Prologue

The battlefield was filled with blood as Gilbert picked his way through the sea of bodies. As he reached the courtyard of the castle, the bodies decreased in number. There were no actual bodies in the courtyard save for one. A knight was splayed out on the cobblestones. He was facing away from Gilbert, so he couldn't see what he looked like. Gilbert approached hesitantly. The man looked princely, dressed with fine albeit bloody clothes. As Gilbert got closer, the knight groaned and stirred. He was still alive! Gilbert rushed to help him sit up, hoping he was the one he was looking for. The knight muttered something so raggedly that Gilbert couldn't catch it.

"Just rest for now." He soothed. The man looked at him and muttered a name again. Gilbert frowned. "Are you the lord of this castle?"

Aedan shook away the fuzz gathering in his head and tried to concentrate on what the man was saying. Lord of the castle?

Gilbert tried again. "Are you the master of this castle?"

The question finally registered in Aedan's mind. "Master? Aye, I am." He tried to remember why there was pain throbbing in his head. Where was she? The full impact of what happened hit him. "Where is she?"

Gilbert had no idea what he was talking about. He had only been sent to see why so many vampires had amassed outside the city. Well, he thought, they now knew why. "Who is she?"

Aedan was trying not to kill this man. He didn't know who he was. "Who are you?"

Gilbert snapped to a full salute. "I work for the Order in dealing with the war. Colonel Gilbert Sky, second class. At your service sir!" He hesitated. "Your name sir?"

Aedan groaned with pain as he stood up. "Aedan Talen, lord of Scarglade Manor."

Gilbert's eyes widened. "You're the infamous Aedan Talen? Master of the masters? The one who single handedly held off more than a hundred vampires at the battle of Orthnox Keep? Earned his spurs at the age of 17 and was knighted by King Oceron himself. That's you sir?"

Aedan killed him mentally. "Yes."

Gilbert grinned and shook his hand. "It's very nice to meet you sir!" He looked over Aedan's shoulder at the manor. "Very nice defense too."
Aedan started to say something, but stopped when he saw Gilbert's eyes widen and panic spring to life in them. He glanced over his shoulder himself and cursed when he saw the wave of vampires coming. Damn. That was his last thought before he was knocked out again.