"Oh, so now you want to hear more? Well, now, I told you it was quite an interesting tale. Why do the humans wear garlic? I haven't told you? Sit down, sit down, you'll want to hear this. Yes, yes, I know that's why you came. Well, sit down. Anyway, as I've already told you, vampire is only the word that humans first coined for that mischievous elf couple from so long ago. They cavorted about in the middle of the night and found witless humans who's blood they could drink. They knew about the rumors and used them to their advantage. In fact, they found the most gullible humans in order to help the rumors spread. Of course, they didn't do this every night. But one night, they got a bit of a surprise..."

Shrevtek yawned and stretched. He wasn't really tired; in fact he was anxious. Tonight was the special hunt. Suddenly Ceradine's silvery giggle reached his ears. "O, my dearest husband, your thoughts are quite obvious when your eyes sparkle that way." She walked behind him and draped her arms casually around his neck. She smelled of fresh air and pond lilies. Shrevtek breathed deeply then reddened as she giggled again. "And those thoughts are even more obvious. Not that I object." Shrevtek raised an eyebrow and grinned up at his Ceradine. "Sweet wife, why should you object when you tease me so often?" His only answer, of course, was a kiss on his ear and a sparkle in the emerald depths of her eyes. He sighed and stood. "Ready to go?" That grin was good enough answer for him.

As usual, the two elves stayed near the edge of the woods and watched the humans passed by. For some reason Shrevtek couldn't figure out, this place didn't seem very romantic to him, drunk men often brought their women here. He thought Ceradine knew; she looked a little disgusted and always insisted on attacking before they actually did anything. Well, if the woman was sober, anyway. If she was drunk, they would watch for a while first; have some humor at the humans' expense. The humans' drunken attempts at amorous activities almost made the hidden observers fall from the tress with laughter. And the hunting parties... large groups of drunk human men were always shifting between being pathetic and pathetically funny. Usually pathetically funny. And quite ineffective.

For a while it was quiet. At least, it was quiet to human ears. An alert elf would have grinned at the carefully masked sounds coming from a nearby group of bushes. Suddenly there was a louder, distinctively more human sound. Shrevtek groaned reluctantly as he pulled away from Ceradine. Her hair was mussed and her eyes glistened; he almost went back into her arms. She smiled softly and brushed back a lock of his tangled black hair. "Don't worry, we'll finish this. And when we do..." she gave him a long, deep kiss that left them both panting. "You won't regret waiting." Ceradine flashed a smile before climbing a nearby tree. Shrevtek took a steadying breath and followed. Who taught women how to do these things to men? Their mothers? Shrevtek tried to imagine his mother seducing his father then immediately gave up. He just couldn't imagine it. Women were far too clever for a man's good.

Of course, by this time the humans were almost beneath the tree they were hiding in. This time it was a older man with a frightened young girl. The girl was probably fifteen; she was defenseless. The old man leered drunkenly at her as he dragged her along behind him. The worst thing was the screams. The poor girl was being carried off against her will and no one even responded to her desperate cries for help. Ceradine laid a soothing hand on Shrevtek's tense shoulder. Her eyes were soft and full of feeling. It wasn't often she looked vulnerable like this. She was the backbone that supported him. Seeing what this did to her nearly made him lose control. She shook her head no. He sighed heavily and concentrated on the hunt. That was the only way; if he saw it as only a hunt he could avoid letting his emotions sway him. He glanced once more at Ceradine and smiled grimly. The steely glint in her eye said she had reached the same conclusion. They were ready.

Shrevtek swooped down upon the man, his momentum and weight causing them to tumble to the ground. Ceradine landed lightly in front of the girl and subdued her easily. They had already decided not to hurt any innocents; Ceradine would still drink from her, but would not hurt her. Shrevtek had no such restrictions, however. He bludgeoned one side of the man's head with the hilt of his dagger. When the man was barely conscious he stopped and grinned into the man's glazed eyes. His sharp incisors glistened in the pale moonlight. "V-vampire...." the old man wheezed weakly. Shrevtek bit savagely into the man's neck and drank deeply. He had tried to forget emotion, but he was still angry and he wanted to make sure the man didn't forget it.

Of course, as often as not things just don't happen as planned. Shrevtek stood and swayed dizzily. He had drunk entirely to much of the man's alcohol saturated blood. The elves had drink, but nothing this strong and never so much. Shrevtek hiccupped grinned and passed out. There was one last hiccup and then his form was still. Ceradine had long ago finished with the girl and let her go. She then watched her husband with growing alarm until his collapse. She whistled softly; a birdcall to an untrained ear. There were others who joined in other hunts; they would hear the whistle and come to help...

..."What was that? What does it have to do with garlic? Young people are so impatient. Well, I'll tell you. The old man regained consciousness long enough to see the elves carry Shrevtek back to his home. The old man thought Shrevtek must have died from drinking his blood. He never once thought that it was the drink that did it, but he had eaten a stew with a large amount of garlic in it that evening. So he told people to eat and wear garlic to protect them from vampires! Ha! Humans are a funny lot. What about wooden stakes? It's getting late and I'm tired. Perhaps another time."