Chapter Sixteen

Harold’s woke to his phone playing “Blood of Heroes” by Tyr.  His music preferences were eclectic and spanned everything from big band to heathen metal.  Sitting up he stretched and walked out to the balcony.  The sun was shining over the mountains.  It had rained during the night and all that the sun shone on had a glistening wet shine to it.  It was beautiful.  Walking back into the room Harold walked to the bathroom and stepped into the shower and moved the water to cold.  Getting in he just stood in the cold water as it washed over him.  He thought of Josephine and what she might wear today.  He hoped it was something baggy and unattractive.  Being around a female draug for so long was starting to get to him.  He turned the water to hot, lathered up, rinsed and then picked up the shampoo.  He dumped the whole container on his head and spent a while lathering it into his hair and beard.  After washing out the shampoo he picked up the conditioner and looked at it.  He wondered if being around Josephine was making him want to…look pretty? Other ulfhedinn conditioned their hair, had close cropped beards, some even had braids.  Harold had always just shampooed, attempted a brushing and left it at that. So long as it didn’t get as bad as it did on that mission to Africa in the 1960’s.  His hair had almost become dreadlocks.  He put the conditioner down and turned the water back to cold and stood in it for a few more minutes before turning it off.  

He pulled out some clean clothes, dressed, strapped on his gun and put his coat on.  Looking at himself in the mirror he spoke quietly to his reflection, “You are on a mission.  She is a source of information regarding that mission and draugar in general. Focus on that.”  Satisfied with his self-pep talk he left the room.   

Breakfast was excellent.  Harold had reviewed a few other places to stay on the peninsula and didn’t see anything that seemed comparable to the lodge until they reached Port Townsend.  Harold was perfectly happy to eat at diners, but he did like the occasional good meal in a nice setting.  As he ate Harold pulled out his smart phone and did some research on places to investigate.  There wasn’t much.  Tomorrow’s breakfast would be the last at the Quinault Lodge and then the search would have to go north.   

He paid in cash and left a good tip.  The waitress had been very nice and even a little flirtatious.  

At Josephine’s room he rapped on the door three times.  Just as he finished the third hit on the door it flew open.    

“Come in.  Ready for a new day?”

Josephine was still wearing the black, skin tight outfit from last night.  Harold grimaced as she walked back into the room.  New smells greeted him and his nose wrinkled, he smelled a very faint whiff of patchouli oil and…new clothes?

“You don’t have body odour, but is that what you’re wearing today?  It seems rather, noticeable?”  He asked as he walked out to the balcony and opened the doors.  He decided it would be best to stand out there and look at the lake.  

“The shirt is an athletic shirt. Supposed to wick moisture away from your body.  Not something I have to worry about.  The tights are yoga pants.” She looked at Harold standing on the balcony with his back to her.  She smiled.   

“But you’re right.  I’m going to change.”

Harold heard her pulling clothes out of the dresser and then go into the bathroom.  A couple of minutes later she came out, “Here, what do you think of my frumpy look?” Harold turned around and had to smile.  She was wearing Birkenstocks over rag wool socks, a pleated and heavily patterned skirt that went down to the socks and a sweater that looked two size too large for her.   

“Where did you get all that?” Harold suspected she’d gone to Aberdeen again and raided a few places.  

“I couldn’t…sleep last night so I ran to Aberdeen and broke into a few places.  Don’t worry, any video captured of me will show a female in black wearing what appears to be a pillow case across her face and head breaking into places with a crowbar.”   

Harold couldn’t help himself and laughed out loud.  He could just imagine the police playing that video over and over again.   

“Well, let’s try the outfit out downstairs shall we?”   

“OK, but I go first and you walk behind me.  I want you to watch the people in the lobby and see if this outfit makes any difference.”  Josephine spoke with seriousness.  Harold nodded and indicated the door with his hand.

“Let the science experiment begin.” He said.  

Walking into the lobby about ten feet behind her Harold watched and smelled the people there.  There were two middle aged women at the counter, an older couple in their 70’s, a family with three young girls and a boy about 14, and another couple with no children.  Not as many as the day before and the smarmy bellhop wasn’t there.   Harold had hoped he would be.  He would have been a good barometer of Josephine’s new style.  

Getting into the car Josephine eagerly asked, “Well?”

“Normally people look at you regardless of what they are doing.  The smell you emit does that.  Once looking they either don’t stop staring or have to make an effort to pull their attention away.  This morning the old man, women and girls looked away easily, the teenager looked back at you once and then back to his smartphone.  The two men looked at you, turned away and then tried hard to look at you again without their wives noticing.  I’d say your “camouflage” was quiet effective.”  Harold made a mental note to include this experiment in his nightly report.  

“Yes!  It worked!  Sweat pants!  I need sweat pants.  Maybe some glasses.  Not fashionable glasses.  Some that look like they were fashionable a decade ago.”  Harold laughed again, “Perhaps you can find some theatre make up and add some acne?”  He laughed some more at the thought.  Josephine wasn’t laughing.   

