Chapter Twenty-five
Glodrim set down at the bottom of a deep ravine. The road was almost too steep to walk down without running. A narrow river curved around the edge of the village and cut a channel through the massive mountainside.
Dominus had helped line my pockets with the proper necessities, even though he still wanted me to take the hunter box, just in case I needed to restock. In each of my coat pockets I had an ash stake that Roy had given me.
Dominus had made sheathes for each of my forearms so I could conceal two more daggers for quick access. He had given me two round glass bottles filled with squeezed garlic juice. From my box he had taken my holy water vials and had me tuck them inside my vest pockets. Two more stakes that he had crafted while I slept were tucked behind my belt. Each of my boots held an additional stake.
He never showed me how he had made them, but he wrapped little balls of paper around metal barbs coated with garlic. These were in my side pockets as well. All of this for six vampires?
Dominus looked at me with a solemn expression on his face. “Forrest, I don’t expect you to remember exactly where each item is stowed upon you, but when you’re dealing with older vampires, you need to have immediate access to anything that might slow them down. Garlic is a painful poison. It won’t necessarily kill them, but the pain it inflicts temporarily disables them. Some flee just from the smell because they know what it can do to them. But above all else, the stake is what you should value the most.”
We weren’t even halfway down the steep road that intersected the village. The streets were vacant. No lanterns glowed from windows. The town appeared dead and abandoned.
A sign was posted by the side of the road. It stated: Enter after dusk at your own peril.
I set my hunter box beside a large rock near the sign. No need toting it all the way down the hill and back up again. I was heavily loaded with plenty of weapons. It was doubtful I’d need more.
“I wish we had arrived before sunset,” he said. “As it is, everyone has barricaded their windows with heavy shutters and sealed every door. Whatever befalls us tonight, we’re on our own. No matter how much anyone beats upon a door or cries out in pain, the townsfolk will not offer shelter after the sun goes down.”
The three-quarter moon shone brightly, but was setting behind the mountainside. Heavy clouds were moving overhead, making flickering stars vanish. Once the moon was gone and the storm clouds claimed the night sky, darkness claimed everything. Shrieks echoed in the sky. A cloud of bats swarmed from the tiny crevices in the mountain, reminding me of Baron Randolph’s first appearance outside the cottage. I didn’t know if these were regular bats or the six vampires in their altered state.
“When did they hire you before?” I asked.
“Several years ago.”
“Why didn’t you return before now?”
Dominus shrugged. “They only paid for the one night.”
We reached the center of the town. The ground was level, and the shadows faded one by one as the mountain eclipsed the moon’s glow. I reached into my coat pockets, took a stake in each hand, but didn’t withdraw them.
Each house door and window was boarded up. We were the only living beings on the street, waiting for the undead. The sound of our breathing was like a faint breeze.
“So they won’t open a door even if they know you?” I asked.
“Not after darkness settles.”
“Why not?”
“They won’t risk it. They are very skeptical and believe that the vampires can disguise themselves as family members, hoping to gain access to get inside a home.”
I frowned and pointed toward the shutters of the closest house. “Vampires have brute strength. None of these boards could keep them out.”
“Vampires cannot enter a home without permission.”
“They can’t?”
He shook his head.
“Why is that?”
“Vampires cannot enter most sanctuaries. Homes are considered sacred by the owners and retain some sort of power that bars a vampire from entering,” Dominus said. “But once permission is granted, they can come and go at will. These folks won’t risk the chance of seeing through a window after dark because they don’t want to be tempted. Would you deny a family member access to your home if you believed they were in danger?”
“I have few left.”
He gave me a scornful look.
“Probably so.”
“And in doing so, if your relative had become a vampire, that would be your death.”
“Why don’t the townspeople simply move on?” I asked.
“They are stubborn and besides, it’s their homes and land. Why should they be forced out?”
To survive? I thought.
I didn’t like leaving my father at our home by himself. I was ready to find a new place for us to live because Baron Randolph knew where we lived. I tried not to worry about Father since I had arrived, simply because I needed to apply all of my focus here. But there was the uncertainty of seeing him alive again that nagged at the back of my mind.
A sliver of light remained in the sky. A cold breeze flowed off of the river and slipped through the houses, swirling around us. With the cool air came a dank smell of death and decay unlike anything I had smelled before.
My eyes searched the shadows, trying to imprint my surroundings like a map in my mind I could use once the final beam of light vanished. Darkness had never bothered me. I was quite comfortable without a light source, which I suppose is odd for a young person. My worry was more toward Dominus than myself. While I was thankful that he was training me, the last thing I wanted was something horrible happening to him. Should he die teaching or looking out for me, his death was on me. His blood was on my hands.
Dominus spat on the ground. “You know that inner voice you said that you hear? Those impulses?”
I nodded.
“I’d listen mighty hard to them tonight ‘cause you’re going to need to rely totally upon them. Try to stay close to me. But once we’re shrouded in complete darkness, we might lose track of one another. Don’t panic if that happens. Keep fighting them and don’t worry about locating me.”
I continued looking around the houses and buildings. The strange thing when light was fleeting and darkness started to dominate was how each moving shadow deceived me into believing it was a moving creature.
