The knights of Canterbury were having a good time settling into their quarters. Count von Burren, was kind enough to give them a large manor where each of them had their own private quarters unlike their previous patrons who let them stay in barn and share rooms.
After settling well in their private lodgings, the knights had dinner in the large dinning hall. They gossip and drink over a dinner of Mawmenny, a dish consisting of chicken, spices, wine and honey and whole other assortment of vennison and pork.
"Hey, did you see the little red head tonight? She was a beaut." Adam, in his drunken state, laughed.
His cohort, Sir Eden, who was also drunk, slaps his shoulder playfully. "Don't you dare call our host's daughter little? She might be tiny but she's a woman."
"A woman indeed! Did you see her hips?" The rest of the men chorused and clinked their glasses together.
Thunder crackled in the pitch black sky and the rain slackened more.
"Ugh! Shucks! It's that devil's fault this rain is falling." Sir Williams cursed as he munched on fried meat.
"Aye. Why did you let him come with us, Sir Adam? We could've left him for dead." Sir James replied.
Adam gargled his wine before swallowing. A burp escaped his lips and he cleared his throat. "It wasn't on my order that we take that beast with us. Your commander insisted he comes with us. What more did you think a mere captain like me could do?"
"You could be our commander, Adam. You're so much better than that slob, Alfred." James said.
"Shucks. You praise me too much." Adam chuckles.
James went on. "But it's true. Adam was the one that guided us upriver when we were stuck with Alfred who couldn't command us well."
"Well, it wasn't all Adam. If the praise should go to anyone, it's the vampire whom you call devil. He's the one that navigated for us. All Adam did was bark orders." Demetrius said and the room fell silent.
This happened because they knew he was right. The vampire had saved their lives the past week but they wouldn't acknowledge that. None of them would.
Williams clear the air with a loud chortle. "Who's looking forward to the ball tomorrow?"
Everyone chorused. "I am."
"Ladies from all over the country will be there. I can't wait to dance with the prettiest in the room." Adam said dreamily.
Sir Roland responds. "Me too. It'll be a night to remember."
"Hold up. I'm guessing we're all invited but what about the vampire? Surely, somebody invited him." Sir Eugene said.
"The Count's daughter invited him. I wonder what she sees in him."
"Which of the Count's daughter? I hear he has 5."
"It was the little one that reads too much. The one with massive red locks of hair. Weren't you at the chapel with us?"
"I was physically but not mentally."
They all roared with laughter. Their laughter died down when Damian walked in.
"Look, if it isn't the crusader himself." Sir Gawain said with disgust.
Damian ignored him. He pulled up a chair and sat down at the edge of the seat.
"Sorry, pal. Only humans are allowed to sit with us." Adam said with a snicker.
Damian ignored him, reaching for a plate of meat but it was knocked off his hand.
"Are you deaf, hommie? He said only humans are allowed!" Williams barked.
Immediately, Damian grabbed him by the throat and lifted him in midair. The others cowered in fear and ran for safety to the otherside of the room. Only Adam and Gawain remained.
"Let him be, Vampire!" Adam whipped out a silver cross and pointed it at Damian.
"Only vampires are allowed in here now!" Damian said in a voice that rolled with the thunder in the sky.
"Please, drop him!" Gawain pleads.
Damian let go off the man and he fell to the wooden floor with a loud thud.
"All of you. Get out!" He said in a commanding voice and they all ran out of the room including the injured Williams.
Damian reached for the plate of meat and munched silently.
"In a such a short time, those humans have convinced me that they're the devils themselves. So cruel." A mischevious voice pierced the quiet room.
"Enough! I'm trying to eat." Damian yelled at the intruder.
"Fine." The owner of the voice turned out to be a bat. It flew all the way from the ceiling to perch on Damian's shoulders.
"Do you mind?" Damian glared at it and it flew away.
"Apologies, Your Majesty." The bat gives a graceful bow on the floor. In a pillar of dark smoke, it morphed into a human male dressed in a black shirt and breeches and a black coat to match. His dark glossy hair was gelled to his scalp and his looks were simply divine but his eyes still had the menancing look of the predatory bird.
He joined Damian at the table and with his barehand, took a lap of meat, tearing at it. "Hmm. Delicious."
"Don't eat like a savage while I'm here." Damian looked up from his plate.
"Apologies." Bat let go off the meat and grabbed a napkin to wipe his hands.
"They did mention a ball, Your Majesty. Do you plan to attend?" He asked.
"No." Damian replied immediately.
"But Lady Lucia is really looking forward to a dance."
"Lucia? That's Red's name?"
"Red? What a unique name you've given her, My Lord. Yes, her name is Lucia von Burren. She did introduce herself to you if you were paying attention or were you too captivated by her looks to remember?"
"One more peep out of you and you'll be joining your poultry friends in the kitchen." Damian pushed back his seat.
"Aye. No need to be harsh, Your Majesty. I was only joking."
Damian walked silently to the window and looks out. The building next to theirs was a divinely built manor. He could tell even in the dark. The walls were thick and high and the statues and arches were exquisite. He enjoyed looking at it but they were not the only things he enjoyed looking at. The red haired maiden was asleep in her bed and he was in for a treat.
"Clean up the mess. I'll be back." He pushed the windows open and jumped right through.
Meanwhile in her bedroom, Lucia shivered silently, burying herself further in the thick mattress around her She was so deep in sleep that she didn't notice the stranger that intruded her room.