A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was pulled out of the sky and into the flames. Feathers then flew out of the blaze, burning up as they hit the ground. The woodpecker’s fate was sealed. The life energy that had been contained within the bird was now in the fire. The flames appeared to produce a happier crackle, a state of excitement.
Achak stared at his wigwam and got lost in his own thoughts. A man is built upon his actions and not on his thoughts; the poor do not feed on good intentions or well wishes. His soul cried inward for a change in direction but he couldn’t hear it, and when it attempted to get his attention in his dreams he couldn’t see it. His conscious continued to argue with him but was summarily dismissed; there was no time for that anymore. His once white soul was darkened by his deeds, filled with so much caustic smoke, dark and dreary. It choked the nature out of what it once was. He had freely chosen his path and was now mired in it. It would not release him without an epic fight.
“Here we go.” Achak had come upon the page that was surrounded by dimensional red skulls; they spun slowly and occasionally halted their rotation, as if to stare at him. There were nine skulls in all. It was the most skulls that he had seen on a page, and therefore assumed that it was one of the most formidable spells in the book. Words on the page changed as they morphed; it read THE ENTITY RELEASED WITH THIS SPELL WILL SEEK OUT LEVELS OF ENERGY TO INCREASE YOUR ABILITIES NINE FOLD.
“That’s exactly what I need.”
Achak couldn’t fool himself any longer; this magic was as the earth would be without the sun. No light would escape from it. All the good deeds that he had accomplished in the past would either be wiped away or set aside. It was said by some that the soul wrote two books, one white and the other black. Whichever was heavier in the end determined where a soul would be sent, heaven or hell. Achak’s little black book was now not so little and was more than twice the weight of the other.
“What is this? It wasn’t there yesterday.”
There was a warning at the bottom of the page but it was written in symbols in an unknown language, it resembled to a degree Egyptian hieroglyphics but wasn’t. The symbol of the sword and shield was repeated several times, and one that resembled a man hanging from the gallows. One could have been the symbol for fire but he couldn’t be sure. Another looked like a man having his head chopped off with a sword. He had never come upon such a thing before, a warning from the book that was indecipherable. Other symbols were unrecognisable and resembled animal scratches. What was the point in showing the warning? Achak considered what to do next. He stared up at the torso floating in the flames, watched as it vanished deeper into the fire. As his level of power increased the better he would be able to defend himself from anyone or anything. The page then quivered as if to get his attention. The warning turned into solid symbols, broke and then fell off onto the forest floor, turning to dust at his feet. It was as if the book had a mind of its own.
A skull larger than the others protruded partially from the fire; its gravelly voice spat flames and embers out of its mouth past rotten teeth, including one of the bird’s feathers. “Do you want to be a follower or do you want to be a leader?”
Achak watched as an ember struck his left forearm and burned, it healed but the scent of burning skin remained. He knew that he lacked one vital ingredient for the spell; he needed a live wizard to toss into the fire because he certainly wasn’t going to jump in there. He could feel the fire pulling at him but it wasn’t nearly strong enough to cause him to worry.
Two skulls in the fire were fighting one another, with the sounds of bone hitting bone as their heads collided. Tok, tok, tok! Achak turned and starred at the battle as it was amusing. One hit the other with such velocity that it knocked the other more than a foot out of the fire but then was pulled back in.
Achak would have to leave his forest home to capture a wizard.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
PIERS ANTHONY ENTERED THE LIVING ROOM where Dracula and Moon Diamond were having a conversation head-to-head. It looked amusing to actually see the cat laugh. He was aware of how beautiful the cat was, and how awful Zacharia’s situation being trapped inside it. Life was unpredictable with the seemingly impossible sometimes being possible. Piers could hear Allison rattling around in the kitchen as she was preparing to bake a Chiffon cake. The writer was wearing a nice dark suit with expensive bat cufflinks. He was also wearing an impressive looking Japanese Musashi sword, which had been forged in the Japanese Nihonto tradition. He looked down at Dracula as the Master looked up at him. A moment of silence as Piers hesitated.
“Well, well, Piers Anthony. Nice cufflinks. And what are the circumstances of this visit? Someone somewhere must certainly be killing humans. The famous author refuses to engage in battle. Zacharia, he’s a Sagittarian don’t you know.”
“Vegetarian.” He nodded toward the cat.
Moon Diamond nodded, commenced to clean himself with his tongue, and then fought with itself as Zacharia tried to get the cat to stop. It appeared as if the cat was taking a fit. Those two souls in that one body would never be in harmony. One may as well place an antelope into a cage with a tiger and tell them to get along. It was a situation that simply wasn’t meant to be.
“Were you two talking about me?” Piers sat on the sofa, on the opposite end from Dracula.