The rotten stench grew stronger.
Dominus frowned and looked around. “Something ain’t right.”
“Do you mind explaining?”
“I think more than vampires are lurking in the village tonight. It might not have been wise to bring you here yet.”
“Different types of undead?”
He nodded. “Other things as well. Things that I had hoped I’d have more time to explain to you.”
The final ray of moonlight dimmed. The abyss of darkness swallowed the village and us.
“Like what, exactly?”
Dominus chuckled deep laughter. “You probably wouldn’t believe me if I described them to you. They’re something you’d have to see firsthand. Something like—”
A rush of wind brushed past with the heavy beating of wings. Dominus groaned and his crossbow dropped to the ground. I reached toward the spot where he had been standing. He was gone. I could hear him cursing and his voice was getting farther away.
I stooped and grabbed his crossbow. Gently I traced my fingers along the string. It was still loaded. Although I could fire one shot, I doubted succeeding with any luck of accuracy since I hadn’t been trained to shoot it and the darkness worked against me.
I didn’t have any idea what had taken Dominus, but we had stood in the crossroads of the buildings and houses, which had greatly exposed us to them. I held no doubt that they had been watching us as we descended the road into the center of town. So the undead had the greater advantage, and for me to remain in the center of the street was foolish.
With the crossbow in hand, I ran toward
the front wooden walkway at one of the shops. The wooden awning provided me at least shelter from being swooped away by another of those giant winged creatures, whatever the hell they were. A garland of garlic hung upon the shop door. Several more hung from the awning beams.
‘Six vampires,’ he had said. Six.
Scratch that.
My boots clunked on the wooden walkway. I pressed my back against the storefront wall and held my breath. I was surrounded by complete darkness, but I wasn’t hidden. Not to them. They knew exactly where I was, and I didn’t have a clue where to find them.
I had enough sense to know that by waiting, I’d draw them toward me instead of foolishly wandering through the buildings, exposing myself to their attacks. At least I hoped they’d come to me. It was a waiting game, and trust me, I had a great deal of patience. Sitting at our cottage door, night after night, waiting for the baron, I had learned undying patience.
If I had wanted a better training lesson, I doubt I could have requested it. Dominus was gone, whether he was dead or still alive, it made no difference. I was alive, isolated, and couldn’t rely upon him to protect me. I stood alone against whatever undead monsters and flying beasts were out there.
With the total absence of light, eyes couldn’t adjust quickly. One needed some fragment of light to absorb in order to see. Undead beasts were like animals and demons so darkness didn’t affect them. In a sense I was blind, temporarily, and needed to rely upon my hunter’s impulses as Dominus had suggested.
For several moments I closed my eyes, listening for the slightest sounds and movements. Vampires moved quickly, almost silently, compared to normal humans. But for me, I could detect the quick wisp as a vampire zipped from his hiding place behind a water barrel and crossed the street to attack. He came in a forward rush, probably thinking I was unaware of his presence. Before he left the road to step upon the wooden walkway, I fired the crossbow without ever opening my eyes.
The arrow pierced his heart. Surprise widened his eyes. A slight gasp echoed a second before his remains fell to the ground.
To be truthful, I’d have probably missed him with my eyes open, as I’d have delayed firing because my eyes would have struggled to locate him. Instead, in my mind, I visualized his approach perfectly. Without any doubt or second thoughts, I knew where to fire. I saw a clear image of the approaching vampire as if he stood in total daylight with a target marked over his heart. I was following a former hunter’s guidance.
I propped Dominus’ crossbow against the wall. He had the arrows with him. I hoped that he was alive; fighting with whatever beast had taken him. Reaching into my coat pockets, I brought out a stake in each hand.
Before I turned, another vampire—a female—struck me, sending me into the air. I landed upon my back with a heavy thud. The two stakes tucked behind my belt cracked beneath my weight. I groaned with pain. My stakes fell from my hands and rolled across the walkway. She rushed toward me, landing upon my waist, grinding the hidden stakes into my bruised lower back. She growled, pressing her hands against my chest and leaned down to bite me.
I swung a hard right, striking her jaw with enough force to knock her backwards. Glass shattered in my pocket as she readjusted her knees to pin me again. The smell of garlic lofted in the air. An instant later, she retreated.
Coughing, and rolling to one side, I tried to recuperate from my fall. The impact against the walkway had knocked the breath out of me. My chest ached. I felt around until I found one stake, and then pushed myself to my feet. Leaning against the wall, I yanked the cracked stakes from behind my belt and tossed them to the walkway. They were useless to me now.
If Dominus’ count was correct, five vampires were still hiding in the darkness, watching and waiting for their opportunity to kill me. Of course, there could be more. A lot more. It was the other creatures that he had hinted of that troubled me, as I didn’t know what I might be dealing with, and he had never told me the proper ways to deal with anything other than vampires.
Whatever the winged creature was, I was uncomfortable stepping back out onto the street. All I could hope was that he knew how to combat and kill it.
Soft pellets of rain fell in a sparse pattern until a steady light mist of a shower whispered its modest impact on the compacted roads, alleys, and wood shingles of the rooftops.
