The Count of San Francisco

by Lynn Sheridan

  Aria gripped the bar, staring down at the sea below. She looked back at Val and gulped.

  The Kid slipped a foot into his strap. “See you on the other side.”

  “You had better hope this works, Luis.” Val shook her head and smiled at the Kid’s stunned face as his glider toppled over the edge.

  “You said my name.” The Kid dropped out of view.

  Aria shrieked.

  “YOU SAID MY NAME!”

  Dante pushed the second glider towards the edge. “Are you ready?”

  “No. You?”

  Dante shook his head and moved into position beneath the wings. He gripped the bar and stared across the bay. Val glanced back to see the soldiers charging towards them. She turned to Dante and grabbed the bar. They ran forwards and dived over the edge.

  A brittle wind slapped at their faces as they plummeted, the rocks rushing towards them at an alarming rate. Val pulled on the bar. She let out a sigh as the glider levelled out. It rose up briefly, drifting through the air. They were gliding. Val’s hand slipped from the bar as their direction changed. Dante caught her wrist. He pulled her hand back onto the bar, closing his fist around them both.

  Val stared at Dante. It was going to take a while before she got used to seeing him without his thick beard. Dante smiled back at her. Val looked away, only just realizing she had been smiling at him.

  Something zipped overhead. Val looked up at the airship and gasped. A row of archers lined the opening. Flaming arrows seared through the air, raining down on them. Val pushed on the bar, forcing the glider to descend.

  “What are you doing?” Dante squeezed Val’s hand, his knuckles turning white.

  “We have to outrun those arrows.” She held her breath as they shot towards the sea.

  “Pull up. We’re going too low. We’ll never make it across the bay.”

  “If the glider catches fire, we definitely won’t.”

  A cluster of arrows shot past them. Val pulled the bar hard to one side causing it to bank left. More arrows whooshed past them.

  “There.” Val pointed to a small rocky island in the middle of the bay. “We aim for there.”

  Waves crashed against the black rock, releasing spray into the air and peppering the ruined stone tower that stood at its centre.

  “Do you think we can make it?” Dante clenched his jaw.

  “We have to.” Val pulled back, slowing their descent, only they didn’t slow. She looked up and instantly realised why.

  A burning arrow poked through the wing, bouncing in the wind, a thick trail of black smoke billowing out behind them. The flame crackled and danced as it jumped to the fabric.

  BOOSH.

  Fire engulfed the sail, sweeping from one wing to the other in seconds. Val’s stomach jumped into her throat as the glider dropped down, taking them closer to the water. She looked ahead. At this rate, they weren’t going to make it.

  Val lined the glider up with the island. “We can swim if we have to.” She glanced at Dante. “You can swim, can’t you?”

  He hesitated, staring at the water.

  RIP.

  Burning fabric swung down from the wing, landing on Val’s back. A searing heat flashed through her body. She rolled from side to side, swatting at the flames, but she couldn’t reach. The fire spread to her gown. It shrivelled and darkened, melting into thick clumps of burning fabric.

  Val took one look at the sea below, less than fifty feet away. She patted Dante’s hand and then let go.

  The burning glider soared ahead without her as she tumbled through the air, wrestling with her gown. The sea grew closer and closer. Val gripped the gown and ripped, her skin burning beneath its smouldering fabric.

  SLAP.

  Val hit the water and disappeared beneath the waves. Her mouth opened and bubbles of air floated up to the surface. She kicked at the dress, pulling herself free of its scorched remains. It slipped down beneath her, sinking into the endless blue depths. She kicked her legs and burst through the surface.

  A wave washed over her head, knocking her back under. She fought against the tide, clawing her way to the surface once more. The island rose up above the waves in the distance. Her arms and legs ached but she forced herself to swim. The sea pulled against her, fighting to change her mind and direction.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  THE ROCK

  Val clung to a rock as the waves tried to keep her from the island. Her feet slipped. The tide pulled on her legs, dragging them back towards the sea. She held on, just. Another wave crashed down, whipping her hair back, the salt stinging her eyes and raw skin.

  She kicked against the waves, throwing her body forwards. The tide surged back around her. She grabbed another rock, clinging on by her fingertips. Her body ached from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, but she would not let go.

  The sea briefly relented, as if rewarding her determination. Another wave washed over her, but with a fraction of the force. She kicked through the water, dragging her naked, bruised and burnt body to the shore.

  Val flopped down to the ground and buried her face in her arms. She took a deep breath, puffing out her chest. Her amulet swung from her neck, scraping against the jagged rocks as she breathed. She rolled onto her back and stared up at the Count’s Armada as it started to move.

  A plume of black smoke rose into the sky behind her. She arched her back, tilting her head. The smouldering remains of the glider lay smashed and twisted on the rocks, but there was no sign of Dante. The cool air stung her body almost as much as the salt water. She breathed in and out, focusing on the airships as they drifted across the sky.

  She began to laugh but didn’t know why. Val took another deep breath and tried to compose herself. A giant shadow crept across the island. It floated overhead, followed by another and another. Brief bursts of sunlight slipped between them like mighty pillars of light holding them aloft.

