The Appin Murder: a Tale of the Count de Saint Germain

By K.G. McAbee

The Count de Saint Germain: alchemist, spy, wizard, thief. He's lived for centuries on his wits and his skill with a blade, but now he's discovered darker ways to thrive. On the order of his current master, the king of France--if anyone can be said to be Saint Germain's master save Lucifer--Saint Germain is tasked to start a new war in England by a convenient murder in the wild highlands of Scotland, still disturbed and unruly from the recent Jacobite Rebellion. But the Count has other plans, and even when he follows orders, he can never be trusted...

• Language: English
• Publisher: K.G. McAbee
• Release date: Mar 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463423684

K.G. McAbee

K.G. McAbee has had several books and nearly a hundred short stories published, and some of them are honestly quite readable. She writes steampunk, fantasy, science fiction, horror, pulp, westerns and, most recently, comics. She’s a member of Horror Writers Association and International Thriller Writers and is an Artist in Residence with the South Carolina Arts Commission. Her steampunk/zombie novella recently received an honorable mention in the 3rd quarter Writers of the Future contest.

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The Appin Murder: a Tale of the Count de Saint Germain

Copyright © K.G. McAbee 2020

Cover art: public domain

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The Appin Murder

A Tale of the Count de Saint Germain

I.

Rome

The stone stairs, worn shallow in the middle from centuries of use, disappeared into darkness before him. The darkness was too much like the great open maw of some gigantic beast awaiting his flesh. The torch in his left hand threw out tendrils of flickering light to mark his path down the narrow way, with nothing but emptiness on both sides.

He had traveled these treacherous steps a dozen times before in his long life. This was, in fact, his thirteenth trip, and he felt no little dismay at the unlucky number. Thirteen had not been propitious for his Templar brethren three hundred years earlier.

And as usual in all the trips before, he never began the downward journey without wishing it was over and done, and he was back in the light and the air above.

At least, he thought as he took the first step, this time I remembered to wear boots and a heavy cape. I recall my last trip down. I nearly froze. And the one before that as well. But not always; sometimes it's hot…

He shook his head and reminded himself to concentrate, concentrate.

And be ever on his guard.

Cold settled around him like a dead lover's grasp as he made his careful way down into the threatening darkness. It was a cold so harsh and bone chilling he could hardly believe that above him—far, far above him—spring filled Rome with the scents of flowers mingled with the stench of its ancient, ancient history and the thousands of people, living and dead, who clustered within its stone walls.

He reached the first landing and paused to draw the rapier tucked in his belt. It was time for the initial attack, and he needed to be ready. He'd been surprised once before, but that was years in the past; still, even now his left leg, where jagged teeth had taken a chunk out of the muscle, would pain him in bad weather.

He had no intention of letting any of the tests past his guard again. Not this time, and especially not at such a meaningful number as thirteen.

This time he must be more cautious than ever.

He waited, holding his breath, but all he could hear was the beating of his heart and the crackle and hiss of pitch simmering in his torch. Fragments of light from his torch spread out like fingers groping into the dark corners.

Well, I can't stay here. He started towards the second level.

One step down.

Pause.

Two.

On the third step, the creature struck.

This one was different from previous beasts…as they always were. It was not exactly reptilian nor precisely insectoid but some strange and hideous combination of the two. Two long segmented arms lined with spurs arched over a flat scaled head with