laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

Preston motioned to Sceva, who rode up beside the older man. Spread out before them across the hillsides were field after field of crops and livestock. In the middle of the vast fields sat a small group of buildings.

"There is Braxton," Preston said. "We came out here as a group, six families who wanted to try some new ideas in our farming. We built all of our buildings close together - our houses, our barns, everything. We all help each other and our families are very closely knit."

"How is it working out?"

"Very well, actually. We primarily farm our own fields, but we each take turns with individual crops. Each individual farm grows something different, and we change what each farm grows from year to year, but as a group we produce the same crops every year."

The two men soon reached the village where they were welcomed by all six families. After dinner, the men went to the "meeting place," an open, roofed shelter that stood in between the six houses. Some smoked as they all listened as Sceva explained how the church of Elminoir had commissioned him to deal with problems just like this.

"So," Sceva finished, "tell me what you’ve seen and when. Then we can determine what’s going on and I can help you deal with it."

"Four days ago, I found two of my cows in the field, dead," one man said. "Even though the bodies had been torn up by wild animals, there was no blood."

"Then, the next morning, I found one of mine the same way," another man said. "I’ve lost livestock to a lot of different animals, but there’s always been blood on the body."

"Okay," Sceva said. "So what do you think did it?"

The men looked around uncomfortably. Some looked at their feet, others at their neighbor.

"Did you check for bite marks on their necks," Sceva asked.

"No," the first man replied.

"I did," said the second. "I found two small holes. But I didn’t want anyone to think I was stupid, believing all those old stories."

"Those old stories exaggerate," Sceva said, "but they have their basis in fact. There really are vampires in the world, and they really do attack people and animals."

"Have you dealt with them before?"

"This is my job," Sceva replied, skirting the issue. "Leave it to me."