Felisei opened the door and found to her surprise Gesald outside, his red hair slightly messy and a clear red mark around his neck. Otherwise, he seemed as uncaring and bored as ever. With only about an hour or so until morning she was exhausted. She had been about to fall asleep, thinking nothing more would happen this night.

´Yes?` she asked and searched his face, curious about his appearance.

´I think you and your friends need to stay away from the vampire,` he said to her surprise.

´Wha... Ranloo? Why?` She didn't understand. ´Did he hurt you?` She indicated his neck.

He made a face and nodded. ´He's upset about something,` he snorted. ´Took it out on me as usual.`

She crossed her arms, somewhat offended by his tone. ´Was he hurt?`

Gesald shook his head. ´Nice of you to worry about him,` he commented drily.

´Where's he now?` she asked, ignoring his remark. What if something bad had happened? ´What about Sern? He's good at handling him when he's angry,` she added bitterly.

A slight smile passed over Gesald's lips to her annoyance. Then he shook his head. ´The boy's sleeping and won't wake up. And I've notified the twins.`

´Maybe I can talk to him?` A flutter of fear passed through her at the thought, but she couldn't ignore this chance.

He studied her dubiously for a moment. ´Not sure that's a good idea. He's in his room and I locked the door to the basement.`

´It's that bad?` she asked, suddenly anxious. She'd seen Ranloo angry and out of control before, it wasn't good if he was like that here in the guild. Did she dare go to him when in that state?

´Yes. Do you think it's possible to calm him down?` Gesald asked and stepped back to let her out.

´Yeah, sure.` For a few seconds, she stood frozen and uncertain. Why had she said that? Then she decided it was worth the risk. Surely he wouldn't hurt her? She hurried down the stairs with Gesald close on her heels. He unlocked the basement door for her.

´Should I leave it open for you or lock it again?` he asked as she took a step down the stairs.

She looked back over her shoulder, her brown curls falling over her back, her forehead wrinkled with worry. ´Leave it unlocked.` Going down to Ranloo scared her more than she liked to admit.

Gesald nodded and eased the door shut behind her.

Tired and with aching muscles and bruises, she looked down the stairs, unwilling to move. The corridor, though lit with a few lanterns, seemed dark and uninviting. Stepping down anyway, Felisei entered the first corridor and sneaked to the farthest door on the left. She raised a hand to knock, and froze. Tense and frightened she couldn't bring herself to touch it. She let her hand fall down to her side and took a deep breath, relaxing her knotted muscles.

´Why are you standing out there?` Ranloo's voice came through the door, slightly muffled by the thick wood.

She started guiltily and blushed. What if he thought she was spying on him? ´Uh, I just wanted to see if you're alright,` she said carefully. ´Can I come in?` There was no reply and worry replaced fear. ´Ranloo?` She listened by the door but heard nothing for a while. Then a faint scuffing reached her ears and she stepped back just as the lock ticked.

The door cracked open and revealed Ranloo, looking as beautiful, dark and compelling as usual. She stared for a few seconds in silence, transfixed. Stop ogling, she berated herself and looked away, blushing.

´What did you want?` he asked, a faint edge to his otherwise soft voice.

She glanced back up and fidgeted. ´I heard somethin' happened an' worried about you.`

He smiled slightly and nodded, his expression unreadable. His eyes seemed oddly dark, his pupils dilated.

´May I come in?` she tried again.

Ranloo shook his head, the smile gone as if it had never been there. ´I'd rather be alone right now.` He started closing the door.

She reached out to stop it and flinched at the sudden glare he gave her. ´Please, just... talk to me.` She cringed. It sounded like begging. Pathetic.

He frowned but let go of the door. Felisei's eyes widened. The room behind him was wrecked. His sword rested on the floor, stained with somebody's blood. Splintered pieces of silver glass glittered in the flickering rushlight, scattered all over the floor, the cabinet lay face down by the disheveled bed. His cloak skulked in a heap in a corner and the chair was broken. Maybe he'd thrown it into the wall? She looked back to him to avoid staring at the mess.

He shrugged apologetically and turned, leaving the door open. She watched as he went to the bed and slumped down with a deep sigh, propping his head up with his right hand. She cautiously followed into the room.

´What happened?` she asked as she stepped over the glass-pieces from the shattered mirror. He snorted and stared blankly at the wall, his left hand clenching and unclenching.

´Ranloo? What happened?` she asked more emphatically and came to stand in front of him.

His amber eyes shifted to her face. He sighed again and straightened. ´I happened,` he said bitterly, his lips curling as if in disgust.

´Yes, I get that but... what made you so angry?` Her eyes swept over the mess, lingering briefly on the bloody sword. ´Were you attacked?` She sat down beside him, unsure of how close she dared to get. She wanted to hug him, comfort him somehow, but was afraid he'd get mad. She didn't know him as well as she wished.

´No.` His eyes shifted to the sword. ´I killed some city guards.`

Her eyes widened. ´Why?` she whispered, scared of the answer. He never attacked first, she knew that. Something was very wrong.

