“It’s been almost five days,” Janus said, nervously pacing about in his study, as his brother sat across the room, staring at a laptop’s screen and watching feeds of various cameras around the estate.

“I know, brother. And I’ll be leaving for Dia’ru shortly.”

“Do you think she’s been – ” he began, trailing off as he shuddered at the thought of what may have been done to his love.

“Been what? Turned?” Adian replied, looking up from his laptop. “I’d bet money on it. If he’s trying to bring Emerald back, there’s no reason he’d wait now. Rais should arrive before I return with her.”

“You can’t help her this time, can you?”

“With as long as it’s been, probably not,” Adian replied, shaking his head and standing.

Janus sat down, holding his head in his hands. “Just get her back safely. And soon.”

The younger brother nodded, then handed his laptop off to Janus. “Keep an eye out for her from here. I’ll call once I have information to call about.”

*********

Snowhawk side-eyed the seemingly tied-up human next to her. The vampire had brought this man, supposedly a small-time, easily missed slaver, back for her to feed off of, but she still couldn’t bring herself to bite him. The thought was tempting, and she was getting pretty damned hungry, but…

“What’s wrong now?” Kione grumbled, interrupting her thoughts. Snowhawk had not been a pleasure to have around the past near week.

“You’re nuts if you think I’m feeding.”

“You’ll die if you don’t,” Kione shrugged.

Snowhawk canted her head to the side. “I thought you were going to kill me anyway. What’s the difference?”

“I have two wolves to kill before it’s your turn. Besides, if you prove useful, you may live.”

“You wouldn’t kill Adian. You’ve said so before. And if you think I’m going to let you take Janus away from me again, you have another thing coming.”

Kione growled at her. “Don’t call my bluff, Delphin, or you’ll find his head on a fucking platter. I at least need to figure out how the hell you managed to gain Emerald’s powers without her being around.”

“I do have a name, you know,” she grumbled.

“You haven’t earned your name yet. And if you aren’t going to eat, then go back to your room.”

Her expression immediately changed at the vampire’s command. He’d mostly left her with her own, stubborn, free will, but at times like this, fed up with that same stubbornness, he held his power over her. He could have forced her to feed, but past experiences led him to know what a poor idea that would turn out to be. I don’t need another prodigy to kill themselves. He heard her door click shut, then looked at the slaver sitting on his couch. The man was still under Kione’s command as well, a much stronger bond than any rope. He’d be easy enough to catch again, and any memory he had of tonight could be easily brushed off as a dream if he woke up in bed. “You there,” he said to the slaver, who in turn looked at him. “You are to go home and go to sleep. If you speak of anything you overheard tonight, I will hunt you down.” The man gave him a dazed nod and then stood and walked from the house.

Once the house was back to two occupants, Kione walked to Snowhawk’s room. Inside, she sat on the edge of the bed, making no movement as he entered. The room was windowless, and the door the heaviest of any in the rest of the home. Still, Delphin hooves had taken out greater doors than this one, and Snowhawk was still shod with steel, so Kione kept her chained away from the door, rather than keep her under his command at all times, as she was now. He grabbed the end of the chain and fastened it to the ring on her collar, then silently released her from his control.

Snowhawk shook her head, grumbling. “Shit’s getting real old, real fast.”

“If you weren’t so damn destructive with my home,” he said, pointing to hoof sized dents in the wall, “I wouldn’t need to keep doing that.”

“If you’d get over your dead mate and leave me the hell alone, I wouldn’t need to be here.”

Kione smirked. “Said by the Delphin who ran herself to exhaustion to find her dead mate.”

“I didn’t wait a thousand years to do something.”

“Once I had Adian, you were the most convenient.” Snowhawk just snorted and turned away from him. “I will have what I want.”

“Not if she’s not here anymore.”

“I’m sure she’s still there,” Kione said, turning her around to face him. “I just have to find her.”

*********

The following evening, Adian arrived in Dia’ru. He headed straight for Kione’s new home. Once again, the front door was unlocked, almost as if the elder vampire was expecting him. Inside, he sniffed about the building, searching for Snowhawk’s scent, and found her room. The door here was also unlocked, and Adian was almost afraid of what he’d find inside. He cautiously opened the door, and saw her sitting up from the bed. As she moved, he heard the sound of a heavy chain. “Snowhawk?”

“Adian?” she asked at the same time, realizing who was in the doorway.

The vampiric wolf was fuming. “Son of a bitch,” he growled as he moved toward her. He grabbed the end of the chain attached to the wall and gave it a few strong tugs. “So I see why the door was unlocked.”

“He’s out hunting.” She was growing almost frantic. “Adi, it’s not safe for you here. He’ll be back anytime and he’s already pissed enough Emerald is gone.”

“I’m not leaving here without you, Snowhawk.” Adian stated, examining the chain attached at her collar.

“So the wolf returns,” Kione said, stepping into the doorway.

“You son of a bitch,” Adian repeated, growling and bristling as he stepped between Snowhawk and the elder vampire. “How dare you.”

“No, wolf, how dare you for taking my Emerald away from me.”

“You took Snowhawk away from us first.”

“’Us’ you say, like you really have any claim to her. Like that weakling of a brother of yours does.”

“I’m hardly a weakling,” Kirrian’s voice growled. “And I don’t like sharing.”

“Janus?!” both Adian and Snowhawk said at once. The older brother stood behind the vampire, fur bristling and standing crouched, ready to pounce.

“Wonderful. Now I can kill you both and then get back to finding my mate.”

“Not likely,” Kirrian again growled, then lunged at Kione.

The speed of the older wolf caught the elder vampire off guard, and the near-feral fighting style, if it could be called a style, put him even further off guard. Fangs bared, Kirrian seemed intent on ripping the vampire’s throat out as he snapped and snarled at Kione’s head. The vampire finally managed to flip the wolf off him, about the time that Adian joined into the fight. Adian rushed in, unsheathing one of Snowhawk’s dark silver daggers, as his brother landed with a dull thud near him. The vampire scrambled to find his feet, but soon cursed loudly as the dagger found a home in his left shoulder. Kione turned his attention to Adian, backhanding the younger wolf before their fight continued.

With Kione distracted, Kirrian began pulling on the chain’s attachment to the wall. “Help me!” he told Snowhawk, who also grabbed a hold of the chain and began kicking at the wall near the anchor. With Kirrian’s extra strength, and the damage done by Snowhawk’s hooves, the anchor pulled loose from the wall, leaving them with a long length of chain attached to Snowhawk’s neck. “Perfect,” Kirrian grinned, handing the chain to Snowhawk. She at first looked confused, then shifted to her feline form, and looked at the fighting vampires.

A near white blur was all that could be made out as Snowhawk rushed into the fray. She soon had the chain wrapped around Kione and pulled taught. “I won’t let you get away this time, you bastard.”

“Are you forgetting who controls you, mare?” Kione warned. Kirrian snarled and growled, then again lunged at the now chained up vampire. “Before me!” Kione commanded, and Snowhawk stepped in front of him, just before Kirrian reached Kione. Kirrian’s momentum couldn’t be stopped and he crashed into both Snowhawk and Kione, knocking them to the ground. The small feline was knocked unconscious, and Kione just grinned at the wolf that now towered over him. “You make it too easy.”

Kirrian snapped at the elder vampire again, grabbing him by the throat this time.

“You can’t kill me, wolf.”

“Don’t tempt him, Kione,” Adian said, kneeling next to his sire. “Besides, I’ll finish you off if he doesn’t kill you.”

“You can’t kill me either.”

“Then I will,” said Snowhawk’s groggy voice, just before she grabbed her other dagger from it’s sheath on Adian. Kirrian’s jaws tightened on the vampire’s throat.

“Back to sleep with you,” Kirrian choked out, then Snowhawk was out again.

“Not really fair if you keep commanding her.”

“You’re next,” Kione said, then told Adian, “Move away.”

Much unlike Snowhawk, Adian had been away from Kione long enough to not immediately follow his command. “I– I think not.”

“Move. Away,” he repeated. Adian visibly resisted, then after a moment, finally moved away from his brother.

“Now what about y–” Kione was cut off by Kirrian further tightening his jaws about his throat. A moment later, Kirrian yelped and released the vampire as he felt a blade stab into his side.

He quickly lept back, and saw Snowhawk, with a dulled expression, kneeling next to the vampire, her dagger in hand. “You fucking stabbed me!” Kirrian exclaimed. Kione stood, an unwilling Snowhawk helping him remove the chain from around him. Both wolves growled and bristled at the elder vampire.

“I guess I have to move again. Pity, this was such a nice place. Come on, mare,” Kione said, then vanished with Snowhawk.

“Shit!” Adian growled. “He doesn’t have to speak to her. This is an even bigger problem then I expected.”

“How are we going to kill that?”

Adian paused for a moment. “We need to find Onyx. If he’s still alive.”

The city of Di’aru was always a haven for slavers. Part of the slave trade includes hunting down and retrieving lost or stolen slaves, and the business over the past few years was very lucrative, especially since the slave uprising in Ametition, over sixteen years ago. In Juv, one pair of Delphin half-brothers were the beings to go to if you needed a slave returned.

These two were born slaves who freed themselves using their skills at tracking other slaves. They felt no remorse for what they did, they simply viewed it as returning property to it’s rightful owner. They did their jobs, no questions asked.

When they met with another Delphin one evening about retrieving a stolen slave of his, they had no idea the slave they would be retrieving would be their mother. But the silver-haired Delphin did. He was quite pleased to find these two, as they would provide his much-needed extra leverage over Snowhawk.

“She’ll probably resist,” Kione warned the two. “And she can be a vicious little bitch when she’s not getting her way,” he continued, thinking of her feline form’s needle-like fangs.

“We can handle her,” the younger brother commented.

“Do you know where she may be?” the older asked.

“Hiding with her former owner. She always seems to run back to him. But he has no claim to her,” Kione said, sliding them a piece of paper with an address scrawled on it. “She’s also possibly using the Delphin Society as a shield, so watch out while you’re there.”

“Well, brother,” the older began, “this seems like quite the challenge.”

“Indeed. But we’ll be back with her soon enough. We’ve never missed a mark.”

As the pair left, Kione mused to himself. This will be good enough to watch, he grinned. I’ll have to follow them. I can’t want to see her reaction when she finds out her oldest sons are slave hunters.

The brothers also mused, though openly, about their latest client as they drove to Ametition. “He’s a bit of a creep, isn’t he, Cody?” the younger brother asked.

“Yeah, he is Jesse. I’m not sure about him, but his offer is too good to pass up.” He frowned a bit at he thought and drove. “Something about this slave seems familiar though. I know the story about her, but beyond that.”

“I know what you mean. I was thinking the same thing.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing. I’ll shut up so you can rest and we’ll trade off halfway.”

Cody nodded and leaned back his seat slightly and closed his eyes.

