Free Death Deceives: Book Three (Mortis Vampire Series) by J.C. Diem Page A

from within the van. It hadn’t spoken in our father’s alien language but I’d bet anything the speaker was a sentient shadow using its vampire host as a puppet.
    I poked my head up in time to see the driver’s door open and a human male climb out. He walked with the jerky movements I associated with someone who was deeply under hypnosis. It was a wonder he could drive while in that condition.
    Rustling and twitching came from the back of the black van. Without windows, I could only guess at how many vampires were crammed inside. From the size of the vehicle, I estimated there would be no more than six or seven of our kin in there.
    As ordered, the human approached our blockade and stopped a few feet away. His shadow stretched out behind him, thin black legs incredibly long. “Why are you blocking the road?” he asked in drugged sounding French. He lifted a hand to shade his eyes from the glare.
    “We are police officers,” Luc lied smoothly. “There is a problem ahead and we were ordered to set up a road block here.”
    Unable to think his way through the problem, the slave half turned back to the van for further instructions. A forced sigh came from the passenger side of the black vehicle then the door creaked open. “Stay out of sight,” the voice commanded the unseen passengers. The speaker’s shadow was unsurprisingly revealed to be a gigantic, slump shouldered horror upon exiting the van.
    Geordie was quivering in fright beside me, clutching his knife to his thin chest. Gregor was tense but outwardly calm. My swords were in my hands and I didn’t even remember drawing them.
    Reaching its human slave, the sentient shadow rose up, momentarily leaving its host behind. Stretching out until it resembled melted toffee, it slipped between the cars and studied Luc and Igor. It hissed in recognition when it realized they were vampires and I was on my feet as it sped backwards. Using its host as a puppet, it opened its mouth to scream for help. One of my swords burst out through the vampire’s chest and the other sent his head flying into the darkness. Wailing in anguish, the shadow immediately began to shrink. Tearing at its hair, it gnashed black teeth at me and then dissipated as its host’s body melted into slush.
    Frightened murmurs came from the back of the van as Igor and Luc left the blockade to join us. The road was still clear of traffic as we surrounded the vehicle. Gregor and Igor covered the front while Luc, Geordie and I stationed ourselves at the back.
    “We have you surrounded,” Luc said without raising his voice. He sounded eerily like a human cop. “Exit the van immediately or we will set it on fire.” The threat of fire was a sure way to quickly gain their cooperation.
    Furiously whispered conversation was exchanged. “How do we know you won’t just kill us when we come out?” called a shaky female voice.
    “You don’t,” Luc responded. “You have five seconds.” He didn’t give them time to consider the offer and started counting immediately. “One. Two. Three.” The rear door opened before he could count down any further.
    Holding their hands up to show they were unarmed, six vampires disembarked from the van. Shaking and terrified, they huddled together , standing shoulder to shoulder for comfort. Luc gestured for them to move around to the front of the vehicle.
    Proving he really was Igor’s apprentice, Geordie was given the task of clearing the road. He moved the van to the side of the road but left the headlights on. Igor and Luc’s cars were shifted next. With six of our number holding their hands in the air, we made a suspicious sight and I hoped no other cars would interrupt our meeting.
    “What do you want from us?” the female who had called out from inside the van asked. Although she spoke in French, none of the group looked like courtiers to me. Their clothes were too shabby and they were far less attractive than any other courtiers I’d ever seen. The female