The next few days passed uneventfully. The pile of dead vampires in front of the cabin had vanished the next night, a heap of dust with fragments of clothing mixed in the only remnant.

When the dust began to blow away, David noticed the sword that one of the vampires had carried lying there. On in impulse he took it inside and cleaned it off. It was a straight, single-edged blade, not entirely unlike the one from the movie. He had no sheath for it, but then he had no real use for it either. He leaned it in a corner in his room and left it there.

"Do you believe in fate?" he asked Aidan later.

"Fate?" Aidan looked thoughtful. "I don't believe that our every choice is fated before we make it, if that's what you mean. But... I do think that some of us have destinies and that something, call it fate, or God, or whatever you wish, places those destinies in our path. We may turn aside from them, or embrace them, as we choose." He paused, the added, "Why do you ask?"

"I had a dream the other night... I'm not sure what it means."

"Sometimes dreams don't mean anything, you know. They're just your brain, reorganizing the things you've seen and thought and done during the day."

"But do they ever mean something? Did you ever have a dream that came true?"

Aidan shook his head. "No. But I very seldom dream at all. I've not had a dream in years, and none of mine ever came true. When I did have them, I'm afraid my dreams tended to be mostly nonsensical. But I take it yours wasn't."

"No. Well, I mean, some of it was, kinda. But even the bits that didn't make sense seemed like they should make sense, if I just knew enough."

"I see. I'm afraid I can't offer you any insight on the subject though."

"That's all right. I need to think about it some more."