~The Winter Moon Falls: Part Two~
“I believe you have a room reserved for me.”
The innkeeper looked up from his book and studied the woman standing before him; her long dark hair, pale skin and pointed ears did not seem familiar. “Name?”
“Lady Lyra Adraesienmael. My man Edan sent word.”
He flipped through the ledger resting on the desk, “Ah, yes. There you are,” he said, tapping his finger on the entry. “Room thirteen. Says here you requested that room. Are you sure you would not prefer another? I’m afraid that room has a tragic history.”
The woman shook her head, hiding her curiosity, “No, that will be fine. If you would lead the way? My man will follow with my bags later.”
The innkeeper nodded and stood, “Right this way Lady Adraesienmael.”
Maellyra tossed her coat onto the bed and paced back and forth impatiently. She stopped when she heard a knock at the door. She waited.
“Lady Adraesienmael, I have brought your things,” came the voice of her man, muffled by the wood of the door. She quickly unlocked and opened it. Edan stepped in, dropped the bags and locked the door behind him. “We are lucky, this room muffles sound thanks to its original purpose.”
“Which was?”
“The robbery and murder of the occupants.”
Maellyra shivered, “Reassuring.”
Edan grinned wide enough to bare his fangs as he ran his fingers through his dark hair. “Fear not; robbers are nothing more than a light snack. Since we booked the room for a week, we should not meet up with any ‘visitors’ until at least the third night.”
“So why are we here?” Maellyra asked, sitting cautiously on the bed.
“This will be our base of operations. Once the sun descends past the horizon tomorrow we begin your vengeance.”
“So soon?”
The elder vampire frowned, “You sound disappointed.”
“It’s just . . . well, I’ve grown used to you these past few years. After so much work it seems strange that it will all be over soon. It will be good to join my clan once more.”
“You are not dying when this is over.”
She looked puzzled, “I live only to avenge my clan.”
“You forget, you were not given the powers to complete your quest by the gods, but by me. You will not fall dead once the last of your enemies are vanquished.”
“What is living with no purpose, with no clan?”
Edan frowned again, “I will give you purpose. If you must put reason to your existence, then let it be to repay me, and once you have done that, we can think of something else. As for a clan, I know a home we can return to.” He made himself comfortable on one half of the bed, “Sleep, tomorrow we have much to do.”