I squirmed my way further under the bed. Everyone was shouting. Lady was shouting something about a sorcerer. Mike was screaming that his cross didn't work and demanding to know how to activate his armor. William bellowed curse words at the top of his lungs. Patrick was yelling a question, I think, but I couldn't make out what it was.

I carefully maneuvered the Sword of the Bequest I'd grabbed so it wasn't sticking out from under the bed. Everyone else fought. I heard thumps and yells and the high pitched screams of Shadowbound being unraveled by the Green Knight's sword. They were the same monsters Madeline had summoned. I was sure of it. I was also sure they hadn't been summoned by a vampire this time. If they had, Mike's holy symbol would have stopped them.

My train of terrified thought derailed as something cold clamped onto my legs. One of the Shadows started to pull me out from under the bed. I tried kicking at it, then wised up and stabbed it with the Sword. The magical blade didn't bother it any more than my shoeless feet had.

I was halfway out when the Green Knight swept his sword through the thing. The Shadow screeched and dissolved. I dimly registered more shadows pouring through the walls as I scrambled back under the bed. I wasn't careful enough dragging the sword with me, and put a couple of deep slices into my leg.

I tucked my self as close to the center of the bedframe as I could. My whole body was clenched, and I was breathing too fast. I forced myself to slow down, breathing as deeply and quietly as I could manage. The shouting had died down, leaving only thumps and grunts of exertion. I could see Lady's feet dancing as she swung the Green Knight's Sword of Bequest. Between her and William, I decided we'd be alright. Madeline had been able to summon a lot of Shadows, but I was pretty sure they weren't infinite. We just had to keep banishing the things until there weren't any more.

I was still repeating that comforting thought half a minute later, when a loud bang cracked through the hotel room. I had a confused few seconds to realize someone had just kicked down our door. Then came a much louder bang, and a brilliant flash of light. I was at the wrong angle to see whatever had made it, but the light was still bright enough I reflexively closed my eyes.

My ears were ringing, but I could hear well enough to recognize dozens of footsteps pounding into the room. Gunfire came next. Not the pop of Mike's pistol or the boom of a shotgun. This was the rapid fire sound of assault rifles. I clamped my hands over my ears to drown out the sound.

The gunfire only lasted a few seconds. Several pairs of boots entered my field of vision. I looked past them and saw Lady being wrestled down to the floor by two men in tactical gear. She very carefully didn't make eye contact with me.

"So," a voice I didn't recognize spoke. It was male, more baritone than bass, and had a hint of an accent I couldn't identify. "The Knights have returned. I suppose that explains what happened to Madeline."

"Who the fuck are you?" The voice was Mike's. A jolt of relief shot up my legs. My friend was still alive.

"Me?" The man sounded amused. "I'm the man who's going to kill you." A brief pause. "Though I suppose it wouldn't hurt to be polite. You may call me Mr. Mauvaise."

"Mauvaise?" Mike pronounced it as Mauve wee. He snorted. "Your name is Mr. Evil?"

"Of course not," scoffed the man. "That is simply what I will allow you to call me. Only a fool would give his true name in front of a practitioner."

"If you say so, Mr. Evil." Mike chortled. "I'm Captain Thegoodguy, but you can call me Good Guy for short. These are my friends, Lady Goodguy, Blue Goodguy, and Asshole. It's nice to meet you. Please fuck off and die."

"Are you aware of the situation you're in?" Mr. Mauvaise inquired with mild concern.

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"Yeah." I could almost hear him grin. "Are you? You're in a room with three magic knights, and all you've got are stupid spirits and some morons with guns."

"Yes," said the man. "Three knights. And one Sword. Where is the Knight of Illusion?"

"I don't know." Mike laughed. "Have you checked your butthole?"

Mr. Evil addressed someone, probably Lady, with severe disappointment. "Is this really the best you could find?"

Lady didn't answer. I noticed her lips were moving. I think she was chanting under her breath.

Mauvaise noticed, too. "Don't bother," he told her. "Your little sleep spell only affects the living. My men are not."

