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"Let's get the hell out of here," said Random. "He's probably planning an ambush or a chase," and with
this he drew a pistol from his belt and held it in his lap.
I drove on at a decent speed.
After about five minutes, when I was just beginning to breathe a bit easily, I heard the horn. I pushed
down on the gas pedal. Knowing that he'd catch us anyhow, but trying to buy as much time and gain as
much distance as I could. We skidded around corners and roared up hills and through dales. I almost hit
a deer at one point, but we made it around the beast without cracking up or slowing.
The horn sounded nearer now, and Random was muttering obscenities.
I had the feeling that we still had quite a distance to go within the forest, and this didn't hearten me a
bit.
We hit one long straight stretch, where I was able to floor it for almost a minute. Julian's horn notes
grew more
distant at that time. But we then entered a section where the road wound and twisted and I had to slow
down. He began to gain on us at once again.
After about six minutes, he appeared in the rear-view mirror, thundering along the road, his pack all
around him, baying and slavering.
Random rolled down his window, and after a minute he leaned out and began to fire.
"Damn that armor!" be said. "I'm sure I hit him twice and nothing's happened."
"I hate the thought of killing that beast," I gaid, "but try for the horse."
"I already have, several times," he said, tossing his empty pistol to the floor and drawing the other,
"and
either I'm a lousier shot than I thought, or it's true what they say: that it will take a silver bullet to kill
Morgenstern."
He picked off six of the dogs with his remaining rounds, but there were still about two dozen left.
I passed him one of my pistols, and he accounted for five more of the beasts.
"I'll save the last round," he said, "for Julian's head, if he gets close enough!"
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They were perhaps fifty feet behind me at that point, and gaining, so I slammed on the brakes. Some
of the
dogs couldn't halt in time, but Julian was suddenly gone and a dark shadow passed overhead.
Morgenstern had leaped over the car. He wheeled then, and as horse and rider turned to face us I
gunned the engine and the car sped forward.
With a magnificent leap, Morgenstern got them out of the way. In the rear-view mirror, I saw two
dogs drop a fender they'd torn loose and renew the pursuit. Some were lying in the road, and there were
about fifteen or sixteen giving chase.
"Good show," said Random, "but you're lucky they didn't go for the tires. They've probably never
hunted a
car before."
I passed him my remaining pistol, and "Get more dogs," I said.
He fired deliberately and with perfect accuracy, accounting for six.
And Julian was beside the car now, a sword in his right hand.
I blew the horn, hoping to spook Morgenstern, but it didn't work. I swerved toward them, but the
horse danced away. Random crouched low in his seat and aimed past me. his right hand holding the
pistol and resting upon his left forearm.
"Don't fire yet," I said. "I'm going to try to take him."
"You're crazy," he told me, as I hit the brakes again.
He lowered his weapon, though.
As soon as we came to a halt, I flung open my door and leaped out-barefooted yet! Damn it.
I ducked beneath his blade, seized his arm, and hurled him from the saddle. He struck me one on the
head with his mailed left fist, and there were Roman candles going off all around me and a terrible pain.
He lay where he had fallen, being groggy, and there were dogs all around me, biting me, and Random
kicking them. I snatched up Julian's blade from where it lay and touched his throat with its point.
"Call them off!" I cried. "Or I'll nail you to the ground!"
He screamed orders at the dogs and they drew back. Random was holding Morgenstern's bridle and
struggling
with the horse.
"Now, dear brother, what do you have to say for yourself?" I asked. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]