The Vampire Club by Scott Nicholson, J.R. Rain Page B

You’ve got an attitude, Andy. What’s with you, anyway? You afraid of being disappointed? I mean, I understand, this might be a major let-down. Perhaps you think it would be better not to uncover whatever is buried out there and let the mystery live on?”
    “ Actually, Juan, I’m more afraid of who’s hiding in the bushes out there than any fear of being let down.” I didn’t want to tell him I was already let down by Janice’s growing crush on Dial, who was leading the way.
    “ No, Andy, the way we figure it is that all your life, or most of it, you’ve wanted to meet a vampire; and now, as we’re about to unbury it, you begin to sabotage the trip—”
    “ But I have good—”
    “ Too late, Andy. We heard you out and now we’re a day behind. Now we do what the majority decides. Anyway, we’ve concluded you’re probably not ready to face this vampire.”
    Of all the idiotic...how could he possibly...I didn’t think I had any heart left to be broken...
    “ Not?” I managed.
    “ Yes, Andy. And rumors are even stirring that you perhaps may not be fit to lead our club.”
    I stiffened. I looked ahead where Dial was walking with Janice, gesturing and chuckling in the gloom. I wondered who started those rumors.
    “ Juan, I’m going to say only one thing: you have all let me down in your haste and irresponsibility. If we uncover this vampire tonight in that grave, I will step down as leader; and if not, you must eat my shorts with horseradish sauce.”
    Reluctantly, he said, “Done.”
    He hurried away and caught up with Dial and Janice. I was not surprised to hear the slow crunching of feet as Professor L caught up to me.
    “ Is there anything we can do to stop this?” I asked.
    “ The machine is moving, what’s going to happen will happen. It’s beyond stopping. They are literally driven by this desire to find the vampire.”
    “ Do you think we will?”
    “ What do you think, my protégé?”
    “ There’s no way. It’s what we discussed earlier: why leave the vampire out here in the cold and darkness, when they could keep a watch on him in comfort? It doesn’t make sense.”
    The professor looked ahead, sucking air deeply across his thin lips. The moon above was in its placid half-state, but I could still see the professor and the others easily enough. He said, “You are assuming, of course, that we are dealing with the legendary VVV. If the VVV did not interfere, the vampire would be nice and safe in the cemetery.”
    “ Not quite, Professor. If it weren’t for the VVV, he wouldn’t have been killed in the first place. Remember, he was hunted by one of your relatives, whom we assume was associated with the VVV.”
    “ Correct!”
    “ And not only have we been dealing with these legendary assholes, we’ve been living with them. Earlier, you discussed your sixth sense.”
    “ Yes,” said the Professor. “Still an intriguing concept.”
    “ Well, my sixth sense has been ringing warning bells like crazy. We have been followed and watched and checked upon for the last day and a half. These guys are professionals. They no doubt have a few hanging back, making sure we find our way, and the rest are waiting in the cemetery—lambs to the slaughter!”
    The night was chilly and it seemed as if my words hung frozen in the night air. The satchel at my side was getting heavy and my fingers, though garbed in cow flesh, were getting stiff.
    “ I do not think we need to debate the VVV between ourselves,” said the professor. “I think it’s quite obvious what we’re up against.”
    “ Yeah, tell that to them.”
    “ It’s like I said, they’re beyond reason. All we can do now is try to keep them out of trouble.”
    Looking ahead, seeing Janice ogling Dial and Juan smugly walking before them and somewhere—God knows where—Buddy was crouched in the bushes as if he had any idea how to spot professional trackers, made me wonder if they were worth the trouble.
    But that thought quickly