A/N:

"Talking"
^Telepathy^

Thoughts

If anyone wonders why I have the hand using telepathy it is bacause in VHD: Bloodlust, when Benge caught D in his spell the camera moved around showing D paralyzed, and his left hand looked like an ordinary hand, but the hand was talking to him. So I figure the hand is probably telepathic as well as being able to talk like other people. Anywayz, that's my explanation if anyone cares. ^.~

To Catch a Thief

So often people wished to meet with him in churches. Perhaps they thought his unlawful powers were weaker there. Perhaps they thought God would protect them.

Personally, D did not believe God existed. Surely if there was a God, he would not permit such evil creatures as vampires to exist. But they did exist, and despite human superstition religious talismans like crucifixes had no influence over them.

Churches and crosses posed no problem for D either.

The roof of this particular church was dilapidated allowing beams of sunlight to drift lazily to the floor. Sunlight did occasionally pose a problem for D, but not in the small doses that fell into the church. Full sunlight would cause a full vampire to burst into flame; five or six straight hours, without stopping to rest would invoke heat syndrome in a dunpeal.

D studied the small woman who stood nervously across the church from him. She was an ordinary looking woman, her glossy black hair pulled back in a working woman's knot, her sturdy frame a touch larger than what was considered beautiful. Her face was rawboned and handsome, rather than comely.

Standing next to her was a large man with an arm wrapped possessively around her. He was blonde, with long sideburns and big green eyes. His bushy eyebrows overshadowed his eyes. His face bore the scars of a brawler, and his large bulbous nose gave the impression of a constant drinker.

"Marie Calienti?"

D addressed his inquiry to the woman, but it was the man who answered, "This is her, here. You must be D."


D did not answer.

If his silence phased the other man he did not show it. "I'm Thomas Calhoun, Marie's fiance. Two weeks ago Marie gave birth to a boy. My son, Davin. A week ago, a vampire named Marcus Lang stole the babe from us.

"Marcus Lang has a house in the area and a stronghold a few hundred miles out of town. My sources have indicated that he is keeping our babe in his stronghold."

The man paused, trying to judge D's reaction.

"Go on."

"It is common knowledge that Lang is part of a coven."


Covens were large groups of vampires who traveled and fed together. The largest coven D had ever come across had had over 100 members. But such large covens were unusual. As a general rule a coven had between 25 and 50 vampires. Usually there were several young vampires, and two or three very old ones.

"You wish me to rescue the child."

It was a statement, not a question.

^D, have you lost your mind? You can't tangle with a whole coven. You would never survive!^

"No. We realize that a coven is more than any one hunter could tangle with."


^Thank God.^

"The task we would like you to undertake is slightly different. Have you ever heard of the Shadowwalker?"
D remained silent, giving no indication if he had or not.

^Shadowwalker, Shadowwalker, doesn't ring a bell. Hm.^

"You probably haven't. He doesn't exactly walk in the same circles as your kind. The Shadowwalker is a thief. A cat thief. He's supposed to be extraordinarily good. Rumor has it he even picked a vampire's pocket once.

"We have sent for him. It is our hope that he can sneak into the vampires' stronghold and steal our babe back. What we would like you to do is protect him. Make certain he is not ambushed along the way there, or slaughtered after he has Davin."


"I am a hunter, not a bodyguard," D turned to leave.

"Wait please. We'll pay you well. Fifteen million simply for the escort business. We will pay an additional two million for the head of every vampire from the coven which you bring us, and twenty million if you bring us Lang's head, and the dragon ring he wears, to prove that it is Lang. Of course, if the Shadowwalker does not return with the child we will consider your mission failed and you will receive nothing."


D stood on the threshold of the church and considered, "I will meet your thief. If I think he can do it I will take the job. But I want five million per head."


"Done. The Shadowwalker has not made contact with us yet. We have devised a test for him.?Calhoun held up a delicate amethyst brooch. The Shadowwalker was supposed to arrive today. There was a room reserved for him at the hotel, under an alias which we alerted him of in the letter in which we summoned him. When he enters his room he will find another letter, describing this brooch and informing him that it will be lost in a poker game this evening. If he can return it to us by noon tomorrow he will have the job. Are you interested in watching?"


D nodded his head, this could be very interesting.

******

D sat in a shadowy corner of the tavern, watching the poker game. He had little use for cards, but he did know the rules. The doors suddenly swung open and Lynke strolled in.

He walked over to the bar, and sat down on a stool. A plump young waitress with a pretty, painted on face strolled over to him, "What can I get you sweetie, sweetwine?"


Sweetwine was a light wine, usually given to youngsters to start them out.

"Straight beer."
"I don't know, you look a little young...?"
"I can handle it," Lynke flashed a charming smile, if he had been a few years older, and a little bigger the smile would have swept the waitress off her feet. As it was it looked like a little boy trying to imitate his older brothers.

The waitress giggled at his cute boyishness and brought him his drink. He tipped her a gold coin, worth about ten dollars. He seemed oblivious to the attention his flamboyance had attracted.

