“Now… since it seems you’ve learned to manage yourself on collection assignments, I’m going to give you something a bit bigger.” Azazel said, sitting at his desk as he regarded the smiling intern. “You’re being sent to Loch Morar in Scotland, to collect samples of the local wildlife and intel on the possible presence of a kelpie in the loch.” Azazel slid the folder with the mission instructions across his desk.

Wagner picked up the folder, giving a nod. “Understood sir.”

“You will return to the point of deployment after three days. I don’t think I have to tell you what will happen if you aren’t there when I go to summon you back.” Azazel said as he stood, towering over the vampire as he came around the desk.

“Yes, sir.” Wagner’s smile tightened a little more with fear.

“Good. Get your equipment and get in the circle.” Azazel ordered. Wagner grabbed up the backpack stuffed with all the gear he’d need, putting the folder inside it and pulling it on, moving to step into the circle on the floor the demon had prepared.

He waited as the demon activated the spell, feeling a sharp pull like the floor dropped out from under him as the scenery warped away. Tumbling through darkness for a moment before he was dropped back on his feet on the shore of the loch. He swayed a little, doubling over with his hands on his knees and dry heaved, grateful he’d at least learned not to feed before being sent out to collect samples. When his stomach calmed and his head stopped spinning he looked to assess his surroundings. Finding himself having been dropped by a lone sapling along the steep eastern banks of the loch. Easy enough to retrace his steps to. He sat down, pulling the folder out of the backpack and reviewed it, contemplating his options. When he’d thoroughly looked over the details of his instructions he began his hike around the shore, knowing he’d need to find somewhere to shelter before dawn.

As he made his way along the bank he looked out over the loch, trying to make out anything that might be a kelpie moving in the moonlit water but saw nothing. Eventually he found his way to small cavern uphill, collecting samples from some of the bat species he needed to and taking shelter as deep as he could wedge himself in the cave as dawn approached. He lay against the cool stone floor, contemplating if he should obey Azazel, his lips pulling into an uncomfortably tight smile as he thought of the demon’s warning to him. This was the furthest he’d ever been sent from the lab, but if he ran and was caught it would mean a very unpleasant next few years or more to look forward to.

Eventually sleep took him as the sun climbed in the sky outside the cave.When night fell and consciousness returned to him Wagner lay in the cool stillness of the cave, considering his options. If he took his chance at escape and was captured, he knew the punishment would be harsh. But if he simply did as he was told and returned he might be missing his only opportunity being sent this far away. When he’d made up his mind he’d gotten up and out of the cave, continuing his trek around the edge of the loch. His pace quickening as he moved along the edge of the water.

Eventually he made his way around to a village on the far west side of the body of water. Knowing he’d have to move fast and put as much distance as possible if he had any hope of staying ahead of Azazel when the demon came looking for him. The village was silent, everyone mercifully asleep at this hour of the night. It didn’t take him long to locate the small stable horses were kept in. Thinking he didn’t have time to be picky he snatched up a rope and opened the first stall, sliding the rope over the horse’s head and leading it out of the stable. Once he was outside he pulled himself up onto the horse’s back.

No sooner had he seated himself on the beast’s back did it take off, galloping straight for the loch. Wagner pulled the rope hard, trying to rein in the creature but it put its head down. As it neared the water he tried to leap off only to find himself firmly stuck to the creature’s back. With that attempt failed the next moment Wagner found himself submerged in the cold waters, grateful he didn’t have to breathe as the creature took him deeper and deeper until he could barely make out the light of the moon through the surface of the water far above him. His eardrums rupturing from the rapid shift in pressure. Suddenly the creature was gone from between his legs, though as the made to swim upward teeth sank into the back of one of his thighs, taking away a chunk of flesh. He could feel thrashing in the water behind him and then a hoof cut into his back as he was kicked. Before he could get too much further upward teeth sank into his left forearm and Wagner found himself being dragged back up toward the surface. His body ached from the sudden changes in pressure and his head swam as the kelpie surfaced and dragged him to the shallows of one of two small tree covered islands in the loch, dropping him abruptly.

“Fetid undead creature…you are not fresh meat… You waste our time.. what is your name?” The kelpie snapped its teeth as its voice resonated in his mind, the beast cocking its head as it eyed Wagner. Wagner was still reeling from the pressure changes, gagging up what water he’d inhaled when he’d been kicked. Trails of red running from his ears as the tympanic membranes regenerated. Taking a moment to compose himself before he answered.

“You may call me Intern.” The kelpie gave a snort to his answer,

“Intern.. hm? Clever rotten thing… but perhaps useful. You will bury yourself by day, and when the time comes for our offspring to be birthed, you will be certain it is healthy… if you try to swim out of the loch we will trample you and leave you for the sun.” He threatened. “You may visit the other islet but she may kill you.”

“Your offspring? She?” Wagner asked, holding his head as he waited for the vertigo to stop.

“Your eyes are keen, look to the other island, surely you see her there?” The kelpie said, turning his head. Wagner followed the kelpie’s gaze to the other small landmass. Just able to make out the shape of a sleeping unicorn mostly concealed in the shrubbery.

“I see…” Wagner arched a brow as he looked back to the kelpie.

“You had best start digging.” The kelpie said before disappearing beneath the dark water.

