B00724AICC EBOK (19 page)

Bao was muscular with a Cute Boy hairstyle and the attractive features to match. Even most men took notice of his superior looks and style. He was once mistaken for the American actor Russell Wong, and they had joked about it. Women could lose themselves in his almost hypnotic dark brown eyes. Bao shook his head in disgust. “You’re going to run like a coward? Not very honourable.”

“
Is a mouse attacking a cat honourable? No, it’s foolish! I’ll send flowers to your graves boys. Oh, that’s right, they don’t bury vampires; they just toss our bones into the ocean like so much fish food.”

As Cooke was about to flee they suddenly found themselves surrounded by the Thirteen, all with swords drawn. Most of the vampires smiled knowing smiles, the odds were overwhelmingly in their favour, and it wasn’t every day that a sheriff was destroyed, three at one time would perhaps be a record. The night was starting to have that special feel to it, the excitement of adventure. It was perhaps a turning point within the vampire nation.

“
Gentlemen,” said Boyle. “Welcome to your demise.”

Wei’s sword glowed red but didn’t appear to be hot. Such flushing had never occurred prior to this encounter and it was as if it had a life of its own. He had no idea what it meant. “And to yours as well.”

“
Did you see that?” John was fascinated by Wei’s sword. “His sword is enchanted. I want it!” He threatened to attack first with a jerk of his sword, but no one fell for the ruse.

Boyle considered that it had been a mistake to speak first; it might have tipped them off to his leader status. It wouldn’t do them any good if he didn’t survive the encounter. He was getting an unhealthy feeling about the upcoming battle. “Why do you align yourselves with the mortals? None of you will survive this encounter. I can promise you that.”

Bernard moved counter clockwise with his rare Dragoon officer’s sword at the ready. “How does it feel to know that only minutes from now you’ll all be dead? Dust. Gonna stomp all your bones.

Cooke had an angry look on his face and a sick feeling down deep. He was disgusted with Wei and Bao for calling him into this mess. They may as well have decapitated him themselves. He was desperately searching for a way out when he made eye contact with Snyder’s ominous blue eyes, and he was afraid that he was showing his fear. Cooke was almost attempted to attack Bao he was so angry, but he was aware that any chance of survival depended on all three of them fighting side by side. He also knew that as a red sheriff he shouldn’t be thinking those thoughts. Cooke considered changing sides to save his own skin but he didn’t think it would work.

Bao stared at Boyle and made a slight gesture with his head to indicate that he knew that he was most likely their leader and the first to be attacked. “Soon others will arrive and our odds will increase.”

Boyle shook his head. “There are no other sheriffs in the area, we checked. We’ll give you a single opportunity to surrender. Lay down your weapons.”

Wei laughed. “Oh, sure, we want to be tortured for weeks BEFORE you kill us. Bao, you want to be tortured?”

“
That’s sounds like a good idea. Wei, you play some Jeopardy music while I think about it?” And with that Bao attacked so rapidly that it surprised everyone, even Wei. Boyle’s head was decapitated, and as he turned to dust Bao threw the skeleton at Snyder, who knocked it out of the air with his double sided battle axe. It was a modern copy of an ancient axe and looked deadly with its blades honed to perfection.

The twelve glanced at the skeleton as several shrugged.

Gage made his sword cut through the air, and remained confident by the odds. “Looks like we need a new leader.”

“
Many more sheriffs are on the way, save yourselves while you can.” Wei was now aware that at least five of them were focused on him. It was the sword that he wielded, most of them wanted it. None of them had the knowledge that a magical sword could only be wielded by a wizard.

Cooke blurred and swung at Aidan, but he dodged the blow as Bernard sunk his sword into Cooke’s chest and then immediately removed it. It was excruciating but healed quickly. Wei took the head off John, and his red hair and skin changed to dust littering the ground. Everyone paused at his death and stared at one another. Uberto kicked the skeletal remains to the side in his determination to kill a sheriff.

Swords collided all over the place as steel met steel. There were multiple attacks as swords defended against attempts at decapitation and instant death. Wei forced three of them backward with vicious thrusts, cutting into Vaile’s leg, and then quickly intercepted a cut stroke from Snyder to his neck, but he barely got there in time. Snyder’s blue eyes showed happiness. The odds were beginning to show its ugly head.

As Bernard went behind him, four attacked Wei simultaneously from the front, so swiftly that he didn’t have the opportunity to defend against it. They knocked him down to the sidewalk with a kick and held his arms and legs, making him immobile on the hard sidewalk. Nash and Nate engaged Cooke, going at him from both sides. It was then that Nash took the sheriff’s head off and people commenced to run from the area screaming. His red badge dropped inside his rib cage. Nash stomped the bones and scattered the pieces with a kick. Cooke’s fear was realized as his bones littered the sidewalk.

Bao cut into Vaile’s stomach and into Archie’s left shoulder and then side kicked him twenty feet across the street. A reverse turning kick sent Aidan’s head bouncing down the sidewalk as his skeleton collapsed to the ground. But Bao was rushed by the others and also held flat to the sidewalk. The Chinese sheriffs stared at one another and shrugged; they had tried their best but they knew that the end was near. Gage, approaching the two sheriffs looked down at them with derision.

Bernard was relieved as he approached Wei. “Let me takes their heads off. Or should we secure them and take them with us?”

Gage shook his head. “Too risky to move them. This one has magic. Let ME take their heads.”

Aidan gestured towards Bao. “I want that one’s skull as a souvenir.”

Wei and Bao continued to struggle from the sidewalk, but it was futile. Wei’s sword again glowed but it needed to be controlled into action, and unfortunately the sheriff had no idea of how to accomplish that.

“
I’m doing it.” Gage smiled as he prepared his sword for the decapitation. “You’re gonna like this one,” he said to his weapon.