*********

Late the following day in Ametition, Snowhawk sat in a study in the estate with Valerian, explaining to him some of the history she knew of their kind, as well as teaching him a bit more about the Delphin language.

Janus was in the room with the two, listening to the history and language lessons. Snowhawk was the better teacher between her and her cousin. She knew more about Delphin history, in part from her connection to Emerald, and had been better trained in their language. He was fascinated, as always, to hear the Delphin language spoken.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t around to speak this to you as a child,” Snowhawk told the young man, in their language.

“Nytehawk taught me what she knew,” he replied, slower than his mother.

“And for that I am grateful. Having to start from scratch when you’re almost an adult would be much more difficult.”

Adian interrupted the group, sticking his head in the door. “Sorry to bother you, but we have company.”

“Who are they?” Janus asked, rising from his chair.

“Two Delphin. Young, probably early 20s.”

“Find out what they want,” Janus growled, not pleased with the unexpected visitors.

“Already ahead of you,” Adian said as he ran off.

“I sense something familiar,” Snowhawk said as she stood.

“What is it?”

“I can’t tell, but I think it has to do with our visitors.” She strode from the room, following the direction Adian went.

“Does she do that a lot?” Valerian asked.

“Yes,” Janus sighed. “Come on, we should follow her.”

At the front door, Adian met with the two Delphin. “So why are you here?” he growled, also displeased with all the unexpected visitors of the past few years.

“We seek a slave,” Jesse began. “We have reason to believe she is hiding here.”

Adian laughed. “There haven’t been slaves here for over fifteen years.”

Almost on queue, the sound of Snowhawk’s shod hooves on the tiles could be heard. “Jesse? Cody?” she said, recognizing the two boys instantly.

“That’s her!” Cody exclaimed.

“Snowhawk, they’re here for you. They think you’re a slave,” Adian explained.

Her hand went immediately to the steel band on her neck, hidden behind her dress collar. “I haven’t been enslaved in sixteen years, firstly, and second, you’re hunters?!” She was exasperated.

The younger brother tried to take a step forward, but was stopped by the chocolate wolf before him. “How do you know our names?”

“Because I’m your mother!”

“They told us our mother died,” Jesse continued.

“I should have. I almost did delivering you. That’s why they sold me off.”

“Mom?” Valerian’s voice began, as he stepped behind his mother, “who are they?”

“Shit,” she sighed. “Your brothers. But they’re hunters.”

Janus folded his ears back, growling at the two. “What business do you have here?”

“We were contracted to bring her back,” Cody explained.

“We can’t take her back now,” Jesse said to his brother.

“Bullshit. A contract is a contract. Do you really want that client following you?”

Snowhawk looked back at Janus, and her youngest son, then stepped toward the two older boys. “Which client?”

“A Delphin from Juv. That’s all I’ll say.”

“Kione,” she again sighed. “Boys, you’ve gotten yourself in a world of trouble.”

“Who is he?” Jesse asked, growing more frantic.

“A very old vampire. And one that is in no way my owner.”

The younger brother was near panic. The older now seemed confused. “Then why would he contact us?”

“He thinks his dead mate can be resurrected through me. But she’s gone for good now. But, I can’t let you not go back. You’d be too much at risk.”

“Snowhawk you can’t–” Janus began.

“I have to, love, I can’t put them in danger. Contact Rais, have him ready to come back. I’ll figure out how to escape.”

“Snowhawk, you’ll never get free. Not in that city,” Adian commented.

“Then give me five days, that’s enough time after getting there to find an opening if there is one. If you have to come after me, bring my daggers. I’ll at least remind him why he left me alone for a decade.”

*********

A mid-spring rain seemed to follow the trio to Dia’ru, setting the tone of the ride. “So, how did you fall into this?” Snowhawk asked, speaking to them of their profession.

“We were raised to do it, and we purchased our freedom with it,” Cody responded, staring at the road ahead.

“Why didn’t you go to Juv?”

“They wouldn’t take us, not with what we had done,” Jesse explained. “We had nothing else we could do!”

“I see.”

Cody snorted. “It was this or starve.”

Snowhawk dropped her head. “I guess Ametition’s little revolution didn’t affect Dia’ru at all.”

“Just pushed more of the slavers there.”

Snowhawk nodded a bit and sighed, feeling responsible. “Go to my cousin, your aunt, Nytehawk, after you deliver me. Tell her I sent you, and you both need jobs.”

“The leader of the Society?”

“Yes. She’ll help you. I’ll write a letter for you.”

“You are probably going to die, and yet you still help us?”

“Of course.”

*********

At the hand off in Dia’ru, Jesse refrained from assisting his brother. Normally, one brother would deal with the money, the other with the slave, but Jesse wanted no further part in this contract. He knew they couldn’t just abandon the job, but the thought of turning his mother over to a vampire just made him sick.

Cody easily handled both transfers on his own, and as he handed his mother’s lead to Kione, he asked, “Did you know?”

“About what? Her being your mother?”

“Yes.”

“Of course.”

“And is it true?”

The vampire nodded. “Again, of course. She knew your names before you said them, didn’t she?”

“How do you know about that?”

“Oh, oops, I shouldn’t have said anything,” Kione mockingly grinned.

Cody just growled and turned to walk away, knowing he could do nothing at this point. Dia’ru’s laws were clear in protecting slave owners and not their property.

“And don’t think you’re going anywhere, you bitch,” Kione growled at Snowhawk.

“I don’t know why you’re wasting your time,” she asked as he drug her into his home. “We both know she’s gone.”

“No!” he growled, throwing her onto a couch. “She can’t be.”

“If I couldn’t sense her, then I know you wouldn’t have.”

“She can’t be gone.”

“After a decade locked away wouldn’t you get bored and move on?”

Kione grabbed Snowhawk by the throat and pressed her into the cushions. “She wouldn’t have left me, and if she has, then I will kill you and your wolves.”

“Just give up.”

“Never,” he growled, then pulled her head up with his free hand, and quickly bit her high on the neck.

For fuck’s sake, Snowhawk thought as she again had to wait through another attempt at turning her into a vampire.

*********

Hours later, Snowhawk still lay on the couch as she had been left. She was unconscious this time, having been unable to fight off the amount of venom the vampire injected into her system. Yet, there was still no sign of Emerald. Kione was beginning to worry.

“It’s impossible,” the vampire whispered as he examined the unconscious Snowhawk’s eyes. “There’s no doubt she’s a vampire, but there’s not even a glimmer of Emerald left.” Kione sat back and sighed, disgusted. “I won’t let it end like this.”

Snowhawk fidgeted nervously as she waited on news from Rais and his team about Janus’ condition. Adian sat with her, one hand resting on her shoulder, trying to calm her some. It had been three months since Rais arrived. Because of Anya being long dead, the team had no way to acquire a new venom sample, and no other Avizon were known in the city. They had been experimenting with the vampiric anti-toxin to remove the residual effects. The process was slow going, slower than the original tests on Snowhawk, and seemed to be just as painful, and the results seemed mixed. While the persona of Kirrian was spending more and more time away, Janus seemed to be slowly losing his memories.

“He asked me where this came from,” Snowhawk began, pointing to the still-visible scar on her neck.

“He can’t remember?” Adian asked, concerned.

“He remembers before that night. He remembers finding me. And in the hospital afterward, and my escape and killing your uncle, but not what caused it.”

“Did you remind him?”

“Yes, but I don’t know if he’ll remember.”

“What else has he forgotten?”

“There seem to be little pockets everywhere, like your parent’s names and what a damn fork is used for.”

Adian sighed, looking toward the room’s door. About that moment, Rais walked through said doorway. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“No,” Snowhawk replied, “we were just discussing your patient.”

“Oh, then I won’t have to change your discussion topic,” the Director said. “I think we should reduce the treatment. Or stop it completely. I’m concerned about this memory loss he’s having.”

“That’s what we had been discussing,” Adian began, “though not about altering the treatment.”

“I believe it’s coming from the pain. His mind is shutting it out, and other things are being locked away.”

Snowhawk gave a small nod. “Understandable.”

“I have to ask you both if you feel you could live with him in this state.”

“I’ve fought too hard to give up on him now, Rais,” Snowhawk responded.

“Adian?”

“As long as he’s not attacking her on a nightly basis again.”

“Then we’ll scale down and stop treatment as soon as we can. If we had another Avizon, it might work better, but unless you know of one in the city–”

“No. We’ve looked as best we can.”

“Then you may be stuck with him like this for good. But if there’s any good news, it seems to have slowed his aging.”

Snowhawk did give a weak smile at this. She had suspected as much for Janus, but her own aging never caught up to what a normal Delphin’s should be. She would still outlive him.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more, but if you find an Avizon, and they’re not trying to kill you, please, let me know and I’ll return as soon as I can.”

“Thank you for what you have done though, Rais,” Adian said.

The other wolf bowed slightly to Snowhawk and Adian. “Just doing my job. I’ll go let Janus know what the plan is.”

*********

Across town, at Nytehawk’s home, Valerian paced in his room. He was nervous, but wasn’t quite sure why. He simply felt something to be wrong. He hadn’t been able to see his mother recently, and wondered if what he felt was in relation to her. Over the past decade, he’d seen her at least monthly, if not more often, until these past three months. The boy, now nearly an adult by Delphin standards at just over thirteen years of age, was far more keen to pick up when something was “wrong” and had been growing ever harder to keep things from.

He had learned the truth months ago about his father and mother. The whole truth, not just the sugarcoated version he’d been told as a youngster. He appreciated honesty, but understood why he’d been protected for so long.

“Still,” he said to himself, brushing his long forelock from his eyes and picking up his cellphone from the bedside table, “something is up. And I’m not sure what, but I think I need to get to my mother.” And with that, he called her.

The phone rang a half-dozen times, but then went to her voicemail. He left a short message, asking her to call him back, then dropped the phone back on the table next to his bed. He grumbled with frustration. “I guess I just have to go see for myself.”

His aunt was scheduled out for meetings the rest of the day, so he left a message with Hunter that he’d be back later. As he’d aged, he’d been allowed to roam more and more, so wandering off to visit his mom was not something he’d typically get in trouble for.

*********

Snowhawk sighed as she wandered the estates’ gardens. It had only been a couple hours since Rais left, and while things were improved over these past few months, she had this nagging feeling of dread. A feeling of being watched. No, she thought, not just watched, stalked.

Just a moment later, something rushed at her and soon had her pressed against the hedges. “Hello, dear,” Kione’s voice began, just before wrapping his hand around her muzzle to muffle any cries of help. “Did you miss me?” He grinned as she fought to pull her head away. “Oh, you’re still wearing that damned locket?” he said, taking said object into his free hand. “You won’t be needing this anymore,” the vampire continued before jerking it from her neck.

She gave a muffled cry of pain as the chain of the locket bit into her neck, then broke free, pulling some of her fur and mane with it. The wall the locket had built in her mind, protecting her from Emerald was crumbling fast and she began to hyperventilate as the panicked feeling rose at the thought of being taken over again.

