Come Twilight (36 page)

“I think it would be best if you retraced your steps,” said Aulutiz. “In case you visited places you forgot to mention.” He folded his arms.

Achona spoke up before San-Ragoz could answer. “No. Let him tell us.” She stood directly in front of him. “You had better describe the camp—we who are coming after need to know where we are bound.”

Chimenae came to Achona’s side. ”A wise precaution.”

“One that may be useful,” Aulutiz agreed spitefully. He lowered his voice. “Let each of you be ready to fight. Kill only if you must—otherwise, strike to immobilize the soldiers so that we may drink of them before we take their heads.”

“What of their weapons?” asked Edic. “They have lances and scimitars and perhaps other arms as well.”

“And the horses,” Tamosh added. “It would be a fine thing to bring the horses to Chimenae.”

“We must deal with the soldiers first,” said Aulutiz, his brows drawing together. “We may need the horses to carry the bodies of the soldiers when we are done with them.”

“And what then?” San-Ragoz asked. “You cannot mean to leave sixteen headless bodies on a village midden. The Moors would surely hear of it, and would send more soldiers to exact revenge on the villagers.”

“Let them,” said Aulutiz. “That will bring more fodder for us.”

“No,” said San-Ragoz. “You do not want the Moors raiding the villages and killing the people to avenge the death of their soldiers. And it is what they will do if you continue to hunt their men. They may not demand conversion of those they conquer, but they will not tolerate anything that hints of insurrection. You may survive, but you will not have men enough left alive to give you your two-legged goats, or to leave cups of blood in offering. They will no longer be willing to placate you.” He turned to Aulutiz. “You can fight the Moors in skirmishes, and from time to time you will prevail, but once you start to war with them, you will have to continue until you or they are gone from these mountains. There are not quite forty of you. How can you hope to prevail against their army?”

“We are stronger than they, and we know the mountains,” said Aulutiz. “This is our home, not theirs.”

“Against those soldiers, you will have no chance of winning. They will identify you and then they will run each of you to earth.” He had seen vampires hunted before, but never so many as could be found here. “Many innocents will die in your name before it is over.”

“I suppose you would fly?” Chimenae suggested, a falsely sweet smile on her face.

“Yes; and I would advise each of you to do the same,” San-Ragoz replied without hesitation. “I tell you to go in many directions, alone, and not to return until all who know you are dead.”

“And be picked off like strays from the herd?” Aulutiz exclaimed. “What madness is this? You give them the advantage if you fight in that way. You may prefer such methods, but they smack of desperation. Why should we be so craven?” He shook his head. “You are one—we are many.”

“Which is your greatest weakness,” said San-Ragoz; as he saw he had wakened their interest, he explained. “One vampire, even two, might hunt this region in safety, undetected and unchallenged: with so many as are in this troop, the people know you are here, and they know your habits. You have come to depend on their familiarity with you, for with so many to tend to, you must follow a routine, so they know your movements and your needs. Your numbers make you vulnerable. You are exposed, whether you think you are or not.”

“Where are your clubs?” Achona asked, deliberately cutting off anything San-Ragoz and Aulutiz might have said. “Ennati and Wembo have theirs already. They will come with me, along with Rinaul and Teric.”

“You will need one more,” said Aulutiz, looking about. ”Walgild will do.”

“And I have one,” added Dorioz, holding up the club hanging from his braided-leather belt. “You will need them.”

“Yes; we must fetch them,” said Aulutiz. “We have been told how we are to subdue the Moors.” Pointing to four of the men who lingered near Chimenae, he called out, “Blaga, Merez, Tacantiz, Prando: come with us.” He began to stride swiftly toward the line of trees, not so much as glancing back to see if his summons was obeyed. “Each of you will bring two clubs. Except for you.” This was directed over his shoulder to San-Ragoz.

Edic kept close to Aulutiz, his hand on his dagger. “You may have plans to escape, but they will not succeed,” he declared.

“I have no such plans,” said San-Ragoz with exaggerated patience. “I am not completely a fool.” Even as he said it, he wondered if it might not be true: he had brought Chimenae to his life and was now caught in the folly of the consequences.