^The kid'll be lucky if he isn't mugged and knocked out in an alley somewhere.^

At that moment Lynke spotted D and headed across the bar to sit next to him. On the way over the boy tripped and stumbled over Calhoun's chair, barely managing to avoid dumping his drink down Calhoun's back.

"Hey brat, watch where you're going!"


"Geez, sorry."


Calhoun waved him off and turned his attention back to the game. Lynke crossed the room and plopped down across the booth from D.

"Heyya D. How's it going? Did you get your business taken care of..." without stopping to give D a chance to answer Lynke rattled on endlessly. It was just as well, given D's dislike of conversation. At least Lynke was never bothered by long stretches of silence waiting for D to answer.

"Do you know anything about cards D?"
"Hm." D had been focusing his attention on the card game, but now turned a little of his attention back to Lynke.

"Well, you were watching that card game real intently. I thought maybe you knew how to play. That game over there looks interesting, I would like to learn how to play."


His comment was overheard by one of the players at the poker table. He leaned over and whispered something to the other players.

The man probably thought his whisper never went farther than the other members of his game, but D's sharp hearing picked his words up clearly. "Look at the rich little brat. We could clean up good. Maybe we should teach him how to play."


The players exchanged greedy grins before calling to Lynke, "Hey kid, if you want to learn the game, we'll teach you how to play."


Lynke stood eagerly to join the game. Before he got out of earshot D's voice echoed after him, "Watch out Lynke. Everyone doesn't have your best interest in mind."


Lynke turned to look back at him startled, "I know that D. But it's just a game. I'll be OK."


^Whatever possessed you to do that. Does Lynke bring out a protective streak in you? Perhaps you're feeling a little parental towards this little idio-^

^Quiet.^ D replied telepathically.

^Touche.^

D watched as Lynke asked questions and learned the basic rules of the game. It was obvious that he was an amateur. D doubted he would be able to even set his own hand.

When time came to ante in, Calhoun reached into his purse, then seemed to realize that he was short on cash. "Sorry guys, looks like I'm broke. All I have left is this brooch of Marie's. Would anyone mind if I anted in with it?"


All the players agreed to let him, after all the brooch looked quiet costly.

Much to everyone's surprise, when it came time to reveal the hands, Lynke had the winning hand.

There was much grumbling about beginners luck. Calhoun was out, and he came over and sat next to D.

"I checked with the hotel clerk. No one has checked into that room yet."


After a few more hands, the rest of the players dropped. Lynke seemed disappointed, although he had won two out of five hands. He was also still in possession of the brooch.

He came trotting back over to D, finishing the last of his beer as he did so. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Calhoun.

"I'd better get out of here, Marie will worry about me if I stay out much longer."

He stood and walked towards the door, stopping to scowl down at Lynke. "Better watch out kid, something might jump out of the shadows and GET YOU!"


He bellowed the last two words in Lynke's face, causing the youth to jump. He swaggered out of the saloon, looking fully content.

"Bully," muttered Lynke, sitting across from D. "Have you got a place to stay D?"


"No, I didn't intend to stay here overnight."


"Well, you can't stay here all night. I rented a whole room, and it's got an extra bed. You can stay in my room tonight."


D certainly could have stayed in the tavern all night, and normally would have, but he wanted to keep an eye on that brooch Lynke had won. He stood and followed Lynke from the tavern.

******

The beds in the hotel were little better than straw mattresses on the floor. D lay thoughtfully on his, still in full armor.

Lynke had been gone for almost twenty minutes and D was beginning to wonder if he should go after the boy. Lynke had said he needed to find an outhouse, and D had granted him a little privacy, but now he was wondering if perhaps Calhoun or one of the other gamblers had jumped him. Or perhaps the Shadowwalker had taken the brooch and injured Lynke in the process.

Another five minutes passed and D stood to his feet and strapped his sword back on, when he heard stealthy foot steps creeping down the hall, accompanied by small hurried breaths.

Lynke nearly jumped into the ceiling when he saw D standing there waiting on him.

"Sheesh. I thought you would be asleep by now. Did you wait up on me? I couldn't find the outhouse. It's way back in the bushes. Sorry to keep you up. I didn't expect you to wait up."


"I thought maybe the loud gambler had hurt you."


Something about Lynkeî–¸ face changed for a brief second, "I-uh, sorry."

Whatever D had seen in Lynke's face vanished.

"No I'm OK," his voice took a slightly more somber tone. "Nobody has worried about my safety since my Papa went on his trip. I forgot how it feels, thanks D."


Somehow the sincerity of Lynke's statement touched D in a deep corner of his heart that was usually locked away from everything, even himself.

He removed his sword and lay down, gripping the scabbard with his left hand. Lynke slipped his boots off his small feet and climbed into bed, still in his clothes. His even breathing a few minutes later informing D that he was asleep.

D hardly ever slept at night. When it became necessary he would pretend to sleep, but he rarely did. So it was he kept a wary vigil over Lynke through the night.