"Strange Encounter at Cummings Manor" by April C. Pyles

This excerpt from the story "Strange Encounter at Cummings Manor" was first published in "Short Scary Stories" by the Point Pleasant Writers Guild 2007, pp 93, 94. " 'Hurry, Girls---' Geoffrey's voice broke off just as he cleared the top of the basement stairs. There stood Lord Cummings, and he didn't look too happy about this recent development. In fact, he was almost snarling. Glenda could see his prominent canines even from where she stood below Geoffrey and Leslie. The thought of them sinking into her neck made her shiver again. Geoffrey instinctively rushed at Lord Cummings, knocking him off balance. Both men were of equal size, but Cummings seemed inordinately strong. As they grappled with each other, first one went down, and then the other. Their struggle carried over into the great room, dimly lit by the smoldering coals. What seemed like hours to Glenda and Leslie were actually only a couple of minutes. Suddenly, the front door crashed open and loud voices filled the hall. A howling dog joined the fray on the floor, and a whistle was heard above the din. Agatha had arrived with the Cavalry, thank goodness! Glenda yelled out, "Be careful, he's a vampire!" No one could hear her, however. A uniformed policeman tackled Lord Cummings and held him firmly. This enabled Geoffrey to release his hold. After doing so, he quickly disappeared up the front stairs. Glenda looked for and found a wall switch. Now that the electricity was in working order again, they might as well shed a little light on the situation. In a few seconds Geoffrey was back, holding something in his hands. In less time than it takes to tell, he lunged with it directly at Lord Cummings. This gentleman seemed to sense what was about to happen, because as he shook off Billing's hands, his own hands flew up to shield his heart. Too late, the sharp wooden stake, all that was left of the ancient weapon that Geoffrey had seen earlier in the stairwell, found its mark in Cummings' chest. The sound of his enraged scream silenced everyone else. At first, of course, Agatha, Derek and Billy were aghast at what they were witnessing, but quite unable to prevent it from happening. The thought Geoffrey must have lost his mind in all the confusion. Lord Cummings began to writhe and flail about, but Geoffrey held onto the stake as though his life depended upon it, which, of course, it did, as well as everyone else's. And then, before their very eyes, all that remained of Lord Cummings was a dead bat on the floor, the stake protruding from its body."