“Don’t laugh.  If I can do that I just might. It would be nice to walk into a place and not be fawned over.”   

Harold laughed a little more.  “You do realize of course that across the world, earðkin women spend literally billions of dollars each year trying to attain the level of attractiveness you are working to get away from?  I know this is serious for you but surely you can see how it’s amusing in an ironic way?”  As they got into the car Harold realized he was still looking at her as if she was wearing the black tights.  Josephine didn’t seem to notice.

At Harold’s comment it was Josephine’s turn to laugh. “It is ridiculous isn’t it?”  Still looking at Harold, she went into her thinking state.  Although it was very un-nerving to have her sitting next to him motionless and staring, Harold left her be.  The rain started again and it looked like the skies were grey all the way to the ocean.  

They were a few miles south along Highway 101 before Josephine suddenly drew in a breath and asked, “Where are we going?”

“A seafood processing plant in Taholah.  We’re going to see if they have tours there.  The other night we may have missed some people that live out of town.  I’m hoping they come into town to work at the processing plant or other businesses.”

“And after that?  Hunt through the woods again tonight?”  Josephine seemed eager.   

“Definitely.  We’ll not bother hunting, just cover as much ground as we can hoping to find a scent.”  

“Good. I’ve got my night outfit on underneath all this.” She said straightening her skirt.  “You know, I had a few skirts like this in the late ‘60’s.  It’s funny how some fashions hang around or come back after a decade or so.  Some seem to be gone forever though.  I miss men and women dressing more formally.  I’m betting you’re not broken hearted about today’s more relaxed styles?”  Harold smiled thinking about the fashions he’d avoided all his life.   

“No, not even a hint of sorrow leaving the suit and tie behind.  I’ve always been what you’d call a ‘casual’ dresser.  I have some formal outfits for those sorts of occasions of course.  But what I’m wearing now, you’d have found me wearing something very similar since the 1950’s.  But that’s just me.  Ulfhednar tend to be varied in our attention to fashion.”  Harold thought of his old friend Osmund.  “You vampires seem to be all about fashion.”   

Josephine took off one of her sandals and adjusted the strap, “We’re taught that we’re better than humans, werewolves and should dress like it.  It also makes the enthrallment of humans all the easier.  What no one mentions is that it’s just another way to avoid boredom.  Some become a little extreme with it.” She turned to look at Harold, “I’m guessing your opinion of our fascination with haute couture is a low one?”   

“You could say that.  And vampires think all ulfhednar are slobs?” Harold looked sideways at Harold.  Josephine snickered, “Something like that.”  

The rain had stopped so Harold rolled down his window.  Josephine did the same.  They rode the rest of the drive to Taholah in silence.

The seafood processing plant wasn’t much.  No one had asked for tour before but that didn’t seem to be a problem.  Even with Josephine in her camouflage, as Harold insisted on calling it, the manager and staff were almost falling over themselves to show them around.  There were only a few people working and it wouldn’t have taken more than fifteen minutes to see everything, but Josephine started up a conversation with the manager about local legends.   

There were many.  Ogre women that captured children and ate them, ravens that tricked people, giants that crushed everyone in a valley of peace and one about wolves that were changed into people.  Josephine looked at Harold when the manager was telling that story and gave him a hopeful look.   

“Which tribe were changed from wolves to human?” Harold asked the manager.   

“That’d be the Quileute’s north of the Hoh. You planning on heading up there? Good fishing from La Push.  I can recommend a friend of mine with a charter boat if you’re interested.” He grinned at Josephine, “I’ve got a boat of my own and could take you out on a private fishing trip if you like.” Harold liked the idea and was about to take him up on the offer when Josephine replied, “No, that’s OK.  I’m not one for boating really.”  Harold was surprised.  He expected her to take the manager up on the offer.  Part of her growing exploration of the world outside the guild.   

“Harold, we should be going.  We still have a few things to take care of today.” Josephine had an expression Harold hadn’t seen from her before.  Like a person trying to look pleasant when faced with something disgusting.  After being thanked by the manager and what seemed like every employee three times each, they were finally able to get out of the processing plant.  Walking out to the Escalade Josephine was breathing deeply through her nose.   

“You alright?” He asked.  

“Oh God.  The smell.  It just got worse and worse.  I’ve smelled fish before, cooked and raw.  But never so much.  I felt nauseous.  That’s not really possible for me, but that’s what it felt like.” Looking at Harold she asked, “It didn’t bother you?”  Before he could answer her she added, “No.  Of course it didn’t.  You’d be happy to grab a couple of those salmon and just gobble them up raw.” Harold shrugged a little, “I’d prefer them cooked.”  Opening the car door for her he asked.  “Have you always hated the smell of raw fish? Or is this just some peculiarity of vampires?”   

