Vampire a Go-Go

FIFTY-FIVE

After fleeing St. Vitus Cathedral and Prague Castle, they returned to Penny’s apartment, where Allen and Amy laid Penny on her bed. She woke several hours later, pleasantly surprised to be in her own room. Allen and Amy filled her in on what she’d missed.

Penny cried for Father Paul.

They all slept, aches and bruises and fatigue forcing them into the deepest slumber of their lives.

The next day, Allen and Penny walked Amy to the nearest tram stop. Amy wore a pink T-shirt, white shorts, and sandals, her toenails painted the same pink as the T-shirt. She wore a small backpack over one shoulder. She looked like she was on her way to a sorority beach party.

“I knew I never had any powers,” Amy said wistfully. “But to be a member of the Society, to have a place. I’m not very independent, I guess. I needed to belong.”

“What are you going to do now?” Allen asked.

She shrugged. “Maybe in the fall I’ll go back to school. Finish my dissertation in astrophysics.”

Astrophysics?

“Until then I suppose I’ll bum around,” Amy said. “I’ll take the tram to the train station. Catch the express to Vienna. It’ll be nice to be an ordinary tourist.”

Penny offered her hand, and they shook. “I know we didn’t hit it off at first, but I hope we see you again.”

Amy smiled. “I’d like that.”

The tram pulled up to the stop, and Amy climbed aboard.

She suddenly jumped off, grabbed Allen’s face, and planted a hard kiss right on his lips. Allen stood speechless.

Amy flashed a devilish grin at Penny. “I know he’s all yours. But he sure is cute, isn’t he?”

She hopped back aboard the tram as it pulled out, and they watched Amy wave from the back window. The tram rounded a corner and trundled out of sight.

Penny and Allen strolled the sidewalk.

“It just occurred to me,” Allen said. “I don’t have to research a chapter on Kafka for Professor Evergreen anymore. Looks like I have a whole summer and nothing to do.”

Penny’s hand found his, and their fingers laced. “Well, I just don’t know what you’re going to do. I hear Prague’s kind of a dull town.”

Allen’s face grew somber. “I think there’s something I need to tell you, Penny. Something about me and Cassandra.”

“Never mind,” she said. “Amy told me all about it.”

“You don’t care?”

“I can’t say I’m thrilled,” she admitted, “but it wasn’t your fault.” She stopped him, stood in front of him, head tilted up. “Besides, you’re mine. I earned you. So try to be worth it, okay?”

“Looks like I know what I’m doing this summer.”

He kissed her long and hard.

It was good.

Much better than a Brontë novel.

Much of this novel was inspired by actual events. Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II really did keep alchemists prisoner in Prague Castle to work on the secret of the philosopher’s stone. Edward Kelley and John Dee were real people. Read up on this stuff. It’s interesting.

But please be aware that the author has recklessly deviated from actual history for his own purposes. Liberties were taken. Dates screwed with. Serious historians should avail themselves of a grain of salt.