As Aidan turned away, wiping blood off of his lips with the back of his hand, he heard a gasp of shock. Looking up he saw Shauna standing at the entrance to the cave. She had a wooden stake clutched in one hand and she was staring at Aidan with a horrified expression.

“What have you done?”

“I’ve taken care of your vampire problem for you, look.” Aidan knelt down next to the dead vampire and indicated his sharp fangs, which were exposed in a snarl, even now. The body had started to dry up and crumble into dust already. Suddenly exhausted, Aidan sat down and rested his head in his hands. Shauna shook her head in disbelief.

“What happened?”

“He came down here just before you did. He seemed to find the whole situation very amusing. He decided it would be fun to cut me loose when he heard you coming and watch me kill you.” Aidan smiled tiredly. “He didn’t count on my having enough self-control to tell you to run for it. I’m glad you had sense enough to do so, because I don’t think I could have kept myself under control for long. Then we fought, and I won.” He shrugged. “That’s all there is to it.”

“You drank his blood!”

“Yes!” Aidan was suddenly tired of this girl and her accusations. “Yes I did! It was his or yours, Shauna. If I hadn’t, I would have attacked you as soon as you came back. I was starving, I had to get blood from somewhere.” He got to his feet and very deliberately licked the blood off of his dagger before returning it to his boot. “I am what I am, Shauna. I’m not going to deny it. Now what are you going to do about it? You have what you wanted.” He gestured at the crumbling from of the other vampire. “Your precious village is safe. And I’m not going to tamely allow you to tie me up again.”

“What are you going to do?” Shauna asked the question hesitantly.

“I am going to go home. I have a wonderful wife and a beautiful daughter waiting for me. I’ve been gone too long already.”

Shauna shook her head. “You keep surprising me. You have a daughter too?”

Aidan nodded. “Yes. She’s just eighteen months old, and she shouldn’t be without her father. I wish I’d never left. Does this mean you’ll let me go?”

“I…” Shauna looked at Aidan for a long moment before finishing. “I think so, yes.”

Aidan smiled. “Thank you.” He walked past her to the cave entrance.

“Aidan, wait.” Aidan turned around, surprised. She had actually called him by name instead of just “vampire.”

“Just one more thing before you go.” She planted herself directly in front of him. Aidan was puzzled, what now? Then Shauna threw her arms around his and gave him a kiss. Aidan was too surprised to react before she broke it off. He stood there blinking at her. She grinned. “One for the road. Tell your wife how lucky she is when you get home.”

Aidan shook his head, bemused. He would never understand this strange girl. He wondered again if she was really as young as she looked. Then, with a mental shrug he turned to go. He made his way up the twisting tunnel to the surface. Standing outside in the snow he took a deep breath of fresh air. With one last glance behind him at the dark cave mouth where Shauna was standing, he launched himself into the air. Time to go home.