Forever Young The Beginning (53 page)

“
An axe? Hmmm. There are one
or more hostages in the building out back. I’d like to go in to get
them first and get information from them. They might know how many
there are, for one thing. Any ideas?”

“
What would you do with them
then?”

“
We’d take them a good way
away from here and leave them there. If we take them to the river,
they can find their way back to the city. I think the river is no
more than a mile from here. Once they’re away from here, we can
finish this. Or, we can ignore them until we finish and then get
them away from here. Talk about it among yourselves. Li and I will
go see what we can learn.”

Ian and the others separated and
changed their clothes at vampire speed and soon he and Li were
bounding away toward the house. They edged up close and split up,
silently gliding around it listening. They met in back and neither
had heard a thing. Ian pointed up and Li nodded. Up they went,
silently scaling the rough stucco walls using windowsills and other
architectural features. Ian could see through the windows dimly and
there was no sign of life inside. He silently crawled all over the
side of the building like a spider peering and listening as Li did
the same on his side of the house. They covered all windows and
never got a sighting. Ian went to the attic window on the rear
gable. It was locked and the interior was dark so he couldn’t make
out a single feature inside. He took a chance and pushed his elbow
against the glass until it cracked quietly. Picking out two pieces
of glass he reached in to unlatch the window, raising it to test it
for noise and then slowly closing it.

On the ground he met Li and they
flitted back to rejoin the group.

“
We can’t hear a thing. I
broke into an attic window in back. It opens and closes quietly. We
could split our group and some come in that way and the others
breach a door or window on the first floor. What do you
think?”

“
We want to get the hostages
out now and take them just a short distance away. That way we’ll be
at full strength when we go in.”

“
I’ll take you and Sophia in
to get them, Marie. They’re less likely to be afraid of women.
Let’s take our weapons just in case though.” They quickly armed
themselves and bounded away into the dark. Ian bounded up silently
onto the porch roof of the caretaker’s house. He opened the window
and glided into the darkness, and in seconds he beckoned the other
two to join him. Inside they glided out of the room where they
entered and into a hallway that led to the stairs. Shortly they
were at the basement stairs and had silently opened the
door.

He crept down the steps to the dirt
floor and let his vampire eyes adjust to the blackness. Seeing a
little light coming from around a corner, he glided to that and
peeked around. There was a boy and two girls tied to a thick post
that served as a support for the floor above. Ian signaled to the
other two to take off their hoods, so they did and walked into the
room.

Marie spoke German and said “Peace,
little ones. Don’t fear. We’ve come to set you free. Be quiet now
and come with us.”

“
Who… who are
you?”

As she bent to cut their bonds, she
said “We’re enemies of those inside. We came to free you.” The
bonds cut, Marie scooped up the smallest one. Sophia got the next
smallest one and Ian picked up a boy about maybe 8 years
old.

“
Don’t make a sound lest
those others hear us.” Ian led them up and out of the caretaker’s
house. When all three were on the porch roof together, Ian spoke
again whispering “Not a sound now.” He bounded off with his burden
and the other two followed. In only seconds they were with the
others.

“
We’ll take these three off
a little way and return.” He bounded away and streaked through the
woods and leaped a small creek. They got around a quarter mile away
and stopped by a large rock formation, taller than the trees
nearby. Ian thought they would be able to find it in the dark
later. The three put the children down and Marie told the boy
“You’re the oldest and you are in charge of these two. Stay here
and stay silent. We’ll return later and take you home after that.
Do you understand?”

The three children nodded. Marie and
Sophia each hugged all three and then Marie said “If we don’t make
it back here, wait until daylight.” She took the boy by the
shoulders and pointed to the road saying “That way is the road to
the city. Just turn left and follow it into Vienna. We must go now.
Goodbye.” The little girl she had carried came to Marie and hugged
her saying “You are our angels.”