  Val scanned the sky, looking for the Kid and Aria. She couldn’t see them or their glider. A wave washed over the edge of the rocky shore, sweeping over the island and brushing past Val’s body. She laid back and closed her eyes.

  The Kid would keep Aria safe. He wasn’t nearly as useless as she made out, but it sure was fun to tease him. She laughed again. If only he could see her now? Aria would be fine as long as she kept her clothes on, and there didn’t seem to be much danger of that.

  Val’s eyes drooped. She forced them open again, but couldn’t hold it for long. Maybe, she would just lay here and wait for Dante to find her.

  The End

  AUTHOR’S NOTES

  So, you're still here. I am impressed. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were following me. If you're not, well, there are plenty of acceptable ways to do so. I have an author newsletter, which is for those that really want to know what's going on, I have a website, LynnSheridan.com, where I talk about being an author and watching anime, and then there's Facebook and Twitter.

  Well, that was The Count of San Francisco. What did you think? Not enough vampires or zombies. Maybe, but I felt I needed to really introduce the Aristocracy. Personally, I really enjoyed writing the dinner scene. I didn't think I would, but it was a lot of fun. Don't worry, I'm not going to start filling these stories with dinner scenes and to make up for it in the next volume, The Knight in Shining Armour, it's going to be fight after fight after fight.

  As with the other volumes, please leave a 'bloody' review. They're far more entertaining than a lot of the reviews out there, so keep it up. If you've not left a review for The Damsel in Distress or The Druid and the Dead, there's always time to catch up.

  I can't explain how amazing it is that you're still reading. So, I’ll just get back to writing more adventures for Val and Dante. It looks like the Kid is sticking around and now Aria has joined the group. Who knows for how long, but it's nice having some extra company. If you have any questions about the series or anything in general, let me know and I’ll answer them as best I can.

  Thanks
again for reading The Count of San Francisco. I hope you stick around for the next adventure. Don’t forget to check out my free prequel story – The Vampire Hunter.

  Cheers

  Lynn Sheridan, June 2018

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  It was a night like any other at the top-secret research facility deep beneath the streets of London, England. The scientists argued over which spell would defeat a cave troll. Tensions grew. Someone threw a beaker. Lynn saw his chance to escape, and he took it.

  Knowing that the scientists would be looking for him, Lynn hid in the quiet seaside town of Weston-super-Mare. Many years and possibly too many horror stories later, he realised that in the event of an outbreak there would be more than four hundred zombies per square kilometre (Z/km²) in England.

  Not being a gambling man, Lynn moved to New Zealand where he enjoyed a mere seventeen Z/km². After several seasons of sun, surfing, and the great outdoors, and many more horror stories, Lynn’s first child was born.

  Suddenly, there was a need to further improve the Z/km². After much deliberation, Lynn ended up in the tropical sounding Thunder Bay, Canada, home to an impressive four Z/km². FYI, it’s not tropical, it’s cold… bloody cold. What he also hadn’t counted on was the millions and millions of blood-sucking insects.

  It turns out that the potential threat of zombies is far more acceptable than the actual threat of mosquitoes, especially when Lynn has a rare and particularly tasty blood type. Now, he calls Ottawa and it’s near three hundred Z/km² home. After all, what’s the point of there being a zombie apocalypse if you can’t enjoy it?

  Other than inventing statistics for the zombie apocalypse, Lynn is also the author of Valiant Lineage, a manga-inspired, action-packed series of novellas set in a world caught in the middle of a war between vampires and zombies. Where do they come up with these ideas?

  If you still want to know more, then check out my website – LynnSheridan.com.

  Keep reading for an exclusive sneak preview of Valiant Lineage, Volume 4

  CHAPTER ONE

  GRIPPED

  Cold, wet rocks pressed against Val’s back as she stared into the sky. Patches of sunlight crept across her naked body. A wave struck the island, washing over her and numbing her aching muscles. She breathed in, long and slow, listening to the rhythmic melody of the sea.

  Her consciousness faded, each wave pushing her further and further into her own mind. She exhaled as the numbness spread masking her aches and pains. Dante would find her soon, she was sure of it.

  Another wave rolled onto the rocks, rushing over her toes and sliding up her legs. It brushed past her hips and then scurried back to the sea. She took another deep breath and felt her eyelids tighten.

  Val woke to a strange and violent sound. She blinked, looking around as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Her arm moved without her consent, grabbing a small stuffed bear and pulling a blanket up to her neck.

  Voices drifted through the darkness, distant and muffled like whispers. A loud bang caused her to jump. She pulled the blanket over her head and hugged her stuffed bear. The voices grew louder.

  The woollen fabric tickled her nose, moving as she breathed. Val wanted to pull back the blanket and jump to her feet, but her body wouldn’t respond. Her warm breath bounced off the fabric. She looked down, squeezing her stuffed bear.

  A long drawn out creak filled the room, light seeping through the blanket. Val lay motionless, pretending to be asleep. She closed her eyes as footsteps crept across the room, floorboards groaning as they approached. The hairs on her arms prickled as a chill swept through her body.