Kione removed his hand from her muzzle, brushing his fingers over her cheek as he trailed them to her neck. “Don’t worry, she won’t come back yet. Just breathe.” His hand stopped high on her throat, his thumb resting under her cheekbone, while his fingers laced themselves through her hair.

“M– Mom?!” Valerian yelled, having stumbled onto the scene.

Snowhawk couldn’t move her head to look at her boy. “Run! Get help!” she screamed before being cut off by the vampire.

As the boy ran toward the house, calling for help, Kione watched him go. “Obedient young man you’ve got there.”

“Don’t you touch him,” she choked out.

“Oh, he’s far too young for me right now. I don’t turn children. Their mothers on the other hand,” Kione grinned, “are fair game. And this time, I’ll make sure they don’t find you prematurely.”

“No!” she cried, striking out at him with a hoof.

Kione easily dodged her still shod hoof. “As much as I love the fight you have now, this is not going to make life easier for you.” He grabbed her curved horn, pulling her head down with it. “Fight too much and this lovely horn is gone.” Knowing the consequences, she stopped struggling, dropping to one knee. “That’s a good girl,” he grinned, then easily picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder.

“Stop right there, you son of a bitch!” Janus yelled, having been led to his mate by Valerian. Adian followed close behind.

“Oh, it appears I’ve overstayed my welcome. No matter, I have what I came for.” And with that, he seemingly vanished from view, leaving the two wolves and young Delphin with only a breeze ruffling their hair and clothes.

“Shit!” Adian cursed, then took off to the garage to grab his truck, then head in what he believed to be the vampire’s direction: east to the sea shore north of Di’aru.

But he would be off. The vampire no longer resided in the castle by the sea, but instead found his refuge in the city of Di’aru. The high population of the city gave him not only a large food supply, but plenty of faces to blend with. By the time he reached the city with Snowhawk, night was well underway, and he encountered little hassle from the local slavers about the Delphin prize slung over his shoulder. He soon reached his new home, a large house on the sea-side of the city, just south of the main port.

“Welcome to your new home,” Kione began, tossing her unceremoniously onto a bed. “Get used to it, because we aren’t leaving for a long time. And if you step out into that city with no protections,” he paused, “let’s say there are worse fates than becoming a vampire.”

“You wouldn’t dare collar me,” she growled.

“I have once before and I will again, for your safety.”

“Don’t remind me,” Snowhawk glared, as the vampire rummaged through a box.

“Oh, I’ll do more than remind you,” he grinned, pulling out what appeared to be the same wide band of steel as he’d placed on her over a decade ago. He set the band on the dresser, then walked to the bed where the other Delphin sat. “But first, we need to get this out of the way,” he grinned as he leaned in toward her.

“I said no!” she yelled, kicking him squarely in the chest, then rolling backwards off the bed, only to find her back literally to the wall.

“You have to learn to watch where you go,” he growled, mostly unphased by her kick and continuing to advance toward her.

“No,” she whispered. “Not again.”

“Yes again, and for good this time. No one will save you now.”

*********

“Son of a bitch!” howled Adian as he ran from Kione’s former home. “I should have know he’d have moved. But where?” Every second he lost was one less Snowhawk would have. Suddenly, the thought struck him. If he were to hide somewhere, it’d be easiest to hide in plain sight, and the city of Di’aru was so close. “I’ll start there.”

*********

Kione pulled away from Snowhawk’s neck, letting her bright red blood trail down it and to her chest before he grinned and closed the wound with a lick. She’d not passed out this time around, and though she was woozy, and nearly unable to sit up on her own, she shot him a glare that could have killed anyone else. Her look of utter displeasure just made him laugh. “You are certainly stronger, but you can’t resist this.”

“Watch me,” she defiantly whispered, then finally collapsed to the side, breathing heavily as the vampire’s venom ran through her body.

“It’s easier on us both if you just give in.”

“No.”

“There will be no wolf or doctor to save you this time.”

“I won’t need them,” she weakly replied.

“You are just prolonging the inevitable.”

“No, I won’t let you w–” she began, but finally passed out before she could finish her thought.

*********

Adian wandered the city for hours, asking anyone if they had seen either the vampire or Snowhawk. Several recalled seeing her, but it would only be a single Lupino adolescent that could point to the house she thought she remembered seeing the pale Delphin disappear into. Adian carefully approached the house, unsure if the vampire knew he was there yet. Through all the other scents of the city overwhelming his nose, he could faintly pick up Snowhawk’s, so he at least knew the kid had been right.

He tested the door, and found it unlocked, which would be strange for this city. He carefully entered the building, keeping himself on guard as he followed Snowhawk’s scent. Adian soon found himself at a door where her scent seemed to come from strongest. He also smelled Kione. His fur bristled thinking about what had probably been done to her in the hours past.

He quickly opened the door and burst into the room, seeing the vampire sitting on the bed next to the still unconscious Snowhawk. “You’re far too late, wolf.” Kione grinned.

“Never too late.”

“It’s been nearly twelve hours since I bit her. She’s fought it, but I’m sure she’ll be awake soon.”

“It will never be too late as long as–” Adian began to growl, but was cut off.

“As long as what? You live? There’s a cure? You wouldn’t take that cure yourself because you know that this is inevitable for her.”

“No, because I knew I’d have to protect her from you.”

“You can’t protect her forever if you won’t take her from your brother. And it’s such a pity for you, I’m just going to take her from you both so I can have my mate back.”

“Never,” Adian growled and advanced toward them.

“Oh, Adian, we’ve had this discussion before. You’re always going to be a third wheel, at least until he’s dead, and things will just end badly. You know how it goes.”

“Move.”

“No, Adian, I think not.”

“Give her up, damn you.”

Kione smirked. “I’m not letting her get away this time.” He lifted his hand to reveal a heavy steel chain, attached to the same wide steel collar he’d removed from it’s box earlier.

“You. Son of a bitch,” Adian growled again, narrowing his eyes at the vampire. “How dare you collar her.”

“In this city? It’s better protection than either of us could offer.”

“No!” he howled, then lunged at the vampire.

Kione was honestly surprised by the attack and took the full force of Adian’s lunge. “What’s wrong, wolf? Did I strike a nerve?” he chuckled as he easily pushed the younger vampire off him. Adian hopped up to try and reach the bed to grab Snowhawk, but found himself blocked by Kione. “You’re still too slow, Adian.”

“Move, damn you!” he yelled as he threw a punch at the vampire. Kione simply caught his fist and pushed it out of the way.

“Watch where you fight,” Kione warned, nodding back to the still unconscious Delphin.

“Then get away from her, you prick!”

“That’s too easy.”

Adian looked helplessly at Snowhawk. He didn’t know if she was able to hear what was going on or not, but he swore he saw her mouth “Save me.” With one last burst of energy, he lunged for the vampire, grabbing his shoulders, falling backwards with him, and vaulting him backwards, away from Snowhawk. Once the vampire was away, Adian rushed to the Delphin’s side. What appeared to be peaceful from a distance was quite distressing to actually see. Tiny twitches wracked her small body, strange for this long after being envenomed. “She’s still fighting,” he whispered, then quickly scooped her into his arms.

“You can take her now, Adian, but you’ll never get her back.”

“We’ll see about that,” the wolf growled, then ran from the house.

*********

Adian couldn’t risk being seen biting Snowhawk as soon as he got her back to his truck, so he had to simply load her into the passenger seat and drive far outside of the city. Another two hours would pass before he looked to the passenger seat to see her waking up. He quickly pulled over so his attention could be focused on her. “Snowhawk?”

“Adian,” she quietly began, “How did I get here? What happened?”

“I fought Kione away from you. Don’t you remember him biting you?”

“Vaguely. I’m so tired, though.”

“Stay awake, dear. Tired is a good thing, it means his venom didn’t work.”

“I fought it off?” she said with a small smile.

“Most of it at least, apparently. Let’s get you back home and in the mean time, I’ll get in contact with Rais again.”

*********

“You’re incredibly strong, Ms. Alyandra. Very few folks could ever even think to fight off a vampire’s venom. Yet you beat it almost completely,” Rais complimented.

“Thank you, Rais,” Snowhawk returned.

“I have to ask, though,” Adian began, “have you felt any hint of Emerald?”

“No, none at all. Its like she’s completely gone from my head.”

“Its possible the anti-venom has removed her ability to communicate with you. It would be a long shot, but that seems most likely,” the Director commented.

“That, combined with wearing that locket for a decade,” the chocolate wolf suggested.

“Very possible as well.”

Snowhawk sighed and looked down. “I’m almost more afraid now, knowing she’s probably gone. Kione was pissed enough last time, and she was just hidden then.”

“Then we have to get rid of him, once and for all.”

“As interesting as studying an elder vampire would be, I’m inclined to agree. I don’t know the long-term effects of using the anti-venom multiple times. It’s possible the effects will lessen with each use, until there comes a point where even it wouldn’t be able to bring you back.”

“But,” Snowhawk began, looking up, “how are we supposed to do that? We couldn’t before.”

“We hesitated then. We won’t this time.”

Snowhawk just nodded slowly, unsure of Adian’s plan. “Thank you again, Rais. I think I’m going to go and rest.”

“You’re quite welcome, Ms. Alyandra.”

As she left the room, Snowhawk was greeted by Janus and quickly pulled into a hug. “So glad you’ve returned.”

“Glad to be back,” she whispered, giving him a soft nuzzle. “Where did my son get off too?”

“He’s sleeping right now. Your cousin knows he’s here, and safe.”

“Good. And I think sleep sounds like a wonderful idea.”

“Then we should rest,” Janus smiled, then led her away to their room.

*********

Kione was fuming. Not only had Snowhawk managed to mostly fight off his venom, but that thrice-damned anti-venom had obliterated any that remained in her system. “But it can’t work forever, and if I bide my time, she’ll eventually succumb.”

But he was also concerned. At no point had he felt Emerald’s presence in her mind. This was the part that infuriated him the most. He’d made sure to remove the locket specifically so Emerald could contact him, but there had been nothing.

He stared into a viewing orb, looking at the sleeping Snowhawk, and as he tried to get some reaction from her, he found she was oblivious to his presence. “Son of a bitch,” he quietly cursed, tossing the orb aside, barely noting the sound of it shattering. He loved a challenge, but this was a bit much. He would have to find some other leverage over her.

“So,” Snowhawk began as she approached Adian in his control room,”do you think Kione will ever follow through on his threat?”

“Even though its been a very quiet decade, I am not letting my guard down.”

Snowhawk took a step back. “It has been far too quiet for it to be that long.”

“Did you ever tell my brother?” Adian asked after a moment’s pause.

