Chapter Thirteen
"I don't think they're even coming."
"Shut up little man."
Sarrasor and the vampire hunters had been camping in Garumn's Gorge for nigh on three weeks. It was cold and snowing, with a freezing, biting wind. Sarrasor hated the cold, and was completely miserable, but the vampire hunters merely took it in stride. Their plan was perfect and could not fail.
"They will come when the snow melts, which is soon. It is already growing warmer. Have patience, you will have your plaything soon enough."
Sarrasor turned away grumbling. It was cold, and he had been wet and miserable for weeks. That bitch would pay for making him suffer through this.
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The snow melted, leaving knee-deep mud behind. When the mud finally dried up, the friends left. They headed to Garumn's Gorge, expecting nothing but an easy trip to the next town. They did not sense anything amiss going into the Gorge. Pa'das and Jander were walking far ahead of Eckerd. He was walking a ways behind them, looking at various things along the road. Soorefina was far away, at the limits of Pa'das' range. She trusted Jander to take care of her Pa'das. Jander was carrying Korrieana, giving Pa'das a break.
The two of them and the baby were out of range when the blast went off. Jander and Pa'das whirled around at the same time, just in time to see Eckerd buried by falling dirt. Before they could do anything, he was buried so deep that there was nothing they could do. Pa'das closed her eyes, tears leaking out, as if by not being able to see the sight, it would make it not have happened. Jander felt as if a major part of him had just been torn out, like there was an emptiness in his soul - if he had one. But he had more important things on his mind. True, his best friend was dead, but he would grieve later. This was obviously a trap of some sort - nothing natural had caused that collapse. Jander could sense some sort of magic taking place, and he thrust Korrieana into Pa'das' arms.
"Get out of here," he said as the dust settled. "Call Soorefina and take Korrieana somewhere safe."
"Where? Why?" Pa'das was confused and stricken by grief. What Jander was saying didn't make any sense to her, and the panicked look on his face threw her off.
"I don't know! Go back to the town or something! Just somewhere safe! This is a trap of some kind, I don't know why, but hurry and get out of here!" On Jander's face was a mixed look of panic, worry, and urgency.
"What about you?" Pa'das asked, worried about what he was going to do. She didn't want to lose both of them. "What are you going to do?"
"Don't worry about me. Whoever did this is still around here. Now go! Get Korrieana to safety!"
Jander ran off quickly, not waiting to see if she did as he said. Pa'das watched him until he was out of sight. The instant he was gone, Pa'das heard someone coming up behind her. She whirled around - there shouldn't be anyone around. A huge burly man was advancing on her. Her first instinct was to run - she had to protect the baby - and she listened to it. Unfortunately, the man was quicker than he looked and grabbed her arm. She gave herself completely over to her instincts and kneed him in the groin, whipping away to flee, holding Korrieana tight.
"Bitch," he ground out, convulsively clutching his privates. But he forced himself upright quickly and lunged after her.
Pa'das shrieked and yelled, "Jander! Help!"
The man somehow managed to get Korrieana out of her arms as she struggled to get away. The baby started to scream, and Pa'das shrieked in rage. She attacked the man, but he fended her off and ran. He was surprisingly quick on his feet, for a man of his size.
"Come an' get 'er," he yelled back to her.
Soorefina was too far away to come to her rescue, but Pa'das called her anyway. The cat started rushing towards them, but it would take her a while to come help. Pa'das ran after the man. He had her baby! Rationally, she knew it was some sort of trap, but he had her baby!
She came upon a little cabin a short while later. The wail of a terrified child could be heard coming from inside. Pa'das carefully went in, following the sound. It wasn't too hard to find Korrieana - there were only two rooms. When she went into the second room, she stopped short.
"On that side of the room," Sarrasor ordered.
"Please," Pa'das whispered, tears dripping down her face.
"Over there!" Sarrasor yelled. "You will make fine bait for the vampire. He will undoubtedly try to come rescue you, and then…" He ended with a purely evil grin.
Pa'das immediately did as he said, but when she heard that, she let out an anguished wail. To serve as bait for her friends demise after all he had done for her - it was just too horrible to even think about. But, she also prayed he would come, and rescue her and Korrieana somehow.
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Jander heard Pa'das' scream, but couldn't do anything about it. He was in a bit of a bind himself. He was right: it was a trap. He had let himself be trapped in a dead-end branch off the main Gorge. He had gone in, he wasn't even sure why, and there was another blast. Rocks collapsed behind him. Pa'das' scream spurred him on to think of a way out faster, and Jander realized that he was an idiot. He had been so worried about the trap and so grief-stricken over Eckerd's sudden, abrupt death that he wasn't thinking clearly. He could just turn into a bat and fly out! Jander nearly smacked his forehead at his stupidity.
He immediately acted upon the idea and flew over the blockade. He could run faster than he could fly, so once he was over, he turned back to his elven form. He ran back to where he had left Pa'das. It took him a little bit to pick up her trail, but when he did, he was after her like a flash.
A little while later, he came upon a cabin. This was where Pa'das' trail ended. He went in the front door, on his guard. He could hear crying coming from the next room, and went to the door.