Chapter Seven

"We have tae take care of the bodies right away," Aila whispered, looking up from the three photos. "All three."

"I already staked the first one," Rookery replied.

"And he hasnae come back?"

"So far as I know."

"So we've gottae get the other two soon."

"A little late now, since the sun's already set. The bodies are being autopsied at this point."

"I dunno about you, but I wouldnae wanna be up for that."

"True."

"Think yae can handle them or dae yae need help?"

Rookery glanced down at the photos and then looked up at Aila again. "You want to come?"

Aila paused. Her faced relaxed, and her arms went limp on her. "If yae need me to."

"Tell you what. I'll call you if I need help."

Aila nodded and smiled softly. "I'm a phone call away."

"Alright." Rookery got to his feet and walked out of the office, followed by Aila. He picked up his stake launcher and cross and then walked out to the truck. Aila walked out of the flat and down the street. Von leaned against the brick wall of a building.

"How did it go?"

"Reasonably well, considerin'."

"So, where are you going now?"

"I don't know."

"Well, wherever it is, may I walk with you again?"

"Why not?"

They set off down the street at a leisurely pace. "Where are you from?" Von asked.

"A small village in the highlands, like all other McTavishes, but I'm goin' tae university in Edinburgh."

"And how is that working for you?"

"Gets me away from my crazy family and all our skeletons, sae I guess reasonably well."

"That's good. I didn't know you thought so negatively of your family, since you don't look it, but what do I know? I had to hide from humanity for centuries."

Aila chewed her lip. "It sounds like a tough life."

"I spent most of it playing dead, but it is tough. You forget whether you're alive or dead, whether you're awake or dreaming."

"Dae yae get so weary yae wannae sleep for as long as possible?"

"Sometimes. You seem to have a sympathy for our kind, in spite of your position."

"Yae think so?"

"It's a possibility."

Aila smiled at Von. "Yer rather a friendly vampire, not the savage type I was always told tae expect. Maybe yae earn my sympathy."

"Oh, really?"

"Maybe." She turned to face him. The two stood in the middle of the square, and she looked over at the half moon, just rising in the east. "Yae pick a good time tae walk."

"Thank you." He stepped toward her. "I meant what I said the other night. I'm sorry about your witnessing Andrew's death."

"I'm sorry I let it happen," she whispered. "He's got a family. You're, what? His brother?"

"Cousin."

"He's got family, friends, a life. He used to be human, before he was turned, whenever that was, and he was taken away from all that." Von let out a soft breath, and Aila whispered, "Sorry I took your time."

"No, you're fine. I'm here if you ever need to talk."

"Thanks." She turned and walked down the street toward the motel.

TLV

Von combed through the minds of the citizens as he walked to the Sackville-Bagg home, where the children were gathered that night, in an effort to gather as much information on the case as he possibly could. The only ones who knew anything were Rookery, Aila, the Thompsons, and the Sackville-Baggs, and what they knew was only slightly more than what was known the previous day.

He slipped into the house and walked down the stairs to the basement, mentally sorting through the details. So far, the vampires were targeting threats to the succession of a leader, which gave credence to Gregory's theory of infighting over the top spot, and it was strongly suspected that the caretaker and the late lord were the masterminds behind all this, but the motive was almost indeterminant.

Vampires weren't usually powerhungry. That was a demeaning trait considered characteristic of hellspawns and highly frowned upon, at least in his experience. Unless, he thought, the vampires were turned by or spent time in the service of a hellspawn, which the caretaker and Lord McAshton obviously did.

He lay in the chest and shifted his position. His mind was heavy, and he wanted to sleep, but he felt it was almost impossible with everything else taking place.

Then, contrary to his own assessment, he almost free-fell into sleep.