Sherlock Holmes: Cthulhu Mythos Adventures (Sherlock Holmes Adventures Book 2) (42 page)

“What a field observer you would make,” Challenger said. “Correct on every count. After our adventure, I have had enough of London and its darkness. I yearn for the earth’s lonely places, where I may pursue mysteries that do not pass my understanding. Keep your crime and criminals; give me my savages and lions any day.”

“If your nature is what your reputation dictates,” Holmes said, “I would wager you  are not in search of either savages or lions, or other known animals.”

“Correct again, Holmes,” Challenger confirmed. “I have heard reports of an animal seen near Motlokotlo in the Kalahari Desert. If witnesses are to be believed it might be a survival of a pterosaur, the flying reptiles of the Jurassic Period.”

“If it exists, you will capture it and bring it back to London.”

“And put it on display in the Zoological Gardens of Regents Park,” the scientist asserted. After a moment, he sighed. “Then the  Fellows of the Royal Society will sing another tune.”

“You can at least take some solace in that Lord Whitecliff’s murderers have received their just desserts,” Holmes told him.

For a moment, Challenger appeared startled. Then he smiled faintly and knowingly. “If I had you with me, not a one of the world’s mysteries would prove an impenetrable redoubt.”

Holmes laughed. “My world holds mysteries enough for me.”

Challenger extended his hand. “This is goodbye then, Holmes. Thank you for the adventure of a lifetime.”

Holmes shook hands, heard the door close, then moved to the window. He pushed the curtain aside and watched Challenger enter a waiting growler, on top of which were two steamer trunks marked for Durban, South Africa, which he had seen at Challenger’s arrival, but could not bring himself to mention. He watched the cab vanish into the traffic thronging Baker Street. Though the sun was shining, Holmes saw darkness, greater than any Challenger might encounter in the vastness of Africa.

Holmes could never leave London. If ever he did, the darkness over the great city would have been absolute.

At least Bronislav, who throve on darkness, was dead.

Holmes was almost sure of it.

Severely wounded, the lone surviving Orm swam out the wide estuary of the Thames into the open sea, beginning the long journey back to the place of exile. Safely ensconced within the grasp of many arms was the statue it and the others had been dispatched to recover. Though it returned alone, it felt as if the other two swam alongside. It still heard their thoughts, held safe in its memory, to be passed on to others who would plot slow revenge.

It would survive.

It would complete the journey.

It would return to its fellows and they would once again rule the human cattle of  the islands of their exile.

They would cavort in the deeps and sing songs unheard by any human ear.

They would abide unsuspected in the darkness.

For they were patient gods.

I hope you liked
Sherlock Holmes: Cthulhu Mythos Adventures
. If so, you might also enjoy the previous collection,
Sherlock Holmes: The Coils of Time & Other Stories
. The out-of-print title story was first published by Gary Lovisi of Gryphon Books. In it, Holmes and H.G. Wells’ Time Traveler fight Morlocks from the far future in the Nineteenth Century, and readers learn what
really
happened the night of “The Adventure of the Empty House.” The other stories in the book are Holmes adventures, tales of others from the Canon, or homages to Sherlock Holmes.

If Steampunk is on your reading list, you enjoy the interplanetary steampunk adventures of Captain Folkestone and Sergeant Hand. The human/Martian team are troubleshooters for the Admiralty on Mars, even on the watch for dangers to the Empire.

Dog lovers will enjoy my Paws & Claws series, which chronicles the adventures of the Three Dog Detective Agency. Three very special dogs guard their neighborhood, protect the weak, and occasionally save the world.

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