The first thing I noticed was the silence that had settled over the city as the snow fell. You wouldn’t know that the world was at war again. It seemed to be the only thing that mankind was good at, but it was the war that had brought me back to Prague. Charles IV was the Holy Roman Emperor the last time I was here. That was a long time ago.
Now, the Nazi’s ruled all I could see. Smoke hung in the air from the factories on the outskirts of the city. As I walked around the area known as ‘Old Town,’ the rulers of the city were evident as they walked around in their rich, wool, black uniforms with silver piping along the collars, cuffs, and pockets. Their highly polished black boots and red armbands displaying the swastika of the Third Reich made them stand out from the winter backdrop.
The civilians moved about with heads down to escape the notice of these monsters. Oh, and they were monsters. It was one of the reasons that they had drawn the attention of the Fallen and why I was here. My target was one of the Fallen, and he was going by the name Heinrich Muller, an SS-Gruppenfuhrer and Chief of the Gestapo. I had followed him to Prague from Berlin after the attempted assassination of Reinhard Heydrich - another SS bastard and not a Fallen.
Nope, just a good old run of the mill evil human.
My name is Micah, and I am what the religious scholars would call me an Angel. I’m not a toga wearing, with halos and wings playing a harp type of angel. Well, I have a halo and wings, but I digress.
My point is that we aren’t what we have been portrayed to be in the works of art through the ages. We are God’s warriors. My sole purpose is to hunt down my brethren who fell with Lucifer when they decide to involve themselves in the affairs of mortals.
I moved through Old Town heading towards an establishment known as Vlk Day or Wolf’s Den. It was a pub that most of the Nazi officers frequented during their off-duty hours. There were always plenty of girls there trying to better their family’s standing in the city. Especially since the assassination, people who were once considered friends were now looked at as possible collaborators. It was the reason Muller was here as he sent his Gestapo dogs to sniff out the truth.
I stepped inside the Wolf’s Den stopping once I was inside to let my eyes adjust to the gloom of the common room and stomping my boots to knock off any snow or slush that I tracked in. I removed my woolen overcoat and scarf and draped these over my left arm as I moved to an empty table near the large fireplace. Once seated, I glanced around the room and noticed a group of Nazi officers in the back section of the room. A place that the locals avoided otherwise they’d be run off. There appeared to be about seven or eight of them and about twice that many girls laughing and sitting on the laps of some. I continued my scan of the large room to not drawn attention to myself.
I was rubbing my hands together next to the fire to warm myself, when she walked up to my table. Beautiful fair skin, dark chestnut colored hair with the most stunning ice blue eyes. She was wearing a billowing white cotton blouse and multi-colored skirts with a black shawl. She also wasn’t human. If my nose was correct, she was a Werewolf. It was fitting, given the name of the place.
“What can I get you?” she asked with a soft musical voice.
“Beer, please and do you have anything to eat?” I replied.
“Aye, we have brats and sauerkraut ready to eat, and there’s some fresh apple strudel as well.” she told me as she tucked a lock of those chestnut curls behind her ear.
“That would be great. I’ll have both please,” I said.
“Okay, I’ll get your beer first.” She took off behind the bar to pour my beer.
I watched her from my seat by the fire. She moved with that unnatural grace that those of her kind all had. She smiled easily with the other patrons. I could look at that smile for centuries and not get bored.
While the barmaid checked on the officers and their dates, I sat there and observed as the girls with the officers looked down their noses at the barmaid. Some even made hushed comments to their friends. The barmaid stiffened as they talked and joked at her expense. Those girls had no idea that the barmaid was the most dangerous person in that part of the pub.
The barmaid stood there with clinched fists while absorbing their abuse. One of the officers turned and bumped into her. He then shoved her away while saying. “Watch where you’re going, girl! Don’t you know who I am? I could have your entire family locked up. You and your kind were probably behind all the recent turmoil.” he threatened as he stood over her.
I went to intervene as a hand landed on my shoulder. “Let it go, lad. She’s not in any trouble, yet. Now if it had been her mother, then I’d beat you over there to stop the impending bloodshed.”
