Aidan returned an hour or so later, looking grim."There are vampires in the woods not too far off. It may be a coincidence, but I think not. They've probably decided to try and challenge me again." He muttered something, the sound a low growl, under his breath. "If they attack the house, you need to go to the back room, and say there. If I lose you're doomed anyhow, but if I win, I want you out of harm's way."

David nodded, feeling a sick dread at the thought of facing someone like Raven again. "I'd help if I could. But..."

"But you wouldn't even see them coming."

"Yeah..."

Aidan shook his head. "I'm sorry. And truly I don't expect them to kill me, but there are at least three of them, and it's best to be prepared. As much as it is possible to prepare."

"Do you think they'll attack us tonight?"

Aidan shrugged. "There are enough bolt-holes nearby that they could certainly wait through the day. But they're close enough to reach us tonight if they wish to. I can't say."

"Great," muttered David sourly.

Aidan sighed and nodded a wordless agreement. He flopped on the floor and splayed his wings out around him, staring up at the ceiling, where the diffuse glow of the light fixture illuminated the texture of the plaster with oblique shadows.

Time passed in nervous silence. Eventually David said "I'm hungry again." Aidan sprang to his feet as though eager to have something to do.

"Well, what would you like for lunch, then?"

"I don't know... pickled beets? Have you ever had a pickled beet?"

Aidan smiled wryly. "Yes, actually. They were, a very long time ago, a favorite snack of mine. Though a snack is all they are, not much nourishment in them. Let's go see what else we can add to them to make a meal for you."

Somehow they managed to pass the rest of the night, and the dawn came without any incident. David only managed to sleep soundly because of the sunlight flooding his room. He knew that once darkness fell, the fear would be back.