Dance of Death (5 page)
Authors: R.L. Stine
7
T
obias thrust Honoria behind him and crouched down into a fighting position. He could see a dark figure standing in the shadows at the entrance to the passageway.
That's the passage from Justin's house! Something terrible must have happened. Nobody ever comes that way but him.
Tobias could feel his heartbeat quicken as adrenaline raced through his body.
“I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something,” Justin said, his tone sarcastic.
Justin! It was only Justin.
“Why didn't you say who you were at once,” Tobias snapped. “I could have hurt you!”
“I knew you wouldn't hurt me, Tobias,” Justin answered. “You couldn't, even if you tried.”
Justin brushed past Tobias. “Honoria,” he said. “I didn't expect to see you here.”
He's angry, Tobias thought. Angry because I broke my promise and told her about the laboratory.
“I followed Tobias when he wasn't paying attention,” Honoria said. “You mustn't blame him, Justin. It wasn't his fault.”
“That's not trueâ” Tobias began.
Justin laughed. “But of course I won't blame Tobias,” he said. “How can I blame him for wanting to be with you? If you were my fiancée, I wouldn't let you out of my sight, Honoria.”
Justin took a step closer to her. Tobias clenched his hands into two tight fists.
He's always flirting with her, he thought. Always trying to take her away from me.
Honoria took a quick step back. Tobias breathed a sigh of relief.
She doesn't even want to be near him, Tobias reminded himself. I'm the one she wants to be with. Honoria loves me.
“I'll go up to see about your dinner, Tobias,” Honoria said, trying to maneuver around Justin. “You'll come up very soon, won't you?”
“As soon as Tobias and I have a little discussion,” Justin answered before Tobias could say anything.
Tobias felt a spurt of anger. He forced it down.
All I have to do is translate these papers, Tobias thought. Then Honoria and I can be married and go away together. We'll never have to see Justin again.
Until then, I must remember how much I owe him. How good he's always been to me.
Honoria hurried out of the lab. Her haste made her
clumsy. She bumped into Tobias's instrument table, knocking over a tray of sharp scalpels.
“Ouch!” Honoria cried.
“Honoria, what is it?” Tobias said, hurrying forward. But Justin was closer.
“It's nothing,” he said, quickly stepping in front of Tobias. “She's just cut herself. I don't think it's very deep. I'll take care of it.”
Justin pulled a snowy white handkerchief from his coat pocket and pressed it to Honoria's wound.
“Here,” he said. “This should help stop the bleeding.”
Tobias could hear Honoria's unsteady breathing. “Justin,” she gasped. “You're pressing too hard.”
“Nonsense, my dear,” Justin said. “The pressure is what stops the bleeding. Remember, I'm the doctor, so I ought to know.”
“Let go of her,” Tobias cried, springing forward.
“Calm down, Tobias,” Justin said sharply. “There's no reason for alarm. There, see? The bleeding has stopped.”
He whipped the handkerchief from Honoria's cut hand and stuffed it in his pocket. “You can go up to dinner now, Honoria,” he continued. “Tobias will be along in a moment.”
Honoria brushed past Justin. She laid a trembling hand on Tobias's arm. “Tobias,” she said in a low voice. “I don't want you to stay here. I don't want to go back through that horrible passage alone. Come with me
now,
Tobias.”
Tobias didn't know what to do. Which was more important? His debt to Justin or his love for Honoria?
I wouldn't be able to marry Honoria if it wasn't for
Justin, he thought. He's the one who made it possible for me to support myself. I don't have much. But what I have, I owe to Justin.
“I must stay to talk with Justin,” he answered. “Take one of my candles. I'll come up as soon as I can.”
“Oh, Tobias,” Honoria whispered. Her beautiful blue eyes filled with tears. Without another word, she took the candle and ran from the laboratory.
You better have a very good reason for keeping me here, Justin, Tobias thought. He hated to see Honoria so unhappy. Trying to keep hold of his temper, he turned to face Justin Fear.
Justin was hunched over Tobias's desk. He studied the notes Tobias had begun to make on the papers.
He's forgotten all about Honoria, Tobias thought.
“You've done it, haven't you?” Justin asked, his eyes shining as he looked up from the papers.
Honoria is right. There is something strange about his eyes, Tobias thought.
“You've started to translate these, haven't you?” Justin prompted. “You know the meaning of this word.”