“About Kione’s threat to come back? No. He doesn’t need that stress as he continues to deal with Kirrian. One or other the is going to take over, and my hopes are not high for your brother. Kirrian is the slaver Janus never was, not cruel, just driven. And who he’ll decide to first take over and enslave should be obvious. He already threatened it. In a way, I don’t think I care, if that’s my only option. Kirrian doesn’t frighten me. Kione on the other hand, he only wants me dead so Emerald will live. If worse comes to worse, I’ll stay with Kirrian, if Janus can’t get past this.”

Adian was shocked at her words. He was perhaps more shocked at what he said himself. “Snowhawk, I will kill my brother before I see you in a collar or a halter of his against your will again.”

“Adi–”

“I never agreed with what our uncle did. What our family did. Why do you think I never accepted you as a gift. I had them give you to Janus.”

“I was supposed to have been yours?”

“Yes. Imagine how different that would have turned out. You probably would have killed me instead of the old man.”

“But, why did you refuse me?” she asked, almost sounding hurt.

“I refused every slave. I had no interest in slaves, even just as toys. There was a ruse; any slave you saw me with was borrowed. Hell, I secretly aided the slaves that left the estate after you.”

“But Adian…”

“I only went after your cousin after she was free, and we both know how well that went over. And now, if this Kirrian douche decides to collar or halter you, there will be hell to pay from the Delphin Empire. We can’t afford a war.”

Snowhawk had to sit down. She had never known that about Adian, especially about supposing to be a gift to him. The wolf knelt in front of her, carefully taking one of her hands in his. “Just remember that. I am your protector, and if that means I have to protect you from my idiot brother, I will.”

“What’s this about an ‘idiot brother’?” Janus commented as he turned the corner into the room.

“How much did you hear?” Adian snarked, “I’d hate to have to repeat myself.”

“More than I care to,” Janus growled, his still black tipped fur bristling. “I don’t like the idea of you making her decisions.”

“It’s not much of a decision for her if you’re just forcing her into steel.”

“I don’t see why either of you think that Kirrian is going to win over.”

“Your fur has gotten darker again. And so has your personality,” Snowhawk quietly commented.

“Yet you’re the one still wearing steel shoes. Are you sure you don’t what to be enslaved?”

Snowhawk looked at her hooves and quickly hid them under her. “I have my reasons. Besides, you never made me wear them.”

“They’re a great look. Maybe I should have,” he grinned darkly. “Now, come along, Snowhawk, we have some things to discuss,” he commanded, his grin quickly fading.

She took one last, unsure look at Adian, and received a nod to do as he says in reply, then stood from the chair and followed Janus out the door.

Once out of Adian’s line of sight and far enough away that he could no longer hear them, Janus grabbed a handful of hair at the base of Snowhawk’s neck and bent her forward, her head at his waist. “Now what’s this about a vampire, love?” Kirrian’s voice said.

“Kione. While we attempted to kill him, he swore he’d come back for me.”

“Interesting,” the wolf said, still holding an uncomfortable Snowhawk at his side.

She whined as he held her in place, growing ever more nervous. “Please let me go.”

“Why should I? You’ve been withholding information from us. I think you deserve some punishment for that.”

“You can’t do that!” she exclaimed, trying to free herself.

“Of course I can,” he stated, dragging her toward their bedroom.

“I think not, brother,” Adian growled, having suddenly appeared behind them. “Let her go.”

“Of course, the spoilsport was watching,” Kirrian grumbled as he released Snowhawk’s mane. She collapsed to her knees next to him.

“You could be a little more appreciative of her help, Janus. Once again, she’s putting her neck on the line for your sake.”

The lighter wolf growled lowly, and shook his head, trying to shake the Kirrian persona away. After a moment, he crouched down, kneeling next to Snowhawk. “Love, I’m sorry, I don’t know why he keeps coming back.”

“It’s okay, Janus. Well, not ‘okay,’ but I know it’s not really you,” she replied, giving a small smile. “I’ll send word to the Director in Juv, and see if he can offer any advice.”

*********

“Hello, Snowhawk, how have you been?” the Director began, talking to the speaker phone.

“Good, Director. Thank you for all your help,” her voice replied.

“I get the feeling this isn’t a social call, though.”

“No, sir, this is about my mate, Janus.”

“Oh, the Lupino that was bitten by the Avizon.”

“Yes. He’s still having some trouble from that.”

“Really now?” the Director replied, sounding concerned. “What’s been going on?”

“He keeps reverting back to Kirrian, and the personality is getting more and more vicious.”

“How long has this been going on?”

“It’s gotten worse in the past month. Before that, it was just rarely.”

“Forgive me if I’ve asked this before, but had he ever been bitten by an Avizon prior to his disappearance?”

Snowhawk was quiet for a moment, then replied back, “Yes, once, several weeks before.”

“I see. Snowhawk, I’m going to make a trip up there. I need to see this, and I know this city would never allow a former slaver in the walls.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I’ll be there within a week’s time.”

**********

The tension of the week built upon itself, finally exploding one night in the gardens when Kirrian grabbed Snowhawk by the throat. She hesitated for only a moment before grabbing his arm and pulling his hand away, then quickly kicked herself away from him, leaving a horseshoe shaped bruise under the fur of his thigh. As the now pissed off wolf advanced toward her, she was aided by Adian who grabbed the silver-furred wolf and held him in place. “Why aren’t you fighting back, Janus?!” she yelled, tears in her eyes.

The older wolf shook his head, growling. “He can’t hear you right now,” Kirrian explained.

“Of course he can,” Adian replied, tossing his brother to the floor, away from Snowhawk. “You wouldn’t be hanging around so much if he couldn’t.”

“I’m sure you can understand I have better reasons to stick around than just pissing off that whelp.”

“’Whelp?’ That’s a pretty strong insult on your host,” the Director’s voice interrupted. As the others looked up at him, he said, “Hope you don’t mind that I let myself in. I figured I was late enough.”

“Thank you for coming,” Snowhawk said, wiping her eyes. “Sorry you had to come so far again.”

“It’s no trouble, really,” the Director said as he strode toward Kirrian. The other wolf, though slightly taller, stood and took a step back from the stouter figure of the Director. “Oh, don’t worry, I’m not going to poke too hard,” he grinned.

“I’d rather you not poke at all,” Kirrian growled, taking another step back.

“Oh, don’t be so nervous,” the Director commented as he quickly closed the gap between himself and the other wolf. “Now, show me where this Avizon bit you the first time.” After a moment of thought, Kirrian reached up and pointed high on his neck. “Good, let’s start there.”

After several hours of tests, the Director approached Snowhawk and Adian. “I apologize for not seeing this a decade ago, but based on the few tests I can do before my team arrives, it appears that Janus is one of the Lupino who is exceptionally sensitive to Avizon venom.”

“What does that mean?” Snowhawk asked, confused.

“He’s potentially going to cycle through this his whole life, unless we can find some way to remove the residual effect. We thought he would just run the course until the venom left his system, but there appears to be a significant amount left in him. It’s possible it’s affecting his nervous system.”

“Which would explain the personality changes,” Adian responded.

“Exactly. I’m sorry I don’t have better news.”

“No, Director, it’s okay. We’ll just – have to work with what we have.”

“My team should be here very soon. They’ll do everything they can.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Please, call me Rais.”

“But it has to be you,” Snowhawk cried. “That scent, that voice,” she paused. “And I would never forget those eyes. What did she do to you?!”

“Listen, you loon, I don’t have the faintest clue who you’re talking about,” Kirrian growled, leaning towards her again, “but I’m not him.”

She whimpered again, sniffling a bit, then looked him directly in his eyes and said, “Then I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“This,” she said a half second before slicing his arm with an icy spike. Once his arm was away from her she lept from the small bed and tried to put herself as close to the door as possible. Her legs and hooves nearly refused to work, still exhausted from earlier. She stood, legs trembling, with the spike still in her hand. “I don’t want to hurt you, Janus, but I won’t let you go without trying to bring you back.”

“So the mare does have some fight in her!” The wolf stood, looking at the cut on his arm, then to her. “You won’t surprise me like that again.” Kirrian grinned, slowly stepping closer to her.

“Your grandfather built this cottage,” she began, reciting what Janus had told her in the past. “Your family used to spend their summers here. Your mother and father died on their way up one year. That’s why you never came back. Am I getting through at all?!”

The Lupino had stopped in his tracks, holding his head. “No, no one can know that.”

“I do, Janus, because you told me! Years ago!”

“You’re lying,” he growled, then lunged at her and pinned her down, his teeth around her throat.

“You were attacked by an Avizon named Anya. She struck you three times with bolts from her crossbow. I thought you died in my lap, then she took you away. After that…” she whined as she felt his jaws close a little tighter on her, then relax and finally release her throat as he sat up a few moments later.

“Anya,” he repeated, remembering the name.

“She did this. I killed her for you. I was looking for a body, then found you.”

A half moment later, the door to the cottage burst open, and both Onyx and Adian entered. Adian immediately bristled and growled, “Get off of her you–”

“Adian, wait!” Snowhawk called out. She quickly noticed the black wolf’s confused expression. “Don’t you even remember your own brother?”

Kirrian sat back further, allowing Snowhawk to sit up. “I did have a brother.” He paused for a moment, thinking, then his confused look giving way to a growl. “He stole my mate from me.”

“No! No, that’s not what happened! Anya must have told you that. Adian has done nothing of the sort. Anya took you from me.”

“Snowhawk,” Adian softly began, “we should go.”

“I can’t go. I won’t go until he listens to me.”

“Snow, we have to go, your condition can’t be good.”

“No, it’s not. But this is more important.”

Kirrian growled again. “That can’t be my brother.”

“Dammit, Janus, don’t you remember anything?!” Snowhawk yelled as she wiped the remaining tears from her eyes.

“Come back with us then, wolf, if you won’t listen to her. I may be able to help you,” Onyx responded.

“Where? This is my home.”

“No, Janus, it’s not,” she said, lightly touching his shoulder. “Please, come back with us.”

He batted her hand away from him. “No.”

“Then I will stay here. And I will make you remember. I gave up too much because I thought you were dead. I’m not losing you now.” She sighed, determination etched on her face. “Look, here,” she said, pulling the locket she wore away from her chest, and opening it. Inside was a tiny picture of Janus. “This is you. This was you. I don’t care if that’s what you will ever look like again, but I need you.”

The wolf in front of her carefully took the locket in his hand, looking thoughtfully at the tiny picture of what she said was him. “It can’t be me,” he shrugged, dropping the locket.

“But it is!”

“I’ve been a black wolf for as long as I can remember.”

“Then how long is that?” Onyx said, before anyone else could.

Kirrian was silent. His memory was mostly blank for anything longer than three or four weeks ago. What was there didn’t add up. He was infuriated, confused, and simply hurting all at once. “Get out.”

“No,” Snowhawk stated. “I’m not leaving until you come to your senses.”

“I don’t advise it, Snowhawk,” Onyx commented.

