Penny's Choice (Book 1 of Penny's Choice Series)

Chapter 2 (Penny Saves the Day)

Charles sighed and let go of her hand. “The Winchester Mystery House,” he said quietly.

“Where?” Penny had never heard of that place before, but of course, she had never been west of the Mississippi before she met Charles.

“The Winchester Mystery House is a unique building and popular tourist attraction that was built by an eccentric widow and heiress.”

“Why are we going to a tourist trap?” Penny asked. She didn't like the idea of staying at a place inundated with noisy tourists.

“Because that is just a ruse and a way that we support the Brotherhood. It was built to keep vampires out, well, and tourists too. The building has 579 rooms, but the public only know about 160 of them. Every odd feature of the house – and there are many – is designed with one thing in mind: keep the vampires out.”

“Oh, so she had vampire problems too?” Penny asked. Perhaps this place might be more interesting than she thought.

“Took her family from her,” he said. “Her husband died several years after the initial attack that claimed her newborn child. She spent the rest of her life building a fortress against vampires.”

“Oh,” Penny said. She puckered her lips in deep thought. “I'm sorry about yelling at you. It's just been a long couple months.”

“It's all right.” he said, squeezing her hand lightly before he let it go. “You're entitled to be a pain in the butt occasionally.” A half smile flickered across his face.

Penny slugged him in the arm.

“Okay, okay, save the violence for the vampires.” He resumed his position with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. He was done talking for now.

Penny was about to resume her sleeping position when the car lurched to the side. Charles immediately jerked up and pressed a button on the center console.

“Bradley, what seems to be the problem?” Charles asked while he grabbed a gun out of the back of the seat and handed it to Penny.

“Um, not Bradley...this is Thomas,” the man replied.

“Thomas? Thomas, what the hell are you doing?”

“Saving you from hungry werewolves,” he replied, and the car swerved down another road. Penny saw the skyline of Salt Lake City on the horizon. She thought they must be going over a hundred miles an hour. She looked back behind the car and saw a large wolf chasing them.

“How long have you been driving?” Charles asked as he loaded a gun for himself.

“Since you left San Jose,” the man said. “Overheard some werewolf talk. Lost the rest of them a couple miles ago.”

“Thomas, you can't be here...driving,” Charles said. Penny thought he was complaining about a rather odd thing. Let the man do his job and drive, she thought as the car lurched again as the wolf butted its head against the vehicle.

“Wow that thing is fast!” Penny said when she realized that the wolf was keeping up with the car's pace.

“And strong,” the voice said over the intercom.

“Just shut up and drive, now that you're here,” Charles said.

“I am guessing these things are killed by silver bullets? Or is that just a werewolf myth?” Penny asked.

“Silver bullets!” Charles said as he unbuckled his seat belt.      

Penny followed his example by unbuckling and readying her gun.