A VAMPIRE ELOIM STORY. The Knights of Blood, The vampire Eloim book 4. Part 10.

As night fell, Eloim awoke and climbed out of the root cellar to find the old woman again sat in front of the fire. As he walked over to her, she grabbed a small sack and stood up.
“Come on then vampire, everything is ready,” the old woman said.
“Not everything, I’ve not eaten in two days. I need to hunt.” Eloim said, feeling his hunger more than he should after a bad day’s sleep.
The old woman looked at him and shrugged. “There’s a tinker camped down by the Glem, he’ll be missed less than the farmer’s sheep he took for his dinner,” the old woman said as she turned her back. “Meet me on the hill when you’re done.”
“What’s the Glem?” Eloim asked, confused.
“The big river, just follow the brook back down to the stream and then follow the stream, he’s camped where it meets the River Glem.” With that, the old woman disappeared off into the trees heading up towards the village.
Eloim moved fast as he followed the stream, his senses focused to his hunt. He picked up the smell of smoke and cooking meat up ahead. Slowing down, he pinpointed a copse of trees next to where the stream flowed into the river and the slight glow of a small fire. Reaching the first of the trees, Eloim stopped as he checked to ensure no one was hidden in the shadows.
Finally happy that the tinker sitting by his campfire was alone, Eloim started forward in silence.
“I love watching you hunt,” Alexia whispered inside his mind.
Eloim stifled a gasp that escaped his mouth as he jumped. The tinker looked up from the fire and started to stand, drawing a knife from his belt.
“Damn it Alexia.” Eloim hissed as he sprang forward at the alerted tinker. The man was in his prime and heavily muscled and he lashed out with his knife as Eloim got within range. Easily avoiding the blade, Eloim cannoned into the tinker and both went down. Eloim sprang back up into a crouch, ready to leap forward again as the man came up onto his knees, his knife knocked from his hand.
In the glow from the fire that was between them, Eloim smiled, revealing his fangs to his opponent. Watching as the man’s eyes widened, his fear plain to see, Eloim leaped forward, knocking the man to the ground. Despite the difference in size, Eloim pinned the man down and with a snarl, bit into his neck, feeling the warm blood flow into his mouth. The tinker’s struggles lessened as Eloim drank. As his victim’s heartbeat faltered and became erratic, Eloim sat back. With blood smeared around his mouth, Eloim looked around again to check he had not been observed. Finally, he looked down at the corpse of the tinker at his feet and smiled, his hunger satisfied.
“That was not funny Alexia; you scared the life out of me.” Eloim said and he heard Alexia’s voice chuckling within his head.
“But it was so worth it, think of the extra flavour you got from that adrenaline boost and his fear.” Alexia replied smugly.
“True, he was a really fine meal.” Eloim retrieved the tinker’s knife and quickly slit open his throat, destroying all evidence of his bite marks. Then with ease, he dragged the body down to the river and rolled it into the water. He doubted the current would be strong enough to take it away, but it should delay it being found. Picking up the man’s rucksack, he placed a couple of rocks into it and then threw it into the water after its owner. Without a backwards glance, he turned to head back upstream to the village.

To be continued.