And even if she were to somehow finish early and meet me, I’d probably wish the punishment was death after the count was done with me. Then, my own words came back to me. Once we’re out. Once we’re far away from this hell hole. A smile crept up to my face as Summoning a demon--"

  "Vampyre, please," she corrected.

  "Queen, I mean-- they don’t teach that at the nunnery!"

  "True enough," she replied, arms crossed in front of her chest, "but whether my gifts come from God or are my own natural talents, matters little when I pull in enough gold to fill the coffers."

  "Wait, what did you just say? Vampyre?"

  She brushed it off and turned looked around the room as if searching for something.

  I wanted to ask many more questions, but somehow I didn’t feel like risking it until I knew what I’d become. Though the top question among them was if she took vows of celibacy as well. Rethinking the question, it seemed pointless when she worked for a dark spirit who feasted on blood. That, and I didn’t want to get stabbed again. I turned to her last statement and spoke again.

  "To pay the queen, you mean?"

  Katya didn’t look at me but gave a curt nod. At least we were in this together then. If she was willing to take debt for me, the least I could do was to pay it back. It looked like nothing had really changed, after all, at least for me.

  "Well then, what is the first order of business for our Queen?"

  Katarina closed the tin and pocketed it.

  "First we sneak out of this inn and find you someone to eat. We didn’t exactly pay so much as-- charmed the innkeeper into taking pity on your condition. Then, we need to find her dead drop and see what she asked of us."

  Did she just say, find someone to eat? I wasn’t even fond of eating cattle, even less humans! Oh, maybe she meant something, no? But my hearing hadn’t tricked me. It couldn’t have.

  "--wait, did you just say ‘someone’?"

  Chapter Seven

  "I don’t have the slightest idea what you’re talking about. Anyway, we should go. The sun will be up soon."

  I frowned at her. What did the sun have to do with us? Maybe we would be spotted easier during the day? Yes, that must have been it.

  I draped the coat around my shoulders and turned to Katya, who produced a stole fur seemingly out of nowhere. One of my eyebrows rose at the way she handled the dead creature.

  Peeking from our room, I could see the Innkeeper sit at the dead center of the room, working her ledger under candlelight. I turned back toward Katya who scoffed at me, reading my mind yet again.

  "Not the window and no sneaking around," she whispered, her eyes focused intently on mine. "You need to start using the gifts bestowed upon you by our Queen. And that young woman there, she’s easy pickings. If you can’t even do so much as charm her, then you were a waste of time after all."

  I scowled at her, my finger pointed at her face.

  "I’ll have you know that I ain’t useless!" I snapped back. A crooked smile replaced her scoffing.

  "Alright then, young pup, show me what you’re made off. Go tell her we won’t be needing the room anymore and that it’s already paid for."

  I puffed at Katya.

  "Right. As if she’d believe me!"

  "You will make her believe you. Us Vampyres can be-- very persuasive if you know what you’re doing. First, you have to convince yourself, then you make her believe you."

  I sighed and took a good deep breath, readying myself. Yes, I needed to walk out a free man from this Inn. Freedom. It was so close I could grasp it.

  I walked toward the Innkeeper, steeling my resolve. Lost in her thoughts, she was startled as I appeared before her. The young woman pushed back her chair and took the broom to her right in both hands and brandished it like a weapon. The shawl slipped from her shoulders, revealing a rather low cut night chemise, with loose strings.

  My hand crept up and scratched beneath the woolen cowl. I wasn’t sure how I should feel about the sight in front of me. Some inner hunger was pushing my thoughts toward an indecent, dark place, but what had remained of Ivan, it yelled at me not to stray from my mission.

  "W-What do you want?" the Innkeeper demanded, her eyes staring intently.

  "We’re leaving the room we paid for, my lady," I replied. Even if we had paid, I wouldn’t have believed it myself the way my voice sounded. This was my first time saying such a thing, after all, I’d never even left the palisade.

