He nodded affirmatively.
I waited until he got the first boat loaded and was headed safely across the waves. Then I ran back toward the hotel. Just as I reached the lawn, I heard the sound of breaking glass and a familiar boom as fire exploded. The burning alcohol sprayed across the wooden thatches.
From the western end traveling east, I saw explosion after explosion tearing at the side of the hotel. In the firelight, I saw Jamie’s and Tom’s hustling figures.
Then I heard another sound. A wailing, like a banshee scream, sounded from somewhere in the distance.
I saw Tom and Jamie stop for a moment and then set off in a sprint across the lawn.
Then there was another explosion from the direction of the dock. The yacht was on fire.
My heart raced. I melded back into the grass and watched: Jamie, Tom, Will, Dusty, Buddie, and Mr. Jones raced across the lawn toward me.
A shadow moved across the night’s sky. There was another scream as the creatures spotted the men.
“Move!” I screamed at them.
In a heartbeat, two of the vampires were amongst us. They moved too fast.
Jamie dodged one. It was Finn. Jamie shot at him. Finn dodged the bullets and lunged at Jamie. Jamie slid to the ground, under and behind the vampire.
I ran toward them. Grabbing the last vial of holy water from my vest, I rushed the creature.
When Finn caught sight of me, he went in for the kill.
I unstopped the liquid and just as Finn was about to grab me, I rained holy water across his face.
He screeched a horrific cry, clutching his face. He melted into the ground, crumbling into a heap of ash.
Then I heard Mr. Jones scream. Matilda had grabbed him. She hovered about ten feet in the air, snapped his neck, and dropped him.
Next, she made a move toward Buddie who shot an arrow through her throat. It slowed her. She stopped to pull it out, an annoyed expression on her face.
Will swept in behind her. Lighting one of the liquor bottles, he pitched it at her. Before she had time to react, it exploded, raining fire all over her. She wailed in agony.
I looked up. More shadowed figures moved across the horizon.
“Now, now, let’s go,” I screamed. We took off through the weeds. Down we went through the brush and onto the marsh. We rushed through the swampy water to the stone-lined shore.
Larry had the last of the survivors rowed half way to the island.
“We’re fucked,” Will said.
“We have to get to the island. They can’t touch us there. Go, go, swim,” I yelled at them.
“What about you?” Dusty asked.
“Jeff and Gary are still out there.”
“Layla, go, you’re the only one who really knows what to do,” Jamie said.
Just then, the shadowy shapes of Rumor and Katya appeared near the hotel. They were scanning for us.
“Go, go, let’s go,” Jamie said and pulled me toward the water.
“But--”
“Now, Layla, move your ass,” Buddie said.
We went crashing into the water. It was bitterly cold. I could feel the heavy weight of my equipment on me and suddenly I worried I might not make it. Adrenaline pushing me forward, I forced myself to swim. The boat was just nearing the shoreline. As I swam, I saw Larry unload the rest of the people and hustle them up the bank. In the darkness, I saw the shadowed crowd watching the events unfold in horror. I could not imagine the sight: the hotel burning, the other survivors swimming, the vampires hunting.
As I emerged from the water, I heard an ear-piercing scream. Rumor had spotted us. Dusty and Will helped me stand. We turned. In full flight, Katya and Rumor darted over the water. At the same moment, Jeff and Gary crashed through the marshy brush onto the shore of Enita Island. Not seeing the vampires, Jeff called out.
“Layla,” he screamed.
Rumor turned and in the blink of an eye, she fell upon him. She smashed him under her foot like a fly. She reached down, plucking his head off, and drank blood from the trunk of his neck. She then threw the bloody head across the water to me.
Jeff’s head rolled across the beach, his agape mouth and wide eyes staring at me.
Katya grabbed Gary. Twisting his neck, she sank her fangs into him.
Jamie and Buddie emerged from the water. We all turned toward the bankside.
“Don’t look, just go,” I said.
“Ah, Ms. Katana, you forgot someone, no?” Rumor called to me.
I turned back. Out of nowhere, Ian was standing beside Rumor.
Jamie stopped. He turned and took two steps back toward the water.
The HarpWind was completely engulfed in flame. Orange light began to fill the night’s sky.
Rumor then took Ian by the waist and they hovered across the water coming to land just inches off shore.
“What is this place?” Ian asked her.
“Sun island. Don’t take another step ashore. It will burn you alive,” Rumor replied. She, however, was much bolder. “You come here and burn my house, do you,” she said to me as she took a step toward the island.
I drew my sword.