The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire, Book 1) by Clay & Susan Griffith;Clay Griffith;Susan Griffith

by Clay; Susan Griffith;Clay Griffith;Susan Griffith

  His numb heart broke at that realization.

  CHAPTER

  D SMELLED THE sea before it came into view. Greyfriar led them to the coast, and for the first time the air tasted salty like in Alexandria.

  "It's wonderful," she remarked to Greyfriar, drawing a deep breath.

  "You like the sea?"

  Adele smiled. "I do. I live near the sea."

  Greyfriar didn't reply, but he was relieved to hear such things. It gave him hope for her tolerance of the next stage of their journey.

  Adele asked, "How about you?"

  Greyfriar merely regarded her strangely.

  "The sea," she said. "Do you like the sea?"

  He shrugged. "I don't have time to consider it, although I have a home near the sea too."

  "Really?" Adele exclaimed, delighted. "I think it's nice we have something in common, in addition, of course, to hating vampires and fleeing for our lives."

  "I do also," he replied.

  They followed the coast road for a bit. Greyfriar had an unerring sense of direction, and it wasn't long before he veered abruptly down to the water. In front of a shrouded grove overgrown with vines and thick hedges, he started hacking his way through until he revealed a fifteenfoot sailboat with a mast and moldy canvas inside.

  "I've had it hidden here for many months. We must now travel by sea."

  "We'll be more visible to enemies in the air," Adele pointed out.

  "Perhaps, but it will provide us a better opportunity to escape. We need distance fast." With a few hard tugs the two of them maneuvered the boat over the rocky beach to the water's edge.

  "By the way, do you know how to sail?" he asked her.

  The question took Adele by surprise. "Yes. Don't you?"

  "Not really. I've never liked being on the water." In fact, he didn't like flying over it either. Most vampires were plagued by uneasiness when drifting over water. The thought of falling in and being weighed down, and finally drowning was terrifying to them. "You will need to operate the sails."

  "How did you get from France to Britain? Fly?"

  "No!" he retorted a trifle strongly. "I have allies in the underground with boats."

  Adele hid her small grin as they set the mast, grateful that she could do something he could not. The man was almost infallible, and it pleased her to be needed. They manhandled the boat into the slim surf, and with practiced hands she raised the ragged sail. It immediately caught the breath of the wind and puffed out as full and tight as the mildewed old canvas could stand. They put out to a mercifully calm sea.

  Greyfriar said, "We appear to be sinking already."

  Adele scanned the scummy water sloshing at their feet. It wasn't rising rapidly. She shrugged. "No. We're fine. You may have to bail later. But we can stay ahead of it. We're lucky this old boat is afloat at all. But I've seen worse. Trust me."

  "As you say. Turn north when you can," Greyfriar informed her, still eyeing the water in the bottom of the boat with some alarm.

  From her place in the stern clutching the tiller, Adele playfully said, "I realize you're no mariner, but the Continent is south. As is Equatoria."

  "Small steps, Princess. We must go one way first to eventually reach our goal. North. There is sanctuary there. Trust me."

  "I do." Adele offered him a broad smile. As the sea wind buffeted her, she relaxed for the first time in many weeks.

  Greyfriar stopped looking at his water-soaked boots and stared at her. It was almost a full minute before he responded. "That's good. I might need that trust more before we're finished."

  "You'll have it. You've always had it." She leaned forward and placed her hand over his gloved one.

  He imagined the warmth of her hand as she squeezed.

  Alphonse sat in a chair as Nina cleared the dishes from their simple meal. His worn pipe was in his hands, and his thick fingers gently packed it with the last of his tobacco. He'd have to go and see whether Maize had more in his storehouse that he might be willing to trade for some of Nina's preserves. It was a foolish indulgence, he knew. But Nina even claimed she liked the smell in the little hut. She said it covered the stench of their existence.

  The old woman cast a smile to her husband over her shoulder, and he smiled back.

