“What the hell is wrong with all you people?” Augusta hissed as everyone convened in the great hall. “I told you to stay put for your own good, and what do you do? The minute I turn my back, you start scrambling around like chickens in a barnyard. I didn’t realize I needed to watch you all constantly.”
Bulldog, still feeling a little sluggish after being shrouded then almost knocked unconscious by Lazarus, said, “We have to follow them. I can’t let him take Molly and turn her...” His voice trailed off.
Augusta looked at him incredulously. “No. No one is going anywhere. You disobeyed me and now Molly is paying the price. Do you people not understand that Lazarus is a powerful vampire? He may be off his rocker, but that doesn’t mean he can’t kick your asses, or worse. Let me deal with him. I’ve got to get to the roof. I can stop him there. Now will you listen to me and stay put?”
No one spoke. It was Officer Wembley who broke the silence. “Okay, we’ll stay here.”
Augusta said, “Good. Don’t move until I tell you to.” She took the steps two at a time. Hearing an unusual amount of commotion behind her, she paused and turned. Bulldog and Wembley, James and Maria, Martin, Adriana and Archie were all following her.
Exasperated, Augusta said, “This is not what I call staying put.” She rolled her eyes, then said, “All right, fine, we can all go, but for heaven’s sake, stay behind me and stay out of my way.” The group gave her breathing room as they followed her up the ornate staircase.
It was on the landing near the top floor that they found Molly’s body. She lay with her arms and legs splayed as if she had been violently thrown down. There was a trickle of blood from bite marks on her neck, and her breathing was shallow and irregular. Her eyes were open, but vacant of any apprehension.
Bulldog’s face turned white as he knelt in the blood and cradled Molly’s head in his hands. “Oh, Molly, you can’t die on me. I need you to live.”
Augusta stood near Molly, looked down at her, then turned her gaze on the others. “We can fix this,” she said, “but for once, I need everyone to listen to me. You all need to go down to the lab. Bulldog, Wembley, carry Molly and lie her down on one of the operating tables. Maria, get a bandage on her neck wound. Martin, get yourself on a table next to the one Molly is on.”
“Me? Why me?”
“Because I said so. Just make yourself comfortable and I’ll be down as soon as I can take care of my business. No one follows me, no exceptions. Do as I tell you.”
Silently, they all nodded, then proceeded to carry Molly downstairs.
Augusta went the other direction, heading up to the stairway that led to the roof.
Bulldog, still feeling a little sluggish after being shrouded then almost knocked unconscious by Lazarus, said, “We have to follow them. I can’t let him take Molly and turn her...” His voice trailed off.
Augusta looked at him incredulously. “No. No one is going anywhere. You disobeyed me and now Molly is paying the price. Do you people not understand that Lazarus is a powerful vampire? He may be off his rocker, but that doesn’t mean he can’t kick your asses, or worse. Let me deal with him. I’ve got to get to the roof. I can stop him there. Now will you listen to me and stay put?”
No one spoke. It was Officer Wembley who broke the silence. “Okay, we’ll stay here.”
Augusta said, “Good. Don’t move until I tell you to.” She took the steps two at a time. Hearing an unusual amount of commotion behind her, she paused and turned. Bulldog and Wembley, James and Maria, Martin, Adriana and Archie were all following her.
Exasperated, Augusta said, “This is not what I call staying put.” She rolled her eyes, then said, “All right, fine, we can all go, but for heaven’s sake, stay behind me and stay out of my way.” The group gave her breathing room as they followed her up the ornate staircase.
It was on the landing near the top floor that they found Molly’s body. She lay with her arms and legs splayed as if she had been violently thrown down. There was a trickle of blood from bite marks on her neck, and her breathing was shallow and irregular. Her eyes were open, but vacant of any apprehension.
Bulldog’s face turned white as he knelt in the blood and cradled Molly’s head in his hands. “Oh, Molly, you can’t die on me. I need you to live.”
Augusta stood near Molly, looked down at her, then turned her gaze on the others. “We can fix this,” she said, “but for once, I need everyone to listen to me. You all need to go down to the lab. Bulldog, Wembley, carry Molly and lie her down on one of the operating tables. Maria, get a bandage on her neck wound. Martin, get yourself on a table next to the one Molly is on.”
“Me? Why me?”
“Because I said so. Just make yourself comfortable and I’ll be down as soon as I can take care of my business. No one follows me, no exceptions. Do as I tell you.”
Silently, they all nodded, then proceeded to carry Molly downstairs.
Augusta went the other direction, heading up to the stairway that led to the roof.
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