attalander

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Miles ducked, the Molotov cocktail sailing so close over his head that he could smell burning hair. Phoenix cried out in shock as the glass bottle shattered against the sink, spraying flaming oil all over the hardwood floor.

In mere moments, the room was filled with thick, black smoke, choking Miles and Franziska and clouding their vision.

"Miles! Come on!" Straining his eyes, Miles could spot Phoenix outside the window, beating at the flames with his coat. The prosecutor gulped. Outside the front door, Manfred waited with the pack of ur-vampires. The other way was blocked by a wall of flames and a waist-high sink to clear.

The choice was obvious. Sheathing his blade and gathering Franziska's limp form up in his arms, Miles backed across the room to get a running start. Putting his head down, he willed every scrap of strength he had into his legs and charged.

Taking a running leap into flames and broken glass with an unconscious woman in my arms? This has to be one of the stupidest things I've ever done... God, I'm turning into Phoenix! No, not now... Shutting out thoughts of his lover, thoughts of everything but survival, Miles pushed off the ground, straining for the window. He hit the apex of his parabola, but it was too short, fire was kissing his patent leather shoes, he was headed  straight for the shards still sticking out of the window-frame!

A split second from being impaled, he felt something grasp onto his lapels and yank him the rest of the way to safety. He landed in a tangle of limbs with Phoenix under him, Franziska on top of him, and his socks on fire.

Rolling over, he desperately flailed his legs in a pile of leaves, putting out the flames before they could properly scorch his flesh. As soon as it was out, however, Miles was on his feet, listening intently. Sure enough, he could hear von Karma's voice over the crackling flames, shouting to his slavering pack. 

"Come on!" Phoenix called as he grabbed up Franziska's limp form. "This way!"

As ignominious as flight was, Miles followed without hesitation. They had barely survived three vampires before, and Franziska was badly injured. In the faint light he could still make out bruises all over her body as well as the obviously broken arm. He wondered just how many vampires she'd taken down before they managed to corner her.

Knowing Franziska, she'd want to take as many with her as possible. He didn't want to think of the fact that they might all have to go down fighting before the night was over. All he had to think about was running.

They swerved around trees and leapt over roots, doing everything they could to shake their pursuers. No matter what they did, Miles could still hear the pack growling and snarling behind them. He could swear he felt flecks of spittle on the bare backs of his ankles where the socks had burned away, but he didn't focus on that There was a strange white noise in the distance, but Miles didn't focus on that. His vision had tunneled to only include Phoenix's back, with Franziska's head bobbing limply over one shoulder.

Suddenly, Phoenix stopped running. Miles skidded, nearly crashing into his lover's back.

"Phoenix, why did you stop?! They're right-" Miles stopped, as he looked over Phoenix's shoulder. A few more feet and suddenly the ground dropped away into a gorge, with water roaring at the bottom. 

No! We must've gone the wrong way, this is the river that comes out of Gourd Lake! His head snapped back and forth, looking for a way out. To the left and ahead, there was only a precipitous drop into running water. Behind was the pack. To the right-

He looked and felt his heart leap. The road! If only they could head that way... but no, as he and Phoenix turned, the pack was already upon them! Forming a half-circle, the remaining vampires hemmed them in, blocking off escape. Miles drew his steel and braced for the rush, the attack, teeth meeting in his throat, but it never came.

"What are they waiting for?" He hissed to the man behind him, voice barely a whisper.

"The leader." Miles could hear the grass rustling as the vampire put down his burden, then the sound of stone and silver sliding free of its scabbard. "They're waiting for von Karma to give the word."

"Obedient little beasts." Miles moved back so he and Phoenix were shoulder to shoulder, shielding Franziska's prone body. "I didn't think vampires followed anyone's orders."

"He's their sire. It's different."

Miles snorted, looking at the monsters. Men and women, old and young, one young man looked younger than Franziska. Nothing to show why they were the ones... had von Karma just assembled his forces from the closest available victims? No, there was always a method to his old mentor's madness...

"Well, what do we have here?" That cold voice dug under Miles's skin like ice flowing through his veins. "One, two, three... I'd say the odds are definitely against you boys."

"And yet, you're the one hiding." Phoenix brandished his sword angrily. Casting about for von Karma's location. "Why don't we settle this, one on one?"

"Are you insane?!" Miles hissed into Phoenix's ear.

"I think he is, Miles. After all, why would I fight you myself when I have eight mindless slaves ready and willing to rip you to shreds?" Miles didn't even need to see von Karma. He could hear the smirk in his voice, those mannerisms he'd been unconsciously imitating for years. 

"No, boys, I have another idea... and once agin it's your choice Miles. Give yourself up, become my right-hand man, and I'll let the others go free."

"What?" Miles couldn't believe his ears. "You actually expect me to agree to something like that?"

"Well, of course. You seem to be making a habit these days of self-sacrifice. Your career, your identity... even your place at my right hand. After all, that's what I raised you for."

"Hold it!" Phoenix yelled, pointing his blade at the direction of von Karma's voice in a variation of his usual objection pose. "You just raised him for revenge on his father!"

"Not true, Wright. If you hadn't seduced the poor boy from me, he would have been the world's greatest prosecutor, with me as a mentor and Franziska for a future bride... and that can still happen, Miles." His voice was practically a purr. "Eternal life, a place at my side, no more confusion... There's perfect clarity in this existence, nothing holding you back, everything yours for the taking... No more nightmares-"

"AND WHO DO YOU THINK IS THE CAUSE OF THOSE NIGHTMARES?!?!" Phoenix yelled, taking a step in front of Miles, protectively.

