Vampire Shift - By Tim O'Rourke Page 0,71
surface, sea water sprayed out behind us like the waves caused by a speedboat, soaking my bathrobe and hair. Glancing back over my shoulder, I could see that Roland was just feet away from us. He snatched at the air, trying to take hold of me, but Luke twisted and rolled to the left and headed back towards land. Within seconds, jagged cliff faces were sweeping towards us. Believing that we didn’t have enough time to change direction, I closed my eyes and clenched my teeth, readying myself for the impact. But it never came. Opening my eyes, I could see the jagged cliff face as were soared vertically up it.
Swooping over the top of it, I could see the burning steeple of St. Mary’s in the distance. It was at least three or four miles away, but we were soaring above it in just seconds. We shot into the smoke and came to a sudden stop. The smoke was so thick and dark that I couldn’t see more than a foot or two ahead of me. It was hot and choking. It filled my nose and made my eyes sting and water.
“Why have we stopped?” I sputtered.
“Shhh!” Luke hissed, looking quickly from left to right. “Here he comes,” he said. Roland appeared in the smoke ahead of us, and he just seemed to hover.
“Give me the girl,” he said, “and this will all be over.”
“You want her?” Luke roared. “Come and get her!” Then he let go of me.
Screaming, I dropped like deadweight through the blistering hot smoke. “Luke!” I cried, unable to believe that he had let go of me. Looking down, I could see the seething flames of the burning steeple racing towards me. Glancing up one last time in the hope that it had been a mistake and I would see Luke coming to my rescue, all I saw was the gleaming yellow fangs of Roland as he lunged for me. Hoping that the flames would take me before he did, I closed my eyes and felt myself being suddenly yanked sideways, away from the fire. Snapping open my eyes, I was staring into the face of Luke. He kissed me, then threw me away like a rag doll.
“Catch her!” he roared, as Potter appeared from nowhere and caught hold of me.
Glancing back, I briefly saw the look of horror on Roland’s face as he realised how he had been tricked. Having me snatched from his clutches at the very last moment, he had no time to slow his descent and he shot into the seething flames like a bullet. But to my horror, he grabbed hold of Luke and pulled him down into the raging inferno with him.
“No!” I screamed, kicking against Potter.
Holding me tight, Potter plunged towards the graveyard. Setting me down, I looked at him and shouted, “You’ve got to save Luke!” But he didn’t seem to be listening to me. Instead he was looking up at the top of the burning steeple. With tears flowing down my cheeks, I followed his stare to see Roland shoot from the flames high above us. His wings glowed orange with fire and he spun over and over in the air as the flames consumed him. From the ground, I could hear his agonising shrieks, as he fought to put himself out. He fluttered left and right, until he finally fell still and dropped out of the sky like a blazing meteorite.
Pulling my robe about me against the freezing cold, I took hold of Potter’s arm and shook it. I looked into his eyes and pleaded with him. “You’ve got to save Luke. He’s in there!”
Then looking back at me, Potter said, “For someone who doesn’t get excited, you’re doing a pretty good impression.” Stunned by what he’d said, I shook him again and screamed, “That’s your friend in there!” Popping a cigarette between his lips, he smiled at me and said, “Easy tiger, we’ve got everything under control.” “Who’s we?” I asked as Potter pointed over my shoulder. Spinning round, I saw Murphy sweep from the burning doorway of the church, carrying Luke in his arms. Racing towards me, Murphy landed and gently laid Luke in the snow at my feet. His wings were folded over him like a blanket. Tendrils of smoke rose from them as they smouldered.
“Will he be okay?” I asked Murphy.
“I don’t know,” he said, staring down at his friend. “I was in there as soon as I saw him fall