Walking down the hall after finding Hannah’s room empty, Liddy knocked on and opened the door to where Vile was supposed to be resting. Inside she found Vile on her knees, Inky grinding against the powerful red thigh while pleasuring one of the massive breasts, and one of her tails deep inside her lover.

“Oh,” Liddy stated. “I was going to ask if you knew where Hannah was.”

Vile looked at Liddy, then to the ceiling as she thought of her response. “I think she went up on deck. Something about the ship not having a proper figurehead, and that she wanted to fill in for the time being.”

Liddy stared at Vile after her blatant lie, before her eyes drifted to Hannah, who was mimicking Inky’s actions on Vile’s other side. Though, at this point she was biting down on her breast, trying not to laugh. Vile stared at Liddy, while the two women worked their bodies against hers, and waited for a response.

“Well, then finish up here and grab her for me. Got a job that involves both of you.”

Vile slapped her powerful hand on Hannah’s bum and gripped it tight, “Way ahead of you.”

Liddy smiled and shook her head before she closed the door and left. Vile picked up the speed of the tails inside the women on either side of her. Inky and Hannah started to moan loudly. Vile put their faces together so she could watch them kiss while gasping, the wonderful sight bringing Vile to climax before either of them. Inky followed soon after as her lover shook in pleasure, causing her tail to twitch inside her. Hannah wasn't ready yet; she pulled the tail out of her friend and brought it up to fill her mouth as they kissed. The two of them pleasured the spear-tip tail as if it were a man they shared between them. Vile got rougher with the tail still penetrating the redhead and soon forced her to climax.

“Enough stalling. We have work to do,” Vile chided Hannah.

****

Liddy continued on her way through the lower deck and into the laundry room that was re-purposed into a vault. Conna and Kilty stood guard. As she entered, she could see the scattered stacks of bills still all over the floor from where she had started to count the previous night -- before Emma had told her to get some sleep. No matter what the total tally was, it was a lot. Enough almost to buy a new ship even. Liddy was giddy at the idea of having the problem of there being too much money to count.

“We’re gonna need a bigger lockbox,” Mari stated, walking in behind Liddy with a pair of fairy arms wrapped around her hips.

“I’m going to need an outright vault. Though before I can spend anything, I need to count it all up and match it to the auction logs.”

“I’m so happy that so many men wanted to be with Vile,” Easy chimed in.

“Agreed, that woman can intimidate anyone. I think, with them seeing her as a hero, they can better accept her powerful presence,” Liddy explained as she resumed her counting. “No reason to think today will be much different. Though, while most of you are resting, she will be on a special assignment.”

“Sounds fun,” Vile spoke as she entered. “Found Hannah for you!”

Liddy looked up to see Vile holding Hannah in her arm. She set her down and smiled playfully. Only then did Hannah put on the black dress she had been holding.

“Oh, good. I had hoped you would,” Liddy said with cheerful sarcasm. “Hope is getting her gear on and such. Hannah, you need to be dressed for guard duty as well. The two of you are escorting Vile to a private visit with the Duke himself. Thanks to his deployment of his own personal guard for our protection, we are plenty safe, and also very grateful. So that means he doesn't have to wait for our regular hours.”

“So I get to escort a demon goddess of fire and sex through the halls of the flakey-most layers of society?” Hannah asked.

“Yes,” Liddy replied.

“Fantastic!” Hannah shouted with excitement. “This is going to be better than sex! I mean, almost, but still awesome! The looks on their faces!”

Hannah jumped and clapped her hands excitedly before rushing off to get properly dressed. Everyone just stared at the spectacle, then turned back to Liddy.

“Well then, I suppose I can tell her she’s getting paid for it later. Vile, are you up for fucking the most powerful person in the known world?”

“Liddy, please! I’m always ready to fuck myself.”

“Politically powerful…”

“Oh, well then, sure.”

