Thank you for your patience in waiting for this next installment, please enjoy and let me know what you think.

D.

Part 5

We did not go out hunting that following night. I stood with Alcide as he went to the great hall and spoke with the Weres about the impending expedition. The few Vampires who were there watched me from their shadows, but none of them made a move to volunteer. I was not surprised. As I had told the Queen, they were too fond of willing donors and soft beds, and easy prey for their fangs and nails. I had made the offer, and that was all that was required of me. I actually preferred the independence I had not to order their service. Six Weres stepped forward, anxious to prove themselves to Alcide and the Queen, though perhaps they needed further challenges to satisfy their youth, or were simply growing as bored as I?

Alcide had them all make up the lists of the weapons and supplies they wanted, fortunately a short and simple one; but an opportunity to add to their personal arsenals. I took it to the chamberlain's quarters, where Godric looked it over thoughtfully, counting out numbers on his fingers as I watched him. Only when he had finished his silent tally did he look up at me.

"And nothing for you Sherriff?" He cocked his head.

"I need only my blade." I kept my answers short.

He nodded and looked away from me again, as if I was a simple annoyance; but of course I knew it was calculated.

"The Queen has asked me to give you this." He went into his desk and removed a glass phial. It was easy to see what it held, even though he paid it no overt reverence.

"She offers me her blood?"

"She does." There was no smile.

A chill ran the length of my spine. The implications were enormous. It was a powerful elixir, even in the small quantity that she had provided me, and would no doubt increase my prowess and sate my hunger for a great many days. It was an unparalleled gift. But to take the blood of another Vampire, and one so ancient came with costs. I did not wish to be in her service forever, or to have her aware of my future movements. To take her blood was nearly a pledge of eternal loyalty to her, because she would certainly be within her rights to request mine. And to share blood would certainly secure a bond, one not easily broken. She knew this as well as I did; and I did not doubt her cunning, or dismiss it. Perhaps she did want me in her service for a Vampire eternity? Godric was holding the phial out to me and I know that he understood my hesitation, and was annoyed by it. He was in the Queen's service, and his motivation for sharing her was not altruistic, of that I was certain.

I bowed my head, and took the offered glass. Enclosing it in my hand carefully.

"Please offer my sincere thanks to the Queen."

"You will not take it here?" He asked me.

"To drink is a matter of some privacy to me. I am certain that you understand."

He did not appear to, but he gave me the leave to pocket it, I showed enough reverence for his taste apparently. He promised that the supplies would be waiting in the hall by mid-morning at the latest, ready for the Weres to inspect and pack, as they desired. He inquired again as to whether I was certain that I needed nothing, a new blade, a sturdier cloak? I repeated that I was well set. I preferred the blade I had, it had been with me for centuries, and my care for it kept it perfect. I did not need the luxury of anther cloak; mine was perfectly fine; better than that in fact. It was as comfortable on my shoulders as the sword was in my hand. I was put in mind just then of the way Jankin handled it for me. It almost made me want to smile, though I did not, not in front of Godric. For as well as he disciplined himself, I knew what lay under his skin. His tattoos had been a clue to his age, and every so often a gesture or a word gave away his origins in barbarism even older than what many would call my own. He would kill me just as easily as he would dine with me, and so I watched him carefully, as carefully as I had the Queen, waiting for the recognition of the fairy blood in my system, waiting for the recognition of any weakness. Especially given this new gambit on their parts. For all I knew, the blood in the phial could be his, and it frightened me a little more, the thought of being under his watch in such an intimate way. I did my duties, and bowed to him, and then retreated to my suite; conscious of having avoided what could have been a very difficult situation.

I had expected my rooms to be empty, but was surprised when I opened the door to a crackling fire, and to Jankin, sitting on the corner of my bed, laying out linen shirts.

"Good evening." I could not help but wonder at his appearance, as if he had somehow sensed that he had crossed my mind. But of course, I was likely over thinking the situation, still unnerved by Godric. I took the phial of blood out of my pocket, and set it on the mantle.

"I am told you are going on a quest of sorts Eric." His blue eyes followed me as I walked.

Word travelled very fast it seemed.

"I am. I am tired of this never-ending task, hunting each night, making no headway in solving the problem. It is time to end this." The candid outburst about my feelings was out of character but appropriate. He was, besides Alcide, the closest thing I had to a friend. (Not that I made a habit of counting such things).

"And when will you be departing?" He patted my folded shirt in an odd sort of way.

"As the sun sets tomorrow."

"Then I will make myself ready." And he stood, prepared to make his way to the door but for me stopping his progress, surprised at his statement.

"You are not coming Jankin." I was actually quite shocked at the idea, I had never even considered it, and I prided myself on looking at all aspects of a situation (when time permitted of course), before choosing my course of action. He had never factored into it.

"Of course I am." He announced, all traces of the pensive, silent Jankin suddenly gone. It was the boldest Jankin I had ever known, and I began to suspect that somehow I had been played. He attempted to move past me, but I sidestepped him and put a hand out on his chest to still him.

"This is a task for warriors." He looked from my fingers to my face without changing the serious expression in his eyes.

"You doubt that I know of swordplay Eric?"

"I am beginning to doubt a great many things I know about you Jankin."

"One thing you should never doubt Eric is my resolve."

"There is a chance that we will not return Jankin."

"Then more's the reason I should accompany you."

"I cannot guarantee your safety."

"I have not asked that of you."

I don't know why I felt the need to argue with him so forcefully just then. I suppose I could have tried to glamour him, but then again, his fairy blood might have precluded its effectiveness. It seemed like I had to convince him of the merits of my point of view, and he fought just as hard against it.

I finally stepped away from him, throwing my hands up in frustration. I expected that he would take the opportunity to leave, but he did not, actually coming to stand beside me as I stood in front of the fire he had kindled. I stared at the phial of blood, wondering when my autonomy had slipped away.

"What is that?" He asked, his voice back to the quiet, half whispered one I was used to.

"The Queen has asked me to take her blood." It seemed the time for a great sigh, but I was well out of practice. Jankin seemed to fill in for what I lacked.

"And will you?" Our private relations seemed suddenly more intimate than ever before.

"Not if I have a choice." I whispered, transfixed by the wax stopper, the seal on it was the Queen's but of course, Godric had control of it.

"If you would but turn your back I can relieve you of the decision." He reached for the phial but I stopped him by putting my hand over his, not cruelly, but with force enough.

"Not yet." I think he understood by the way I looked at him that I was not angry, quite the opposite in fact; the swell of gratitude for the man I was just beginning to know was great, he risked a great deal on my behalf.

"I am always at your service Eric." The words were a continuation of the benediction of placing his hands on my head the previous evening. And just as he had at that time, he gave me pause. I pulled my hand back from his slowly, marveling in the warmth of it against my cold flesh. It was no different than any other time he had touched my skin, but yet it was.

"You should drink then Eric." He made to pull away his collar.

"No, not if you are to come with me. You will need your strength Jankin."

"You will not harm me Eric."

"I will not take that chance."

"Shall I send in the serving girl again?" Ah, so he had known of the gift Alcide had sent to me.

"No. I do not desire that type of company."

"Then allow me to at least fetch a pitcher for you."

"I can attend to that Jankin. Go home to your wife," I paused, "and tell her that I am sorry for what I am about to lead you into." He nodded at me with a sad smile, different than previous ones, there were still a great deal of unspoken thoughts behind it, but there was also a grim resolve, one that I knew I would need to explore more fully.

After he had left I allowed myself to truly feel the overwhelming sense of dread that had suddenly settled over an adventure I had only recently been anticipating.