Josephine got in and buckled herself in.  When Harold got in she answered him, “I think it’s just me.  I’ve never heard of anyone complaining about it.  The boating trip though would be turned down by any vampire.  Can’t swim.”  This last comment confirmed something ulfhednar had always suspected.  What ulfhednar had been able to determine of draug anatomy through autopsies indicated they’d sink.  They wouldn’t drown of course, but the small, residual stomach and lungs didn’t have enough volume capacity to keep a draug afloat.  Harold wanted to keep the conversation going and see if he could find out more.  

“So, tanning by the pool, just not going in it?” He asked.  

Josephine laughed.  “I’m sorry.  I just had a mental image of you hanging out by a pool.” Harold looked at her with an expression of false annoyance.  “I don’t see how that’s funny.”  

“Oh, don’t be so pompous.  With your beard, long hair and let’s face it, nearly a pelt for body hair, you’d be a sight in a speedo.”   

“Not if there’s a load of ulfhednar with me.  I’d just blend in.” As soon as he said it Harold realized he’d opened a topic of conversation for Josephine to pursue.  Now he’d have to figure out a way of getting the conversation back to draugar.   

“A poolside party of hairy werewolves?  Just the thought boggles the mind.  Is this something you do frequently in the summer time?  Sitting and sipping fruity cocktails with little umbrellas and playing pool volleyball?”  Josephine laughed again.  She was enjoying the slight look of discomfort on Harold’s face.  

“And I suppose when draugar have poolside parties they do the same but just wade about in the shallow end?” Harold drove across the bridge going north across the Quinault River.  There was a Bureau of India Affairs road he’d seen on the map and wanted to park there while they explored the area more.   

“No.  We just pose around the pool admiring ourselves and teasing humans.”  Josephine seemed suddenly distant.  Harold decided to change the conversation topic.   

“Something that seems odd to me.  And please correct me if my understanding is incorrect, but it seems like vampires are a dichotomy.  On one side you are strongly motivated and defined by your religion, on the other motivated and by defined by your egos and conceit.”  Josephine laughed again but this time it was a derisive laugh.  The rain had stopped again and she rolled the windows down.   

“You see a conflict between the two when they are the same thing.  Our conceit and ego is because we are supposed to be the chosen of God.  We are the ultimate plan for this world and only await a sign from God to implement it.  Being devout, being superior, it’s all part of the same thing.”   She looked out the passenger window and breathed in the smells of the wet forest.  Turning back to Harold she said, “We’re going to talk about something else now.”  

“Sorry.  I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”   

“That’s OK.  You’re naturally curious, and vampire ego aside, I am interesting.”  Harold looked at Josephine to see if she was serious or not.  She just smiled at him.  Shaking his head he asked, “What would you like to talk about?”  Harold still hoped to bring the conversation around to draugar again.  Josephine’s question would indicate a subject she was interested in.   

“Families.  You mentioned a brother. Werewolves have families?  Like humans do?”  

Harold thought it was an odd question, but it was also a question that could lead him into the draug version of families.  If they had such a thing.  

“Of course we have families.  Brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, uncle, aunt, nephews, nieces, grand-parents, great-grand-parents, great-great-grand-parents.  Family through marriage, adoption.  Blood brothers and sisters, foster brothers and sisters.  Our gods have them too.  We’re very much a family focused people.”  Just talking about families made Harold smile, but Josephine seemed sad as he said all this.  Harold tried to switch the subject back to her and give her the chance to talk about something he assumed would make her happy too.   

“I’m guessing you vampires have something similar.  Not through…blood relations,” Harold realized saying that sounded odd and rushed into the rest of his question, “but through marriage, adoption, that sort of thing?”  

Instead of the happy reaction Harold expected Josephine seemed despondent and simply said in a quiet voice, “No, not really.”  Harold pursed his lips.   

“Sorry.  Did it again.  Made you feel uncomfortable.”  Harold wished he had the glib tongue of Osmund.  All he had done so far was shut her down.  Perhaps trying to be subtle about his questions wasn’t the way to approach Josephine.  She’d acknowledged his curiosity.  Perhaps he’d do better just being honestly curious.   

“Josephine, I honestly don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but I am really curious.  I know vampires are organized in guilds, don’t you also organize yourselves within them in some sort of family unit?  A group that considers themselves brothers and sisters, with an older vampire as a father or mother figure?”   

Josephine gave him an ‘oh-what-the-hell’ look and said, “Sort of.  It’s more like a mentor to mentee relationship.  The hierarchy in a guild is very top down with a distinct pecking order.  Your mentor teaches you who pecks who, who owes favours to who, how to manipulate someone into owing you a favour.”  She sat quietly for a little while then added, “There is a sort of sibling rivalry between us.  Things like, who is wearing the latest fashions, who can attract the handsomest or most beautiful…victim.  That sort of thing.  And we have our ceremonies and holy gatherings of course.  We’re preached to over and over again how we are all the chosen of God, Lilith and Cain.  One great family destined to inherit the world.”  Josephine turned to look out the passenger window.  

