Counter-Plan

I had read that the effects started twenty to thirty minutes after taking the drug, peaked within two hours and might persist for eight or even twelve hours. However, given that vampires had a faster metabolism, it might start acting even earlier and faster. On top of that, she had crushed 2 pills.

I wasn't sure what made Estena act like this. Did she want to have him sleep so that she would have a full night to go through the house to look for what she wanted? Or? I trembled at the second option. Ruffies had an incapacitating effect, like it would paralyse Dave and he wouldn't be able to do anything, unless, of course she had prepared a Roofagra, a cocktail of Ruffies and viagra. She could have her way with him and he wouldn't resist.

Then I had a quick shake of my head. What was I thinking? I was behaving as if I wasn't around to take care of Dave. So she wanted to drug Dave, right? Two could play at this game.

Estena and Dave had already shifted to the porch to wait for Martha to bring them some coffee. He was still walking steadily and that gave me time to act, but it would be tight. I rushed to the kitchen through the dining room passage and rushed to the kitchen.

'Martha, please give me 5 minutes before you serve them the coffee, please. I'll explain later,' I said before rushing up the stairs to the first floor. Luckily, I wouldn't be seen from the porch as the armchairs were on the left and the windows opened on the living room.

I ran to Estena's room, feeling thankful for my newly acquired speed, and opened the door quietly. The suitcase was in the same place and praying that she had kept the small bag where she had taken it from the first time, I put my hand in. After rummaging for a few seconds, I was successful. I thought of taking 2 pills and putting the bag back, but then I thought better of it and took the bag with all of its contents.

I flew down the stairs and dashed to the kitchen where the trays were ready.

'Which cup is for Estena?' I asked, hoping that Estena drank her coffee with sugar, unlike Dave who preferred the bitterness of the coffee.

'This one,' Martha replied in a puzzled tone and pointing to the cup with a spoon on its saucer. To stir the sugar probably.

Taking a deep breath and hoping I wasn't messing things up, I dissolved the 2 pills in the coffee. It shouldn't normally alter the taste but I was still nervous. Martha observed me doing this quietly and when I was done, she picked the tray and left. She didn't even question me about my intentions. When she came back, she looked at me and said,

'I delivered the appropriate cup to her.'

'But Martha, you won't even ask me what I'm doing?' I questioned her, looking more astonished than her.

She took my hands in hers and looking straight into my eyes, she said, 'Miss Ash, I've known you only since a few days, but I know you would never try to hurt Mr Dawn. I've seen the way you look at each other.'

Her last comment actually got me stumped. How did I look at Dave and how did he look at me? I wanted to know more about that, but knew it wasn't the time.

'And you won't ask what I put in her drink?'

'Miss, you know how I feel about her so I'm fine with whatever you put. If you put laxatives, I would be the happiest, but then she'll blame me once again.'

I showed her the packet I'd taken from Estena's room.

'I saw her put 2 of these pills in Dave's drink.' I made sure not to mention it was through a camera and hoped she wouldn't ask me question about that.

She gasped, 'Why would she do that?'

'I don't know Martha, but it was obviously not for a good reason. That's why I'm trying to foil her plan by giving her a dose of her own medicine.'

'But she will know that you took her pills. Unless...' Martha indicated that I should wait for her with a sign of her hand and she came back 2 minutes later with pills that looked slightly similar to the ones in the packet.

'Replace the pills with these. My sleeping pills. Then when her plan doesn't work, she'll blame the pills.'

Why hadn't I thought of that?

I gave Martha a sound kiss on her cheek, 'Martha you're a genius.' She glowed with the compliment while I revelled in the plan. After the exchange of the pills, I made sure that Dave and Estena were still on the porch and left. After placing the pills back in the suitcase, I took a few seconds to look around. Jars of lotions and makeup trays littered the vanity table. Was that a Chanel perfume? I didn't know that they were available on Bhuvar as well.

I was almost at the door when the glint of a metal caught my eyes. I took a few steps closer and there behind the Chanel perfume was a ring I had seen earlier with a big gleaming green stone. An image flashed in front of my eyes of a lady with a scarf covering her hair. But before I had the time to process my thoughts, I heard Martha's voice in the hallway. It sounded louder than usual and I realized that she was trying to warn me.

'Mr Dawn is not feeling too well?' Martha exclaimed. The drug must be having its toll over his body now.

'Just the effect of the wine. He had an extra glass,' Estena said haughtily. 'I'm taking him to his room. Please do not disturb us.'

I slipped out of her room and moved back to mine making sure not to let the door click too loudly when closing.

Estena would be taking Dave to his room, but it will be at least 15 minutes more until the drug will start to have an effect on her. How to keep her away from Dave in the meanwhile, without blowing my cover?

I had recognized the ring as the one belonging to the woman who had been at the viewpoint with Mr Freere. The latter was looking for the passageway so Estena must be connected to it in one way or the other. Could her ring be one of those transient lockets that Nana had told me about or was it simply an accessory? Dave would know about it. He also was a guardian, what if Estena got to know about it and this was why she was using him. The possibilities were endless, and there wasn't anything I could do about it. If she knew I was still around, I couldn't imagine what she could do, especially now that Dave wouldn't be able to help me. She had been a vampire for longer than I and would defeat me quite easily before the drug started working.

I listened to the heavy steps of Dave as he was helped by Estena to climb the stairs. It was coming nearer and nearer. What could I do?