Amoeba by Piers Anthony

Author:Piers Anthony [Anthony, Piers]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7:

Pool

The villagers did not like it any better than Tod did. But they saw the humanoid android come to life when Tod lifted the poncho, and recognized the danger she represented to unwary men. They knew her flesh could not be allowed to return to the pool. So finally they cooked her with hot water and stored her away out of sight. When the siege came, and they got hungry enough, they would reconsider.

Vanja elected to spend another night with Wizard, under the Bem blanket. That left Veee to sleep with Tod. “This makes twice in a row for you,” Tod remarked.

“She does not have to keep up with me. I had to keep up with her, until the shares were fixed. They are fixed now, so it does not matter which of us has you.”

“I know you’re the one for me, Veee, and I want to stay with you. But Vanja—”

She hushed him with a finger to his lips, a gesture that seemed to have lasted 50,000 years. “She enchanted you. You have a passion for her. We know that. When she moves on she will leave you to me, instead of taking you with her. I appreciate that.”

“You two are becoming friends.”

“Yes, I don’t want her to move on. She has courted and won me as a friend.”

“And me as a lover.”

“She wants you for a friend also, Tod.”

“She’s a vampire!”

“She’s a person. Give her a fair chance.”

He shook his head. “You love me, yet you want me to better appreciate my mistress.”

Veee smiled. “We live in interesting times.” She had learned that comment from him.

“Interesting times,” he agreed. Then he kissed her and they made love.

In the morning Wizard was much improved again, and seemed almost back to his original vigor. This time he acknowledged Vanja’s help. “She has given me the illusion of, if not youth, middle age,” he said.

Bem agreed. “Not as robust as you, Tod, but well beyond the prior night. The vampire needed to do only half of it. His overall health is better, too.”

“Give me more nights, and I will make him young,” Vanja said, satisfied.

“One more day will return me to full strength,” Wizard said. “Then you may return your ministrations to your real lover.”

One more day. Then they could bomb the pool. Assuming that Tod could figure out a way to get them there without requiring Wizard’s intercession. Wizard would need all his strength for the pool.

The fortress was almost complete, with only finishing touches being made. The villagers had deserted the village and moved to their relatively austere quarters in the fortress. They were ready for the siege.

Again, Tod was not satisfied. “Now we know they can assume human form. Even if not, they seem likely to attack with seemingly overwhelming force. We need a back-up defense in case they breach the wall and get inside the fortress.”

“A fire pit,” Bem said. “To trap, stun, melt, and dispose of the bodies. That is how we finally prevailed.”

“But they’ll soon catch on and avoid it,” Vanja said.

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