“Well, do not think to fool me,” said Edic; they were in the forest now, and forced to go single file though the undergrowth, using the game trails to make their way. Edic was behind San-Ragoz, who walked immediately behind Aulutiz, with the others coming after them. They kept to a single line, an arm’s-length between them. Only Dorioz made his own way, staying near but apart from the rest.

“There is a spring about five hundred paces ahead,” said Aulutiz. “We will stop there so that you may go to get your club. As soon as you are all returned, we will be on our way once again.” He increased his pace, not quite running, but going faster than most of the animals in the woods.

Edic turned to relay Aulutiz’s orders to the four behind him, raising his voice to be heard. When he finished, he nudged San-Ragoz forward with this hand. “You will not be laggard. Keep moving.”

San-Ragoz obediently increased his stride, paying close attention to the others behind him. None of the vampires ventured to speak until they reached the spring and Aulutiz called a halt.

“Bring your clubs and be sure you have short-swords or daggers with you. We may have to fight our way out. They will not be ready for us. If we do as we have planned, all will be well.” He waved his hand in dismissal as he reached out and took hold of San-Ragoz’s upper arm. “You will remain with me. I do not want you running away. Edic will bring my club.”

Dorioz took up a place on the far side of the spring, serving as sentry; he made sure not to listen to anything that passed between Aulutiz and San-Ragoz. For a short while Aulutiz said nothing. Finally he sighed. ”Was it really your blood that changed my mother?”

“Yes,” said San-Ragoz.

“Why did you do it?” His voice was light, but the concern in his eyes could not be disguised.

“She was badly injured and you were both in danger,” he said, then added in a lower tone, “and I was lonely.”

Aulutiz chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. “So lonely that you left before the summer was over. Oh, yes,” he said, his grip tightening. “She told me how eager you were to leave her.”

“I was not eager; it was necessary that I go. She herself was glad of it.” He offered no apology or other explanation.

“Do you think so?” Aulutiz slapped his thigh with his palm. ”Why would she be so reckless as that?”

“Not reckless,” said San-Ragoz. “She wanted no one to impugn her authority.” He shook his head. “It was better for both of us that I go, or so I thought at the time. Seeing what she has made for herself, I am no longer certain I was wise to leave.”

“You disapprove of the clan,” said Aulutiz.

“I fear for it,” San-Ragoz corrected gently.

“And you disapprove of our mission tonight,” Aulutiz added with a trace of smug satisfaction.

“Yes. This I do disapprove of,” said San-Ragoz.

“Because you are afraid,” said Aulutiz, shaking his head to show his contempt.

“Yes, I am,” said San-Ragoz.

“You admit it!” He released his hold on San-Ragoz’s arm and stepped back.

“Yes.” San-Ragoz did not move.

Aulutiz tugged at his upper garment—a kind of tunica made of several fabrics and patched elaborately at the shoulders—and hitched his belt. “You will change your mind tonight.”

Now the tribe fell back, approaching the soldiers with caution.

San-Ragoz said nothing in reply, and a short while later Edic came back, holding three clubs and a short sword in his hands.

“And the others?” Aulutiz asked as he took two of the clubs.

“They are coming,” said Dorioz from the other side of the spring.

Merez was the first of the four to arrive; he had two clubs and a Roman dagger hanging from his belt. Not far behind him came Prandoand Tacantiz, both hefting their clubs; Tacantiz carried a battle-hammer as well. Last to arrive was Blaga, who had included an axe among his weapons.

“Very good,” Aulutiz approved. “You know what is to be done. Edic, you will bring down the sentries—they will be yours as spoils. For the rest, remember others are coming. Do not drain all the soldiers you stun. Move quietly. We do not want to alarm them.” This last was a concession to San-Ragoz; Aulutiz stared at him while he gave those last instructions. “Dorioz, keep to the side of us. Do not fear. You shall share the spoils. Sanct’ Germain. Tell us which trail to take.”

Dorioz grinned. “You are good to me, Aulutiz.” He went a few steps, then said, “Better than your mother.”

The hush this remark brought stayed with the small group of vampires until they reached the edge of the Moorish camp and prepared their assault; they remained in the undergrowth, using the foliage as a screen. Satisfied they were protected, Aulutiz said very quietly, “You did well,” to San-Ragoz and, “We know what is to be done,” to the rest.

