Excerpt: Dick Turpin and the vampire footpads

Horse walked out into the road. The coach driver cocked his pistol and aimed it straight at Dick.
“Stand where you are, I’m not afraid to use this,” he said, but his voice shook almost as much as his hands.
Dick froze in the saddle. He couldn’t take his eyes off the gun.
“Get im Dick,” Blake shouted from the trees. “Ee can’t urt ya, you’s dead remember.”
Dick wished that the stupid oaf would shut up.
“Ee… oh dammit, I’m even talking like him now,” Horse said. “He doesn’t know you’re not dead remember Dick. You can’t blame him for it.”
Dick didn’t want Horse in his head, he was having trouble trying to think his way around this one.
“Don’t much matter if he fires, I’m quicker than he is. You don’t have to worry Dick. I’ll rear up, the bullet won’t hurt me,” he tried to reassure him.
“What if he’s faster than you are?” Dick asked
“Nah, impossible,” Horse said back.
The coachman looked oddly at Dick, his head on one side as if he was trying to hear something.
“Dammit, Think when you are speaking to me, don’t say the words out loud,” Horse reminded him.
At that moment Dick heard Chippin ask Ned, “Who’s ee talking ta?”
“Buggered if I know,” Ned replied. “I’ve heard im do it afore, I think it’s to unnerve the victims. You watch he’ll swoop down on them ladies afore they know what’s it em.”
Dick knew this should be his cue to jump down and ravage the poor ladies in the coach, but he couldn’t bring himself to move.
At that moment two things happened, the gun went off and Horse reared, just in time to absorb the bullet meant for Dick.
Dick fell off Horse’s back, but managed to make it look like he jumped down. He headed for the coach and Blake sprang for the coachman and snapped his neck. The Guard tried to make a run for it, but Chippin had him. Both vampires began to feed. Ned closed the gap between himself and Dick and it was only a panicked thought from Horse that alerted Dick to Ned’s proximity.
“Get back, the women are mine,” Horse thought and Dick repeated the words.
Ned stopped abruptly and backed away.
“Sorry boss,” he said sheepishly “I forgot what you said about waiting me turn.”

There were three women inside the coach. Two young and one old.
The elder of the three had her kerchief covering her nose and mouth, she looked about to faint. The youngest of the three wasn’t more than thirteen summers and Dick couldn’t imagine ravishing her and the last woman was… Meg.
To Dick’s amazement Meg didn’t look at all frightened. She seemed to be enjoying the encounter immensely.
“Well if it aint me old mate Dick,” she said and then her eyes narrowed.
“It aint…” she began but before she said anything else Dick had jumped into the carriage and pulled her roughly up and out to stand on the road beside the coach.
Meg hit him with both hands, but he pressed his lips firmly to hers. She melted in his arms. When he was sure she wouldn’t scream he pulled away and whispered into her ear.
“Don’t say anything, just listen.
“I know your voice,” she accused.
“Yer right there missus, it’s the great Dick Turpin,” Ned shouted over to her.
Meg looked as though she might reply, but Dick shook his head slightly and whispered, “If you want to get out of this alive, then be silent and let me explain.”
She nodded slightly and he leaned in to speak into her ear.
“I have to pretend to bite your neck because if I don’t, then one of them others will and trust me you don’t want that. They aint human and if they bite you, well, lets just say you won’t live to tell the tale. However, if I suck at your neck, well that sort of puts my mark on you and they will leave you alone if you get me drift. Nod once if you are in agreement.”
Meg nodded slightly and Dick kissed her neck and then began to suck, making noises to that effect. Ned smiled, satisfied that his boss was getting a feeding.
When Dick had finished she had a red bruise on her neck and he whispered, “I have to prick your neck now with these little pins and he held his hand up discretely as if brushing away the hair from her face, to show her the two little pins he was holding. She nodded imperceptibly and he jabbed her neck. She stifled a cry and he nodded in satisfaction. She pretended to swoon. For a moment Dick thought she had done this before. The thought made him feel uneasy.
He carried her back to the Coach and placed her back in her seat.
Blake and the others were making their way to the coach now. Both footpads had blood on their lips. Ned was the only one who hadn’t got anything out of the robbery as yet.
Dick turned directly to Ned and repeated Horse’s words, “Take their valuables and then let them go. There is no need of more killing tonight.”
“Aint ya gonna take the pretty lassy to your bed Dick?” Ned Asked.
Dick faltered.
Horse said, though it was Dick who spoke the words, “I’ve already mesmerised her, she will come to me at my call.”
Ned nodded knowingly and Blake and Chippin gaped at him mouth open.
“Can ee do that?” Chippin asked.
“Buggered if I na.” Blake replied
Ned was quick to show his knowledge of the master, “That ee can!” he asserted.
“Can we all do that Dick?” Blake asked.
“No, it’s my speciality,” Dick adlibbed. He could hear Horse’s approval in his head.
“At last, you are learning Dick.” Horse said.
Ned looked at Horse, “Ya na, I could swear that horse understands everything we’re saying,” he said. “Ee looks like ees laffing at us.”
“Well aint he the clever one,” Horse thought.
Dick smiled. “He is laughing at you, Ned.” He agreed.
Blake looked at the horse’s red eyes gleaming in the darkness. “Bugger me if I don’t think you’re right.” He said and laughed. “Bloody good orse ya got yersel there Dick,” he said.