Chapter 4: No Ordinary Fisherman

I rode and I rode for hours upon hours over the open countryside with the sunlight beating down. My clothing kept me protected while I wandered the landscape varying from plains to hillsides laced with forestry and wildlife. I still possess the ability to find beauty all around despite what the world may think of us.

I knew that I was deep into the Avenadyn Duchy’s frontier lands but I would’ve expected to find a farm with somebody present that could offer this weary traveler a hearty meal. I’m not supposed to be hunting here but nobody has to find out. Besides, there are unaffiliated vampires and other tribes that don’t care about borders or treaties.

The night came and I allowed the horse some rest before continuing on. It began to rain in the early morning and doubts of my wanderlust crept into my mind. I knew I had to return home but the question of when was closer to being answered with each passing mile. Parental wrath surely awaited even though I was no child.

Finally, atop a hill mid-morning, I spotted three men fishing around a small lake below on the overcasted day. Pine trees surrounded the northern end and various thickets covered much of its shoreline. I trekked down the incline and tied my horse to a downed tree for the time being. One of these fishermen was going to be my snack and then I would return to Mirewood, rejuvenated for some time.

I tiptoed between the brush and disrobed down to my undergarments; every article of clothing was already waterlogged from the rain that night but no need for them to slow down my swimming.

“Perfect, two on the shore, one in a boat,” I mumbled and waded into the water. The calm waters chilled my already icy skin but I liked the cold so it helped alleviate some bodily fatigue. I swam slowly and with methodical movements, so I would not alert the fisherman of my presence while he sat idle waiting for fish to bite. I suspected my toes would earn a nibble before his line ever did.

As I approached from behind I pleaded, “Help please!”

“What?” he asked instinctively before turning on the rower’s seat. “Who are you? Are you okay?”

“No, sorry. I was walking with my dog and I thought I saw him run into the water but now I can’t find him,” I said and swam closer.

“What’re you doing so far from the village?” he asked, although I was not sure what village he had in mind.

He was going to see my teeth soon if I spoke to him at this range. I pretended to shiver and showed my bare shoulders as best I could while wading.

“Alright, come. Swim to the boat, lass, I’ll pull you out,” he offered. The thirty-something fisherman had a thick beard and his brown hair dangled in a short ponytail. He wore a leather jerkin vest and plain, brown trousers held up by an abnormally thick belt.

I smiled and swam the last ten feet so I could grip the sides of his fishing boat.

“Here,” he said and offered his hand. I grabbed his arm and allowed him to pull me out of the water while he said, “Sincerest apologies if I touch your modesty by accident.”

I smiled and shivered again. With my face pointing down, I said, “Not exactly a modest attire.”

“Where are your clothes? You’ll catch a flu,” he said and looked around for a blanket perhaps.

With his eyes averted, I flirted, “Do you not like what you see?”

He chuckled and said, “Feels like a trick question. Let me row to shore.”

“Here will do,” I smiled, revealing my fangs.

“Crafty bitch,” he growled and tried to pull the paddle from the water to strike me with it. I lunged too quickly and his guttural scream alerted his friends but that’s okay; I was too far away for it to matter. My teeth clamped down and I drank while commotion filled the banks.

“What’s the ruckus!”

“Are you alright?”

But their friend laid on his back with me on top, sucking him dry. He may turn. He may not. I didn’t think I would remain long enough to find out so after I had my fill, I stood up and taunted his countrymen with swinging hips and arms.

“Vampire!”

One of them ran away instantly and his cowardice made me laugh, causing several drops of blood to fall from my mouth. The other Avenadyn man, with valor admittedly, sprinted into the water to avenge his brethren. To my surprise, the coward returned with a bow and arrow.

“Should’ve expected that,” I grumbled and dove into the water as the first arrow fell nearby. A quick swim put me back on the shore but not at the same point so then I had to track down my clothes and my blade. After several minutes of searching, I finally found it and managed to slide my pants back on ashen legs.

Before I could reach for my shirt and overcoat, a voice shouted, “I have you dead! Do not move, you murderer!”

“He should come back to life soon enough,” I smiled and hoped that the arrow staring from the shaft was not coated in silver.

“A life of bloodlust is no life at all. You’ve killed him and he shall be avenged.”

“Then do it,” I smirked and eyed this specimen from head to boot. I wished he was in the boat instead, because he would’ve given me more fulfillment. His bravado and handsome face would translate well into vampirism, and I surely would’ve taken care in making him survive the bite. He looked like no lowly fisherman, and I contemplated having a second course. I licked my lips as I waited for him to fire his arrow.

“Never shot an arrow at a woman before?”

“I’m deciding if I want you alive so I can charge you for murder.”

“And day stake me? Look around, it is day right now and burn I do not,” I pointed out.

“There are other forms of justice,” he said from that lustrous set of lips.

“And mark me, the dishonest man fears the gavel more than the sword!” I laughed and followed it with, “I heard an orator say that once!”

“A noose will do,” he replied calmly.

“I’m going to leave now. I am sorry for your friend. If he survives his bite, I suggest you show him to the edge of our forest and we will take him in,” I explained and concealed the dagger inside my clothes as I picked them up.

The no ordinary fisherman, attractive for a human, doubted his aim against my speed. I could see it mixing with his apprehension of shooting a woman, vampire or not.

“He’s dead!” his other friend yelled. “Lord, where are you!”

“Lord?” I asked with confusion.

But suddenly he fired the arrow. It struck me in the thigh and my leg gave out from the pain. I growled and unraveled my blade from my overcoat. The arrow hindered any movement so I broke the shaft and charged at him. This caught him off guard because he hadn’t pulled another arrow from the quiver yet.

“Over here! South bank!”

I jumped into him and tackled him to the ground. We tussled and tumbled over each other and I felt his strong hands against my skin, rubbing against each of my ribs. His broad neck tantalized my fangs’ desire for more and he tossed me off of him.

I landed with a yelp and he reached for his dagger but I dislodged it during our scuffle. I smiled to toy with his resilience and lunged at him again. This time, I landed on top and my blade hovered just above his neck.

His green eyes looked at me with fright, but his pride refused to show it throughout his face. His warm, rushed exhales splashed against my face and my cold breath mixed with his. My right hand gripped the dagger’s handle and my left pushed on his chest.

My knee pressed between his legs and I could endanger his manhood’s most primal ability if I wanted to. But I didn’t want to harm him any further, despite the arrowhead sticking from my thigh. A thought crossed my mind, I wanted to come back out into the world to find him at a later time.

“What’re you waiting for?”

“Apologies, lord. My actions are out of line,” I smiled and pressed my open lips against his cheek before jumping off of him and dashing towards my horse.

While I galloped away on horseback, I realized I showed mercy twice in the last week. The face of the intrepid fisherman kept returning to my mind, and although I’ll probably never see him again, I couldn’t help but wonder how he might taste.

The lodged arrowhead soon became a problem and I stopped to remove it. It bled for a short while but coagulated after a little pressure. Had I not fed just moments ago, the outcome of this wound would hurt and remain open for much longer. The hole and blood stains will be quite noticeable but the wound should be healed in a few days.

I arrived at the forest’s edge by sundown and a sentry high in the trees asked, “Yyrdra, is that you?”

“It’s me!” I replied, startled by the questioning.

“Your father nearly burned down this forest looking for you in a rage!” the unknown guard replied from his treetop perch.

“Swell,” I mumbled.

“I thought the sunlight or the humans would’ve killed you by now but I surmise your doom awaits you in town,” he cackled as I dismounted to walk my horse through the windy, uneven forest trail.

Off to my doom, it seemed.