The Hollow Church Read online

  "You're forgetting your cargo," the stranger said. "I chose to travel without attracting too much attention, although as you can see I became hungry along the way." Slowly, he eased himself all the way onto the platform as the boat tilted toward starboard. "I just need to get back to my sister," he continued. "It has been far too long since I was last with her, and the world has changed in remarkable ways. I have no idea whether she has changed too, but I have to see for myself. The journey has proven to be very tiring, and I still need to feed following my long wait in the grave. In normal circumstances, I would most likely have allowed the crew of this vessel to live."

  "If you come even an inch closer to me," Saffron replied firmly, "I swear, I'll push you straight over the edge. I don't give a damn, I'll do it. Do you understand?"

  "Are you threatening me?" the figure asked with a smile.

  "I'm warning you," Saffron said. "I'm telling you what's going to happen."

  "You don't know what I am, do you?" the figure asked. "You probably don't even know my name. I'd have thought my sister would keep us burning in notoriety, but evidently she has had other priorities." He paused. "I am Edgar LeCompte, of the LeCompte family. There was a time when the merest mention of my name would have sent ripples of fear through the souls of even the strongest men, and a wretch such as yourself would have dropped dead before I got within a thousand paces. Can it be that my sister has allowed the LeCompte name to die away?"

  "You can't kill me!" Saffron blurted out suddenly. "If I'm the last man on this boat, you need me! You don't know how to sail this thing!" He paused, waiting for Edgar to reply. "If you kill me, you'll end up alone out here, on a boat you can't sail, in a huge storm! There's no way you could ever hope to survive!"

  "You don't know my limits," Edgar replied darkly.

  "You still need me," Saffron said again, as much to persuade himself as to warn Edgar. "You need someone to keep this boat going. We're still miles from port, and that means you need me. You can't kill me."

  "You're right," Edgar said after a moment. "If I had any intention of taking this boat to the port, I would need of your help. As things stand, however, I'm quite happy to find some other way to reach the shore. All I needed was to get close enough. I'm afraid that I have no desire to go through any port, so this boat can run aground for all I care. I won't even bother to look over my shoulder and watch as you hit the rocks."

  "I can help you in other ways," Saffron continued, desperate to find some reason why the stranger should keep him alive. "Are you all alone out here? You need someone. I know this part of the world."

  "I was born here," Edgar replied with a faint smile. "A long time ago, though. I suppose things might have changed while I was in my grave."

  "Whatever you want," Saffron said firmly, "I can get it. Whatever you desire, wherever you need to go, I can help. You just have to unchain me. Let me guide the boat to port. I won't tell anyone about you. I'll say that pirates attacked us, and then later I can meet you and help you get to wherever you're going. I swear, I won't let you down. You need me!"

  "Need you?" Smiling, Edgar stepped forward, towering above Saffron. "You think I, a member of the house of LeCompte, need you? Tell me, to what house do you belong?"

  "House?" Saffron asked.

  "Your family name," Edgar continued. "What is the name of your house?"

  "Smith," Saffron said, swallowing hard. "The... house of Smith."

  Opening his mouth, Edgar revealed his two sharp fangs. "Do you have any offspring, human?"

  "Dear God, no!" Saffron shouted. "Get away from me!"

  "Your lineage will stop here," Edgar said, stepping closer. "As you die, at least be aware that your blood will enrich a far nobler, far more worthy individual."

  "No!" Saffron screamed, kicking out at Edgar but succeeding only in nudging his leg. Tugging on his chains, Saffron tried to move over to the other side of the platform, even though he knew he was only delaying the inevitable.

  "Do you have any final words?" Edgar asked. "I won't remember them, but it might please you to mark the moment of your passing, even in this cold and godless world."

  "Dear Lord," Saffron said quietly. "I swear, if you save me, I'll be your loyal servant for the rest of my life. I'm sorry I doubted you, but I'll spread your word. I'll live by your code. I'll spend my every moment teaching others about your glory and about the value of a life lived according to your teaching. I'll -"

  And that's when it happened.

  Flashing down from the dark clouds, accompanied by an ear-splitting crash of thunder, a single fork of lightning hit the platform, sending a shower of sparks into the air and throwing Edgar clear of the railing. Shielding his eyes, Saffron watched in shocked awe as Edgar's burning, smoking body fell down to the edge of the boat, smashing into the deck-side railing before slipping overboard and crashing into the stormy waves. His heard racing, Saffron could only stare as Edgar's body was quickly tossed further away by the waves, finally disappearing beneath the dark surface.

  Taking a deep breath, Edgar looked at his hands. Despite the direct lightning strike, he seemed to have escaped without so much as a mark. It was as if all the energy from the lightning had been absorbed by Edgar, leaving Saffron unharmed. Stunned by what appeared to be a miraculous escape, he finally looked down at the chains and saw that yet another miracle had occurred: the metal had been melted and re-fused by the heat of the strike, and part of the railing had been knocked loose. With shocking simplicity, Saffron simply lifted the chain away and saw that he was finally free.

