Angie regained her composure, and sporting her best cruise director’s smile, followed behind chattering away as if nothing strange was happening at all. Liz didn’t attempt to process what the girl was saying. Smiling and nodding as she watched the other vampires they passed. Most milled aimlessly about, some spoke in hushed tones, but all of them looked worried. They strolled casually to the main entrance and walked right out the door without encountering any resistance at all. It seemed everyone was too worried to pay them any attention.
When the door closed behind them, they rushed to Michael’s car. He opened the door motioning Angie into the back. Liz pushed the seat back into place and slipped in the passenger’s side.
“Time to go.” He slid the key in the ignition and the engine responded with a loud roar. Looking over his shoulder, he guided the car out of the parking space, flipped the transmission into drive, and pressed on the accelerator. The car lunged forward.
They barely made it off the property when Angie became hysterical trying to tell them what was happening. Michael hushed her right away, “Stop. We are too close. Save it for later, I’ll tell you when it’s safe.” Angie quieted and sat in silent terror.
Michael drove as if hellhounds followed. Liz couldn’t be sure which was scarier, what they were leaving behind or what they might literally be running into. For hours they sat in total silence. Then finally Michael began to speak. “The vampire nation is about to be at war, Liz. We are in grave danger. We must get away, as far and fast as we can.”
Angie piped up from the back seat, “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you! We are already at war. Mother said the fighting started in the dungeon. Dissenters were freeing those you returned! They killed the guards that were posted and were coming for you and Liz.”
Michael reached over and took Liz gently by the hand. “Do you trust me?”
“With my life.”
He gazed into her eyes not knowing that his own gave away the strong emotions wreaking havoc on his mind. “It will all be okay, Liz. I will keep you safe if it’s the last thing I do.”
Chapter Six
Hide and Seek
Michael drove all night heading south. He had several safe houses all over the country. Most were only known to him. Michael had never trusted anyone completely, except his father. Tides could turn quickly, and he never knew when his usefulness would wear out. They reached the nearest safe house just before dawn.
Dust covered cobwebs floated freely through the kitchen. Liz sputtered and swiped a web from her face. “Who's the cleaning lady? I think you should fire her.”
“I haven't been here for a while.” Michael answered.
Angie's eyes darted around the small room. “Umm, I hope you don't expect me to clean this mess up.”
Running his hand through his hair he said, “If you're hungry I have some frozen blood in the freezer. It shouldn't take long to thaw.”
Eye's wide and smiling, Angie asked, “You have electricity here? Really? Oh that's great! I call dibs on the shower.”
“Go ahead and look around. There are two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. Towels are in the hall closet.” He said loudly as headed through the dining room door.
Liz pulled out a seat at the kitchen table and sat. “I'm exhausted. I don't feel hungry, but in this populated area I should keep the thirst at bay.” She grimaced and continued, “I can smell the people next door.”
Michael flipped on the lights and began heating a plastic bag of blood in a pan of water on the stove.
“So what do we do now, Michael?”
“I don't know. I'm trying to figure it out.”
Clinking pipes resonated throughout the house. Liz shook her head. “I guess she was serious.”
He shrugged and retrieved another bag from the freezer. “She'll be wanting this when she's done.”
“What about you? Aren't you going to eat?”
“I'll have a cup. My mind is racing. I hate leaving father there to deal with this alone.” Slicing the bag, he poured two steaming cups of the burgundy fluid, took them to the table, and sat across from her. Within minutes, towel wrapped around her head and wearing an old red and black checkered bathrobe that was entirely too big for her, Angie entered.
“Where's mine?” she asked.
“On the stove. Help yourself.” Michael answered.
Angie sighed and rolled her eyes as she went to retrieve her breakfast.
After she joined them, Michael pulled Liz's hand across the table and held it firmly. “This is where we stand. This house is fully furnished with weapons and food. I have to get back to the fortress and help my father. You two will have to stay here on your own.”
Angie's hand hit the table. “Are you crazy?”
“No one knows about this place. I bought it with my own money. It’s not even in the fortress archives. I have plenty of money stashed here so you can go shopping and get anything you need.”
“You can’t just leave us here! You can’t go back to the fortress. Michael, they are trying to kill you.” Liz‘s voice trembled as she spoke.
“I have to go back. There is no way around it!”
“Michael, please!” she begged. “I don’t want to be here without you. You said you were never leaving me again.”
“My mother didn't send me with you for you to just leave me in this nasty, horrid house!” Angie chimed in.
Ignoring the girl, he looked directly at Liz. “I have to know what is going on in there, Elizabeth.” Both of them glared at each other, hoping the other would back down.
“You don’t have to go back. We can know what’s going on there without being actually being there.” Angie interjected with a strange smile on her face. She shook out her hair and looked around as if searching for something.
“We can’t use telepathy. That works both ways remember? If we use it to hear there, then they can follow the line back here to us.”
“We don’t need to use it.” Angie’s whole face lit up and she giggled as she brought her hand up to her mouth. She looked around again and whispered, “I have a secret weapon. I was going to tell you later, but I guess there is no time like the present.”
