Bloodbound: The Vampire's Mate

Chapter 5

Dallin worked quietly in his shop, focusing on his creation and not the pounding headache that was only exacerbated by the blinding sunlight.

He kept his head down, trying to keep his mind on the task at hand. If he could push himself to produce more in a day than normal, then he and Esther could leave sooner than he’d planned. He wasn’t a patient person by any means, but being so close to his goal motivated him that much more.

He heard her voice before he saw her, and ducked his head just in time. Esther was walking briskly beside her mother while Hannah talked quickly and practically dragged her daughter toward the square.

Hannah changed her direction abruptly, walking straight toward Dallin. Only a wheel and several feet of packed dirt separated them, but he could feel her gaze as if she was poking him violently in the chest.

“Boy, are you deaf?” Her voice was loud but not harsh, and Dallin said a silent prayer that Esther hadn’t revealed him to her mother.

He didn’t look up to meet her eyes, only raising his head enough so that his voice could be heard.

“Begging your pardon, my lady. I didn’t hear you.”

“They’ve called all able-bodied young men to the square for a meeting. Your father is much too old, but they’ll be needing you immediately. Now, head to the square with you, Boy.”

Without waiting to see if he followed her, she took off for the square, all but dragging Esther behind her. Esther caught his eye and winked, and Dallin let out a huge sigh. Whatever was happening, Hannah had no idea where her daughter had been the night before.

Dallin set his work aside and stood. In the distance, he could hear a single bell ringing to signal that there was indeed a town meeting being held.

With trepidation, Dallin headed off after the throngs of young men chatting among themselves, as they hurried along in groups to find out what was going on.

The square was packed. Nearly everyone had turned out, both young and old, to hear what the matter was.

A portly man stood on a small stage, his belly protruding in front of him as he walked to the end of the small platform and held his arm up in silence.

The crowd hushed and waited with bated breath.

“As you know,” he began, his voice booming in the still air, “we’ve sent men out nightly to ensure the safety and security of our humble village against the threat of vampires. The King’s army has kept them at bay in the kingdom, far north of here. But we’ve encountered more than one vampire since the war’s beginning. Two in the last fortnight, in fact. We’ve lost a man and now we’re running short on volunteers.”

A murmur went up within the crowd, and the man held his hand up for silence once again.

“Since we’re lacking in volunteers, we will institute a compulsory draft. Starting tomorrow evening, if I read your name from this list, you will join the rotation. Will the following men report to the stage for further instruction: Cecil Biggins, Dallin Upchurch, Dagon Smith...”

Dallin’s heart sank, and his head began to spin. He was not a fighter, and he was certainly in no shape to go after vampires in the woods. He’d never held a sword in his life. Dallin was certain he would be a liability in the field, despite his muscled physique.

He waded through the crowd in a haze, passing right by Esther without really seeing her. Her hand brushed his arm, and he looked over his shoulder, his eyes meeting hers.

Dallin wanted to touch her, to hold her in his arms and let her know that he would find a way to make this all right. But Hannah, who was talking animatedly to the woman beside her and hadn’t noticed Dallin, was still too close for comfort. Anything they had to say would have to wait until later.

Esther touched her hand to her heart and smiled, letting him know without words that her love was his for the taking. Her beauty warmed his soul and lightened his steps. So close to victory, he had to believe that he would survive the next few nights until they could run away together.

Though with the vampire threat looming, they would have to rethink their initial plan of running in the night.

Dallin got into line behind the other young men. As the line moved forward, each man was handed a stake and a large hunting knife.

When it was Dallin’s turn to receive his weapons, he opened his mouth to speak, but the man stopped him.

“Nothing you have to say will unseal your fate, Lad. Rest up tonight, for tomorrow you will be on duty for the latter half of the night. If you fail to show up, you’ll be tried for treason in the King’s Court.”

Without another word, the man shoved the weapons into Dallin’s hands and elbowed him out of the way so he could move onto the next man in line.

Dallin walked dejectedly through the crowd, trying to catch sight of Esther as he went. But her mother had moved on, already bored and heading to the seamstress’s shop to buy a new dress, or some other leisurely pursuit.

He took the narrow alley between stands, hoping to avoid human contact on the way back to his father’s shop.

Everything felt so surreal, and he was going over in his head how he and Esther could escape when he was suddenly yanked out of the alley into a small niche between the sale stables and the blacksmith’s stand.