Always the Vampire

Starrack shook his head. “The amulets respond to intent. One could rule the world if one desired.”


“It won’t be you,” I said as I moved closer and drew more energy from both Starrack and the Void chain. “You die tonight, bastard. The walls of the fort will muffle your death cries, and I will dance in your blood.”

Starrack laughed. “Such fierce talk when you’re all alone, and I wield the weapon created to destroy you.”

I snorted. “Looks to me like the Void is busy, Starrack. You’re on your own, unless you want to call it off Saber.”

“The Void? Is that what you named it?” He clapped his hands once, and a black sphere appeared in his open palms. “Did you hear, my friend? You are the Void.”

Oh, shit. The Void had two forms simultaneously? I mentally sent the images to Cosmil, then I sucked energy harder. I sucked at Starrack’s aura until my tongue was coated with his bitter essence. I sucked at the Void chain until my throat burned, and the globe rippled in response.

“I see my pet is eager to meet you.” He tossed the sphere lightly in the air and caught it again. “Shall I release him now? Show you his full power?”

He took a taunting pause, as if he’d challenged me to play ball. Oh, we’d play all right. I’d play in his entrails given half a chance.

I risked a peek at black chain. Were the links thinning? The thorns retracting? I took another long pull of the chain form’s energy. When I did, the ball form of the Void squirmed in Starrack’s hand.

The wizard looked approving. “Yes, it is time to finish this. I do want to return to my ouzo. Void, my pet, meet the Princess Vampire.”

Starrack threw the globe at me and intoned a spell. I dove out of the way just as the wriggling black glob transformed into a sevenfoot black blob. I started to unzip my right pocket for a magical marble bomb, but the blob came after me, moving faster than I had dreamed possible.

I jump-flew to escape the attack, leading the blobby Void away from Saber. My fountain of power coursed through me even as I opened my super-Hoover suction to continuously draw energy from both forms of the Void.

“Lovely acrobatics,” Starrack called. “Too bad they will make no difference in the end. Attack.”

The Void obeyed, mindlessly charging. Again, I dodged contact, and when I landed near the old, covered well, I thought I saw humanshaped shimmers above on the gun-deck. Had my backup arrived? I didn’t have time to look closer because the blob moved.

This time I unzipped a pocket just enough to grab a magical grenade. I zinged it at the Void’s mass then flew clear. The Void’s hulking body absorbed the blow as effortlessly as the coquina walls of the fort had absorbed English cannon balls, but its etheric skin crinkled. I focused on the subtle cracks and sucked the Void’s essence while it stood still.

“Now, now, is that fair?” Starrack asked. “I believe I detect my long-lost but not lamented brother on that piece of magick. Is he cowering in that hovel in the woods, leaving you to sacrifice your life?”

“Is that why you made the Void? To show up Cosmil? You’re a little old for sibling rivalry.”

“You will not rile me with words, but such faerie fireworks will anger my friend. Shall I demonstrate?”

Starrack waved a hand, the Void moved, and so did I. I jump-flew out of reach like a fanged ninja, and I also realized that the Void was active only when it had the wizard’s attention.

“Starrack, we can do this all night,” I said, forcing my voice to sound bored instead of breathless, “or you can surrender.”

He chuckled, his attention on me. Sure enough, the Void remained rooted in place. I sent that thought to Triton, Cosmil, and Lia wherever they were, and prayed they got the message.

“Oh, no, pitiful little princess. I’ve waited a long time for this encounter. In fact, I believe I’ll invite others to the party.”

He lifted his gaze skyward, and opened his hands to the heavens, and for a second I feared he’d detected Cosmil, Triton, and Lia. Then he spoke.

“I command you, vampire spirits, come.”

Wisps like dark clouds gathered. A moment later, the wisps congealed into recognizable apparitions, and I realized Isabella’s warning was coming true. King Normand’s ghost appeared, then another nestling whose name I didn’t recall. More followed until they flew above the courtyard like a swarm of mutant mosquitoes.

Cesca, what’s happening? Triton asked in my head. I was on my way down.

My knees nearly buckled in relief to know Triton was nearby and ready to move in.

Ghosts, I answered. Ignore them, and hold your position until you have an opening.

“Recognize these shades, vampire?” Starrack taunted. “They are angry that you survived when they did not.”