Dracula looked more relaxed than he had in a long time; his face was devoid of stress. He looked quite comfortable. “You are not that important.”
Piers looked at the Siamese who was now nodding and admitting that they were in fact talking about him. “There’s a vampire down by the Magnetic Hill Zoo; he or she has killed two people in the last two nights. Someone should do something about it. I thought that vampires would flee any area where they could sense you?”
“The whole planet is going to hell. Some don’t even believe in me. Why don’t you go get him?” Dracula gave him the look. “You were turned by the Master, or so I hear.”
“Not funny Master.”
Moon Diamond was up on his hind legs dancing around to get Dracula’s attention. “Master, why don’t you send me? If I am to become a sheriff?”
“That’s a splendid idea Zacharia. You don’t need my permission to kill some bad vampires. You’re your own cat, I mean vampire. Cat, take the author and go kill that guy, or author take the cat. You two can sort it out. Bring me back his bones.”
The cat growled as it was ready for action.
That wasn’t the response that Piers Anthony was hoping to get. Dealing with Dracula was always a complicated thing, not always easy to read. “That doesn’t sound like such a great idea. It would be the cat and I against some sort of vampire monster? He could be an expert swordsman. Some sort of super vampire, one never knows what lurks in the shadows.”
“Piers, have you forgotten so soon that you are a vampire? You have considerable strength and cannot gain experience by getting me to fight your battles. It’ll be an experience that will help you adjust. The more you act like a vampire, the more of a complete vampire you shall become. Would you like me to turn you back into human form?”
“That’s not possible. Is it?”
“Definitely not possible.”
“Dracula, why can’t you come? You don’t appear to be terribly busy. I’m sure you could rip that guy to pieces in no time. Tear his head off and make him wear a hat. What do you say?”
“I say no. After Allison bakes me a cake were going to have sex, and lots of it. Besides, Zacharia is quite a talented fighter. You should have seen him with a sword.”
Piers smiled awkwardly. He thought that Zacharia may have been exemplary with a sword but that skill didn’t do him any good now. His claws was now his sword, unfortunately he didn’t think that they would be as effective. “That’s more information than was necessary. Oh come on, we’ll be like two caped crusaders.”
“Yes, Laurel and Hardy.”
“You know, for a friend you’re not very friendly. What if I get myself killed?”
/> “I have confidence that you shall return victorious. Why do you carry that sword if you don’t want to use it?”
“I use it to frighten off feral pigs.”
“That is so interesting, in an uninteresting sort of way.”
Jenny entered the living room carrying the lion cub. “Mom, I’m home! Hello father.” She gave Dracula a stern look which made him smile. It was now more of a running joke than anything else.
Dracula was surprised to see Jenny home so soon. “Hello daughter.”
Allison ran in and they hugged. Her mother looked down at the lion cub. “What the heck is that?”
“It’s a lion cub.”
“Well I can see that but why do you have it?”
“I don’t know Mother. I released it from some stupid room and now I have to take care of it. It’s not a real lion though; it’s a product of magic. Isn’t she the cutest thing?”
Dracula looked down at the cub that was chewing on Jenny’s leg, and then up at Jenny. He smiled and nodded as he recognised the cat immediately. “That is a real lion.”
“No it isn’t. It a spell.”
“It’s a real lion cub that was spelled with magic. That is a genuine lion.”
“No it ISN’T.”
“It is.”
“Isn’t.”
“Is. Look into my eyes.”
“Not funny.”
Zacharia was anxious to leave so he hit at the author’s left leg to get his attention. It was battle time. He gestured with his head that he wanted Piers to depart in search of the killer by the zoo. Zacharia went into the author’s mind telling him that it was time to go and that he would take care of him so he didn’t have to be frightened.
“All right Dracula, I’m off to get killed.” The author smiled showing his teeth.
“Have fun. You better protect that cat.”
“What? I thought the cat was going to protect me?
“Bye now.”
“I may as well have a big old dumb alligator for a friend.”
As Piers Anthony departed with the cat Jenny continued to argue with her father. “I’m telling you that it isn’t a genuine lion. It’s a wizard’s spell. It was conjured up from magic. So I guess you don’t know everything. Do you, Dracula! Why don’t they call you Vlad anymore?”
The Master showed a beguiling smile. “Nobody knows everything. It is a real lion. Ask me how I know.”
Jenny stood akimbo and with attitude; she had a feeling that she wasn’t going to like the response. She had the feeling that he was going to come out on top. “What makes you think it’s a real lion?”
“Because my little wizard, I’m the one that spelled it.”
“What! No. What?”
“A wizard had a spell and wanted me to unleash it to see what would happen because of who I am. There’s magic in these bones you know. I turned it and spelled it at the same time. The cat’s name is Sarah by the way.”
