"Lara!" I yelled. "Take Heleyne and—" I was interrupted by Agyar, who threw himself at me in utter rage, his fangs dripping with saliva, his hands extended into claws. I cried out and leapt to the side, making him fly out the door into the hallway.
"Get Heleyne away from here!" I yelled, never taking my eyes from the doorway. Whether or not Lara obeyed me right away I do not know as Agyar flew back into the room as a huge black wolf. He flew straight for my throat, and I barely ducked down enough to avoid his deadly jaws.
And as I ducked, I turned toward the window, and was nearly blinded by the brightness. The sun was minutes away, and the sky was signaling for its entrance. But I couldn't give up yet.
The wolf landed squarely on its feet and turned back toward me, and I stood my ground before it and waited for its next move. I saw it glance to the side momentarily before howling in rage, and I looked to see Lara hefting Heleyne into her arms. Now my job was to keep Agyar away from her.
The wolf continued howling, and its cry became more and more human-like as it changed, and it became upright in Agyar's form. He pointed at Lara.
"Bring her back, wench!" he hissed, and Lara almost dropped Heleyne in terror.
"Keep going, Lara!" I cried, trying desperately to wave her on. "Take her out of here!" Time was running out; I could barely see in the brightness, and it was becoming hot. I continued waving the petrified Lara on, unfortunately turning my back to Agyar.
"Lara!" I yelled, pointing at her and concentrating on her mind. "I'M ORDERING YOU TO GO!" She looked at me quickly with great fear in her eyes before turning to leave, and I returned my attention to Agyar in time to see that he had torn a piece of wood from the windowsill and was holding it menacingly before me. Then he let out a horrible cry before thrusting it straight for my heart.
I screamed and turned away from the stake, making him deflect away from me and rush forward toward Lara. I raised my hand and was about to scream again, only Lara beat me to it as he plunged it into her heart instead.
My ears rang from her cry of pain as she fell, and she dropped Heleyne in the process. I screamed again, too, but this time from my own pain as the first ray of the morning sun shot through the window. Agyar cried out, also, but I took most of the light at first, and it was not yet as painful for him.
Now there was no time. Victory for Agyar and myself now meant just getting out of there, away from the sun, and our battle quickly became a race to the door. Agyar held me tight and meant to throw me back toward the window and run from the room, but I held on to his cloak as he pushed me away, which made him fall backward, as well.
We rolled over each other, both crawling in agony for the door, both now beginning to smoke from the heat. And I had at least three goals, where he had no more than two; I had to escape, kill him, and get Lara and Heleyne out of there, too. Agyar wanted to escape alone, meaning that I was to be left behind to burn. Perhaps he also intended to take Heleyne with him—but certainly not Lara.
The pain was almost overwhelming, but I would not give up—not after coming this far. And if I had to die to make sure he did, too, then so be it.
His last attempt to break away from me was to transform into a bat. His changing form and size made it difficult for me to hold on to, and he managed to leap away, and he was about to begin flapping his wings when I sprang up at him, grabbed him, and threw him under the bed. Meanwhile the light from the sun blinded me, and I screamed and covered my eyes, turning away to run for the door.
My eyes were still shut when I tripped over Lara or Heleyne's body—I couldn't tell which yet, and my flesh was burning too much for me to be able to tell from their smell. I collapsed to the floor and scooped up her body and crawled in the door's direction. She was warm—not bleeding. I could feel no stake—where was Lara? I reached back blindly and began groping about for Lara, when I heard Agyar's roar as he crawled from under the bed.
Now there truly was no time. I panicked and held on to Heleyne and crawled for the door. I could feel flames forming on me now, and I hoped that none of them were touching her. Agyar's roar sounded again—a grotesque blend of rage and pain, and it was getting closer fast.
I reached the door's threshold and scrambled through, and I used the wall to help me stand as quickly as possible. I opened my eyes long enough to glimpse the door, not to mention Agyar's fast-approaching figure, and pulled it shut fast as I could.