“Fantastic.” Liddy gave her head another shake. “Go get dressed in some expensive clothing and meet up on deck.”

Vile smiled and turned about, inwardly troubled by how bad things could go if she messed up.

****

Catherine was in the bath with Emma and Leira, the elf easily pulling the kinks out of the mermaid's muscles with her spectral hand and ability to tell her body to relax. While her abilities to manipulate the bodies of others worked wonders, her own needed the attention of another.

“Normally I would suggest it to be a shame you can't do this for yourself,” Cat started. “But then I wouldn't get to do the honours so… yay for me.”

Emma smiled. “I’m just so happy you are so good at it. You would think men would take it easy on a tiny girl like me, but they never do.”

“No, they seem to think that fucking us as hard as possible is the only way to prove themselves as strong men. Sure, rough is fun, but roughness without talent is just barbaric.”

“Right?! I mean, I’d rather it be talented and soft than idiotically rough. I did get a few happy mediums, but it's hard to tell when it's your dozenth man or what have you.”

“Maybe things won't be quite as crazy today. Let Liddy send the really rough ones to Mari while we get the rest.”

“Maybe I should just start fucking women. At least they have some sense about other women.”

“I’m happy to help you test that, but I think Liddy has called dibs.”

****

Ving passed Hannah her weapon while they kissed, but didn't feel the need to end it after she had done so. Her hand was already moving up Hannah’s skirt when Liddy came up the stairs and cleared her throat.

“Alright, then. Now that everyone is ready, that horseless carriage that has been patiently waiting on the docks for over an hour is going to take you to the palace. Be on your best behaviour and I will see you when you get back,” Liddy explained.

Hannah stole one more kiss from Ving before heading down the ramp, followed by Vile, who kissed Inky the same way. Hope stood, wondering for a moment, before shrugging and planting her lips on Tara -- who was simply the closest woman to her. The three of them left on the carriage, and Liddy turned to Inky.

“So, she seems to be trying her hand at sarcasm, I see.”

“Yeah, You see it a lot in raw recruits who are trying to fit in with their new unit,” Inky explained. “Experimenting with personality traits to see what works. Most just look like idiots, because they handle it so awkwardly, but not her. I think that yesterday was really good for her. Whatever her personality was before she was captured, she's slowly getting it back.”

“Seems like she was a smartass.”

“Yeah. I’m torn between letting her spend ‘more’ time with Hannah or never letting them speak again.”

Liddy laughed. “Damn redheads!”

Inky returned the laugh. “Well said.”

****

As the carriage started to leave the docks, the women inside could feel their momentum shift as suddenly it began to rise. It caught them all unaware as it joined the dozens of other flying carriages moving through the cityscape. They marvelled at the size of the city and the constant movement of life within it in every direction they looked.

“Alright, I admit I totally forgot that these things could fly,” Hope confessed.

“It’s strange. You would think being in an airship all the time would make it feel familiar,” Hannah added.

“Meanwhile, I’m over here still getting used to any kind of flying,” Vile explained.

“Just do what I did when I first had to get used to flying,” Hannah offered. “Just pick someone and imagine fucking them. Get your head so far into the fantasy that you don't have time to think about being in the air.”

Vile cocked an eyebrow at Hope and smiled devilishly at her, moaning softly but deeply. Hannah and Hope laughed and watched as Vile kept her mind on whatever fantasy was running through her head.

****

It had taken her a lot of time, but Liddy finally finished her tally of the previous day's take. It was staggering, the wealth she had generated. Even if she could secure the funds on the ship, she wasn't comfortable with it. She needed to spend it and spend quick. Trading up to a bigger and newer ship was the quickest way to achieve her goal, but didn't like the idea of giving up the one she had after working so hard for it.

“The really annoying part is that we are all too well paid to need any more money to spend,” Foxy spoke as she entered.

“Well, it would be handy as savings, had we a bank to visit consistently,” Liddy replied. “We just travel too much to trust that they would communicate efficiently enough. We need on-hand assets or investments.”