  She stared at me as if I was roadkill, the most disgusting sight on earth. The way she clenched the broomstick, told me she was about to beat me with it, or at least try to anyway. As she raised the piece of wood, my hand shot out to stay her, as the other slapped against the bag full of coins to my side. The hundred silver sure made me feel more human, or man in this case.

  Katya appeared out of nowhere behind the woman, her hand on the broom. She twisted it out of her hands easily and dropped it to the floor beside them.

  "Mistress, I finished cleaning Lord Ivan’s room. What a blessing it was to have him with us tonight," Katya said, her voice a tone higher in pitch.

  The innkeeper stared back at her, eyes locked on Katya’s. The Vampyre’s slightly taller posture made the woman look up, especially after Katya stepped up toward her with small steps, their faces only inches from each other. Katya’s ice blue eyes kept staring the woman down as she traced a finger along the Innkeeper’s jawline.

  "Wasn’t it a pleasant night, my lady?"

  The innkeeper’s cheeks blushed.

  "Oh, of course, it was," she smiled hesitantly. Her eyes met mine for just an instant before she glanced away bashfully. The momentary loss of eye contact, brought the woman to her senses, for just an instant. "He still needs to pay, though," she added, blinking her eyes.

  Katya smiled and forced the woman to look into her eyes again.

  "He did though, don’t you remember?" she asked, tapping her long finger at the ledger. Sure enough, the name Ivan was written in there.

  My eyebrow raised, I just wondered if she had to charm the woman at all when an Ivan was already staying in the inn. Was this just that? A scam?

  "Oh, I see, yes. Thank you for the patronage, my lord," the innkeeper said with a slight bow and hastily gathered her shawl about her shoulders, hiding the cleavage beneath.

  Katya tore me away from the woman, her arm under mine. "I’ll see him outside," she said and pulled me toward the door.

  "Yes, yes. A good night to you, my lord."

  The cool, night air enveloped us like a blanket, biting at our skin. Instead of leaning into me, Katya pushed me away with a scowl. Her face was one of disgust as if she’d seen roadkill in me.

  "Pathetic! She’s a simple girl with simple needs. You couldn’t even provide her with that much?" Katya pulled the fur around her neck. "A little lie goes a long way, you know? But you have to believe it yourself."

  I scowled at her. But her face softened almost instantly. And so did mine as I kept staring at her. She really was a beauty, as the moonlight lit her face, framing it just for me. Still, it didn’t excuse her rudeness in any way.

  "I guess you can’t be really blamed. You did awaken only today after all, and haven’t even had anything to eat yet."

  She turned away from me and looked around, then stopped at the palisade.

  "We’re going out to find food?"

  "Come, there must be someone patrolling the roads outside of the village, looking for a beautiful woman in furs to rob."

  I couldn’t help but think about Andrej and Vera. It felt like it had been ages ago since I last saw them. Maybe I should have asked the Innkeeper about them. No, she might have called the guards if she was suspicious. And why were we going outside looking to get robbed?

  I sighed.

  No, not yet. First I need to learn to use this-- ‘gift’ I’ve been given. Then I could start asking around if the Queen would let me. Who knew what she wanted from us anyway. After all, one’s debt should be paid first.

  "I do hope you know how to use a sword, Ivan," she said, her back toward me. Katya’s boots crunched the frost on the broken stone road as she walked ahead of me. I looked at her hips, as they swayed from side to side and put my right hand on the pommel of my sword.

  "I hope you know how to use a sword," I mumble under my breath. "The hell would I need to for anyway?"

  Katya stopped dead in her tracks and turned to me.

  "What was that?" she demanded, her blue eyes boring holes in mine.

  "I said of course! I know how to use a sword. My father taught me before he-- took up service with the count."

  Katarina lifted one shoulder coyly and looked me over.

  "Yours, or someone else’s?"

  I shook my head, not getting where she was going at.

  "What are you even talking about? I’m skilled with a sword!"

  "You must spend a lot of time with your sword then. Perhaps you practiced after everyone had gone to bed? Or did the scullery maid help you with that?"

