Charles' Choice (Penny's Choice) Read online

  Penny hit her mark and the bomb exploded into a fury of flames. Car doors blew off and the gas tank burst into flames adding to the inferno in front of her. She could feel the heat from the flames in her tree top stand and it almost took her breath away. She had to move her face away from the flaming spectacle. The agents were dead in milliseconds after the flames licked forth from the device.

  It took about twenty seconds after the explosion for Thomas and Charli to come bounding across the rickety bridge. Since the blast, there was even less material in the bridge.

  “Penny,” Thomas screamed midway through the bridge. “Penny!”

  “Oh, my god,” Charli said, as she came across the threshold of the bridge and surveyed the flaming carnage.

  “Penny,” Thomas said, scrambling up to the wreckage. He stopped short when he saw several sets of charred human skeletons. Penny?” Thomas voice had changed from panic to intrigue.

  “Hey,” Penny shouted down from the tree.

  “What in heavens happened,” Charli asked as she looked at the bones and the cindered remains of the car frame.

  “I was just hanging out in this tree,” Penny started to climb down the tree, “when a whole contingency of Brotherhood agents decided to drop in.”

  “You were just hanging out in the tree?” Thomas asked, catching Penny as she jumped the rest of the way.

  “I was feeling nervous about the bridge,” Penny replied. By now Charles and Lorelei had joined them.

  “Holy crap,” Charles said taking his first glimpse at the wreck.

  “I think they must have been following Charles,” Penny looked at Charles and Lorelei, “because they were already entrenched in the woods when Thomas and I got here.”

  “Crap, they probably know about Lorelei,” Thomas said, wringing his hands. “Maybe that’s okay, though. That doesn’t mean they suspect a multi-species attack. Nixen aren’t notoriously offensive attackers.”

  “No, Lorelei has been very careful to appear human,” Charles said, putting his arm around Lorelei. “We even got her a skirt that hides the watermarks on the bottom.”

  “The hardest part is not smiling,” Lorelei said. She smiled, but kept her lips closed to hide the green teeth.

  “What did they use?” Thomas asked.

  “Thumb explosive,” Penny said. “I threw a throwing knife and hit it dead on.”

  “Way to go Penny!” Charles gave Penny a high five.

  “But we can smell those,” Charli said, picking up a festering bone and throwing it into the sea.

  “I think that they meant it as a distraction,” Thomas pointed to the bridge, which was crumbling even more after the blast, “because they wouldn’t have been able to actually get to the whole group.”

  “Or maybe they only wanted to take out the non-vampires,” Penny said.

  “No I think it was meant as a distraction,” Thomas said, disagreeing with Penny. “They know that we don’t often let you the humans out of our sight. Plus, they really want Charles back, alive.”

  Penny didn’t like it when Thomas referred to her just as a human. The fire and smoldered down to a point of manageability. But because it was the night, the explosion would have been very visible to those nearby. Police and emergency crews would be there shortly.

  Thomas signaled for them to head into the woods. “I hear sirens.” The group walked into the woods, following Thomas.

  “So what’s the plan?” Charles said.

  “I think that we are somehow being bugged,” Thomas said, keeping a brisk pace in the thick underbrush. “I have a contact not too far from here that can help us with that problem.”

  Penny could hear the sirens converging on the fiery mess at the castle behind them. She knew that this would be a case that would end up in the papers and that no detective would ever be able to figure out what had happened. It would be a mystery that would be attributed to angry spirits or a mob hit gone wrong. The castle was also guaranteed to sell for a good price.

  Later that night Thomas, Penny, and the rest of their ragtag crew arrived at a small farmhouse on the edge of nowhere.

  “So who lives here?” Penny said, looking out over the rolling hills. The bleating of sheep echoed in the night. It was a peaceful farm setting that Penny would have expected in a picture or movie. At any minute she expected a farmer’s wife to come out with a tray of tea to meet them even though it was the middle of the night.

  “Goblins,” Thomas said.

