Steve McHugh - Born of Hatred

Fuck you, Merlin. It was a thought that was coming more and more easily to me over the centuries. Whatever vision he and I had shared when I first joined him was slowly eroding. But that was a problem for another time.

Then there was Sam. Someone had murdered his dad, and then tried to kill him. There had to be a reckoning for that, and if I didn't help, Sam would get himself killed. Merlin always said that my conscience got me into trouble. And, he had a fair point. Didn’t mean I planned on changing anytime soon.

"Who are you?" The voice belonged to Mapiya. I opened my eyes and spent a few seconds drinking in her beauty under the guise of waking up.

"I told you who I am," I said.

"Why are you here? In Montana? The real reason."

"Followed an artifact from Mexico, and, it seems to have passed quite a few hands on the way here. Everyone who handled it is dead. The exception to that rule being whoever has it now."

"It's a book, about so thick." Mapiya moved her thumb and forefinger about an inch apart. "It contains bad things. Really bad things."

I stared at the women next to me for a moment. "I’m almost certain that you’re not human, so what are you?"

"Necromancer," she said after a moment's hesitation.

"Can I assume that whatever is in that book relates to your abilities?"

Another hesitation. "What do you know about ghouls?"

"They are men or women who were corrupted by dark, blood magic. They have a venomous bite that paralyses and turns a human in the barren. They're fast, strong and very dangerous."

"They're rare. And they're behind the attack on the people of this fort and the ranch."

"You sure, Mapiya?"

"Sky," she said.

I tried my best not to look confused.

"It's my name," she continued. "Mapiya is a Sioux name; it means Sky."

I smiled. "So, Sky, how many of these ghouls are there?

"Up to six."

I got the impression there was more to it than she was willing to share, but I didn't want to push too soon.

"And your employer would be?"

Sky smiled, it was sly and somehow made her more attractive. "You first."

I shook my head. "Can't, sorry."

"Then you have your answer."

"Secrets aside, it's beginning to appear like as if you and I have the same agenda. To find out what's happening here, and stop it."

"I thought you wanted the book?" she said with that same sly grin.

"Yeah, well if there's ghouls involved, they need stopping. I've never encountered them before, but something weird is definitely going on here. When that happens, I usually like to find out what it is. One question though, why kill the ranch owner? And why so violently? You only kill like that either to send a message, or because you hate the person."

Sky pondered my words for a few moments before responding. "Someone at the nearest town, Kilnhurst, might know. Although, I don't trust anyone in that damned place, so I wouldn't expect the information to come easily."

"I need to talk to Sam, and then I'll make my way there. Alone."

"And what if I say no?"

"You won't. There's another fort west of here, take Sam and go check it out. I'm hoping the fort there hasn't been attacked. If everyone is still in once piece there, they might know more about what the hell is going on."

"Sounds like as good a plan as any."

"What can you tell me about this Kilnhurst?"

"About a thousand people live there, but there are many more who are just passing through. The sheriff is a vicious killer and his deputies are not much better. Something about the place makes my skin crawl. I think it's safe to say that they hate me. Even more than the usual shit I get when I go into a town, though a young woman with my heritage always raises whispers and stolen glances."

"Maybe they're jealous," I pointed out. "Or they find you irresistible and can barely contain their desire for you."

"Or they hate and fear me because they're a bunch of small-minded idiots."

"Or that." I said and we both laughed. "The Chief doesn't trust me."

"You're an outsider in a time when his people are being killed and abused, while justice is in short supply. He doesn't trust anyone he doesn't know."

"He trusts you."

"The Crow Tribe and I go a long way back."

I digested the information as Sam raced around the corner, almost running into one of the cannons, before skidding to a halt in front of Sky and me. "Chief Blacktail wants to talk to you," he said to me.

I stood and brushed loose dirt from my trousers. "We need to have a talk of our own," I said to Sam, and walked off to find the Chief.

Blacktail had set himself up in the fort's large dining room. Lamps burned brightly on the walls, but the six Crow warriors still did their best to appear inconspicuous. They stayed far enough from their Chief to appear unthreatening, but close enough that they could get to an attacker in a heartbeat. One of the men casually held a bow, an arrow already nocked. The Chief sat at one of two long tables eating an apple. He gestured for me to sit opposite him, which I did with a nod of gratitude.

"We found this." Chief Blacktail signalled to one of the warriors who brought forward a cavalry sabre stained red with blood. "It was in the barracks, which appear to have been the centre of a large fight."

"Any other traces of the soldiers?"

Chief Blacktail shook his head. "Some blood, though not enough to cause a man to die. They were all taken by monsters of the night, I already know this. They're dead now, there's little chance of any other result. I requested your presence so that we can discuss this." A second warrior placed a tomahawk on the table in front of me. It was identical to the one I'd found in the barn, except it lacked any blood on the blade or feathers.

"Was this found in the fort?" I asked.

"Imbedded in the timber outside this room. Someone is trying to make stupid people believe we are involved in these massacres."

"I suspect you weren't meant to find the weapon, nor was I. Someone will probably visit the fort tomorrow morning. The same will be true of the ranch. My guess is this visitor will be involved with the killers. They were meant to discover the tomahawks as proof of the crimes committed in these places. To draw attention away from themselves and put it on people who some are still suspicious of."

"That sounds true enough. Bring him out," he added with a glance over his shoulder. One of the Chief's guards exited through a set of double doors, returning a moment later, pushing a handcuffed man in front of him. The newcomer was a head taller than the warrior, but the fear in his eyes was easy to see. Or rather, eye. The left one was swollen shut, and blood stained his blue shirt from a cut on his lip. Bruises adorned both sides of his face, and he walked with an obviously painful limp.

A deputy badge shone proudly on his lapel. We were heading into very dangerous waters and I hesitated to voice my concern. "You beat up a deputy," I said. "That's got all kinds of trouble in it for you."

"Tell him," Chief Blacktail said to the now seated man.

"Fuck you, Chief kiss-my-ass." The man's attempt at mockery gained him a punch to the jaw from one of the warriors, which knocked him to the floor.

"Would you like to be clever again?" the Chief asked as the man was dragged back into a seated position.

The deputy started talking immediately. "I was told to wait until morning when some wagons will be going past on their way to town. I was supposed to ride from the Fort, telling everyone that it had been attacked. The people from the wagons would come inside, find the tomahawk, and these assholes would get the blame. But they turned up first."

"You can't kill him," I said.

"He should die for his treachery."

"Enough," the Chief commanded. "Nathan is right; killing the deputy would be disastrous for us in the long run. If we were ever linked to his death, the government would attack us."