  "There’s no need to keep insulting me when you have no idea what I’m capable of! And for your information, I know how to wield one. Vera’s never even been near a sword to my knowledge!"

  I was genuinely annoyed at her way of interrogation. What was she getting at? Vera never spoke the way Katya had. Then again, Vera was always impressed by my ability to cut up dinner, and she refused to do so herself whenever we were allowed to have some meat.

  Tender soul. So dear to me. Both her and Andrej. And the boy was only nine. How were they supposed to be able to protect themselves? I should have been there to do that, not leave them to their own ineptness.

  Katya turned toward me and giggled. She touched her fingers to her lips and scoffed. I sighed and picked up the pace to catch her. "If you’re so skilled, why don’t you take my sword then? Show me how proficient you are with it."

  She laughed openly and kept walking ahead of me. The laughter was genuine and contagious, music in my ears. No idea how I did it, but I should make her laugh more often. It was worth it.

  Then I stopped and scowled.

  "You damned double meaning--"

  "Hah! Took you long enough, loverboy!" she laughed and swirled her dress around as she danced.

  "Whatever. Don’t think this kind of thing will always work on me."

  "Oh this debt is paying off already," she muttered.

  Chapter Eight

  "One of the basic skills for any Vampyre, is to blend in with the shadows. Look, you have to understand that we’re creatures of the night. We can live among them during the day, but we’re very weak and hurt all over in direct sunlight," Katya said as she walked beside me.

  Her demeanor had slightly changed sometimes during our long walk. We hadn’t even made it far from the village yet, but she wasn’t in a hurry it seemed, and neither was I for that matter.

  "I see. Something similar to the charming spell then?" I asked curiously. In all honesty, I hadn’t been taking it too seriously. But once I saw just a small extent of her powers, I became hungry for it beyond measure.

  "In a sense, yes. It’s more of a-- charm extension. You basically blend in with the surroundings. A type of camouflage if you will. If you pretend hard enough to belong there, you can become invisible so that a human might walk past you and never even notice they were a second away from becoming food.

  "Is there a way for them to see through it?"

  She shrugged.

  "Other Vampyre’s can, and the church’s zealots too. Anyway, the shadows themselves will gradually envelop you, making you go invisible as you get a hand on the skill. And even if you were to be blind, once someone or something enters your shadow’s reach, you can tell who or what they are, where they’re standing, or even attack them. You will see for yourself."

  I stood there, dumbfounded. There were things I’d already seen, be they a dream or reality, but this seemed like-- magic.

  "I-- think I can do this. I mean, yeah, I can do this!" I snapped, pepping myself up.

  Katarina stood there, a strange expression of both amusement and disgust on her face.

  "Get to it," she ordered, smiling as I turned away from her.

  I stopped in the midst of the trees, brush all around me. I felt naked, laid out on a platter in front of the whole world. Just like with the count when he tried to force me into his games. Now that I’d killed someone, how was a game of hiding supposed to compare with that? True, if someone would try to hurt Katya, I would do even worse to them. Much worse.

  My eyes began to burn, as a new pain enveloped me. It was as if I stood amidst a fire, chewing at my skin and bone. How could I ever become a shadow if I’d always feel like that?

  I tried to reach out to the shadows, blend into them. Was it working? I had no idea. How could I even know if I couldn’t see myself hiding there? And the hunger, and the pain, and the hunger!

  The shadows enveloped everything around me, hiding me in their domain. Yes, they protected me, they loved me. They would be an extension of me. Katya, I could feel her. The sluggish movements. It was as if she wanted to be seen and heard. What was she doing? Wait, was that a song?

  I tried even harder, cocking my head to the side, focusing on her voice.

  "Spring will not come for me

  Nor will the river flow,

  There a young girl’s heart

  Is filled with love -- but not for me"

  She’s sad. Why Would she be sad? She has me, and the Queen. But I understand. We’re not normal. We’re different. Everyone else has a life, be it good or bad, normal or not, but me and Katya-- Our lives weren’t even ours anymore, not then, not now, would it ever?

