Séance for a Vampire by Fred Saberhagen (top ebook reader TXT) 📗

an accident precipitated by excessive passion. Rather the young woman is the victim of a deliberate attack.”

Dracula stirred at last from his pose of rapt attention. “And the other nosferatu?” he inquired in a soft voice. “The one who carried you away?”

“That one, I am morally certain, is also her attacker. but let me tell you from the beginning the story of my own abduction.”

Holmes went on to outline, in a few words, what he had been endeavoring to accomplish by dashing out onto the terrace at the conclusion of the séance: “I was determined to save Mrs. Altamont if I could, and also the breathing men who could not understand what sort of enemy we faced. I considered that they were all in danger of the same fate which had befallen Abraham Kirkaldy–if not of something worse.”

“Thereby exposing yourself,” I commented, “to a greater danger still.”

Holmes made a dismissive gesture. “It is true that the intruder at the séance might have slain me on the spot–he might have slain us all. but it is obvious now that he had in mind something more than the mere slaughter of those he considered his enemies.”

Then Holmes related for us in some detail what he had actually seen, felt, and heard while being seized and carried off by a single adversary of immense strength. “I must tell you, gentlemen, that it is not an experience I should care to repeat.

“Naturally my first reaction, when I felt his grip upon me, was a spontaneous attempt to resist; but that effort was both short-lived and unsuccessful, as my opponent quickly proved himself fully capable of pinioning both of my arms with one of his own. In that fashion he carried me, held at his side like an infant, while he beat a swift retreat from the vicinity of Norberton House.

“As there was no longer the slightest doubt about the nature of my antagonist, my immediate and overriding fear was that he might choose to drink my blood...”

Holmes paused for a moment. “I am, as you know, no weakling in ordinary circumstances, yet I could do nothing physically against a vampire. I regret that his identity remains a mystery–though, to judge by the few words I heard him speak, and by a few other clues I noticed, it is certain that he is not English.”

“I am glad to hear it,” I murmured, and felt rather than saw the gaze of Prince Dracula turn toward me.

Holmes resumed his tale. “Not knowing why I was being taken prisoner, I fully expected death at any moment. Realizing that any continued physical struggle would be useless, I next endeavored to influence my captor by making him aware that I understood the basic truths regarding the existence and nature of vampires. by this means I hoped to suggest to him the possibility that he might find me more useful alive than dead... but my attempt at cleverness was ignored about as thoroughly as my physical struggles had been.”

“It is a miracle that you survived.”

Holmes nodded at me. “I tell you, gentlemen, it would have been less frightening had he gagged me, or threatened me to keep me silent. but I received a strong impression that he was indifferent as to whether I might cry out. I sensed that nothing I might say or do was going to influence my captor in the least.”

Holmes went on to describe how he had been taken to a secluded glade along the riverbank. There his limbs were bound, quickly and efficiently, and he was thrown down upon the grass and questioned at some length.

“I saw no point in trying to deceive him regarding my identity. Still, I am not even sure that he recognized my name.”

This, I surmised, had probably stung my friend’s pride as sharply as had being carried away like an infant.

“What else did he ask you?” Dracula inquired.

“There were several commonplace questions about the Altamonts, and how long I had known them. These I answered truthfully, not seeing that there was anything to be lost thereby. but–and this is interesting–when he moved on to Ambrose Altamont’s reasons for hiring me, he doubted my still-truthful answers. He would have it that my real purpose in their house and at the séance had been to protect’the treasure’ or’the jewels’–he used both phrases several times.

“Steadfastly I denied any knowledge of a family treasure. I admitted having heard the apparition in white speak of it during the séance, but said I had assumed that her claim had been made at her new master’s prodding.

“Then–after perhaps an hour, though really it might have been considerably less–my captor abruptly seemed to lose interest in me.

“Lose interest!”

Holmes nodded. “That is the impression I received. Though unfortunately I was not entirely forgotten. Again my kidnapper picked me up, throwing me over one shoulder this time, and carried me some little distance through the dark wood.

“Already the faint traces of dawn were visible in the east. No doubt the approach of daylight contributed to his decision to postpone any further questioning, and it gave me hope that at least my uncertainty regarding my fate was not to be much more prolonged.

“Not until we were climbing the slope surrounding the abandoned church did I recognize my surroundings. With scarcely another word to me, my enemy brought me to the place where you found me. Effortlessly he lifted the stone slab and packed me away beneath it.

“I can only describe his manner in doing so as if it seemed to him that I might be too valuable to be thrown away, but at the same time, he could not for the life of him think of anything useful to do with me at the moment.”

Fervently I repeated a sentiment I had already expressed: “It is amazing that you are still alive!”

“For that I have you gentlemen to thank.” And Holmes solemnly nodded to each of us in turn.

Dracula rubbed pale hands together, as I have seen his cousin do on occasion, in