  For a moment, he was frozen in place. Finally, turning up to look at the clouds, which seemed so close he could almost reach out and touch them, he realized that he'd been saved by some kind of divine intervention. His soul fell still as he reflected that some higher power had seen fit to pluck him from the jaws of death, and the foul beast had been consigned to the unforgiving depths of the sea. It was as if the Lord had reached down and swatted the vampire away.

  Trembling, Saffron began the slow climb down to the deck. As he got further down, he couldn't help but notice that the storm seemed to be abating a little, and the boat was much calmer. It was truly as if God was parting the clouds and guiding Saffron to shore. His cynical side wanted to dismiss such insane notions, but there was a part of him that felt maybe he was being saved by a great power from above. Reaching the deck, he walked over to the edge and looked out over the calming sea, and he realized that the storm was most certainly dying down. The boat still rocked a little, but it was more like a gentle, lulling motion than an assault by the elements.

  "Dear Lord," Saffron said slowly, mesmerized by his escape, "I thank you for your mercy. For delivering me from such evil, I can only pledge to give you my remaining days, to honor you and worship you, and to spread your word throughout the world as your humble servant." If he'd said such words a day ago, he'd have felt like a fool. Right now, however, he believed truly and completely, and he felt a great hushing calm wash over him, as if the chaotic world had suddenly reorganized itself and become much simpler.

  "Amen," Saffron whispered softly.

  In the distance, a dark line had begun to appear on the horizon. The rocks of the Albanian coast were looming, and the boat would soon run aground if Saffron couldn't get it back on course.

  Turning and walking across the deck, he realized he'd have to get to the radio and inform the Albanian coastguard of his situation. There was no way he could get the boat to port alone, even with his engineering experience. There'd also be the matter of explaining what had happened during the journey, a task that would be made more difficult by the fact that the vampire had been thrown overboard. Still, Saffron reminded himself that he had God's blessing, and he was confident that the Lord would guide him and ensure that he could get on his way swiftly to spread the world of true faith. Feeling an unfamiliar sense of total inner peace, he opened the door to the bridge.

  He stopped dead in his tracks, unable to believe what he was see
ing.

  Efferson was standing on the other side of the door, staring at him.

  "You're alive!" Saffron said, his joy tinged with fear.

  Slowly, Efferson stepped toward him. There was something strange about the way he moved, something stiff and awkward. His skin was pale and sickly-looking, and there were two round wounds, like bite marks, on one side of his neck.

  "How did you escape the creature?" Saffron asked, taking a step back. "How did you persuade him to spare you?"

  "I didn't," Efferson said as he reached out, grabbed Saffron by the shoulder, and pulled him closer. Smiling, he revealed two sharp fangs.

  COMING SOON

  The Station part 1

  (The Shades 1.3)

  With Sutton having failed to come and rescue them, the team are forced to spend a night in the dark, abandoned city. At first, they decide to stick to Battery Park, but eventually a series of creepy sounds convince them to head north, where they find an unlikely sanctuary. Meanwhile, fifteen days earlier, Caroline uncovers some disturbing information about John Lydecker, while Reed begins to look into his own side of the mystery.

  The Station part 2

  (The Shades 1.4)

  With a storm lashing the city, the team take refuge in a large, abandoned train station. Although the place seems to be empty, Lacey is convinced that they're not alone, and slowly the others start to come around to her way of thinking. Are there survivors still living in the city, and if so, are they friendly? Fifteen days earlier, Caroline and Reed start to learn more about Compidome, and Chloe makes a grisly discovery. Is a vast and dangerous experiment about to be unleashed upon the city, and who - or what - are the Shades?

  Knives

  (Broken White 1.7)

  With her world coming crashing down, Elly tries to find sanctuary. Soon, however, she realizes that there's nowhere for her to run. Mr. White is on the warpath, determined to bring the game back under control, and even Lady Red might be unable to set things straight. Meanwhile, Jonathan Pope comes face to face with the true face of the game and learns that there might be nothing he can do to save his child.

  The Letting

  (The Devil's Photographer 1.3)

  Recovering from the terrifying incident at the church, Kate is keen to get her hands on the camera she dropped. John Dagwood, meanwhile, is being strangely elusive, as if he's unwilling to let Kate's work progress too far. Soon, Kate starts to learn more about Dagwood, including his interests in medieval medicine and his involvement with a strange group that has strong links to the events that recently took place at St. Abraham's. Evil is rising across the city, but Kate isn't quite ready to believe that the Devil is in town... until a horrifying image makes her question everything she thought she knew about the world and pushes her to the brink of madness.

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