If Dimitri had tried to take that box of trains he’d seen, that might explain why the house had captured him. How did I get it to un-capture him? I didn’t have any valuable junk I could leave.
Are you almost done? Sindari asked. I smell the dark elves. They’re returning, and they’ve acquired larger weapons.
Fantastic.
16
Zoltan showed me a way out—he seemed pleased that I would leave without robbing him, and even believed I might be able to bring him some dragon blood. Before I could contemplate how that might occur, I had to find Dimitri and deal with these dark elves. Or find Dimitri and run before the dark elves got to us.
I wasn’t itching for a fight, and I highly doubted the alchemist I needed was one of the dark elves out harassing suburban neighborhoods. These were probably some lowly minions sent to hassle me. Bonus points if they killed me.
As soon as Zoltan was gone, I used my inhaler. If this new development—I glared down at my faulty lungs—was going to interfere with jobs, I would have to cave to the doctor’s suggestion to get the steroid inhaler. Either that or take a more serious stab at figuring out how to de-stress and lower inflammation. It probably involved drinking mai tais on a beach somewhere and not battling giant spiders. How boring.
The inside of the carriage house was just as junk-filled as I’d left it, but there was no Dimitri. Sindari trotted soundlessly through the door as I was peering behind tarp-covered piles.
You’re sure he’s not outside? I asked silently, not sure how far away the dark elves were.
No. I smell him and sense him in here.
Where?
The house creaked and groaned, as if it were talking to us. Or threatening us.
Sindari padded uncertainly around. I remembered the toy train box that had caught Dimitri’s eye and found the shelves he’d been looking at. My night-vision charm wasn’t designed for reading or making out fine details in the dark, so I turned it off and shined my phone’s flashlight at the area. The shelves were full of boxes. I didn’t see a train kit, but it was hard to tell what lay under all the dust.
You’re close to him.
I shined the light upward, but this section wasn’t under the loft. Only the ceiling lay above, a hole in one spot showing clouds scudding across the starry night sky. He wasn’t up there. I tilted the light down, thinking there might be another trapdoor.
Behind you, Sindari warned.
I whirled, hand on my gun.
A faded image of Dimitri floated in the air, more like a holographic projection than a flesh-and-blood person. He glowed with a faint yellow light. His feet floated above the floor, and ethereal vines wrapped around him, also glowing. In the image, he was blindfolded and gagged.
Sindari? Is he…
Not really there. It’s a projection from somewhere else. But this place is muddling my senses.
The vampire said it’s haunted.
It’s definitely magical, a very old enchantment, I believe. I couldn’t tell you what species of magical being created it.
The dangling and bound Dimitri was clutching a box in his hand—the dusty train box.
Zoltan said all the junk here is stuff that people brought for the house, like sacrifices to a god.
A god who loves junk?
Apparently. Maybe if I give it something it deems worthy, it’ll let him go. Let us all go. I glanced toward the front door and wondered if I would be allowed to simply walk outside, or if the floor or some portal to another dimension would open up and swallow me.
What will you offer? Sindari asked warily. The most valuable thing you have is me.
I’m not giving it your figurine. Also, you have a high opinion of your self-worth.
I simply know my self-worth. You cannot deny that I’m far superior to your other charms.
That’s possibly true, but Fezzik and Chopper have gotten me out of a lot of scrapes.
Have they ever flung themselves off a cliff and into the ocean to lure a dragon away?
No. I concede your point. You’re infinitely valuable.
I ran a finger along the other charms on my necklace. Even if they weren’t as valuable as Sindari, they were all irreplaceable, and almost every one represented a quest and a battle I’d undertaken to acquire it. But what else did I have that might tempt the house into releasing Dimitri? Was it even truly responsible or was this some other trick of Zoltan’s? A component of his security system?
But the piles of dusty valuables on the shelves did seem to hint of a presence—a sentience?—with tastes differing from the vampire’s. It was hard to imagine Zoltan pushing toy trains around his laboratory.
What could I offer the house that it would want? I shouldn’t offer up the most valuable things I had as an opening move. That was no way to bargain. Besides, not everything on those shelves looked that valuable. More quirky.
“I have an idea,” I blurted. “Stay here, Sindari. So it doesn’t think we’re leaving. I’ll be right back.”
Don’t let the dark elves see you, Sindari said as I trotted for the front door.