Wei closed his eyes for several seconds as he wondered what the afterlife would hold for them. Boa continued to struggle with all his might.

Jenny and Allison were walking side by side when the girl got visions and feelings of helplessness. Someone needed help. Suddenly she could observe them in her mind’s eye. Jenny took off like a greyhound out of the gate. She blurred for the very first time in her life and it was difficult for her to control her excessive speed and momentum. But she sensed the danger up ahead, although she didn’t know how she detected it. It was like an animal with instinct as she almost tripped and fell as she moved so rapidly.

Allison called after her daughter but she was out of view. “Jenny!”

Jenny blurred in amongst the vampires as Gage was about to take Wei’s head. Bao had looked away knowing knew his turn was next. But abruptly they all dropped their swords and blurred off into the night in utter confusion, compelled to depart but having no idea how or why they were doing it. The muddle set in deeper as they wandered the streets in search of answers while even the questions eluded them.

Wei stood up and watched as Bao did the same. “What the hell just happened?”

Bao stared at Jenny. “I have no idea, but it has something to do with this young one. How did you do that?”

Jenny immediately took her notebook and pen out of her red purse. “Magic. Can I have your autographs? I want to be a red sheriff when I’m twenty-one. It must have been so exciting to have met Dracula.”

They both signed her book and she returned it to her purse; she hoped that the distraction was working. The look on both their faces was priceless, their eyes wide and unbelieving. Wei’s mouth hung open like a garage door. Bao stared at Wei and then they both stared down at the pretty girl with the spectacular green eyes.

“
You are going to catch flies,” Jenny said to Wei.

Wei finally closed his mouth. “Where did you get such magic?”

“
That’s like asking where does the wind get its air.”

The expression on Bao’s face showed his disbelief. “Do you see the aura on this one?”

Wei studied Jenny’s multi-colored aura. They were normally a single color, usually red or yellow of varying degrees. “I’ve never ever seen one so colorful. What’s your name kid?”

“
Jenny Waller. My aura is blocked; you’re not supposed to be able to see it.”

“
Well, Jenny Waller that is one of our talents.” Wei was still getting used to the fact that he was still alive. “Why did they just take off like that?”

“
Are you a vampire?” Bao added.

“
Not exactly.” Jenny adjusted her purse to her left shoulder.

Wei nodded. “You’re a hybrid?”

“
Mother’s a vampire?” They asked simultaneously.

“
Father.”

“
How did you do that Jenny?”

“
How did I do what?”

“
She’s not very forthcoming. Should we rough her up?” Wei asked Bao in jest.

“
Gentlemen, your sense of humor needs refinement.”

“
I think she’s smarter than we are.”

“
A duck is smarter than we are,” Wei agreed.

“
I have to go; my mother is going to be worried.” And with that she blurred off into the night.”

“
Can you believe that? I’ve never seen anyone move that fast. She would make one heck of a sheriff.”

Wei glanced at the skeletons on the sidewalk. “I can’t believe that I’m still alive.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

JENNY AND HER FRIEND ROSE TAYLOR were on the swings at recess with a hum of kids playing in the background when Jeremy Johnson approached them with his red hair and freckled face. He almost always had that up-to-something look on his stern mug and would pummel the world if he could. Beside him was Jacob his partner in crime. Jeremy was from a broken home and he liked to dish out broken heads whenever the opportunity arose. The little brat was the school bully and just about the only thing that he was good at was being nasty.

“
Jenny, you know that all boys are stronger than all girls! Right?”

“
Most boys are stronger than most girls, but not all.”

“
Get out of here Jeremy, troublemaker.”

“
You can just shut up Rose,” said Jacob.

“
Let’s have a little contest Rose. If I win you have to give me five dollars, and if you win I have to give you five dollars.”

Rose looked at Jenny and then back at Jeremy. “I don’t have five dollars.”

“
You can owe it to me.”

“
What’s the contest?” Rose was always suspicious of Jeremy but she was curious.

“
I’ll punch you in the stomach and then you punch me. Whoever is in worst shape gets the money. And I go first. Well, chicken?” Most boys wouldn’t hit girls but not freckle face. He’d hit anyone and anything.

“
How stupid do you think I am Jeremy?” She put emphasis on his name that wasn’t at all flattering.

Jenny jumped off her swing. “I’ll take that bet Jeremy, unless you’re afraid?”

“
You’re on but I go first.”

Rose shook her head. “Jenny, no.”

“
Go ahead, hit me. Rose, what should I buy with Jeremy’s five dollars?”

“
You better tighten your stomach ‘cause this is gonna hurt.” Jeremy clenched his fist and was determined to inflict so much pain that she wouldn’t be able to hit him at all.

Jeremy punched Jenny as hard as he could and hurt his fist more than he thought possible. It was like punching a cement wall. He was more than puzzled as he jumped around in pain. He actually scraped his knuckles on her stomach. “Ow, ow, ow! What the heck did I hit?”

Jenny showed a slight smile. “My turn or are you too chicken?”

“
I was just joking. I didn’t really hurt myself. Take your best shot!”

Jenny knew that she would kill him with her best shot but she did give him a good one in the solar plexus. She knocked the wind right out of him. He sounded like a seal barking in slow motion as he struggled to catch his wind. Jeremy rolled on the ground thinking that all the air had been sucked out of the world. His friend Jacob couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Jenny and Allison sat on the plush Southern Motion beige reclining sofa from Stoney Creek furniture as the movie’s credits rolled. The evening was quiet and unassuming. She thought about telling her mother about the incident at school but then decided against it. Jenny stretched and pointed her toes. They both yawned, one after the other and laughed about it. A movie was a nice way to share some time and popcorn.

“
Tell me about Martin.”