The Necromancer: Part Fourteen
by J Jericho Born
Early next morning Abel sat behind his desk consistently intrigued by his studies as a necromancer. The reading and writing of morbid topics that made up most of his time would seem frivilous if it weren't for the amazingly gratifying results of their applications. A bothersome unknown word halted his reading like a pothole in a highway.

Abel stood up and exited his study. He would have to consult the archives to solve this enigma. As he casually stumbled down his lair's hallway with his head buried in a book he thought about exactly which manuscripts he would peruse. A gut feeling made him stop in his tracks and look up. Puritan's broad chest hovered in front of him.

"I see you've returned," Abel observed.

A half dozen or so fellow vampires emerged from the darkness around Abel.

"And you've brought friends," he added. The stone-like silence of Puritan's chin chilled the room.

"Can you not pass a word through those lips of yours?" facetiously questioned Abel.

"Get him," Puritan barked in return.

Abel's head drifted backwards in a cackling laugh.

"'Get him' he says. Well, come get me," said Abel while still recovering from his laughter.

The menagerie of vampires hesitated en masse. Abel stared down his would be attackers one by one. As his eyes met the vampire on his extreme left the one lurking at his right finally mustered enough courage to close ranks with his prey. Before he could come within range Abel's arm leapt out toward him and shot out hellfire that blasted the brave hearted vampire into ashes which playfully fluttered in the air.

"Let me explain to you something," began Abel while grinning with enjoyment.

He continued, "There's a food chain. You see, at the bottom there are humans. Above that we have vampires, which would be you. Skipping up we eventually get to me. You owe me with your very lives not because I created you and made you what you are."

Abel paused while making a disgusted noise then said, "I almost gagged on that cliche."

He righted himself then completed, "As I was saying you owe me not for that reason, but because I can proverbially eat you for breakfast."

"What you want from me?" savagely asked Puritan.

Abel answered, "Well, my verbiage challenged friend, I want you to do what you naturally do. Feed on humans, sire vampires, and if you happen upon a Slayer-"

A furrowed brow on Puritan interrupted as he vocalized, "Huh?"

"You'll know her by the fact she's trying to kill you," explained Abel.

Puritan acknowledged with a maliciously innocent, "Oh."

"Anyway, if you happen upon this Slayer then do me a favor and dispatch her. Odds are another one will be sent rather quickly, but you could have some fun in the mean time," commissioned Abel.

Puritan nodded in understanding.

"So, run along with your friends then and get into mischief. Oh, just spare me one vampire as a bodyguard if you will," Abel said.

That having been said Puritan gestured at what used to be the young man he assaulted in the alley to stay. The rest of his gang made their way out of the lair ready to appease their collective hunger. The remaining vampire looked at Abel eagerly for orders.

"Guard the entrance to the lair," commanded Abel.

The vampire grunted in approval and scurried off. Abel also began to return to his study, forgetting the reason he had emerged from it in the first place. His former mentor happend by along the way.

"Beware, there are vampires in this lair," Abel cautioned. Without a word spoken the older of the two removed a piece of stained black metal neckware and began to put it on.

"Going to wear your gorget I see," Abel said with minor amusement.

"It is a valuable precaution," coldly stated the elder necromancer.

"I never liked those things much. Rather ugly to my tastes," mentioned Abel as the two parted in opposite directions.


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