B00724AICC EBOK (12 page)

His cell danced to life with an Eminem’s Slim Shady rap and he grabbed it off the coffee table. “Hello. Yes. My computer has a virus. I’ll be there shortly. Yes, I’ll bring the dog. Yes. If you’ll let me off the damn phone I’ll get going.”

The dog barked twice.

“
You were right. You’re always right.”

Alexander put on his black trench coat and they blurred off into the night.

The police backed away from the entrance of JCPENNY’S as soon as the red sheriff arrived with his dog. His badge a subdued red as an incoming message from another sheriff would simply have to wait until the scene was over. Victor turned and showed the most evil smile that Alexander had ever seen; his grin was as Jack Nicholson’s might look if he was on some powerful hallucinogenic drug. Tessy showed her fangs in turn and that stopped him in his tracks.

Victor stared at the dog as her muscles tensed. “A vampire dog?”

The sheriff slowly slid his sword out of its scabbard. “That’s quite a fever. I can feel the heat from here. I can give you an injection to slow its progression.”

“
I’ll inject my foot in your ass!” He laughed and laughed until he commenced to cough. “Let’s do this thing. I’m dead anyway. I killed two people and sucked all their blood, and it was better than the coldest beer. Better than popcorn at the best movie. Better than the best sex.”

“
I know you’re hurting.” Alexander wanted to give him the opportunity to surrender but he could see the desperation in his face.

It sounded like a switch blade opening as Victor’s nails extended out of both hands about three inches, as sharp as any nails could be and shiny black. He stuck his tongue out slightly, and wiggled his fingers as he gazed at his own fingernails which had become deadly weapons. Victor blurred but the dog was faster and cut him off from an attack on Alexander. She barked viciously showing her fangs. His face showed surprise at the speed of the animal; he wondered how the dog would taste.

“
You see that!” said one of the officers from a distance. “We should have one of those vamp dogs. See the fangs on her. I’d shit my pants if I ran into that in an alley.”

“
You’d shit your pants if you saw a cat.” Henry knew of the officer’s irrational fear of cats, and he was often teased about his ailurophobia. Last year they bought him a toy cat for Christmas.

Victor inspected the officers to his right and that made them all uncomfortable though they didn’t move a muscle. He went for the dog as Alexander attempted to chop off his head but only ended up cutting off about an inch off the top which quickly grew back, but it hurt. Tessy grabbed his right hand and bit it off; she shook the appendage and tossed it against the glass as someone in the store screamed. His arm grew a new hand.

“
Not so easy is it sheriff?”

Victor rushed toward the officers hoping for a final kill but the dog attached herself to his left leg. The dog bit three times in rapid succession and then held on tight. The pain was sufficient to distract just enough for Alexander to swing his blade; he cut off the same hand and his head simultaneously. He turned to dust and his skeleton slid over to the officers.

“
I’ll never get used to that.”

Tessy squatted and urinated on the skeletal remains as a final statement.

“
Ew.”

Alexander shook his head. “Tessy, I wish you wouldn’t do that.”

And with a great deal of relief an officer kicked the skeleton away from him and across the floor. They could finally breathe after the horrible ordeal.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

ON A SMALL FARM in northern England the sun shone on the picturesque stone building surrounded by green rolling hills. It was a picture perfect day beneath the empty blue sky. Beautiful yellow Day Lilies under the box window sent their fragrance into the air as several bees showed up to dance on them. The area’s pulchritude was undeniable, as not a single passer-by would fail to notice the awe-inspiring beauty from the winding rural road. It was an enchanted county filled with ancient castles, green hills and rough moorland. It was a photographer’s paradise, with welcoming towns and quaint villages.

The sheep grazed in their pasture all around the stone house as a watchful black and white Border collie, Teddy, kept his eye on things and enjoyed the light breeze. He had four dazzling white paws, white chest, neck and the end of his tail, with the rest of him being black. The four-year-dog was full of energy as it ran around and showed the animals who was in charge with an occasional nip. The dog loved his job and took it to heart, however he didn’t care much for the weekly bath that he had received early that morning. A bee buzzed the dog and he pawed at it, and the insect departed just as the canine was about to show his teeth and bite it if necessary.

The air was clean and fresh and the area was moist from an overnight rain. A large raven flew over the expanse and landed on the new slate rooftop. It stretched its wings peculiarly as it strutted around on the roof. The animal took the dog’s attention as the bird let loose with three repeating screeches which it continued to call out for over a minute. It marched back and forth like a proper soldier, and then abruptly halted. Its dark eyes glowed red and then faded to normal. The Border collie barked a warning at the bird, but there was nothing that he could accomplish from the ground. The dog sneezed and shook his head at it with no result. Teddy was familiar with the bird flying over the area, but never had it acted so peculiar. It usually circled the farm several times every morning after sunrise but never had it disrupted its flight until now. It commenced to pick the solid roof in Morse code and then with one mighty screech flew off. The collie sneezed again and watched as the vertebrate flew out of sight.

But within minutes the raven returned seemingly from out of nowhere, landed in front of the heavy door and started to peck at it. Teddy had been about a hundred yards away with a wandering sheep when he noticed the bold bird. He flew across the field as fast as he was able; fully intending to bite the intruder in half if necessary, but the closer he got the more his desire to bite faded. Then within five feet of the bird he simply sat and observed it. It was incessant with its pecking at the door.

Teddy cocked his head at the strangeness of the bird.

Wilhelmina opened the door and rubbed some of the sand out of her eyes as it had been a long night. “Yes, yes, we got the message. Off with you. It’s okay Teddy, he’s a friend of the family.” And with that she closed the door.

