Part 2
Rebecca heard her opportunity not long after leaving the Inn. Two humans were giggling in the woods not far out of sight of the graveyard. A young man and a woman, from the sounds of it, she thought. She hated the idea of drinking a man’s blood, but she also didn’t want to leave any witnesses, as she was famished. Sighing, she pulled a knife out of her boot and crept closer.
It almost felt too easy, she thought, as she was close enough to breathe on the young man yet they hadn’t noticed her yet. With a swift practised movement, she swung her knife towards his throat, before changing course at the last moment and thrusting it into his shoulder, followed up by a very strong blow to the head. He didn’t even have time to scream before he fell to the ground in a pool of his own blood. Next she leapt and grabbed the young woman, placing a hand over her mouth.
“I don’t think so, girl.” Rebecca said with a laugh. She slowly licked the knife clean. Blood is blood, but it had the horrible taste of a man to it as usual. The girl started to struggle, ruining the mood. Rebecca punched her in the kidney with her other hand, causing her to collapse in pain.
“Please don’t kill me!” The girl begged, holding her stomach.
“Oh like I haven’t heard that before.” Rebecca said with an exaggerated sigh. “Listen girl, it’s nothing personal, you’re just food. Doesn’t mean we can’t be friends, though.”
“What?” she gasped, still wincing in pain.
“You’re a terrible fighter, your man never even heard me creeping up. That means you aren’t mercenaries or soldiers. You’re also far too poor to be merchants. Why are you at this inn in the middle of nowhere?” Rebecca questioned, crouching down and looking the girl in the face. “Need some motivation? If I’m talking to you, I can’t drink your blood.”
“We... ran away. My parents wouldn’t let me marry him.” The girl said, sitting up now, her face lit by moonlight shining through the trees. “We were headed for Nightcrest, he said my family couldn’t reach me there. I guess our story ends here though.”
“I’m feeling whimsical tonight. Tell me girl, what’s your last wish?” Rebecca asked, stroking her chin.
“To see them all burn.” the girl said, tears starting to form in her eyes.
“Oh?”
“Not just you. You killed him, but I want you to avenge him. Kill my entire family, all their heirs, plunder their fortune. I ask this as the youngest child of the Valorian family.”
Rebecca betrayed no emotion at hearing the name, but instantly realized she had hit a jackpot. The Valorians were the wealthiest and most connected family of the Southern Karand kingdoms. And she just got a request to murder them all! She couldn’t help but smile.
“Your request is accepted, Ms. Valorian.” Rebecca said smoothly.
“I stopped being a Valorian the moment I ran away with Serge. It’s just Victoria now.”
Rebecca responded by pulling her into a close embrace and hugging her. She could hear and feel the blood pumping through her body. With a contented sigh, she sank her fangs into Victoria’s neck, and began to drink. It wasn’t the first time she goaded a victim into giving her some juicy work, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.