Demon Rock by Stephen Derrian Read Free Book Online Page A

every vamp in this place and there would be increased security and an investigation. We can't risk that if we are to make it to the dock." 
    "Hmm… never thought of that."
    "Good night."
    "Night."
    Warlock was right about one thing, I did need to think of something and fast. The thought of the Master tearing me from limb to limb replayed in my head over and over again as I tried to fall asleep. Warlock was out like a light almost immediately when he lay back in his bed, his snoring adding to my insomnia. I knew it was going to be another long night.
     

The Wait
     
     
    Just as the day before, the guards came around at six thirty in the morning. I was in the middle of dreaming about my wife. In the dream we were away on one of our many weekends away. More of a memory than a dream; we were in Dublin, the weather would suggest that it was around January time but it’s hard to tell when you're in Ireland. We had just returned from the Guinness factory and were out for a meal. My wife and I sat over a candle lit dinner conversing, laughing and enjoying ourselves. All of a sudden my wife became inaudible; all I could hear was the clanging of metal. Her lips were still moving but all I could hear was the metal. I looked down at my plate but my venison had turned to the thick yellow porridge. The clanging got louder. I was torn from my dream and awoke in my bed with a guard rapidly rattling his baton between the bars back and forth as the siren wailed out. I yawned and slowly rose from my bed. Warlock had already stood up and was stretching. The cell door opened and we lined up.
     
    We walked to the mess hall taking the same route as we had previously the day before. The queue seemed to move slower. When I finally got to the front of the queue, the same beauty of a woman served me. This time it was not porridge but scrambled egg, however, even the egg bore a resemblance to yesterday mornings porridge and yesterday evenings milk. It was almost enough for me to not eat it but I needed my strength if the Master was to attack. I sat with Warlock as we ate. A few people were staring at me, having seen me attack the vamp five nights before. Each one probably wondering how I survived the chamber. I spied the vamps in their usual spot. The gang was one member short. As with the last time I had seen them, the Master sat in the middle protected by his loyal servants. The Master's gaze was fixed on me. I could feel his stare burrowing through me to my core. I brought up the courage to look the Master in the eye. As our eyes met the Master parted his mouth slightly exposing his fangs. His eyes remaining on me the entire time. I turned to try and stomach my eggs, Warlock looked petrified. 
    "He is not happy with you..."
    "Tell me about it."
    "So, you got a plan yet?"
    "The plan is to survive, at whatever cost."
    For the remainder of breakfast the Master did not once look away. If only looks could kill... He remained almost perfectly still continually staring at me like a predator stalking his prey... but he did not make a move. Breakfast ended and we all headed towards the yard. The Master would make his move in the yard, that's when he would do it. I was sure of it. 
     
    As the morning progressed the Master was still yet to make his move. Out in the yard the Master never took his eyes of me, but he did not act. Self preservation must have been his motive I figured. He wanted to avoid the fate of his brother and the chamber. But that look... he had something planned. Perhaps he knew where and when to get me alone. Perhaps he had an ally in one of the guards, someone who out of fear would look the other way. Either way, I was half a day closer to my escape and still alive. Given the Master's rage, a positive outcome. 
     
    The afternoon involved manual labour again. Once more I was assigned with toilet duty, going round the various cells as the other inmates went about other tasks. It was a horrid task but I ground by teeth and bore