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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 4094727" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Two-hundred-seventy-seven, “The Vampire Lord”, Wednesday, June 21st, 11:30 P.M. Kate muttered under her breath, trying to sound like she was lecturing the other two and taking her time about getting out. "Nanuet, stay in until Turner is inside the hotel," Kate whispered as she began to dig for money to pay for the cab. Nanuet nods. "Yes Mrs. Kate. I'll wait outside while you two go in and check it out." She replies, "I only meant not to get out of the coach until they were inside the hotel. Although you may want to wait outside the door of the hotel until we tell you it's safe." Kate watched the other cab for Ruby and Turner to exit, then followed with Mr. Gonzales when they did, hoping to be close enough to hear what room number they got. They enter to see that Turner, Ruby and the man named Geoff head directly to the staircase rather than stopping at the main desk. Kate looked back toward the door and waved, hoping Nanuet had followed them that far and would see her. Acting like they belonged, Kate and Gonzales just continued to follow the other group. The first trio head upstairs to the third floor then proceed down the corridor. Nanuet caught Kate's wave and nodded. He would wait a few moments before following them inside at a distance. As Gonzales and Kate near the third floor landing they see the trio entering a room further down the hallway. Relieved that Nanuet wasn't far behind, Kate and Gonzales kept following Turner's trio. Once they reached the third floor and turned down the corridor, Kate slowed their pace but kept Turner and Ruby in sight, wanting to know what room they went to. Nanuet starts up the stairs, using his keen senses to help lead him to Kate and Manuel. He checks the first floor hall ways briefly and not seeing his companions he heads up to the next floor. Kate and Gonzales reach the door that the trio entered just a few minutes before. Kate took a few steps back down the hallway away from the door. "I wish he had already caught up. A shot with that arrow down the hallway before the creature even knew we were there might have been just the thing. I hate the idea of just rushing in there, but I'm not sure there's another choice. We could knock and rush them when they open the door," Kate said, all in a whisper. Gonzales says, "We wait for Nanuet, it would be foolish to do anything else until he joins us given that he has the weapon that will kill Turner. We are unlikely to get a second opportunity." "Oh, no question we wait. I was only talking about how we approach this one he's here." Fear was naked on Kate's face. "It's going to be hard to get away from here if this doesn't go well," she said simply. "Then we had better make it go well," is Gonzales's reply. Nanuet moves up to the pair as quickly as he can while still maintaining some stealth. Once he reaches them he strings his bow and draws the blessed arrow. "Any way of getting that door open either by force or by trick? If we knock that will only alert them that we are here. If we can get it open without them being aware hopefully I can get the shot off" the elf whispers. Kate replies, "Right now I don't even know if it's locked. We could just knock, but then the door would just be full of whoever answers it. I already used my spell to open a lock, and I don't know of another. Ruby's the one who can get in doors." Nanuet looks at Manuel hoping for another option. Gonzales says, "I've used my last door opening spell too. I would assume it is locked. It is probably also latched from the inside." Kate says, "I have a small spell I can cast. If the door is unlocked the door will swing open. If it isn't those inside won't know we tried. Why don't you get in place in case it works. If it doesn't we'll have to come up with something else." Kate makes special note of which way the door opens, into the room or into the hallway. "Let's try the knob first," Gonzales suggests. It fails to turn, indicating that it is locked. Gonzales suggests "A well aimed magic missile spell will sometimes cause a locking mechanism to move, no guarantees though, it could just as easily seal it shut or possibly even set the door on fire." Kate says, "A fiery door isn't all bad. Vampires certainly don't like fire. If it's our best option, let's take it. Nanuet, be ready. You're our best chance." She silently prayed to Diana and to Tom for forgiveness and glued her eyes to the door. He states, "Try the door as soon as the spell ends, those inside may see sparks or smoke." Gonzales throws the spell and a trio of missiles shoot out from his fingertips and into the lock and a clicking sound follows along with an electrical-type sound. Nanuet kept still, his bow and arrow readied at the door, waiting to use his quick reflexes