Michael let out an exasperated gasp.
“Now don’t get mad. I brought someone with me.” Her smile grew even wider. “William is here.”
“Oh for Pete’s sake. Your ghost stories are not going to help us now.”
“Oh, you don’t believe me then?” She laughed.
“Of course he believes you.” Liz flashed Michael a warning look. She knew how he felt about Angie’s ghost stories, but she wasn’t about to let him hurt the girl’s feelings.
“Okay then, I’ll show you. William?” She paused then exclaimed, “I don't want to hear it, just show them.” Another pause and her fingers began tapping on the table in irritation. “I said show them right now and I am not joking. I broke the rules even bringing you, and you are going to obey me, or leave.”
Just to the side of Angie’s left shoulder a tiny pinpoint of light began to manifest. It grew to the size of a golf ball and floated there. Michael and Liz were dumbfounded. Both of their chins dropped and their eyes widened with shock.
Angie laughed and said, “Oh quit being ridiculous.” She sighed. “You can do better than that. Just show them.” Shaking her head, she leaned in toward Michael and Liz and explained, “He’s very theatrical. He’s always worried about making an entrance.”
Suddenly, a handsome young man dressed in a confederate uniform stood beside Angie. Michael bolted up and went in to a snarling crouch. Liz jumped back in her chair almost knocking it over.
“Oh stop,” laughed Angie. “You can’t kill a ghost anyhow.”
William wore a sheepish grin. “Howdy, Sir. Ma’am.” he said with a quaint nod of his head.
Liz busted out laughing. “I’ve said, ever since she started talking about them, that you have to believe a vampire's ghost
stories.”
Michael didn’t find it nearly as amusing as Liz. In fact, he was rather upset by the whole thing. “How do you know he can be trusted?”
“Of course he can be trusted. He doesn’t even talk to anyone but me, he’s been angry with the others ever since he found out they just let him die.” Angie smugly replied.
Michael returned to his seat and started chuckling. He folded his hands and rested them on the table, leaned back in his chair and said, “Okay, Angie, I had my own plans, but maybe it’s time you told me yours.”
Angie slid forward and with a devious smile began to explain. “Well… I’ve been thinking all the way here, actually, before we even left the fortress. I knew I’d need a way to contact mother to find out when it was safe to go home. You see, ghosts attach themselves to people and places, sometimes they even attach to things. Well good old William here, he attached himself to the lands around the fortress when he died. Then one night when mother let me go out hunting we saw each other, talked, and he attached himself to me.” She was exuberant with her newly hatched strategy. “So he can go from me back the fortress at any time.”
As Angie sat there waiting for approval on her innovative idea, Michael and Liz looked in amazement at each other. Neither of them would have ever thought that this chatty young girl would be able to come up with such a brilliant plan. They both began talking at once.
“Brilliant.” Liz said.
“Unbelievable.” agreed Michael
“I know!” exclaimed Angie. “And don’t act so shocked. I do have a brain.” She said as she crossed her arms over her chest and stuck out her tongue.
Michael stood up again and began pacing the room, his mind racing with the new opportunities William’s appearance had opened. Now he was going to have a good plan, one that didn’t involve him leaving the girls to fend for themselves. One that would allow him to be on the outside doing what needed to be done. Taking a few minutes to pull everything together in his mind, he paced a little longer and returned to his seat looking like he had just won the lottery.
“Okay ladies, here’s what we’re going to do.” Michael poured out his strategy in its entirety. He stopped occasionally to make sure William understood what was being asked of him, and determine his ability to perform the required tasks. It was a great plan and it just might be enough to keep them alive and help with the war.
Apparently, William could converse with anyone he chose. He just hadn’t elected to speak to anyone, except for Angie, in all these long years. He could also communicate with other ghosts. There were quite a large group of them at the fortress according to William and Angie. William was told to go directly to Gregorio and tell him they were safe. He was to explain the ‘plan’ to him and only him.
Angie crossed her arms over chest. “Well that’s a load of crap. My mother has as much at stake in this as your father does.”
Michael firmly shook his head. “Gregorio is free to tell her anything she desires to know. The fewer people William has contact with, the less likely it is he will be overheard.” His eyes narrowed as he stared at William. “You understand fully what you are to do?”
William nodded. He was more than happy to get involved in this war. Fighting had been his forte in life. He found it fitting that he would be doing it in death as well.
***
Over the next few weeks, the small group of vampires ate, slept, and breathed war. William constantly relayed messages between the safe house and the fortress. Many of the insurgents had left the fortress right after the fighting broke out. If any rebels were left, they were so well concealed that no one knew their identity. Monroe was nowhere to be found, and his little buddy Demitre was missing in action as well. The covens and nests outside the fortress had also taken sides. William and his associates were the only line of defense against the subterfuge and deceit of the rebel faction.
Although they termed it a war, there really was very little fighting going on. The Eldest had decreed that anyone refusing to bow to the will of the remaining council members would be put to immediate death. But of course, no one was coming forward to disagree openly with anything at this point. Rumors of vampire armies being amassed, and rogue vamps creating multitudes of new vampires, flourished.