“Since when did I listen to you?” she grinned, then her expression turned to concern as she looked back to Kirrian, and placed her hands on his forearms again. “I’m sorry for injuring you earlier,” she said as her horn began to glow more than just from the light around her. She moved both her hands to the cut on his left forearm, and they too began to glow. After a moment there, she moved her hands away, revealing a stripe of silvery fun where the cut had been. “I knew it… It is you.”

Adian was shocked, and concerned. Snowhawk had never shown any healing magic before, and this could mean she was no longer just partially a vampire.

“The color change must have been from the Avizon’s venom,” Onyx commented. “As the venom leaves his system, his fur, and personality should return. Keyword being should, Avizon venom is hard to cleanse.”

“Snowhawk, how did you heal that?” Adian concernedly asked.

“I’ll just say that we should hope Hunter’s search is successful. I’m not making it back to town as a mortal,” she sighed, then turned back to the wolf before her.

Kirrian was confused, “How could you heal me?”

“Because,” she began, reaching up now to stroke his cheek. “You are my mate, no matter your appearance. I know you would say the same about me, if you could just remember. Will you please come home?”

The black wolf sighed and finally conceded. “Fine.” He soon after found himself with the arms of a pale lavender Delphin wrapped around him.

“Before we go, Snowhawk, would you come outside and speak with me?” Adian requested.

“Of course,” she replied, finally trying to stand on her still shaky legs. Realizing she was mostly unable to carry her own weight, the chocolate Lupino picked her up and carried her outside. He brought her to the vehicle that he and Onyx had arrived in, some yards from the cottage, and sat her inside, on the far side from the cottage.

“What were you thinking?! Running here? Now you can’t walk, and I don’t know if I can pull you back.”

“It’s all I’ve ever known to do, Adian,” she said as he grabbed her left arm and bit into it, to try and keep her from becoming a full vampire. She flinched at his bite. “I couldn’t just wait.”

“You’re too goddamn impulsive,” he half growled, pulling away from her arm. “First you say you can’t ever face him again, then you run up here like some damned idiot… Can you heal that?”

“No. I’ve never been able to heal myself, and I doubt I ever will,” she replied, as he grabbed her arm. “But if I can heal him–”

“No, I won’t allow that. We’ll take him to the hospital, or let Onyx if he can. It’s too risky for you. You need to worry more about yourself.”

“I can’t,” she simply stated. “That’s not how it was, and you know it.”

“Snowhawk, those days are long behind us.”

“No, Adian, they’re not. Not for me.”

The wolf sighed. “I’m going to have to break you of that too, I see.” He looked up and waved the Delphin and the other Lupino over. “But we will continue this later. It’s time to get you both home.”

*********

Five days after returning to Ametition with Kirrian, some of Janus’ personality had returned, but over all, Snowhawk was further exhausting herself with trying to help him remember. She eventually reached several points where she had to excuse herself to go off and cry over the whole ordeal. She had found him, but he was not the same wolf she remembered. During one of these, Onyx approached her with some news. She composed herself as quickly as she could before opening the door to her room. “I’m sorry Onyx, come in.”

“I hope this news can at least ease your pain a bit. Hunter has returned with some doctors from Juv that may be able to help you.”

“That’s wonderful news for myself, and Adian, if it works for me, but,” she paused, “I was hoping you’d found some help for Janus.”

“It’s possible that they may be help him as well.”

“That’s better news,” she weakly smiled.

“You need to take a break. I know you’re trying the best you can, but you’re exhausting yourself. I’m sure your hooves still aren’t healed.”

“No, but I’ve been okay, really.”

“You say that, but how many times have you had to ‘take a break’ and come in here or go somewhere else to cry?”

“So you saw that?” Snowhawk asked, hanging her head.

“It’s hard not to know. I think Janus even knows, but he’s too confused with this Kirrian persona over the rest of him to do anything to help you.”

She nodded slowly. “I know. I’m not expecting him to help me right now.” She signed and paused. “Now, when will we be seeing these doctors?”

“We can leave right now, if you wish.”

*********

It was only a short time before the two Delphin and the two Lupino arrived back at Nytehawk’s home. They were greeted by Hunter and several doctors from the medical school in Juv. “Who’s the black wolf?” Hunter asked, confused.

“He’s Janus,” Snowhawk began, “But not.”

“An encounter with an Avizon?” one of the younger Delphin doctors asked.

“Yes. About a month an a half ago, but I’m not sure how long she had him,” Adian answered.

“What’s your name?” the doctor asked, stepping toward the black Lupino and then examining the fur on his arm.

“Kirrian. I think,” Kirrian replied somewhat wary of the Delphin.

“I see. What do you think Director?”

“Well,” the Director began, paying close attention to the silvery line of new fur on his arm, “With the fur growth, he should be back to normal on his own soon enough. If he hadn’t started changing back to what I figure is his original coat, I’d be concerned. Who healed this?”

Snowhawk tentatively raised her hand, “I did.”

“Aah, you must be Snowhawk, the half-vampire.”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t realize how far along you were. We’ll start with you, please come with us.”

Snowhawk gave a small nod and followed the group of doctors into Nytehawk’s home. “So, what all does this entail?” she somewhat worriedly asked after a few moments of following them through the hallways.

“Mostly injections and a lot of observation. This is completely experimental, but if it works for you, then it could give hope to those that have been turned and didn’t want to be.”

“So not much different than what Adian’s been doing?”

“In it’s own way, not really. We’ll just be doing more testing on your blood to see what everything looks like. And rather than just managing the vampirism, we should be able to reverse it.” He was quiet for a minute, then stopped and looked at her, “I can’t guarantee that this is going to be pain free.”

“Considering what you’re attempting, I wasn’t expecting it to be.”

*********

Through researching the origins of vampirism, the research team had learned of it’s creation from a modified venom sample from an Avizon a group of humans had been experimenting on thousands of years in the past. This was applied to a male Delphin, and then the result was the first “vampire” of the world. The Delphin was rumored to be alive, still, and would be the only truly immortal vampire. Otherwise, the effects of vampirism on a being’s lifespan simply make them harder to kill, from time’s effects or in a fight. Most vampires would easily double their natural lifespan, but would eventually die.

The research team was overjoyed their first test would be on a Delphin, as vampirism seemed to affect them most. Their joy faded once they realized how painful the reversal effects would be on the subject, who was, in this case, Snowhawk. “We can’t use it like this,” one of the researchers, a Feln, commented to the Director.

“Is it working at all?” the Lupino replied.

“Yes, it working beautifully, but the pain that Snowhawk feels is just,” he paused, looking for the word, “immense. I’m afraid it will drive someone without as high of a pain tolerance, over the edge.”

“See if you can get the other vampire to assist you. And the brother as well, if he still has some of the Avizon venom in him.”

“Considering his fur color, I’d guess he still does.”

“Good. That could be the key to making this work. We’ve only been working with partial samples, and they could be missing what makes them painless.”

*********

Over the next weeks, the progress made in reversing Snowhawk’s vampirism was notable, if slow. With the help of Adian and the residual venom from Anya in Kirrian, the amount of pain from the reversal was greatly reduced, though not eliminated. Also over those weeks, the persona of Kirrian was fading away to reveal Janus again.

After three months, Snowhawk was finally declared free of vampirism, and Janus had mostly returned to normal. There were still hints of the untrusting, somewhat vicious Kirrian, and Snowhawk had somehow retained the ability to heal others.

“It’s good to be back, love,” Janus said, as he cradled Snowhawk in his arms as the two lay on a bench one afternoon back at his estate.

“It’s good to have you back,” she responded, hugging him tightly. “Things finally seem quiet.”

“They do. The doctors have gone back to Juv to perfect their work and pass the news around to the other medical groups there. I have to wonder though, why Adian didn’t take them up on their offer.”

“It wasn’t comfortable in the least,” she stated. “He may be wanting to wait until it’s been perfected.”

“I’d hope that’s all.”

“I’m sure it is. I think Adian’s a very different wolf now than who you grew up with.”

“Yes, and that’s what makes this so confusing.”

“I wouldn’t worry about him,” she smiled, nuzzling him gently.

Hunter was growing discouraged. It had been a week since he had returned to Juv. No one seemed to have an answer for him, other than how to prevent vampirism from spreading further in an individual. There was one medical school left to ask at, though Hunter held little hope of an answer there. The school was small, lesser known, and didn’t attract all the top minds the others did. Still, he had to try.

He met with the Director, one of the city’s few Lupino, and was pleased to hear they had made some strides in finding a cure. “In fact,” the Director said, “I’ve got a trial ready to go, but we have no vampires in the city. That’s why no one else has bothered to look further into a cure.”

“Do you know what might happen if it’s wrong?”

“Not exactly. We’ve only occasionally been able to work with vampires, but their-,” he paused to think of the word, “-habits had them run out of the city. And I’m sure you know how hard it is to get in here in the first place.”

“It’s worse than it used to be.”

“Yeah. Dia’ru’s slavers have been breathing down our necks. We have little to protect us, honestly, other than the walls.”

“Would they even let her in the city? Or would you have to travel to Ametition?”

“I would have to travel there. ‘Savior of Delphin’ or not, knowing she’s been infected would be devastating to morale around here.”

“Yeah, don’t ever tell her that. One of our workers did and that did not go over well.”

“Still, she helped more than Delphin. She helped my mate and myself. We were both slaves.”

“And you became a director in that time?”

“Just because your race lives long, doesn’t mean the rest of us can slack off, we don’t have the luxury of time. Besides, if we can break the mystery of vampirism, we may be able to help the other races live longer, so we could have the luxury of time.”

“Lofty goal.”

“Well,” the Director shrugged, “so is curing vampirism. Why not go a step further and try to understand it?”

*********

During the days Hunter was gone, Snowhawk often found herself wandering the grounds of her cousin’s home, usually with her son on one side, and her vampiric protector to the other. Nytehawk had little time to spend with her during the day and into the early evening. She spent most of it meeting person after person, in meeting after meeting. Snowhawk didn’t envy her, but did feel guilty her cousin was so busy only because she refused to be a figurehead.

One afternoon, on the fifth day Hunter was away, the trio was joined by Jerome as they walked. “Gentlemen,” he said to Adian and Valerian, “Might I steal Snowhawk from you for a moment?”

“Just bring her back,” Adian chuckled.

“Of course,” the Golden Guardian grinned.

Once Jerome had led Snowhawk a short distance away, Valerian turned to Adian and asked, “So, what’s the deal with you and my mom?”

Snowhawk flinched as she overheard her son’s question, and glanced up to Jerome. “So what is really going on with you two?” he asked.

“I told you. He’s my protector.”

“Then why are one of you asleep in the other’s room each night?”

Snowhawk flinched again. “You know I can’t stand being alone.”

Jerome sighed and stopped, turning her towards him. “I’m only asking you this right now because I have word from Onyx.” Snowhawk opened her mouth to say something, but Jerome quickly continued. “It’s nothing solid, but there are signs he could actually be in the forest, the more northern reaches.”

“But, why? He never wanted to be there unless he was with me.”

