Trap
Earlier…
Tarn and Farun loped towards Ryder.Their large, furry werewolf forms were silvered in the twin moons.Their eyes glowed blood red to show that they–like all creatures in the Ever Dark–were loyal to Daemon.They had happy grins on their rather terrifying faces.Blood, too.Evidently, they’d found something good to eat.
They skidded to a halt before him, tongues lolling out, big eyes blinking.Ryder greeted them with a low sound in the back of his throat.Their ears pricked and their tongues lolled even more happily.He thumped each of their sides.
They were outside of the city.The pale white stone wall of Nightvallen was to his left.He could have reached out and touched the stone that would be cool no matter what the weather.But he continued to pet the werewolves.They let out sounds similar to purrs.Then there were theclip-clopof hooves coming towards them.A shadowy figure was riding towards them.
“Caemorn, what brings you out tonight?”Ryder asked as the werewolves’ former Master and now boon companion pulled back a set of reins on a coal black stallion.
“I am restless,” Caemorn answered.“I thought to join you on your hunt.”
Caemorn wore a black velvet coat with a flared collar.His shirt was crimson silk embroidered with silver Kaly deathshead designs.His pants were black leather as were his boots that reached his knees.He had Borage, a magical spear forged by Daemon himself, slung over his back.The tip glowed a faint blue-white.It would glow brilliantly if enemies were nearby.
“You are most welcome, but we are to simply patrol and not go too far with the Helm party tonight,” Ryder reminded him.
The Kaly Vampire was always precise so it seemed strange to him that Caemorn would use the word “hunt” instead of “patrol”.
Caemorn confirmed this as he said, “Something will happen tonight.It is assured.Whether here or inside…” His silver eyes grew distant.“I feel death walking.”
“Then I am more than happy to have your companionship,” Ryder said.
“You have not shifted, but I see that you have taken Daemon’s approach to dress.”
A small smile lifted Caemorn’s lips at the fur coat that covered Ryder’s naked body from neck to ankles.Unlike Daemon’s, which was snow white, his was a mixture of whites, grays and blacks.
Ryder grinned.“Daemon claimed he got the idea from me.And then I found this in one of the closets of my palace.Just waiting for me to put it on.Very practical.”
Caemorn’s gaze went distant for a moment and then he nodded, “Yes, yes, I recall you wearing this coat many times when we would go into battle.It would meld into you when you shifted and then appear on you again when you came back to your humanoid form.”
“Who were our enemies back then, Caemorn?”Ryder asked.“You are not talking about the War…”
Caemorn shook his head.“No, I was referring to when we all fought together, which we will have to do again.”
“I would rather that than fighting against each other,” Ryder admitted.
“Yes, because that way leads to madness as we well know.”
“So you remember these old battles and our enemies?”Ryder prodded again.
He was fascinated by the Kaly Vampire.While Daemon and Seeyr clearly remembered their past as they had never lost themselves, Caemorn was the only Immortal he believed recalled everything too.
“There were many,” Caemorn said.“Most were fought by those who were our food and our potential children.”
“Like humans?”Ryder’s brow furrowed.
“Yes, just like them.Some were more capable.Some less.”
Caemorn shrugged as if it didn’t matter that species they had done the exact same thing to as what they were doing to the humans now had rebelled to that extent.His memories as Weryn had shown him battles so filled with blood and destruction that he had felt the horror of it over the singing of war in his blood.
“You would think if this has happened before with our potential children that we would be better at it.Revealing ourselves, I mean,” Ryder pointed out.
“This is better than before.The idea of the academy has merit.It will work.For a time,” Caemorn answered, seemingly unconcerned.
“Aren’t you worried that we’re making the same mistakes with humanity?That we will be fighting with them as we have with others in the past?”
Caemorn’s gaze focused upon him.“You’re normally eager for the wars.”