Lady grimaced. "Who are you working for?"

"You haven't figured it out yet?" Mr. Evil tsked. ""Once the knights told their story, I thought it would be obvious."

"Always good to have confirmation," William cut in. "You'd be amazed what a difference a little information makes. Like learning I'm being held down by dead men." There was a flash of green light and a pair of thumps. Mike let out a roar of effort. Two crashes nearly covered the sound of footsteps charging the sorcerer. I really wished I could see what was going on.

"Fuck! He's-" William cut off with a gurgle. A pair of thumps followed Mike's surprised cry. I heard another thud, than silence. Shit. Did William just die? Did Mike?

"I see your point," said Mauvaise. "Imagine if you'd known what I can do." He chuckled. "The last of the Knights of Avalon. I'm going to enjoy taking your souls."

"You won't get the chance," Lady told him. She took in a breath, closing her eyes. She opened them and thundered, "My name is Nynyane Atta Fae! I am Lady of the Lake and High Priestess of Avalon!"

She had a hell of a voice. I'm pretty sure they heard her on the other side of the hotel. I was confused for a moment. What the hell good was yelling her name going to do? I frowned to myself as the echo faded. Then it hit me.

Lady had specifically warned us not to guess at her name. She was adamant that it never be spoken aloud. Not for any reason. She'd said more than once that there were worse things than vampires. One of them would come calling if it found out where she was.

That's when I felt it. Cold. Malevolent. Heavy. The air was hard to breath. The lights dimmed, then flickered out. A wind, an actual fucking wind, howled into the room. Which was inside of a building.

Have you ever felt yourself being watched? Not just thought, or felt, or wondered. I mean have you ever known, just fucking known, that someone out there had his eyes on you? Now imagine knowing, instinctively and absolutely, that the person watching you was something out of H.P. Lovecraft. Something ancient, evil, alien in a way that induces madness. I felt it see me, the way a field mouse feels the gaze of a mountain lion. Or a xenomorph.

It was all I could do to stay still. A small sound escaped despite my best efforts. Something between a grunt and a gibbering laugh. I hadn't thought I could be more terrified than I already was, but I was wrong. The worry that Mauvaise would find me clenched my fists and sped my heartrate, but it was nothing compared to the realization that that.... thing had focused in on me. I had it's full attention, and that attention scared me more than anything I'd ever experienced. The only reason I didn't piss myself was that I'd used the bathroom half an hour ago. I couldn't stop myself from shaking, but I tried to do it quietly.

The presence, whatever it was, didn't stay long. Five seconds. Maybe ten. The wind stopped. The lights flickered back on. My body was still clenched, but I could breathe again. I stifled a gasp, clasping a hand over my mouth. That thing might find me later, but if I let existential terror give me away, Mr. Evil would kill me right now.

It was silent for a few moments longer. Then Mauvaise spoke. "You would risk the Servant?"

Lady was grim. "If it means taking you with me."

"Putain." Mr. Evil almost whispered. The fact that he sounded shaken would worry me later, but at the time I was too pants-shittingly scared to notice. "We have to go. Bring her."

The men holding Nynyane hoisted her onto her feet. Footsteps rapidly approached the bed I was under. I saw dark gray metal boots, with metal shins. Armor? Was Mr. Evil a Knight? I heard him pick something up off the bed. The other Sword of the Bequest, I figured.

The Gray Knight stepped away, moving quickly. The other men followed. The footsteps paused, and I heard a shucking sound followed by a gurgle. The footsteps resumed. I listened to them fade as they hurried down the hallway.

I needed to move. Mike was hurt. He might be dying. I was pretty sure Mr. Evil had stabbed Patrick on the way out. The Green Knight was out of commission, but if I could get him on his feet he might be able to heal everyone else. As long as they hadn't died yet.

Oh fuck. Everyone might be dead already. I might be the only left. It would be up to me to save the Lady of the Lake. The fate of the whole world might be resting in my hands.

I seriously considered staying hidden under the bed.