He reached the door quickly enough to thrust his seared hand into the crack, preventing it from shutting. And Agyar was stronger than I, so he began slowly pulling it back open despite my putting all my strength into closing it. Then, without really thinking, I used the one weapon Agyar had been such the fool to give me—my teeth. I was in such pain as it was that my fangs were already well extended, and I bent over, grabbed his hand with my mouth, and bit down hard. He shrieked in pain and tried to pull the hand away, but I bit down even harder, until with a mighty jerk he ripped it away from my fangs and released the door.
I slammed it shut and held the knob with all my might Agyar began pounding on the door now, screaming the most horrible screams, and I wanted to let go and shut my ears, but I shut my eyes instead and gritted my teeth and bore the awful sound.
The pounding soon stopped, but the screams continued, only they grew weaker and weaker, until they were little more than a groan, and then they stopped. And I still held the door shut and would not let go until I heard absolutely no noise coming from that room, and I slowly released the doorknob and slumped back into the wall.
I could have slept forever then, but I could not rest yet. There was still Heleyne to take care of; my own wounds would heal quickly enough. I also had to move away from the door, for the light coming from the crack at the bottom would soon be strong enough to burn me again.
She was still unconscious. I was a little thankful for that, as she was spared the ghastly scene which had just transpired. But I didn't know if he had taken enough blood from her to convert her. If I could have given her my own blood, I would have, but that would have done more harm than good.
I slumped onto the floor next to her and felt her face. Still warm, and I could hear and smell her breathing. She would live—she had to. I continued feeling her face and contemplated trying to wake her, but I was so tired myself, and my appearance would surely disturb her, and I didn't want to have to think of any explanations for her, either.
I remember telling myself that I couldn't just lie therein the middle of the hallway all day with some anemic woman, when the blackness of vampiric sleep overcame me.
Chapter 24
I awoke to the sound of one of the servants moving about near us. I sat up quickly and peered down the hallway. No one was in sight, and I remembered Heleyne. She was still unconscious; her breathing was shallow, but I was certain she would recover. Daylight was still poking out under the door to the ill-fated bedroom. I forced myself to rise and almost collapsed again, but held on to a wall.
Then the servant who'd been moving about came from a room and saw me.
"What's going on here?" he said. "Who—Oh! Mistressl I didn't see you!"
"Hello, Clarence," I said, bending over to pick up Heleyne. I was too weak, though, and almost fell over. Clarence grabbed me and steadied me.
"M-mistress, you're… you're not well," he said. "Your face…"
"I'll be all right," I said. "Only a little sun. Help me lift her."
"A little sun?" he said. "Is this… is this the woman with the sick husband?"
"Her husband has died," I said, "And she's… she's very ill. Help me with her."
Finally Clarence complied and scooped her up for me. I held my arms out.
"Let me have her," I said.
"But you're weak—"
"Let me have her. I have to make certain that she's safe before I rest." He obeyed, and now that I was standing, I had little trouble holding her.
"Does the master know what's happened?" I asked Clarence.
"He's abed now," he sa
id. "Don't disturb him."
"No… no, of course not…" I said, and I bade him walk ahead of me and close any windows we came across. Some could not be closed, so I had to duck and run by quickly. It was painful, nonetheless.
Finally we came to the kitchen, where there are no windows, and Clarence cleared the main table while I laid Heleyne out on it. I checked her breathing and pulse again.
"Clarence," I said, "I want you to get her things, and fetch a wagon, and pack it up for her. She needs to leave here, and the sooner the better."
"But, mistress, I don't understand—"
"She can't stay here," I said. "This is a bad place for her. You understand that, don't you? This is a bad place for her."
"Oh…" he said. "Yes, I… I understand, mistress. I'll get everything ready. But she's too ill to leave, isn't she?"
"Being too ill is what doomed me and my first husband. It will not happen again. And the master does not need to know of this. Do you understand?"
"Yes, mistress," he said and made to leave, but I called him back. He approached me timidly, and I grabbed him in a quick hug.
