Crusaders Part 2

One year ago

The Dover Cliff has a lot to offer in terms of a beautiful sight; its a also offers a lot of fog on some nights that the smugglers likes to do their runs across the channel. Tonight is not one of them as its a full moon but the Smith's brothers are either too dense or desperate to do this run. They rowed the row wooden long tub they called a boat to the sloop out in the Channel. Its flying a British flag while its occupants are actually French or Belgian if you would to do a nationality check. But on this day, they are taking chances too as they docked near the area with a cargo which the owner had paid handsomely. The Smiths' berth next to the sloop and the cargo lowered to the small boat and the French Captain breathe a sigh of relief.

"Ben, nobody tells me we are delivering a coffin." Micheal Smith, the younger of the two burly brothers steadied the boat as the other brother right the boat for their trip back. Micheal looked up over the top of the coffin to see the sloop sailing away ever glad to be going back to their own shores.

"Micheal, shut up and row. Its late enough for me and I missed my supper. So shut up and row." Ben is upset as he also was not advised that the gold sovereign paid for this task involved moving something morbid like a coffin. The duo has done their shares of vile works including digging up the dead for their gold but they never ran a hearse works until today.

The two of them rowed hard and fast to reach the shore to the awaiting party which has arrived. The party came with a carriage and a long wagon assumed to carry the coffin. The duo rowed up to the beach and then got up to drag the boat further in shore. Two more men from the wagon came and assisted the brothers in carrying the coffin to the long wagon. They pushed and secured the coffin on the wagon before Ben walked up to the carriage.

"My pay for the job well done, Sir." Ben was expecting the sounds of the gold sovereigns on his hand but he got was a garrote around his neck. His brother Micheal was no better with a sharp pick plunged into his neck from the left shoulder. Both brothers fell down and was dead by then.

"Load the bodies onto their boat and pushed it off. Then ride the wagon to the mansion and await my orders then." The carriage rode off into the night while the two men who earlier assisted the rowers now dragged the dead bodies onto the boat. They pushed the boat out to the sea and watched it float away. The two men then walked back towards their wagon and mount it.

"Olaf, do you think who is in there is dead?" Olaf who is holding the reins of the horses choose not to answer his companion. He is actually muttering some holy verses as he get the horses to move into the night. Pierre who is his companion finds his question unanswered decided to keep quiet from then. The ride back to the mansion would had taken an hour but the lack of traffic on the dark journey makes it more faster. They pulled up at the mansion door where they can see the carriage is waiting. Upon their arrival, the double door to the mansion was opened and four men came out to greet the wagon. They bowed before the coffin and then began to unsecured the lashings. Once those were removed, the four men took down the coffin and carried it into the house. The two who brought the coffin rode off in their wagon to the rear of the mansion.

The coffin was set at the room on the upper level. Its not any room but a large one with high windows frame and thick drapes. Other than that, the room is bare of any furniture with the coffin placed in the middle of it. The four men who carried it in moved to the side and await its honored guests to arrive. The door on the side of the room was opened and in came a couple dressed in the finest of materials sewn by the best in London streets.

"Lady Nisa, our guest is at our home now. Shall we wake him now?" The lady who was part of the couple smiled at her companion, the dashing man of the house and nod her consent. The man who accompanied the lady walked to the coffin. He reached for the latches which holds the coffin door shut. He unlocks it and pry open the lid without a pull of his muscles.

"No!" Lady Nisa screamed as she laid her eyes on the empty coffin. "How can that be? He was to be in there."

"I am afraid not. I dumped him earlier into the depths of the channel. Its a watery grave now for him." The voice belongs to one who has just stepped into the room from the balcony. He has managed to open the tall windows with ease and now standing before those in the room. He is armed with a rapier and a matchlock pistol.

"Sir Gerard Black! Kill him." The lady who wears the finest is in her finest emotions now; that of a murdering lady. Just as her partner who died in Dunkirk shot by me and later dumped by me in the Channels depth. They are not your run of the mill murderer but blood suckling ones. They are prime generation vampires which exist for five hundred years now. The other four men now all transform into the devious vampires which are their true identities now approached me with their drawn fangs.

"Four against one? I say to all you; unfair is this joust but I love the odds." I took aim with my pistol and laid one down before he can take another step. Then i discard my spent pistol and brought out my second pistol. That took care of the second oncoming vampire and the third had impaled on my silver mixed steel rapier sharp end. I released of my current weapons and withdrew my silver coated short blades from underneath my jacket. The fourth vampire jumped on me but I slashed out with my right hand holding my silver blade. The blade sink into the heart of the leaping vampire. I pulled it out in time before the dead vampire reached the ground.

"Tell me my lady, do you take this man for your loved husband. If so say it now as I am to end his restless soul and send him to Hell." But she snarled back at me while her accompanied companion came forth to challenge me. He is a fine specimen and unfortunately I am not his type. Neither is he of mine. I threw the silver blade to land on his heart and end his blood suckling needs.

"Say no more, my Lady as he is now removed from your grasp. But cry not for him as I would speed your departure to meet his soon." But this lady vampire is not as silly as the others to attack me without a weapon. She has armed herself with a rapier from where I know not of. "You want to duel with me. A man against a woman; most unequal match I am afraid. Perhaps I would offer you the disadvantage of me using on my blade."

She lunged at me which I had sidestep but with a forward movement of mine I crouched on my right knee and stabbed into her right ribs up to her heart. She tried to pulled free but I pushed the blade in deeper and removed her immortality. She fell down face down as I removed my hand.

I stand up and looked at the dead opponents. Six deads plus one deader than dead in the depths. Truly a good night works for me. I am sure the Church would pay well for this but I need to get more deadlier weapons. If there was a seventh vampire, I may had to throw in my silver locket to fight that one. I bent down to retrieve my weapons and that was when the two from the wagon detail came in. I knew they were hired hands and they are not vampires but normal humans like me. They stared at me and I at them.

"Your mistress is dead. Did she pay you?" They nodded and I told them then its time for you to find another mistress. But before they leave, I had to asked them the question.

"How much do you charge for a trip back to London?"