Harold saw the BIA road on the right and turned down it.  “If you see a road off this one let me know.”  He said.  Harold thought for a while.   

“So there’s no family units?  Husbands, wives, perhaps two siblings converted? I’m sorry but for my people family is everything.  Your world seems so strange to me.”  

Josephine looked at Harold with a cocked eyebrow.  “We don’t convert family members.  And once converted we don’t marry.  Look, can we give it a rest?  I know I’m the most fascinating thing you’ve ever encountered but I’d really like to just enjoy the scenery.  OK?” Josephine said harshly.   

Harold didn’t say anything.  He’d already apologized to her and that was enough.  He spotted a dirt road on the left and turned down it.  It was fairly well traveled and he was able to drive a couple of miles before it dead ended.  As soon as he stopped the car Josephine was out and taking her frumpy clothes off.  Harold got out and walked around to her side of the car.   

“Hang on.  Smell the air.  Check those tracks on the road.  When was this road used last and by whom?”  Harold felt it would be best to be more businesslike for a while.   

Josephine looked at the dirt road and walked around smelling the air.  “I can’t tell anything from the road.  It’s rained too much to see any tracks.  There is the smell of deer blood.  It’s not fresh but I can’t tell how old it is.”  Harold waited as she walked over to his side of the car.   

“I think I smell pee, human pee.”  Harold nodded.   

“Anything else?”  He asked. Josephine shook her head. “No. What am I missing this time?” She seemed impatient with Harold.  

“A lot.  But it’s not due to your lack of experience.  Vampire sense of smell isn’t as good as ulfhednar and as you pointed out, it’s been raining.  There were three hunters, one female deer.  The hunter who peed on that tree there was in his mid-forties and may be pre-diabetic.  The SUV they drove has tires that need a little more air.”  

Josephine laughed.  “Are you going to change into your furry form and tell me which one was left handed, if the deer had eaten lichen or moss and what colour the SUV was?”  Harold laughed as well.  “Sorry.  I am good, but not that good.” They both laughed a little more than the joke needed.  Josephine looked at Harold with an apologetic face.   

“Harold, I’m sorry I got a little bitchy.  It’s just that my life since 1939 has been pretty much wasted and filled with bullshit.  I don’t like thinking about it.” Harold bowed his head slightly and then looked at Josephine.  

“Apology accepted and I am sorry for being so nosey.  As you said, I’m very curious and you are the most fascinating thing I have ever encountered.”  He smiled at Josephine and she smiled back a little sheepishly.   

“Flatterer.”  

Harold was about to ask her to go around to the other side of the SUV so he could undress when a question came to him.

“Where were you in 1939?  When you were converted?”

Josephine laughed.  “Ironically, in Coventry where you first saw me.”   

Harold took a step forward and he stared at Josephine.  “When?  What month, day!?!” He voice was urgent and a little scared sounding.  Harold’s change of mood startled Josephine and she backed away a step.  

“November 5th.  I was staying with my dad’s uncle.  He and his wife were taking me to a bonfire to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night.”  Harold staggered backwards.  Now Josephine was a little angry.  “What!?!” she shouted, “What the hell is it?!” Harold slumped down onto to his bum in the muddy dirt road and held his head.  He started muttering and sobbing,  

“Urðr, Verðandi, Skuld.  Urðr, Verðandi, Skuld.  Urðr, Verðandi, Skuld.”   

Josephine angrily grabbed Harold by the shoulders and pulled him up to his feet.  Harold’s face changed her anger to terror.  He was crying and his face was contorted by anguish.  Harold was a hunter and killer, and without meaning to, her mentor.  He shouldn’t be brought to tears by anything.  Letting go of his shoulders and calming herself, she spoke in her most lilting voice.  

“It’s OK Harold.  Whatever it is, it’s OK.” Harold spun away from her and suddenly started changing.  His clothes, pack, holster, shoes all ripped and shredded off him as he ran into the woods.  Josephine was too shocked to follow at first but then started after him.    

Chapter Fifteen

Harold woke to a polite knocking on the door, followed by a more demanding knocking.   

“Just a minute!” He shouted irritably and pulled on the clothes from the chair he threw them on the night before.  Scratching his back and stomach he smelled Josephine, a bellhop who was barely able to contain himself and lunch.  Opening the door surprised the bellhop who had apparently been completely distracted by Josephine.  He walked back into the room scratching his bum.   

“Good morning Sir Sleepsalot!”  Said Josephine with a cheery smile.  She was wearing what Harold thought were overly tight jeans and a very baggy Quinault Lodge sweatshirt.  The bellhop pushed the trolley into the room and put the food down on the table.  Once done, he turned to Harold with his hand out and his eyes on Josephine.  He was smiling like he thought he had a chance with her.  Harold gave him a ten dollar bill.   

“Ma’am, you sure there’s nothing I can get for you?  Anything you need, or want?  I can deliver it to your room personally.”  His smarmy tone grated on Harold and he had to suppress the urge to backhand him.   

