Stone Guardian(99)

The barrier opened.





Chapter Thirty-Seven





The door opened, and Garof walked into the room, followed by two human men. Their eyes were lowered so no clue if they were red or not, but based on their demeanor they didn’t seem much above garden variety whipping boys.

Taneasha was crying in the corner. She stood, only to moments later fall on her face before the vampire. “Master, please,” she begged.

The doors of both cages were opened. The vampire crouched down in front of Taneasha, taking her chin in his hand. “Hush, girl. Think of the glorious part you will play in the ascension of the Necromancers to their true position in a reborn Magic Realm. Your death will have so much more meaning than a child like you deserves.” He motioned to his followers. “Grab the child. I will transport the null.”

The men each grabbed one of Taneasha’s arms and dragged her out of the cell. Her crying was muffled.

Garof turned to Larissa. “I have no need to drag you, do I?”

“No.” Larissa stood, walking toward the vampire. “No, I would prefer you didn’t. I am capable of walking myself.”

“Good. I prefer when things are kept dignified, do you agree?”

“Yes, I do.”

They walked for several minutes until they came to a room where two stone altars were laid out next to each other, about ten feet apart with a fire pit between them. Floating above the fire was an ornate dagger and a large red stone, both items she had grabbed from the vault.

Taneasha was already chained to the altar on the left. Garof grabbed her upper arm, but Larissa pulled it away. “I said I wouldn’t make a scene. Don’t touch me.” She walked to the other altar.

Manacles. The stupid bastards were going to chain her down. Larissa bit the inside of her cheek to keep the relief that pulsed through her from showing on her face. The cuffs were older but in good condition. They also glowed red, which meant they were enchanted.

Which meant the vampires probably placed most of their trust in the magic of the chains and not the physical strength of the chains themselves. That seemed to be the theme of the day.

And there were no manacles for the feet, which meant she had a chance of making at least step one of her plan succeeding.

Too bad step two was not formulated yet.

Larissa laid on the alter and put her arms up. Garof shackled her. “I am impressed, human. It is rare to see such a display.”

“Hate to break it to you, but compliments from you don’t really do it for me, so I wouldn’t bother.”

The vampire inclined his head. “As you wish.” He stood between the two altars and motioned for the two followers to kneel at the foot. “Start the casting.”

Not even a minute from when the two men began to speak, a shrill scream sounded through the room. The two acolytes stopped their chanting, only to have Garof say, “Do not stop no matter what!”

Another human in a robe ran up to Garof. “Master, we are being attacked.”

Garof stepped away, though not before Larissa saw his lips form a snarl. As he walked from the room, she heard him say, “No matter what, they must be delayed until the spell can be completed.” Two sets of footsteps, so the human man followed him out.

There was no one standing around the room, so the only bad guys left in the room were the two chanting.

No time like the present. The cuffs were tight but nothing compared to what her brothers put her through. She freed her hands with barely a scrape.

The chanting was rising in rhythm, and the cave walls started to not so much shake as undulate. Both the dagger and the jewel were glowing, the dagger red and the stone blue.

The noise outside the cavern was growing as well, echoes of multitudes of footsteps intermixed with the clanging of metal on metal and screams which abruptly stopped.

And then came the call, “Meyja!”

Terak! He was here, yes, he was here, and no way was she going to be some sort of sacrifice for these idiot vampires. She had a gargoyle waiting who she was going to kiss until her lips fell off and then mate him and live wherever they could be together – her world, his world, or a world they would create on their own.

Dumb and Dumber down there were oblivious to everything outside their chants. And in front of her, right beside the fire pit, was a decent sized and solid-looking cauldron.

Never had she been quieter than she was at that moment, not even when she had been taking pictures of Christopher getting to second base on their sofa with his high-school girlfriend.

A couple of conks later, both the men were unconscious on the floor. If they got brain damage, oh well.

Taneasha rattled her chains, her eyes pleading when Larissa looked at her. “Please Miss Miller, don’t leave me here. I’m so sorry. I never thought anything like this would happen. They said they wanted to talk to you about helping with a spell. I’m so sorry.”