“We could donate some to that doctor that saved Hannah. Fund his research or what have you.”

“Yes, him and Rayvon Dexx could both use it. Though that got me thinking of our new city. It could use funds to establish an economy. That farm can't provide food for that many for very long.”

“I don't think anyone would complain if you gave it away like that.”

“I just want to think all my options through before deciding, even if I already know what I want to do.”

****

Hannah had seen several different palaces in her younger years escorting nobles on state visits. Crater Peak Palace had been the most impressive being at the top of the mountain with the surrounding landscape. However, what the capital palace lacked in natural beauty, it made up for in man-made marvels. The entire structure had been made from marble gathered from all over the former empire. It towered over all the other structures in the city and was at least a third of a kilometre in height. They could all see the older palace at the bottom, and each layer that had been built on top of the previous over the centuries. At the top-most section, where they were coming into land, was the most modern part of the palace. Vast gardens forming a paradise, complete with waterfalls and lagoons surrounded a central hall of gold and glass. They landed on a platform that extended over the edge and disembarked.

“Just when I was starting to think we were getting rich doing what we do…” Hannah started, but drifted to silence as she took in the sight.

“There is rich, then there is this,” Hope explained.

“I remember finding a few coins in the forest growing up,” Vile reminisced. “I thought I was rich then. We are going to have to ‘pretend to be impressed’ from now on, though. I can't imagine ever meeting a client with a better place than this.”

“Yikes, no kidding. Some fop with a solid-gold house is going to show it off, and we just shrug like it's made of mud.” Hannah laughed.

The three women walked through the garden to the main hall, unaware of those watching them. Those who had grown accustomed to the sight of the palace and its splendour regarded the women as being the impressive display of beauty. The hall was in the shape of a cross. They entered through the section closest to them, and were immediately greeted inside the narrow gallery.

“Ladies, welcome. Duke Ostenburg awaits…” His words faltered when he saw Vile. “When he said red, I thought he meant…”

He gestured to Hannah without taking his eyes off of Vile. She smiled softly and bowed her towering frame over him.

“Miss Vile here is the hero who engaged the vampiress directly and forced it to flee.” Hope left her involvement out of the story.

“I see. Well then, if you would follow me.”

They followed him to the centre of the cross-shaped palace where a set of heavy doors were open. A man in fine robes paced back and forth until the approaching footsteps, or rather hooves, drew his attention.

“Oh, wondrous!” the Duke shouted. “You are magnificent!”

Vile smiled and bowed again as she got closer to the duke. “Your compliments are greatly appreciated. Thank you for inviting me into your home. It is truly majestic.”

“As I understand it, you deserve all of it and then some! That creature has been causing us a great deal of concern. Thanks to you and your shipmates, we know what we are dealing with and can take new measures.”

“With any luck, we won't be seeing it again. I find it much more pleasurable to apply my other talents.” Vile winked, using flame over her eye.

The Duke laughed in good humour and took Vile by the hand, “My dear, I believe I can help you with that. Come with me. My personal quarters will ensure our privacy.”

The two of them passed through the heavy doors, while Hannah and Hope watched as it closed behind them. The gallery was turned into a T-shape, meaning the whole wing was considered his personal quarters. Each path back to the garden was narrow, lined with doors to offices or whatnot. Nowhere to be seen were any benches or seats for them to wait on.

“I’m so happy I enjoy standing around with nothing to do,” Hannah stated sarcastically.

“I’d comment on how this armor makes it harder on me, but you brought a lot of ammunition with you. Are those grenades?” Hope asked.

“I don't have magic powers. That vampire shows itself again and I am taking her down.”

“I thought you already did that? Oh wait, you went down -- on her. Sorry, my mistake.” Hope smirked.

“Well played, Sister.” Hannah glared.

