Alea
I awoke to the sounds of rain pelting the roof and wind whipping around and through the manor. The study room was dark as if it were still nighttime, and I took a moment for my eyes to adjust. I sweep the room, and I feel a pain in my heart as I don't see Elfrea anywhere.
I wrap the cloak tightly around my body as the wind brings in the cool air. Elfrea's scent still lingered on the cloak, filling my nose once again as I hugged it to my body. My hand goes to the necklace that now dangled from my neck. Twisting the pendant, I wonder where Elfrea could be hiding.
I hope she didn't run into any more ferals while she was out.
As soon as the rain cleared, I would try to find where she could be hiding.
I lay on the lounge chair until my stomach growled loudly, forcing me to get up. I snack on some of the rabbit leftovers and a few dried fruits Hendrik sent to me. Sitting at the study desk, eating my food, I think of how to tell Hendrik about the feral attack.
I still wanted to keep the existence of Elfrea a secret. Hendrik had taught me that a good vampire was a dead vampire. What kind of lecture would I get when he finds out I have been actively helping one out?
I decided I would only tell him that I encountered three in my location without giving any details other than how they looked. He needed to know that the ferals seemed to move like a pack from what I had witnessed last night. With holes in the wall, the ferals that were moving in closer could slip through the broken parts in the wall. I finish writing the letter and send it off with the hope that he will read it soon.
I head out of the study when I hear the rain starting to let up, and the wind dies down. I'm instantly surprised when I walk out and see an enormous stag in the doorway. As I step closer to it, I see only two marks on its body, one from a small weapon, the other were seep teeth marks. A smile spreads across my face. There was only one person who would have left an animal like this, and that meant she was close by.
I look up at the sky and see the dark grey clouds moving along the sky, breaking and letting the sun shine down. With the sun out, it instantly started to warm up outside. Looking at the sun's current position, it had just passed noon, and if I worked fast, I would still have enough time to walk the area around the manor.
I got to work on the large deer first after I peeled off the current layers that I hadn't bothered with before I had cried myself to sleep. Even though they were already covered in dried blood, I didn't want to ruin them further; I also needed to wash them out.
The vest corset I wore was my most important out of all my clothes. A gift from Hendrik when he became my guardian and began my training. Black with a quick zip up the front, the leather hide is thick enough to keep vampire nails from tearing into me. He made sure that with each growth spurt that I had, it was tailored to me. One of the few comforts he would allow me while I trained under him. How would I learn to survive if he provided my daily meals?
As I lift my arms, I then feel the pain spread along my side where I had been struck by the feral. Lifting my undershirt, I see a large, deep purple bruise that is spread up my body. The corset was what had saved me from death; without it, my body would have torn into.
"That is gonna hurt for a while," I say to myself.
Heading outside, I first go and check the traps I had set, to find nothing in them. I wasn't too concerned since Elfrea was wonderful enough to leave the deer for me. Deer was one of those rare delicacies that would cost a lot to eat just one bite. Here I was with a whole one to myself.
I giggled with joy as I grabbed the rope from the old traps and used it to tie the legs of the deer and pull it out into the yard. The pain in my side hit with each pull I did moving the carcass, but I didn't let it stop me. The thought of soon cooking the meat helped me push through.
I wasn't too familiar with skinning a deer, but I assumed it was close to a rabbit. Elfrea draining all its blood was again helpful in the clean up, though the organs were much larger, and I would have to move them farther away so as not to attract anything else to the manor.
I then finish up skinning and cutting down the meat. Moving the meat into the study on top of a few books I thought were the cleanest, I hoped nothing got to it before I had the chance. Then I gathered the deer organs into an old pot from the kitchen. I would take it with me when I got to explore after cleaning up at the pond.
Gathering a new undershirt and a small towel I keep on hand, I race to the pond for a quick clean up.
After spending most of the day on the deer, I didn't want to spend any more daylight before finding something on Elfrea's whereabouts. I also wanted to see if there were any signs of any more ferals or where they could have found shelter during the day.
The view of the pond was much different than the view at night. The sun shone down onto the water where I could see ducks joyfully playing in the water. Dragonflies flew around the area, going from one spot to another. The light makes the area seem much larger than in the moonlight.
I then noticed how the feral bodies were nowhere in sight, only two patches that had a few ashes still in the grass where they had been. It was good to know the sun affects them the same way. Once the sun had come up, they went up in a quick ball of flame. It was strange how this flame never caught anything but another vampire on fire.
I undress as I near the water's edge, leaving them in a nice pile on a large rock. Before I step into the water, the cool metal of the necklace reminds me that it remains around my neck. I remove it, placing it gently on top of the clothes.
I step into the water, letting my body get acclimated, and the cold sends a shiver through me. I stand there for a moment, letting the sun warm my naked skin before I move deeper into the pond. The ducks swiftly fly off and honk at me as I enter the water. Even though it was cold, it felt amazing on my skin.
I dunk my body under water while I use my hands to rake through my hair, trying to remove any dirt and blood that I had missed last night. I then gently try to rub away any dirt or blood from my skin. I make sure to be extra gentle with my side. The bruise was still and deep purple, the edges turning a light green. I was hopeful after seeing signs of healing.
I pat myself dry with the small towel I brought, and I wrap it around my head once I am done. Then, putting on my change of underwear, I take my corset to the pond's water to wipe it down before leaving it in the sun's rays to dry. I would leave it to dry while I dressed and took the rest back to the manor.
I dress myself in pants and a new undershirt before starting to comb through my light brown hair with my fingers. Braiding it tightly into a new braid, tying it off with a small piece of ribbon I kept on me.
With only a few more hours of daylight left, I grabbed the pot of deer organs and headed back towards the pond. The corset wasn't completely dry, but even though it was still daylight, I didn't like not having the protection. I zip in the corset with quick ease and grab the pot and walk in the direction I had seen Elfrea run off into.
I planned to walk in a circle surrounding the pond as a point of reference to help me find my way back to the manor. As I walked, I found a deep hole and dumped the organs off, leaving the pot. I continued my path marking on trees every few steps to remind myself where I had been.
I traveled through the thick forest coming up empty. All I had come across were the same trees and thick vines. I hadn't even come across a cave in my little adventure. The sun was starting to set, and I needed to head back to the manor. I wasn't trying to be out too far when there could be more ferals running around.
Elfrea, where are you?
I sigh in frustration and think about turning around when I walk over a small hill. Through the trees, I could see a building not too far from where I stood. With hope, I rush towards the unknown building.
I wasn't expecting to find a small cabin in such good condition. The widows were covered in a thick layer of dust, and thick curtains hung up, blocking any light. Even though I think Elfrea could be inside, I walk cautiously up to the door. The steps creaked under each step I took.
I place my hand on the knob and, without knocking, I go to push the door open. It was locked.
I hear movement inside, I glance a look at the window, catching movement of the curtain. Then the door slowly creaks open, and only a bright red eye can be seen. I didn't jump back in fear or position myself for a fight; instead, I smiled.
"I'm glad you are safe," I say to Elfrea as she opens the door more to let me slip in.