Page 57 of Rune Assassin

“That would depend on who’s come to see him,” the vampire sneered.

“Tegan and Kate, of Lusio’s house,” Tegan announced.

The vampire’s nasty look turned to outright hostility. “Lusio? You came from that nightmare?”

“If you could announce us-” Tegan began before the vampire cut him off.

“I won’t do a damn thing for you!” he snapped as he stabbed his long, sharp fingernail in the direction of the road. “And nobody else around here will do anything, either, so get out of here! Now!”

“That’s no way to treat guests, Rufo.”

CHAPTERTHIRTY

A fourth challengerentered the ring of argument but this one was familiar. Hugh stepped out of the shadows of one of the trees and his bright eyes illuminated the dark bark. He crossed his arm over his chest and bowed low to us. “My sincerest apologies for this cold welcome.”

Tegan shook his head. “It’s our fault for coming unannounced and on such short notice.”

“But it is not your fault for bearing the brunt of the animosity toward your host,” he countered as he gave his fellow undead a sharp look. “Don’t you have clam duties this night, Rufo?”

Rufo didn’t look pleased at all with the soft reprimand and the chore reminder. “And what if I do? I was just walking this way to make sure none of Lusio’s supporters were watching us.”

Hugh stared at him without blinking. Rufo quailed under the sharp, intense look and took a step back.

The rough vampire nodded. “Alright, I’m going. No need to get your pants bunched up.” He eagerly slipped away into the night.

Hugh softened his expression and turned to us. “My sincerest apologies for his uncouth behavior. You were looking for Conrad?”

“We wanted to ask him about the trouble this afternoon,” Tegan told him.

Hugh lifted an eyebrow. “Why is that? Was there some trouble with a vampire?”

“That’s what we’d like to ask him about,” Tegan persisted as he looked around. “Is he in the area?”

“He’s currently at one of the dozen longhouses along the beach,” Hugh revealed as he swept his arm toward the hilly landscape behind him. “But if you would wait in the catacombs, I could fetch him.”

“How long would it take to find him?” Tegan wondered.

Hugh turned his head around and smiled at us. “You’re concerned you’ll miss the final trial tonight?”

“We’d just like to see this trouble to the end,” Tegan told him.

“You needn’t worry,” Hugh assured us as he nodded at the horizon. “There is still plenty of time before midnight and I will find Conrad in a short time. Before that, allow me to offer you what hospitality I can while you wait. There is a tomb not far off that will shield you from the cold winds.”

One of those same cold winds blew over us from the ocean. I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered. “That sounds pretty nice.”

He smiled and swept his arm toward the distance. “Then allow me to guide you.”

We followed the vampire over hill and dale for a mile before I noticed a change in the ground. Random holes popped up here and there and were occupied by stone stairs. The steps led down to doors and a few ended at collapsed doorways. Some of the stairs were in front of hills and others stood guard over completely flat areas.

“How many catacombs are there?” I spoke up. My voice sounded so small in the eerie silence.

“Many dozens,” Hugh informed us as he cast his gaze on one of the holes we passed. “Vampires lived here even before the capital was a great metropolis. The ocean provided a natural barrier to attack and the place was once covered in woods that protected us from anything larger than small parties of attackers.” He lifted his eyes upward and the stars twinkled on his soft smile. “The trees cast their shadows for miles upon miles. You could smell the scent of them for twice that distance off. Their branches were so thick a young vampire could walk from one end of the beach to the other without getting burned.”

“You sound as though you remember those woods,” Tegan commented.

Hugh smiled. “I remember many of them.”

“And then the fields came?” I guessed.

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