Read Online Vampire in the Woods (Merlin's Hoods Book 2) by Carl Waters - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Carl Waters
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fangs, there at the corner of his mouth.
“Then run!” the man shouted.
Geoff didn’t take time to think. He didn’t even question it. Dropping his axe, he turned and ran as if his life depended on it. Which, he thought, it most likely did.
----
G eoff drew to a stop , his chest heaving, and ducked down into a bush at the base of a tree. Beyond that, he knew, there was a hollow trunk—he’d used it for hiding in when he didn’t want to go to work as a child. Now he prayed that it was still there. And that it was still secure. It was, he thought, his last chance, for he was too far from home to make it back to his house, and even if he did, he didn’t know whether it would be safe.
He was truly scared. For the past eternity, whenever he’d thought he was safe, and in a spot that would offer him security, those people had found him. No, not people. They were vampires. Creatures, Louis would say, that he had grown too old to believe in. But at this point, he believed in them, and their ability to track him. And their wish to do him harm.
He crawled into the trunk and lay there, facing upward, trying to slow his breath. If only he could keep himself completely quiet, he thought, maybe they would pass him by. He knew they wouldn’t be able to see him, and perhaps … perhaps the smell of rotting earth, wood, and moss would disguise his scent when they passed through the clearing. Then, lying as still as he could and wishing his heart would stop making so much noise, he waited. And waited.
And waited.
Suddenly, just as he thought that perhaps it was safe to come out, the top of the trunk disintegrated above him. Geoff put up his arms, shielding his eyes from the flying splinters, and screamed. When he opened his eyes again, he saw the four vampires standing above him.
And they were all smiling, baring their fangs at him.
Geoff jumped to his feet, desperate now. “You’ll never take me alive,” he hissed.
But the largest of the men simply lashed out at him, landing a blow as hard as a donkey’s kick, and sent Geoffrey flying back against the nearest tree.
“Fool!” the man hissed. “Thinking that you could outrun us. That you could hide from us!”
“What sort of demons are you?” Geoff asked, his voice shaking. “What do you want with me? Why won’t you leave me alone?”
The four … vampires , he thought, terrified … laughed long and loud at this, their voices echoing through the darkness around them, and Geoff noticed that true night had fallen now. There was no sign of daylight or even fire around him. He was well and truly alone, and in the dark of the night. Just as Angeline had told them not to be.
“We don’t want anything from you,” the woman finally said, her voice little more than a purr. She stepped forward and ran her nails up Geoff’s arm, to his neck, and then into his hair. Then she leaned in and licked his ear. “We merely want to have you over for dinner.”
More laughter, and a moment later something struck Geoff on the head, and everything went black.
13
A ngeline awoke from a brief nap to a pounding on the door and jumped out of bed nearly before her mind had caught up with her feet. Within moments, she found herself at the front door of her cottage, Adela two steps behind her.
“Who is it?” the girl breathed, her voice both intense and frightened.
Angeline reached down to grasp the handle of the dagger she kept strapped to her thigh and pulled the weapon from its sheath. She was never without some form of weapon … but if the creature she expected was on the other side of that door, the small dagger wouldn’t be enough to protect them, its silver hilt notwithstanding.
Silver, after all, only slowed a vampire down. Unless, of course, it pierced their heart.
She heard another set of footsteps behind her and realized that Alison had joined them as well. The knocking was loud indeed, then, to wake the younger of the two girls when it was still this dark
“Then run!” the man shouted.
Geoff didn’t take time to think. He didn’t even question it. Dropping his axe, he turned and ran as if his life depended on it. Which, he thought, it most likely did.
----
G eoff drew to a stop , his chest heaving, and ducked down into a bush at the base of a tree. Beyond that, he knew, there was a hollow trunk—he’d used it for hiding in when he didn’t want to go to work as a child. Now he prayed that it was still there. And that it was still secure. It was, he thought, his last chance, for he was too far from home to make it back to his house, and even if he did, he didn’t know whether it would be safe.
He was truly scared. For the past eternity, whenever he’d thought he was safe, and in a spot that would offer him security, those people had found him. No, not people. They were vampires. Creatures, Louis would say, that he had grown too old to believe in. But at this point, he believed in them, and their ability to track him. And their wish to do him harm.
He crawled into the trunk and lay there, facing upward, trying to slow his breath. If only he could keep himself completely quiet, he thought, maybe they would pass him by. He knew they wouldn’t be able to see him, and perhaps … perhaps the smell of rotting earth, wood, and moss would disguise his scent when they passed through the clearing. Then, lying as still as he could and wishing his heart would stop making so much noise, he waited. And waited.
And waited.
Suddenly, just as he thought that perhaps it was safe to come out, the top of the trunk disintegrated above him. Geoff put up his arms, shielding his eyes from the flying splinters, and screamed. When he opened his eyes again, he saw the four vampires standing above him.
And they were all smiling, baring their fangs at him.
Geoff jumped to his feet, desperate now. “You’ll never take me alive,” he hissed.
But the largest of the men simply lashed out at him, landing a blow as hard as a donkey’s kick, and sent Geoffrey flying back against the nearest tree.
“Fool!” the man hissed. “Thinking that you could outrun us. That you could hide from us!”
“What sort of demons are you?” Geoff asked, his voice shaking. “What do you want with me? Why won’t you leave me alone?”
The four … vampires , he thought, terrified … laughed long and loud at this, their voices echoing through the darkness around them, and Geoff noticed that true night had fallen now. There was no sign of daylight or even fire around him. He was well and truly alone, and in the dark of the night. Just as Angeline had told them not to be.
“We don’t want anything from you,” the woman finally said, her voice little more than a purr. She stepped forward and ran her nails up Geoff’s arm, to his neck, and then into his hair. Then she leaned in and licked his ear. “We merely want to have you over for dinner.”
More laughter, and a moment later something struck Geoff on the head, and everything went black.
13
A ngeline awoke from a brief nap to a pounding on the door and jumped out of bed nearly before her mind had caught up with her feet. Within moments, she found herself at the front door of her cottage, Adela two steps behind her.
“Who is it?” the girl breathed, her voice both intense and frightened.
Angeline reached down to grasp the handle of the dagger she kept strapped to her thigh and pulled the weapon from its sheath. She was never without some form of weapon … but if the creature she expected was on the other side of that door, the small dagger wouldn’t be enough to protect them, its silver hilt notwithstanding.
Silver, after all, only slowed a vampire down. Unless, of course, it pierced their heart.
She heard another set of footsteps behind her and realized that Alison had joined them as well. The knocking was loud indeed, then, to wake the younger of the two girls when it was still this dark
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