Page 65 of Mongrel
I wasn’t worried for myself, but he’s right. Of the two of us, I’m the weaker. Still, if he were caught and left within the sun’s reach…I can’t even think about it. “Bowie, tell me about vampires. What should I know?”
His hand drops to my knee. Sitting side by side on a blanket of pine needles, both of us staring at the intimidating walls of Csejthe, we lean into each other as the bugs chirp around us.
“We don’t age after we’re turned,” Bowie begins. “Legend would have you believe we’re immortal, but I’ve seen with my own eyes that’s not the case.”
I cover his hand with mine.
“We can be killed. A stake through the heart, as I’ve mentioned. Also beheading, fire, general dismemberment, and of course…the sun. I’m still quite young, in vampire terms, that is, and I was never good at fencing or combat.”
He confirms my fears. Not that I thought vampires invulnerable, but he’s more vulnerable than I’d thought.
“My edge will be speed,” he continues. “I’m much faster than humans, so the risk of being caught is minimal.”
I disagree. We’re severely outnumbered. A large contingent of men is guarding the castle gates, and more march along the walls. We’ll need more than speed to be successful without incident. A stealthy entrance will be our best bet. I’ll need to think on it.
“Your turn,” says Bowie. “Tell me about werewolves.”
There isn’t much to tell. “Nothing too impressive. Beyond the obvious ability to shift from one form to another, we heal faster than humans. I’m quite a bit stronger than an average man and bigger than the average wolf. But I can’t do anything special. I’m not fast, as you well know after nights of following behind me. My pace must drive you mad.”
“Not at all. You’ve made excellent time. You mustn’t think less of your skills simply because they’re different from mine. Your sense of smell is extraordinary. I’d have wasted invaluable time searching Báthory’s other castles were it not for your help.” He gives my knee a gentle squeeze. “Speaking of your tracking ability, do you think you could sniff out Janos?”
“Of course.” His smokey scent will be so easy to follow I can track it without shifting.
“I’d like to find out what he’s learned. He’s likely to be in the closest village and may have already worked out a method of entry.”
“How much longer until dawn?” After many nights of this, I’m getting better at timing sunrise myself, but Bowie can pin it down almost to the minute.
“An hour fifteen,” he says. “Hopefully, that’s enough to find Janos. He’ll know where we should sleep as well.”
“What if he’s already inside?”
“Then we’re on our own getting in, but we can count on his help getting out.”
I stand, offer Bowie my hand, then tug him up with me. His eyes reflect the heavy burden of his worry. He’s beginning to look gaunt, and I wonder if one feeding was enough. “Bowie, you should drink.”
He just shakes his head. “Not now. We should go.” He glances wistfully back at the castle. “Unless…”
“Unless what?”
His gaze lands on mine. Intense. Determined. “Maybe I should go in after all. Now. Before this goes on any further.”
My gut reaction is absolutely not. It’s far too dangerous. But the drive to free Cecily must be impossible for him to bear, especially now that we’re so close. “Bowie, you’re not invincible. There isn’t enough time, and you’ve no knowledge of a safe place to hide from the sun within those walls.”
“But—”
“You mustn’t go in alone and without a plan. Please. Let’s find Janos and see what he’s learned.”
Bowie lets out a pained sigh. He glares at Csejthe, the mighty fortress on a hill, prison and death sentence to so many young girls. I feel his pain, but we can’t give in to impulses.
His shoulders sink, but he nods.
Relief loosens my chest. “Come, let’s go. Janos went this way.”
I lead him back to the road and toward the village.
* * *
Janos waitsfor us outside of a small pub, long since closed for the night. “Took you long enough,” he teases. “I’d have thought with four legs, you’d be quicker.” He extends his arm toward me.