“We don’t know, but there are signs he’s there.”

“I have to go!” she said, spinning about and stepping to run off.

Jerome quickly grabbed her. “No, not yet! There’s more. If he did change, like you told us Anya said, then it could be bad. Sometimes Avizon and Lupino don’t mix. She could have basically caused something like one of our phase shifts- in a damned wolf!”

Snowhawk bit at her lower lip, fidgeting about. “But I have to go! Changed or not, I can’t lose him now!”

“Snowhawk, please. Give it a couple days. We’ll get a group together and find him, if it is him.”

Snowhawk nodded slowly, then lightly stamped one steel shod hoof, the sound catching the attention of her son and her protector. She again turned to walk away as the two trotted up to Jerome. “What happened?” Valerian asked.

“Adian, I think we may have found your brother. But there’s a chance he’s not the same as he was. He may have, because of Anya, experienced something like a Delphin phase shift.”

“And she’s ready to go find him right this minute?”

“Yes. Please keep an eye on her. I want to wait a couple days and gather some supplies before heading north.”

“Of course. Would you watch Valerian so I can catch her before she does something stupid?”

“Certainly,” Jerome nodded as Adian ran after Snowhawk.

“What’s a phase shift?” Valerian asked.

“Well,” the Guardian began, kneeling to the child’s level, “It’s something on Delphin normally go through. At certain points in our lives, we change rapidly. Usually, it’s just our coloration, but some of us gain horns or wings. Or even both, like your aunt. I gained my wings during my first shift, so did your mother.”

“Will I get my wings then?”

“Possibly. Just don’t be disappointed if you don’t. You’ve got a year or two to go until your first one anyway.”

“Why is it bad though?”

“It’s usually not, but sudden ones, like what your father and mother went through can mess up the brain. And if it happens to other species… It’s kind of the same thing.”

“Oh,” the young Delphin said, not really understanding.

“Don’t worry, you will be fine. Just stay away from broken horns and vampires,” Jerome smiled.

*********

“Snow! Wait up!” Adian called to the pale Delphin.

She stopped, turning to face him. “You too?! Of all people!” Her eyes were filled with tears, and several had already streaked their way down her face.

“You can’t go alone! You don’t know what could have happened to him. He may kill you.”

Snowhawk snorted, her emotions racing between feeling betrayed, being hopeful, and as lost as ever. “I don’t care right now! Adian, I have to go. He would for me.”

“I can’t let you, Snowhawk. I’m sorry. We can go once Jerome has more information and has gathered some sup–”

“Fuck his supplies and his information! I don’t need it!”

“Snowhawk!” Adian yelled as he grabbed the turning again to flee Delphin. “I want to find him too. Mostly so I can smack the shit out of him for staying away, but I want to find him.” He pulled her into his arms to hug her as she broke down and cried. “We won’t lose him again, if he is out there.”

That night, as everyone slept, Snowhawk took a page from her son and climbed out of the window, using a trellis to safely lower herself to the ground. She had a very strong suspicion where he’d be, if it was indeed Janus. A tiny old cabin in the northern forest was his family’s summer home. The cooler temperatures there suited them better than the city, and it was on the way there one year that they died.

She’d only been there once, but she remembered the area well. That had been her duty as a slave: to go some place once and remember. She was the best at her job of any Delphin.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered as she ran from the estate. “You would understand if you were me.”

Her pale fur vanished into the night, heading north, and out of the city into the forests. The night was cloudy, shielding her from the light of the full moon. Her fur glowed in the dimmest of light, something that was both a gift and a curse. It would give her position away, but she also looked like a ghost, potentially scaring off all opposition to her flight.

She’d inherited the gift of speed from Kione, and the longer she was away from Adian’s bite, the more of that gift that would appear. She’d kept the dark silver locket on, in case Emerald came back, but she would have to get him back fast, before she became a full vampire. Still, she was only partially a vampire now, and the longer she traveled at speed, she grew ever more tired. She ran for over a day, farther and farther into the northern forests and into the mountains. She eventually reached a point where, her legs, feeling as if they were on fire, the soles of her hooves bruised and sore, she collapsed to her knees near a mountain stream. She was exhausted, and figured she’d done more damage to herself than she might have had she simply walked here. But she had to outrun Adian.

Still, she was so tired. She knew she was in the right area though, and she figured she could rest for a few moments by the stream. She slowly, sorely crawled to the edge of the stream, and lowered herself into the cold water, trying to cool her legs off and at least numb the soles of her hooves. She lay back on the gravel bank behind her, closing her eyes. She soon drifted into an unwanted sleep.

~~~~~~~~~

She never saw the black furred Lupino step from the brush. He walked to the pale equine figure laying half in the stream, slightly tinted blue from her time in the icy water. She didn’t respond when he nudged her with his paw, but seemed to be shallowly breathing. He picked her up, tossing her over his shoulder and carrying her back to his small cottage in the nearby woods.

He gently pulled her soaked clothing from her, then placed her in the one small bed he owned, covering her with some deer furs.

~~~~~~~~~

Snowhawk awoke some time later to an empty cottage, surrounded by the smell of old, tanned hides. She tried to recall what had happened, but couldn’t remember how she wound up naked in a strange bed. “H– Hello?” she called out, her voice not wanting to work at first. A moment later, the door swung open as the same black-furred wolf that had pulled her from the stream walked into the cottage.

Icy blue eyes seemed to pierce through her as he nearly glared at her, and she subconsciously pulled the furs around her, up to her throat. “So you are alive,” he said in a gruff voice, one that seemed faked, but familiar. “Though I’m sure had I come along much later you wouldn’t be.”

“Th– thank you.”

“Oh, don’t thank me. You owe me now,” he grinned. “I know what’s behind that fur.”

“I can’t pay you back that way. Please,” she whined, shrinking back, but finding only a rough log wall behind her, “just let me go and you’ll never hear from me again.”

The wolf advanced on her, licking his lips and kneeling on the bed, blocking her in. “I’ve heard your kind made excellent slaves. And I think you really owe me for saving your life.”

She whimpered as he advanced on her, one knee to each side of her, one arm blocking her escape to each side. Then she caught a scent past the hides and leather. “Janus?!”

The wolf stopped his advance, backing up and looking somewhat confused. “Who?”

“Janus, is that you? What did she do to you?!” Snowhawk parted the fur on the wolf’s arm, finding the roots to be silver. “It is you!”

The wolf’s other hand caught her throat. “You’re crazy. My name is Kirrian.”

“No, it can’t be! The scent, the voice, the fur–”

“You’re mistaken,” he growled, cutting her off with a squeeze to her neck.

“Janus, please, it’s me! It’s Snowhawk!”

“Oh, well this is interesting,” he grinned. “I’m sure someone would pay a fine ransom for your return.”

“Janus…”

The wolf pushed her back into the wall. “Stop calling me that!”

Once he released her, and backed away, Snowhawk began to cry. “It’s happening again,” she whispered, drawing her knees to her chest.

The small, brown box with no return address that arrived at Nytehawk’s home would have been unremarkable, save for it’s contents. Inside was a letter from her cousin, and the hilt of a Guardian’s sword. The letter told Nytehawk everything of the past several days, from the situation with Legacy to Snowhawk’s current state of half-vampirism.

After reading the letter several times, Nytehawk leaned back in her chair and sighed heavily. “These are interesting days.” She wanted to return contact with her cousin, and not knowing any other way, she decided she would send the letter directly to the Sininensusi estate, and pray that someone there knew how to contact Snowhawk. Nytehawk’s letter, much shorter than her cousin’s, would simply request that Snowhawk visit them, and her son, at her home.

After writing her letter and handing it off to a courier, she searched out the Golden Guardian, to ask him about the sword hilt. “Jerome, I have a question for you about something I received today.”

“I’ll help the best I can,” he replied, turning toward her.

“Can you identify this?” she asked, showing him the hilt.

Jerome paused for a moment, a look of shock on his face. “That hilt… That’s from Legacy’s sword.”

Nytehawk sighed. “I was afraid of that. I received a letter from Snowhawk today telling me he was, indeed, Quillen and that he was now dead. Again, I guess.”

Jerome nodded. “I was mostly sure of who he was, but I never said anything because I couldn’t prove it. If the blade has been reclaimed, then it means that he is dead. For certain this time. The dark silver used in the blade of a Guardian sword is further enchanted to the owner’s life. The enchantment helps the blade stay sharper, and makes it nearly indestructible as long as the owner lives.”

“I see,” Nytehawk responded, frowning a bit.

“What is it?”

“There’s more. Janus is suspected dead, killed on the same night. And Snowhawk,” she trailed off.

“What about her?”

“Snowhawk is apparently a half vampire now.”

Jerome sighed heavily. “Well, this is not an ideal situation.”

“I know. I’ve sent a letter and asked her to join us here, at least for a little while. Maybe we can find some way to help her.”

“I know Juv has been working on a cure for vampirism. I don’t know how far along they are, though.”

“Then I’ll send someone there too, and have them bring back any information they can.”

“The Delphin City is not welcoming of strangers, you know,” Snowhawk’s voice said, causing both Nytehawk and Jerome to quickly turn around to face her.

“How did you get my letter so fast?”

“I met your courier on his way. You should hire someone not quite as terrified of me.”

“It’s wonderful to see you again, Snowhawk,” Jerome said, breaking an uncomfortable silence between the cousins.

“Thank you, Jerome. It’s a pleasure to see you again too. Though considering I managed to get your head of security killed, I don’t know how wonderful it really is.”

“Will you be staying?” the Golden Guardian asked, ignoring the subject of Quillen for now.

“I can’t stay away from the estate for too long. My condition is being kept in check by Adian.”

“Adian?! I thought he died!”

“No, the same vampire that put me in this condition found him near death and saved him.”

“Can it be reversed by him?” Nytehawk asked.

“No. Not completely. But if the Delphin in Juv have learned anything, we’d both love to hear it.”

“Maybe I should ask Hunter to go. He’s from there. They’d be less suspicious of him.”

“That’s probably your best bet. I doubt they’d let even you, their race’s leader, through the gates,” Snowhawk smirked.

“About that–”

“Nyte, I can’t. I don’t have the right personality. Everyone sees me as a revolutionary, and a savior. I’m neither. I just wanted you free. If it meant a few slavers died in the process, then so be it.”

“Well, I don’t think that’s true, but if you feel that way, I can’t really change your mind. I’ll go get Hunter,” she said before trotting out of the room.

After she’d left, Snowhawk turned to Jerome. “How has my son been?”

“Growing like a weed and into everything he can be, like a young healthy Delphin should be.”

“Good.”

“Do you regret leaving him?”

“No. I don’t have time to regret anymore. If he’s happy and healthy, that’s all I can ask for. I think everything would have been too stressful at the estate.”

“So is Adian now–”

“Adian is my protector,” Snowhawk quickly said. “Nothing more.”

“I see,” Jerome replied. “His choice or yours?”

