Page 97 of How to Stake a Vampire

“I’m not putting my son’s life at risk for anyone,” Gregory stated, his eyes glinting with menace. “If you come, you follow orders. No heroics, no improvisation.”

“Agreed,” Ellie said immediately.

“And if things go wrong, you get out,” I added in a hard voice. “No arguments, no looking back.”

Ellie hesitated for just a moment and nodded curtly. “Alright.”

“I still don’t like it,” Titania said uneasily. “A newly turned vampire is too unpredictable.”

Daria sighed. “Neither do I, but we might need her abilities.”

It was another half hour before Finnic arrived.

“I heard the news,” the dwarf said grimly as he stormed inside the building. “That bastard really chose to hide in one ofour abandoned mines?!” He slammed his axe blade down on the coffee table.

For once, no one protested.

“Yes,” Samuel said curtly. “Didi says a lot of the entry points aren’t passable. Do you know a way to get inside?”

“Don’t worry your wolfy head about that,” Finnic said dismissively. “Everyone gear up and meet back here. We leave within the hour. That should give me enough time to assemble my best warriors.”

Bo followed me as I headed for the stairs. “I’m coming with you.”

I stopped and frowned at the Husky. “A mine is really not the kind of place I should be taking a dog.”

“But I’m no ordinary dog,” Bo huffed.

“He’s right.” Pearl padded quietly toward us. “Take the mutt, wolf.”

I frowned at the cat’s sphinx-like expression. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Pearl twitched her whiskers. “Paranoia really doesn’t suit you. I just think he might come in handy.”

“Fur Ball,” Bo whined. He tried to lick the cat.

Pearl booped him on the nose. “Stop that. It’s disgusting.”

29

UNDERGROUND WARRIORS

The entranceto the abandoned mine looked like a portal to Hell with a No Trespassing sign. Basically, exactly the kind of place where an evil vampire might take a hostage to complete an ancient ritual that would make him super evil.

Bo wagged his tail enthusiastically. “This place looks cool.”

“This isn’t a sightseeing tour,” Samuel reminded my dog sternly.

“I know that,” Bo protested. His voice dropped to a whisper. “But still.Waycool.”

Gregory narrowed his eyes at the Husky.

I swallowed a groan, regret for bringing Bo already setting in. I had a feeling my dog’s newfound enthusiasm for mines was going to become a terminal problem before this was over.

It had taken us an hour to make it here once we’d left our cars on the access road. Samuel had proposed the wolves transform and go ahead with the vampires, but Finnic had insisted we stay together.

“You seem be forgetting that this valley is littered with traps and sink holes,” the dwarf chieftain had said grimly. “Dwarves know how to look out for them. The last thing me and mywarriors need is to be picking pieces of werewolves and vampires off wooden spikes and cave floors.”

I shot a wary glance at said warriors where we stood at the edge of the tree line. The first dwarf was Melvina, Barney’s housekeeper. She was wearing chain mail over a different vampire-themed apron, had her battleaxe strapped to her back, and was examining a wooden stake with professional interest.