Page 58 of Monster Lover
Daemona’s eyes went wide, wondering at what monstrous horror could be there. But the vampire was unimpressed. “I don’t fall for tricks as simple as that,” he said with a sneer.
The crocodile’s massive jaws clamped down on the vampire and shook him like a rag doll. He screamed unintelligibly, and Daemona escaped his grasp.
She ported away a short distance and watched as the giant reptile champed down and took the vampire Incubus apart. The gigantic beast looked to Daemona with cold yellow eyes. It seemed to ponder her, but then slunk back down into the black waters with the hand of the vampire Succubus still sticking out the side of its mouth.
Chapter 18:
It took Daemona a lot of energy, but she ported all the way back to the Manor in a few moments, popping here and there, going from tree to tree and mossy embankment to muddy riverbed, even once landing upon the back of a crocodile. She went to the mausoleum first to see if Malkieth still waited there.
The door on the stark grey building was closed and cold. She slumped down in despair. How can I rescue my friends? I need help. She opened her satchel to look at Harlin, the miserable toad. She scooped him up in her hands and asked, “Why can’t you offer me some good advice now? Where are all your great answers on heroics and what to do?”
“Well, because he is just a toad,” said Malkieth, appearing from an invisible door.
“You’re still here?”
“Well, yes. I just put up an illusion so that none of Ghul Tark’s folk would notice. Now, as I remember it, don’t you want my help with a toad or something?”
Daemona brushed away a tear. “Yes, a witch’s curse transformed him.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Malkieth said as he rubbed his hands together. “I know I used to know, but my memory has been foggy for a few days now.”
“You mean centuries,” Daemona corrected.
“Really?” Malkieth puzzled, scratching his head. “That does explain things.” He began fishing through a bag and throwing items he deemed unimportant over his shoulder.
Daemona’s eyes widened, surprised because he had thrown far more items than ever should have been able to fit in the bag.
“Here it is!” Malkieth proclaimed. He pulled out a massive book, which looked bigger than the bag itself, and began thumbing through the pages. “I know I’ll find the cure for your friend’s warts in here.”
“Not warts. He was turned into a toad.”
“Yes, yes, that’s what I said,” muttered Malkieth. “I’ll turn him into a toad. Or back from a toad rather. Whatever he was before, I mean.”
Daemona grumbled, and Malkieth gave her a wave of his hand.
“Here it is!”
“You found the spell?” asked Daemona.
“No. I found the book that has it,” remarked Malkieth, proudly showing her the book.
“Oh, you’re worthless!”
“Young lady, in my day we respected our elders. Now please let me get to work on this poor toad.”
“I’m sorry. Your talisman of life did actually help. It broke Ghul Tark’s hypnotic spell over me.”
Malkieth furrowed his brow. “What talisman?”
“It doesn’t matter, forget it,” she said.
“Done,” Malkieth said with a shrug.
Daemona slumped back down on the steps of the mausoleum. She sat there a few minutes while Malkieth turned pages muttering to himself. I never wanted to be a hero, but sometimes life doesn’t give you a choice. Sometimes you are the only one who can do the right thing, so you do it.
“I’ve got to do the right thing, even if I’ve got to do it by myself,” Daemona said finally.
“That’s right!” agreed Malkieth. “What’s that?”