The first guard's actions had alerted the other guards.The first guard's actions had alerted the other guards. They grabbed their enthralled comrade, keeping him from the gate. Victoria and I changed into bats and attacked. We bit the remaining three guards, then commanded them to sleep. After the gate had been opened, we drove the car into the courtyard. There were souvenir stands all around: "Genuine Vampire Fang", "Official Vampire Hunter Kits", read two of the stalls. "No - No - NO!!!" Victoria cried. "How could they DO this???" She got out of the car, slamming the door shut with enough force to break the locking mechanism. The front door to the castle was locked; Victoria didn't have a key. "There should be a servant waiting for us! An indentured thrall to open the door!" She was crying now. I reached to hold her, to make her feel better, but my wife an- grily spun away. She turned into a bat, and flew away quickly, high into the night sky. I had been driving much of the day, and was really too tired to follow, so I sat dejectedly on the warm hood of the car, teeth chattering. A few minutes later, the door opened. "Enter freely and of your own will." Victoria stood at the door, her hair a mess, soot all over her clothes and face. She sneezed loudly as I gaped at her. She shrugged her shoulders, and just said, "Chimney." I entered, and tried to kiss her. She resisted for a few seconds, then responded. She pulled away after a while. "Bedrooms are made up, anyway," Victoria sniffled, still very distraught. I wanted desperately to console her. She wouldn't let me. First, she carried our suitcases in, a look of grim determination on her face. She carried our luggage to the second floor, refusing to accept any aid from me. Then Victoria lit a fire in the fire- place, with some wood that had been nicely laid out, as if for display. |