Dracula: Hearts of Fire (Dracula Heart's) (35 page)

    “I don’t know I was asking you.”

    “Oh, I thought it was a joke.”

    “Keith, bears don’t joke, you should know that.”

    Keith sat himself down like a kid in the forest. “You’re my friend? Right?”

    “Actually, I’m not.”

    “Why not?”

    “Because you killed me you jackass.”

    Keith
’s
crazy brain was trying to communicate with him the best way it knew how, b
ut it was now quite aberrant
.
May as well have been a squirrel on a wheel trying to power a car.
When a
vampire went insane it wasn
’t the same as when a human did
. The brain
, while being
an extremely c
omplicated thing for people
was even more so for vampires.
Bits of magic were colliding into one another in there.
Hallucinations were just the beginning.
Not much was known about insane vampires
and no one was interested in doing that study
.

    “Dead bears can’t talk.”

    “Now you just think about that statement,” said the Bear.

    Keith thoughts danced around in his head
like live grasshoppers cooking in a frying pan.
“You’re really not my friend? Because
you know
I really need a friend.
Everyone needs a friend.
Even
vampires need re
liable
friends.
Some people pretend to be your friend but then stab you in the forehead.
”

    “Since I’m dead I’m going to stop talking now.”

    Keith blinked several times. “Did you see the Yankees game yesterday?”

    “I’d eat the Yankees if I could. I’m dead so I’m definitely going to stop talking now.”

    “Don’t make me punch you in your head again.”

    “I can’t hear you.” The bear made an unpleasant face and then started to sing. The song was country in s
tyle and rhythm. “T
he snakes crawl at night because they can’t walk
, when the sun goes down, it’s gets kinda dark
!
”

   “
If you’re not talking to me I’m not talking to you. I’m going to take a nap
.
Stupid bear.
” Keith curled up into a f
etal position and went to sleep.

CHAPTER FORTY

    S
HARPTON STOOD IN HIS OFFICE
and stared down at the three vampires that were sitting in the black leather chairs opposite him. They all waited impatiently for Oblivion to show up. All three were brothers and excited about their new adventures with Sharpton, a well-known underground figure with lots of status.
They were a seedy
looking crew, as if they had crawled out of the bad part of the city.
Meriwether, Alonzo and Bennet all had similar features, al
though Meriwether was a good three
inches taller than the other two.
They were blond husky fellows with long faces.
None of them would be considered attractive to the opposite sex.
Bennet’s heart beat for the first time in six weeks and it made him jump; the rush of endorphins was pleasant enough to the vampire.

    Sharpton stared out his window at the forest in the distance.
His
initial
plan was to be the boss of the east coast with the feeble humans having to go through him.
Now his plans and corrupt ideas were expanding.
“He should be here shortly.”

    The siblings
had been enthusiastic about being in the employ of Sharpton until now; they had no idea of why they had been summoned to his office.
As far as they knew they hadn’t done anything wrong, or sa
id anything nasty about him
.
They would fight to the death if necessary, but they were aware that Oblivion was a wizard and that he fou
ght dirty
.
They
were unaware that they would be associating with a wizard when they were approached to join Sharpton and the others.
In their minds it
was best
to stay as far away from them
as possible.

    Oblivion entered wearing a Brioni pinstripe suit with purple tie and a purple pocket square. He was carrying three beakers almost full of brown blood
and a few added
ingredients
that
were
spelled; t
hey
contained two drops of Werewolf blood
mixed with a small amount of slug slime
.
He gave one to each of the three brothers and they looked down into the beakers as if they contained dog snot.

    Ben
net examined it with his left eye
and was unimpressed. “What the hell do you want us to do with this
stuff?
It’s disgusting.”

    “I’m not drinking this shit!” said Alonzo.

    “Just smell it and then you can decide,” stated the wizard.

   
They all took a sniff and
were immediately hooked. It was the most wonderful aroma that they had ever encountered
. They
drank the stuff and wanted more, but there wasn’t any more to give the
m. All their eyes changed
to a dull black, and they all now appeared to be deep into their own minds.
Meriwether blinked and blinked as if he was having a reaction to the stuff.
He then shook his head twice.

    The wizard faced Sharpton. “This is an experimental spell. I have no idea of how long it will last.
It c
ould be five hours or five minutes. It’s best that you
send them on their way
.
But first I have to give them a little command as a test. Vampires, I want you to stand up and sit down seven and
half times
. Now
.”

    Alonzo and Bennet were more than happy to comply, stopping half way down into their seat
to make it seven and a half and held their position there
, but Meriwether refused to budge.
The concoction didn’t have the desired effect on him.
Oblivion and Sharpton stared at one another.
The vampire continued to blink repeatedly as his system fought the spell.

    Sharpton shook his head. “Why isn’t Meriwether complying?”

    “H
e must be resistant to the enchantment
.”

    “Watch him!” Sharpton commanded Oblivion.

    Meriwether pulled his swo
rd and tried to cut Oblivion’s
head off,
he missed but sliced open Sharpton’s left cheek. A
single touch
from the wizard
turned his skin to dust as
his bon
es fell to the floor. Oblivion
now drained and
frail
also collapsed to the floor. The energy that he had expended to save his own life had taken a lot out of him
; he would recover but it would take hours. Oblivion didn’t like that he was showing one of his weaknesses; he was a high level wizard but once his energy
was depleted
he was basically defenseless for hours. Sharpton could now kill him if he so desired
; he immediately considered bringing his sword down upon the wizard’s neck
.
It wasn’t often that one got the chance to take out a wizard so easily.

    “Are you that weak that you can’t even stand?”

   
“
My strength will return in an hour or two.”

    “
It’s a
disturbing weakness. What guarantees do I have that when you return to your full power you won’t kill me to
keep that secret?
I should take your head right now.”

  
Oblivion pushed himself back with difficulty to rest against the bookshelf; he appeared as if he had a bad case of the flu.
H
e had used more magic than was necessary, but it was understandable with that blade wanting his head.
“I need your resources and you need a wizard.
Compliant wizards are few; you may never find another to do your bidding.
All your plans would certainly be delayed.
”

    Sharpton was undecided. If he didn’t kill the wizard here and now would that decision ultimately cost him his life?
But he was correct in that wizards w
ere usually uncooperative, having more
interest in themselves than anyone or anything else.
“Bennet, Alonzo, head off
to Central Park and kill as many humans as possible
, and be quick about it.”

    Without saying a single word Alonzo blurred off
with Bennet behind him
, their eyes scary and determined
. Sharpton asked if Oblivion had removed the perimet
er spell and he nodded
that he had. He also said that
he hoped
the two brothers would not remember the death of the third.
Sharpton sat behind his desk and stared off.