****

The two men walked past each other, not bothering to meet eyes, instead eying the women following the other. As Laurel and Kilty passed each other, their hands met and shared a congratulatory grip for a moment. Kilty showed out her client, while Laurel opened the door to the work room for hers. Although the man she was with was less than attractive, Laurel was excited at the prospect of having yet another man inside her. Acting aroused for a client was always easy when it wasn't an act. The money she knew she would be getting from simply spending a brief time with him made her smile. He didn't waste time and undressed, neatly stacking his clothing on the side table. Laurel waited until he was done and watching her when she, much more slowly, started to disrobe. As each piece of the guard uniform fell to the ground, she could see his breathing deepen.

When all she had on was her set of thin, black lace she had borrowed from Ving, she felt hands grab hold of her. The man pulled her to the bed and began to climb on top of her, gripping her breasts while kissing her face and licking frequently. The experience quickly stifled her original enthusiasm, but it was hardly the first time a man had done that to her. To her surprise, he reached down to feel between her legs, and seemed to have an idea of what he was doing. Happy to have a client who didn't ignore her down there, she let out a moan that was interrupted by the tongue penetrating her mouth.

While she returned the sloppy kiss, she grabbed him by his stiffened shaft and started to rub it against the lace, blocking it from entering her, as his hand returned to her breast. Laurel used it to push the lace out of the way and, thanks largely due to how well the teasing worked, slid it inside herself easily. Her voice shuddered as the space within her was filled by the man. He thrusted with limited skill, but seemed reluctant to roll over and let her be on top, so she wrapped her legs around him, locking her ankles together, and put her hips into it. While not perfect, they both seemed to enjoy it and he picked up the pace. He broke the kiss so he could breathe better as he started to sweat with the effort. Holding himself up, he stared at her breasts as they bounced with the movement of her body. The lace didn't do much to keep them in place, with it pushed under them.

Suddenly, with more than a little surprise on his face, he began to gasp as she felt him fill her with his seed. He flopped over onto his back, and Laurel moved quickly to keep him inside her and rock her hips while he finished. She liked to wait for her men to go soft before she let them pull out, but the man she was riding kept stiff after he calmed down. Laurel moaned, thankful that she might just have the time to get herself off. She pulled his hands up to hold her breasts and tease her nipples as she bucked her hips harder, while rubbing her clit and leaning backwards. It took a bit more effort than she would have liked, but she was able to squeeze out a soft climax of her own before he finally went too limp to do anything.

Finally laying down beside him, using a nearby towel to clean herself, she kissed his cheek gently as he recovered. She wondered to herself, hoping the next man might satisfy her more.

****

“Actually,” Hannah corrected. “I wanted the assignment to an infantry unit. Last thing I wanted was to be stuck behind a desk, learning to type.”

“Really? I suppose that makes sense, for you at least. I just get used to hearing from my sisters how they never wanted to fight until they received their basic training and loved it,” Hope replied.

“Well yes, there is the element of empowerment that comes with learning how to kill people. But that can happen regardless of if you are a man or woman. It’s just women had the choice to skip it, at least back home anyway.”

“I think if I had the choice, I'd be a choir girl or some such. I thought fighting was just a confusing mess. And it is, but when you learn to manage the chaos, it feels a lot more natural.”

“I think it has more to do with managing the fear with the knowledge of what to do. If you have solutions to whatever you are scared of, you can take action. Also, if you know there is nothing you can do, then keep calm and do something anyway. Like when shells are falling and you are stuck in cover, nothing to do, but you can start thinking of things to do once they stop.”

“I've never been caught in a fight like that. Only in sparring have I really had to fight more than a single opponent. All the other times I had a squad backing me up and taking the heat off.”

“Having someone backing you up is nice, though I expected us to have more company. Does it seem odd that we are the only ones guarding the Duke’s bedroom?”

Hope looked around and couldn't see any other guards, “This is the most secure place in the city. They could just be complacent. Though with outsiders like us hanging about, you would think they would have someone hanging around. Even if the Duke wasn't as paranoid as the nobility usually is, this does seem odd.”

