The Blood Storm by John C. Wright

Author:John C. Wright [Wright, John C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Castalia House
Published: 2018-07-12T22:00:00+00:00

11. Nice Timing

“Why isn’t he coming?” demanded Foster, hooking his thumb at me.

Penny said, “He is staying with me.”

Foster smiled his most winning smile. “No, I think you want me to stay! I’m better looking.”

Yes, he was handsome, and yes, I so wanted to punch him in the face for that fact. If I punched hard enough, he would be less handsome. It seemed a logical thought at the time.

I turned to her. “Wait! Is it so you can tell me this all-important plan for Ossifrage?”

She nodded. “You seem to think you have another way off this planet, now that Dakkar and his ironclad submersible are gone. If you do make it off, you will have to know where to take Ossifrage next, and what the plan is for the Colossus.”

“Why not tell me later?”

She looked off to the left, and lifted one shoulder, saying airily. “We need to be prepared in case, ah…”

“In case my friends don’t make it back? In case you don’t make it out of this room?”

Foster said, “I still don’t understand what is going on. Why are we getting a coffin with a vampire in it?”

I brushed some clinging water droplets off my armor. “I’ll explain as we go. I’m coming with.”

Penny said, “No! I will not allow—”

I whirled on her, angry now. “You want to talk to me now because you don’t have faith in my friends, and you think I might get caught if I go with them. You don’t think I can get you out of this room! You don’t have faith in me that I am going to rescue you!”

She said nothing but looked chagrined.

I said sternly: “I will do all I have said I will do! A Muromets does not compromise his word! My nay is my nay and my yeah is my damn straight!”

She said, “Please spare me the posturing. We are short on time. That is all.”

“That is not all,” I said. “When we get back to Earth, you are going out on a date with me. Dinner and a show, and maybe a ride in a carriage. Or at least a haycart. I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”

That caught her by surprise. She had a confused look on her face, like she did not know whether to be flattered or annoyed, to get angry or to get icy.

She decided on icy and angry. In a voice as cold as an Arctic glacier, she said, “If it were not for your schoolboy crush on me, I would not have been captured. I have the power of deep waters, where no stars shine, and I can hide from them, and could have entered here on my own had I wished, rescued Ossifrage with no aid from you or anyone, and been in no danger of the iron hooks!”

“Miss, if it is my fault you are in danger, it is my responsibility to get you out. And to take you out.”

“How can you think about—” Now it was just anger without ice.

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