by Morgan Hawke
Rowan dumped the single silver-dipped horseshoe nail out on her palm. So, what am I supposed to do with this? This is about as good against Draugar as a common straight pin... Pinned... A ghost trap!
Rowan bit her lip. Was it possible to pin Draugar in a simple ghost trap with her basic witchcraft? It would mean trapping and holding him somewhere other than the study long enough for Klaus to take him out. Could she even trap something as powerful as Draugar? If he broke out before Klaus got there, she’d be in real trouble. She closed her fist around the tiny nail. There was only one way to find out.
Rick abruptly ended his call and snapped the phone closed. He turned to Rowan. “You were saying?”
Rowan smiled grimly. “I think I have a plan to remove our problem. Ever heard of a ghost trap?”
* * *
Rick listened, then stared at the thread from Klaus’s robe in Rowan’s palm. “No.” He looked sharply away and crossed his arms over his chest.
“No?” Rowan frowned. “Why not? I’m pretty sure I can catch him. It’s what I did with the sorcerer in the bar; I ghost-trapped him. Witchcraft is deific; it calls on the god-powers not my inner magic. I only need to hold Draugar long enough for Klaus...”
Rick shook his head sharply. “No, no, absolutely no Klaus.”
“No Klaus? Are you kidding?” Rowan set her jaw. “He’s faster than you, and I’m just human. We don’t stand a chance! Do you know someone else that can get this guy?”
Rick leapt off the couch. “You want to pit Klaus, against this guy in my house? Are you out of your mind? They’ll destroy it!”
Rowan gaped. “We don’t know what the hell he even wants from us, and you’re worried about your damned house?”
Rick paced the floor. “I built this damned house stick by stick...” He turned and pointed at the wall. “I even did the damned wiring and plumbing myself!”
“I swear I’ll help repair the damage,” Rowan said from gritted teeth.
“No.” Rick shook his head. “There has to be another way. That, or we find a way to get him out of my house first.”
“If we try this outside, he’ll just sink into the ground.”
Rick shook his head. “Not in my house.” He jabbed a finger at Rowan. “I mean it.”
Rowan set her jaw stubbornly. Of all the stubborn, thick-headed, ‘this is my house’ vampire bullshit...
Rick moved in a blur of speed. Suddenly he was leaning over her as she sat on the couch. “Promise me right now, that you won’t call Klaus until I tell you.”
Rowan crossed her own arms and glared. “Fine! I won’t call Klaus. You can think of something, and we’ll do that. But when you run out of ideas, let me know and we’ll resort to plan ‘K’.”
Rick snorted. “Plan ‘K’? That’s original...”
Rowan curled her lip. “You’re making the rules, Fang Boy.” She pushed him back and got off the couch, headed for the door.
“Where are you going?”
Rowan stopped in the doorway. “To get dressed.” She turned and leveled a glare at him. “Is that okay with you?”
Rick glared right back. “Look, I just...” He stopped, dropping his head with a sigh. “Tell you what, I can have something on for dinner when you get back upstairs. Okay?”
Rowan felt her anger drain away. He was worried; she could feel the tension humming through their link. This was the second time someone had invaded his territory. That has to be some kinda kick to the ego. I don’t need to be on his case too. She dropped her own head, then gave him a tremulous smile. “I’m sure what ever you make will be great. I like your cooking.”
Rick nodded. “Right... Okay.” He grinned suddenly. “Need any help getting dressed?”
Rowan rolled her eyes. “I’m sure I’ll manage somehow.”
His smile drained away. “Don’t take too long.”
Rowan tilted her head toward the door. “Trust me, I have no interest in jumping to that one’s call in my underwear.” She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder, indicating their unwanted guest downstairs.
Rick shoved his hands in his jeans pockets and looked down at his bare feet. “Want me to walk you down?”
Rowan took in his slumped shoulders and defeated stance. First Klaus, then her bullet, then Draugar... He’d had a hell of an awful week. And now we’re fighting. Her heart thumped, aching for him. “Sure. I could use the company.”