The bird landed on top of the dog’s back and scratched him in all the right places, and with that he threw himself onto his back as the raven walked up and down, gently picking and scraping. Teddy’s leg started to kick as he had never been scratched so properly. Its accuracy was wondrous, as satisfying as any delicious steak. The dog was in his own heavenly state when the bird suddenly up and flew off, without a warning or a goodbye. The collie jumped up and barked at it to come back but watched as it disappeared from view. Then his energy exploded after yet another disobedient sheep, and the mammal was destined for such a nip.

But as the long day flowed into the darkness, four sets of red eyes were observed by Wilhelmina past her brown frilly curtains. They advanced under the crescent moon. They purposely blurred short distances as they approached to appear even more menacing. Stephen, Joshua, Noah and Luke knew that there were no sheriffs in the area as only so many of them existed. More vampires were being brought into the world every single day, but not so for the red sheriffs.

They blurred to the front of the seventieth century stone construction and Stephen knocked on the solid wooden door. Wilhelmina swung the door open and glared at the four vampires; she looked like a little old lady with white hair and a yellow apron, but with the attitude of a young punk with a switchblade. Wilhelmina didn’t look at all frightened by the four vicious biters. Her husband appeared behind her and he was a robust looking fellow and was actually a little shorter than she was; he was almost bald with nice hazel eyes but also with the demeanor of a pit bull. Richard crossed his arms defiantly. He made tiny circles in the palm of his hand with his thumb as if preparing some sort of spell.

Stephen attempted to enter her mind to force her to give them permission to enter, but it didn’t seem to be working. “Something is definitely weird about these two.”

Joshua attempted to enter the dwelling but the act of doing so was like a punch in the face and he backed up several feet. He was visibly angry. “Their auras are blocked for one thing.”

“
I can’t even tell if they’re vamps or not. I know they are but I can’t confirm it.” Luke peeked into the side window but couldn’t see anyone else in there. But he did observe two skeletons tacked up against the wall, two recent attackers that had been properly disposed of earlier in the week.

“
You four need to go play somewhere else, before we use you miscreants to decorate our little abode.” Richard took a step to the side and they all thought that it was a peculiar thing to do.

Wilhelmina also crossed her arms to show that she meant business. She also briefly flashed her fangs. It was obvious to the four that they were up to something but had no idea what. Joshua noticed that Stephen’s blue eyes sensed something. He had a puzzled look on his face but was also acting as if he was trying hard to detect something, as he tilted his head slightly. His eyebrows tightened. He slowly sniffed the air and could detect the slightest odor of the smoke from a burnt oak tree. There was something about that but he was unable to recall any further information.

“
What is it?”

Stephen didn’t look at all happy. “This place is all upped with magic. If we even went in there we’d all be dust. They even have a spell to conceal the magic but it’s old and worn around the edges.”

A knowing smile appeared on Richard. “Aw, there not as dumb as they look.”

“
No one can be that stupid,” Wilhelmina countered.

Stephen shook his head as he commenced to feel a bubbling in the pit of his stomach. “Are you two second generation?”

The old couple said nothing but their silence spoke wisdom nonetheless.

Luke had started to pace. “Second generation?”

“
They were turned by the master himself, and anyone personally turned by Dracula is infused with some of his energy and power. He’s like the sun and can spare lots of it, and it makes for powerful biters of varying degrees. If I’m recalling correctly it does wear off somewhat over the centuries. This place is spelled, covered with the smoke from a burnt oak tree. That’s why we’re starting to feel sick. It won’t be fun spending the next week attempting to vomit.”

“
Oh, you’re going to remember this week.” She slowly nodded and showed them a knowing smile.

Stephen was angry, and in fact extremely irritated at the fact that there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. He was unaware of exactly who stood before them; however he was aware that he was ignorant of many things. “I don’t suppose that you’ll inform us of the location of the dagger?”

Richard nodded knowingly. “We may as well tell them; otherwise they’ll be hanging around here for months and making a nuisance of themselves. Killing sheep and other such nonsense. We were in fact tasked with protecting the dagger of Hithroma; it was inside the small keep down there on the edge of our property. Multiple spells were on it but it’s disappeared nonetheless. Other guardians are also duty bound to protect it, specialists. We were informed by an anonymous call that Dracula does not have the weapon, but that he’s suicidal and in fact seeks it. If the master kills himself, then so do we all perish?”

Stephen took it all in and pondered on it. “That is not what I was told. If the dagger is plunged it into Dracula’s chest, he becomes mortal and the other becomes the master. What do you two old crows say to that?”

“
You haven’t read the Blood Book have you?” said Wilhelmina.

Luke’s blue eyes blinked several times. “Blood Book?”

The door was slammed in their faces with such vehemence that they felt the wind from it. They started across the rolling hills as the dry heaves commenced. They all emitted terrible wails of vomiting with Joshua producing the most disharmonious sound of hurling that was perhaps ever produced by anyone. Bubbles of acid continued to form and churn and dissolve everything that was in their stomachs. It was like no pain that they had ever experienced. Even the kidney stones that Stephen used to pass as a human weren’t comparable to what he was experiencing.

“
Somebody please kill me!” And with that Joshua threw up the last bit of blood that had been in his stomach.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

PIERS ANTHONY AND DRACULA exited the stretch Limousine in front of the senator’s mansion as the stout driver held the door for the two. An FBI agent followed alongside Ted repeating his warning that the king of all vampires could not be trusted. Ted Fisher gestured for the agent to get away from him as Dracula and Piers was welcomed into the dining room, where his wife Sheila was sitting at the long antique mahogany finished dining room table with black and gold designs throughout. Piers and Dracula sat on one side, with the Fisher’s on the other. Introductions were done quickly as the couple was desperate to get down to business.