“I don’t have time for this..” Wagner muttered in annoyance, crawling his way out of the water and then wobbling to his feet with a hiss of discomfort and then reaching back to feel the wound on the back of his thigh that was slowly mending itself. Trying to formulate a plan as he limped up the mucky bank he paused to look back toward the sleeping unicorn with a determined expression. When his leg had mended a bit more he moved back into the dark water, swimming the gap between the two small land masses. Reaching the other bank the intern cautiously stood, looking around and finding a rock after a bit of searching, pulling it out of the mud and stuffing it in his pocket. He turned to peer at the sleeping unicorn, slowly bending to pick up a smaller pebble. He prepared himself to dive back into the water if the equine charged, tossing the small stone at the unicorn’s rump. The beast’s head shot up with an equine shriek at the unexpected contact, the rest of its body following as it looked for its attacker.

“Calm yourself, I am here to help.” Wagner said, holding up both hands. The mare watched him warily, saying nothing as she weighed her options. “Listen.. I’m sure you want off this island. That kelpie won’t let you leave, right? I can get us both out of here if you hear me out.”

“Speak quickly undead…” the mare replied after a long silence.

“May I approach, I dare not speak too loudly.” Wagner said, glancing toward where the kelpie had disappeared into the water.

“Very well… but do not make me regret it.” The mare warned. Wagner moved close but was careful not to touch the mare’s radiant coat.

“If I were to lure our captor up here in a manner that you could ambush him, could you kill him?”

“I could, but he will almost certainly not come.” The mare sighed.

“He’ll come. I’ll need to use a bit of my magic on us both, if you’ll trust me to do so.” Wagner said.

“Fine, but if he doesn’t come I will break your bones and watch the sun take you, vampire.” The mare threatened.

Wagner gave a nod, “I’m going to cast a spell of greater invisibility on us. When he comes looking to locate us I’ll throw this rock there.” He said, indicating the rock in his pocket. “When he tries to investigate you impale him with your horn or do whatever it is you’re going to do to kill him. Then we go our separate ways.” Wagner explained the plan in whispers as he weaved his magic.

When they were both invisible Wagner moved to his hiding spot to wait. When it took a while for the kelpie to surface Wagner began to worry he’d gambled wrong, but finally the kelpie surfaced, looking at both of the small landmasses before swimming to the one they waited on.

“I know you’re still here… I’d have felt you enter my waters.” The creature said, looking around warily. Wagner threw the rock where he’d told the unicorn and the kelpie’s head snapped up at the sound, moving toward where it had come from. As it neared the rock there was a sudden flurry of hoofsteps as the mare charged, plunging her horn into the kelpie’s ribcage. Wagner stayed crouched, trying to stay well away from the flurry of stamping hooves and equine shrieks, waiting until the kelpie had stopped moving to drop his invisibility.

He gave a single nod in the blood covered mare’s direction before moving away to the edge of the small landmass and looked skyward. Cursing as he saw the inky blackness was already beginning to change in shade, unsure he could swim the distance with a damaged leg and make it back to the cave he’d harbored in before. Remembering a note in his briefing on the depth of the loch, Wagner began to search the shore for stones, loading up any pockets he had and walking into the water. He let what air lingered in his lungs from speaking to the mare slip out as his head dipped beneath the dark waters. The light of the setting moon through the surface of the water quickly disappearing from view as he began the steep descent to the bottom of the loch. Moving until he was certain he’d reached the bottom and seating himself on the lake bed. At this depth there wasn’t anything to see even with vampiric eyes so he closed them and waited for sleep to take him.

When night came again and he woke it took Wagner a few minutes to get his bearings, recalling the events of the night before. One by one he unloaded the rocks from his clothes and then started to swim to the surface. Eventually poking his head above the surface of the water and beginning to swim to the edge of the loch as he debated what to do next. His samples were gone, lost to the loch when the kelpie pulled him in. He could return with nothin but the knowledge of a dead kelpie, but he doubted that would be well received. If he was going to be in trouble he may as well attempt to escape. Wagner swam back to the town and grabbed another horse, cause what were the chances there were two kelpies pretending to be common horses?

Luckily his gamble was right and he rode away from the small village. The intern rode all night, finding another small cave to wedge himself into near dawn. He turned the horse loose before cramming himself to the back of the small cavern and drifted off. He spent a few days like that, staying on the move by night either by foot or stolen steed, feeding on the small creatures he found in the caves he took shelter in. On the fifth day after the date he was supposed to return he was beginning to feel confident that perhaps he wasn’t worth Azazel’s time to chase this far, though he didn’t slow his pace, not wanting to grow too arrogant only to find Azazel was just waiting for him to grow lazy.

The tenth night he woke as he had each night before, quickly gathering himself and moving out of the cave he’d wedged himself into. As he started to move away from the cave he felt a sudden sharp prick to the side of his neck, reaching up and pulling away a dart. His head swam as he twisted to look for who he knew had fired the projectile and he went down. As his vision starter to dim at the edges he saw the cloven hooves making their way toward him, the crunch or leaves beneath them sounding far away. He saw Azazel’s sneering face lean down into his field of vision before his sight gave out entirely. As his consciousness faded away he heard the demon hiss, “Foolish.”