I slid my feet along the walkway until one foot sent the other stake rolling. Following the sound, I picked it up and returned to my place against the wall. I didn’t like the thought of having my back exposed. Standing here, I could be attacked from only three sides.
I reeked of garlic. Well, my right pocket did. The smell repulsed vampires, and after several minutes, I wasn’t too fond of it, either. There were skunks that smelled better. However, the scent proved to benefit me more than offend. I doubted any vampire would chance getting too close since, according to Dominus, garlic was poisonous to them.
A half hour passed with me standing against the storefront wall without anything approaching me. No sign of Dominus, either. I didn’t want to stand in this spot the entire night. The rain was no heavier and played a soothing rhythm as it fell. At the corners of the buildings, small streams of water poured to the ground, drilling small holes into the earth and forming puddles.
Even with the overcast sky and the absent moon, my eyes had somewhat adjusted to the dark. Across the street beneath the awning of another shop, stood a male vampire dressed in elegant clothing with a top hat. Perhaps he had been a wealthy aristocrat before he had been turned? That’d be my guess though I had no proof. He regarded me with a slight, curious smile. His pale skin stood out in sharp contrast to his darker clothes and long curled black hair. Like the baron, this man held a cane, which I was keenly cautious of now.
He studied me for several more moments with his obsidian eyes before turning to face me.
“You are new to this, are you not?” he stated in a proper tone with a delicate accent.
“It’s that obvious?”
He laughed softly with sheer mockery. “Aren’t you?”
“I am.” An answer I should never have given. Never reveal your weaknesses.
“Pity that you must die tonight without ever knowing your full potential.”
I smiled. My hands tightened around the stakes. “You seem rather confident in yourself.”
“Just stating the obvious, friend,” he replied. Sarcasm rolled on that final word.
“Like your family member who is now dust and the female that skirted away into the darkness ever fearful?”
He flashed fangs and his dark eyes narrowed. His voice bellowed. “What do you expect from my young and inexperienced offspring? The servants are never better than their master.”
I sensed power rolling off of this man, not quite as powerful as the baron, but he was strong. “By what name are you known?”
“You wish to know the name of the one who shall take your life?” he asked, slightly amused.
I shook my head. “No, I plan to add it to my list of kills.”
His dark eyes glowed red. “Fool.”
“I thought your name would be more stately,” I replied with a smug expression and a narrowed brow. Instigation and prodding through insults often baited even the noblest people into imprudent actions. Duels were common throughout the world and even the highest class was not immune from stupidity.
“Undiplomatic fool.” His power leapt harshly toward me but curled backwards once it brushed against me.
“So you’re not going to offer your name?”
“Aron Rau.”
I shrugged. The name held no semblance for me. He might have been known several decades ago, but now he hid in the dark.
From my left a blur caught my attention. I didn’t immediately turn because something rushed from my right side, too. Aron didn’t move. Not that I had expected him to do anything until it became a last resort. Sending his minions first spared his own life for a while longer. Besides if I killed him first, and he was their ma
ster, they’d all die anyway. So, I could understand how, from his perspective, that he wasn’t necessarily sacrificing his own children.
The vampire approaching from the right was the female the garlic had repulsed. Leery of being slammed to the ground by her again, I took a long step forward and turned sharply to my right with both stakes aimed for her arrival. I didn’t anticipate actually hitting her in heart, and I didn’t. The stakes drove deeply, one in her stomach and the other right beneath her throat. Her rapid rate of speed knocked me off balance, caused me to release the stakes, and propelled me around as the male vampire lunged for me.
Knowing I had no way to avoid being struck by his weight, I flung the side of my coat toward his face as I followed my three-sixty spiral. The wet inner lining of my coat slapped his face hard. Garlic juice smeared across his skin and into his eyes. He flailed his arms upward, screaming, and when he fell, he wiped at his face and eyes.
Quickly I reached to the dagger sheath hidden inside my left coat sleeve, yanked out the dagger, and shoved the male vampire to the ground. He was preoccupied, frantically screaming, and still trying to wipe off the garlic. I plunged the dagger through his heart, silencing him.
I glanced toward Aron. He had not moved. He pursed his lips and stood boldly with his chest puffed outward.
The female vampire worked at the two stakes that were driven almost through her body. The silver ends were slick from her leaking dark blood, which prevented her from grasping them. She kept grabbing at them, trying to grip the ends, but couldn’t. Her breathing rasped hoarsely where the stake had stabbed through her windpipe. Although it wouldn’t kill her, she was more interested in getting them out than attacking me again.
With the other devices in my pockets, I could have added to her suffering, but I didn’t feel right about that. When I had seen the first female vampire the night before, I had thought it impossible for me to stake her or any female for that matter. I realized how foolish I had been to entertain such a thought. She was no less a monster than the noble vampire standing across the street. After all, she had attacked me first, without provocation, and she had every intention of killing me. With her, or any vampire, there was no hesitation in their killing or turning other human beings. They were vicious predators without remorse, sorrow, or compassion.
Forrest Wollinsky: Vampire Hunter [Book One] Page 19