  The door smashed open. Nina spun around with barely time to grasp the edge of the table behind her before she was thrown to the floor next to her husband. Three red-coated vampires stood over them. The hut filled with stench as two snarling animals with elongated fangs entered, naked and dirty, crawling on all fours. Taut straps of leather attached their straining necks to the corded arm of a tall female dressed in the remnants of royalty. Flay surveyed the room, then released the hunters.

  The two things scuffled to the table, grabbed items, smelled them briefly, and threw them to the side. They were going to find out. They were going to know that the escaped girl had been here with Greyfriar. The hunters touched Nina's thin white hair with their claws. They both sniffed the base of her neck as she huddled over her knees. Her shiver was a violent thing.

  Their master said nothing, not even bothering to speak to the lowly humans. She stood idly, waiting for the creatures to find a scent. The hunters could kill the elderly couple and the female wouldn't care. Her total disregard for the humans cowering at her feet was chilling.

  One of the hunters drew its gnarled hands over Alphonse, picking at the edge of his shirt with its skeletal finger. Alphonse groaned as the hunters scuttled to the door. He heard Nina weeping faintly as the two things left the hut, followed by the other vampires. Alphonse's hand slowly covered Nina's. It was inevitable that they would return. What they searched for was outside.

  Mere moments passed, and Alphonse experienced a shard of hope. Perhaps the creatures would find nothing. Perhaps the couple's efforts at deception had been adequate. Then the hunters let loose a ghastly screech.

  "They found it," Nina moaned.

  "And if they did, then that is our fate. We will face it together and know that we did the right thing."

  Nina nodded, unable to speak in the face of her fear.

  A vampire soldier entered the hut.

  "Stand," he commanded, his unconscious hiss dragging out the word.

  Alphonse assisted Nina, who barely had the strength of will to make it to her feet. They followed the red-coated vampire outside and were led directly to the pit where Alphonse had burned and buried the clothing of the girl with Greyfriar. The hunters crouched in the middle of it, covered with dirt and ash. They were hissing and moaning, snuffling in the ash. The vampire soldier shoved the two humans to their knees in front of Flay.

  Flay's lips broke into a cruel smile. "They actually believed they could fool us."

  Alphonse made no effort to respond. It was useless.

  Flay slapped her thigh, and the hunters shambled against her legs like pets. She caressed the beasts' heads with affection before quickly grabbing handfuls of the hunters' hair and flesh. "Find the princess and this entire village will be your reward."

  The hunters licked their fangs, staring hungrily at Alphonse and Nina, who both whimpered against their will. With a shriek, the hunters shook loose and ran toward the northeast, the direction Greyfriar had gone barely two days before.

  Flay towered over the two trembling humans. Nina collapsed to the ground, and Alphonse fell with her, grabbing Nina's arm tighter in a vain attempt to give her his strength. Death was only hours away, and there was nowhere to run.

  Days passed with fair wind the whole way up the coast. It was fine sailing weather, and Adele actually enjoyed herself. They put into land a few times for food, water, and to camp for the night. They sailed by day because it was still usual for vampires to prowl the night. Greyfriar, though obviously uneasy about being at sea, grew more relaxed, or at least Adele imagined him to be so. After several days, he offered to take a turn at the tiller, for which she was grateful. The minute she stood, the boat rocked and Greyfriar grasped the sides nervously.

>   "Sorry," she offered, moving forward.

  Only when she had settled did he ease to his feet and inch past her. It was odd to see the man who had faced vampire armies quail at the thought of falling overboard. He reached the stern and clutched the tiller with a relieved sigh. He unstrapped his longsword and laid it across his lap.

  Adele asked, "Is it possible you don't know how to swim?"

  "Very possible indeed."

  Adele grabbed the small pail he had been using to bail and began to scoop water. "So swimming isn't considered a requisite skill for a master swordsman folk hero?"

  Greyfriar replied, "Not so far. But the day is young."

  She laughed and noticed how his grip never lessened on his sword. "Is that blade special to you?"

  "It is exceedingly sharp. And it bites clean."

  "I mean, does it have special meaning? Was it ... your father's sword?"

