Ron Goulart - The Curse of the Obelisk

THE CURSE OF THE OBELISK 73
The hall leading away from the room was hung with faded tapestries across which courtly
knights and fair maidens rode in eternal pilgrimage. He went up another flight of stairs and found
himself standing in an arched doorway.
Midway down the gaslit hall a broad man wearing a turban was leaning beside a door. His back
was, thus far, turned to Harry.
Harry tiptoed along the carpeting. When he was about three feet behind the turbaned guard, he
reached out and tapped him on the shoulder.
The stocky man flinched, started to spin around.
Harry hit him in the temple with the butt of his gun, holding the weapon in his left hand.
Because of the guard's tuban and because Harry didn't have as much strength in his left as in his
right hand, it took three whaps with the gun to knock the man out.
Harry caught him, dragged him along to a nearby alcove and dumped him in there. Using the
turban, he gagged and tied him. He appropriated the guard's .45, stuffing it into his pocket.
"Spoils the look of my suit."
He returned to the door, opened it and walked in, grinning amiably.
"Harry," said Jennie happily. She was seated in a wing chair that had been pulled over beside
the fourposter bed.
Naida Strand, wearing a floor-length velvet gown, was standing over her. The expression on
her face mingled recognition, amusement and scorn.
"
The old man on the bed croaked, "Who is this audacious young man? What does he mean by—
"This is my dear old friend Harry Challenge," said Naida, toying with the ruby brooch around
her pale neck.
"Challenge? Pennoyer killed him, days ago."
"Apparently not," said Naida.
Harry took his revolver out and gestured at the dark-haired woman. "Jennie'll be leaving now."
Jennie stood, notebook pressed to her breasts. "Yes, I will," she seconded. "Thanks for having
me."
Naida's smile was thin and cold. "You forget, dear Harry, that your gun can't harm me," she
reminded. "Surely, after all your experience in matters occult, you know a vampire can't be killed
with ordinary bullets."
He grinned again. "Yep, I know that, ma'am," he answered. "Which is why I have six silver
bullets loaded in here. Had them cast while I was laid up in the hospital in Kaltzonburg. Took a fall
off a train a few days back."
Jennie moved around the bed, walked by the coffin and came to Harry's side. "I'm glad you
survived."
"I was sort of pleased myself."
"He's bluffing you, Naida," said Zaytoon. "Take the gun out of my bedside table and kill him."