  I shook the thoughts away, missing out on the rest of her song. A wave of anger flooded over me, and I felt it, no, I saw it. I had become one with the shadows. They were an extension of me. Yes, like extra limbs, reaching far and wide. Wait, what was that? Intruders? How many? Three?

  "What do you want from me?" Katarina cried out, acting all afraid.

  I grinned at her performance. Even if I hadn’t seen it firsthand at the count’s estate, it would have been hard to believe that woman was anything but a damsel in distress.

  I forced the grin away and focused on the three shapes. Men, crude, rude and vulgar. They in no uncertain terms just told her that she’s going to pay up for being so beautiful. They would hurt her so bad that she’d wish she was dead. Only because she’s a beautiful woman. I shook my head at how idiotic people could be. Never would I underestimate anyone again.

  An argument broke out between the men. Who would be the first to try her out? Should they just sell her as merchandise? Katya feigned terror and fright, slowly stepping toward me. Instead of staying on the course, she veered off to the other side and positioned the men in between us.

  "I will take the one to my left, you take the two others. On three. One, two, go!"

  Without any time to process what just happened, I lunged forward, quick as lightning. I appeared instantaneously behind the middle, burly man. His stench hit me like a punch in the gut as I materialized from the shadows. I wanted to puke. His clothing, dirty and stained beyond salvation, most likely from piss and food. And just for that, I used my hand and not the blade, piercing the wretched soul from behind. His spine was crushed with minimal effort as my hand entered all the way into his body. Warm, thick blood enveloped my claw-like hand, his heart still pulsating in the vicinity.

  Katya used the moment of distraction and swirled around the most right man, using the fur stole to catch the sword. With a tug, it lay beneath her feet as she loomed over the pleading man. She slipped her own blade out of a sheath somewhere from within her dress. It was a wicked dagger, sharp with serrated edges. She pressed it against his neck and graced me with a stare.

  "W-What are you?" the third man stammered, his sword drawn. But he stood in place, unmoving as the weapon shook uncontrollably in his hand. A trickle of urine streamed down his right leg. But I paid him no heed. No, the hot, thick liquid that would give me power, energy and life had cast a spell on me. Bewitched me beyond any woman could have ever done before.

  I drew my hand back, staring at it intently. It was covered with the dirty man’s life that slowly seeped out of him. I cared about this filth no more. His blood was all I wanted. Yes. I needed to taste it, to savor it. I tongued my canines, feeling for the sharp incisors. Eyeing the third man, I opened my mouth wide and sank my teeth into the dead ruffian’s neck.

  A surge of pleasure, no, not just pleasure, but pure life filled me as he was extinguished. The man’s knowledge, power, and prowess all became mine. Yes. Yes. Yes! I needed more. I wanted more!

  Katya sliced the second mans’ throat and held him still for me.

  "Now you’re alone. No one will ever believe what you saw. So you better not even think about spreading rumors. You had too much too drink and lost sight of your friends. Now, turn around and go home." Her voice was ice cold and commanding, surely laced with the glamor she used on the woman from earlier.

  The man seemed too frightened to act, but the charm wasn’t working. I was sure he would listen to me. As I was a new man, a new Vampyre. Yes, the rush, the power. This was good. No longer drowning in the shadows, I could feel myself move them around me.

  "Shouldn’t you count yourself lucky? The lady let you go off easily after all," I sneered and dropped his friend into a pool of writhing shadows. The dark limbs shred the corpse apart and swallowed it hole, to never be seen again.

  Bewildered out of his mind, the last man started screaming, but still, he wouldn’t move. I couldn’t have that, as my heightened sense of hearing made my ears too sensitive. I turned toward the man and looked deep into his hazel brown eyes.

  "Shut up!" I growled.

  Instantly, the guy stopped screaming with his mouth still open, and a deaf scream painted on his face.

 

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