to shoot at Turner, should he see him after the door is opened. As soon as the spell ended Kate, standing to the side of the door, reached out and tried to turn the knob and push the door open. The man named Geoff is standing immediately inside the room, which appears to be a two room suite, the door to the second room being shut. He is the only one in this room and upon seeing those at the door reaches for a shotgun lying on the bed beside him. Kate quickly began to cast a sleep spell. Uncertain it would be strong enough to knock the man out, she used the powder they had collected from around Maska as well, hoping the combination of the spell and the powder would knock him down. As Kate cast, Gonzales also cast another magic missile spell, going especially for the man's hands to keep him from handling the shotgun. The combination of spells work to render the man unconscious and since he had been leaning in the direction of the bed he silently falls onto it, however his sudden fall onto the bed mattress causes the shotgun to bounce up an off. In a move that would have made any baseball coach proud the spry elderly elf Gonzales makes a leap and slides across the plush carpets, catching the firearm before it can strike the floor and potentially go off. Kate smiled, heaved a sigh of relief, and quietly shut the door behind them. This was the first thing that had gone right since they'd left Rochester. "Anything else before we open the door?" she whispered almost silently, exaggerating the movements so they could understand. There isn't anything else, so assuming that there is no time to waste they all head over to the door, which thankfully has no lock. Nanuet gets into position with the bow and arrow and Kate stands ready to act as Gonzales quietly turns the knob and opens the door. Ruby and Turner are both seated on the side of the bed. A chair adjacent to the bed holds his hat, coat and gun. Ruby's dress is on the floor. She is attired in her undergarments and staring blankly forward, her head tilted to the side to better expose her neck. Turner's mouth and face are closed upon her neck as he is feeding on her blood, the act of which has taken his total concentration, and with his head in a different direction than the door he has not immediately noticed the door move or the trio in the doorway. Nanuet steps forward to get a clear line of site. He already knew in his mind what he would see so he was braced for it. The next few seconds felt like an eternity to the elf as he knocked the blessed arrow and drew the bowstring back to his cheek. He aimed for Turner's torso as he said a quick, silent prayer to Diana and loosed the divine arrow. The arrow's aim is true and the Vampire Lord doesn't even see it coming. The arrow hits him in the torso which bursts into flames where the arrow struck and then radiates outward through his body, with the flaming skin, muscle and skeleton becoming instantly visible before turning to dust. The undead creature that was once Colin Turner is soon reduced to a pile of dust upon the bed and floor. The flaming implosion of his body has no detrimental effect upon Ruby and the neck wounds even become cauterized in the process. She collapses unconscious onto the bed. Kate ran into the room and got down beside Ruby, ignoring the dust that had once been Colin Turner. The rise and fall of her chest quelled Kate's first fear, although she still had no idea how much blood her friend had lost or what effect it would have on her. "Nanuet," she said pleadingly, although she knew he would be right behind her. Nanuet had indeed rushed forward as he saw Ruby collapse. As he does so he pulls a speckled two inch stone from his necklace, places on Ruby and says the activation word. "It's alright, Ruby honey. We're going to take care of everything," Kate said, as if the unconscious woman would be able to hear her. A few long moments pass before Ruby's eyes flutter open, close, then open slightly again. She looks to Nanuet, then Kate, then Gonzales. "W-what happened? Where are we? Where's G-George, Nana?" she asks weakly. "Hey there, you've led us on quite a chase tonight," Kate said She gently took Ruby's hands. "We're in a hotel in Scranton. You don't remember what happened tonight?" "Scranton?" Ruby shuts her eyes tightly. "No...I...I.. remember being in George's room... the flower was... I looked under the bed at the puppy...I...I can't remember after that." She forces her eyes open a crack again. With much worry in her voice she asks again, "Where are Nana and George?" Kate pulled out the flower and handed it to Ruby. "George is fine. He's back in Rochester since our teacher wasn't able to bring everyone. You remember we were ready to go after Turner. Unfortunately he was ready first, he disguised himself as the puppy to get into the house. This is what's left of him," she said and sifted her fingers through the dust. "He