I couldn't think of a thing to say for a long time. Godfrey stood there, looking at me sadly, holding Gabe's body in his arms, forgotten.
'What stopped you?' I asked.
'Nothing will stop me. Nothing but my death.'
'I'm so sorry,' I said inadequately. He was suffering, and I was truly sorry for that. But if he'd been human, I'd have said he deserved the electric chair without thinking twice.
'How soon is it until dark?' I asked, not knowing what else to say.
Godfrey had no watch, of course. I assumed he was up only because he was underground and he was very old. Godfrey said, 'An hour.'
'Please let me go. If you help me, I can get out of here.'
'But you will tell the vampires. They will attack. I will be prevented from meeting the dawn.'
'Why wait till the morning?' I asked, suddenly irritated. 'Walk outside. Do it now.'
He was astounded. He dropped Gabe, who landed with a thud. Godfrey didn't even spare him a glance. 'The ceremony is planned for dawn, with many believers there to witness it,' he explained. 'Farrell will also be brought up to face the sun.'
'What part would I have played in this?'
He shrugged. 'Sarah wanted to see if the vampires would exchange one of their own for you. Steve had other plans. His idea was to lash you to Farrell, so that when he burned, so would you.'
I was stunned. Not that Steve Newlin had had the idea, but that he thought it would appeal to his congregation, for that was what they were. Newlin was further over the top than even I had guessed. 'And you think lots of people would enjoy seeing that, a young woman executed without any kind of trial? That they would think it was a valid religious ceremony? You think the people who planned this terrible death for me are truly religious?'
For the first time, he seemed a shade doubtful. 'Even for humans, that seems a little extreme,' he agreed. 'But Steve thought it would be a powerful statement.'
'Well, sure it would be a powerful statement. It would say, 'I'm nuts.' I know this world has plenty of bad people and bad vampires, but I don't believe the majority of the people in this country, or for that matter just here in Texas, would be edified by the sight of a screaming woman burning to death.'
Godfrey looked doubtful. I could see I was voicing thoughts that had occurred to him, thoughts he had denied to himself he was entertaining. 'They have called the media,' he said. It was like the protest of a bride slated to marry a groom she suddenly doubted. But the invitations have been sent out, Mother.
'I'm sure they have. But it'll be the end of their organization, I can tell you that flat out. I repeat, if you really want to make a statement that way, a big 'I'm sorry,' then you walk out of this church right now and stand on the lawn. God'll be watching, I promise you. That's who you should care about.'
He struggled with it; I'll give him that.
'They have a special white robe for me to wear,' he said. (But I've already bought the dress and reserved the church.)
'Big damn deal. If we're arguing clothes, you don't really want to do it. I bet you'll chicken out.'
I had definitely lost sight of my goal. When the words came out of my mouth, I regretted them.
'You will see,' he said firmly.
'I don't want to see, if I'm tied to Farrell at the time. I am not evil, and I don't want to die.'
'When was the last time you were in church?' He was issuing me a challenge.
'About a week ago. And I took Communion, too.' I was never happier to be a churchgoer, because I couldn't have lied about that.
'Oh.' Godfrey looked dumbfounded.
'See?' I felt I was robbing him of all his wounded majesty by this argument, but dammit, I didn't want to die by burning. I wanted Bill, wanted him with a longing so intense I hoped it would pop his coffin open. If only I could tell him what was going on … . 'Come on,' said Godfrey, holding out his hand.
I didn't want to give him a chance to rethink his position, not after this long do-si-do, so I took his hand and stepped over Gabe's prone form out into the hall. There was an ominous lack of conversation from Farrell and Hugo, and to tell the truth, I was too scared to call out to find out what was going on with them. I figured if I could get out, I could rescue them both, anyway.
Godfrey sniffed the blood on me, and his face was swept with longing. I knew that look. But it was devoid of lust. He didn't care a thing for my body. The link between blood and sex is very strong for all vampires, so I considered myself lucky that I was definitely adult in form. I inclined my face to him out of courtesy. After a long hesitation, he licked the trickle of blood from the cut on my cheekbone. He closed his eyes for a second, savoring the taste, and then we started for the stairs.
With a great deal of help from Godfrey, I made it up the steep flight. He used his free arm to punch in a combination on the door, and swung it open. 'I've been staying down here, in the room at the end,' he explained, in a voice that was hardly more than a disturbance of the air.
The corridor was clear, but any second someone might come out of one of the offices. Godfrey didn't seem to fear that at all, but I did, and I was the one whose freedom was at stake. I didn't hear any voices; apparently the staff had gone home to get ready for the lock-in, and the lock-in guests had not yet started arriving. Some of the office doors were closed, and the windows in the offices were the only means of sunlight getting to the hall. It was dark enough for Godfrey to be comfortable, I assumed, since he didn't even wince. There was bright artificial light coming from under the main office door.
We hurried, or at least tried to, but my left leg was not very cooperative. I wasn't sure what door Godfrey was heading toward, perhaps double doors I'd seen earlier at the back of the sanctuary. If I could get safely out of those, I wouldn't have to traverse the other wing. I didn't know what I'd do when I got outside. But being outside would definitely be better than being inside. Just as we reached the open doorway to the next-to-last office on the left, the one from which the tiny Hispanic woman had come, the door to Steve's office opened. We froze. Godfrey's arm around me felt like an iron band. Polly stepped out, still facing into the room. We were only a couple of yards away.
'… bonfire,' she was saying.
'Oh, I think we've got enough,' Sarah's sweet voice said. 'If everyone returned their attendance cards, we'd know for sure. I can't believe how bad people are about not replying. It's so inconsiderate, after we made it as easy as possible for them to tell us whether or not they'd be here!'
An argument about etiquette. Gosh, I wished Miss Manners were here to give me advice on this situation.
Polly's head began turning, and I knew any moment she would see us. Even as the thought formed, Godfrey pushed me into the dark empty office.
'Godfrey! What are you doing up here?' Polly didn't sound frightened, but she didn't sound happy, either. It was more like she'd found the yardman in the living room, making himself at home.
'I came to see if there is anything more I need to do.'
'Isn't it awfully early for you to be awake?'
'I am very old,' he said politely. 'The old don't need as much sleep as the young.'
Polly laughed. 'Sarah,' she said brightly, 'Godfrey's up!'
Sarah's voice sounded closer, when she spoke. 'Well, hey, Godfrey!' she said, in an identical bright tone. 'Are you excited? I bet you are!'
They were talking to a thousand-year-old vampire like he was a child on his birthday eve.
'Your robe's all ready,' Sarah said. 'All systems go!'
'What if I changed my mind?' Godfrey asked.
There was a long silence. I tried to breathe very slowly and quietly. The closer it got to dark the more I could imagine I had a chance of getting out of this.
If I could telephone … I glanced over at the desk in the office. There was a telephone on it. But wouldn't the buttons in the offices light up, the buttons for that line, if I used the phone? At the moment, it would make too much noise.
'You changed your mind? Can this be possible?' Polly asked. She was clearly exasperated. 'You came to us,
