The old man and his daughter seized up the three small
children, still sitting dazed and motionless, their eyes wide
open in shock. Pulling and pushing, the two familiars
rushed the children up the stairs and, crossing themselves
repeatedly, prayed to be out of danger.
Petbe turned to face the remaining three vampires. The
male was flanked by both females. All three hissed and
spat. They looked back and forth from one another, trying
to figure out how they could survive against such a
powerful enemy. Petbe moved first, without hesitation,
thrusting his hand into the roaring blaze of the fireplace.
He withdrew a log, fully engulfed in flames, and thrust the
log first left then right. The flimsy gowns worn by the two
females ignited easily. The women’s screams pierced the
air as they flailed their arms, trying to extinguish the
flames. Tendrils of fire slithered up into their hair and with
a crackling hiss, both of their heads were suddenly and
completely engulfed in flame. Their dead skin blackened
and peeled back from their skulls as they fell to the floor in
a pile. The flames peaked for a moment, then selfextinguished
as the two corpses turned to ash. Once more,
Petbe felt the tingle and surge.
The last vampire, realizing his weakness and imminent
death, dropped to his knees before the child, offering up
his neck. Undefended, Petbe rewarded him with a swift
and merciful destruction.
The stench of death still wrapped the continent. Millions
of pairs of marching boots trampled the once bucolic
fields and pastures, transforming them into muddy
42