  “Well there goes the serene look,” Penny said, taking a step back.

  “Oh come on Goblins are harmless,” Charli said. She rolled her eyes and walked up the drive way.

  “Is it just me or did she never grow out of that teenage angst stage?” Penny whispered to Charles.

  “Well, she is eternally a teenager,” Thomas said, beckoning them to follow him and Charli down the driveway to the front of the most idyllic farm that was inhabited by goblins. “Don’t worry about the goblins. They’re basically just ugly, small, socially awkward humans. They’re really good with technology, but that’s the extent of their special skills.”

  “Technology?” Penny asked, looking at Charles.

  “Yeah, some of the best hackers in the world are goblins,” Charles said. “That’s why you should never meet men online.”

  Penny and Lorelei giggled. Penny was pretty glad that she had never had to meet a guy online. A goblin showing up at a date would have been quite a surprise.

  Thomas knocked on the door and the voice of an old man came from the speaker to the left of the door. “Please come back later. I don’t feel well at the moment.”

  “It’s Thomas Wolf.”

  “Thomas?” The voice said and suddenly there was a lot of scrambling inside the house. Penny thought that it sounded like a heard of children playing tag. The door popped open and distorted, wrinkled goblin head shot out.

  “Come on in, man!” the goblin said. Penny thought it looked like it might have been smiling, but she couldn’t have been sure.

  “Thanks George,” Thomas said as he stepped into the building.

  “Ah, is this your family?” George said. He sounded like an old man, but acted like a kid.

  Several other goblins were lining up in the hallway. Each of them had some sort of technology on them, like cell phones, tablets, or some other sort of fancy gadget.

  “Yes, it is,” Thomas held Penny out, “This is my girlfriend Penny.”

  “Beautiful, Beautiful,” George said. The goblin pulled at a strand of Penny’s hair. “But you have a problem, right?”

  Penny yanked her hair back from the goblin. She thought that these creatures were quite endearing. They were not much taller than kitchen table, had deep wrinkles, and sounded like old men. But they acted like teenagers on too much caffeine.

  “Bob,” George shouted.

  “Yes, sir,” Bob said, popping out of the line of goblins.

  “Go get me the shears,” George said.

  Bob ambled up the stairs and disappeared around the corner.

  “We’ll fix it in a jiffy,” George said, slapping Thomas on the back.

  “But you don’t even know what are problem is,” Thomas said.

  “Of course we do,” George said, grabbing Penny by the hand and leading her into the kitchen. The rest of the goblin herd followed, noisily. George pulled out a chair and slapped Penny in it.

  Penny looked at Thomas confused. He just shrugged his shoulders.

  “Brotherhood surveillance,” another goblin said as he punched buttons on his gadget.

  “I’ll get the torch,” another goblin jumped into the fray.

  “Torch? Shears?” Penny said. She tried to stand up from the chair, but George just pushed her back down. “Hold on wait!”

  “Just relax, baby,” George said. “We’re not going to hurt you. Rembert, where’s that fire?”

  “George, what’s happening?’ Thomas asked. Lorelei and Charles sat down at the kitchen table bewildered at the com
motion happening in the goblin farmhouse.

  “You’re being tracked,” George said.

  “Have to get rid of it before Brotherhood comes here,” Bob said jumping into the room with his shears.

  “And that involves torches, shears, and my girlfriend?” Thomas said pulling the scissors out of Bob’s hands.

  “And your brother,” the goblin with the widget said.

  “Are you sure Bridget?” George asked. Bridget, who Penny didn’t think looked much like a female, shook her head yes. Another two goblins shot out of line and moved Charles next to Penny. “We’re going to need a razor for the man.”

  “Holly crap, no!” Charles said jumping up and throwing a couple goblins to the floor. “No, you leave my hair alone.”

  “George what are you going to do to their hair?” Thomas said, putting stern hand on George’s shoulder.

  “They have tracking dye in their hair,” George said.

  “What?” Penny said, looking worried. “Get it out; get it out now!”

