frowned, like he realized something was wrong. His companions moved towards the bed, he assumed with the intent to take him, but as they tried to go around their leader, he held up a hand.
"No, he did not summon us."
Summon!? He stared down at the block in horror. That's why it was in the vault! How could I be so stupid!
Vlad appeared in an explosion of shadow, in front of the bed between him and the monsters. "Run, Little Master!"
Whatever spell, psychological or psychic, that held him in that room broke, and his terror galvanized him. He ran for the door to the nurse's room, pulled it open, and made for the opposite side, which led into the nursery. From there he could access the secret stairwell and make his way down to his mother's office. She would protect him.
As he reached the other door, he heard the one to his bedroom slam shut.
Vlad moved to block the door to keep the Cenobites from following his Master's son, but he felt the one called Pinhead extend his power to push it closed.
"Vlad Tepes Drakulya." Pinhead regarded him with what appeared to be an arrogant expression. "Have you finally decided to surrender yourself to us?"
"No. My current existence still satisfies me."
"Then why do you interfere with our actions?"
"I defend the Van Helsing Bloodline. So long as I draw breath, no harm will come to those who possess it."
Pinhead sported a bored expression. "So be it." Even as he spoke, iron hooks at the end of heavy chains flew out of the walls, ceiling, and floor. The chains wrapped around Vlad's body, ensnaring him, as the hooks dug into his flesh, ripping through to the bones. They lifted him off the floor and spread-eagled his limbs even as they pulled him apart.
Through the haze of agony and blood he saw Pinhead scan the room in a slow manner, as if searching for something. "The one who summoned us is not here. Come, we must search for him." They turned as a group and headed for the hall door. As they passed through it, the chains dissolved into thin air and he dropped. Before he hit the ground, he transformed into shadow and flowed under the bed to reform. He had to do so quickly; he knew they would follow Henry for the time being, hoping he would lead them to their victim, and Henry would go to his mother.
Differel and the Girls were in the north stairwell, halfway between the first and ground floors, when her cell phone beeped. She paused and answered it.
"Differel here; report."
"Holt speaking. The Cenobites are in the grand hall, second floor, just outside the matriarch suite."
Too soon; she had hoped for more time. "Fall back. Do not engage; repeat, do not engage! Follow them for now, but keep your distance and do not interfere unless they threaten someone. Understood?"
"Yes, Mum."
"Keep me informed of their progress. What of my son?"
"He is not in his bedroom."
Her heart stuttered as her breath caught in throat. "Start a search for him immediately!"
"Right away, Mum. Holt out."
She passed the phone to Eile. "Take all reports from Holt."
"Sure thing, Diff."
"You want us to help with the search?" Sunny asked.
"Not yet. Stay with me for now."
They continued on. They got off at the ground floor, Differel used her pass card to open the security gate and the door to her office, and then she went to the room safe. She unlocked it and pulled it open with Eile's help. Sunny entered first and switched on the light; she and Eile followed and went to the weapons locker. She pressed a thumb against the reader and heard the metal doors unlock. Opening the cabinet, she removed and passed to Eile a British Army L128A1 semi-automatic shotgun with a bandolier of 12-gauge shells, followed by an FN AR-57 semi-automatic carbine which she passed to Sunny along with a bandolier of 50-round magazines, and finally a Parker Hale submachine gun with a 180-round drum magazine for herself.
While she waited for them to lock and load, she heard the kick panel that led to the secret stairwell open in the back. She aimed the PH as a box of files was moved aside, but relaxed when she saw Henry crawl through the shelves.
"What are you doing here?"
He stood up and sprinted over to her. "Five monsters appeared in my bedroom. Vlad told me to run, so I came down here to find you."
Her gut seized as the nickel dropped. The cube he mentioned; its description matched that of the Lament Configuration. He must have taken it and solved it! Bloody hell, I've been so stupid!
But she couldn't worry about that yet. She had to get him to safety.
She held out her hand. "Come on, let's get you out of here."
He took it and she led him out as the Girls followed. As she entered the office, however, she spotted the Cenobites standing just in front of the door.
Read the rest of the story [https://www.goodreads.com/story/show/336465-youthful-indiscretion].
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