Vampire's Prey

Chapter 16: Regiment

"Jacob!" I call, "Where'd you put the green beans?" The stew's almost done, and I can't find them anywhere. I know they're not his favorite, but he needs a balanced diet, and they're about to go off.

"Come on little sis, can't we skip the beans this time?" he says with a grin.

"That's what you said last time and the time before. Stop being childish."

"Okay, okay." He raises his hands. "They're behind you, top cupboard."

I try reach for them, but they're pushed right up against the back of the highest shelf. "Jacob!"

"Hmm?" He raises his brows, mocking me with his green and gold eyes.

"Give me the beans or you'll be sorry," I growl.

"Julia," he shakes his head.

"The beans."

"Julia."

My eyes shoot open, and I squint to focus on the figure standing over me. It's Rahlan. I'm wrapped in the messy duvet on the bed at the inn. My heart sinks as reality sets in. Cooking dinner with my brother was just a dream.

I sit up, leaving the blanket over my legs. Morning sunlight streams in through the window, but my body yearns to fall back into the bed's soft cushions. I slept like a baby... in the arms of my captor.

Rahlan draws his sword, and I rub the sleep out of my eyes.

He takes a seat on the wooden chair and grabs a sharpening stone off the desk.

"Who's Jacob?" he asks.

"No one." The less he knows about me and my family, the better. The last thing I need is to drop clues which would help him track me down after I escape.

Suspicion flashes across his features, but he quickly dismisses it. The one upside of him thinking so little of humans, with the exception of Ivan, is that he couldn't care less about the details of my life.

I nudge up against the window and peer out at the street three stories below. The vampires weave between one another, some carrying wood, full buckets and heavy sacks. I'd have thought they were humans were it not for their pale complexions and exotic maroon clothing.

Sparks fly off Rahlan's blade as he scrapes it over the stone. The thought that he's sharpening it for his next encounter with humans makes me uneasy.

My gaze drifts back to the street. It's odd watching the vampire's completing their daily chores. Up till now, I've only seen them in brothels or angry crowds, but here they look so ordinary.

I spot the occasional human – men and women being led by their vampire masters- no, their vampire captors. One human woman seems to move freely through the crowd. She must have some special privileges the others don't.

Rahlan opens the door and stands aside. "Are you coming?"

I slide out from under the blankets and approach, stretching my arms. "I'm guessing that framing it as a request is another formality?"

He slaps the small of my back, making me spring forward out the room. I whip around and glare daggers at him.

"You're catching on," He closes the door. "Now are you going to wobble down those stairs at a reasonable pace, or do you need further encouragement?"

"Asshole," I grumble.

His eyes narrow, and I hurry down the stairs before he gets near.

As I reach the ground floor, a delicious smell grabs my attention. There's a table covered with freshly baked bread, cheese and strawberries.