Allyn and Ransom – 35

 

"Mr. Warwick, or I suppose I should call you Allyn now. I see you figured out how to escape."

 

Allyn spun around to look at Gregory. The vampire was standing at the foot of the steps leading up to a veranda.

 

"It's wasn't that hard. Now what? You shoot me?" Allyn asked, seeing a gun in Gregory's hand.

 

"Only if you give me trouble. Then I'll tranquilize you again, go get that pretty sister of yours, and the two of you can play my game. If you manage to escape the grounds, you'll be free to go. I might not be so lenient with your sister. She's quite a pretty morsel."

 

"You touch one hair on her head…" Allyn growled.

 

"I won't, as long as you do as you're told. If you don't, she suffers."

 

Allyn nodded. "What am I supposed to do?"

 

"Play my game. This is a very large estate. Other than the manor house and the lawn, there is nothing but dense forest in all directions. If you can find a way to escape before I capture you again, you will be free to go."

 

"As if I stand a chance against a vampire, Gregory."

 

"Why don't we dispense with my alias? My name is Grigore Nicolescu."

 

Despite the situation, Allyn laughed. "Did you take that from some bad vampire movie? I suppose you're a Count, as well."

 

"You are in no position to mock me." Grigore rested the gun against his shoulder. "I will give you a five minute start, just as I do with all my prey."

 

Allyn nodded, walking slowly backward toward the trees. No way was he going to take his gaze off Grigore until he was safely in the forest. ::Do you see where I am?:: he asked Ransom as soon as he was out of Grigore's sight.

 

::Yes. I'll be with you in a second. You might want to shift.::

 

::No,:: Allyn replied. ::He thinks he's hunting a man. There's no reason to disabuse him of that idea until the end.::

 

::This could be interesting, since I have the feeling he has no idea what you are,:: Ransom commented. ::Now all we have to do is play his game, but our way. Make the hunter the prey.::

 

::That's my forte.:: Allyn moved into the darkness between the trees, crouching while he waited for Grigore to appear.

 

::As soon as he's well into the forest, we'll take him down.::

 

::No. He made the last hours of his victims' lives a living hell, I'm sure. Stalking them. Letting them think they had a chance to escape then killing them at the last moment.:: As they talked, Allyn heard the slight crackle of leaves underfoot and knew Grigore entered the forest.

 

::He did that on purpose,:: Ransom warned.

 

::Yep. Now to let him think he succeeded in frightening me into moving on.::

 

::I'll be,:: Ransom chuckled. ::I'll be your GPS system.:: There was a pause, then he said, ::He's five yards to your left.::

 

Allyn sprinted from his cover, racing from tree to tree, hiding behind them as if he thought they would hide him from Grigore's sight. He was certain the vampire knew exactly where he was and played into it. He continued on, panting as he did. Not because he had to—he was in much better shape than that—but because he knew it was what Grigore would expect.

 

Ahead of him, Allyn spotted a thicket. Dropping to all fours, he wormed his way to the center, ignoring the branches tearing at his bare flesh.

 

::He saw that. He seems amused at your attempt to hide, if his sly smile is any indication.::

 

::Good eyesight or is he closer than I thought?:: Allyn asked.

 

::He's a vampire. He has excellent night vision, just as we do.::

 

::Speak for yourself. I have nearly normal human vision at the moment.::