– Is our abode to your liking, traveler?
A storm raged outside the window. The hailstorm hammered on the roof with buckshots, lightning joined together to crack the sky in pieces, and thunder shook the walls. In a defiant protest to the ill weather, the wood burned brightly, crackling in the fireplace. Soft furs covered the floor. Richly decorated armchairs beckoned and called the tired traveler into their embrace. Only the ugly masks carved out on the back of every armchair somewhat ruined the impression. But the tired hunter paid no attention to them.
– Is our food to your liking, traveler?
The carved oak table was practically bursting from food and drinks. stuffed quail, grilled fish with onion, a roasted side of young boar. Jugs of new wine exuded an aroma that would seduce even a monk who gave the vow of sobriety. Although there were only four people in the hall, the table was clearly set for one. But the hungry hunter paid no attention to it.
– Are we pleasing to your eye, traveler?
The voices belonged to maidens, who would make the heart of any man gazing upon them quicken several times. Their seductive forms were only slightly covered with clothes, soft silk poured down their velvet skins, their smiles promised all the pleasures of the world. The maidens’ eyes had an unusual spark to them, but the man at the table wrote it off as reflections of lightning and burning wood.
He came across the mansion by accident. His hunt for vampires which plagued the villagers brought him through an impassible bush, and then the storm began. The monster hunter had already cursed the forest, sky, and his own greed a thousand times when lights suddenly shimmered amongst the trees. And when the door opened, the hunter understood that he wasn’t going anywhere that night. Especially since the smiles and postures of the mistresses promised something more than merely a roof over his head and food to fill the belly.
After supper, the ladies brought the hunter into his chambers, where the candles were already lit and a large metal bath filled with hot water awaited him.
– Bathe yourself, my dear. – one of the maidens cooed. – We like clean guests.
– Once you’ve bathed – head to bed. – winked the second one. – We shall return soon.
The third said nothing, but sent him a kiss so enticing, that the man went in heat without even climbing into the hot bath.
Once he bathed, the hunter decided not to dress, and instead dropped down into the wide bed, under an enormous baldaquin. The candles created a kind of twilight in the room, the rain was drumming on the window-sill, the tired body basked in the soft cushions. The man did not even notice as he fell asleep.
A door-squeak awoke the hunter. Why open your eyes, when it’s clear who it is? Maidens craving for the joys of flesh have come to warm the bed of a manly traveler. What could be simpler and sweeter? Here, the bed bent under the weight of three bodies. Here, a hot breath touched the cheek of the man. Here his hand felt the maiden’s back and went up, searching for the corset knots… and stumbled upon something…skinny and bony. The hunter opened his eyes and rolled off the bed, screaming. Rather than three lustful maidens, three monsters sat upon the bed. Sharp claws on the hands, and no less sharper fangs in their maws. And wings. That which the man’s hand stumbled upon was the wing of an enormous bat.
– Where are you going, sweetheart? – One of the monster’s cracked. – You warmed yourself at our fireplace, feasted on our food, and now it is our turn to taste a hot meal.
The vampires (and there was no one else the monster-maidens could have possibly been) began to slowly get up from the bed. Three against one, and against a naked, weaponless man, they clearly drew great satisfaction from their dominance and planned to play with their food. The hunter became the prey. The man grabbed the nearest thing to him (it was a bronze candle holder) and prepared to at least make his life costly, when suddenly…
When suddenly the window exploded with a hail of glass shards. A slender man crashed into the room coated with daggers and short swords. A pair of daggers immediately flew towards the vampires. Judging by the hissing, the blades were made of silver. Following the window, the door flew into pieces and a thug with a sword and a loud «AAACHOOO!!!» barged in. The latter drew a wide beautiful curve with the blade and nearly sliced off the head of what was just recently a seductive maiden. The monster dodged, and the sword only scratched its shoulder. While the stunned hunter searched for his clothes and pulled them on, the pair pushed the vampires towards the window. Their wings opened, and the monsters disappeared in the night.
The bloke with the sword gave another thunderous sneeze, while the man with the daggers approached the hunter and offered his hand.
– Come on up, good sir. Your arse is safe and sound. Oh, and if you wish for it to remain so in the future, we extend our invitation to our Guild.
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