Invierea

  Throwing caution to the wind, we doubled our pace back through the tunnel. Just as Chuck was about to barrel out into the forest, a glimmer ahead caught my eye. I grabbed Chuck’s shoulder and pulled him back just as a searing thud echoed into the cave.

  “Oh fuck,” Chuck bellowed in pain. “I’ve been hit.”

  Yanking him back inside the passage, I searched over his shoulder. In the dark cover of the forest I counted three men, all with crossbows. We retreated to a point where our assailants were no longer in clear view. I turned my attention to Chuck, an arrow planted firmly in his shoulder.

  “Ah shit man, this hurts. Pull that fucker out, Brian. Damn Jimmy’s curse. He put this on me for not bringing him along.”

  “Nick, what should we do?” Gabby asked as she tended to Chuck’s injury.

  “I don’t know. They’ve got night vision and can see us coming. I could not tell how many were out there beyond three. But the longer we wait, the more might show up, and sooner or later they will come in after us. But going out there is suicide.”

  Sam looked toward the entrance. “Alexandru was prepared to entomb us in this place, so let’s grant him his final request.” She pointed to explosives that had been planted at the mouth of the tunnel. “It will buy us time.”

  “In time, we will end up like our friend here,” I pointed out.

  “No, we can eat Chuck,” Gabrielle chirped as she pulled the arrow out of Chuck’s shoulder and licked its tip. “He is rather tasty.”

  “Hey, nobody eats Chuck.” Chuck applied a rag to his wound.

  If we went out against those skilled hunters, surely not all of us would survive. And we did not have the luxury of time as Sam pointed out. Her idea was the only viable answer. “Everyone get back to the main hall. Gabby, bring me the detonator. I’ll wait here and make sure they do not follow us in.”

  Within minutes Gabby returned with the detonator. “Okay, let’s get the hell out of here.” Sprinting back to the main hall, I pressed the trigger and the mountain rumbled with a mighty explosion behind us. Fire and dust pursued our retreat until we cleared the tunnel. Once the aftershock had cleared, I returned to ensure the path was indeed sealed.

  Returning to the great hall, I found everyone comfortably stretched out across several tapestries strewn on the floor. Angelique, speaking softly, was attempting to solicit any response from the gnarled and shriveled man. Gabrielle and Sam were tending to Chuck’s injury, as the overgrown ham-bone played the wounded soldier routine to the max.

  Directing my attention to Angelique I knelt down beside her. “Anything?”

  “I wish I could say. There is nothing about him I recognize, no features or scent, and he is completely unresponsive.”

  “He needs more blood, living blood.”

  “I ain’t dead yet. Don’t think I can’t hear you talking about me. And forget it, between the pint or two Count Mummy already sucked out of me, and the arrow I took for you, I’m down about fifty percent, Jackeroo. That is … unless you want him to finish me up and make me one of the crew. It sure would help my shoulder heal a lot faster.”

  “Chuck …” I could not begin to gather my wits enough to make a logical rebuttal.

  “Hey if you’re hungry, or need to feed ‘Ol Prune Stick over there, might I suggest Alexandru and his butt buddy. I don’t think they’ve got any immediate dinner plans.” Wounded and trapped, Chuck refused to let the dire situation get the best of his spirit.

  “Even if there were a way out, it’s too late tonight. We should rest now, and later tonight we can explore the old castle stairway. Perhaps it can be reopened,” Angelique suggested.

  Lacking any other viable plan, or suggestions to the contrary, we silently agreed. I snuffed the torches and the chamber fell into darkness. Sleep did not come easy for any of us. The events of the night and the uncertainty of what lay ahead was far too daunting to allow peaceful slumber. Through the course of day, my mind drifted through stages of tranquil dreams and horrific nightmares. Our guest, actually it was we who were his guests, appeared as a kind stranger and then as a tyrannous villain. On occasions as my breath quickened and my heart pounded me into consciousness, I would part my eyes only to discover him still on the floor, gray and feeble.

  Frozen in darkness, the chamber remained oblivious to the passing of the hours, or the suns intentions for the world beyond. It was in this abyss where sleep finally claimed its exhausted victims. It was here, in this world where no mortal, or vampire, can resolve to control their destiny, these words drifted across the ancient, misty chamber; : Odihnă ușor pe fiul meu. Calea pe care caută viața în sufletul tău. (Rest easy my son. The path you seek lives within your soul.)

  Five percent of the writer’s profits will be donated to Canine Companions for Independence. CCI provides highly trained assistance dogs for individuals with disabilities, free of charge.

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