All eyes in the laboratory turned toward the fallen door. A plume of smoke rose above a scorched mark at the bottom of the door. There was a smell of gunpowder and burnt flower in the air.
“Well, that was completely unnecessary,” Lazarus said to no one in particular. “It’s not like I didn’t know you were in the house.” Hearing this, his captives looked at each other as if Laz was losing his mind. Stepping over the still smoldering door, Lazarus said over his shoulder, “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”
Lazarus passed the broken frame and strode confidently through the dim, smoky hallway. At its end was a swinging door leading to the kitchen. He passed through it and began to speak, quietly, calmly.
“Was an explosion really necessary, Molly? It is Molly, isn’t it? We haven’t been properly introduced. You weren’t at the house when we came calling on Martin, but they mentioned you. I assumed you would show up here. You’re a hunter. I knew you couldn’t pass on a chance to bag the biggest prey of all. At this very moment, though, just who is the hunter, and who is the hunted?”
Lazarus paused by the kitchen island where Molly had made the small device she used to blow open the lab door. “You didn’t clean up after yourself. You’re a naughty kitten. And that’s all you are, a kitten. So young.” He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath.
“Did you think the smoke would mask your scent? It’s sandalwood, isn’t it? Lovely. Brings back wonderful memories. One of Joseph Kennedy’s mistresses wore sandalwood. Met her when he and I ran whiskey out of Ireland during Prohibition. She was a fun girl. Those were good times.” He chuckled softly. “You can tell how nostalgic that aroma makes me.”
He breathed in again, eyes half closed. “Even without your lovely scent, I could find you. There’s no where you could hide from me, not in this house, not anywhere really, but especially here in my own home, there’s no escape. I know you’re near, so very, very close to me. I can hear the blood flowing through your veins. I can almost taste it, the sweet, tangy blood of youth.”
Lazarus lowered his head, stared at the swinging door that led from the kitchen to the dining room. “There’s no need to worry, Molly, no reason to fear me or what’s going to happen. You have an extraordinary life ahead of you. Soon enough, you’ll thank me.”
In an instant, Lazarus laid his large hand upon the dining room door. Molly stood at the other end of the room. When she saw the door begin to open, she released her grip on the bow string and the arrow flew from its rest.
“Well, that was completely unnecessary,” Lazarus said to no one in particular. “It’s not like I didn’t know you were in the house.” Hearing this, his captives looked at each other as if Laz was losing his mind. Stepping over the still smoldering door, Lazarus said over his shoulder, “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”
Lazarus passed the broken frame and strode confidently through the dim, smoky hallway. At its end was a swinging door leading to the kitchen. He passed through it and began to speak, quietly, calmly.
“Was an explosion really necessary, Molly? It is Molly, isn’t it? We haven’t been properly introduced. You weren’t at the house when we came calling on Martin, but they mentioned you. I assumed you would show up here. You’re a hunter. I knew you couldn’t pass on a chance to bag the biggest prey of all. At this very moment, though, just who is the hunter, and who is the hunted?”
Lazarus paused by the kitchen island where Molly had made the small device she used to blow open the lab door. “You didn’t clean up after yourself. You’re a naughty kitten. And that’s all you are, a kitten. So young.” He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath.
“Did you think the smoke would mask your scent? It’s sandalwood, isn’t it? Lovely. Brings back wonderful memories. One of Joseph Kennedy’s mistresses wore sandalwood. Met her when he and I ran whiskey out of Ireland during Prohibition. She was a fun girl. Those were good times.” He chuckled softly. “You can tell how nostalgic that aroma makes me.”
He breathed in again, eyes half closed. “Even without your lovely scent, I could find you. There’s no where you could hide from me, not in this house, not anywhere really, but especially here in my own home, there’s no escape. I know you’re near, so very, very close to me. I can hear the blood flowing through your veins. I can almost taste it, the sweet, tangy blood of youth.”
Lazarus lowered his head, stared at the swinging door that led from the kitchen to the dining room. “There’s no need to worry, Molly, no reason to fear me or what’s going to happen. You have an extraordinary life ahead of you. Soon enough, you’ll thank me.”
In an instant, Lazarus laid his large hand upon the dining room door. Molly stood at the other end of the room. When she saw the door begin to open, she released her grip on the bow string and the arrow flew from its rest.
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