At a wayside inn, I had thought to spend a pleasant night with a drink and a cheap woman. I was welcomed there, as I swaggered in, one hand on my sword as if I'd rather fight than drink. A band of strangers not so far from the fire called me over, laughed with me, kept filling my tankard. I gladly left with them, clutching the cold hand of one of their women.
They threw me against the alley wall. They took my sword and snapped it in ten places. They laughed as my alcohol-slurred muscles tossed me unevenly at them, and then they tore the flesh away from my veins. I tried to scream. I should have died, but as the devils drifted back into the shadows, the hands of one of them lifted me up. I found pity at the whim of a monster, and god help me, I am glad.
She has hidden me in a leveled barn, miles from town. I am too weak to travel – my helplessness reflects in her eyes when she visits. She touches me as one would touch a simple-minded child, and tells me dark things about myself. Sometimes she brings me a hare or a few quail. Enough to keep me alive, though I do not hunger. But God! My thirst, my thirst...
A few weeks pass as I feel myself get stronger, strong enough to stand and even walk around a bit. A cool breeze flows around me as I test my newly grown wings. Its slick ebony surface reflects the light of the torches; their glow casts eerie shadows where they cannot reach in the far corners of this old barn.
"Up and about I see" a tender voice said.
He turns to find a radiant woman smiling at him from the doorway.
"Yes, I guess I got tired of sitting all the time"
She smiled again as she moved her hair out of her eyes and held up a small rabbit.
"I thought you could use a little more nourishment since were leaving for the New World tonight"
He just looked at her with a stunned look on his face "were leaving why"
Not saying anything she walked up to him and kissed him gently on the lips, she pulled back and smiled again. "Well it's becoming more dangerous for our kind these days and I think we should go before we get involved with it all"
"But Lynn, what shall we do when we get there"
"Well we just have to and find out my dear Vin" She said as she leaned closer to kiss him again. Just then an arrow came flying toward them narrowly missing them by inches.