“His.”

“That seems out of character.”

“He apparently got the shit kicked out of him one night, as he was stalking Nytehawk. By the very Delphin that he would later work with to try and free me from Kione.”

“That must have been awkward.”

“Not really. I think Lupino like when they know a potential rival is an ally. And that happened before he became a vampire anyway, so Adian apparently forgot how to hold a grudge.”

“Who was the Delphin?”

“Onyx.”

Jerome looked surprised. “So that’s where he went to. Did the old man survive the fight with the vampire?”

Snowhawk nodded. “He did. Then he left soon after to find Janus.”

“I thought he died too.”

“Not according to the Avizon who killed Legacy and I thought killed him. And Kione wanted her dead, so thinking Janus was gone, I went for revenge…”

“That doesn’t seem like you, Snowhawk.”

“It wasn’t just me. Do you remember the stories of Emerald?”

“Yes.”

“She’s an ancestor of mine. We basically share the same soul.”

“So she tried to take you over to come back to life.”

Snowhawk nodded another affirmative. “And she was Kione’s mate during her time as a vampire.”

“And that explains so much about why a vampire would only turn someone half way.”

“Right. If she can slowly take over, she’ll be stronger for it.”

Jerome sighed again. “Things are needlessly complex.”

“Tell me about it.”

*********

Within in the hour, Hunter left for the Southern city of Juv. Unlike the haven to slavery that was Di’aru, Juv was mostly populated by Delphin, and they were incredibly unsure of outsiders. Most Delphin in Juv settled there after Ametition fell into quiet chaos during the so-called slave revolution. Others, like Hunter’s family, had escaped the slaver’s chains and simply lived there, untouched by the slavers thanks to the city’s high, well-maintained walls. A handful of Feln and even fewer Lupino lived in the city, and no humans dared set foot inside. Due to the higher number of horned Delphin living there than anywhere else on the continent, and their closeness with the healing arts, most medical advances originated from Juv. Since the disease that causes vampirism originated from Delphin, a cure for it had been the top priority of the various medical colleges and associations in the city. However, the near xenophobic nature of the Delphin within the city led to advancements leaving the city walls slowly.

“I know he was born there, but I still worry about him going back,” Nytehawk sighed, watching the car carrying her mate pull away into the dark night.

“Considering what they did just to let him leave when he was younger, I’d be worried too,” Snowhawk replied.

“I should have gone with him.”

“What, so they could trap you there and you leave all this shit you’ve stirred in my hands? I don’t think so,” she snarked, looking away, then catching the faint outline of someone, apparently a short-tailed Feln, climbing down the side of the estate. “The hell is that?”

“Hmm?” Nytehawk responded, looking in the same direction as her cousin. “I don’t see anything.”

“Oh, shit, of course you wouldn’t. You don’t have a vampire’s eyes.” Snowhawk said, trotting off to catch whoever was climbing down the side of the building. Moments later, she was under the figure, and realized it was no adult Feln, but a young Delphin. She climbed up and grabbed a small leg, then saying in a fairly intimidating voice as the smaller Delphin looked down at her, “And just where do you think you’re going, young man?”

“Aw, shit,” Valerian sighed. “Caught.” He apparently didn’t recognize his mother, or her voice, “How did you see me?”

Snowhawk, toying with the child, simply smirked. “Come on down.”

By this point, Nytehawk had walked to the wall and joined the two as Snowhawk plucked Valerian off the trellis he’d been climbing down. “Where were you off to?”

“I saw Hunter leaving so I wanted to follow him for a while.”

“That would not be prudent, Valerian,” Snowhawk replied, “His home is a dangerous place.”

“Your voice,” the child commented, “sounds really familiar.”

Snowhawk looked at Nytehawk, then back to the boy. “Valerian, it’s me. Your mother.”

“M– Mom?!” Valerian said, at first shocked at her appearance, then he embraced her in as much of a bear hug as his small frame could manage. “But, what happened to you?”

Snowhawk sighed, wrapping her arms around him as well. “It’s a long, complicated story.”

“Snow,” Nytehawk began, sighing a bit, “why don’t you call your wolf here. Then you can your son can catch up, and you don’t have miss any of your… treatments.”

Snowhawk remembered the few times her and Adian had previously interacted. “Are you certain?”

“Yes. I’m sure. Especially if he’s changed as you have said.”

*********

Nearly three days later, Hunter arrived just outside of Juv. He hadn’t been back to the city in nearly a decade, but he had sent word ahead to his parents that he would be visiting. He missed their reply saying if he was asking for money, to not bother coming back.

As per their usual operating procedures, Hunter was forced to leave his vehicle before being allowed inside the first wall. Juv was a city filled with paranoia and distrust of anything from the outside. After being searched no less than three times for any sort of weapon, he was allowed into a waiting room inside the main city wall to wait on his parents. His mother arrived shortly after to pick him up.

“So why have you come back to our city?” his mother sternly asked.

“I need to speak to your doctors. Any of them, all of them. Someone close to me has contracted vampirism and we need to know if they’ve found a cure.”

“Who would be close to you?”

Hunter sighed. His mother was as aggravating as ever. “You do realize I’m mated to the leader of the new Delphin Society, right?”

The older female laughed a bit. “Tell me another one, Hunter.”

“Since I knew you wouldn’t believe me, here,” he said, pulling out a photograph of himself and Nytehawk.

His mother shrugged. “So she’s a vampire now. Why should Juv care?”

“She’s not, her cousin is. You know, the whole reason half this damn city is free now?”

The old mare’s eyes widened, remembering how the uprising saved many of her friends and some of her extended family. “Why didn’t you say that in the first place?! Your father is at the car, let’s go!”

Hunter sighed again and trotted after his mother. “Nothing changes.”

“He’ll be pissed, you know,” Onyx commented after a pause to the chocolate wolf, “once he finds out.”

“And so will Emerald, I’m sure.”

“Aye. Snowhawk, you may not be able to contact us for a while, so please let Adian and I work out the details”

“But I can’t just sit back and let her take over!” the Delphin protested.

“Then fight her,” Adian replied.

“Its not that easy, Adi–”

“Snow, you’ll be fine. We don’t know how long she’ll take over, or if there’s someway to reduce her power so you can keep her back–“

“Your bite,” Snowhawk began, perking up a bit. “Kione turning me as he did brought her out like this. Yours should reverse it.”

“Its worth a shot, Adian,” Onyx shrugged.

Adian sighed. The collar Kione placed on her was wide enough to keep him from easily biting her on the neck. “I’ll have to bite you somewhere other than your neck, which could be more painful.”

Snowhawk offered her arm to the wolf. “This is the least, after the neck, for me at least.” The vampiric wolf took her arm gently in his hands, trying not to think of how she learned that, kneeling before her as she looked away. “Sorry, I just can’t stand to watch.”

“Understandable,” he said just before biting down on her arm.

He took no blood, but instead just injected his vampiric toxin into her. She closed her eyes as he bit into her flesh, but never made any vocalization about the pain she felt. It was soon after that the wolf drew his head back, quickly placing his hand over the fresh wound on her forearm and healing it closed. “Are you okay, Snowhawk?” Onyx asked.

“Yes,” she replied after a moment of silence. “My head feels clearer too.”

“Good, that means his grip on you did loosen. It’s not perfect, but until we can either kill him or find the proverbial cure, it’ll be the best we can do.

After a few more moments of silence, Snowhawk quickly looked at Onyx. “Were the Royal Guards trained better than the Guardians?”

“I don’t know if ‘better’ is the appropriate term, but more thoroughly, yes,” the Guard replied.

“Legacy could mask his scent for a short period of time, were you trained for that as well?”

“Are you thinking we should hide him someway, and then he can sneak in easier?”

“Yes.”

Onyx nodded. “That would be better than just distracting him. Or making long enough of some kind of noise to get past any guards or workers.”

“He doesn’t have many workers on site and no real guards to speak of. The fewer that know the better, I guess,” she mentioned.

“Makes sense,” the Guard continued.

“Or,” Adian began, “Anya killed them all. He wasn’t so bare-bones with his outfit or concerned with keeping himself a secret a few years ago.”

Snowhawk shuddered. “I don’t know why I killed her. I was angry, yes, but more sad than anything. Now I’m just lost again. And if what she said is true, it doesn’t matter because I could never face Janus again,” she rambled.

Onyx gently touched Snowhawk’s shoulder. “That would most likely be Emerald’s influence. She did the same to the ones that killed her mate–”

“Wait, what did Anya say?” Adian interrupted, realizing what Snowhawk has said.

“That your brother is still alive. She said he was in the forest. But that’s not like him. That’s me. He was only ever out there for my sake. But,” she paused, “she said he changed. I don’t know how, Emerald took over. I didn’t believe her. I saw him die.”

“And I saw Legacy die, but I was wrong. Snowhawk, you can’t just ignore the possibility–”

“Yes, I can, Adian!” she exclaimed, tears welling up in her eyes. “I can’t go through it again. I can’t go through him dying on me again. I shouldn’t even be here. I appreciate you want to help me. But, I don’t even want to be here.”

“Snow…”

“I just– I can’t even think about it right now,” she whispered, doubling over and sobbing.

“No one will ask you to then,” Onyx said, trying to mitigate the situation, “but understand once we get the vampire out of the way, I’m duty-bound to go find him. Your mate, even though he’s a Lupino, is your family and falls under my protection. And I will try to help with this problem of any early death on his part.”

She couldn’t respond other than nodding her head slightly.

*********

Over a day later, the trio neared Kione’s sea side castle. Adian stopped his vehicle, figuring it better to walk the last few miles, and at least keep the vampire from stealing his truck. Onyx drew a cloak about himself as he slipped from the vehicle first, followed by Snowhawk, then Adian on the driver’s side. Snowhawk made sure the dark silver locket and necklace was well hidden under her dress collar, then paused a moment before following the chocolate wolf. “Onyx, follow behind us for a while, then once they’re busy watching us, you can sneak in easier,” Adian instructed.

“Certainly. And if there’s trouble, I can jump in quicker.”

The wolf nodded, then extended his hand to Snowhawk. “Are you ready?”

She drew a deep breath and sighed. “Yes. But I don’t look forward to how angry he’ll be.”

“I know,” Adian replied. “I’ll try to protect you.”

“And I’ll be waiting back too,” the Guard reminded.

“Thank you, both.”

The trio trotted to the estate before them, Snowhawk growing ever more nervous with each step. Adian and Snowhawk walked into the grounds, unhindered, not seeing a single other soul. They walked through the front doors into the entrance way, the steel of her shod hooves echoing through the large, cold, stone room.

“So they both return,” Kione’s voice growled as the vampire appeared behind Snowhawk, grabbing a handful of her hair near the base of her skull and pulling her to his side.

“Let her go, Kione,” Adian warned.

“What did you do to Emerald, you little bitch?” he commanded, ignoring Adian.

“Nothing!” she cried as the vampire bent her back, examining her.

