Page 58 of A Serenade To The Elf Queen
For the first time, the knight sounds completely spooked and uncertain. I expect one of the demons will reply, but it is Rainer who answers, “He’s a vampire.”
Chapter 14 Rhianelle
“That dead man is likely a Witch Hunter. I know that tattoo,” Kheirall explains, his eyes falling briefly on Jack’s mangled body. The Demon Lord’s wings sag to the ground like a broken butterfly.
“I should have fucking smelled it. He’s likely the one who summoned the Ashmedai,” Ragnar says, spitting a bloodied tooth. “But we have an even bigger problem at hand.”
His gaze lifts to the creature across the field.
The Nightwalkers are eternal and undying, the true immortals. I look at the pale face, at the unfathomable beauty and strength. There is no doubt about it. Rainer is right… Svenn is a vampire.
He keeps punching the stone slab with his bare hands, his knuckles cracking and healing with each blow. The power he uses could decimate a mountain, but the slab of stone remains unaffected.
The world seems to still with the tightness in the air.
Aelfric tenses. “Is it safe for us to leave now?”
All eyes shift to the Demon Lord with expectation.
“Fine. I’ll go and ask.” Kheirall heaves a breath then turns to me. “But first you might want to give me a heads up on what to expect, love.”
I tell them everything about the catacomb beneath our feet. Horror dances on some of their faces over the details of my tale. The two demons, however, appear more casual and relaxed, as if waking an ancient creature from the dead is everyday news for them. I have no doubt that it is.
“Who knew we had a vampire buried in our backyard?” Kheirall releases a resigned sigh and turns to Ragnar. “If I don’t make it, please throw the box under my bed into the Mariana trench.”
Some of Kheirall’s words are utterly strange but I must admit I am impressed with his knowledge. Demons have to learn every language from various worlds to make bargains. Now he’s our only hope of leaving this place alive.
His second merely nods at the request. Garrett suddenly captures the Demon Lord’s elbow in a firm grip.
“I don’t care for your box of secrets. Just make sure that creature isn’t a threat to my queen,” he says, his voice hardening. It’s rare to see the smiling knight so anxious.
Kheirall approaches the creature, lifting both hands in a show of surrender. It seethes at something the Demon Lord says.
“What are they saying?” I whisper to Ragnar. I realize the demon is still standing in his nakedness and my eyes close in astonishment at where my night has led.
“Kheirall is trying to ascertain the age and where he came from,” he answers. “So far, the Demon Lord has explained to him our current time. He has been locked here for at least a thousand years.”
Rainer passes a robe for Ragnar to make himself decent. An icy calm restores to my uncle’s face. “What language is that?” he asks.
“Several old human languages…” The demon frowns. “The Nightwalker seems to speak some of them well enough. My Galatian and Ancient Egyptian are rusty at best. I can understand better when they include some Old Norse. Neither of those languages I mentioned are the vampire’s native tongue.”
It must be frustrating for a scholar like Ragnar. It is for me too.
“A vampire…” Eamon’s mouth twists.
“I’ve not come across their kind for a long time. Not one of this primeval. You wiped them all clean with your purge,” Ragnar says, casting a direct look at the Aldarelfs.
I don’t have time to gauge their reaction to the remark when Kheirall returns to us with a triumphant smile on his face. “He promised to let us leave quietly.”
I can almost hear the shuddering relief from some of us over his revelation.
“What are you going to do with him?” Eamon suddenly asks.
“Nothing. He’s tied to the land by a spell.” The demon points to the stone Svenn has been desperately trying to demolish.
For a second, I can see a glimmer of green light from the ancient writings on the rock. Something is trying to inch its way out.
“This prison has held him for a thousand years. It’ll hold him for another thousand,” Kheirall casually says.