Hannah checked each of the approaches carefully, her eyes searching for anyone. The place was deserted. She clicked off the safety of her trench gun and checked the chambered round. Hope unlimbered her mace and backed up towards the door to hit it a few times.

“That sounds solid,” Hannah commented after Hope’s knocking went unanswered.

“It’s daytime. There shouldn't be a shift change or anything like that. I overheard some people on our way in talking about how busy they were going to get with the city reopening. This place should be…”

She was cut off as metal scraping preceded the darkening of the halls, until only the softly glowing lamps lit the three hallways leading away from the door.

“Storm shutters?” Hope speculated.

“More like blast shields. That's why this place is so cramped. Probably covered in armor.”

A door opened down the right-hand hallway, and out came a confused woman in a simple suit dress. She looked around until she saw Hope and Hannah staring at her.

“Excuse me,” she called. “Do you know what's going on?”

Hannah replied as the woman walked closer, “We were sort of hoping you could tell us.”

“I was working and suddenly lost the light from the window. Everyone is gone. I was so lost in my work, I didn't notice.”

Hannah was about to ask more questions when Hope interrupted, “There is a guard.”

They all turned to look at the man in a guard uniform with his rifle slung over his shoulder. Hannah inwardly chided him for being so sloppy about it. He was facing the wall as if admiring some artwork on it, ignoring their calls to get his attention. When he finally did look at them, it was with an unnatural swivel of his neck at an odd angle. A devilish grin formed on his face as his body reoriented itself to face the same way as his head.

“Oh this can't be good,” Hannah commented.

“He’s already dead. Like, he just died.” Hope informed.

An unearthly giggle echoed from his lips as he suddenly broke into a sprint, his arms outstretched towards them. Hannah raised her gun but Hope tapped it down with her mace as she readied herself for his charge. With practised ease, Hope got under his guard and struck him soundly in the chest. He crumpled to the ground, his flesh burning with white flickers of flame where he had been struck.

“What's all this then?” Hannah asked the still-smiling corpse.

“Something else, I think they should have spent more time teaching us. Unless I have missed my guess, it's a thrall. Someone belonging to a certain bloodsucker. This is what happens to those who are bitten but not killed. At least, ones who don't receive certain care afterwards.”

“I would like to again, express my gratitude. Though if there is one of these, there should be more than one.”

The sound of shuffling down the halls confirmed Hannah’s suspicion as the far ends filled with corpse-skinned figures. Hope turned around and slammed her mace into the body at her feet to silence it before slamming hard on the heavy doors, ignoring the damage she caused.

“Vile! Little help out here!”

“Oh that won't help,” the worried woman behind them started to explain. “The Duke was most adamant about his sleep not being interrupted by noise. We have to wait for him to exit.”

“Well, damn.” Hope sighed. “And it's not like we can get outside and wave through the windows.”

“Any other entrances would be his escape tunnels and such, and we don't have the time to go looking. Hope, we need a plan of defence.”

“Well, once Vile finishes, we fall back into the Duke's room and bottleneck them. Until then, the two of us have to hold three angles of approach. Take a knee.”

Hannah went on one knee at Hope’s request, not quite understanding why. Hope withdrew a flask of holy water from her belt and popped the top off.

“Miss Hannah, do you swear to act as a vessel of righteous vengeance against the evil of this world in defence of the innocent?”

“I do so swear.”

Hope flicked the water over Hannah and her weapon, “Then I bless you and your weapon in Holy service. Rise to the fight and never back down.”

“Thanks. We need all the help we can get.”

“Speaking of that, drink the rest of this while I bless this woman and the rifle the guard dropped.”

Hannah drank the rest of the holy water while Hope did her thing, and got to work gathering all the grenades she had. Hope blessed them as well as she lined them up on a nearby table. Each one had to have the fuse cap unscrewed before they could be thrown, so she got them ready to be thrown quickly.

