I prepared Falcon for you. He’s getting on a bit now, but you shouldn’t have any problems with him,” I explained, pointing out the grey gelding.
Ray had little trouble mounting Falcon once he was provided with a step. It was fascinating to watch how he adapted to challenges so easily.
“Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.” He smiled, looking uncomfortable.
“We’ll take it slow.”
There was somewhere I wanted to take him. It was a good hour’s ride out of the city, but it was a safe place. Once there, I’d answer all of his questions and demonstrate anything he needed to see. I should have been terrified, but I was strangely calm yet again. It really was him. How had I ever seen him as my weakness? Even though I hadn’t managed to sleep, I felt more alive and alert than ever before. That was all because of Ray.
Neither of us said much during our ride out of the city. He glanced at me every few minutes, but the silence we shared was comfortable.
Well, that’s a new feeling.
It was just over an hour later when I steered Tara off the path and into the uncharted woods at the edge of London. Fortunately, I knew where I was going. Falcon was used to letting Tara lead and followed her into the trees. It wasn’t long before we got to where I wanted to be. It was secluded and far enough from the city that we weren’t likely to be disturbed by anyone, especially any travelling vampires.
“Where did you learn to ride like that?” Ray asked as I set up the blanket and food that I’d brought.
“I learned to ride when I was very young, many years ago,” I answered truthfully. “I like the speed Tara is capable of, but I prefer my own.”
“Your own?” he questioned as we sat down.
“Yes. Ray, what would you say if I told you there were things in this world far beyond anything you know and believe?” It was as good a place as any to start.
“I’d ask to which things you are referring,” he said, speaking slowly.
“Creatures. The things nightmares and fairy tales are made of. Beings who walk the night preying on those weaker than they.” I couldn’t look him in the eye as I spoke.
“Are you trying to tell me that you’re some mythical creature here to do some unspeakable deed?” he whispered, worry in his voice. At least he wasn’t laughing.
“No. I’m not here to do unspeakable deeds, and I’m not a mythical creature. Myths and legends do not cover what I am.” I glanced up to observe his reaction.
“You aren’t human.”
“No. Not in the sense that you are. I don’t need to eat or sleep. I’m faster than anything you know of and I’m stronger than you could imagine.”
“What are you?” he asked gently. There was no scepticism in his voice. It simply sounded as though he didn’t want to offend me by asking.
“No one really knows. It’s not clear exactly how we came to be. We’ve existed for as long as the other races, and at some point someone decided we were here to protect those needing it, to keep the balance. Our name came about long ago, but it’s the title of what we do, not what we are. Keepers. Immortal Keepers of Peace.” I paused for a moment to let him absorb the information before continuing. “Ray, I was born in the year 1067 BC.” I looked away as I finished my speech. This was where he would surely run or laugh or accuse me of creating some farce.
“You say you keep the balance between our race and the others. Who are the others?” he asked, shocking me. I’d expected him to question some part of my statement, but not that part.
“There are five races: humans, vampires, witches, Weres, and us,” I began. “The witches and Weres are relatively reclusive. After the witch trials they kept to themselves, mostly out of fear. The Weres stick together, living in colonies in remote places. It’s the vampires we have the most trouble with.”
“Vampires? As in Dracula?”
“In a way. They have few traits in common with
Ray had little trouble mounting Falcon once he was provided with a step. It was fascinating to watch how he adapted to challenges so easily.
“Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.” He smiled, looking uncomfortable.
“We’ll take it slow.”
There was somewhere I wanted to take him. It was a good hour’s ride out of the city, but it was a safe place. Once there, I’d answer all of his questions and demonstrate anything he needed to see. I should have been terrified, but I was strangely calm yet again. It really was him. How had I ever seen him as my weakness? Even though I hadn’t managed to sleep, I felt more alive and alert than ever before. That was all because of Ray.
Neither of us said much during our ride out of the city. He glanced at me every few minutes, but the silence we shared was comfortable.
Well, that’s a new feeling.
It was just over an hour later when I steered Tara off the path and into the uncharted woods at the edge of London. Fortunately, I knew where I was going. Falcon was used to letting Tara lead and followed her into the trees. It wasn’t long before we got to where I wanted to be. It was secluded and far enough from the city that we weren’t likely to be disturbed by anyone, especially any travelling vampires.
“Where did you learn to ride like that?” Ray asked as I set up the blanket and food that I’d brought.
“I learned to ride when I was very young, many years ago,” I answered truthfully. “I like the speed Tara is capable of, but I prefer my own.”
“Your own?” he questioned as we sat down.
“Yes. Ray, what would you say if I told you there were things in this world far beyond anything you know and believe?” It was as good a place as any to start.
“I’d ask to which things you are referring,” he said, speaking slowly.
“Creatures. The things nightmares and fairy tales are made of. Beings who walk the night preying on those weaker than they.” I couldn’t look him in the eye as I spoke.
“Are you trying to tell me that you’re some mythical creature here to do some unspeakable deed?” he whispered, worry in his voice. At least he wasn’t laughing.
“No. I’m not here to do unspeakable deeds, and I’m not a mythical creature. Myths and legends do not cover what I am.” I glanced up to observe his reaction.
“You aren’t human.”
“No. Not in the sense that you are. I don’t need to eat or sleep. I’m faster than anything you know of and I’m stronger than you could imagine.”
“What are you?” he asked gently. There was no scepticism in his voice. It simply sounded as though he didn’t want to offend me by asking.
“No one really knows. It’s not clear exactly how we came to be. We’ve existed for as long as the other races, and at some point someone decided we were here to protect those needing it, to keep the balance. Our name came about long ago, but it’s the title of what we do, not what we are. Keepers. Immortal Keepers of Peace.” I paused for a moment to let him absorb the information before continuing. “Ray, I was born in the year 1067 BC.” I looked away as I finished my speech. This was where he would surely run or laugh or accuse me of creating some farce.
“You say you keep the balance between our race and the others. Who are the others?” he asked, shocking me. I’d expected him to question some part of my statement, but not that part.
“There are five races: humans, vampires, witches, Weres, and us,” I began. “The witches and Weres are relatively reclusive. After the witch trials they kept to themselves, mostly out of fear. The Weres stick together, living in colonies in remote places. It’s the vampires we have the most trouble with.”
“Vampires? As in Dracula?”
“In a way. They have few traits in common with
Similar Books
