Gunslingers, Vampires and Saviours, Pt. 4

Fifteen miles can be a long ride when you are willingly riding into hell. Shani and Pania left the small village shortly after the noon meal, and one last inspection of their gear. Food for two meals, water, although Shani would have demanded whiskey had Pania not given her a look of annoyance, ammunition for both pistols and crossbows. Even the metal worker in the village repaired any nicks to Pania’s rapier, all the while commenting on the quality of craftsmanship that the blade had. Once they set out, an uneasy feeling settled over them, as though someone was watching them.

For ten miles, they never said a word. The sun slowly sunk toward the horizon as they let the horses plod along lazily. The trees seemed to become dead and lifeless as they drew closer and closer to their destination. As late afternoon creeped up, the mist began to form. Still, they pushed on.

Afternoon turned to evening, and the sky became a deathly black, as it was suddenly filled with clouds. There was a foreboding feeling that settled in. The air grew cooler, and lightning began to strike, as sharp bolts thundered from the heavens, making the area bright for a brief second before plunging the elven gunslingers into darkness yet again. They were certain they were getting closer as Pania looked to Shani, each giving the other a look of reassurance.

And then they saw it.

A bolt of lightning struck a tree not thirty yards from their location, the air become acrid and the roar of the thunder nearly deafening. As the area became brightly lit for a brief moment, the ominous shape of the castle revealed itself, looming high above them in the darkness like some vulture watching over it’s prey.

“Best make camp,” Shani suggested as she looked for a secure spot. She began to guide her horse toward a clearing just off the road when Pania stopped her.

“No’ there,” she cautioned.

Shani looked back to the elven bard as she furrowed her brow. “Why not, it’s already cleared out.”

Pania studied the area, knowing exactly why that clearing was so pristine. “B’cause tha’s a trap,” Pania simply said. “They made it, ta entice travelers ta rest, an’ they’d be able ta take their prey.” She looked around the area, and found a small path that lead to an opening in the trees. They moved the horses to it and found it wasn’t as clean as the other, but it would do. “We can leave the ‘orses ‘ere,” Pania suggested. “Ge’ ’em in the mornin’ when we done.”

“If…” Shani started.

“No’ thinkin’ ‘bou’ tha’,” Pania said quickly, interrupting any negative thoughts from Shani. “Fer the sake o’ the village, we cannu fail. We’re goin’ back after this is done.”

“Either ta celebrate,” Shani offered. “’R b’cause we been turned.”

*****

The short meal was eaten without a word. Both of them kept going mentally over the details that had been described. And still, they knew nothing of what was to come. They gathered the quarrels and crossbows, made sure their pistols were ready, and began to walk toward the castle. Strange how they could not see it through the brush when they first stopped to make camp, but now it seemed to welcome them. It looked so out of place in this land, not something they’d seen throughout most of the New England states that was built before it, but something that almost looked to have been carried direct from Europe.

It’s spires seemed to reach into the sky, as granite gargoyles watched any and all who would approach the tall wooden gate. The stone that made the castle walls looked ancient, as brambles and vines creeped along it’s surface. The blackened windows looked like hollow eyes in a decaying skull. The towers along the wall held the only light, as flames in sconces lapped hungrily in the night air. And the air grew even colder.

The pair of elves studied the wall for a moment, searching for an easy entrance to slip into unnoticed. It didn’t take long as they found a break in the wall. A suspiciously convenient break in the wall, mind you. Shani looked to Pania with some skepticism. “Whyn’t they jist put a sign up thet says ‘Imminent doom, this way.’”

Pania studied the narrow arched windows above them, as the flames from several candles made the shadows dance against the walls. “Cannu use the grapple lines,” she stated with a touch of disappointment. “Windows’ve gotta be three stories up.” She looked back over to the felled wall and then back to Shani.

“Could scope out fer a door,” the lithe elf offered. “Maybe git lucky.”

“With our luck we’ll pop inta the kitchen durin’ the nightly vampire feast,” Pania said with a snort. “An’ knockin’s outta the question. Wha’ do we say? ‘Greetin’s. We from the elven word an’ we’ve go’ some readin’ material fer ye.’” Shani snorted a laugh at the comment, then took a quick look inside. There was no monstrous hands that reached out to grab her, rending her limb from limb, so it must have been safe. “Well, ‘least we arna ‘bou’ ta ge’ killed goin’ in.”

