Jekyll & Hyde Inc.

And behind came the vampires. The whole Clan, desperate to avenge an unforgivable insult. Their dead feet made no sound at all, and Daniel had to glance back to make sure they’d taken the bait. He didn’t look again. It was like being chased by a tidal wave with teeth. The two Hydes raced through the deserted Underground tunnel, pushing themselves as hard as they could, knowing the vampires were already closing the gap between them. Because the undead never grew tired or ran out of breath; and because they could not stand to be defied by their livestock. It struck at the very heart of what they believed they were.

Daniel and Tina reached Fleet Harbour station only a few moments ahead of the Vampire Clan. Their muscles ached horribly, and their lungs strained to drag in fresh air. They couldn’t hear the vampires behind them, but they knew they were there. They could feel their presence, like a coming storm. Daniel and Tina hauled themselves up onto the platform, clung onto each other for a moment to get their breath, and only then looked back.

The vampires had stopped at the tunnel mouth. They could sense danger. Daniel laughed breathlessly at them, and shot them the finger. Maddened by such continuing defiance, the vampires raced forward. Daniel threw Tina down onto the platform, grabbed hold of a heavy vending machine, and pulled it over on top of them.

“What are you doing?” said Tina, as the weight of the machine pinned them down.

“We don’t want the waters of the Fleet to wash us away,” said Daniel.

She nodded quickly. “Hit the remote control.”

“Got it right here,” said Daniel.

He hit the button just as the first wave of vampires came sweeping over the edge of the platform. The sound of the bomb exploding was painfully loud in the closed space. Jagged cracks shot across the stone ceiling, and then a whole section collapsed as the blessed waters of the River Fleet came crashing in. They thundered down like a mighty falls, a whole river diverted from its usual course and forced to find a new way. Churning waters filled the station from end to end, and rose back up to the ceiling, creating an underwater grotto of dark and muddy waters.

The vampires barely had time to scream before the holy water hit them like the hammer of God. Bodies melted and faces fell apart as a great many walking corpses finally gave up the ghost. A few made it back to the tunnel mouth, but they didn’t get far before the blessed waters overtook them and dissolved them from the legs up. The entire Vampire Clan was reduced to ashes and less than ashes, as the River Fleet swept on.

Daniel had time to see some of that before a great wave of freezing cold water leapt up over the platform. He took the deepest breath he could, and then the Fleet slammed down. After that Daniel couldn’t see or hear anything, and the waters were so cold that soon he couldn’t even feel Tina beneath him. All he could do was lie there, in the dark and the freezing waters, buried alive under a River.

Fortunately, it turned out that Hydes could hold their breath for a very long time.

Eventually the River Fleet drained away through the two tunnels as it found a new course, and the waters receded. The platform reemerged, and Daniel and Tina could breathe again. They were both shivering violently, and it took a moment before Daniel was able to gather enough strength to throw off the vending machine. He rolled away from Tina and lay on his back, breathing in the blessed air and staring up at the great hole in the stone ceiling. Water was still dripping from the jagged edges. In fact, wherever Daniel looked water was dripping from something. He checked his wounds, but they had already healed. His clothes were still a mess. Tina rolled onto her side and glared at him.

“You protected me again! I told you, I don’t need protecting!”

“I’m sorry,” said Daniel. “I was a bit pushed for time. I promise, next time you can protect me.”

“Well,” said Tina. “That’s more like it.”

She kissed him, and they held each other tightly, driving out the cold.

“How very romantic,” said Paul.

Daniel and Tina broke apart and were quickly up on their feet again. The vampire was standing some distance down the platform, half hidden in the shadows. He was still wearing his long coat, which gave every appearance of being dry as a bone.

“Why are you hiding in the dark, Paul?” said Daniel.

“It’s not as dark as my heart,” said the vampire. “You look like a drowned rat, Danny boy.”

Tina scowled at him. “How did you survive the flooding?”

“I got here early,” said Paul. “Stole one of the elders’ coffins and tucked it away somewhere safe. Then all I had to do was stay inside until it was all right to come out. Though the coffin did turn out to be not entirely watertight.”

He moved forward into the light and Daniel could see terrible burns on his face and hands, from where they’d been splashed by the blessed waters.

“Why are you here?” said Tina.

“Unfinished business,” said Paul.

“I know,” said Daniel. “I hadn’t forgotten.”