The group was now all together in the
dark outside of the farmhouse. Ian asked “Do any of you have a
pocket clock?”

Wilhelm and Henri both nodded and
handed them to Ian.

He set one to match the exact time of
the other.

“
We can divide our forces
and strike from two directions at the same time. I can take half
with me through the attic and Li can bring half in through the
front door or through those two front windows at once. That will
really confuse them what with an attack coming from two directions
at once. They’ll think that our number is greater than it really
is. Does anyone have any other ideas?”

“
What will they do, Ian?”
asked Wilhelm.

“
They’ll fight like hell,
but we’ll take them down. What are the chances that they’re armed
and ready? Aim for their brain if possible. A brain wound can
immobilize any vampire for a while. Shoot and drop your pistol and
grab another and shoot another target. We’ll finish them off with
sabers and short swords.”

Henri spoke up then “All of you beware
of Moreau. He is a crafty one and is big and strong. He’s killed
many vampires in his time.” Wilhelm vouched for that. Ian said “Li,
Deiter or I will try to get him early on then. If we can get a
chance, we’ll try to save one for questioning.”

Ian took the time to go to Deiter and
Wilhelm to inspect their weapons and how they were secured. He made
two minor adjustments on Wilhelm’s sword scabbard. Wilhelm
complimented the family on their night suits and both he and Deiter
were particularly fond of the twin shoulder-holsters. Marie got out
the four extra hoods she had made at the last minute at the chateau
and gave Deiter and Wilhelm a pair of them. “These are in case one
of them gets away. He won’t know who did this, and can never
identify you. Just tuck the hem inside your shirt
collar.”

They agreed to attack at 9:30 exactly
which was about a quarter hour away. Just then Ian said “I hear a
carriage coming. Four horses I think. Listen, this will give me a
chance to get into the house without them hearing me. I’ll take
Marie and Henri through the attic. These new arrivals will distract
those inside when they enter. Surprise and better weapons are on
our side. This will go well, trust me. Remain cool and hit what you
are shooting at.” He shook hands with Li, Wilhelm, and Deiter and
hugged Sophia. Other hugs were exchanged and then Ian beckoned to
Henri and Marie. They flashed to the back of the house and like
three spiders they crawled up the rear wall and melted into the
blackness of the attic.

The carriage drew up to the door and
four men got out. The driver tied the team to a hitching post there
and joined them. The five zipped to the front door in the blink of
an eye so Li and the other three knew there were no humans in that
group. They glided to the carriage and knelt behind it.

“
Aldric, it’s us. I hope you
haven’t started yet.” Several of them laughed as they entered the
front door.

At this moment Ian, Henri, and Marie
were descending the attic stairs to the upstairs hallway. They
glided down the back steps into the kitchen and waited in the dim
light there, grouped in a corner that was near a hallway leading to
the front of the house. Those in the foyer or parlor were talking
and had made perfect cover for the three to enter. They were inside
now and just watching the pocket watch. Ian signed to Marie and
Henri to draw and cock their first two pistols. They did so timing
it with laughter and conversation from the front of the house. They
waited unmoving in typical vampire fashion, while Ian stared
alternately at the pocket watch and the hallway leading to the
front of the house. It got to thirty seconds and Ian glided
forward. None of the three noticed that the door to the cellar was
slightly ajar as they filed silently past it.

“
You said the man who wanted
the girls died in a fire?”

“
Yes, and I’m still unsure
about that event.”

“
Why?”

“
I’m not sure. Something
about it isn’t right. Anyway I have no buyers. I have a plan to
solve your problem though.”

“
We knew you would,
Aldric.”

“
You idiots are lucky is all
I can say. Your activities can bring a hell-storm down on
yourselves. There are very important vampires who notice things
like this and will send a team of killers to deal with the
offenders.”

“
What? I want to know more
about that.”

“
I’ve told you more than I
should you fool. I’m one of those who they send, fortunately for
you idiots. You brought my money?”

