He ran quickly to his outhouse. Shaun, Paddy, Walter, Robbie, Jack and I ran into his cabin. When he came back in he stopped and turned to run back out. The rest of the Guard was standing behind me.
"Very good. Well executed."
"I am glad you are impressed." Shaun said.
The man moved slowly towards a shelf without looking.
Paddy was smiling. He held up a crossbow.
"Are you looking for this?"
The man's face turned to shock. "How did you know about that?"
"I watched you put it away."
"You watched me?" He looked at his window. The shutters were closed. "How?"
Paddy laughed. "Like this." He shifted into a weasel then back again.
The man started crossing himself and saying the prayers of the Rosary.
"Sir we only want to talk to you." He stopped mid prayer. I finished the prayer for him. "You know 'Hail Mary."
"Yes Sir." The shocked look was even more pronounced. "I was told you were evil creatures. How do you know the prayers?"
"I was taught them as a child. I went to church for a long time."
"But you are a creature of the devil. You are not permitted to enter the church."
"I do not worship the devil Sir." I said sternly.
"As you say Madam. I was told differently. '
"Well Sir you were told wrong."
"If you do not worship the devil. Who do you worship?"
"That is none of your concern." Shaun said. "Who told you about us?"
"I met a man in Amsterdam. He said that you drink the blood of humans." He said nervously.
"Not all of us drink blood." Shaun said.
"The man told me that these kill you." He pointed to his crossbow with the wooden spikes. One shot out and hit me in the shoulder.
"Kylie?" Paddy caught me.
"Oh my God. I am so sorry. That thing is so sensitive."
"How is she doing?" Shaun turned to Paddy and me.
"The hole is healing up." Paddy tossed the spike on to the floor.
The man had grabbed a cloth to put on my shoulder. "How is that possible? She is not bleeding."
I opened my eyes. I smiled at Paddy. "Kylie!" My eyes had turned red. I kissed him. "You smell good Love. I will be right back." He nodded.
I left the cabin. I heard the man ask where I was going.
"She needs to feed." Paddy answered him.
I was not gone long. I stood at the doorway. They were packing up his things.
"We are going to take you to our home. We will discuss this man from Amsterdam there."
"All right." He was more nervous now.
"Where do you live?"
"You will see."
We put his things on the dog sled. The dogs followed Shaun back to the cave.
"You live in a cave?"
"Yes we do."
The man stayed with his sled. Four of us just lifted the sled up just enough to keep the dogs going.
We entered the main chamber and stopped at the center. We were completely surrounded by the Guard. The dogs started to whine.
The Council came out of their chambers.
"Shaun who is this?" Councilman Klaus asked.
"He is the man who shot Martin and Rolland Sir."
"Well done Shaun. That was quick work."
"Thank you Sir." He bowed.
"Can you tell me why you injured my men?" Councilman Klaus was not too happy about this mortal.
"A man in Amsterdam told me how to kill your kind." His voice faded to whisper.
"A man in Amsterdam? What was his name?" The Councilman asked softly.
"He told me his name was Michael John, Sir."
"Michael John. We know this man. Tall, dark hair, blue eyes, average height."
"No, no Sir. He had a long blond hair pulled back into a ponytail. Dark green eyes. He was tall but thin for a man."
"Yes that is him."
"But you ...?" He nodded. "You wanted to see if I really knew him."
"Yes we have had many dealings with him over the centuries."
"Centuries Sir?"
"Oh! Did he not tell you? He is a vampire or I should say was a vampire. He has been destroyed."
"Vampire? Destroyed? What did he do if I might ask?"
"He ignored our laws."
"Oh dear. That is not good. What are laws for if not to be obeyed."
"Very well said. What is your name?"
"Jethro Brand Sir. I am from Sussex, Great Britain."
"What brings you here?"
"I came to the New World to start over and perhaps to find a wife to share my home with."
"When did you meet Michael John?"
"Oh about two or three years ago. I saw him the one time. He told me about these people who lived off of human blood. He was raising an army to stop them."
"Kylie can you check his neck?" I was standing closest to him.
"Yes Sir."
I moved closer to him. He stared at me. "What are you looking for?" I nodded.
"Sir there is four on the right side and four on the left."
"Thank you Kylie."
"Four and four what?" He asked nervously.
"Bites Mr. Brand."
"Bites?" He grabbed his neck.
"They are not from us. They are too old."
"You mean Michael John bit me?"
"Yes unfortunately. Now Mr. Brand when was the last time you had a home cooked meal?"
"A few nights ago Why?" He was sweating he was that nervous.
"Shaun take him down to the kitchen and make sure he eats his fill."
"Yes Sir."
Shaun walked Jethro down to the kitchen.
"Why am I not dead if that man bit me?" He asked Shaun as they walked down the corridor.
"I do not know Mr. Brand."
They walked in silence the rest of the way.
"Paddy have a room made up for him near the McCurdys. It might be more comfortable for him."
"Yes Sir." Paddy left.
"Kylie how old do you think the bites are?"
"Only one was in the last few years. He has been sipped from a few times."
"A few times too many. I thought we were careful with sipping from the same person too much."
"Perhaps he traveled a lot Sir. It would explain that many bites."
"Yes Kylie we will find out."
The Council returned to their chambers.
