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Authors: Robert T. Jeschonek
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fight.
Finally, Thomas swooped down from Mother Nothing's nest with a grin on his face. He landed on the ledge in front of Genghis and made it a point to speak directly to him.
"They're headed for England," said Thomas.
That got Shakespeare's attention. "Where in England?"
Thomas didn't answer until Genghis prompted him: "Where exactly, son?"
"A place called Lyonesse," said Thomas.
"Lyonesse?" said Shakespeare. "Are you sure?"
"Are you sure it's Lyonesse, son?" said Genghis.
Thomas sneered and cracked his knuckles. "I'm sure."
Shakespeare rubbed his bearded chin and paced the ledge, submerged in thought.
This adds a new twist to our enterprise.
"What's the problem, Shakespeare?" said Genghis.
"If they indeed are heading into Lyonesse, I'll be surprised if they survive it." Shakespeare drew a finger across his throat. "Even I would hesitate to slip unbidden 'cross the secret border."
Genghis laughed loudly. "You're even more of a chickenshit than I thought!"
"B-kaw b-kaw b-kaw." Thomas imitated a chicken, clucking and flapping his folded arms.
"You can stay behind, widdle pussy," said Genghis. "Thomas and I will charge in without you. Will you come with us, James, or are you a pussy, too?"
James' only answer was a scowl.
"Mock the danger all you like," said Shakespeare, "yet it won't diminish...and it remains but one concern regarding Lyonesse. The greater peril to our undertaking is the presence of another player, one with force and will enough to steal away our prize."
"Another player?" said Genghis. " God Himself couldn't come between me and my prize."
This time, it was Shakespeare's turn to laugh. "Close!" he said. "Your guess is closer than you know."
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*****
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Chapter 16
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Mavis wasn't happy at all. She wished her stool would corkscrew through the truck stop floor and keep going, taking her with it.
Taking her away from Stanza and Jonah and the vampires and the greasy, bloody burger on the counter in front of her.
This is not medium well.
Normally, she would have sent the burger back, but she had a feeling the waiter slash cook would shove it down her throat if she tried. His bulging arms were tattooed with skulls and flames and spiders and swastikas...his eyes seethed with the knifetip glint of rage and danger...and the barbed piercings studding his cheeks and ears and jawline didn't help.
If Mavis had had to choose between facing him or a vampire, she thought she might choose the vampire.
Or is he a vampire, too?
Mavis watched him closely but couldn't tell. He didn't open his mouth much, so she couldn't see fangs. He didn't have wings, but maybe they only sprouted when needed.
How else can you spot a vampire, unless he goes for your throat?
The thought made Mavis nervous. As Stanza and Jonah chatted away beside her, she looked around the truck stop restaurant, wondering which of the customers might be vampires.
Anyone. Anyone might be.
Mavis shivered and buried her face in her hands.
I liked my old world better.
As she sat there like that, Stanza and Jonah's words seeped through her unhappy haze. They were still talking about going to England.
"What about passports?" said Jonah.
"My associate has already broken into your apartments," said Stanza, "obtained your passports and some of your clothes and things, and overnighted them to a post office box in Dallas. We'll pick them up on the way to Dallas/Fort Worth airport."
Mavis frowned.
Did she just say her associate broke into our apartments and stole our passports?
"Wait a minute," said Jonah. "Where did you get the money to pay this 'associate'?"
"Your parents, of course," said Stanza. "It's in the contract under 'travel expenses.'"
Jonah sighed. "There won't be any money left by the time we're done, will there?"
"It was a necessary expense," said Stanza. "We couldn't leave the country without a passport, but the vampires would be waiting for you if we went back to get it."
"I just...geez," said Jonah. "Would it
Finally, Thomas swooped down from Mother Nothing's nest with a grin on his face. He landed on the ledge in front of Genghis and made it a point to speak directly to him.
"They're headed for England," said Thomas.
That got Shakespeare's attention. "Where in England?"
Thomas didn't answer until Genghis prompted him: "Where exactly, son?"
"A place called Lyonesse," said Thomas.
"Lyonesse?" said Shakespeare. "Are you sure?"
"Are you sure it's Lyonesse, son?" said Genghis.
Thomas sneered and cracked his knuckles. "I'm sure."
Shakespeare rubbed his bearded chin and paced the ledge, submerged in thought.
This adds a new twist to our enterprise.
"What's the problem, Shakespeare?" said Genghis.
"If they indeed are heading into Lyonesse, I'll be surprised if they survive it." Shakespeare drew a finger across his throat. "Even I would hesitate to slip unbidden 'cross the secret border."
Genghis laughed loudly. "You're even more of a chickenshit than I thought!"
"B-kaw b-kaw b-kaw." Thomas imitated a chicken, clucking and flapping his folded arms.
"You can stay behind, widdle pussy," said Genghis. "Thomas and I will charge in without you. Will you come with us, James, or are you a pussy, too?"
James' only answer was a scowl.
"Mock the danger all you like," said Shakespeare, "yet it won't diminish...and it remains but one concern regarding Lyonesse. The greater peril to our undertaking is the presence of another player, one with force and will enough to steal away our prize."
"Another player?" said Genghis. " God Himself couldn't come between me and my prize."
This time, it was Shakespeare's turn to laugh. "Close!" he said. "Your guess is closer than you know."
Â
*****
Â
Chapter 16
Â
Mavis wasn't happy at all. She wished her stool would corkscrew through the truck stop floor and keep going, taking her with it.
Taking her away from Stanza and Jonah and the vampires and the greasy, bloody burger on the counter in front of her.
This is not medium well.
Normally, she would have sent the burger back, but she had a feeling the waiter slash cook would shove it down her throat if she tried. His bulging arms were tattooed with skulls and flames and spiders and swastikas...his eyes seethed with the knifetip glint of rage and danger...and the barbed piercings studding his cheeks and ears and jawline didn't help.
If Mavis had had to choose between facing him or a vampire, she thought she might choose the vampire.
Or is he a vampire, too?
Mavis watched him closely but couldn't tell. He didn't open his mouth much, so she couldn't see fangs. He didn't have wings, but maybe they only sprouted when needed.
How else can you spot a vampire, unless he goes for your throat?
The thought made Mavis nervous. As Stanza and Jonah chatted away beside her, she looked around the truck stop restaurant, wondering which of the customers might be vampires.
Anyone. Anyone might be.
Mavis shivered and buried her face in her hands.
I liked my old world better.
As she sat there like that, Stanza and Jonah's words seeped through her unhappy haze. They were still talking about going to England.
"What about passports?" said Jonah.
"My associate has already broken into your apartments," said Stanza, "obtained your passports and some of your clothes and things, and overnighted them to a post office box in Dallas. We'll pick them up on the way to Dallas/Fort Worth airport."
Mavis frowned.
Did she just say her associate broke into our apartments and stole our passports?
"Wait a minute," said Jonah. "Where did you get the money to pay this 'associate'?"
"Your parents, of course," said Stanza. "It's in the contract under 'travel expenses.'"
Jonah sighed. "There won't be any money left by the time we're done, will there?"
"It was a necessary expense," said Stanza. "We couldn't leave the country without a passport, but the vampires would be waiting for you if we went back to get it."
"I just...geez," said Jonah. "Would it
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