Missing Vampire: Reward Available (Hypernaturals 6)

Final Judgement

I am never going to win here, so I changed the subject. "I see you parked the nine over at that table." I said to Kuzman.

"Yes. They await their challenge. They know they must face you. They have also seen you in the battle against the humans, and are very sensibly terrified to a man. Your reputation preceded you, but to see it in front of your eyes is to raise fear to an entirely new level. It became real to them what YOU can do to them."

I swirled my beer around. Killed it. "Anything less sweet here? More hops?" I asked.

Jessica handed me a different beer. "Lager. Pilsner Urquell territory. Clean. Crisp. Not sweet. No hops to speak of."

"That will do. Thanks." I took the beer, and we sat at the long table. Kuzman and I facing the nine.

"Kuzman: Have these nine been useful in the repair of this hall?" I opened with.

"Yes. They all worked very hard. There is still some skilled work remaining in the kitchen. One stove is out of commission. They are paying the person that can repair it."

I nodded. Sipped. Looked them over.

"OK. Let me ask you all, as a group: Do any of you wish to face me in combat? The Siren way? I mean push the tables back, and fight me, hand to hand. Not to the death. Only until you are unconscious. Any of you want to do that?"

Kuzman translated for those with no English. That got negative head shakes.

"A fight has to be fair of course, and nine to one would not be. I'd cream you all. Cream being slang meaning you would be beaten until you resemble whipped cream in coffee."

Translation. Nods

"To be fair, you'd need help. Would any other Sirens from this hall back you up, after what you did? Now that they know you nine betrayed your entire species and nearly got everyone in the hall killed by the Purists?"

More negative head movements.

Kuzman said to me "They are all shamed here. No man would help them. No female Siren would have sex with them. They have lost their opportunity for Siren children."

Kuzman was talking to me so he did not translate. I could tell which ones spoke English from their reaction to that statement.

"I see. So it does not seem to me I can challenge you in the traditional way. Instead, I can charge you with a fitting punishment, and if you refuse my offer, you must face me individually. Agreed, Kuzman?"

"I agree." He nodded curtly. Finally.

"I give each of you credit for being brave enough to come back here, and sit opposite of me, knowing as you now must after the battle that happened here that you could not win. Not at nine to one. There has been enough violence in here. Enough death. You eight, other than Parvan: Do you understand that working with the HPA led to what happened here. Not only what happened to ME, personally, but to your Hall. A verbal response, please? Yes or no."

After the translation, one by one came a sullen 'yes'.

"Ok. You eight, I put you in Kuzman's hands. I cannot be here all the damn time to monitor your punishment any more than I can play with Toma's kids in the Creche. I would if I could. You all stole a month of my life, so I am about to steal a month of yours. Seven hundred and twenty hours worth. Each of you. Kuzman will tell you what to do. Every terrible job he has. Clean the grease traps? That is you. Unclog the toilet? You. Shovel the snow, assuming it snows here. Fix roof leaks. Whatever. I can see from looking around here you can do good work. Do you agree?"

Nods, less sullen. They are getting off light and they know it.

"Kuzman: Do you accept the responsibility of tracking their hours?" I asked.