Chapter Four Extract

Abe probed Hugh’s mind to see what he was thinking, his quietness was driving him crazy. Normally they would be chatting and joking during a journey.  Amelia would often be with them and once they were in the location she would do her thing and using her spirit form to pinpoint the Mark.  She would tell them whether he was acting dangerously.   As he probed into Hugh’s mind he found him thinking about one of their earlier escapades.

The Ball was drawing to a close, the air outside still humid and heavy from the heat of the day.  A storm was brewing as the clouds began pulling together, the sound of slow rumbling thunder in the distance.  Several of the guests were already gathering outside the main entrance waiting for their carriages to draw up, the music still audible from the ball room.  Abe was now hiding in the shadows cast by the fountain watching for the Vampires they had followed that evening and who were now departing. 

Having spent an hour mingling with the guests Abe had chosen the Vampires who were planning on feasting from the ladies they had escorted that evening.  It was a dangerous environment for either Hugh or Abe to be in, especially Hugh.  If he was ever discovered by the Coven of Vampires that assembled at these grand occasions he would suffer terribly before being killed.

Hugh had already taken the place of the driver, knocking him unconscious after feeding him bottles of ale and stripping him of his livery.  He kept his face down, his liveried hat tilted to keep his identity hidden. 

On Abe’s signal he gently brought the Clarence to a stop at the front door.  The party of four moved forward to Hugh’s carriage Abe whistled to Hugh that the party were ready to board.  Once the party were seated Hugh led the horses at a slow trot around the large courtyard so Abe could jump onto the back plate without being seen.  Once Abe had managed to take a secure hold Hugh put the horses into canter until they were off the estate and a few miles down the quiet lane.  Through earlier experiences the Vampires usually waited until they had the females in their homes before attacking them, but these Vampires were different. From Hugh’s seat he could hear the laughter and chatter die down, he knew that the Vampires had started their attack on the victims.  He took the decision to take them there and then so he whistled to Abe.  As Hugh pulled the horses to a stop Abe carefully made his way on to the top of the carriage.

With the unexpected stopping of the carriage one of the Vampires banged on the roof a couple of times demanding to know the reason why. When he received no response he alighted the carriage.  Just as he stepped out of the coach Abe jumped onto him, his knife in hand.  He took the man down and forced the blade directly into his heart.  One down one to go.  Hugh drew his sword, his fangs exposed as his temper fired.  He pulled open the carriage door, seeing the blood dripping from an open wound on one of the ladies necks, his temper flared.  The remaining Vampire taken by surprise leapt from his seat, discarding the woman like a rag doll to his side, his fangs covered in her fresh blood.  Hugh’s sword struck him hard taking his head from his shoulders.  Neither Hugh nor Abe had expected the Vampires to have commenced feasting and were now left with two young victims.  They had to make a decision there and then, change them or kill them.  The bodies of the Vampires already turned to ash mixing with the mud on the lane.