He shook his head, his hair twisting back and forth with his movements. She admired the long dark waves. Even when he had it in a ponytail it was beautiful, she thought.

´I was... upset,` he said and faced her, his eyes mesmerizing.

´I think you're still upset,` she mumbled and carefully stroked his shoulder.

He smiled faintly and nodded. ´I don't...` he began. Then his face contorted into an angry mask, his breath hitching.

She tensed, snatching her hand back.

Ranloo closed his eyes and took a deep, trembling breath. ´I don't know what to do. It's lost no matter what. I can't change it,` he whispered and massaged his face, seeming very fragile all of a sudden.

´Can't change what?` Felisei asked quietly, searching his face.

He stood suddenly, his boots crunching over the glass. She followed him with her eyes, deeply worried and confused.

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´Everything!` he yelled and kicked at a piece of the broken chair. It flew into the wall with a loud crack and broke into two.

She jumped at his explosive anger and stared, afraid her heart might jump out of her chest. He spun around, a faint red glow in his dilated pupils. She leaned back from him on the bed, frightened to be this close. She didn't want to die.

He took another deep breath. ´I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you,` he said softly.

She bit her lower lip and gave him a worried look. ´It's alright.` She tried to smile.

He shook his head and eyed the door for a moment. ´It's not,` he stated. ´But I'm not in my best mood right now.`

´I haven't noticed,` she tried to joke, but it fell flat and she squirmed on the bed, feeling stupid. How did Sern do this? ´Can't you tell me what happened?` she tried again. ´Sit down an' tell me.` She patted the bed beside her.

Ranloo hesitated before coming back to sit down. ´They took her,` he said brokenly and looked at his hands. They shook slightly.

´Took who?`

´Minira. My wife.` He said it so quietly she almost didn't hear.

She stared at him for a while, not certain she understood. ´Who took her?` she dared to ask.

´The vampire hunters.` His eyes met hers and for a moment she could almost see his very soul laid bare, desperate and deeply wounded. ´They have her, and if I don't meet them, they'll punish her for my crimes,` he whispered with trembling lips, his eyes wide open.

´How horrible,` she uttered angrily, her heart aching. ´They can't do that! That's not fair!`

He blinked at her little outburst. ´I know. But they can. Anything to get to me,` he said with an angry sneer. ´I'm a monster, and if they need to harm innocents to get to me, that's fine.` He made a strangled sound and grasped the edge of the bed in a death grip with both hands. ´I have to go to them.`

´No!` she almost yelled. ´They'll kill you. You can't go!` She grabbed his arm as if she could hold him back.

He gave her a long stare and she realized there was nothing she could say to change his mind. ´I have to,` he said with a sad smile. ´I can't let her suffer for my mistakes.`

´When?` she asked, feeling useless.

´Two nights from now.` He sighed and lay back on the bed, staring into the ceiling.

Felisei studied his handsome face, his nice proportions, and beautiful eyes. She remembered how fun and kind he was and she didn't want to lose him. He was a friend. She wanted more than friendship but she could see there was no hope for that now, and considering the most likely outcome of a meeting with the vampire hunters, she wasn't likely to get another chance. It wasn't fair. She laid down beside him and draped an arm around him, burrowing her head into his shoulder. She had no words of comfort.

´Can't we all come with you?` she asked after a while. She felt him shake his head.

´No. I wouldn't put you in danger on my behalf.`

´It's okay. You're one of us. You're our friend you know.` She glanced up.

He huffed. ´It's not alright. I don't want to lose my friends,` he mumbled. ´They are right anyway.`

´Right about what?´ She frowned. What nonsense was he spouting now?

´I'm a monster and I kill people. I shouldn't be alive.`

´Don't be ridiculous,` she snapped and hit him lightly with her fist on his chest. He let out a small laugh at her outburst and took her hand, keeping it still.

´I mean it!` she protested. Anger burned inside her. At the hunters, at this unfair treatment, at Ranloo for daring to think of himself as a monster. It wasn't right. But what could she do about it? Nothing.

´I know,` he said and she could hear that he smiled. ´If it's any consolation, I won't go there and just let them kill me. I don't want to die. But I need to see her. And if I can, I'll free her and run.`

Felisei lay quiet and pondered. How could he do that and survive? Could she help somehow? She had to come up with a way! ´What'd you need t' manage that?´ she asked.

´I really don't know,` he said slowly after a thoughtful pause. ´Other than a load of luck. I haven't fought vampire hunters before.` He lifted a hand and rolled something between his fingers.