Newspapers from all over the country headlined stories about serial killers, the incline of murder rates, and missing persons in nearly every major city in the nation. So it appeared that the reports were true. Michael had warned Gregorio that if they were going to maintain control, the Council would need to form an army of its own. There were too many now for him to take them all out alone.
Chapter Seven
Building an Army
When they weren’t processing the ghost’s information or revising strategies, they trained. Michael knew at some point, he would have to leave them and return to the fortress. He wanted to be certain both of the girls could to protect themselves. The basement provided a perfect training area. The room was built to encompass the entire expanse of the house and offered plenty of space from floor to ceiling. Boards covered the four rectangular windows on each wall, allowing them to practice any hour of the day.
In the beginning, they worked with long swords, the best weapon to use when trying to kill a troublesome vampire. Any sharp sword would do, but when dealing with the unnamed, one did not want to come within reach. Regardless of myths and legends, there are only two ways to kill a vampire. Stakes through the heart are nothing more than a nuisance. And dead man’s blood? Well that gives them a nice stomachache, but it won‘t kill them. They must be beheaded, or so severely injured that every last drop of blood is exsanguinated from their body.
Fighting with heavy blades was taxing. Liz and Angie worked for hours in the dank basement practicing thrusts and swings on homemade dummies made of wood and cloth. Even with the razor sharp blades, it was difficult to slice through necks of wood. They had to do it with one swing. As long as there was some attachment, the vampire would still have a few seconds of strength left before bleeding out enough to fall. Michael was a harsh taskmaster. Fearing for their lives, he would not ease up on training.
“My freaking arms are tired. I’ve lopped off that head fifteen times today. Enough is enough already.” Angie said as she dropped to the floor. She glared at Michael while massaging her overworked muscles.
“Five minutes. That’s it. Then you’re getting back at it.”
The clanging of Liz and Michael’s swords did not waver as he spoke to the girl. His sword swung around in an enormous arch over his head, headed directly for her throat. Her sword cut up stopping his in midair.
She grinned.
He winked.
“Again.” He said and took another swing. This time he spun, sword leveled at her throat, using the momentum of the turn to land a massive blow. Liz jumped into the air grabbing one of the beams across the ceiling, allowing his sword to pass under her. Michael didn’t stop to wink this time. He followed his sword under her dangling feet and attacked her from behind. As he brought the blade around for a swing at her legs, she let go of the beam and somersaulted away from him. Movements’ fluid. Her body a well-oiled machine.
Liz turned and came at him. This time she feigned attack. He brought his sword up over his head, ready to unload another crushing blow. Midway to him, Liz sprung into the air and planted her feet in the center of his chest, sending him flying into the basement wall. The force of his impact threw chunks of the concrete flying across the open expanse, and his body sunk to the floor. Liz did not let up. Before Michael could extricate himself from the rubble and bring his sword back up, Liz was on top of him. Her sword was gone but the intricately carved knife he had given her was lodged against his throat.
“Give?”
“No.”
“Oh, come on. I have you and you know it.”
“Can you sever my head with that knife?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?” Michael’s hands
exploded into her chest sending her flailing through the air. She landed just short of Angie’s feet.
Cat-like, Liz jumped to her feet and attacked again.
“Wait.” Michael said as he glanced at Angie.
Angie continued to rub her arms, refusing to look at him. She knew what was coming and wanted no part of it.
“Ang? Time to get back in the game.”
“So? I’m hungry.”
“So nothing. Get up and get at it.”
“I’m tired and hungry.”
“You can eat in a bit. Let’s get at it.” Michael sighed deeply. Why did this girl work so hard to be difficult?
“I want to eat now.”
Liz turned and stuck her hand out to pull Angie to her feet.
She shoved the hand away and remained seated.
Liz knelt down and looked in her face.
Her eyes narrowed as she pulled her mouth to the side in defiance.
“Come on, sis. It can’t be helped. I don’t want to lose you.”
Angie let out a groan, took Liz’s re-offered hand, and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.
***
Over the next few weeks, both girls mastered several fighting techniques. Whether hand-to-hand, or swords and knives, Liz became proficient in every area. In a short amount of time, her mastery almost matched Michael’s. Angie on the other hand, was not quite as gifted in this area and had to work much harder to become competent. Within a short time, both girls were not just killer vampires; they were extremely capable vampire killers.
The team, as Angie liked to call them, was ready and able to fight, but there were simply not enough of them to do any good. Michael decided that they had been in the house too long and it was time to move. Michael and the girls began moving from one safe house to another. He became fanatical about spending too much time in one place.
Moving frequently was a problem. They were continuously running into hidden vampire covens. Some houses had to be evacuated after the first day or two. On the outskirts of Indianapolis, they came across an unusually large coven. Michael had gone to do a little reconnaissance and met up with an old acquaintance. In the past, they had been on good terms, but now, there was no way to know who could be trusted. The group had no choice but to move to the next location.