“I met with a vampire the other day,” I yawned.
“Day?” my friend enquired.
“Alright,” I said. “Late last night, early morning.” I stretched and felt a wave of dizziness come over me. “Pleasant chap. Wanted to invite him to tea.”
“You didn’t, I hope,” said a voice behind me.
“Mildred!” I exclaimed, turning around. “When’d you get here?”
“Last night,” my friend answered. “Which you would have known if you ever listened to anything other than your own voice.”
“Nice to see you again, dear,” I said, ignoring Barney’s playful insult. “You would have loved the fellow, probably killed him too. I know how you feel about, well, his kind.”
“No worse than I feel about you,” she smiled.
“Oh, I do hope this isn’t our final meeting,” I said, turning to Barney with a grin.
“Please,” said Barney, looking up at Mildred. “I grow weary of my penance.”
“You two would go straight to Hell if I did.” She sat down. “But that’s not why I came. Have you ever heard of The Servants of Delta?”
With a chuckle, I said, “I suppose Barney could say more on that subject than I.”
“Yet somehow, you’re the one talking,” she said.
“If,” I interjected, “he weren’t bound by deadly oaths.”
“But he’s already dead,” she said.
“More dreadful than death,” said my friend, a somber tone creeping into his voice.
Mildred opened her mouth, about to speak.
“You see,” I added quickly, trying to get a word in before Mildred took over the whole conversation. “Barney here is rather tight lipped about his old gang.”
She raised an eyebrow at the two of us.
“Or so I surmise. You see, anytime I’ve brought up the subject, all he gives is that cryptic reply, ‘More dreadful than death.'” I laughed. “Silly,” I remonstrated. “But I suppose ghosts have to fear something too.”
She waved her hand before my face, forming the sigil of silence over me. Unable to stop myself, my mouth kept moving, but my words went unheard.
“I always love it when you visit,” said Barney, sitting himself comfortably in his chair. “I’m going to tell you the whole story, start to finish, if you’d like. I’ll tell you anything as long as you keep that spell going. Mind if I smoke?”
“Please,” she said.
And lighting his pipe, Barney began to unfold such a monstrous tale that it chilled my bloodless veins and nearly started my heart with terror. I began to wonder what sort of horrible penance he could hope to suffer that might undo the crimson stains upon his soul. What devilish torture had heaven laid upon him? I had been with him day after day for the last thousand years, and I had never noticed anything. All he ever did was sit and talk with me.
Tale Told 