weave. It was a blind, inhuman sound, terrible and brief.
The five animals stopped, listened, and held their breaths. This wood concealed Accidents.
“It’s not far,” whispered Jasmine. Beauty held an arrow drawn.
They tiptoed across a game path into a thicket. The night and the smell of moist earth surrounded them, like different kinds of overgrowth. Another noise, in another direction, made them all turn their heads at once. Something rustled. There was a click.
A blast of light flooded to the left. Josh involuntarily brought his arm up to shield his face. Beauty raised his bow at this illumination that broke the substance of the night as they realized it was a door being opened in a huge boulder. A figure stood in the doorway, silhouetted by the lamps in the room beyond. Jasmine walked up to the dark figure in the rock.
“Is Lon here?” she asked.
“Whom shall I say is calling?” said the form in the doorway. But as soon as he saw her face clearly, he ushered the five fugitives in, closing the door behind them. Outside, no trace of door remained. Only the mossy boulder, half buried in the jungle-thick forest.
In Which The Travelers Learn Of A New Animal In The South
INSIDE, a small room had been hollowed out of the center of the rock, so its walls and floor were of stone, with a stairway descending into the earth. The hunters were led by the doorman down two long flights of these turning stone steps. So steep was the descent that Beauty almost fell, and had to keep balance with his hands on the wall.
Finally they reached level ground. A spacious tunnel led them to a great gothic archway, which opened upon a wood-paneled room, thirty by thirty feet long, fifteen feet high, and decked with rough-hewn cedar. Paintings lined the walls, illuminated by gilt candelabra. Velvet overstuffed chairs proliferated, and there were oriental carpets and crystal chandeliers.
“Wowww,” meowed Isis.
As the doorman left, in walked a handsome man with short hair, deep sensitive eyes, skin of reddish hue, long, powerful fingers, and the secure smile of a civilized patron. His mouth was parenthetically punctuated by a gently curving fang at each corner. He was a Vampire.
He spread his wings when he saw Jasmine, and his smile widened. As she ran up to him with her arms out, he encircled her, warmly touching his lips to her neck.
“Lon,” she murmured.
“Jasmine,” he replied. He pronounced her name “Yahzmeen.” His voice was deep as the grotto.
“Yowww,” cautioned Isis. Josh and Beauty were tense and ready to bolt. Josh cursed himself for falling into such an easy trap and wondered if he could kill a Vampire at close range. Beauty measured the distance to the door and the distance to the creature. He would not make the first move. Treachery always loses strength when it must declare itself. Humbelly fluttered around the room, mindlessly upset.
Jasmine finally broke her embrace with the Vampire and turned back to the others. “This is my friend, Lon,” she said. “We’re safe here. Lon, these are my friends… but I don’t know your names,” she realized in midsentence.
“Josh, Beauty, Isis, and Humbelly,” said Joshua, indicating with his hand. His voice was coiled.
Lon bowed from the waist, so low that his forehead almost touched the floor. “It is my deepest honor to welcome the friends of my friend,” he said. Draping his body were sheer silks of deep orange and chocolate brown, which flowed like flames through the ether when he moved. He rose from the bow to his full height, with the words, “Please accept my hospitality.”
Neither Beauty nor Isis moved. Josh bobbed his head, tentative and uncertain. “Thanks,” he said.
Lon smiled beneficently. “Come, we shall eat.” He put his robed arm around Jasmine’s shoulder and escorted her out the door, speaking of old times and new alike. The others looked at each other, shrugged, and followed.
They went down twisting passages, some lit, some dark, through a large natural cave dripping with stalactites, past an underground spring, and along another carpeted room filled with antique musical instruments of every variety – clavichords, pianos, French horns, oboes, dulcimers. They finally reached the dining room.
It was enormous. Jeweled sculptures held court over one end of the room, their intentions made shadowy by the glow of ancient lamps. Objects adorned every surface, some powerfully magical, some merely exquisite. Scattered around the floor were scented animal skins: sheep, tiger, and bear. Against one entire wall an enormous fireplace crackled brightly with burning cedar. A long, low central table of two-inch oak, which looked like it could easily accommodate a banquet, sat stoutly on the floor. It was surrounded by dozens of pillows, large and small, multicolored in soft exotic fabrics.
“Please, sit,” said Lon with an expansive sweep. He reclined on a pillow at the head of the table; Jasmine sat cross-legged on his right. The others sat comfortably on the floor around the table, propping themselves against the luxury of the down cushions. Humbelly, settling near the fireplace, immediately fell asleep.
A man slipped in, whispered into the Vampire’s ear, received a long, whispered reply, then ran out again. Lon said something to Jasmine and she laughed. He turned to the others, an apology on his face. “First we shall drink,” he said.
He picked a small glass bell off the table and jingled it softly. Instantly a beautiful, pale young boy came silently into the room, naked but for his jewelry, carrying a tray of liqueurs. He padded around the table, stopping to offer each guest a glass, placing a small bowl in front of Isis, coming finally to the Vampire host, who took the remaining glass and raised it. “A toast,” said Lon. The young boy scurried from the room.
Lon went on. “Jasmine has told me you saved her life. For this act you may consider me your most loyal servant.” He bowed his head half an inch. “So. A toast. May servant and master find each other worthy.” He drank. The others raised their goblets in the rosy light like torchbearers at a secret ceremony. Isis sniffed her bowl.
They were relaxing somewhat, but still uncertain. Joshua’s hand was never far from his knife. He was about to speak some of his thoughts when Lon raised a staying hand. “Please,” said the Vampire. “I can see you are suspicious and uncertain of my intent. I assure you I am sincere. Jasmine has told me what little she knows of your plight, but we can discuss this further after the meal. In the meantime, since you are apparently being pursued by Jarl’s Guard, let me tell you what I have done.” Josh and Beauty watched their host closely. He smiled and went on.
“My spies tell me the JEGS were hard on your sign, inside the forest, still half a mile from the entrance of my cave. I have dispatched two of my fastest Humans, my prize palomino, and my cleverest Cat to continue your trail where you left it, flee north, and lead Jarl’s soldiers a merry chase through the forest. For a week, or until Jarl’s hired assassins are eaten by Accidents, whichever comes first.” He laughed heartily. “No, don’t protest. My people love a good chase, and in any case, they’ve been idle too long.” He drank again. Jasmine leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
Josh closed his eyes. Beneath the fog of suspicion that filled him, a feeling glowed viscerally. It wasn’t rational, but it was real – like the sudden intuition of cool rain welling at the pit
