Vampire's Prey

Chapter 32: Comfortable

My thoughts are drawn to the house at the end of the road. I can't imagine a vampire like Keld offering any protection for humans.

Rahlan points to the castle. "If any of you, man or woman, old or young, have a matter that causes you great distress, seek me." Finished with his announcements, he turns his back to the villagers and returns to the wagon.

They stand and slowly spread out, none of them daring to move any closer to the vampires. I rush to the young girl and her brother before they can disappear.

"Stay hidden until you're sure that the vampire has left your house," I say.

She bites her lip.

"Julia!" Rahlan calls from the wagon. He's ready to leave.

I pat the girl on the shoulder and return to him. My bruised stomach groans as I climb up onto the driver's seat. I wish I'd been wearing my armor.

The blond-haired vampire makes himself comfortable in the cavity behind us.

"Julke," Rahlan says, catching his attention. "Keld's recovering from an encounter with my boot. Please ensure he returns to the castle without endangering himself or others."

So Keld can't take his anger out on the villagers. Good.

"Of course." Julke grabs his coat and hops out the wagon. "What did he do?"

Rahlan wraps an arm around me, sliding me to sit beside him. "He went further than an arrest."

Julke smirks, "I warned the fool." He leans against a house and crosses his arms. Two villagers which were headed for the building quickly change direction.

Rahlan tuts Mittens forward, and he tugs us back to the castle.

* * * * * * * *

I squeeze out the blood-soaked rag over a bucket. I'm not cleaning Rahlan's home for his sake, but for mine. It's especially unnerving having to walk past the previous owner's bloodstain every time I want to go outside. It doesn't seem to bother Rahlan, but I suppose he sees it nothing more than spilled food.

He steps around me, carrying a stack of freshly chopped wood inside. That's a task I don't envy. Sometimes Jacob would be gone for longer than expected, then the wood he'd collected would run out, and I'd have to chop more myself. The bite of the axe would always make my hands ache.

He packs the wood in the fireplace. I dump the dirty water outside and quickly close the door behind me, hoping to keep the cold evening air out.

Soon the fire's lit, and I'm digging through the kitchen cabinets in search of an evening snack.

"I collected a meal for you," Rahlan says. He's sitting on the couch, his gaze on the fire with one leg resting sideways over the other.

I place his bag on the counter and open it up. It's full of leaves. Scratching around in them yields nothing but more leaves. There's a smirk on the corner of his lips.

"Very funny," I say.

He raises his hand from behind the couch, revealing a fresh pear.

I snatch the green fruit out of his hand before he has a chance to mess with me further. He appears unbothered, focused on his book.

I sit beside him on the couch and make quick work of the sweet fruit. That book looks suspiciously similar to the one he was reading to me last night.

I nudge closer to him to get a better look. I can't interpret the words, but that's definitely the same leather binding. "You're reading ahead without me."