“Miss, can you fight?” Hope asked the woman, who was clearly too frightened to reply. “Alright, just take this and keep yourself safe.”

Hope handed her a knife from the ankle sheath she wore and stood next to Hannah.

“Back to back and twist?” Hannah asked, hoping that Hope understood the tactic.

“Sounds good to me,” she replied.

The tactic that she had referred to was the method of being able to roll against the other person's body to cover each other while not getting in the other's way. They went shoulder to shoulder and rolled their bodies to familiarise themselves with the other so they could predict where the other was moving. It normally took months of training with someone you knew well to become experts at it, but they didn't have that time. Their foes stood watching them, waiting.

“I’ll take the first shots,” explained Hannah, switching to the incendiary rounds. “Save your big fire blast or whatever for when I need to reload.”

“Got it. Grenades at their feet to start, then over their heads after,” Hope replied.

“I can do that,” spoke a soft, frightened voice.

Hannah turned and nodded, giving a short explanation on how to pull the fuse. Then the three of them waited, knowing that time was on their side -- if they could last until Vile finished fucking the Duke and opened the door.

****

“What do you mean there isn't a man in charge?”

Liddy gave a hard look at the man who had just come up the ramp out of turn and flung his scorn at Juno.

“I mean, sir, that this vessel is captained by a woman and she is in charge.” Juno bit her tongue to keep her words polite.

“That's idiotic. What kind of lord gives a ship to a woman and lets her fly off without…” he was cut off.

“I paid for this ship myself, sir,” Liddy interrupted. “I own it and answer to nobody.”

“Oh, shut up,” he spat. “You will answer to me. This is supposed to be a place where the bitches do what they are told. Not give me lip.”

“If you want to tell me what to do on my ship, or anything involving my lips, then you can pay for the privilege. Assuming you have the cash to afford your rapidly increasing price.”

“Oh I see,” he started with sarcasm. “You think because these other fools pay you more than a penny to let you do the only thing women are made for, that I will?” He pulled out his billfold, fat with bills. “Well, I’ll tell you what. I doubt you are worth even one of these, but if you keep your mouth quiet and do what I tell you, I will pay you what you are worth.”

Liddy smiled kindly and curtsied meekly. Without saying a word she guided him to her quarters. He snorted at the decorations as he walked in as if they offended him personally. Liddy recognised his pose quickly as one of waiting for servants to undress him. She did so, watching him watch her the whole time, making sure to let him have a pleasing view of her chest while she did so. Taking off his trousers, she could see she was having the desired effect. After taking off his shoes, she rose up and licked along his manhood at the same time as she let her own dress fall off and brush her breasts along it as well. Liddy smiled at his surprise of her quick disrobement. She took him into her hands and gently massaged him harder as she waited for further instructions.

He grabbed her by the head and, without subtlety of any kind, pushed her down to her knees. On her way down, she took him into her mouth and he gasped at the surprise of being fully swallowed. He watched in stunned silence as Liddy worked him in and out of her throat with ease. It was a frequent pleasure of his to make women choke and gag on himself, but Liddy had no such difficulty. Even forcing her head into him, without letting her pull away, he could feel her tongue continue to massage him and felt no panic from her. When he did let her breathe, it was more to avoid finishing so soon than for her benefit. Liddy caught her breath as quietly as she could.

The man seemed confused. He wasn't getting any of the normal satisfaction he derived from making desperate women service him for coin. Liddy smiled, indicating she was ready for more, and this made him angry. She was supposed to be crying already, humiliated of what she was forced to do for money. Pushing her to the floor, he grabbed a nearby towel that Liddy would have used to clean herself, and proceeded to dry himself off. Then, gripping her by the hair, hauled her to the bed where he climbed on top of her. Used to the pain and difficulty women had accepting him like that, he was again surprised to find himself sliding smoothly inside. Liddy was actually enjoying the rough treatment enough that her body was providing plenty of lubrication on its own.

