“Unhand the lady, Lazarus.”
One arm firmly around Molly’s shoulders, Lazarus tilted his head back and roared with laughter. When the laughter faded to mere chuckles, he managed to speak. “Oh, Archie, you are the living end. ‘Unhand the lady.’ You’ve been watching too many old movies. Tell me. do you still have a crush on Errol Flynn?” In the wink of an eye, his face became serious, menacing. “What the hell are you people doing wandering around my house? You are supposed to be securely attached to your chairs.”
“Is that an English crossbow imbedded in the china cabinet?” Adriana asked. “Kind of an unusual display, don’t you think?”
At the other entrance to the dining room was Bulldog, hoping Lazarus wouldn’t notice him as he tiptoed in. He carried a fancy sword he had found along the way and planned to ram it into the heart of the big creep who was holding Molly captive in his arms.
Lazarus was no mood for surprises, nor was he distracted by anyone or anything. With great speed and agility, he whirled around, grabbed the sword by its blade and flung it on the table, never for a second releasing Molly from his grip. Blood trickled from hand but quickly slowed, then halted. He had always been a quick healer. Having failed at stabbing Laz, in a blind fury Bulldog rushed him. With ease and agility, the big vampire knocked Bulldog to the floor, where he hit his head yet again. Bulldog didn’t lose consciousness, but lay where he fell, clutching his head and moaning.
Eyeing the sword, which was shaped similar to a scimitar, Lazarus said, “A falchion? Really? Who uses one of these to kill a vampire? This isn’t Elizabethan England.” He was almost shouting. “That’s it, I don’t want anybody in my ancient armaments collection anymore. Those are very valuable items that I spent a great deal of time curating over the years, over the centuries, really.” A look of disappointment on his face, he turned to Augusta. “I thought you were going to shroud these interlopers until we could deal with them later. Obviously, you need to work on your shroud management. You told me you had everything taken care of.” He shook his head. “I just don’t understand what you’re thinking sometimes. Actually, I never do. I’ve never been able to read your thoughts. I can’t read Molly’s either. Hmm, interesting.”
Lazarus appeared perplexed and thoughtful for a moment, until he said, “All right, we need to get this show on the road. Augusta, my dear, I trust you to put a secure shroud on all of these people, including those lurking in the great room.” Indeed, Maria, James and Officer Wembley had stayed behind, hoping for Bulldog’s success. The thud of his head hitting the floor was not reassuring.
“Please, honey, be focused, eyes on the prize, that sort of thing,” Lazarus continued. “I don’t want to have to deal with them anymore tonight. Better yet, perhaps we should finish them off right here and now.” His eyes narrowed as he spoke, he cocked his head to one side, then asked, “What is that noise? It’s like a low hum. Where is it coming from? I thought Arbor Woods was supposed to be a quiet town.”
Stepping over Bulldog, dragging Molly with him, Lazarus brushed past the threesome in the great room, and pulled open the front door. “Huh. That’s something you don’t see every day. Haven’t had one of these come after me since Transylvania in the early ‘20s. The 1820s, that is. I must say, I’m flattered.”
Milling about the front yard, standing all along the sidewalk and street for as far as Lazarus could see, were townspeople. The hum he heard was their murmuring, a low, menacing sound. Each and every person there held a flaming torch in his or her hand. When they saw the evil vampire at the door, their murmuring grew louder, yet they remained still, as if waiting for an order from an unseen leader.
He gazed down at Molly, smiled and said, “At least I assume they’re here for me. I don’t mean to be presumptuous. They could be here to see you. Are they friends of yours?”
Laz didn’t wait for an answer. Running toward the stairs, he shouted out over his shoulder, “When you’re done, Augusta, meet me on the roof. We’re getting out of here.”
One arm firmly around Molly’s shoulders, Lazarus tilted his head back and roared with laughter. When the laughter faded to mere chuckles, he managed to speak. “Oh, Archie, you are the living end. ‘Unhand the lady.’ You’ve been watching too many old movies. Tell me. do you still have a crush on Errol Flynn?” In the wink of an eye, his face became serious, menacing. “What the hell are you people doing wandering around my house? You are supposed to be securely attached to your chairs.”
“Is that an English crossbow imbedded in the china cabinet?” Adriana asked. “Kind of an unusual display, don’t you think?”
At the other entrance to the dining room was Bulldog, hoping Lazarus wouldn’t notice him as he tiptoed in. He carried a fancy sword he had found along the way and planned to ram it into the heart of the big creep who was holding Molly captive in his arms.
Lazarus was no mood for surprises, nor was he distracted by anyone or anything. With great speed and agility, he whirled around, grabbed the sword by its blade and flung it on the table, never for a second releasing Molly from his grip. Blood trickled from hand but quickly slowed, then halted. He had always been a quick healer. Having failed at stabbing Laz, in a blind fury Bulldog rushed him. With ease and agility, the big vampire knocked Bulldog to the floor, where he hit his head yet again. Bulldog didn’t lose consciousness, but lay where he fell, clutching his head and moaning.
Eyeing the sword, which was shaped similar to a scimitar, Lazarus said, “A falchion? Really? Who uses one of these to kill a vampire? This isn’t Elizabethan England.” He was almost shouting. “That’s it, I don’t want anybody in my ancient armaments collection anymore. Those are very valuable items that I spent a great deal of time curating over the years, over the centuries, really.” A look of disappointment on his face, he turned to Augusta. “I thought you were going to shroud these interlopers until we could deal with them later. Obviously, you need to work on your shroud management. You told me you had everything taken care of.” He shook his head. “I just don’t understand what you’re thinking sometimes. Actually, I never do. I’ve never been able to read your thoughts. I can’t read Molly’s either. Hmm, interesting.”
Lazarus appeared perplexed and thoughtful for a moment, until he said, “All right, we need to get this show on the road. Augusta, my dear, I trust you to put a secure shroud on all of these people, including those lurking in the great room.” Indeed, Maria, James and Officer Wembley had stayed behind, hoping for Bulldog’s success. The thud of his head hitting the floor was not reassuring.
“Please, honey, be focused, eyes on the prize, that sort of thing,” Lazarus continued. “I don’t want to have to deal with them anymore tonight. Better yet, perhaps we should finish them off right here and now.” His eyes narrowed as he spoke, he cocked his head to one side, then asked, “What is that noise? It’s like a low hum. Where is it coming from? I thought Arbor Woods was supposed to be a quiet town.”
Stepping over Bulldog, dragging Molly with him, Lazarus brushed past the threesome in the great room, and pulled open the front door. “Huh. That’s something you don’t see every day. Haven’t had one of these come after me since Transylvania in the early ‘20s. The 1820s, that is. I must say, I’m flattered.”
Milling about the front yard, standing all along the sidewalk and street for as far as Lazarus could see, were townspeople. The hum he heard was their murmuring, a low, menacing sound. Each and every person there held a flaming torch in his or her hand. When they saw the evil vampire at the door, their murmuring grew louder, yet they remained still, as if waiting for an order from an unseen leader.
He gazed down at Molly, smiled and said, “At least I assume they’re here for me. I don’t mean to be presumptuous. They could be here to see you. Are they friends of yours?”
Laz didn’t wait for an answer. Running toward the stairs, he shouted out over his shoulder, “When you’re done, Augusta, meet me on the roof. We’re getting out of here.”
No comments:
Post a Comment