Free Bacorium Legacy by Nicholas Alexander Page B

was really no such thing as a veteran goblin. They never survived long enough to learn from their mistakes.
    Luca sprang suddenly to the left, decapitating the first goblin before it even had a chance to react. The goblin on the right cried out in its thick, wordless voice, and raised its bone-knife to stab him while his back was turned. Luca anticipated the attack and rolled aside, which caused the goblin to stumble. As he came back to his feet, he slashed the goblin across the chest. The sharp blade cut through the goblin's thin skin like paper, and the beast fell forward with a choked cry to bleed to death on the ground.
    Luca turned to the final goblin, which had ceased its approach and was now reconsidering its attack. He figured there was likely a fifty percent chance of the beast turning and fleeing for its life, or stupidly attacking him anyway.
    Not caring to wait for the beast to make its own mind up, he swung his sword through the air and severed the goblin's hand, which held its weapon. It gave out a cry of pain and stumbled back, clutching its bleeding stump. He stepped forward and drove his sword through the goblin's head.
    Silence took the air once more.
    He kicked the goblin back, pushing it off his father's sword. He turned and saw the second goblin, which still lived, breathing in ragged gasps. He raised his sword up and drove it down into the beast's neck, putting it out of its misery.
    After cleaning his sword off on the rags of his fallen opponent, Luca sheathed the blade and walked slowly back to the inn. A modicum of his stress had been eased by the bloodshed. He cared not for the bodies, for other monsters would be drawn to the scent of blood and feast on the corpses. An easy meal. Therefore, unconcerned by further visitors, he went back to the inn.
    A cold breeze enveloped him, and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck standing up.
    Luca stopped.
    He listened carefully. It was almost inaudible, but he had no doubt of it. He could hear the sound of breathing.
    Luca turned, his hand drifting to the hilt of his sword. He searched the area, peering carefully into the thick darkness. There was no movement that could give away the location of the unseen voyeur. But now that he had detected it, he had no doubt that he was not alone. He could feel a single set of eyes locked on him, studying him like the meal it no doubt thought he was.
    Whatever this new arrival was, it was no goblin. A goblin would have charged stupidly to its death, as the four he had already slain had. This beast was watching him, waiting. It had no doubt been doing so since he had emerged, and had silently witnessed his slaying of the goblins as well. It was intelligent enough to keep its distance, yet it had also seen him effortlessly kill four goblins. And it likely realised he knew it was there, too, yet it did not flee.
    Luca drew his sword slowly. The sound of the steel blade brushing against the metal tip of the sheath carried through the dead silence of the ghost-town. It was his announcement. He was saying, ' I know you are here, so come and face me '.  
    And the creature responded, emerging from the shadows with certain, unhesitating steps.
    The monster before him was shaped like a human woman, with a pretty face and hair was black as the shadows that had concealed it. And indeed, it had once been human. But its skin, as grey and lifeless as a corpse's, and its eyes, as red as blood, betrayed its true identity.
    The vampire spoke to him, with a voice like lavender wine.
    “Your instincts are refined for a human. I expected you would return to the building and return to sleep.”
    “You would have killed me in my sleep,” Luca spat.
    “Of course,” the vampire said with a raised eyebrow, as though surprised that anyone would be surprised by that. “Two humans staying in the town? I would be a fool to pass such an opportunity. I grow weary of these goblins. Their blood sustains our kind, but it lacks in flavour.”
    The