safe, we lose our chance of ever knowing,

What's around the river bend,

Waiting just around the river bend,

I look once more

Just around the river bend

Beyond the shore

Where the gulls fly free

Don't know what for

What I dream the day might send

Just around the river bend

For me

Coming for me

I feel it there beyond those trees

Or right behind these waterfalls

Can I ignore that sound of distant drumming

For a handsome sturdy husband

Who builds handsome sturdy walls

And never dreams that something might be coming?

Just around the river bend

Just around the river bend

I look once more

Just around the river bend

Beyond the shore

Somewhere past the sea

Don't know what for ...

Why do all my dreams extend

Just around the river bend?

Just around the river bend ...

Should I choose the smoothest curve

Steady as the beating drum?

Should I give up and am I done?

Is all my dreaming at an end?

Or do you still wait for me, Dream Giver

Just around the river bend?"

I grin softly as on the last verse I hold my hand out through the bars of the cell holding Rain, his eyes are wide and he's still crying but I can see it worked. His face is full of hope and he almost immediately grasps my hand in both of his, holding on like I was pulling him from a frozen river.

"Want to see what's around the river bend or are you going to sink yourself?"

He nods and shakes his head in that order, the tears have stopped running down his face.

"What do the other voices say?"

He blinks wide eyed at me then gasps softly "I... I can't hear them. I can't hear them! They're gone!"

I barely resist the urge to fist pump the air and shout 'Yeah!' But that thought is taken as there's applause behind me, everyone is grinning and even the alpha looks ready to take on the world. Whoops, over did that last little bit. Better not tell them though.

Not a moment too soon either, I can feel dawn coming. It's minutes away. I need to find somewhere to die for the day. I open my mouth to ask the alpha's permission when an explosion rocks the entire room and a gust of dust is blown from one of the doors.