Free The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire, Book 1) by Clay & Susan Griffith;Clay Griffith;Susan Griffith by Clay, Susan Griffith;Clay Griffith;Susan Griffith Page B

blurring speed. She braced for the
pain, but the thing only ripped open her heavy blouse, seized her stone talisman, and pulled it off her neck. As the thing flung the crystal pendant
into the night, the vampire was already screaming and falling to the
ground from a pain that wasn't just physical. Adele's arms were released,
and she suddenly felt defenseless without her talisman.
    Adele surged forward, her blade raised high, but she was seized by her
hair and thrown into a wall. Bright light and darkness exploded. Adele
tried to get to her feet. Dust from the shattered stone fell over her like
pixie dust. Again she was picked up by her hair, her feet dangling. Her
wrist was twisted until the glowing dagger dropped from numb fingers.
    Adele's eyes focused on the face of Flay.
    "You are dangerous no longer, and now you are mine, Princess." Disdain dripped from Flay's lips, and she threw Adele to two vampires who had just drifted down. They pulled the khukri scabbard from her belt,
tossed it aside, and started dragging the girl away.

    "Greyfriar!" Adele screamed.
    "Princess!" Greyfriar struggled to free himself from the mire of pale creatures. His feet slipped in the blood that pooled on the ground. He swung his
blade in a wide arc, decapitating one. Leaping high into the air, he twisted
around, frantic to come to Adele's aid, but four more vampires surged after
him, dragging him down. His rapier hacked and battered in ways most
unbecoming to its usual poetic dance. There was no time for finesse.
    Gaining only a moment's respite, Greyfriar craned his neck around,
trying to see Adele, but she was already gone. Another trio of vampires
advanced on him. They were meant to delay him. And it was working.
Flay stood behind them, her lips pulled back in joyful satisfaction.

    Through her haze, Adele saw an airship at rest. It was a small derelict sloop
or brig painted black and carrying no lights. A vampire carried her up the
gangplank and dropped her roughly onto the grimy deck. One creature
knelt next to her, putting a clawed hand sharply against her back and
pressing her down. The beast shouted orders in slurred English.
    Adele watched human crewmen scurry about. She felt the bile of
anger rising in her throat. Bloodmen. Humans who willingly served the
vampires. Vampires could not-indeed, would not-fly an airship. That
was menial human work, so they had menial humans to do it.
    The princess heard the telltale sound of chemical bags filling overhead. The deck swayed and the ship gathered upward momentum.
Humans clambered into the rigging to set the sails.
    When the ghostly craft was well away, the vampire released his grip
on Adele. She immediately leapt to her feet and raced for the rail. Something grabbed her shoulder, yanking her back. Before she could lash out,
a pair of strong arms seized her and spun her around. She felt the hot
breath of a human on her face. Standing close in front of her was the
haunted figure of the airship's captain in a ragged costume that was a
mockery of a true naval uniform.

    "Don't," he said to her.
    Adele spit in his face. He didn't flinch; he was accustomed to derision. He didn't even wipe the spittle from his cheek.
    "Don't," he repeated. "You are their prisoner now."
    "I would rather die!" Adele screamed the words, knowing that her
strength was leaving her and soon she wouldn't be able to shout her outrage.
    "They won't let you." The captain stepped aside.
    Two bloodmen manhandled Adele below and locked her in a bare
cabin. She fell against the damp wood of the deck. In a matter of minutes, her life had stopped. All alone in the dark, she wept, sure that no
one could see her.

    A hissing of chemicals made Greyfriar glance upward. As the rotting
airship passed overhead, the swordsman knew he had failed. Flay hissed
orders to those nearby who were still capable of responding. They all
floated up into the air like a child's balloons suddenly released from the
grip