Deprived of the rough entry he had been expecting, he put more effort into his thrusting, to try and hurt Liddy that way instead. Liddy smiled, biting down on bed sheets to keep herself quiet as she squirmed with pleasure underneath him. Her loudest noise was when she breathed in sharply as he gripped her breasts in his hands. He felt the fluids flow from her onto himself at her climax. Slapping her across the face in frustration, he had had enough when she caressed the red mark with her free hand and smiled. Pulling out and flipping her over, he pulled her hips into position and pushed inside her bum, keeping her on all fours.

When most women had begged him to stop just from him being inside there, Liddy began to rock her body back and forth while he kneeled behind her. He watched, stunned, as she worked him inside her bum as enthusiastically as if it were normal for her. Again he felt fluid spilling onto his lap as her body shook with another climax that put him over the top, and forced him to pump his seed into her backside.

He fell backwards and off the bed as he started to relax. Shakily standing up, he regained his balance, not seeing the door open a crack as Inky checked in on the noise.

“What the hell was that?!” He yelled.

“That, sir, is what I get paid for. Speaking of paid…” Liddy got off the bed, rummaged through his clothing and took the billfold as well as a coin purse that had been on his belt, and tossed them on the bed.

“Now just a minute!” he started.

“Correct. You have paid for services rendered, and that's how long you have to get dressed and leave.”

Inky came into the room with Juno, and they waited at attention with their rifles in their hands. The man didn't seem to notice.

“It doesn't work like that. I’m not done with you until I see you cry and beg for forgiveness!”

“Then go get some more money. I’m happy to service your tastes, but you haven't any funds left.”

“Minute, ma’am!” Juno called out.

“Well, then, please escort this fine man off the ship.”

“You can't tell me what to do, you stupid whore!”

“Sir, you will get off my ship right now or I will have you shot.”

He seemed ready to retort after a moment of surprise, but was suddenly aware of the bayonet under his chin and the rifle it was attached to. Juno gathered his clothing and pushed it into his arms to carry out of the room.

“You can't march me past those people naked like this!” he yelled, almost refusing to walk down the hall to the lounge.

“Right you are, sir,” Liddy said cheerfully. “Inky, that door will work fine.”

Liddy had indicated the door nearby and Juno moved to open it for her. When the man got to it though, he was confused.

“There isn't a ramp at this door, you…” His words were cut off by the boot to his backside.

He yelled as he fell and hit the dock surface hard. Laughter erupted from the crowd that still waited its turn to board. Liddy was thankful that nobody seemed upset other than the man moaning in pain as he lay naked on the dock.

“What do you want us to do if he comes back?” Inky asked as Juno closed the door.

“I’m torn between having him shot, and frustrating him more with being unable to get too rough with us.”

“I'd love to see him with Vile. He probably hates Emberborn more, but he'd be hopelessly unable to be too rough with her.”

“She should be with the Duke right now. Hopefully, Hannah and Hope aren't too bored with guard duty.”

****

The three women simultaneously threw the grenades at the feet of the onrushing horde. The deathless howls chilling their blood. In their rush to get to the warm bodies of the women, they ignored the grenades and even the weapons that some of them carried. As the time between throwing the grenades and the following explosions slowed to a crawl, Hannah spotted the various fine outfits they had been wearing. Guards, clerks, nobles, servants, all dead and rushing at them.

“For the Mistress!” they howled, right before three almost simultaneous blasts threw their mob into chaos.

Bodies were torn apart and fell down dead, “Didn't think concussive force would work so well on corpses.”

“Animated by magic,” Hope replied, as Hannah fired her first shot into the mess of bodies. “Magic that's vulnerable to the blessing of faith.”

Hannah fired another shell that, like the first, tore through the ranks with fire. “Hallelujah, now I might just enjoy this.”