He lifted the papers up and pointed to one word that was repeated over and over. The papers crackled in Justin's hands.
It's as if they're alive, Tobias thought. As if they want me to tell Justin their secrets.
“Yes,” he answered. “I know what that word means. I figured it out just before you came in. But I don't know everything, Justin. That word is just the first step.”
“It's more than that,” Justin countered. “I'm sure
it's the key. That word is the vital element to uncovering the secret of eternal life. What is the word, Tobias?
Tell me.”
Tobias took a deep breath. I have to tell him, he thought. I owe him that much.
“Blood,” he said in a harsh whisper.
A gust of cold air swept through the laboratory. The room was plunged into pitch darkness as every single candle in the room went out.
8
J
ustin's eyes shone in the darkness. The sight made Tobias shudder.
“Blood,” Justin cried. “Blood, I knew it! Now I have the answer. I have the key. I can live forever. I can do it!”
Justin threw back his head and laughed in triumph. The sound echoed in the dark laboratory.
Honoria is correct, Tobias thought. Something is terribly wrong with Justin. He's obsessed by those papers. Obsessed with finding the secret of eternal life. Eternal lifeâfor himself.
And he's stopped wanting to do good for others, Tobias realized. He wants the secret all for himself now.
Tobias fumbled as he struggled to light a candle. Justin's laughter went on and on.
I've got to make him stop, Tobias thought. I've got to make him see that what we're doing could be dangerous.
A candle flame flared in the darkness.
“Justin, this power can beâ” Tobias cried.
Justin abruptly stopped laughing. But his eyes still glowed with triumph.
“You're about to say something sensible, aren't you?” he asked. “Practical Tobias. You always take the straightforward approach. So tell me, why do
you
think the papers refer to blood?”
Tobias breathed a sigh of relief. Justin's mood was still a strange one, but his terrible hysteria seemed to have passed.
“It must be a reference to the circulatory system,” Tobias said. “Perhaps the papers tell of a way to stimulate the blood so the heart always stays healthy and strong.”
“That's exactly the kind of explanation I expected you to come up with,” Justin spat out. “Proper and scientific.”
“What other kind of explanation could there be?” Tobias asked. “We're doctors, Justin. We must look for the scientific explanation. Otherwise, what we're doing would be terrible evil. Rituals and dark magic.”
Justin set the papers down and stepped away from Tobias's desk. “You're absolutely right, of course,” he agreed. “Keep up the good work. Soon you'll have all the papers translated. Then we'll know the truth. A great discovery awaits us, Tobias.”
“I hope so,” Tobias answered.
Justin clapped him on the shoulder. “I know so,” he insisted. “But I mustn't disturb you any longer. You have work to do, and Honoria is waiting.”
Justin headed for his side of the passageway. “Don't work too long,” he taunted. “Some things don't keep.”
What does he mean? Tobias wondered. Is he talking about Honoria?
I don't understand him anymore, Tobias thought as he resumed his place at his desk.
I used to know him so well. He was like a brother to me. But now he feels like a stranger.
He glanced back over at Justin.
Justin had his handkerchief pressed to his lips. Tobias heard a sucking sound. Then he saw Justin's tongue flick out and lick the cloth.
He used that handkerchief to stop Honoria's hand from bleeding, Tobias thought.
Justin is drinking my Honoria's blood!
9
Shadowbrook, New York, 1873
M
adeline stood in the corridor. The old woman clung to her arm. Her jagged fingernails bit into Madeline's flesh. Her grasp closed even tighter and Madeline felt her skin go numb.
“My Tobias,” the old woman wailed. “My Tobias. I know you have seen him. He knew the secret. Too late. Too late ⦔ she moaned.
“Auntie!” Deborah's voice rang out suddenly. “Stop that right now! Get away from her!”
The old woman dropped Madeline's arm and spun around. Cackling wildly, she dashed down the hallway. She shoved her way past Deborah.
“Tobias! Tobias!” Madeline heard Auntie call as she vanished around the corner.
“Why did you just stand there?” Madeline cried in desperation. “Why didn't you stop her?”
Deborah's hands fluttered around her throat. “There now, my dear.” She put her arm around Madeline's shoulders. “That's only old Auntie. You needn't be concerned about her. She's perfectly harmless. She just wanders in her mind a bit, that's all.”
“But who is she?” Madeline asked. She winced as her cousin's hand closed over the bruises Auntie's grip had left on Madeline's arm.