She glanced up at the small blue object. A die? ´What's that?`

His hand dropped back down. ´Just a thing I found,` he said dismissively. ´A gift maybe.`

´A gift? That you found?` She smiled despite the situation. ´Sounds like somethin' I might say.`

´I didn't steal it,` he protested with a slight huff. ´It's... special to me. Brings me luck.` He sighed. ´I'll need it.`

She squeezed his hand and tried to come up with some idea of how to help. But it seemed hopeless. Silence settled over them and she stared into the ceiling. If it wasn't for the bleak situation, she'd have enjoyed being there by his side in the warm flickering light. Her eyes closed. She felt safe, comfortable, and warm. And she hadn't been rejected. Smiling slightly, she drifted off to sleep.

The vampire hunters. Ranloo remembered the last time he'd met them and shuddered involuntarily. He hadn't been able to fight them at the time. Even without the riders and guards, he'd still have had to flee. Their symbols were too bright, their light spells burned him, and they were well-armed and experienced. How could he do anything but die on them, he wondered desperately. They probably wouldn't be alone either. Surely they'd bring help? Going there alone was a death sentence. Maybe he should ask Jackal for help after all? He'd try the next night.

Sunrise approached, weighing heavily on him. He was in no mood for sleeping but didn't have much choice. He only had one night to prepare for the battle. He wasn't looking forward to it, but he couldn't let the hunters harm his wife. He hated the thought of his family knowing what he was, but he wouldn't abandon them, no matter how much they'd loathe him for it. He blinked away the threatening tears and focused his thoughts on revenge, on freeing her from these humans. Maybe he could pray for help, he thought vaguely. Maybe he'd help again. Slowly he slipped into a dreamless dark.

* * * * *

Felisei squeezed her eyes closed. She didn't want to wake up but something felt different, something had called her from the deep, restful sleep. Cold humid air made her skin prickle. Had she left the window open, she wondered tiredly and cracked an eye open. The room was dark and smelled different. Confused she opened her eyes fully and looked around. Pitch black.

´Wha'?` she mumbled. It shouldn't be this dark. Even with the shutters closed, daylight should be seeping in and light the room somewhat. Unless she'd slept through the whole day. She groaned and massaged her face. As she put her hand down she touched something. Sucking in a breath, she yanked her hand away. What was that?

Carefully she sat up and looked around. A faint light filtered in from under the door, but not enough to light up the room. She looked back beside her and lowered her hand again, touching a shape. Someone lay beside her. Very still. For several seconds she stared in the darkness, confused and barely daring to breathe. Then the memory of last night crashed down over her and she gasped. She'd fallen asleep in Ranloo's room. The vampire slept beside her. Painstakingly slow, she slid her legs over the edge of the bed, afraid of waking him. She touched the floor with her feet, stood, and cringed as a piece of glass crunched under her shoe. She had no idea what time it was. She needed light.

Felisei sneaked towards the door to avoid disturbing the sleeping vampire. She wasn't sure if he would wake. If he could. But she was certain it depended on the hour. She reached out towards the door and eased it open, squinting against the light in the corridor. A single lantern hung halfway down the hall. As her eyes adjusted to the brightness, she turned back the room, the messy floor, and Ranloo sleeping on the bed. Curious, she slunk back in and studied him. He wasn't just sleeping. A flutter of fear coursed through her, tightening her stomach. Ranloo lay too still to be sleeping. He wasn't breathing.

Fascinated, she leaned in closer and gently placed a hand on his chest to feel for a heartbeat. There was nothing. The perfect stillness was frightening and she swallowed, her mouth dry. He was actually dead. Yet, so very much alive during the night. Undead, she thought uneasily. She hadn't really considered that before. She knew, of course, but it was different to see it in person. She drew back from him. What if he woke up?

Ranloo and Sern had both said he was uncontrollable when he woke, that he had attacked the boy and tried to kill him. Letting out a breath, she sneaked back out the door and closed it. Then she hurried along the corridor, ran up the stairs, and pulled the door at the top.

It didn't budge.

She tugged at the handle, panic seizing her heart, making it hard to breathe. ´Hey! Open the door!` she yelled and pounded on it. Her voice echoed down the hall. Nervously she looked down the stairs. Nothing. Not knowing what time it was made her sweat. If it was close to sunset he'd wake up soon. She hoped it wasn't, she was even fairly certain it wasn't that late yet. She usually never slept that long, but she hadn't fallen asleep until after dawn and the days were getting shorter, so she wasn't sure. She pounded on the door again.

´Open the door! Please!` she called. Footsteps outside made her sigh in relief.

´Who's there?` someone asked.

´Felisei. Please open the door before he wakes up!` she yelled and pulled the door handle again.

Silence on the other side.

´Please! Hurry!`

´I'll go find the keys,` the voice called back. ´Wait there.`

She almost called the person an idiot. She couldn't do anything else now, could she? She kept glancing back down the stairs, her heart racing. Why was the door locked? Gesald had promised to keep it open. She cursed his name, promising to give him a good ass-kicking when she got out. Why had he locked it? She didn't want to die because of something stupid like that. She waited impatiently, pulling the door handle from time to time.

A metallic scraping below made her jerk her head around and stare down the stairs. A faint clatter echoed, followed by silence. She couldn't breathe. He was coming.