“No.  If I need anything, Mr. Smith here can take care of it for me.” She said with a nod in Harold’s direction.  The bellhop turned to look at Harold who glared at him.  This was enough to make the boy rush out the door rolling the trolley into the door jamb on the way out.  

“To impatient to let me enjoy my lunch in the restaurant?” Asked Harold.   

“You’re welcome.”  Replied Josephine in a haughty tone.  She opened the curtains and balcony door.  The smells of rain, forest and lake entered the room and mixed with the smells of food.  Harold felt himself wake up a little more.   

“Sorry.  The boy annoyed me.”  Harold gulped down the glass of milk and then picked up the burger.  The smell of it brought a smile to his face.   

“I was thinking.  If I can’t find any reformed vampires, I’ll go into sales.  I should have no problem selling anything to anyone.”  Harold laughed out loud.   

“No doubt!  You’d have people clearing out their credit cards!”  A question came to Harold’s mind, “What do vampires do to earn a living?  Assuming you do.” He paused his devouring of chips to gulp down a glass of orange juice.  

“Nothing.  Our wealth is established and very old.  Victims are sometimes robbed if they have something valuable, but anything we purchase is done using money that’s been invested over the centuries.”  Josephine walked out to the balcony and breathed in deeply through her nose.  Harold was about to ask her about her backpack of money when she came back in and sat down across from him.   

“You’re about to ask me where I got all my cash from aren’t you?” She looked pleased with herself.  

“Yes.”

“Robbery.  I stole it all from businesses and shops.  I knew I needed cash rather than using the guild’s credit, so I just broke into places and emptied safes.”  She seemed even more pleased with herself.   

Harold finished his meal.  “No doubt leaving behind fingerprints, footage on security cameras, and other evidence?”  Josephine frowned at Harold.   

“I’m not stupid.  I wore gloves and a mask.  I also smashed any cameras I saw with a cricket bat or rocks.  I could have leapt up to them and yanked them out of the walls, but smashing them is a more human thing to do.”   

Harold wiped his mouth and beard.  “Well, then you can use your ill-gotten gains to pay for the hotel stay.”  He didn’t really care Josephine had stolen all her money.  It wasn’t worth it to him to make a fuss about.  

“Fine.  You get the next one.  So today we’re going to explore the woods some more.” She said this as if announcing something they had already discussed.   

“We are?”  

“Yes.  We’ll do some hunting too.”  Josephine leaned forward and sniffed the coffee that was left in Harold’s cup.  “We’ll be out late and I don’t want you to get hungry.”  Harold took his cup of coffee and finished it.   

“That being the case, I’ll skip showering and find a lake or stream to bathe in.”   

Josephine wrinkled her nose, “Do you have any idea how much you smell?  Please take a shower.” She sounded honestly disgusted.  

“Fine.  Meet me downstairs in the lobby. 20 minutes.”  With that he walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower.  When Henry finished showering, he nearly walked into the bedroom naked but smelled Josephine still there.  Wrapping a towel around his waist he poked his head around the door.  She was on the balcony looking over the lake.   

“Why are you still here?” Harold asked as he walked into the bedroom to get some clean clothes.  He could guess why.

“The lobby will be filled with people.” Josephine replied without turning around.  Harold nodded his head.   

“Give me a minute to get dressed.”  Taking his clothes into the bathroom he dressed and once again tried to brush his hair.  He’d used conditioner this time and his hair was a lot easier to brush.  The brush still got caught in his hair, but not as much.  Josephine turned from looking at the lake as he walked back into the bedroom.  She smiled at Harold.  For some reason her smile made him feel uncomfortable.  He couldn’t place the cause, and not being self-analytical, didn’t try.   

“What’s that smile for?  Gratified I used conditioner?”

She laughed, “No.  Yes.  I don’t know. Never mind.  You ready?”

“Let me get my jacket and boots on and we’ll go.”  Harold grabbed his night pack, slung it on, and threw on his jacket and then his boots.  He opened the door for Josephine and waved his hand out the door.  She smiled again and walked out.   

Josephine was right, the lobby was busy.  She walked a little closer to Harold and leaning into him whispered, “Glare.”

Harold did so.  People couldn’t help but look at the two of them, but kept their distance.  Harold realized they must be the subject of many conversations and conjectures.  The scruffy, muscular, scary looking man and the alluring, refined and beautiful woman who didn’t seem to be romantically connected but were connected.  Somehow.  

It was gently raining as they walked out to the parking lot.  Harold pulled out the keys to the Escalade and handed them to Josephine.  “You drive today.” She seemed to be taking the lead for the day’s outing and he thought her driving would be fitting.

“No, you drive.”

“Very well.” Harold opened the passenger door for Josephine and she climbed in.  

Harold got in and buckled himself in.  “Where are we going then?  The mountains, or the sea?”   