  "Oh no. Nothing like that. But the sword is such a remarkable creation. It's an extension of one's self. Unlike the pistol, which is clumsy and impersonal. There is no skill to firearms."

  "I agree with you. I learned how to shoot quite quickly. The sword took a long time. I'm still learning."

  Greyfriar leaned forward. "But don't you find the challenge incredibly satisfying? Using your hands." He extended his arm and worked his gloved hand as if manipulating a sword. "I never tire of it."

  "Yes, definitely. It was worth every aching muscle and reprimand." She raised her eyebrows in mock conceit. "I was taught by a master swordsman from Japan. And I fancy myself an excellent swordswoman. Or I did until I saw you in action."

  "No, don't think that. I've told you before. You are most extraordinary."

  Adele blushed.

  Greyfriar said, "Your instincts are excellent, but your blade work needs more control. That is merely a matter of practice."

  Now she pursed her lips in mild annoyance. She hadn't been expecting criticism.

  He continued, "Still, I have spent many years among vampires, and among those who wish to kill them. I have never seen anyone like you. You sense the world around you in a way that is ... unnatural." He laughed. "Like a vampire. You feel rather than see."

  "I'm not sure that's a good thing."

  "It's neither good nor bad. I marvel at you. I have from the beginning. I can tell you were born to it. With some final honing, you will be fearful to behold."

  Adele couldn't catch her breath at his words. "Well, I ... uh ... thank you. I wonder why my teacher has never told me anything like that."

  Greyfriar replied, "Perhaps he doesn't know. Or perhaps he's afraid that if you realize what you can be, he'll have nothing left to teach you."

  "Well, who taught you?"

  "I had a very poor instructor. Myself."

  "What? You're self-taught? That's remarkable."

  "Not so. My skill is merely a product of time. And I have time. I spend a great deal of time alone. As you might imagine." He took a breath. "It's a great pleasure to have you with me now."

  Adele ran her hand through her tangled hair, frowning at its wretched condition. "Thank you. I've told you, you can come to Alexandria and spend as much time as you like."

  "That is unlikely. For my sake, I'd have you with me much longer. For your sake, I'm sorry that I can't take you home immediately."

  She felt an ache. "So can you tell me what is in the north for us?"

  "Temporary safety. It will buy us time while Flay scours the south for you. Do not worry."

  "I'm just curious, that's all," Adele reassured him. "I do have an interest in this affair. And I still know so little about you or your plans."

  He nodded. "I think you will like it in the north."

  The young woman accepted his deflection of her comment. For the moment. She was happy to have a conversation that wasn't about pure survival. "I've never been this far north. I've only read about it."

  He paused a moment, and his voice grew rich. "Where we're going is wild and rugged. It is a place of dark lochs and mountains covered in heather. It's cold and it smells clean. I love it there."

  "I figured you were the outdoors type."

  He shrugged. "If it were up to me I'd spend all my time outside rather than in the bowels of a building. To live as my ancestors once did, off the land and traveling the open road."

  "You're a romantic."

  Smoke-covered glass turned toward her. "Is that bad?"

  "No. Not at all. Quite fetching, actually." She smiled shyly at him. "And you come complete with a dashing cape and sword. What's not to like?"

  "Are you a romantic, yourself?"

  Adele considered, pausing a moment from the chore of bailing. "I'd like to be. It's hard when you're a princess. I have an enormous amount of responsibilities at court. It doesn't leave much time for being a romantic. But when you were talking about the north, about how wild it is, it reminded me of the open desert. I was always overwhelmed by the desert, although I never spent much time there. Unfortunately."

  "When were you last there?"

  "Years ago. I went on a trip with my brother and Colonel Anhalt. And about forty members of my court staff. But one night, I slipped away with only dear Colonel Anhalt as my bodyguard. He told me I needed to experience the desert, to see its loneliness and its beauty. He said it had much to teach me. He is such a wonderful man. A constant presence in my life." She sighed, a bit melancholy, and gazed out over the waves. "We rode to an oasis, where he named the stars for me. It was so beautiful. So open and wild. The stars and the moon. The wind. I can't even describe it. Have you ever been to the desert?"