His head lifted.
She gave him a worn smile.
He walked over to her. “We’ll get through this, somehow.”
She wrapped her arm around his waist. “I know,” she whispered back. “We always think of something.” She felt his arms come around her and she pressed her cheek into his shirt to listen to his heart beat.
They walked down the stairs side by side.
- Nineteen -
Plague
The kitchen was quiet but for the sound of scraping forks.
“So, how’s the pasta?” Rick asked softly from across the kitchen table.
Rowan swallowed the forkful in her mouth and swiped a napkin over her lips. “I think I can truthfully say, that this is the best pasta and mushrooms I have ever eaten.”
“Really?” Rick grinned.
Rowan nodded and took a sip of the ginger ale by her plate. “Absolutely. And the garlic bread isn’t bad either.”
He snorted. “Your T-shirt had me worried.”
“Oh, this?” She leaned back in her chair displaying yet another black T-shirt blazoned with the phrase: ‘The Fastest Way to a Man’s Heart: Six Inches of Cold Hard Steel’ in harsh silver letters. She grinned. “You can relax. Dinner definitely made a favorable impression on my temperament.”
“Are all your T-shirts that um, violent?”
Rowan nodded. “All my favorites are.” She dug her fork into her pasta.
Rick shook his head and lifted his glass. “What am I going to do with you?”
Rowan grinned broadly. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
Somewhere outside a crow was calling. The crow’s harsh voice was joined by another, and then another.
Rowan turned to look at the hallway leading to the front of the house. “Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?” Rick set his glass down and frowned.
“Crows...” She listened intently. She could clearly hear a small flock of crows calling from somewhere near the front of the house. “A bunch of them...”
“No, I don’t hear a thing.” Rick looked toward the back door. “We’re half an hour past dark, birds shouldn’t be awake.”
“If you can’t hear them, then...” Rowan’s memory provided a stark reminder of the last time she had heard crows calling at night. A sky full of crows had called right before the house barrier had fallen to Draugar’s sorcerer. She was receiving a warning. “Shit...” She set her fork by her plate of pasta, stood up and looked toward the front of the house.
“Rowan, what’s going on?”
“We’re about to have company.” Rowan felt the awareness of the house barrier shiver. Points of movement pressed against the farthest reaches of the barrier. “We’re about to have lots of company.”
Rick rose out of his chair. “People, as in: humans?”
“I’m not sure.” She focused her awareness on the barrier. The movement coalesced into six bodies stopped at the front gate. She frowned in concentration. “It feels like people... Yes, humans. I think...”
“You think they’re human? You’re not sure?”
“They’re definitely people, but I’m not sure they’re human. They don’t feel quite right.” She frowned. They felt vaguely familiar. Not familiar as in: she knew them, but familiar as in: she’d felt this type of being before. She had the distinct impression that they were basically human, but there was something wrong with them. They felt...rotted.
Rowan’s heart slammed in her chest. “Rick?”
Rick came around to her side of the table. “Rowan, what is it? What’s wrong?”
His hand closed on her arm. “Rowan, your skin is ice cold.”
She stared at him in shock and fought to get in a breath. The hair was lifting fast on her entire body. “They’re human, or they were. They’re dead,” she said in a voice she could barely get out of her throat. She began to shiver. “All of them. There are six dead people moving at the front gate...”
Rick’s mouth fell open. “What?” His voice was barely a whisper.
“Both of you, get in here now!” Draugar called from the study.
Rowan gasped at the strength of the pull. She nearly knocked her chair over in her haste to obey the command. It took everything in her not to break into a run.
* * *
Draugar stood by the desk in the center of the study, shrugging into his long coat.
Rowan bit her lip. “We’ve got company.”
Draugar nodded curtly. “Yes, I know. I’m tied to the barrier as well.” He turned to look at Rick. “Time to earn your keep, vampire. We have some minor eradications to accomplish.” He fastened his belt.
