Clockwork Forest

Chapter 5 - The Dragon and the Vampire

Chapter 5 – The Dragon and the Vampire

It had not long since he walked in the front door of his home, the night air was chilly and crisp but that didn’t bother him, what did was that he would have to tap into his reserve of blood viles in his room, his hunt went sour and what didn’t help was his limp, it was a hard kick so it made him walk slower than normal carrying the dead weight of what is supposed to be his pray over his shoulders, he had laid her body on the bed ruffling the covers, he looked around the room and then a thermometer on the wall, each room has one, it read minus three below freezing cold, he sighed as he looked over his shoulder at her and in her unconsciousness she was shivering, he soon got the fire going which was one of his inventions, it ran on gas mainly and he used a electric sparker to ignite it, the only thing it needs is logs to keep it going, he knew it will warm up soon. But he also knew it wouldn’t take long for Kendor to say something, he could see it now, him sitting down pretending to read his book and waiting for him.

Kendor was a dragon after all and their sense of smell was impeccable, he sighed again and said out loud “he will never let this go, better get this over with then”

He took one last look back at his would have been intended victim and left her, he walked down the hall which was small but on either side were hung up portraits of people, he didn’t glance at any of them, the hall was dark and the only light was coming from a single room and the sound of fire crackling could be heard, this would be the main living room where guests or residents would sit and chat or have drinks, but this room was occupied by two things, books and Kendor.

Before he entered he stopped just before the door and looked up at portrait he knew all too well, it was of a old man with a long gray beard and gray hair, he wore a black smith type attire and looked well built, over his head was a pair of goggles, in one hand down by his side was a custom made spanner while over his shoulder was a large sledge hammer, his face seemed stern and his eyes were fixed in gaze of almost disappointment, underneath the picture was a brass plate that read Grand Master Engineer and Inventor Charles Rawlin, he sighed as a familiar voice said “you keep staring at that portrait and you might ware out the paint work in it”

The vampire sighed as he took a few steps just standing in the door way, the room was warm as the fire was lit, Kendor was already sitting down reading a book of his, it was made of leather with gold inlay writing that read “The Barmaid and the Barbarian”, surrounding Kendor in his large chair was surrounded by a few stack high books, around the room was littered with more books of all sorts and the shelves were filled, the only space that had something different on it was a single chair similar to Kendor’s and a tray on a small coffee table with steaming tea, Kendor was wearing no shoes or socks with only a pair of trousers and a shirt that was partly open showing parts of his chest “you know Kendor, you only say things like that when you want to talk”

Kendor lowered his book and with a cheeky look as he gazed over his spectacles and said “oh and what do you think I want to talk to you about?”

He thought about his question, it was a ruse for him to tell Kendor what happened and who he had brought in, it was a game that Kendor enjoyed playing, making people confess the truth without asking the obvious, he took a deep breath and sat on the chair opposite him, there was a pause as he watched Kendor slightly raise his eyebrows “well each time I go out you always ask about how it went and who I got” he said.

Kendor smiled, in his mind the bait was there and it had its first nibbling bite “so my dear friend what, poor, helpless victim did you pounce on tonight?”

He had to think quick and try to seem convincing enough “it was a young maiden, she was walking the woods and I tried to charm her, so I bit her and placed her in the usual spot to recover”