Normally, that would have been difficult, since nothing but the lawn and the vacant house stood between me and the street, but I touched my cloaking charm and activated its camouflage. The house didn’t try to keep me from leaving. Maybe it only kidnapped one trespasser a night. Or maybe it had only been irked at Dimitri because he had presumed to touch one of its boxes.
Even with a few stars visible between clouds, the night was very dark, save for the street lights out front. One shined on Dimitri’s van, my destination.
Trying not to stir the wet grass much, I skirted the house. I started toward the driveway, but that security car was still there. Why had the patroller lingered so long? I’d thought he’d been scared off.
The driver side door was open. Maybe he was ordering a pizza.
But as I drew closer and caught the scent of recently butchered meat, I realized the truth. Blood pooled on the driveway under the open door, and the man was slumped in his seat, hanging over the center console. The dark elves must have killed him—I’d been with Zoltan the whole time, so I doubted he was responsible. Besides, a vampire would simply bite his victim, not cut his throat or whatever had been done to make that mess.
I didn’t go closer to investigate—with all the trouble I was in, I didn’t need to risk getting my fingerprints all over a crime scene—but I couldn’t help feeling guilty. This guy had only been called in because of me, because I’d been in a hurry and hadn’t been more careful coming up to the house.
Why the dark elves had bothered him, I didn’t know, but I was starting to hate them for more than poisoning Willard and burning her building. I vowed to find their leader and make him or her pay for all this.
Angry, I threw open the van door with more force than necessary, and the clunk echoed up and down the street. As the inside light came on, I cursed my carelessness. My cloaking charm couldn’t hide all this.
Well, maybe it would lure the dark elves back out here. Then I could circle around, get Dimitri, and escape the carriage house without an encounter. Even if I wouldn’t mind sinking my sword into their chests right now, we’d seen five of them initially, and that was more than a sane person would fight, especially when I was stiff and bruised from the tarantula fight.
I snatched the alien bobblehead doll off Dimitri’s crate, closed the van door, and turned back for the house. A bush in the beauty bark on one side shivered even though there was no breeze. Yes, the dark elves were coming to investigate.
Careful not to make any more noise, I hurried around the opposite side of the house. With luck, they wouldn’t expect me to go back.
I made it to the carriage house without encountering any of them and slipped inside. The projection of Dimitri had disappeared. Sindari sat waiting by the door.
That’s the bribe you’re going to leave? he asked skeptically.
I’m going to try.
Does it have any value?
You’d have to ask Dimitri. I’m not a collector of, uh…
Useless junk? Sindari suggested.
Movie paraphernalia.
Useless junk. He sniffed disdainfully.
I took the bobblehead to the box-filled shelves and, in case the house was watching in judgment, hugged it and patted its head, as if its loss would grieve me greatly. Then I set it on a dusty box and backed away. If this didn’t work, Sindari and I would have to start tearing up floorboards.
A moan came from all around us, and a wind came up out of nowhere to batter at the roof. Chains I hadn’t seen rattled in the corners, and the sound of something heavy being dragged across the floor of the loft above filtered down.
This dwelling is melodramatic, Sindari informed me.
Are there no haunted houses in your realm?
No.
A green light started glowing in the center of the carriage house, and I glanced at the boarded-up windows. There were plenty of cracks between them, so if some of the dark elves were still in the back yard, they would see this. The light grew brighter. I was starting to hate this place. If I saw Zoltan again, I’d tell him to be like a normal vampire and get a nice basement apartment in the city.
The light flared so bright that I had to turn away. A loud thud came from the center of it, and I whirled back, Fezzik at the ready.
Abruptly, the light vanished, leaving me blinking away spots in my vision. And staring through them to where Dimitri groaned on the floor, grabbing his arm and looking like he’d fallen twenty feet instead of two.
I jogged forward and knelt beside him as I pointed Fezzik toward the door. “Are you all right?”
Sindari stood near the exit, gazing out into the yard, his ears twitching and his tail rigid.
“I think so.” Dimitri winced and grabbed his head. “I’m not sure what happened. I was checking out that toy train, and then it went all dark, and I felt this stabbing pain and this sense of being lifted and… I’m not sure after that. Until I dropped out of, uhm.” He looked up at the ceiling.
“I’ll explain it later. Or maybe I won’t. It’s time to go. Can you stand up?”
“I think so.”