Rick set his hand on Rowan’s shoulder. “What about Rowan?”
Draugar shot Rowan a stern look. “You are forbidden to set foot outside the door.”
Rowan scowled “Hey!”
Draugar shook his head. “This is work for those of us who know how to kill.”
Rowan sucked in a breath. “They’re already dead.”
“Yes, unfortunately. I only hope they have not had time to make more.”
“More?” Rick face paled. “What do you mean: more?”
“Then these are zombie things?” Rowan could barely breathe past the lump in her throat. “Like the ones in your house?”
Draugar nodded. “Oh, yes. However, these are dead. Once they are in this condition, they become highly contagious. If we’re lucky, they came here first.”
Rick scowled. “These things are yours?”
“Not quite. I must have missed one of Rudolf’s victims.”
Rowan’s mouth fell open. “They’re Rudolf’s? But he was toasted by you, two days ago.”
Draugar shrugged. “He must have wounded someone on his last hunt, someone who finally died. I’ll know as soon as I see them.” Draugar strode from the study and headed for the front door.
“Wait who’s Rudolf?” Rick followed Draugar into the hall.
Rowan followed at Rick’s heels. “The little orange sorcerer guy.”
“Oh...” He frowned at Draugar. “So, why would they come here?”
Draugar turned around to face them. “Because creatures of sorcery are always drawn to power.” He looked at both Rowan and Rick. “The two of you are irresistible lures to such as they, especially you, vampire.”
“Me?”
Draugar nodded. “These creatures in particular are drawn to the corrupt. They feed on it, as well as on living flesh.”
Rowan raised her brow at Rick. “Told you you were drawing the weird shit.”
Draugar snorted. “Do not underestimate your own lure, witch. The bracelets show that your power is being stained by the vampire.”
Rowan swallowed hard. Stained? As in corrupted?
Rick gave Rowan’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “What do you want me to do?”
Draugar smiled. “I’m going to teach you to use your latent power to cast fire.”
“Thanks, but no thanks...” Rick smiled grimly, then crossed his arms over his chest and extended his fingers. Armored plates formed in a blur of motion over his skin, spreading to cover his hands, and extending his fingers into long curved blades. The armor plating rapidly formed up his forearms. He flexed his bladed fingers. The plates made a soft metal snicking sound as they shifted on his hand.
“I’ll do just fine without your sorceries.”
Draugar raised a brow. “Impressive, and very useful I’m sure, against ordinary humans. However, fire is the only way to destroy these. If you hack them apart, the pieces have a way of grafting themselves back onto their bodies. Of course it’s never quite right, but that does not seem to bother them much.” He smiled thinly. “Calling a fire hot enough to turn them to ash is our only option to keep the damage they can cause to a minimum.”
Rowan shook her head. “Wait, you took out all the ones in the house by yourself...”
“Yes, but I destroyed them one at a time; they were not attacking en masse.” He opened the front door. “It’s you and the vampire they want, I have nothing they can use.”
Rick scowled. “Aren’t you worried that I’ll use the sorcery you teach me on you?”
“You can try if you like.” Draugar raised a silver brow and gave him a cool smile. “However, fire will not harm me.” He held the door open, then looked back at Rick. “Do you have a gun?”
“Yes.”
“Get it.”
Rick turned away then turned back. “I thought you said fire was the only way to destroy them?”
“It is. But a gun is useful for disabling their ability to attack, long enough for you to set them on fire.” Draugar lifted his chin. “Fetch your gun.”
Rick turned on his heel in a very military about-face, then sprinted for the vault.
“As for you...”
Rowan turned to face Draugar. “What?”
Draugar frowned thoughtfully. “I want you in the securest room in this house.”
“The vault.” Rowan flinched. She hadn’t meant to say it out loud.
Draugar nodded. “That will do. I’ll have Rick lock you in.”
Rowan gasped and took a step back. “I don’t need to be locked in the vault!”
