Blood and Silver [slash]

Part 2 - Pain

Silverian seemed to sleep during the day, and Kelron could pass his time outside and sleep in his own bed. At night, there was no sleeping at all under the watchful eyes of the vampire. The creature didn't attempt to start a conversation while Kelron let him stew as well, except for some remarks about the advantages of giving in.

A few hours after sunset, Waragus appeared, but once again left without answers. However, he nodded contentedly as Kelron made his report to him outside in the courtyard. "It's how I thought: it thinks it can manipulate you into helping it. Just play along."

"But what if it really knows nothing?" the younger paladin asked.

"It knows something, otherwise we wouldn't have caught it during a skirmish against a troop bearing Lord Valendar's crest. It must belong to Valendar's court because it is neither dressed like a fighter nor like a simple servant."

Kelron nodded. "I'll try my best."

 "Very well. Alone, the fact that it talks to you is promising. Try to engage it in conversation, and sooner or later it will let something slip – either unconsciously or in calculation."

 "So it didn't say anything during the interrogations?" Kelron asked, although he already knew the answer.

 "Not a single word," Waragus replied. "Its ability to endure pain is remarkable. I guess it's already a few hundred years old or it would already show weakness due to the lack of fresh blood."

 "And what do we do if it just falls asleep? Master Mergil told me that vampires who don't get blood fall into a state of rigor after some time. And then it won't be able to answer any questions," Kelron remarked.

 "Well, before it comes to that, we'll feed it," the warden said. "Rumor has it vampires can drink animal blood. We'll try it."

"And if it doesn't work?"

 "Then we'll think of something else, but it should take some more time until then."

 "Master, there's something else," Kelron said. "I suspect that the bloodsucker doesn't really sleep during the day and listened to our conversation when we brought it into the dungeon." In short, he recounted Silverian's words.

But Waragus waved it aside. "That's impossible. And you know that vampires are very good when it comes to reading humans. It was just took a lucky guess. And now return to your post. I'll check our records to see if somewhere there's a mention of a bloodsucker called Silverian."

With these words, Kelron was dismissed, and he returned to the dungeon. There he found the vampire exactly the way he had left it, sitting on the stone floor due to the lack of any furniture in the cell and examining the new holes in its shirt. Finally, it rolled up its sleeves and licked at the fresh wounds underneath.

 "I do not suppose that you have a tailor available here?" Silverian asked without looking up.

 "We have one, but not for the likes of you," Kelron retorted. "And I think you have other things to worry about than a few holes in your clothing."

"Oh, and what things exactly? I am sitting in a cell, waiting to be killed by some self-righteous paladins, but aside from that, I have nothing to do with my time." Silverian rose in a fluent motion and gazed at Kelron. "But at least I have you for entertainment. It is not the best I could imagine, but far better than nothing."

"Is that so?" the paladin growled. "You should be happy that at least someone's talking to you at all."

"I am touched. But your sole task is to get some information from me, is it not? Your warden probably commanded you to obtain my trust so that I will tell you something of importance. If this is the case, you are not putting much effort into it." With a nonchalant gesture, the vampire combed some strands of hair out of its face and smiled tauntingly.