“The mountains. More game there and so a more likely place to find werewolves and vampires.” She sounds like someone who knew what they were talking about.  Harold suspected that was true of only last night.   

“Spent the time researching hunting online last night?” ask Harold as he pulled out of the parking lot and steered the car up the South Shore road to the place they’d parked the first night.   

Josephine grinned, “Yes.  I must have read everything about the Olympic Mountains and the Puget Sound.  I also found a website that phonetically spells the native place names.  Very useful for preventing that ‘you’re not from around here’ look from the locals.”  

“Then you’ll have to teach those to me, or do all the talking.”  Harold was curious which option she’d prefer.  Her behaviour in the lobby indicated she wanted to avoid dealing with people.   

“I’ll teach you.” Josephine’s mood shifted as she said it and she seemed saddened.

Harold didn’t want her pulling into herself and going into one of her frozen statue phases.  “Then I am your eager pupil.  Please elucidate the names and proper pronunciation of the local towns, rivers and such.”  

Josephine’s mood shifted again with a laugh.  “The way you talk at times.  I can’t decide if you’re putting on airs, mocking, or went to some pretentious Ivy League university and got a degree in literature.”   

“20 years of private ulfhednar school.”  Harold could have expounded about that further, but wanted to find out more about draugar education. “You mentioned you spend the first year as a vampire learning the Beriyt.  Is that it?  Surely you must spend a few years learning how to, well, hunt?”  Harold knew he was walking into a sensitive topic, but his curiosity was stronger than his restraint.  

“Private school?” Josephine sounded surprised.  “You sound private school, but you look like a lumberjack.  To answer your question, yes, our mentor spends another year or so teaching us how to work within the guild system.  The hierarchy, how to buy a place, using it, hiding…evidence, where you can go, can’t go, how to interact with other guilds, practical things.  What on earth do you spend 20 years learning?” Harold paused for a second and considered how much he should reveal.   

“Well, except for religious studies, most of it is the same as an earðkin education.  Math, sciences, grammar, geography, anthropology, history, etc.  By the time we’re done we have the equivalent of a Bachelor of Arts degree.”  He’d left out the training on how to hunt and kill draugar.

“Most of it?”  Josephine was looking at Harold with an expectant look on her face.   

“You spend some of your education learning how to avoid ulfhednar?” He replied by way of an answer.   

Josephine turned away and sat back in her seat. “There it is again.” Harold kept his eyes on the road and just said, “Yes.  There it is.”

Neither spoke the rest of the way to the little road where they had parked two nights ago.  Parking and hiding the Escalade together was also done in silence.  Harold was about to start taking his clothes off when Josephine started taking off her jeans.

“What in Oðinn’s name are you doing?!” Harold blurted.  Josephine looked at him and Harold realized she was wearing what appeared to be black tights under her jeans.   

“While you were sleeping the day away, I drove down to Aberdeen and did some more shopping.” As she said this, she removed her baggy sweatshirt to reveal a tight fitting black, long sleeve shirt.  “I found a sporting goods store and bought a couple of outfits.  My other clothes felt restrictive when we were running through the woods.”  Taking off her shoes she spun around with her hands over her head and asked, “Well, what do you think?  I chose black to make it difficult to see me.”   

Harold realized he was staring.  Training or not, Josephine’s allure was tangible and wearing a skin tight body suit just made it worse for him.  Josephine looked up from admiring her new outfit and realized he was staring.  Crossing her arms across her chest she said in an impatient tone, “Well, get furry.”   

“Right.” Harold walked to the back of the SUV and took off his jacket, pack and his shirt.  Stuffing the jacket and shirt into the pack he realized he’d not heard Josephine turn around.  He looked over his shoulder to see her still standing there with her arms crossed looking at him.   

“I’m going take my pants of now.  Were you planning to watch?” Asked Harold.  Josephine turned around.  Harold quickly doffed his shoes, socks and jeans and stuffed them in the night pack.  With a quick prayer to his ancestors he released his ulfhedinn form.  As he was changing, he turned and saw Josephine looking at him with a pitying look on her face.   

Straightening up to his full height, he looked at Josephine.  “Was that pity for an ulfhedinn I saw?”  Her expression changed to haughtiness.  

“Maybe.  I don’t like to see people in pain.  You qualify as a person.” She turned in the direction of the mountains.  “I smell a large deer, but not quite a deer.  An elk perhaps?”  

Harold closed his eyes and breathed in deep through his nose.  It was still raining and the smells of the damp forest went deep into his senses.  Yes.  An elk.  Female and strong.  And much more besides.  Opening his eyes he found Josephine standing in front of him.   

“What’s the world like for you?” She asked.  Harold was a little startled to see her standing so close.  He took a step back with one foot.   

“It’s the same as yours.” As he said it, Harold realized that wasn’t true.  “I just experience it with better senses and through a different theological philosophy.”  He added. “Well, are we hunting elk or do you want to stand around chatting all day?”  Harold didn’t wait for an answer.  Dropping to all fours he loped into the forest in a direction that would put him downwind of the elk.  He smelled Josephine behind him.  He motioned for her to catch up to him.   

