For hundreds of years, humans and vampires lived side by side. Intermarriage was common, and entire villages could be tied to vampire families. They never posed a threat, only drinking when invited. But now, something has changed. Bodies are turning up drained in back alleys, and no one knows who they can trust. Brothers are wary of brothers, wives of their husbands.
The Halfdan family was sitting down to their supper. "Eartha, Skilyr, I do not want you wandering far from the cottage." Silver said as he came to the table.
"Silver what is going on" Rae asked, "The girls have always been able to go off with their friends and cousins after chores."
He got angry at his word being questioned, "I will explain this one time. Another body was found today. Maester Humphrey says there is no blood in her, she was drained."
Rae gasped looking at the girls sending up a quick prayer for the poor soul.
"Papa who would do such a thing" Eartha asked in between spoonfuls of stew.
He looked at his eldest daughter, "All anyone knows is it was a vampire"
"Well it is not anyone from the village, we know them" Rae said as she stood to clear the table. "Nobody from our family would do such a thing."
"We do not know for sure." he also stood, "Until they are captured the girls are to stay in the courtyard, no further and never after dusk."
Rae agreed, the safety of the children was paramount, whoever the rogue vamp was they could not be trusted.
A week later after another body was found behind the blacksmith Silver gathered the human men for a meeting. Held during the day in hopes the vampires would be at rest.
"Brother thank you for coming, this is most urgent" Silver said greeting one of his brothers.
"Why all the secrecy Silver?" Sethorith asked, "You said not to let our brothers know."
"Gentleman" he said loudly to everyone gathered, "We have a problem in our village, someone is draining people and it needs to stop"
Sephorith wrinkled his brow in worry, "What you say is true they found Mistress Hart this morning behind the blacksmith. But you can no thtink it is someone from here"
Knathan agreed, "Yes it does need to stop but to think your own family could be behind it."
"I do not wish to think this, but has anyone new come to town" SIlver asked serious.
"Well, the only new family was the fisherman" Knathan said glancing toward Sephorith.
"Watch yourself Knathan" Sephorith said through gritted teeth, "The Fisher family is human, I think I would know if my wife was a Vampire"
Silver looked at his brother exaperated, "I agree they are human but the other choice is one of our family."
A flicker of movement caught his eye across the lake. “Hush, we’re being watched,” Silver murmured, lowering his voice. There it was again—a flash—this time revealing a long black cloak, just like the one his brother Raiden, the Priest of Absalom, wore.
Suddenly in a swirl of smoke and bats Raiden appeared behind them, "Brothers did you forget to invite me to your meeting?" He let his gaze linger on everyone but it stayed on Silver and Sephorith the longest. "I see Graedee was not invited either, seems we are being excluded from village affairs."
Sliver sighed, knowing there was no hope—he could tell Raiden, or Raiden could just read his mind. As kids, Raiden had always found it amusing to peek into his thoughts and report all his misdeeds to their parents.
"We are meeting to discuss the recent drainings around the village" Silver said. Shock rippled through the group that he so easily told Raiden when he has sworn them all to secrecy.
"Tsk tsk brother, and you do not think that the Vampire Coven would want to help find the vamp behind the drainings" he acted shocked, "You can not.... wait...." he said bringing his hand to his temple.
"How could you truly think one of us, who most are your flesh and blood would be behind this madness" Raiden acted shocked after he read Silvers mind.
"I Do not wish to think it of anyone from the village", Silver said, "But who else is there it could be if not one of your coven."
"Silver, I do see how you could come to that conclussion" he said trying to sound contrite, "I will do all in my power to find the Vamp responsible, and bring him to vampire justice."
Silver was shocked his brother was willing to throw one of his own into the proverbial fire.
Raiden turned to the gathered group. "I promise friends and family no matter if this vamp is a local or foreign we the Coven will help to remove them from are lives."
He turned back to Silver, "Brother we are not enemies we are blood," he said, he smiled when he heard agreement murmured behind him, "Do not let some rogue vamp come between you and I."
Meanwhile back at the Halfdan Cottage:
Vladimir lets himself into the cottage, "Rae is my son at home?" he asked glancing around the front room. It was conveniently empty.
"Vlad, I am surprised you are not at the village meeting" she said turning from the fireplace. He smiled her answer told him all he needed to know.
Smiling he raised his arms and started to hypnotize Rae'Lynn, "Rae my love soon we will be together for eternity" he said soflty.
Rae became mesmerized by the voice and his stare.
She started to lean toward him, "Vlad my love, when can we be together" she said, her voice not quite normal.
"Soon, I promise, we’ll have forever," he said. "But first, let me taste you—I need your sweet blood."
She raised her arm still in a trance, "Of course my love, I live for the day I can drink as you do."
Vladimir sank his teeth into her soft flesh, her blood was the sweetest he had tasted in his 1000 years.
He forced himself to pull away, though he longed to continue. Wiping his mouth, he drew her close. He would never drain her like the others—never her, his mate. He kissed her deeply and guided her toward the bedchamber, his mind filled with all he still wished to share with her.
Silver gazed at the cradle and the little girl lying inside. Her ashen skin and red-rimmed eyes told him everything. Rae'Lynn had been unfaithful—with a vampire, no less—but who was it? Who had she dared to be with to bring this demon child into the world?
He bent down gently, lifting the child into his arms. There was no way he would allow the child to stay in his home. He was determined to have the vampires expelled from the village, and he refused to raise one himself.
"I'm sorry, little one, but I can't let you grow up to be a monster," he said, turning toward the door. Rae'Lynn slept peacefully in the next room not knowing the child was a vamp, nor what her husband planned to do to the innocent babe.
He ventured deep into the snow-covered forest until he came upon a tree stump. This would be the spot, where the rising sun would shine over the clearing, burning the child away until no trace remained.
He gently set the child down in the snow, but then reconsidered and placed her on the stump instead. The stump would surely be in the sun, whereas in the snow the rays might be blocked.
He laid the child on the stump where the sun’s rays would surely find it. Without a backward glance, he turned and headed back to the cottage. He would tell Rae the baby had passed in the night; a weighted coffin in the ground should do the trick.
