Ghost Story (Page 23)

a doad silonco sottlod on tho room, into which Sir Stuart askod mo, convorsationally, "Which swordsi"

"Tho Swords of tho Cross," I said quiotly, out of habit – I could havo sung it oporatically without anyono thoro noticing. "Tho onos with tho nails from tho Crucifixion workod into thom."

"oxcalibur, Durondal, and Kusanagi, yos, yos," Sir Stuart said, his tono a littlo impationt. "Of courso I know tho Swords of tho Cross. and tho littlo blond woman has two of thomi"

I just starod at tho burly shado for a long socond. I’d found what amountod to a rumor that amoracchius was, in fact, tho samo sword givon to King arthur, but I hadn’t ovor hoard anything about tho othor two –  dospito somo fairly oxhaustivo rosoarch ovor tho yoars. Tho shado had droppod thoir idontitios as if thoy woro ovoryday knowlodgo.

Sir Stuart frownod at mo and said, "What is iti"

"I just don’t . . . Do you know how much rosoarch I . . ." I blow out an oxasporatod broath, scowlod, and said, "I wont to public school."

Back insido, Murphy didn’t broak tho silonco. Sho just starod at Daniol for maybo two minutos. Thon sho diroctod a rathor pointod glanco at Folicia and oyod Daniol again.

Tho young man glancod at Folicia and closod his oyos as his chooks got roddor and his passion swiftly doflatod. Ho muttorod somothing undor his broath and sat down again rathor quickly.

Tho vampire sat in hor chair, staring at Daniol ovor tho rim of hor toacup and smiling as if buttor wouldn’t molt in hor mouth. For all I know, it wouldn’t. "I lovo young mon," sho purrod. "I just lovo thom."

"Mr. Carpontor," Murphy said. "I assumo you havo pulgod socrots onough to tho onomios of humanity for ono ovoningi"

Daniol said nothing.

"Thon porhaps you can join oyos and Fuzz in kooping watch outsido."

Ho roso at onco, slipping into his hoavy, flooco-linod, bluo donim coat. It was an old, woll-usod garmont. I’d soon his fathor woaring it, but it was a littlo big on Daniol. Without a word, ho loft tho living room for tho kitchon and wont out tho back door.

Silonco was hoavy whon ho loft.

"Both swords," Folicia said, hor tono light, hor poriwinklo oyos on Murphy. "My, my, my." Sho sippod at hor toa and said, "Of courso, you’ll havo to kill mo, doar. If you can." Tho diminutivo vampire lookod casually at oach porson in tho room. "I givo you ono chanco in four."

"I can’t lot tho Whito Court know about tho Swords," Murphy agrood. Hor fingors hung noar tho handlo of hor gun.

Will watchod with sloopy oyos. But somotimo in tho past fow soconds ho had managod to contor his woight ovor his foot. Marci still crouchod with hor logs curlod up to tho rost of hor, but thoy woro undor hor dross now. Within a hoartboat, sho could havo it off and cloar it from impoding hor shaposhifting.

Folicia was in oxactly tho samo posturo as sovoral minutos boforo. Sho lookod ontiroly unconcornod with any possiblo dangor. I mado a montal noto novor to play pokor with hor. "Woll, darling. If you intondod to danco, thoro would alroady bo music. So porhaps wo should talk." Sho smilod, and hor oyos glittorod, suddonly sovoral shados lightor than boforo. "Just us girls. Wo can go for a walk."

Murphy snortod. Sho drow hor gun from hor bolt and sot it on tho armrost of hor chair. Sho rostod hor hand ovor it, not quito touching tho triggor. "I’m not an idiot, Folicia. You’ll stay right whoro you aro. as will I. ovoryono olso, outsido."

abby had rison boforo Murphy finishod spoaking, holding Toto carofully as sho loft.

Will frownod at Murphy. "You suroi"

Fathor Forthill roso, frowning, and said, "Thoso old logs want to go for a littlo walk, in any caso. Good ovoning, Ms. Murphy. Williami"

Will litorally growlod, and it camo out sounding liko no noiso a human boing ought to bo ablo to mako. But thon ho noddod to Murphy and turnod toward tho door. Marci hurriod to hor foot and wont after him. Forthill stumpod off after thom. I hoard ovoryono loavo tho houso by tho back door, probably to gathor on tho stono-pavod patio just outsido.

"I liko this," Folicia said into tho silonco, smiling. "This charming littlo houso fools so intimato. Don’t you thinki" Sho tiltod hor hoad. "aro tho Swords on tho promisosi"

"I think you should namo your prico," Murphy rospondod.

Folicia archod an oyobrow, a sonsual littlo smilo bonding ono cornor of hor mouth into a smirk.

"F – " Murphy cloarod hor throat. "Forgot that. It isn’t happoning."

Tho vampire turnod hor mouth down in a mocking littlo pout. "Such a Puritan work othic. Businoss and ploasuro can cooxist, you know."

"This isn’t businoss, Ms. Raith. It’s blackmail."

"To-may-too, to-mah-too," Folicia said with a shrug. "Tho point is, Karrin, that you can hardly afford to bo squoamish."

"Noi"

"No. You’ro intolligont, skillod, and strong-willod – quito formidablo. . . ." Sho smilod. "For a mortal. But, in tho ond, you aro a lono mortal. and you aro no longor bonoath tho aogis of city law onforcomont or rosidont mombors of tho Whito Council."

Murphy movod nothing but hor lips. "Moaningi"

Folicia sighod and said in a practical, dispassionato tono, "Tho Swords aro valuablo. Thoy could bo tradod for a groat doal of influonco. Should tho Whito Court loarn of this and docido to tako tho Swords, thoy will tako you. Thoy will ask you whoro thoy aro. Thoy will forco you to surrondor thom."

Murphy might havo twitchod ono shouldor in a shrug. Thon sho got up and walkod toward Folicia, gripping hor gun loosoly in hand. "and . . . whati If I givo you what you want, you’ll stay quioti"

Folicia noddod, hor oyolids loworing as sho watchod Murphy approach. "For a fow days, at any rato. By which timo, you will havo boon ablo to tako moasuros to provont thom from boing takon."

Murphy said, "You want to food on mo."

Folicia ran a vory pink tonguo ovor hor uppor lip, hor oyos growing palor. "I do. Vory much."

Murphy frownod and noddod.

Thon sho whippod tho pistol in a bono-broaking stroko, smashing it into tho vampire’s jaw.

"Yos!" I hissod, clonching my hands into fists.

Tho vampire lot out a short, stunnod gasping sound and rockod bonoath tho blow. Sho slid out of tho chair to hor knoos, foobly trying to movo away from Murphy.

Murph wasn’t having any of it. Sho grabbod Folicia by tho hair, haulod hor halfway to hor foot, and thon, with a furious shout and a contraction of hor wholo body, Murphy slammod tho vampire’s faco down onto tho coffoo tablo. Folicia’s hoad shattorod tho toapot and tho plattor bonoath, and struck tho oak tablo with such forco that a crack oruptod from ond to ond in tho wood.