Vampires watched, their mouths open, their breathing growing faster, their eyes wide. A single feather floated up through the air, it twisted and turned, finally brushing the girl’s face and despite herself, despite the risk, she made a sound. Then as if the dam had broken she began to sob, her eyes still tight shut, as she dare not look. A ‘half human’ turned at the sound, closed on her with a face streaked in blood.
She could feel its breath on her skin. She could smell the rancid stench of it as it sniffed at her face. Slowly it opened its mouth, the rancid smell increasing, making her want to gag as yellow teeth, dripping saliva, were displayed. It….
‘SEN!’ Rodan shouted the command his voice clear and sharp. The half-ling pulled back as if it has been physically struck. Then, with the others, it receded into the shadows, dragging the remnants of its meal behind.
All around the Vampires screamed and laughed, oblivious to the messenger that silently crossed the floor toward Rodan and whispered into his ear. Rodan held up his hand.
‘Silence, Kadir awaits. You…’ He waved at the woman covered in the chicken blood, her face streaked with tears. ‘Go and clean yourself up.’
She didn’t need to be told again as she rushed away to the sound of the heckling vampires. She rushed out of the door, past Kadir and the Mayor, not really seeing either of them. She ran on through the bar, then down the steps, falling down the last four, her mind not thinking clearly. Picking herself up she finally crashed out of the New York Palace, spilling out onto the steps above the courtyard, ignoring the half-lings that pulled toward her as she half ran, half fell down the steps as she passed them before spilling onto the hard stone of the courtyard. For a second she knelt there, freezing, not knowing which way to turn, yet sobbing with relief at being outside, despite the icy chill of the air that bit into her half naked body. Suddenly a figure appeared at the entrance to the courtyard, on Madison Avenue, beckoning to her. She wiped her eyes, before realizing who it was.
‘Father Matthew’ she shouted in a strangled voice, between short intakes of breath and through teeth that chattered loudly, ‘oh thank God it’s you Father Matthew!’ she stuttered as she stumbled forward, knocking over an old iron chair.
Father Matthews entered the courtyard meeting her half way and threw his coat around her shoulders.
‘Come with me my child’ he said without looking at the Vampires that stood guard outside the hotel.
Turning, h e hurried her away in silence, out of the courtyard and across a deserted Madison Avenue, toward St. Patrick’s church that sat impotently across the road to the right. He had to half carry her up the stone steps, through the wooden door and into the sanctuary of the church.
Across the road, back inside the relative warmth of the New York Palace, Rodan watched as the large wooden doors slid open and Kadir entered with Mayor Cooper scurrying before him. Cooper was pushed roughly to the floor where he lay prone, or as prone as someone of his girth could get, with his arms outstretched in a pitiful picture of total servitude. Before him Rodan stood silently.
‘I am in need of some good news Mayor. I hope you are able to deliver it?’
‘Lord Rodan, my men are making progress, but it has become increasingly difficult. You see Overlord Karick also has teams out searching and -’
His words were cut short by Kadir’s foot as it pressed into the Mayor’s back.
Rodan continued, amused by the sight of the overweight Mayor pinned at his feet.
‘We want them found, and we want them found now. Do I make myself clear? If you fail things will get...increasingly difficult for you. Is that understood?’ Rodan moved closer to the Mayor. The Mayor could only see the tips of Rodan’s boots.
‘Now Mayor Cooper, I’ll ask you one more time. Are you going to be able to deliver that which I
She could feel its breath on her skin. She could smell the rancid stench of it as it sniffed at her face. Slowly it opened its mouth, the rancid smell increasing, making her want to gag as yellow teeth, dripping saliva, were displayed. It….
‘SEN!’ Rodan shouted the command his voice clear and sharp. The half-ling pulled back as if it has been physically struck. Then, with the others, it receded into the shadows, dragging the remnants of its meal behind.
All around the Vampires screamed and laughed, oblivious to the messenger that silently crossed the floor toward Rodan and whispered into his ear. Rodan held up his hand.
‘Silence, Kadir awaits. You…’ He waved at the woman covered in the chicken blood, her face streaked with tears. ‘Go and clean yourself up.’
She didn’t need to be told again as she rushed away to the sound of the heckling vampires. She rushed out of the door, past Kadir and the Mayor, not really seeing either of them. She ran on through the bar, then down the steps, falling down the last four, her mind not thinking clearly. Picking herself up she finally crashed out of the New York Palace, spilling out onto the steps above the courtyard, ignoring the half-lings that pulled toward her as she half ran, half fell down the steps as she passed them before spilling onto the hard stone of the courtyard. For a second she knelt there, freezing, not knowing which way to turn, yet sobbing with relief at being outside, despite the icy chill of the air that bit into her half naked body. Suddenly a figure appeared at the entrance to the courtyard, on Madison Avenue, beckoning to her. She wiped her eyes, before realizing who it was.
‘Father Matthew’ she shouted in a strangled voice, between short intakes of breath and through teeth that chattered loudly, ‘oh thank God it’s you Father Matthew!’ she stuttered as she stumbled forward, knocking over an old iron chair.
Father Matthews entered the courtyard meeting her half way and threw his coat around her shoulders.
‘Come with me my child’ he said without looking at the Vampires that stood guard outside the hotel.
Turning, h e hurried her away in silence, out of the courtyard and across a deserted Madison Avenue, toward St. Patrick’s church that sat impotently across the road to the right. He had to half carry her up the stone steps, through the wooden door and into the sanctuary of the church.
Across the road, back inside the relative warmth of the New York Palace, Rodan watched as the large wooden doors slid open and Kadir entered with Mayor Cooper scurrying before him. Cooper was pushed roughly to the floor where he lay prone, or as prone as someone of his girth could get, with his arms outstretched in a pitiful picture of total servitude. Before him Rodan stood silently.
‘I am in need of some good news Mayor. I hope you are able to deliver it?’
‘Lord Rodan, my men are making progress, but it has become increasingly difficult. You see Overlord Karick also has teams out searching and -’
His words were cut short by Kadir’s foot as it pressed into the Mayor’s back.
Rodan continued, amused by the sight of the overweight Mayor pinned at his feet.
‘We want them found, and we want them found now. Do I make myself clear? If you fail things will get...increasingly difficult for you. Is that understood?’ Rodan moved closer to the Mayor. The Mayor could only see the tips of Rodan’s boots.
‘Now Mayor Cooper, I’ll ask you one more time. Are you going to be able to deliver that which I
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