“Eric’s so serious.”
“He’s the Watcher in training. He has to be. He makes up for it by being silly beyond all belief during the day,” Queui explained.
“So if Shady gets turned…”
“…which he won’t…”
“Eric would be my supposed guardian?”
“Right.”
“Weird.”
“A little. He’s good, though.”
“I noticed.” Blaise stops and surveys the land. The sky is slightly brighter. The ground is infertile and patchy. The passage seems to be a valley of sorts; a steep hill on either side but apparently nothing but wasteland ahead. The establishment lies behind, noises of chaos and fighting coming from it. Though Blaise had never seen them, she assumed there had to be more of the fighters. This confirmed such beliefs.
“Hold up. Ambush ahead,” Shady commanded in a light tone. “Form a wall. All that get through Blaise can deal with, but she’s still not quite ready.”
“Bullshit.”
“I’m your guardian. You get to do as I say.”
“Fine, fine. But I’ll never learn if you don’t…”
“Be quiet. No time for annoyances, Blaise. Ignore me and concentrate on the fight. We can’t lose another hero so soon.”
“Mister Optimism, ladies and germs.”
“Please don’t. It’s distracting.”
“Fine, sorry.”
At least thirty vampires came out at once and leapt at the small cluster of people.
“Shit!”
“Okay, Richelle. You were right. Bad idea.”
“Thanks for saying.”
They hit in waves. Ten at first. Each fighter was able to take two apiece, leaving two to get through to Blaise. She took her time in beating them up, glancing at the other shadows to let them know what she was dealing with. They didn’t seem to care.
Second wave. The others still fought their original wave; they quickly became overwhelmed. But the vamps weren’t moving on. Blaise stands, motionless for a few seconds, not willing to disobey Shady’s orders, but shortly deciding that they were pretty much pants now anyway.
She leaps into the fray. Half a dozen figures at a time go flying, bowling over some of the third wave. More come from behind the hill. Blaise goes all out, hitting as many as she can to help the others out. Finally their numbers are depleted enough that the fighters could manage.
But there’s still the issue of the dozens more flocking toward them.
Just pass through and they’ll all follow.
She waits until they are all close enough, and then begins to run up the side of the valley. The sky lightens, but the sun is not yet up. She stands at the top of the hill and begins to fight off the circle of creatures that come at her, each hurtling themselves at her conveniently one at a time. Shady is shouting something, but she can’t hear.
Soon they start to disappear; she keeps having fewer left to fight. Finally Shady makes an appearance, accompanied with Eric and a sombre Queui. The vamps are fleeing. The fighters are running toward her, still shouting, but she still can’t hear.
Crunch. A kick in the ribs sends Blaise plummeting to the ground. Three vampires remain, insistent upon kicking her repeatedly, but she feels little. It’s a strange phenomenon. Suddenly shadows are gone and a deep voice close to her ear tells her to stay down and pretend to be dead.
“Shady, get up,” a cheery voice comes, mocking ever so slightly. “Get up, I said. I don’t have very long, you know that. Up, up, let’s go. Who have you brought me today? Hmm… Queui, very nice, she’s a lovely girl. Eric… interesting you’d bring him, I thought he was your trainee. And… what’s this? Another hero? A dead one? Answer me, Shady, I’ve little time.”
“Yes. Just recruited today.”
“And already dead. Tut, tut, Shady, you really must take better care of your heroes if you have any desire whatsoever to kill me off.” Blaise could hear the tone of his voice change midway through the sentence. “Get up, dear, I’m well aware you’re not dead. Get up. Up, up, what is it with you guys today?”
“Stay down, stay down,” Eric was whispering.
“Fine. Play it that way.” The voice was probably saying more, but Blaise couldn’t hear it; an unimaginable jolt of pain invades her head. She opens her eyes and finds herself sitting up and facing none other than The Peej. “Bow down, dear. We’ve got things to do if you’ve been trying to fool me.”
“Do as he says,” Eric was still muttering.
“Sound advice, that boy is giving you. Bow to me, hero.” More pain. Blaise found herself bowing.
“You really must train your heroes better, Shady. Where’s the redhead?”
“You’ll have to be more specific.”
“The redhead, the one that was just with you.”
“Oh, Richelle. Taken.”
“Very good. What’s your name, Hero?”
“Blaise.”
“I know that. Don’t patronize me.”
Pain.
“The sun’s nearly up, hero.” Pain. “Otherwise we’d have a more extensive” pain “conversation.”
“Such a pity you have to run. Have fun, bye-bye, don’t forget not to write.”
“Ooh, a sassy one. I think I like you, hero.” PAIN PAIN PAIN. “Same time, same place tomorrow. For now I must revert to my less becoming form. Don’t forget, hero. Otherwise your painful fate might await you sooner rather than later.” Pain conclusive.
“Are you all right?” Shady asked, pale and looking ready to light up.
“Nasty headache, bruised ribs, but I’ll be all right.”
The sun rose. Not a soul to be seen, other than fighters leaving the establishment and going home. “Was Richelle really taken?”
Nods.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t save her.”
“You were too busy saving the rest of us. Let’s get some sleep. Meet in the theatre at sunset tomorrow.”
“You do this every night?”
“Absolutely. Otherwise they’d take over.”
"Why aren't we killing them?"
"There is a small team of fighters who go around and decapitate or stake the ones we leave unconscious. They're dead, I assure you; we're just not the ones killing them. It takes too long. Now, get some rest; it's been a long day, and tomorrow will be likewise."
All is calm.
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