‘Get behind me, Penny,’ Khan said roughly.
‘Oh, how lovely!’ said Sylvia, clapping her dead hands together. ‘A last minute hero! I love those …’
Penny tore her gaze away from the bloody-faced vampire to look at Khan. He was looking steadily at Sylvia, the wooden chair leg shaking just a bit in his hand. Penny fell back a step, to stand behind Khan. The trust she placed in Khan seemed to encourage him, and the chair leg was suddenly steady. Sylvia moved slowly forward, taking her time, savouring the moment. I stayed where I was, in the doorway, trying desperately to come up with some plan that wouldn’t get the other two killed. I didn’t dare move. If I did anything to let Sylvia know I was there, she might kill the other two immediately, just to spite me.
‘Never thought to see you play the hero, Alex,’ said Sylvia. ‘Bit out of character for you, isn’t it? The man who only ever cared for himself?’
‘You make it easy,’ said Khan. It was clear he wanted to back away, but he wouldn’t let himself show weakness in front of the vampire. ‘You’re so corrupt, you make me look good. I have to be the hero, Sylvia, because I couldn’t bear to be like you.’
‘Now that’s not a very nice thing to say,’ said Sylvia. ‘Bad things happen to people who say bad things.’
Khan’s face was grey with fear, but he stood his ground and glared at her defiantly, still holding his wooden stake out before him.
‘We talked,’ he said hoarsely. ‘You and me. We shared confidences. I thought I knew you …’
‘You don’t,’ said Sylvia. ‘No one does.’
‘So what’s it like?’ said Khan. ‘Being dead?’
Sylvia surprised me then, by stopping her advance to consider the question carefully. ‘Undead, dear,’ she said finally. ‘It’s very … freeing. I love it! And any moment now, I’ll love you. For as long as you last.’
‘Do you remember anything, of what your life was like before this?’ Khan said desperately. ‘Don’t you miss it?’
‘It’s always so sweet,’ said Sylvia, ‘When the prey wants to talk. To beg or bargain with me … to try and understand the horrible thing that’s happening to them … To hold off the dreadful moment, with one last attempt at communication … To bridge the gap between us. Well, Alex dear, life was a nightmare from which I have woken up. Free, at last! No conscience, no mortality, no civilized chains to hold me down or hold me back. I can do whatever I want, now, and I do!’
‘You kill people!’ said Penny, from behind Khan. ‘That’s all you do! You destroy lives!’
‘That’s what they’re for,’ said Sylvia. ‘I feed and I kill; I butcher and I slaughter … and it’s all such fun! I’ll tell you what, Alex dear; give me the girl. Give me Penny … and I’ll let you go.’
Penny glanced anxiously at Khan, but give the man his due, he didn’t flinch and he didn’t hesitate.
‘Never,’ he said.
‘Ah, well,’ said Sylvia. ‘Worth a try. I do so love it when they turn on each other to please me.’
She darted forward impossibly quickly and slapped the wooden chair leg out of Khan’s hand with such force that it flew across the room and buried itself half its length in the wall. Sylvia jumped on Khan and sank her teeth into his neck, biting deep, worrying at the bloody flesh. Khan swayed on his feet, but didn’t fall. Sylvia wouldn’t let him. He made a sick, horrified sound, and tried to push her away from him, but already there was no strength left in his arms. He was dying, and he knew it. Blood coursed down the front of him as Sylvia worried at his neck with her sharp teeth. Penny beat at Sylvia’s head and shoulders with her fists, trying to drive the vampire away, but Sylvia didn’t even notice her.
Khan slowly raised one hand and dipped it into the blood running down his front. He put a fingertip to Sylvia’s forehead and drew a cross there. Her head snapped back, and she glared at him with foully shining eyes. And then she broke his neck, with a sudden spiteful move. The sound of bones breaking was very loud on the quiet. Sylvia threw the dead body aside and grabbed Penny by the arm. Penny fought the vampire fiercely, but couldn’t break free. Sylvia pulled her forward, so they were face to face, and Penny spat in Sylvia’s eye.