“Nah, they leavin’ thet fer when we git further inside.” They both entered with care and caution, eyes wide on the lookout for any bloodsuckers that might be within reach. The crack lead into a long hallway, which appeared to be for servants. Obviously, this castle was at one time in use before it was infected with vampires. Ragged tapestries hung from the walls, depicting battles from long ago. Faded paintings depicted people long since dead. Possibly the former family that occupied this castle. Perhaps, they were now the vampires. “No way this place jist been built here,” Shani suggested. “Figger there’s some kinda magic at work. Place look like somethin’ I seen ’bout Europe in the back o’ the newspaper.”

“It definitely lacks a frontier feel ta it,” Pania said with agreement. The flames of the torches that lined the walls danced as the breeze passed over them, adding to the already uneasy feeling about the place. It was all too quiet, no sounds of people, even muffled. Only their footfalls gently echoes throughout the hallway, forcing them to move slower so they would not rouse the creatures that may have taken residence here.

Times like this was often when the beast would strike. Or at least send it’s minions.

“I don’t recall asking if someone would deliver food to us tonight,” the husky voice sounded in the hallway, causing Shani and Pania to stop literally in their tracks. No one else was in the hallway, but they both could feel a presence. Their eyes gradually explored the area, hoping they might see some evidence of their stalker. It came soon enough.

The mist that seemed to slip into the building began to swirl, gently at first, then rising into the air, and finally, taking form. Before them stood a handsome looking man, dressed casually in a frilled tunic, tight cotton slacks and knee high black jack boots. He leaned lazily on the rapier he held. “I suppose now is the time when you two will scream and start to run,” he said with a sickening smile as his fangs dripped from a fresh feed. “I had hoped dessert would be along shortly. So few people travel this road. Go ahead, run. You’ll only make the drink that much sweeter.”

Pania and Shani looked to each other for a moment. The elven bard rolled her eyes and shook her head as Shani looked back to the vampire. “Ya must be a youngun.” Like a signal, both gunslingers drew their pistols and fired, repeatedly. They had perfect aim, the vampire had smuggly placed himself only a few paces away them. Each bullet ripped into him, and he felt it. All too late, he realized these two were more than prepared. He crumpled to the ground as he felt his body stiffening.

The elves slowly stepped forward, Pania placed a boot on the vampire’s shoulder as she aimed her Smith and Wesson at his head. “Ye shouldna be so cocky, lad,” she said as she pulled back the trigger of the pistol, sending the vampire sprawling on the floor. Pania removed a wooden stake from her belt and tossed it to Shani who caught it expertly.

The lithe gunslinger knelt beside the vampire and spoke in a hushed tone as his body stiffened more. “Next time, don’t git so uppity with new folks, huh.” Shani rested her arm on her knee as she considered this statement, gently twirling the stake as she did so. “I guess thet ain’t really gonna matter now, is it.” She looked back to the vampire, who almost appeared to be pleading with his eyes for them to let him go. Shani shrugged, and then she struck. The stake went through his chest easily, and whatever undeath was in him slowly ebbed to nothing.

Shani stood fully as Pania completed the kill, making certain that his body would burn completely. The bard looked to Shani and sighed. “Better ‘ope we’ve no’ go’ an army ta deal with.” Shani just nodded, as a sudden noise caught her attention. It sounded very much like…

Feasting.

The two elves slowly passed through a side door, as quiet as they could, and looked into the room. They then realized that they could have made as much noise as they wanted. The five vampires were too busy ravaging their current victims. Off in one corner, a man was protecting a woman, who was crying, tears of maddness and shrieks of terror.

Shani took a deep breath and steeled herself. Pania used the anger that welled up inside of her as an advantage. “Looks like we coulda made as much noise as we wanted ta,” Pania offered with a disgusted look on her face.

“Yeah,” Shani agreed with a sigh as she checked her pistol, reloading the spent bullets with fresh ones. The spun the chamber closed and twirled the pistols easily in her hands, finally cocking the hammers back. “Good thing thet they called in the exterminators,” she said in a dry tone. “B’cause, we gots a regular infestation on our hands.”