Another blast down the third hall, having fired one at each by that point, was followed by more shots as groups of the thralls formed. Hope moved around to face the single threats that got close enough so Hannah could focus on the groups. Her burning mace crushed into every form that got close to her. Another grenade went off, thrown by the frightened woman behind them both.

“Reloading!” Hannah called as she crouched to reload.

Hope took a few wide swings as the crowd around her thickened, until she cradled her mace and blasted the stream of holy fire into the mass. This gave Hannah the time to reload and start firing again, while Hope took a moment to reload her mace. She finished just in time to slam her mace down on a form that crumpled under the impact.

The woman throwing grenades stopped to grab the weapons dropped on the floor by the attackers and leant them against the door. She took any grenades for herself and got back to throwing.

A fire had broken out down the hallway to the left, an oil or gas lamp having been broken and ignited by the weapons fire. This stymied the flow of bodies, but didn't block them completely. Elsewhere, munitions cooked off on the bodies of their owners as they fell to the burning rounds Hannah fired into them. Hannah felt a hand grip onto her and turned to smash the face of her attacker, only to see the arm severed by the knife Hope had given the woman. She shook off the grip and returned to firing, thankful the dedicated woman kept her wits about her.

Another round of reloading put Hannah on her last drum of ammunition, the regular kind. She swore but kept up the pressure, thankful the regular rounds seem to tear apart the attackers all the same. Of course, the shells didn't last forever and her gun clicked empty.

“I’m out!” she called, “Switching to a rifle!”

Hannah picked up one of the rifles that had been leant against the door, thankful a bayonet was already fixed on it. Her tactics changed to match Hope’s -- close-range melee fighting. She used the rifle like a spear, taking the occasional shot when she had a spare moment to aim. When it was out of ammunition, far too quickly for her tastes, she grabbed the next one. The woman, out of grenades, learned quickly to put the blades on the end of the rifles and hold them ready for Hannah. Unfortunately, they didn't last forever, and she was forced to fight with the unloaded rifle while Hope did the bulk of the killing. The flail swung free in wide arcs, giving Hannah time for a quick reload of a rifle. It was knocked from her grip by a thrall that had crawled under the flail swings. Hannah put her pistol into its mouth and fired.

“Watch your feet for crawlers!” she warned, putting rounds into the bodies on the floor that weren't still enough.

Ripping a pistol off another dead guard, Hannah fired it empty, before picking up the rifle again to skewer one thrall that had jumped on Hope’s back and tried to bite her through the chainmail on her neck. A heavy thud sounded, followed by the screeching of metal.

Suddenly the hallways started to fill with light again, and the undead began to scream in pain as the sunlight burnt them alive where they stood. Hope’s mace flickered with the last of her fuel, and Hannah reloaded her rifle to take shots at anything that didn't seem like it was dying fast enough. A few tried to hide from the light but her bullets found them. A few heavy thuds behind them and the heavy door finally opened.

The putrid smell of rot and bile hit Vile in the face as the door opened, melting her smile. She and the Duke stood dumbfounded at the sight of the three women amidst the bodies.

“What the hell happened?!” Vile finally blurted out.

“Well,” Hannah started to reply. “Guard duty is rather tiresome, so the universe decided to help us out by sending the Vampiress' thralls out after us. Duke, sorry but they all seem to have been working for you, so you are going to have to hire some new help.”

“Are you alright?!” Vile asked, rushing to help Hannah back to her feet, fire in her eyes.

“Yes, a little light-headed. Guess I should have spent more time in bed. If only someone had told me to take it easy.”

Hope rolled her eyes and laughed with a shake of her head, “I’m sorry, I should have mentioned it. So what happened? Why did the windows open suddenly?”

“Oh,” the woman spoke up. “They always open when his lordship leaves his chambers. He likes it that way.”

“Fair enough.” Hannah turned to the Duke. “So, what do you think, sir?”

“I think I may have overstated my need for soundproofing to my architect,” he said, mostly to himself.