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By Root 625 0

Desperately he hurled the wooden dagger toward Marys's gray shape. The sharpened peg bit into the vampiress's hindquarters. Marys arched in mid-leap, yelping from the sting of the wooden weapon, and landed heavily atop the Rider. Rhynn went down under the wolf's weight. Hot breath fanned her face, but before Marys could secure a deadly grip on the elfmaid's throat Jander was there. He twined his gold fingers into the thick ruff about the wolf's neck and yanked Marys's head back. Rhynn rallied, thrusting upward with the sharpened peg, plunging the wood deep into the wolf-thing's broad chest. The vampiress's howl of outrage suddenly changed to a choked whimper. Blood flowed around the wood. Rhynn kept her hold, shoving ever deeper, grimacing only a little as Marys's blood dripped into her eye, stinging horribly.

The Rider blinked it away. At last Marys ceased to struggle, and her weight pressed heavily down upon the slender elf woman. Jander heaved the corpse aside. “Are you all right?” the vampire demanded. Taking a shaky breath, Rhynn nodded and let Jander help her to her feet. Frajen stumbled over to them, covered with blood and breathing heavily. “Jander,” gasped the morninglord, “Pogg says there's a way out the back, through the cellar. May we go?” “Of course. But you'd best hurry.” Jander glanced up at the ceiling, toward the room where Cassiar was having his sport. “I'll get the third. See them to safety. The boy should go first. Be careful, Frajen.” Frajen smiled ever so slightly. “The blessing of Lathander be upon you, Jander Sunstar,” he said softly, then turned to help Pogg and young Trevys with the trap door in the kitchen. “I must go too,” said Rhynn brusquely. She was every inch the professional soldier now, and her face was hard and implacable. “I'm a Rider, and the villagers need me.” Jander smiled, but his silver eyes were sorrowful. “Of course, Rhynn. Hurry.” She nodded once, her blue eyes revealing no trace of softer emotions, and ran lithely to join Frajen. The gold elf strode to the door, stooping to pick up one of the coat pegs, then heaved the oaken door open with a swift movement. Instantly Theorn turned to him, indignant fury in his voice. “No one enters-” “No one leaves,” Jander finished smoothly, driving the makeshift stake home through the thick leather armor. “I'm not leaving.” Theorn made a small choking sound. Then, his chest heaving, he managed to bellow a single name. “Cassiar!” His dying cry mingled with a sonorous chiming, and Jander realized that someone was ringing Mistledale's warning bell. The other Riders would be alerted. Jander only hoped there was enough time to complete the bloody task he had set for himself before they arrived. The elf whirled as Theorn's body fell against the door frame with a heavy thump. A movement by the bar caught Jander's eye. He jumped, teeth bared, hissing. “It's me,” came Frajen's reassuring voice as he climbed out of the trap door and closed it after himself. “Rhynn's taking care of the locals. I'm staying. You might need some help.” “No!” Jander cried. “You don't know what he is. You don't know what he'll-” “What in the Nine Hells is going on!” shrieked a shrill, nervous voice. Elf and priest looked up to see a very angry Cassiar hastening down the stairs. He had removed his vest, and his open shirt fluttered as he ran. His copper hair was tousled. Except for the blood that had splashed on his bared chest, Cassiar looked more like an interrupted libertine than a vampire. “Who called for me? Jander, what's- Bane's black heart! Where is everyone?” “They're gone, Cassiar,” Jander said, suddenly laughing. “You'll not torture them, or anyone else, ever again. You die tonight, you bastard. And these-” he held up his golden hands “-are the instruments of your death.” Cassiar frowned. "Jander, stop it. You were wrong to let them go, and you'll

be pun-What have you done to them?“ he cried, catching sight of the bodies of the vampiresses. Jander continued to grin savagely, exposing his fangs. Raw excitement was coursing through him, fueled by his anger and his