The Ouroboros Cycle, Book Two: A Cautionary Tale for Young Vampires. G.D. Falksen

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СКАЧАТЬ joined her and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. Looking down at the giant, he said:

      “I wonder where this boss fellow is.”

      “That’s a very good question,” Varanus said, smiling at Korbinian. She looked down at the giant and asked, “Where is your boss? The rest of your gang? Where are they?”

      “Not sayin’ nuthin’.”

      Varanus applied a little more pressure. As she did so, Ekaterine walked back in carrying the corpse of the last ruffian. It would seem she had run him to ground and dispatched him.

      I hope none of the neighbors saw, Varanus thought.

      “A’right! A’right!” cried the giant. “I’ll talk!”

      Varanus looked down at him and lifted her foot.

      “Who is your boss?” she asked.

      “Mister Jones!” the giant answered.

      “And where can I find him?”

      “The Ol’ Jago Pub down Parrott Street!”

      Varanus leaned down and smiled.

      “Much obliged,” she said, and pressed down hard with her boot, crushing the giant’s windpipe in a single stomp.

      * * * *

      With the ruffians all dead, Varanus put her hands on her hips and surveyed the damage. Thankfully, there was very little of it, though one of the chairs would need replacing.

      Varanus placed a hand on Ekaterine’s shoulder and said, “Marvelous, if I do say so.”

      “These three were nothing,” Ekaterine said, tossing her hair. “The big fellow, though.… That was impressive.”

      “Yes,” Varanus said, looking down at the giant’s corpse. “I think I should like to keep him for study.”

      Ekaterine sighed and looked at her.

      “This is when I hide the bodies, isn’t it?” she asked.

      “Well, I have a patient to attend to,” Varanus said. “And, much as it pains me to say so, I fear that I shall have to take her to the London Hospital. I can’t very well treat her with dead bodies strewn about the place, and I dread to think what would happen if any more of the gang were to show up.”

      “Yes, we’d have to hide the poor girl in the cupboard again,” Ekaterine said, “and I’m certain she would become cross with us.”

      Varanus shook her head and said, “You’re right, of course. Her being cross with us is foremost in my mind.”

      Ekaterine motioned to the bodies.

      “What would you like me to do with all of them?” she asked. “I mean, we can hardly dump them in the street now can we? Someone might look into it.”

      Korbinian appeared behind Varanus and whispered in her ear, “Waste not, want not.”

      At his prompting, the idea came to Varanus in a flash.

      “Put them in the cellar for now,” she said. “I’ve been itching to do a dissection for months.”

      “Grand idea,” Ekaterine agreed.

      She took one of the corpses by the arm and hauled it up over her shoulders, carrying it like a man might carry a sack of potatoes. She was strong enough to manage, but only just. It was not nearly as effortless as it would have been for Varanus.

      “Shall I…?” Varanus began, reaching out to help her.

      Ekaterine released one hand long enough to wave Varanus away.

      “Nonsense, I can manage,” she said. “Your patient, remember?”

      “Yes, of course,” Varanus said. She turned toward the back of the clinic.

      “Oh, a moment,” Ekaterine called. She motioned to the side of Varanus’s face where the giant had struck her. “Best clean up first.”

      Varanus touched her temple and felt drying blood. The injury had healed—her flesh was smooth, her skull solid, her vision clear—but the blood remained. She hurried to the washbasin by one of the tables and cleaned her face.

      With the signs of violence removed, she went to the back of the clinic and knocked on the door to the storeroom. “Sally!” she called. “It’s Doctor Sauvage. Are you in there?”

      There was a lengthy silence before Sally could be heard, speaking faintly:

      “Is it safe?”

      “Yes, it’s safe now,” Varanus answered. “The men have left.”

      “Left?” Sally asked hesitantly. She did not sound convinced. “What’ya mean ‘left’?”

      “I mean that they’re no longer here, and you’d best not think on it any further,” Varanus replied.

      There was another long pause and finally the door opened. Sally stood inside, among the boxes and barrels, looking wan and sickly. For the first time Varanus saw just how much blood was on her dress. Good God, what had the ruffians done to her? There was no doubt that she would have to go to the hospital. Regardless of skill, Varanus was simply not equipped to deal with injuries this extensive. She only hoped that the poor girl would survive the journey.

      “Sally,” Varanus said, “I am going to take you to the hospital. We will go out the back way, just in case the men are lurking around the front.”

      Rather, to avoid Sally seeing the corpses lying about on the floor.

      “Can you walk?” Varanus asked.

      “I-I—” Sally stammered. She was panicked, which came as no surprise under the circumstances. She took a few uncertain steps and nearly collapsed against Varanus. “I think so,” she said, sounding only half convinced.

      “Well good,” Varanus said, taking her by the arm and leading her to the back door. “We will see if we can obtain a cab on the way.”

      At the door, Sally hesitated, eyeing the dark alley nervously.

      “Can’t I stay ’ere, doctor?” she asked.

      She half turned back toward the clinic, and Varanus was obliged to take her by the arm and pull her the other way, only just preventing her from seeing Ekaterine carrying one of the bodies to the cellar stairs.

      “Normally I would prefer that,” Varanus said, “but under the circumstances, I think the hospital will be far more secure than here. And besides, you require several days of rest, and I am not in a position to provide that.”

      Sally slowly nodded. She squared her shoulders, lifted her head as best she could, and stepped out into the street. Varanus followed and took a last look back inside. Ekaterine, still descending the cellar stairs, СКАЧАТЬ