can't hurt you again. Your Grandmother confronted Turner too soon, on the train. Turner sent her to his safehouse here, we know where it is. We're going there now to get her. With Turner dead, it should be simpler." Ruby’s voice soft, she says, "Turner is... gone? For good?" Her lips form into a small smile momentarily before dropping into a frown again. "I need to go with you, for Nana." Ruby tries to sit up but still very weak she struggles. Kate says, "Well, we're certainly not leaving you behind. Let's get you into your dress and we can get a cab outside. We still need to be quiet. Turner left a man here as a guard; we left him asleep in the front room." Kate helped Ruby get dressed, quietly talking as she did. "I know how weak you feel, I've been that bad and worse. Don't worry about doing more than staying with us, ok?" Gonzales insists upon tying and gagging the man on the outer room bed. He says "This man may remember nothing of what transpired under Turner's employ, or he may have been a willing participant. We can't take the chance of him getting to the people holding Mrs. Parker before we do." Kate says, "I agree. Someone will find him and help him before morning, and since we didn't wear our own faces they won't be able to find us even if he wants to." Kate slipped her arm around Ruby's waist to help her. "I think we're ready. Let's head out." "Wait," Ruby says, trying not to lean too much weight on Kate. "Why am I so weak? What happened?" Kate replies, "We were following Turner pretty closely, but we had to stay back a bit to avert suspicion. That means he was able to get in here and lock the door on us. We had to get through and then take care of this man here. He had a few minutes alone with you while we broke in." Kate looked down, trying to find a delicate way to say it. "When we came in he was, ah, preparing you. The blood loss from that will make you weak; and they also seem to be able to steal some of your life energy. We're going to Philadelphia after all this, they should be able to make it better." Ruby's hand wanders to her neck and her eyes widen when she feels the fresh bite marks. "A-am I going to turn into one of them now?" "No honey, you're not," Kate said gently and kissed her cheek. "You are still as human as I am." She started for the door, supporting Ruby along the way. Ruby shudders, "Thank goodness you came here to save me or I might be one of them now." She squeezes Kate's hand and lets her friend lead her to the door. She uses her meek strength to stop them inside the doorway. "Wait - we should take that shotgun, just in case we need it. I hope Nana's alright, we don't know what the situation there is like, right? We should take it." Kate glanced around the room. "Is there a case or something to carry it in? I'm not sure how openly we should carry a shotgun through the lobby. But we should bring it." Gonzales says, "Let's wrap it up in a blanket." The gentlemen got the shotgun wrapped up, and a moment later Kate let Nanuet support Ruby. She took the quickest look through the drawers as she could, not wanting to leave anything behind that might be helpful, including the key to this room. After her search she came back to Ruby and they went back into the corridor, carefully closing the door behind them. They then went back downstairs and to the street, looking for another cab. Even though it is now midnight they are in the heart of downtown and being a steel factory town the large number of bars and gentlemen’s clubs are open late, so there is no difficulty in getting a cab. They managed to get Ruby into the cab, then quickly followed. Nanuet gave the driver the intersection of the safehouse where he had been before, and where the wagon seemed to be heading and the cab lurched forward. Once they were settled Kate pulled out the rose and handed it to Ruby. "I thought you might want this." Ruby, still very pale and weak, takes the rose with a small smile. She puts it to her nose and deeply breathes in its warm fragrance. "The goddess was trying to warn us," she says, "The rose was glowing, I just didn't know what she was trying to say but I knew she was saying something." Kate says, "Mr. Eastman said you had both been trying to work out what it was doing. I thought it might help us find you somehow, so I brought it along." The cab continued to clatter along the street as they came nearer to the safe house. "I'm not sure what we'll find when we arrive at the house. Five people went in the wagon, three of them were under Turner's influence, one was your Grandmother, but I don't know about the other two. The man would be the only one to give us real trouble. He wasn't a vampire as far as I know but we shouldn't count on that." As they near the building Nanuet can pick up thoughts from Maska. He falls into a deep period of intense concentration.</blockquote>

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