The vampire spun Penny around, still holding on to her arm, and glared at me. I was still standing in the doorway; she’d known I was there all along. Everything had happened so quickly that I still hadn’t worked out what I was going to do. Sylvia was so much faster than me, stronger than me …
The vampire hauled Penny forward, to stand her between the two of us. Penny cried out as dead fingers sank deep into her arm, and then she stopped abruptly as Sylvia put her face right beside hers, resting her rotting chin on Penny’s shoulder. Fresh blood dripped off Sylvia’s face, running down to stain the top of Penny’s dress. She stood very still and looked at me imploringly. I gave her my best reassuring smile.
‘Now, Ishmael,’ said Sylvia. ‘Throw away that nasty wooden stake.’
I looked at the walking stick in my hand and let it drop to the floor. I kicked it away. It made a small, sad sound as it rolled across the floor.
‘Now,’ said Sylvia, ‘come forward, dear Ishmael, and surrender yourself to me.’
‘Why would I do a thing like that?’ I said.
‘Because if you do, I’ll let little Penny go.’
‘No, Ishmael!’ Penny said immediately. ‘She’ll kill you! And still kill me anyway! You know that … Get out of here, Ishmael. Just … leave.’
‘Hush, hush,’ I said. ‘There’s nowhere to go, Penny. And anyway, I wouldn’t leave you, even if I could.’
‘Oh dear,’ said Sylvia. ‘I hate it when they go all maudlin and sentimental.’
‘You really think I’d trust you?’ I said. ‘To keep your word?’
The vampire laughed breathily. ‘You don’t have a choice. Because, dear Ishmael, if you don’t do exactly as I say … I will bite dear little Penny here, in a very special way. And make her like me. Forever and ever and ever. I could use a companion …’
She opened her mouth wide, blood still dripping from her teeth, and set the points daintily against Penny’s neck. Penny shuddered violently despite herself and squeezed her eyes shut; she couldn’t stop the tears rolling down her cheeks.
‘All right!’ I said. ‘All right … That’s enough. Please, don’t hurt her. Look. I’m coming forward.’
I moved slowly towards them, across the drawing room, one step at a time, while Sylvia watched with bright, hungry eyes.
‘Please, Ishmael, don’t,’ Penny whispered. ‘She’ll kill you. And I wouldn’t want to live anyway, without you.’
‘Quiet, child,’ said Sylvia. ‘You won’t care about any of that, soon.’
‘It’s all right, Penny,’ I said. ‘I know what I’m doing.’
Sylvia waited till the very last moment, and then threw Penny to the floor. Hard enough to drive all the breath out of her, and keep her from interfering. Sylvia grabbed me by one arm and pulled me to her, those unnaturally bright eyes fixed on mine. And then her head snapped forward, and she sank her teeth into my neck. It hurt like hell, but I wouldn’t let myself cry out. I made myself stand my ground, and not struggle, even as a horrid soul-deep revulsion ran through me. I clenched my hands into fists at my sides as she bit deeply into my throat, nuzzling the side of my face with her own. I could feel the strength draining out of me … Until Sylvia suddenly jerked her head back and threw me away from her. She staggered backwards, looking at me incredulously. She was shaking and shuddering as my blood dripped from her mouth.
My golden blood.
‘You should have listened, Sylvia,’ I said. ‘I told you I wasn’t from around here.’
Sylvia screamed. Smoke issued from her mouth. My blood was no good for her. It poisoned her; ate her up, from the inside out. Her decaying flesh darkened and fell apart. Her hands dropped off her wrists, and great wounds opened up all over her body. She fell to the floor, screaming and screaming as she fell apart, until finally there was nothing left of her but a bloody sludge on the floor, already dissipating and disappearing.