“Can you feel the wind? Smell it?” He whispered.  

“Yes.” She was crouched next to him.  

“We’re downwind.  Take some time and breath in the smell of the elk.  It’s a female.  If it had a doe you’d smell it from here.  Can you smell its urine and spoor?”

Josephine inhaled a few times. “Yes, yes I can.” She took in a few more breathes and then turned to Harold, “When you killed that deer the other night you were only ten feet from it before you sprang.  Do you always get so close?  I thought werewolves liked to run their targets into a trap.  Or is that just how you hunt vampires?”  She didn’t ask as if she were angry or resentful.  It sounded more like an academic question.  

“I hunt a little differently from my kinsmen.  I prefer to get close to my quarry before attacking.”  Looking at Josephine he asked, “How close do you think you can get?”  She shrugged her shoulders.

“I don’t know.  Let’s see.” She stayed in a crouch and began moving slowly in the direction of the elk.  Harold move quietly next to her, occasionally motioning toward a log or different path she should take to minimize the sound she made.  They were about 20 feet from the elk when it suddenly raised its head from the moss it had been eating.  Its nose flared.  It took a step then froze.  Josephine and Harold were motionless for a couple of seconds.  The elk slowly took a step and Josephine moved forward.  Harold stayed where he was.  This was Josephine’s kill.  Lowering its head, the elk took a few bites of moss and Josephine moved forward another couple of feet.  The elk quickly lifted its head.  Its ears were twitching and its nose flared again.  Josephine was only 15 feet from it.  With a sudden leap she flew at the elk and sunk her teeth into the vein just under its jaw.  The impact of her leap sent them both sprawling across the ferns.  Josephine had both hands on the elk’s neck and held tight as they tumbled.  With her teeth still lodged she righted herself and began draining the elk’s blood.  It’s legs twitched and it made a bleating sound then went silent.  Josephine held on and spent the next few minutes sucking out the elks’ blood.  Harold crouched nearby and silently watched.  He was running through the questions he wanted to ask her and how best to ask them.  

Finally sated, Josephine sat back from the elk’s corpse.  Her face had a blissful smile.  “Not bad.”  Said Harold.  He meant it.   

“Thanks.  That was delicious. I’ve never tasted anything so good.” Josephine leaned back on her elbows and looked up at the trees.   

“Hunting like this makes it all the better doesn’t it?” Asked Harold. Josephine nodded her head. “Oh definitely.”  

“Why do vampires lure their victims into a home instead of hunting them like this?  Are they just being cautious?” Harold thought of a prayer to Oðinn and hoped his question wouldn’t put Josephine on edge.  

“Mmmhmm.  That and the homes are customized for us.”  Harold did his best to keep his voice casual.  “Vampiric interior design?  Some prefer French Provincial, others Bauhaus?”

Josephine laughed, “Nooo… things like hidden entrances to take the body out.  Sealed stone floors so blood doesn’t soak in, things like that.  Although, you’d be surprised how often most vampires redo their homes.  It’s a way of fighting off boredom more than anything else.”

Harold cocked his head to one side, “Boredom?”  Josephine sat up and crossed her legs.   

“Oh yes, boredom.  You werewolves may get jobs raising sheep or whatever.  We spend our time impressing each other with our good taste and trying to prove how committed we are to God, Lilith and Cain.  It gets old after about 50 years.” Harold thought her mood was going in the wrong direction.  “Well, I hope these past couple of days haven’t been boring for you.”  

“Oh, no!  The last couple of days have been like nothing I’ve experienced!”  Josephine stood up on her toes and stretched her arms over her head.  “I’ve not felt this good about…anything since I was a girl.” Harold was about to ask her another question when she looked at him with an excited expression.  “I’m going to see how high I can climb a tree!  You want to come?”  Harold smiled and shook his head.   

“No.  My weight would bend the branches too much for you to get very high.  If you don’t mind I’d like to finish this elk.”  It was her kill and Harold didn’t want to be presumptuous.  

Josephine looked at the elk as if she’d just noticed it.  “Oh, please be my guest.  I’d rather not hang around when you eat anyway.  No offense but… well…” Harold waved his hand, “No, it’s fine.  Go.  Enjoy the climb and view. Go.” He said with a wave of his hand up the tree.  Josephine leapt up the closest tree and started climbing.  Harold watched her go.  She was fast and moved with confidence.  Within seconds she was hidden in the branches.  With a quizzical look at the elk’s body Harold wondered how it would taste with all the blood drained.  Putting a foot on the body he ripped of a leg and took a bite.  Some blood was still in the meat and the taste was very good.   

Harold had just finished the fourth leg when he caught the scent of a small pack of wolves.  They were moving in his direction.  Standing up he turned in the direction he knew they’d approach from.  Above him he could smell Josephine coming down the tree.  “Stay up in the branches!” he said in a voice not quite a shout.  