"Good-bye, Clarence," I whispered. "Come nightfall you shall never see me again. You were the only servant who would ever talk to me. Few words, yes, but it was enough."
"Th-thank you, mistress," he said, and I slapped his shoulder gently and smiled.
"Go on," I said.
After he left I turned my attention back to Heleyne, who was as still as ever. I took her face gently and opened her eyes with my thumbs. That didn't rouse her, but I looked into her unconscious eyes and concentrated. It was difficult reaching her mind, but eventually I was able to find her thoughts and take hold of them.
I made her forget everything that had happened to her. She was only to remember that her husband had been sick but had died, and that she had done everything she could for him. Now she had to leave as quickly as she could, and go East, or wherever she was to go, and never come back to Clovaine.
She was starting to regain consciousness just as I was shutting the coffin-room door behind me. I paused long enough to see her reach out blindly before shutting and locking the door for the last time.
Agyar's sarcophagus was the first place I went. I opened it up quickly and peered in. Empty. I sighed in relief and replaced the lid, and then opened up one of his servant's coffins. There was one there, sleeping peacefully, or as peacefully as they're able to.
I shut the lid and opened my own sarcophagus. Also empty—no nasty surprises—so I climbed in, took one last look around, and then shut the lid over me and fell into dark sleep.
I willed myself to wake before any of Agyar's creatures did, and after more furtive glances, I crept from the room. There were only two servants in the kitchen when I came out, and they gave me quizzical looks, no doubt because of the burn marks on my face, but I said not a word to them and hurried out.
I ran up to my private room where all my clothes were and started to place as many as I could into a sack. The sun had just set, fortunately; no more burns for me. Then a knock came at the door, and I started.
"Who's there?" I called.
"Mistress?" a muffled voice said "M-may I come in? It's urgent."
"Uh… Yes, very well," I said, stuffing my sack under a table, "Come in."
The door opened, and Clarence entered, carrying a lantern.
"Forgive me, mistress," he said.
"Never mind, what is it?" I said hastily.
"I… I only wished to say that I did as you bade me," he said. "The woman left soon after you went to sleep. She was very confused, mistress."
'Tin certain she was."
"But there was also… I found—"
"Found what?"
"There was a… someone's body…" he said. "In the guest room."
"Burned?" I said quietly.
He nodded quickly. "Aye," he said. "Burned. A girl, I think. She had a… She had been stabbed. By wood…"
"Oh…" I whispered, my memories fighting to overwhelm me now. But I couldn't let them.
"I… I took the body away," he said. "No one saw me. That was—that was your friend, wasn't it?"
"Yes," I whispered, my throat growing hard.
"Have I done a bad thing? Burying the body?"
I laughed quietly and fought off tears. Then I looked at him and smiled as best as I could.
"No," I said. "Thank you for that, Clarence. But you must tell me: you saw two bodies, yes?"
"No, mistress. Only the one."
"No, no, there were two bodies in that room."
"I swear to you, mistress, there was but one body in the room."
A chill went down my spine. I checked his sarcophagus myself. Where else would he have been, if he'd been alive? I had to get to that room—
My thoughts were interrupted by a horrible screeching and howling coming from deep in the house. Without hesitation I grabbed my sack and rushed for the door, leaving Clarence in my wake. I rushed out the door in time to see shadowy, misshapen, foul shapes barreling full tilt up the stairs and up the hall—and straight toward me.
I panicked and bolted from the room. Somehow his creatures knew—they knew their master had been slain, and they knew who did it. But I was searching my mind and could find no trace of Agyar, nothing of his influence. He had to be dead; he had to be!
But for the time that was the least of my worries. My main concern now was to get away from them in one piece. Our flight—Gaar's and mine—from them was being repeated all over again, only there was no Gaar this time. Now I was alone.
At least none of the human servants were after me. I doubt if any of them even knew what was going on, and even if they did, none of them would dare try to stop me. They feared me almost as much as they feared Agyar, even though I had never tried to make it so.
