THE SEER

Chapter One

Lancaster Castle 1612

"I'm looking for a woman."

"Aren't we all sir?"

The stranger smiled.

"A very particular one."

"Well what did you have in mind sir? We have all sorts in just now."

The warden was eyeing up his chances to make money, five men stood before him, well dressed. Tonight could be a profitable one, he smiled to himself.

"I understand a woman was brought in from Whitekirk? She did me a favour once; I was looking to repay the debt."

"Yes sir. But I fear she's not long for this world. Are any of us though?" He laughed wheezily as he reached for the keys on the table behind him.

"Indeed." The stranger's smile was tightening.

The warden beckoned to the men to follow him.

"She was brought in two nights back. A right to do as well. She was to be burnt but they couldn't get the damn thing to light. She's due before the justice again but it's a hanging job now. Are you sure you want this one sir? There's a younger blonde from over Whalley way. Very pretty. Husband laid charges against her..."

But the stranger wasn't listening, he'd already heard a familiar heartbeat, and he had wasted enough time on this prattling fool.

"Through here?" He pointed to a narrow cobbled corridor of cells, dimly lit with tallow candles.

"Yes sir. Down the stairs at the end. Will you be needing somewhere more..." His words trailed off as he turned to look at the stranger, his leer giving way to surprise at the man's now jet black eyes. He never even felt the blow that killed him, as he crumpled to the ground the stranger reached for the keys and calmly stepped over the warden's body.

"Feed, but make it clean and quick. I don't think he'll be much missed." He glanced at the cells. Most of the prisoners were asleep, getting what peace they could before the trials to come. Two women were awake though, and they shrank back as he passed. They knew what he was but it didn't matter. The only one who mattered was in that room and her time was running out.

He took one of the candles down from a sconce on the wall and unlocked the heavy oak door. Even with his powerful eyes he had to strain to see round the room in the poor light. He found some more candle stubs on a small table by the door and lit them before locking the door behind him.

The woman lay in the far corner of the room, her back to the door. Her dress had been torn down her back, exposing red raw weals on her flesh. Blue black bruises covered her arms. Her breathing was shallow and faint. Her heartbeat was slowing; he could almost feel the life slipping out of her. She was more dead than alive but she'd clung on so far.

The hand that reached down was cold and she instinctively flinched, waiting for more pain. The hand turned her face gently towards a pair of cold blue eyes.

"I told you there were worse things in this world than vampires, Jenny."