Part 58 (1/2)

Shrieking, aflame, the vampire tumbled off the roof like a bundle of straw. It crashed onto the pack of vampiric dogs. Yelping, the creatures scattered.

With the pursuing monsters disoriented by the fire, David began to pull away from them.

”Great job, Jahlil,” Nia said.

”Thanks. I just wanted to get those things off our a.s.s”

”Good work, but don't celebrate yet,” David said. ”We're getting ready to enter the swamp”

Death surrounded Diallo.

The dead female seer was sprawled in the rocking chair. The police officer lay under a blanket. Indirectly, Diallo had been responsible for his death, as well; every vampire that walked in this town acted under his command.

However, the experience of standing amidst human death that he had wrought was curiously hollow.

The seer's words echoed in his mind.

You will see her again, Diallo. She is not lost to you forever.

How could the woman have possibly learned about Manama? How had he dared to let his emotions swell so close to the surface of his consciousness?

He did not understand, and it disturbed him. Yet, strangely, it excited him, too.

What if the seer's prediction was correct? What if he found Manama again?

No one had ever confirmed his long-held hope that he would one day be reunited with her. No one until now.

He did not believe in coincidence. Coincidence was a symptom of man's unwillingness to believe in fate. For him, signs of fate at work were the compa.s.s of his existence.

Was it fate that he would see Mariama once more?

He yearned to believe that it was true.

But until the truth was revealed, he would have to pursue his mission.

He cast a final glance over the dead. Then went outside the house, where his son awaited him. It was time to find David Hunter.

As David drove down the narrow route toward the swamp, a dense cloud of fog swallowed them. He tried to raise the brightness of the headlights, but they were already on the highest setting.

”David, be careful.” Nia watched the road, warily. ”You can slow down, we have a good lead.”

”Yeah, but I don't want to drive too slow.” He squinted through the winds.h.i.+eld at the roiling, silvery waves of mist. He was driving only fifteen miles an hour. The vampires had been distracted by their torched comrade, but they would not give up. He had to press forward at a good pace.

The leather-wrapped wheel stuck to his sweaty hands as if melded to them with glue. A persistent itch above his right eyebrow agitated him, but he didn't dare to take his hand away from the wheel.

Thankfully, at this leg of their journey, the trail was straight, though in the fog it was a challenge to stay on course. Patches of mist floated like aimless spirits, and gnarled trees loomed like giant hags in the murkiness.

Fine condensation coated the winds.h.i.+eld. He turned on the wipers to clear the gla.s.s. They skidded across the window with a harsh whonking noise.

”We're in the clear,” Jahlil said. ”I don't see those a.s.sholes coming after us. All you gotta do is get through this swamp. That's it.”

”We'll make it,” Nia said. ”Hang tight.”

David gnawed his lip. Their optimism was encouraging, but he would feel better after he'd reached dry land.

The path dropped out of sight.

Terror leapt in his heart. He twisted the wheel, in a desperate attempt to reconnect with the road.

But it was too late. The Pathfinder plunged into the water with a tremendous splash. A giant tree hulked ahead of them. David pumped the brake, but he was too late for that, too. The truck smashed against the tree, the impact throwing David forward, the seat belt tightening across his chest. Nia and Jahlil shouted in surprise. David rocked back into his seat, and that was when he heard the engine cough, sputter, and die.

Chapter 24.

avid sat still, and silent, stunned by their predicament. Nia and Jahlil even King had fallen quiet, too.

Water gurgled underneath the vehicle. Floating serpents of fog slithered across the windows.

”We are not stuck here,” David said firmly. ”Everyone stay cool.”

Nia clutched the armrests. Jahlil muttered under his breath. King whined.

He refused to accept that they were trapped. Only minutes ago, he had felt destiny touch him, like an electric charge. They were not meant to stay in this situation, no way.

In the distance, he heard barking dogs.

He twisted the key in the ignition with nearly enough force to snap the key in half.

The engine stuttered, but did not catch. He pushed the gas pedal.

”Be careful, you don't want to flood the engine,” Nia said.

”Don't you think I know that?” he said. But then he eased his foot off the accelerator.

”Sorry, only trying to be helpful.”

On the dashboard display, the engine light burned. What could be wrong? This truck had only forty thousand miles on the odometer, and he kept it superbly maintained. And he had only b.u.mped the tree. The damage should be minimal.

He tried to start the truck again. It fluttered, then caught. He urged it into a steady thrumming.

”I told you,” he said. ”We're not getting stuck here. Sorry I snapped at you, Nia.”

”We're all on edge” She smiled nervously.

”Enough talk, let's get out of here,” Jahlil said.

David s.h.i.+fted into reverse.