learned of the discipline. It was a Dutchman who let me in on the secret, actually." He took a deep breath, then turned to face her, his dark eyes small in his round face. "I am what some might call a vampire scholar."
"You don't say?" Cora said.
"Yes," James said, nodding. "I know it sounds absurd, but it really is a valid area of study. As I said, it was a friend of mine, a Dutch physician, who opened my eyes to the existence of vampires. He is quite well-versed in the Occult, especially where the undead are concerned. He's actually hunted them in the past, and taught me some of his art."
Cora burst out laughing, nearly falling out of her seat. The Englishman waited for her to stop with an unhappy look on his face. When she finally regained her composure, tears glistened in the corners of her eyes.
"I hardly think it's a laughing matter," James stated.
"I'm sorry," Cora said, wiping her eyes. "It's just the thought of a round little feller like you hunting down vampires."
James lifted his chin. "I've battled my share of the undead, thank you kindly."
"I'm sure you have," Cora said, suppressing another laugh.
"Anyway, what would a simpleton like you know of such matters? You probably spend your days gambling and drinking, blind and stupid to everything around you."
"No need to get a bee in your bonnet," Cora said. "As it happens, I've bagged me a few vampires in the past."
"Ah, of course," James said, folding his arms and looking away. "And how long ago was this?"
Cora thought for a bit. "Last one was about ten years ago, I'd say. Me and Ben here ran a vampire nest out of Denver. Ain't been none since then, though. Maybe they all got scared and hid away."
"You ran a vampire nest out of Denver, you say?"
"Well, burned it is what we did. Had to shoot a few of them in the process, though."
"Hmph," James snorted. "A likely story. A real vampire hunter knows that a vampire can only be killed by running a stake through its heart and removing its head."
"Maybe that's true where you come from," Cora said, "but out here in the West, we're right smart about it. All it takes is a bullet to the heart or the head."
"Nonsense–"
"Let me finish," Cora interrupted. "All it takes is a bullet, but it's a special bullet, you follow? Made of a silver alloy and blessed proper by a priest. Most of my bullets are even made out of silver that once belonged to crosses."
James scoffed. "I've never heard anything so preposterous. What sort of vampire hunter travels without a stake? You must be mad to think that you can just shoot a supernatural creature and expect to live through the encounter. I expect you simply mistook some poor old man for your vampire and shot him.
"If I did, I reckon I'd be rotting in some jail somewhere. We do got laws out here."
"Yes, well, what did this vampire of yours look like?"
"Like a proper one," Cora said. "Had him a pale face what looked like bread dough and a mouth full of nasty fangs. What was left of his clothes just hung off his body in tatters. Hated sunlight, had a thing for blood, and carried himself like a badger."
"A badger?"
"All fangs and drool and growling."
"Ah!" James's face lit up with recognition. "I don't suppose he seemed to possess any notable reasoning faculties?"
"If by that, you're asking if he could think, I'd say no."
"Exactly as I thought, then," James replied, looking satisfied with himself. "What you encountered was a vrykolakas."
"Pretty sure it was a vampire, King George. I happen to be an expert in spook hunting myself, and I know me a vampire when I see one."
"To be sure, and you are correct, after a fashion. The creature you described is correctly termed vrykolakas, and it is indeed a type of vampire."
Cora's brow furrowed. "A type?" she asked. "You mean to say there's more than one type?"
"Naturally," James said. "If the ranks of the undead only consisted of the vrykolakas, I daresay they wouldn't command nearly as much respect and fear as they presently do."
"I'm afraid I don't follow."
James turned to face her, his earlier animosity forgotten in his scholarly delight. "Much like moths, vampires have two distinct stages of life. The first stage, vrykolakas, is by far the more common type, so it is little wonder you are ignorant of any other. These vampires are exactly