  “No, not in my hair!” Charles said as he ran his fingers through his perfectly styled hair.

  “Shut up you idiot,” Penny shouted taking the scissors from Thomas. “Our hair is the reason that they keep finding us.” Penny wrapped her long, blonde hair into a pony tail and snipped just above her shoulders. She threw the hair at Rembert with his blowtorch. The hair was incinerated in seconds. “Was that enough or do I need to cut more.” Bridget checked her widget and then signaled that it was enough.

  Bob came at Charles with the razor. Charles cringed as his beautiful, curly hair fell to the ground. Rembert torched the bag containing Charles hair.

  Penny looked at Charles and giggled. She had never thought about Charles being bald before. He was so attached to his hair. Thomas and Charli joined in the laughter. Charles just glared at everyone. Lorelei sat on Charles’s lap and caressed his bald head. She smiled.

  “At least we won’t have to worry about the brotherhood catching up with us anymore,” Thomas said, smiling. “When did this dye happen?”

  “About two weeks ago it looks like,” George said. “We hear in the ether that you need help. Not sure what kind, but we offer you whatever help we can.”

  “Can’t keep anything secret from you, can I George,” Thomas said. He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and a pen. He scribbled something down on the paper and handed it the George.

  George nodded, grabbed the torch, and incinerated the paper. “You got it boss!”

  “Thanks George, you’re an angel,” Thomas said. He slapped the goblin on the back. Penny laughed at the idea of a vampire calling a goblin an angel. But in the circumstance, it seemed to fit.

  “You also need more supplies for now?” George said. He jumped up and skidded around the room excitedly. “We have fast cars, special gadgets, cool clothes, whatever you need. Plus food too.”

  “Fast car?” Thomas asked with a wry smile.

  “Oh yes, I have one just for you,” George said, returning the smile. “Experimental. We built it ourselves.”

  “Too fast for us or humans. Good only for vampires,” another new goblin popped up.

  “William, you take them to the car. Juliette? You get them supplies ready.” George started handing out directions as the William escorted them to the workshop.

  Penny knew that this car was going to be a dream for Thomas. They would be at their next stop ahead of schedule too.

  (CHAPTER 9) The Rakshashai

  “Where are we going now?” Penny asked Thomas.

  Thomas never took his eyes off the road as he drove the car 240 kmh through the steep turns. Penny was always amazed at vampire control and reactions. “India.”

  “Why India?” Penny asked, looking out at the night scenery whizzing by her. She wished that they could just take a plane, but Thomas had a fear airplanes. Penny thought that fear was completely irrational for a vampire because in the event of a tragic plane crash, Thomas would survive. But, then again, Thomas was not your average vampire.

  “Rakshashai,” Thomas replied.

  Penny looked at Thomas confused. She was sure he had just said a word and the reason why they were going to India.

  “In India,” Charles said, leaning back in his seat, “there are some more creatures that can aid us. Last year they were brutally attacked by the Brotherhood and have a score to settle.”

  “So these Raksi things,” Penny said trying to pronounce the Hindi word.

  “Rakshashai,” Thomas said repeating the word for Penny.

  “Will they be any help?” Penny thought about how the Nixen had pledged their help willingly, but were unlikely to be much help, especially out of the water. The last time she and Thomas went up against the brotherhood, they had only taken out a smaller attack party. And it had taken their whole family, a pack of werewolves, and a djinn. Now they were going against the Winchester Mystery House with its traps for the immortal.

  “Rakshashai are the most fearsome warriors that I have ever come across,” Thomas said.

  “I sense a but,” Penny said, looking at Thomas. He continued to ignore her comment for a minute.

  “Well,” he said and then paused for a moment. “They are dangerous.”

  “Says the vampire,” Penny said, rolling her eyes.

  “Cannibals,” Charli said from the back seat. “Like munch, munch, munch!”

  “On their own?” Penny asked, horrified at the idea of people eating their own kind.

  “No,” Thomas said shaking his head. “They are particularly fond of human flesh, So technically, Charli, they're not cannibals.”