“As long as you continue to maintain the barrier, they will remain outside the house, however...” Draugar took a step closer. “You are too valuable to leave to chance.”
“But the vault?” Rowan “Are you out of your mind? I don’t know how to open it!”
“I can retrieve you through the earth, should something should untoward happen to the vampire.”
Rowan’s hands fisted at her sides. “What do you mean ‘untoward’?”
Draugar sighed. “Calm yourself. I have no intention of seeing Rickart harmed.” He pulled a large semi-automatic pistol from his pocket. A pistol that looked hauntingly familiar. “I will have Rickart maintain telepathic communication with you. This way, you can keep a watchful eye on your lover from within, and he can let you know when to move the barrier within the property line.” He jerked the sliding barrel open with an ominous and loud ratchet, and looked down into it.
Rowan shook her head. “You want me to move the barrier in?”
Draugar nodded. “I do not want to light our bonfire in the street.” He snapped the gun closed with a heavy click, then popped out the bullet case, and checked his count. He slammed the case back in the gun’s handle then smiled. “This eradication will not take long. When we are done, we will all sit down and discuss travel arrangements.”
Rowan swallowed. “Greece?”
Draugar shook his head. “I’m afraid I have a pressing appointment in California.”
Rick was suddenly at Rowan’s side. “What’s in California?”
She jumped. “Gods, you scared me.” Then she saw what was in his hand and scooted a step away. It was a large, black high-tech pistol.
“Automatic?” Draugar asked politely, ignoring his question.
Rick gave him a half grin. “If it needs to be. I have a pair of spare clips for it, but if I use it on automatic, they empty in three seconds.”
“Good. I want you to lock Rowan in the vault.” He smiled. “For safe-keeping.”
Rick nodded. “Good idea.” He took Rowan’s elbow.
Rowan’s mouth fell open. “Hey! Not you, too?”
Rick rolled his eyes. “It’s the safest place for you.” He tugged her elbow. “Come on...”
Rowan dug in her heels. “But, the vault? Isn’t that a little over-kill?”
Draugar frowned. “No arguments, we do not have time for them. Go.”
Rowan went.
/>
* * *
Rowan stared at Rick from the other side of the vault door. “Rick, I can’t get out of here if something happens to you. I don’t know how to open the door.”
Rick drew the door closed until she could barely see his face. He sighed. “The door is on a time release. Once engaged, if I don’t open it, it unlocks at exactly seven PM.”
Rowan let out a breath. “Oh, okay...”
Rick’s head came up and his eyes were coins of molten gold. “But if something does happen, call Klaus immediately.”
“But?”
“Immediately.” He closed the door and the lock engaged with an echoing clank.
Rowan stared at the closed door, and shivered.
* * *
Rick lunged back up the vault stairs in a blur of unnatural speed. The front door was open and Draugar was standing out on the night-darkened lawn. He turned to look at Rick with burning silver eyes. “Rowan?”
“She’s locked in.”
Draugar nodded. “Good.” He turned to survey the long lawn.
The breeze shifted and Rick gagged. “God, they’re dead all right, I can smell them rotting. What in Hell’s name, are they? They can’t be natural.”
“They’re not. They are called strigoi, after the Rumanian walking dead. They are a plague of death alchemically engineered by the monster I am trying to escape from.”
“Klaus?”
“No, Klaus’s master.” Draugar turned to regard Rick with a calculating gaze. “You should be quite familiar with them.”
“Me?”
Draugar nodded. “Remember the feast you attended?”
“Feast?” Rick swallowed hard. “The Nazi officers... They were these strigoi?”
Draugar nodded. “Living strigoi. These are dead. Back in the war, Kaminski’s entire Russian brigade and Dirlewanger’s penal battalion were also these creatures. One bite and a living human becomes part of the collective mind of the herd. Once that human dies, it rises and becomes this. Now you know why I had the flame-thrower troops follow them on the battlefield. I didn’t want the dead rising. They would have infected and eradicated all of Russia and Europe in less than a year.”