Read Dragon Down for Free Online Page B

see to it straight away. Will you need men to run the boat?”
    “No, I can sail it and I don ’t want to risk any more lives than necessary.”
    “Is there anything I can do to be of assistance?”
    “Prince Trevor, what do you know about the waters around the Hebrides? Have you or your men sailed them?”
    “Zane, I don ’t know much about the waters in that area. We usually fly. It is faster for us. If you’d like, I’ll check with my father and see what he knows. Nations have traded with us for years. My father will know something.”
    “Thank you, Trevor. Please give your father my best ,” he said.
    Trevor left and I turned to Zane for some direction. “What would you like me to do?”
    “Lauren, you can read everything you can find on the two vampire courts. I noticed this library has a fair amount about them. We will need to know anything we can that might help us. I know more about the Red Court. I’ve had run-ins with Erol and his lackey Mavre. Fortunately, I haven’t had to deal much with the Black Court.”
    “I ’ll see what I can find. If you don’t mind my asking, how do you know Erol? He represented the Lazarian Court when I battled Vicor.” I had to strain to hear his reply.
    “Erol is the Prince of the Red Court. He is the most powe rful of the Red Court vampires.  He ordered my family’s deaths and he ordered them killed by his top assassin Mavre.”
    “Zane, I ’m sorry.”
    When he didn ’t respond I asked, “Where do you suggest I begin?”
    He answered by dropping several large tomes on the table in front of me. Resigned to my fate , I opened the nearest book and began reading. I’d have preferred the condensed version. Unfortunately, this wasn’t going to be my lucky day. I mean I couldn’t Goggle the answer. I’d have to sift through the kingdom’s history. I read until my eyes began to glaze over and then some. Rubbing my eyes, jiggling my legs and shrugging my shoulders, I tried hard to keep myself awake. Then I found something that got my full attention. The section was titled Vampires Raid Coastal Mountains. It wasn’t going to win a Pulitzer. Still it gave me a fair idea what we were up against. From what I could gather, the Black Court was comprised of the garden-variety, bat changing, cape sporting, and Dracula type vampire.
    The Black Court vampires looked human . In all aspects except, they didn’t have a heart. It sounded like one or two men I’d dated. They had super human strength, tremendous jumping ability, stealthy, silent movement and they fed off blood. They clearly were not picky. They consumed animal, reptile or humans. It didn’t seem to matter. They usually drained their victims and left them for dead. Those were the lucky ones. Black Court vampires turned a select few to do their bidding.
    I kept reading until Tokem buzzed my head. “It is about time you joined us. What have you been doing?”
    “The usual. You know eating, sleeping and watching The Price Is Right. No, I’ve been ease-dropping on the captives. You never can tell when a useful fact will slip from someone’s lips.”
    He looked so proud of himself . I knew he had overheard something of importance. I waited a few minutes before asking. “What have you found out?”
    “Well since you asked nicely , I’ll tell you. It seems there is a price on your head. The vampires are willing to pay anyone that kills you a million dollars.”
    “That is a flattering amount. To what do I owe this honor? The vamps have come after me before. What makes this time different? And who is after me?”
    “One question at a time, you know I don ’t like to be rushed.”
    “Out with it now or I ’ll take back the TIVO.”
    “All right, you don ’t need to get nasty. He is one of the vampires that General Wingo brought back from the Isle of Man. He claims to be a member of the Black Court. Would you like to meet him?”
    “How do you know he is trying to kill me for a bounty?”
    “I overheard