  “Whatever, they're mean and eat humans,” Charli replied, situating herself in the tight quarters in the back seat.

  “Couldn't we have gotten a larger car?” Charles said, also trying to find a more comfortable position.

  “I could sit in your lap,” Lorelei said, giggling.

  “I wouldn’t argue with that,” Charles said, grabbing the flimsy mermaid and pulling her onto his lap.

  “I would,” Charli said, avoiding getting elbowed in the face by her amorous twin.

  Penny rolled her eyes. She knew she should be happier for Charles. He seemed to have really found a girl that he really liked. I guess she knew how it felt now to have been replaced by someone, or something, who was so much more than she could ever be. And there was always that lingering suspicion that Thomas couldn’t really love someone that was just merely human.

  “Um, can we get back on topic?” Penny asked.

  “The Rakashashai,” Thomas said, putting his hand on Penny’s, “are a race of shape shifting warriors. Some of them,” he shot a glare back at Charli, “engage in human eating practices…occasionally.

  “Can we define occasionally?” Charles asked peaking over his girlfriend’s head.

  “Yes. When they are offended by a human…only then and only that or those humans will be eaten. It’s not like they raise human cattle.”

  “Good. So we don’t have anything to worry about then,” Penny said settling back into her seat.

  “Just don’t piss them off,” Thomas said, smiling.

  Penny drifted off to sleep. She would need all the energy she could muster when they hit India, which wasn’t for another day at least, unless Thomas continued to drive two hundred miles an hour the whole way there. Her unwelcome dreams visited her again in her sleep.

  “Penny,” Thomas said, rubbing her shoulder, “you’re having that nightmare again.” Penny opened her eyes to see Thomas’s hurt expression. Thomas knew that Penny’s nightmares were about him.

  “Yeah, it’s okay,” Penny said, rubbing her eyes sleepily. “They’re not your fault.”

  Thomas sighed and looked away. “I never envisioned myself so terrifying that I would give my girlfriend nightmares,” he joked, but Penny could tell that her dreams really bothered him. “We’re coming up on a human pit stop. You and Charles need to get some food.”

  “And Lorelei?” Penny a
sked looking back at the Nixie curled up on Charles’s lap. Both she and Charles were fast asleep. Charli looked out the window vacantly. Penny couldn’t tell if she was paying attention to her and Charles, deep in thought, or just spacing out.

  “I guess we can get her some fish food,” Thomas said, stifling a laugh.

  Penny giggled. “I’m still not sure what that was that I ate at her house that first time.”

  “Don’t look at me,” Thomas said. “For once I have no idea. I’m not even a novice in Nixen food.” Thomas and Penny both chuckled as they remembered her antics after she tried to eat the spicy fish.

  “Hey Chuck,” Penny yelled into the backseat. Charles jerked away, but the mermaid just snuggled deeper into Charles’s chest like she wasn’t ready to wake up from a pleasant dream. “We’re coming up on a food stop.”

  “Great I’m starved!” Charles tried to stretch his arms, but he was pinned down by Lorelei. “Where are we?”

  “Pakistan,” Thomas said as he turned off the highway into a gas station.

  Charles continued to nudge Lorelei until she woke up. “We’re going to stop honey,” Charles said, kissing her on the top of her head. Penny tried to not let her stomach turn. She knew that she and Thomas were guilty of the same thing.

  Penny got out of the car and stretched her legs. The goblin’s car was not the roomiest, but it was rather speedy and with a vampire driving, they had made it from Ireland to Pakistan in less than twelve hours. That was definitely a new record. Since Penny and Charles had chopped of their hair, no one had followed them.

  Penny used the bathroom and then got herself a drink from the cooler in the store. She walked up to the clerk.

  “That’s quite some car you got there,” the clerk said, taking her money.

  “Yeah, it’s an experimental model made by some friends,” Penny said, taking her change. She walked out of the store and hopped back in the car. “This car attracts a lot of attention.”