  The footsteps stopped beside her bed. Val stared at the blanket, waiting for another sound. She held her breath, listening but there was only silence. The blanket settled on Val’s face as she tightened her grip on her stuffed bear.

  Something grabbed her ankle and dragged her off the bed. She hit the ground with a thud. A high-pitched scream ripped through the darkness. Val looked around for the source, before realising that it was her.

  Someone dragged Val across the room and out the door. She grasped at the wooden doorframe, kicking and thrashing her legs. Her fingernails bent back. She screamed, burning pain flashing through her hands. Her breath escaped as she hit the floor.

  A cold hand clamped down on her face, muffling her screams. She bit into the soft flesh as hard as she could. A second hand flashed through the air, striking her face. Her head jerked to one side. Flashes of light speckled her vision, as the room spun around her.

  She stared at the ceiling, gasping for air. The cold hand grabbed her ankle and dragged her through the house. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She wanted to fight back, but her body refused. Her head bumped and bounced over the floorboards.

  “Please!” Val spoke. It was her voice, but higher and squeakier. She sounded like a little girl. “Please let me go.”

  The grip on her ankle vanished and her foot dropped to the floor. Val rolled onto her side to scramble away as a high-pitched creak filled the air. The hand grabbed hold of her nightgown before she could go too far. It dragged her back along the corridor. She clawed at the floor, leaving a bloody trail.

  Val glanced over her shoulder. The face of her attacker seemed familiar, but she was unable to place him. He grinned revealing a set of white pointy fangs. She pushed and pulled, fighting to break free. He chuckled as he turned her body and let go. She fell backwards through a doorway, tumbling down and down, spinning faster and faster.

  THUMP.

  The world stopped in an instant. She sobbed, unable to move. Cold, hard stone pressed against her cheek, warm blood trickling down to meet it. She stared at the basement floor, tears mixing into a crimson pool.

  A hand reached out of the darkness trembling as it approached. “Valiant, are you alright?”

  She lifted her head and saw her brother, Nicolas crawling towards her. “What’s going on?”

  He placed his hand on hers, gripping it tightly. “I don’t know.”

  The door at the top of the stairs swung shut with the same high-pitched creak, extinguishing the light. Val’s eyelids drooped, getting heavier and heavier. Blood rippled across the floor, droplets spraying into the air as she breathed. Her head throbbed.

  Val’s eyes flicked open as a beastly roar ripped through the air. The clear blue sky hung overhead. A wave washed over the rocks, tickling her bare feet. She rolled onto her side and scanned the surroundings. Whatever made that noise, had to be enormous.

  Metal clanged against stone, ringing through the air as the Knight stumbled backwards, grabbing the side of the tower for support. Rubble tumbled to the ground as he pushed himself up. His long white cloak flapped in the wind, rippling over his shining armour.

  Dante charged towards the Knight, swinging a huge piece of driftwood through the air as he released another almighty roar. His dinner suit, ripped and burnt, strained against his muscles as he attacked.

  The Knight’s hand shot through the air, catching the driftwood weapon with ease. Dante grimaced and groaned as he pushed back, his feet skidding over the wet ground. The Knight stepped towards him.

  Val’s heart pounded against her chest. The last time they encountered the Knight, Dante held her tight, keeping her still and silent. This time, it was fear that gripped her. She stared at Dante, unable to look away.

  An airship drifted through the sky, high overhead, its shadow creeping across the island. Val shivered as it moved over her body. A beam of sunlight followed behind, bathing a small patch of the island in bright, glorious sunshine.

  The Knight dropped to one knee, his armour shimmering in the light. He strained under the weight of the driftwood. Dante let go and charged forwards. He swung a fist, striking the Knight’s helmet. It flew through the air, spinning to the ground.

  CLANG.

  The helmet rattled across the rocks, rolling to a stop several feet from Val. She gulped and then turned back to the fight. The Knight’s long blond hair danced in th
e wind. He stared at the ground, dazed and confused. Dante hit the Knight again, knocking him back.

  Another airship hummed through the air, casting another shadow over the island. Dante slammed his fist into the Knight’s face. His head jerked to one side. A sinister grin stretched across the Knight’s face, revealing his fangs. He spun up and grabbed Dante’s throat with one hand.

  Val took a deep breath. She recalled the Knight removing Henry’s head with a flick of his wrist. Her hands shook as she tried to move. Dante raised his fist into the air and brought it down hard on the Knights shoulder to no effect.

  The Knight tightened his grip, squeezing Dante’s throat. His mouth flapped open as he gasped for air. He clawed at the Knight’s face, but his strength had left him. Dante’s head slumped forwards.

  Val tried to scream, but nothing came out. She gripped the rocks trying to force her body to move. Her muscles ached, fighting against every instinct and ultimately choosing neither.

  The Knight slung Dante’s body over his shoulder like a wet rag. He strode across the island. Val’s eyes widened as he approached. He stopped a couple of paces from where she lay, reached down, and collected his helmet. She held her breath, staring up at his face.

  The Knight stood and lifted his gaze to the sky, airships floating overhead, drifting across the bay. He scowled and turned, his cloak swishing in the air as he strode away from her. Val exhaled as the Knight disappeared within the ruined tower.

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