The wolves had caught the smell of the elk and were hungry.   Not hungry enough to get close to something that smelled familiar but different.  Harold crouched down and growled at the lead wolf.  The fur along his back raised.  The lead wolf growled back and walked around Harold at an angle to him.  The rest of the pack growled in low tones and moved around Harold to encircle him.  He had no desire to fight and with a half bark, half growl he picked up the elk and tossed it in front of the lead wolf.  The wolf jumped back and growled at Harold.  Harold stood still.  The lead wolf sniffed at the elk and growled at Harold.   

“Josephine.  Come down and land next to me.” He said without taking his eyes off the lead wolf.  Harold heard her scramble down the tree a little more then a rush of air as she jumped from the tree to land in a crouch next to him.  All the wolves jumped back a few more feet and growled.  “Stand still.”  Harold could smell the wolves’ sudden surprise and their decreasing desire to get into a fight.  They moved around to the lead wolf and the elk.   

“We’re free to leave now.” Whispered Harold, “Slowly turn around and walk down the hill.” Josephine turned and walked away.  Harold stayed behind her, walking backwards for a few feet until he saw the lead wolf sinking his teeth into the elk.  

When they were out of sight of the wolves, Josephine turned to look at Harold.  “What was that all about?  Neither of us were in real danger.  We could have killed all four of them.”   

Harold growled, “To what purpose?  The pleasure of the kill?”  Harold had heard things like this before from young ulfhedinn.  The excitement and challenge of the hunt, combat and kill was seductive.  “The hunt is thrilling.  But we don’t hunt solely for pleasure.  To do so is wasteful and shows a lack of self-discipline.”  Josephine looked chastised.   

“Sorry, I…sorry.”  They walked in silence for a while until finally Harold stopped.   

“You’ve found that you can do things you hadn’t even realized you could do.  A new world has opened to you and you want to see how far you can go. How far you can challenge yourself.  I understand.  I and every ulfhedinn goes through this.”  Harold thought back to his days as a young ulfhedinn.  “You want a challenge?  Let’s see if you can pin me in a fight.”   

Josephine took a step back.  “Not on your life!  You’d kill me! Oath or no oath.”  

“No, I wouldn’t. I’ve black belts in four different martial arts and could toss you around like a rag doll.”  Changing direction Harold started walking back up the hill.  “How’s this?  We’ve a lot of territory to cover.  You lead and shout out every scent or spoor you smell that could be wolf or vampire and I’ll shout out when you miss one.”   

“Fair enough.  Try to keep up.”  Josephine took off at a run up the hill keeping the smell of the wolves they’d encountered to her right.  

Josephine spent the next six hours making a large circle back to the where they parked the car.  She stopped several times when she smelled wolf or some other game she was interested in.  Harold watched her carefully.  She was moving differently from how he’d seen other draugar move.  It was obvious she was making a conscious effort to emulate his hunting style.   

Back at the car Josephine put her jeans and clothes on one side of the SUV while Harold got dressed on the other.  Getting into the SUV with the windows up Harold realized Josephine definitely smelled different from how she smelled when he’d first met her on the flight to Seattle.  He didn’t think it was the draug equivalent of sweat.  He’d chased draugar many times and never noticed them smelling different after a long hunt no matter how hard they had run.  He wondered if the change in Josephine’s diet was the cause.   

“How you feeling?” He asked as if asking an athlete after a game.   

“Good.  I could do that all night, but I know you have limits and need your sleep.” Her voice bordered on patronizing.

“Nice of you to take my mortal limitations into account.” Josephine laughed and it sounded like a young girl laughing about something she hadn’t expected to be funny.  Harold looked at her.  He had to remind himself she was a mass murder. Reformed or not.  

It was a close to 11PM when they arrived back at the lodge.   

“I’m going to get a good night’s sleep.  Tomorrow why don’t we spend the day on the road and check out the other towns in and around the reservation.  Come the night we can spend the evening checking out the rest of the reservation north and south of the river.  Sounds alright to you?” Harold was doing his best to sound business like.   

“Hmm?  Oh. Yes.  That sounds like a good idea.”  She seemed distracted as they walked through the empty lobby.  

“You alright?” asked Harold.

“Yes.  Just thinking about this night.  If you get up early let me know.  I may spend the evening thinking and not notice the time.” Her plans made Harold curious.  He pressed the button for elevator.  

“Thinking? Like in your statue mode for the whole night?” Josephine laughed a little at his description of her contemplative state.  

“Yes, like that.”   

“Well, I’ll probably sleep to 8AM and have breakfast.  You want me to knock after that?” They had arrived at the doors to their rooms and Josephine walked to hers without looking back at Harold.   

“That’ll be good.  ‘Night.” She said as the door closed behind her.  Harold shrugged and walked into his room.  He showered quickly and with a towel wrapped around him filed his nightly report.  Not bothering to put anything on, he climbed into bed and fell asleep.