“
Yes Here it is, as
promised. You say that there are vampires who care about things
like this? And they send killers after who, vampires like
us?”

“
Yes you idiot, they send
people like me in groups to stop this sort of thing before it
becomes publicly known.”

Undeterred, a young vampire spoke up
then “Let’s get that little girl tonight. I like it when they
finally realize what is happening and piss their pants. I don’t
know which I like better, their eyes bulging, their whimpering, or
them pissing on themselves.” Laughter followed as Moreau grumbled
“You idiots are more trouble than you are worth!”

Ian sensed Marie tensing up behind him
and Henri restraining her. There was the sound of more laughter and
of a box being put on a table as another voice said “Here’s your
money Aldric.”

They must be in the dining
room
thought Ian as the second hand neared
the time. He put the watch in a pocket and glided forward, the
other two following him.

Proceeding through into the dining
room instead of coming through the foyer he saw the front door open
and saw Li and Sophia rapidly gliding in from their direction,
pistols raised. Ian fired and shot two of them between the eyes and
had his next two pistols leveled seeking targets before the empty
ones hit the floor. Henri fired at Moreau and hit his shoulder
while Marie hit another in his throat. Li hit Moreau in the chest
even as he tried to leap to one side. The parlor window shattered
inward as Deiter and Wilhelm came through it.

Sophia fired her pistol and hit one
squarely in the chest knocking him back onto another. Moreau
streaked for the foyer with Ian after him. He fired just as the
severed head of one flew from its owner to hit his arm just hard
enough to spoil his aim. He failed to get another shot off due to
Li and an opponent moving in between them. Then he had a clear shot
at Moreau only to have his pistol misfire, so he pulled his sabre
and rocketed after him. As he closed in he was attacked from his
left by the driver trying to escape. He turned to kick the driver
squarely in his chest and drove him backwards across the dining
room table. Feeling a sudden hot pain as Moreau sunk a dagger into
his side, Ian ignored the pain, gritting his teeth and spinning, he
drove his right elbow smashing into Moreau’s nose splattering it
all over his face and temporarily blinding him. He quickly stepped
one leg behind Moreau and threw him over. Moreau rolled with it and
came up in a crouch and drove back only to have Ian kick him in the
teeth, shattering his jaw. Ian closed in and drove a thumb into
Moreau’s eye and twisted his wrist lightning fast. The eye popped
out and dangled from its socket attached by only the optic nerve.
Moreau roared with rage and swung a pile driving punch and hit Ian
squarely in the chest knocking him back. He didn’t resist it but
rolled and came up with his dragon pistol, discharging it point
blank into Moreau’s face. Moreau roared like a bear in his pain and
rage and Ian drove in fast with his dagger, ripping upward from the
gut where he had sunk it. He drove Moreau back and they both
crashed into the far wall of the foyer.

Ian never gave even a split second of
reprieve and began to rain telling blows, one of which shattered
Moreau’s larynx and crushed his windpipe. He drew up his leg and
delivered a front kick to Moreau’s chest and ripped his short sword
from its scabbard and stabbed Moreau through the throat, the floor
beneath stopping his blade. Stamping down on Moreau’s face as hard
as he could Ian drew back and took his head off with a single blow.
Kicking it to a corner he whirled to leap back to the center of the
fray in the dining room.

Marie was stabbing the one who made
the remark about the little girl. She was behind him with her legs
locked around his waist and her arm a blur as she reduced his face
and throat to shreds of meat with her dagger. The vampire blindly
thrashed, screaming in panic, but couldn’t dislodge her. Sophia and
Li were finishing off another one, and Deiter had just cut the head
off of the third one with his axe. Wilhelm lay in a corner. It
turned out that three of them had swords and one had cut his hand
off. Ian drew Marie’s last pistol and jamming it into her
opponent’s mouth he shot, taking the back of his head completely
off and covering Marie with gore.