Edic slipped ahead of them, his club in his hand. He stayed away from the clearing where most of the soldiers slept, for he was searching out the sentries.

“There should be two of them,” said Aulutiz. “If the horses do not whinny, we will soon have our work accomplished.”

“Do not kill the horses,” San-Ragoz said as Aulutiz prepared to lead his companions into the clearing.

“I will save a few of the for my mother, never fear,” said Aulutiz sarcastically. At his signal, the others moved with him, leaving San-Ragoz alone in the brush at the side of the clearing.

At San-Ragoz’s side, Dorioz said, “I have a club, too, and I am strong enough to use it. If you try to run I will break your legs and then smash your head; one of the others will cut it off. You might as well watch with me.” There was no doubt that the youngster would do as he said.

So as Aulutiz, Edic, Tacantiz, Prando, Blaga, and Merez passed quickly from sleeping soldier to sleeping soldier, their clubs used with fatal purpose, San-Ragoz watched from the undergrowth, appalled and sick at heart.

Text of a report sent by Karif ibn Azim ibn Salah at Usca to Timuz ibn Musa ibn Maliq at Karmona.

In the name of Allah, the All-Compassionate—may He be praised forever and ever—I, Karif ibn Azim ibn Salah send this account to Timuz ibn Musa ibn Maliq, although it is not at the appointed time, to alert Timuz ibn Musa ibn Maliq to the dangers I and my men have encountered on this mission for Numair ibn Isffah ibn Musa—may Allah protect him and give him long life. May my tongue be stilled and my eyes blighted if I report in error, or mislead any of the officers of the Caliph, the Emir, or his son.

I have told you of my determination to divide my troops into three groups of twenty, the better to pursue the escaped slave of Numair ibn Isffah ibn Musa—may he have many years and healthy sons—who has fled into the mountains. It was agreed that all three groups would return to Usca after ten days if they did not succeed in capturing San-Ragoz.

The ten days have come and gone, and one of the companies has not returned. They have not been seen since they searched the village of Canthis. No one has seen them since then, not the men or their horses, and there has been no report on their disappearance. I have sent messengers into the region where they were last seen, but I have not yet gained any intelligence to reveal what has become of them. No one has given any information that has proven reliable.

I would not be worried were it not for persistent tales of those who live in the region of the mountains where the men vanished. The people who live in the villages and on the remote farmsteads call this part of the mountains the land of Sacred or Holy Blood. They offer chalices of blood to mighty beings who provide them with game and guard them from harm. It is said that there are sacred grottos where many jeweled cups stand in vaults to honor the heroes who continue to watch over those who are willing to show them homage.

Ordinarily I would not give credence to such rumors, nor would I think the reports anything more than legends repeated by these ignorant folk to persuade them they are not as much in danger as their life requires them to be. They are unwilling to hear the words of the Prophet, and they are not diligent in their worship of the Christian prophet. Many say that the cups are a tribute to defenders of Jesus who bled to death on the cross, but others say the gods are older and more terrible than Jesus of the Christians.

If the people who put out the cups are people of the Book, then they cannot be stopped from this practice without bringing shame on Islam. If they are not people of the Book, we would disgrace ourselves if we fail to stop this idolatrous adoration. I seek your judgment in this regard, for I am certain that the longer my men remain here the more reason we will have to be careful of the people of the Holy Blood; they are said to be brave fighters, and if they have bested my soldiers, I will have to agree that they are formidable opponents and if I am to campaign against them, I will need more troops and your permission for an all-out attack, otherwise we may all fall victim to whatever force has claimed the men who disappeared.

There is an ominous addition to my report; the bodies of two of the soldiers’ horses have been found in the forest, their coats bloody, their flesh as bloodless as if they had been hung by a butcher. Both horses were haltered, which suggests that they were assailed at night. There was no trace of tack or equipment anywhere that would indicate how the horses came to be dead. If it is as the people of the region say, and the devotees of the Holy Blood have done this, we may have to move quickly, which I must admit we are ill-prepared to do. However I will strive to do your will, and to discharge the mission given to me and my men by Numair ibn Isffah ibn Musa—may Allah show him favor for all of his days—when we were first sent into these mountains to find his escaped slave.