I didn't think I could get tired running anymore. I had once thought that a vampire's stamina was limitless, as it normally took me hours to begin to feel tired even after constant physical exertion. That night, running from those creatures proved me wrong.
I ran through every inch of that house over and over again, dodging, hiding, even fighting sometimes, and everywhere I turned there was another one waiting for me. The whole mob of them or sometimes just one or two. But they were everywhere.
At last I reached a large, open window, and I leapt through it to what I hoped would be my freedom. But first I had to fall two stories without my wings to stop me, and I managed to roll the moment I hit the ground to lessen the impact. I was dazed, but I couldn't rest or recover, not when several of the creatures were leaping right out after me.
I scrambled to my feet and ran again, smashing away one of the creatures who tried to grab me directly, and raced away first for the village, and then shifted directions for the forest instead. I thought of changing to the wolf so I could run faster, but then I couldn't carry the sack, and I couldn't afford to just drop everything. The creatures had no such problem with any belongings, however, and I was soon being hounded by wolves, bats, and lumbering monsters alike.
And I couldn't concentrate enough to command any of them. I couldn't focus any attention on charming them, or commanding them, or anything. I may as well have been simply human for all the power I had over them.
I think it was fear alone that gave me the speed and strength to keep ahead of them all the way up to the forest But I could not use the cover of the trees to my advantage yet; in fact, the creatures did first. Some of them scrambled up the branches quickly and dropped down as I rushed by, forcing me to stay and fight for the chance to run again.
And then finally, I was surrounded. Everywhere I turned, everywhere I looked, smoldering red eyes peered out of the blackness, trying to reach into my mind and make me give up. And they were moving in closer to me, the circle closing up tight. But I wouldn't give up, hopeless as the situation seemed. My only chance was to force away my fear, to grab it and mold it into anger or I would never survive this. I forced my breathing to steady its
elf, and I took a deep breath and let it out slowly in a low, inhuman growl. And still the creatures were moving in on me.
I gritted my teeth and let my fangs grow, and kicked my eyes into action to fight them on their own terms. And then it occurred to me; I couldn't fight them on their own terms. I couldn't allow myself to become like them, to fight them like some animal, for they could surely overwhelm me easily with brute strength.
I kept my fangs visible and made my eyes glow, but I stopped growling and slowly straightened myself up to my full height (and a rather substantial height, too, you remember). They were nearly on top of me now, but I held my ground and threw my hand out and cried "Stop!"
The circle stopped closing, but the evil never faded from their eyes, and I knew this was no time to show any weakness. I turned around slowly in the circle, letting my gaze pass by all of them, and mentally knocked away their lame attempts to charm me. A few eyes stopped glowing, but most of the creatures stood their ground.
"Leave me be," I said quietly, but firmly, I hoped. "Go back."
I could see that many of them were at a loss as to what to do, and these began to take a few hesitant steps back. Unfortunately, one of them chose to ignore my command and hissed suddenly and leapt straight at me. I let it slam into me before regaining my balance and grabbing it by the throat and holding it up before its "friends."
"I said, Leave me be," I growled, tightening my grip on the creature until tears came to its eyes.
"Goooo!" I roared, and tossed the creature I held into one of its companions, and they started to panic. "Get away from me! Go! I command you to leave!" I said over and over, scattering the wretched things left and right until they were scampering away into the darkness of the forest.
I dropped to my knees and shut my eyes. Alone now. No more creatures. No more Agyar. No more Clovaine and no more Lara, either. And I felt nothing in that moment—no relief, no joy, no triumph, not even grief for my friend. I was numb, and I don't know how long I just sat there, thinking of nothing and no one.
But I knew I couldn't sit there all night. I was cold and without shelter, and that was most important of all, that I had somewhere to hide when the sun came up. And I didn't know if the creatures might decide to come back, nor was I certain what sort of animals roamed about in Clovaine's forests at night. I needed to find someplace, and quickly.
The Vampire Memoirs Page 23