Jenny got down on the floor with the lion and played with it. “What am I going to do with you Sarah? You are too cute.”
“It’s a vampire. Did you see its fangs?”
The girl was more than a little annoyed. “You created it. Mother, is he lying? He’d say anything just to make it sound like he’s not wrong.” Jenny attempted to go into her father’s mind but he wouldn’t let her; he gave her a raspberry from within.
Allison got down with the cub and thought that it was so cute; nevertheless she didn’t want to see it as a full grown lion. “Your father doesn’t tell fibs as far as I know. So what did you learn?”
“I learned a lot, but I need to seek out a wizard to kill him and take his Blood Book, supposedly that will teach me everything that I need to know to become a great and powerful wizard. I need that stupid book. I don’t really have the experience to take on an experienced wizard so there it is. That stupid wizard just might be the end of me.”
Allison wasn’t at all happy to hear that. “Don’t say that. Why don’t you let your father go get the book for you?”
“I would love to but I can’t. The book will bond to whoever gets near it first. If fangs over there gets to within a mile of it it’ll be his book and it won’t work for me.”
Dracula nodded.
Allison laughed at the cub as it made a funny noise. “Jenny, you need to show your father just a little more respect.”
“I’m going to get something to eat and then I’m going to my room to think things through. No, I’m going to hang in the Ferrari. Maybe I’ll go for a drive at two hundred miles an hour.” Jenny marched into the kitchen. “Hey fudge! Can I have some?”
“Ask your father.”
“Oh Father, can I have some fudge?”
“If you don’t mind the flaked blood that’s mixed in there.”
“You know what, I’m gonna try it anyway since I’m three quarters bogyman. This is soooo good. Mother, I’m taking the cat into the Ferrari for a while. I need to think.”
“Jenny, aren’t you going to tell us about your adventure?”
“Later.”
“Don’t you think the cat might tear into that expensive car?”
“Father can buy me a new one.”
The doorbell rang and it was a FedEx courier. He commenced to bang on the door and the lion cub transformed into a full grown lioness; she ran to the door to protect what she considered her lion cub, Jenny. Allison screamed as Dracula blurred to intercept the cat.
Dracula looked into the eyes of the lioness. “Sarah, there is no danger here.” The lion returned to her cub form.
Allison’s heart was pounding. “Oh good grief.”
“Allison, there’s nothing to fear from Sarah, however I wouldn’t want to be a burglar trying to break in here. She won’t harm anyone without just cause.”
Jenny headed out to her car with the cub right behind her.
Allison snuggled up beside Dracula on the sofa trying to relax. “Why can’t we have a normal home instead of a circus? What next? She’s growing up way too fast. I want her to be a baby again.”
Dracula kissed her not once but three times. “Good luck with that. Don’t forget that she has my genes in her. I continue to be amazed at her energy every time she gets near me.”
“That wizard that’s she’s talking about. Is he a real danger to Jenny?”
Dracula attempted to choose his words carefully. “He could be.”
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
SOUNDS IN THE FOREST were either eerie or pleasant at night, depending upon one’s mood, location and circumstance. Inside a log cabin one could be warm and comfortable, but outside lost in the woods it would be a completely different story. The darkness of the forest could take on a life of its own. An overactive imagination might place monsters were there were none.
Vincent found himself in the dark forest waiting and wondering. Loneliness was an island with a single occupant and only trees to stare at; only thoughts to play with. It was peculiar how even the quiet could be disturbing. The sky was overcast making the night darker than it should have been. A raccoon made its way through the area ignoring him as it seemed to be pursuing something.
An owl hooted and then flew off into the darkness.
The sheriff could hear a horde of mice nearby, probably what the owl was looking to get at, but his presence had frightened it off. He sat about fifty feet away from the large cage on a fallen tree and was bored. The waiting game was a tedious business but sometimes a necessary part of the job. Several raw sirloin steaks were inside the cage as bait for the werewolf. He had a spell on him that would make his scent undetectable to such a creature. Vincent was yet uncertain what to do with the werewolf if he caught it; he would make that decision when and if it happened. He would have to talk to it when it reverted to human form in the daylight before making his decision. It might be necessary to contact other werewolves for advice, not an easy task.
The sheriff could smell a moose just over a mile away and hoped that it didn’t attract the werewo
lf. A large branch cracked somewhere but he couldn’t orient on it. After several minutes of no further sound he again relaxed. Vincent had talked to his mother for the first time in a while earlier in the day; she was also a vampire otherwise she would have been long dead. She had been a little upset in the fact that she had to kill a female that had been feeding on an old man; she resided in Oakland California, a long ways away from New York. It had been nice to hear her voice again. In time he hoped to head out there for a visit.
Dracula: Hearts of Fire (Dracula Heart's) Page 19