"Now now, Wright, I wasn't asking you. I want to hear Miles's answer."

Phoenix looked at him, his blue eyes wide and pleading. Please, they seemed to say, I'm not worth it, nobody's worth it-

"You want my answer, von Karma?" Miles's voice was ice cold, just like his former mentor's. "Well, here it is!"

He grabbed a chopstick from Phoenix's pocket and flung it with all the strength he could muster. It flew over the heads of the assembled ur-vampires and into the bushes, where it was answered with a horrible yell, just like what he'd heard in his nightmares for fifteen years.

As though that were a signal, the pack leaped for the two men, slavering and snarling, jaws dripping slime. Miles stood his ground, warding them off with jabs of his blessed rapier, buying precious moments for his continued existence. There were too many, they were too close, a hand got past his guard, tearing at his clothing, blunt nails ripping his skin.

Another vampire down, but it was too much, not enough room to maneuver... They were going to die... He could see a light in the distance...

I'm sorry Phoenix-

WHAM!

Miles looked up and for a moment was certain he'd just died. Nothing this ridiculous would ever happen in the living world. 

To put it simply, the vampire in front of him had just been struck by a car.

A venerable bright orange mini-van, to be precise. The light he'd seen in the distance was the thing's one good headlamp, the other one was held on by duct tape. In faxt, the whole thing was falling apart, from the bumper hanging at a crazy angle to the cracked windshield, to the driver's-side door completely missing its window glass. And looking out of that window-

"Oh yeah! Have no fear, the Butzmobile is here!"

-----

Even the mindless ur-vamps looked shocked at the appearance of the so-called "Butzmobile". As for Phoenix, he was certain he'd died and gone to the afterlife of some bizarre cult that worshipped non-sequiturs. He was still blinking in shock when the first ur-vamp shook off its surprise and leapt at the space between Phoenix and Miles, straight for the comatose Franziska.

Oh sh- Phoenix turned, Miles a split second behind him but they were too slow! The vampire was past them and on Franziska, jaws open, about to rip into its succulent meal-

Twang!

The monster was dust before it hit the ground. Phoenix's head snapped around to spot Adrian Andrews leaning out of the van's passenger window, a crossbow in her surprisingly steady hands.

The creature's sudden dusting seemed to shake its fellows from their stupor, and suddenly all was chaos. Miles and Phoenix were in the thick of it, Kugelschreiber and Kinslayer weaving twin patterns of death. Adrian was reloading her crossbow for another shot, while two more people surged out of the backseat of the car. Gumshoe's pistol was up and blazing almost before his feet touched the grass, while Maya bolted over to Franziska's prone form with what looked like a first-aid kit in her hands.

"Hang in there, Franziska!" "Mr. Wright, behind you!" "Hey pal, wanna see a genuine pistol?!" "The head, Gumshoe, shoot for the head!"

Phoenix shook his head as he feinted with his rapier, flicking a chopstick into the attacking vampire's blind spot and provoking a howl from it. This was insane! 

Who knew Gumshoe was such a good shot? I mean, I just thought he'd be as incompetent at that as he is at everything else! As things are- he ran another vampire through to the hilt of his blade, feeling ashes dust his fingers as it dissolved. As things are, we might actually win this!

He cast a look at Miles, who smirked back. There was an exhilarating euphoria in the combat, being able to let go and allow instinct to take over. They stood shoulder to shoulder, with Gumshoe at Miles's other side, cracking off shot after shot. Adrian provided a cross-fire from her perch in the van, each bolt striking a vampire, though not all in a vital place. 

Only a few ur-vamps left now, fewer than the number of fighters arrayed against them. Only a few more and then-

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!"

The horrible scream startled Phoenix, causing the tip of his blade to dip and giving the last ur-vampire a chance to rake clawlike fingernails across his cheek. Phoenix fell back, and would've been lost if Miles hadn't come up behind the vampire and thrust his blade into the creature's back.

"What have I told you about keeping your point up?!"

"Someone just yelled! It sounded like Larry-"

"That's no excuse! Distractions are a part of bat- did you say Larry?"

They both spun around to look at the front seat of the van, choking down a gasp. Larry was nowhere to be seen, and Adrian was lying across the dashboard in the passenger seat, unmoving.

Phoenix was at her side in an instant, reaching into the passenger seat and rolling her limp body over. Blood was trickling down her forehead and her glasses were broken. Still, Phoenix's vampire senses could detect the soft rise and fall of her chest, the faint but rhythmic pulse of blood in her veins. 

Miles looked at her, the the smear of blood on the cracked windshield glass.

"It looks like someone slammed her head into the windshield." Miles looked around, his face white.

Phoenix also cast around, scenting the air. Fear, definitely Larry's, but none of his blood-scent... moving away through the woods, and that other smell-

"Stay here! I'll go get Larry!" He turned to follow, but Miles grabbed his arm.

"Phoenix-" The sound of his first name sent shivers down his spine, but he shook them away.

"We don't have much time, Miles. Larry's not hurt yet, but-"  He didn't need to finish. Miles had been the one to teach him combat and the theory behind it: moving quickly was priority, as was protecting the wounded. Miles knew that- he knew Phoenix's superior speed made him the only choice for rescue duty, and an ally would only slow him down.

Miles let go and nodded, his brows knit in worry. Phoenix wanted to stay, alleviate his lover's fears, but that would be as good as signing Larry's death warrant. Without another word, Phoenix turned and ran after Larry's scent, and the scent of Manfred von Karma.