Haldred Chronicles: Alyssa by JG Cully Read Free Book Online Page B

the piss.” he said with typical bluntness.  “Regorash is dead.  Proper
dead.  He was the last.”
    Indeed he was. 
Victoria knew all about Operation Shadowhawk.  An overly flamboyant name for an
operation that was originally supposed to be top secret, but one that the
people relations section within the Argon government had leapt on when it was
successful.  The plan had been to send a reinforced unit of 'Specialists' in to
assassinate Igor Regorash, the last remaining vampire dictator, whose actions
had caused the destruction of countless villages and peoples in southern Argon.
    Specialists had
been the Argon war machine's wonder weapons during the Six Nations War.  Expert
black powder marksmen, powerful Pyro mages, veteran long swordsmen and so on. 
Men and woman from every race, human to elf to bearkin and everything in
between.  All trained to perfection and sent on the most dangerous of missions. 
It was they who had ended the vampire's reign of terror.  A pity so many of
them hadn't returned.
    After Operation
Shadowhawk's success, the surviving specialists were rewarded, after a fashion,
with a new concept called 'fame'.  Their names and deeds were turned into songs
and stories across the length and breadth of the land.  Books such as My
role in the Big Kill, Dust and ash: what my sword did to the vampire lord and Regorash and me: surviving the Great Dictator had all become best
sellers amongst those with the coin to afford them.  Whilst originally named
songs such as 'I’ll beat your face in yeah fanged monkey' and ' What
about yeah, yeh blood sucking cesspit! ' continued to prove popular with the
tavern minstrels. 
    The specialists
were labelled the plucky adventurers and their actual vocations never
released publicly.  Even now, those that had survived still enjoyed that fame
and the lifestyle that it brought.
    Fair play to
them ,
thought Victoria.  They'd killed a vampire lord and released over a thousand
people from the curse.  Good job.
     
    “I agree,”
concluded Victoria at length, staring off across the open window, crossing her
arms thoughtfully.
    Regorash had
been the last.
    Still...
    Was he really
the last?  Had they really all just reverted back to human form afterwards?  It
had always seemed very convenient at the time.
    “The signature's
from the Overseer,” she continued.  “he wouldn't pass something like this down
if it didn't warrant at least looking into.”
    Not that she was
complimenting the Head of the Department.  She was just making an observation. 
The Overseer of the Investigative Department in Larrick City was one Horna
Gladwell.  A career minded smart-assed short-arsed git as far as Victoria was
concerned.  Always attempting to inflict politics on her and seeming to wallow
in said objective.  She didn't like him and was unlikely to ever like him. 
Unfortunately though, he was the boss, and he'd sent down a job.
    Malak groaned
from the corner.
    “Gods woman,” he
said.  “you're going to make me ride again aren't you?”
    Malak hated
horses, an odd thing for a Tornar considering Tornar military doctrine made
abundant use of light cavalry.  He could ride, and ride well, but not by
choice.  He preferred two legs on the ground as opposed to wrapped round the
mid-section of a charging horse.  Working with Victoria required a lot of
riding, more’s the pity.
    “Not this time,
you'll be glad to hear,” she said, ceasing her contemplations and standing
stiffly.  “We'll take the coach this time.”
    Even Victoria
had to admit she didn't want to ride for once. A little comfort did no harm for
her muscles.
    Malak frowned. 
“What?  Right now?”
    “We can satisfy
your obsession with crossbow ammo later Malak.” she said, casting him a knowing
look.  “According to this the victim is still fresh.  You really want to leave
the smell to get any worse?”
    Malak grunted
but stood none the less.  “Good point.”
    Victoria
unhooked her rapier from