The Royal Series 0 - A Royal Archive

Chapter 5

February 8th, 1895

† Braddock †

Three weeks passed, as the company followed a trail of dead bodies, left by the monster who had attacked Yalena.

The ever falling snow continued to cover any tracks there may have been left to follow.

Yet, the weather did not prevent Yalena from healing. With every passing day she became stronger and more beautiful. Sadly, she also became more distant and short with him, as though he had done something wrong by attempting to keep her close.

Braddock was no fool. He knew that whether Yalena was discharged from the vampire army or sent to another regiment, Commander Lee would ensure that they never saw each other again. Not even if she left the army of her own volition. Braddock would be inundated with foreign missions, sent to the furthest corners of their lands and given the most dangerous missions, just to keep them apart.

This way, at least they could be near each other, if not properly together.

Yalena did not seem to understand that. Or perhaps she did not care.

"Halt!" Eryk shouted, from up ahead.

It took less than a minute for his horse to gallop into view, with the young soldier looking resolved, yet disappointed.

"Another body?" Braddock asked, hoping for a negative answer.

Eryk nodded and leaned in close, over the distance between them. "Three more, sir. And one is a male," he explained, with a gravity that sent his nerves shaking with fear.

They had never found a male victim before, just girls who grew younger and younger, as the body count rose. It was not hard to fathom why. If Yalena's theory of the monster being a vampire was true, then they were probably searching for the purest, most innocent blood available.

But to choose a male made no sense. For a vampire, human males had a distinct gene that prevented their blood from ever becoming as pure as that of a woman. It had led to wild stories of vampires only seeking young woman for physical pleasures, though the humans did not seem to understand that just as many vampires craved only their own gender.

"Have the men make camp. If this monster has chosen three victims from this vicinity, I wish to discover why," Braddock ordered, trying to stay calm. Then, with a second thought, he turned and shouted over his shoulder. "Yalena!"

She would not be pleased, if her recent attitude was anything to go by, but he required her particular skill in examining human bodies. She had trained as a nurse, once, when her father was sick before he died, and knew better than anyone the way this monster worked. Only she could tell him if this was an escalation or a new monster.

Right now, anything was possible.

When her horse stopped abruptly beside Eryk's, he gave his commands. "Gather your medical supplies. I wish to inspect the bodies, before we begin a search. The men will make camp, while you and I investigate. Eryk," He turned to include the young soldier. "I want you and one of your new squires – preferably the least nervous and squeamish – to accompany us."

Eryk had taken on three young human boys, in the last village they stopped at, two weeks ago, who could carry out menial tasks and protect the horses during the day. They lived on the cusp of the two worlds, vampire and human, by adjusting their sleeping hours. It had not only proven to be a smart decision, but it had provided them with a surprising, but invaluable resource: knowledge.

All three of the young boys knew this land well, having been raised by two hunters and one farmer. Each boy had a different perspective of the surrounding lands that would come in useful, so Braddock did not care which young man Eryk chose to accompany them. Just as long as they did not faint at the sight of the dead bodies.