  "No."

  "Colonel Anhalt told me that the desert is like a person. You can never know it completely. If you think you do, you are playing a dangerous game. You can never trust the desert, because the minute you do, it will kill you." Adele laughed. "I didn't really understand what he was telling me. I think he was warning me that, as a princess, I could never completely trust anyone. Or maybe he was saying I shouldn't be seduced by the wild side. That I had to put girlish dreams aside. I have a duty to my people, and I shouldn't even think about running off for a life of adventure and romance."

  "I'm sorry," Greyfriar said.

  "For what?"

  "That something you love can't be a source of comfort."

  "It's the way life is, I suppose. There are some things you can trust, and some you can't. You just have to figure out what they are. Listen to me. I'm a philosopher."

  The swordsman turned to the sea, almost melancholy. "Indeed."

  Adele watched him start to withdraw. Desperate to change the mood, she cast about for something new to say. "Do you know how to fish? I might be getting hungry."

  "No." His posture relaxed. "If I can't swim, what are the chances I fish?"

  She chuckled with relief. "True. Fish were a staple of my diet. My brother and I would go fishing with Colonel Anhalt when we were younger, though that's a luxury we no longer have. Plus, Lake Mareotis is too polluted to fish now."

  "Did you enjoy it?"

  Adele paused to reflect. "I enjoyed the time I spent with my brother, now more than ever." Her sad eyes turned to him, only to soften with a small secret smile. "But I don't miss the fish themselves. They stink. I don't know how cats stand them."

  Now it was Greyfriar's turn to laugh. It was such an odd sound to hear. Adele loved it. It was strong and low. Her skin shivered with goose bumps at the sound of it. She immediately longed to hear it again.

  "Of course," she said, "we don't smell so good either right now, I'm sure."

  "You'll be able to clean up once we reach our destination," he told her.

  "I suppose that will have to do." Adele sighed and watched the slate coast. She knew Greyfriar was staring at her. She liked it.

  He suddenly stood. "Take the tiller, if you will." He started making his way forward.

  "Is everything all right?" she inquired as she settled at the stern.

  From the other side of the fluttering s
ail, he said, "Yes. I just want to clean up a bit."

  Adele smiled. He was doing it for her, most likely. She probably shouldn't have said anything about the smell, but she delighted in the fact that he was making himself more presentable for her. No man had ever lavished such consideration on her except when there was an underlying reason for it, like her hand in marriage or a plea of forgiveness from her father on a matter of state.

  Greyfriar removed his tunic and shirt. Adele saw his arm dip into the cold seawater. Biting her lip, she leaned over the rail a bit, angling for a better view. Perhaps he had removed his mask. She just wanted to see what he looked like. After all, she had followed him, a stranger, based only on his word. It would be a small reward to place a face to the myth.

  Greyfriar's back was to her, broad, muscled, and scarred. His flesh was pale, not tan like she had thought. He probably spent far too much time cloaked. Dried blood caked his skin, and Adele saw his wet hand come away dripping red.

  "Are you hurt?" Adele stood up abruptly, causing the boat to rock.

  Greyfriar grasped the edge of the prow and almost looked at her, but stopped. "No. It is not my blood." There was almost shame in his tone.

  "Oh." Adele sat down and held the tiller steadier. "Do you need any help?" she asked nervously.

  His answer came back fast. "No." His voice settled after a few seconds. "I'm fine." He donned his clothes again, masking his identity from her once more.

  "I'm glad you're not hurt." Adele could not hide her disappointment that he had shoved her concern aside. But he was a warrior, and proud. She knew his type from her time spent with Colonel Anhalt.

  As another day, and then another, passed on their northward cruise, Greyfriar studied the shoreline. When they camped ashore, he was restless. They were nearing their destination, and most likely he felt pangs of worry that something would go wrong at the last minute. Adele hoped he would confide in her, but by the next day at sea, he was still silent.