I turned and considered the eyes of a very large man with dark brown hair and brown beard that had a smattering of grey and white. He was dressed in simple clothes, brown trousers, and a long sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, displaying muscled forearms and wrists as thick as tree limb. “If you’re her father, then you’d be right,” I stated.
“You’re not what you seem, and neither is she.” he said as fact as he touched his nose with a finger, indicating he could tell I wasn’t human. I settled back down, and he took the seat next to me to keep an eye on his daughter, if I read him right.
“I’m Josef,” he revealed as he extended a hand.
“Micah,” I offered as we shook hands. “Your daughter, then?”
He nodded as we watched her back away, apologizing to the Nazi officer while the girls all laughed at her before she disappeared into the kitchen. He then turned to me. “What brings you to Prague?”
“I’m not here for you and yours if that’s what you’re wondering,” I answered, giving Josef my full attention.
“You’re not like me, but you’re also not one of the Children of the Night either,” he stated.
“I’m not, but I’m also not allowed to say anything, other than I’m more a threat to them…” I paused as I indicated the Nazi’s, “than I am to anyone else.”
He was about to ask me another question when his daughter, the alluring brunette in the colorful skirts, brought out my dinner. “Papa, I’m sorry. I tried to stay away from them,” she said as she placed my meal before me.
I was inhaling the wonderful aromas that had begun to assault my nose, when Josef answered his daughter. “I saw everything, Maeve. You are not to blame but neither can we do anything about them. Now see to the other customers, my precious one.”
The barmaid, Maeve, blushed at her father’s endearment as she stole glances of me with bright eyes. “Yes, papa,” she replied as she went to see how the few other tables with customers were fairing.
Josef turned to me with hard eyes that looked like chips of flint. “I hope you have not brought trouble to my doorstep.” His threat was implied in the set of his shoulders and stance as he stood.
I met Josef’s eyes, “It is not my intent to bring trouble to your door. I am here for another reason,” I explained before glancing over to where the Nazi’s were laughing and enjoying the company of their girls.
Josef left in a huff as he made his way behind the bar. He began polishing glasses while he split his gaze between me and the Nazi’s. I would bet my wings he was wondering who the bigger threat to his world at that moment was.
The aroma from the brats and kraut drew my attention away from Josef. The food was delicious, and the beer was a perfect match. I began to wonder if maybe they had a Witch in the kitchen. What a way for them to make a killing if the food was spelled to make you drink more. The thought reminded me of a Witch in Antioch who ran a tavern back during the 2nd or 3rd Crusade who had done exactly that.
I was smiling like a fool when the barmaid - what was her name again? Maeve, that’s it - came over to my table to see how I was making out. She looked at me curiously.
“Sorry, the meal reminded me of another place I enjoyed in times past,” I explained.
“It’s okay. You looked truly happy.” A sad shadow passed across her features for a second. “It’s a look that has not been around here in a long time,” she finished in a whisper. I followed her gaze to the group of Nazi officers, understanding her meaning.
I was about to ask for more food and another round when Maeve stiffened. About a minute later the door to the pub opened, letting in three men. A quick glance around the room let me see that everyone looked either into their cups or their plates. No one wanted to catch these men’s attention. Seeing that Maeve was staring, I bumped her with my elbow, holding up my now empty beer glass. “Can I get another one, please?”
Maeve was quick on the uptake, winking at me for bailing her out of who knew what. “Sure thing. I’ll be right back. Are you going to want some of momma’s Apple Strudel?”
“That would be very appreciated, thank you,” I replied.
I watched Maeve disappear as the three men who screamed ‘GESTAPO’ walked slowly towards the Nazi officers. The man in the lead scanned the room as though as he held all our lives in his hands. Our eyes met for a moment before I broke contact but from that split second, I knew this man was a monster.
Josef looked worried, the Nazi officers all stopped talking and turned to face the newcomers. Even their girls shrank away from these three. Curious.
Maeve retuned by a circuitous route to avoid the Gestapo men. She placed my drink and desert down next to my plate before scurrying back into the kitchen.
I decided to take my cue from Maeve. I finished my meal and beer before dropping some money on the table next to my empty plate. I moved to the door, my coat in hand. I nodded to Josef, and I opened the door, departing into the darkening winter evening.