“Bullshit,” he growled again, then seemed delighted once he saw the outline of the locket through her dress and realized what had happened. “So you did find some dark silver, and I guess the Avizon is dead. You’re not completely useless!”

Adian made a move as if to punch the vampire, but Kione simply side stepped away. “I said let her go! It wasn’t her doing!”

“Then it was yours? How would you know if would break the hold I have on her?”

“I didn’t, you dick. Let her go and I’ll explain.”

Curious to the wolf’s tale, he indeed released her, half throwing her at Adian. “Now get to talking.”

Adian protectively cradled Snowhawk away from the elder vampire. “I was trying to just block Emerald. She was making Snowhawk too violent.”

“Oh, like she wasn’t before. How many people did she kill for your uncle?”

“That was different!”

“Oh, right, she had to do those, she just wanted revenge this time.”

Adian growled. “No, that was Emerald. Even after she was nearly killed by him, Snowhawk never wished such harm on Legacy.”

“You can’t keep pretending, wolf. It is in her nature, and has been long before she was even alive.”

“That was Emerald. Not Snowhawk.”

Kione shrugged. “Take that necklace off her and see.”

Through out this exchange, Onyx had been sneaking through a side room of the building, making his way to the main hall. With his scent hidden, he neared a door that seemed to be leading to the grand entrance way, where he heard Kione and Adian’s voices arguing. He’d borrowed Snowhawk’s daggers, and pulled them from the sheaths he’d strapped to his belt as he silenced the door and slowly pushed it open.

Indeed the two vampires were arguing, and were just ahead of the Royal Guard. He cast the same silencing spell on his own hooves and quickly crept toward the group before him. The elder vampire began to turn just as one of the dark silver daggers sunk into his chest.

The vampire’s flesh hissed as it contacted the dagger. “You fuck!” Kione growled spinning toward the black-furred Guard. He immediately looked as if he’d seen a ghost. “You should be dead!”

“So should you,” Onyx quipped.

Adian took the time to move Snowhawk away from the other two males. “Please, stay back, I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“No, this will just drag him away from your fight,” she said as she looked toward the others, now engaged in battle.

The old Royal Guard was surprisingly agile for his extended age, and was holding his own well against the vampire he fought. But holding his own and defeating the vampire would require more hands. “Just stay here for now,” he begged. “We’ll cross that bridge if we get to it.” And with that he sprinted to the fight.

Snowhawk fidgeted where she was, stamping one steel shod hoof on the stone floor below her. Maybe, she thought, finally alone in her own head, I can shift into my feline form and help. Knowing Kione would never kill her, as that would also kill Emerald, she figured it was worth a shot. As she began to change, her fur lengthening, she felt the wall put up by the dark silver jewelery growling thinner, but once fully changed, she realized it was thankfully still there. She unsheathed her feline claws and silently charged at Kione. Though she was now barely five feet tall, when she pounced on him, she managed to bring him to the ground.

“Little bitch!” he growled, reaching to toss her aside, but her agility was better as a Feln and she managed to roll out of the way. The distraction of the light lavender feline was enough to allow Onyx to cut at the elder vampire again, and sink one of Snowhawk’s daggers deep into him once more.

The battle would continue like this for another fifteen minutes, until Snowhawk grabbed Kione from behind, her claws digging into his chest, sharp kitty fangs sinking into the back of his neck, and rear claws braced into has back. Onyx again lunged at him, sinking both daggers deeply into his body, and the elder vampire collapsed to the floor, assisted by Snowhawk half pushing him down as she lept from his back. “So you’ve won,” he panted, then grinned. “How are you going to kill me?”

Snowhawk paused for a moment, then an icy sword appeared in her hand. “The blood magic is sealed with Emerald, but I can still finish your sorry ass off.”

“I told you wolf. She’s no different,” Kione said, giving Adian a pained grin.

“This is different, Kione,” she responded. “I will never be able to rest with you alive.”

“Then why don’t I let you rest for a while?” he again grinned, then vanished before them. He appeared a moment later, one of his arms around Snowhawk,and using the other hand to hold the back of her neck, then he whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry, relax for a few years. Once you’re ready, I’ll be back.” Then he vanished again, and the steel collar he’d placed on her fell to the floor.

Snowhawk collapsed to her knees, staring at the collar. Adian and Onyx both rushed to her side. “Don’t worry, he’s gone. Actually gone. I don’t know where to, but he’s not in my head anymore,” she told them both.

“What about Emerald?” Onyx asked.

“I think she’s gone for now as well. But I don’t know for certain, I guess because of the jewelery.”

“What did he say to you? Just before vanishing.”

“That I should rest for a few years, then he’d come back when I was ‘ready.’”

“Ready?” Adian asked.

“That’s all he said. Then he was gone.” She shook her head quickly, then looked at them both, and the numerous small wounds covering them. “And you both got hurt for me. For nothing.”

“No, he’s gone. We accomplished something,” Onyx mentioned.

She sighed. “You’re right. And thank you both for helping me.”

Snowhawk simply lay where she had been left. Her only movement had been blinking tears away, and breathing. She simply hoped the latter would be done with soon. It had been several hours since the vampire left her, presumably to prepare to bring Emerald back for good.

It will be good to touch him again, permanently, Emerald’s voice began in Snowhawk’s mind. Sorry you won’t get to again.

Now I can’t even be alone in my own head. Snowhawk thought.

Nope, stuck with me until you’re gone and I’m all that’s left.

Then take over, I have nothing left.

Oh no, not until you fix what broke when I died the first time.

Snowhawk’s tears welled up further. I can’t fix anything. I’ve killed two men I loved.

No, you can’t when you think like that, Emerald chided. Now snap out of it before I force you to do this.

“Whatever,” Snowhawk openly said, finally moving her aching body to curl up on the bed.

———

Having moved into the darkened doorway, watching the lavender Delphin on his bed, the silken halter still tied tightly on her face, Kione grinned. It had been a thousand years since he last saw Emerald, but she kept appearing to him tonight. And Snowhawk, though a larger creature, was very similar. Perhaps, he thought with a grin, there is a way to combine the two, then stepped into the room. He quickly reached the bed, and grabbed the free end of the sash, using it to pull Snowhawk’s head up to look at him. “Aren’t you glad to soon be free of this?”

She halfheartedly tried to pull her head free, and being unsuccessful, she simply looked away from him. “Why are you drawing it out? Just get it over with.”

“It’s not that simple. Emerald isn’t strong enough yet.”

“Then make her strong enough and get rid of me.”

“I have a better idea. Why don’t I keep you around and bring her back?”

Snowhawk tried to pull her head away again, once more unable to. “Just kill me, please. I can’t stand this.”

“That would ruin all my plans. She can’t come back until she has the strength, and you can’t die until then. But if I find a way for you both to live…”

I’m willing if you are, Emerald’s voice began in Snowhawk’s head, unless you’re going to throw you’re life away over a man.

They were my life. My lives. What am I supposed to do now?

The grey Delphin would have shrugged if she had shoulders of her own. Outside of taking care of what you are responsible for taking care of, I don’t care. Do what I did, find their killer and murder her.

It won’t bring them back.

So? You might feel better. Put that dark silver sword your Guardian left behind before he died to use.

I can’t face Adian again.

Stop it. You can face him. You can do whatever with him. Bring him back here, then we both get our men.

“Well?” Kione said, somewhat impatient with waiting out her answer.

Snowhawk closed her eyes. “Goddamn you both. Fine. Whatever.”

“Just remember you will be mine. You will have your freedom, but I will know what you do at any moment I so choose.”

“With her in there, my head is no longer mine anyway.”

“So be it. Delphin, you are mine now,” the vampire said, leaning down to bite her.

“You could at least use my name…”

Just before biting down, he whispered to her. “I will when you earn it.”

********

Half-vampirism is rare even by vampiric standards. The condition is hit or miss. One can get all the benefits of being a vampire, or some of them, or simply get all the bad. Half-vampires can be born or created, usually the latter. If the condition is not reversed, or kept in check, by a vampire other than the sire, eventually a half-vampire will become a full vampire. The only way for Emerald to regain the ability to speak on her own without great concentration would be for her host to become at least half of what she was in life. Together the two could be a nearly unstoppable force, but eventually, unless a second vampire offered to keep the process in check, Emerald would take over, and Snowhawk would vanish.

It would be several days later when a car pulled in front of the Sininensusi estate. A darkly cloaked, hooded figure stepped from the car. Barely purple legs with shined, shod hooves could be seen peeking out from under the cloak. A smooth, slightly curved horn, and a short-furred muzzle of the same color could be seen from under the hood. The figure walked directly into the estate, no questions from any workers, and into the gardens.

The cloak wearer found a particular bench under a trellis that once held morning glories, and sat, and waited. Through slits in the cloak, pale arms stuck through, and the delicate feminine hands were folded in the female Delphin’s lap. She sat with her legs crossed at the hocks, and her head slightly down.

She wouldn’t have to wait long. The now-ever present Adian soon found her in the garden, and angrily confronted this intruder. “Who the fuck are y–”

“Adian,” Snowhawk’s voice began, “I need help.”

“Sn– Snowhawk! Where have you been?! What’s happened?!”

“I’m only allowed to say so much,” she said, looking up and revealing deep pink eyes instead of her usual green. “Once this is done, I can tell you everything.”

“Shit. He has you, doesn’t he?”

She paused for a moment, dropping her head again, then looked back up at him. “Yes.”

“I’ll do whatever I can.”

“I need to find Anya. And I need Legacy’s sword.”

“He’s sending you to kill her?”

“No, I’m doing this on my own– with his consent. She’s a liability to him, and I want my revenge.”

“You have to tell me everything when you get back. This isn’t like you.”

“I will, Adian.”

“I no longer have Legacy’s sword, I had it fashioned into a pair of daggers for you. I knew you would come back.”

“Adi– How did you know?”

“Because I know you. Come inside, tell me what you can, and I’ll give you the information while you do.”

“Thank you, Adian.”

She stood and walked to him, and followed him back into the estate. He heard both the steel of her shoes and a small metallic jingle he didn’t recognize as she walked. “What is that?” he asked soon after getting inside. Rather than tell him, she reached up and unbuttoned, then removed her cloak. She showed not only a newly regrown mane, but also a wide band of steel, with a ring in front and riveted together, now graced her neck. “Oh Snow,” Adian sighed.

She dropped her head. “I didn’t have much of a choice.”

“I know, dear,” he said as he gathered her into his arms and hugged her.

“So are you–”

“Half,” she quickly replied, “for whatever good that term is. But I’m being warned to say no more about this. Not right now.”

“I see,” Adian said, releasing her so they could continue on their way, taking note of the dampness left on his shirt by her tears. He could only hope that whatever communication line was connecting her to the vampire would be broken when he gave her the necklace he’d also had fashioned from the sword, as well as preventing any reversions to Emerald. “Can you speak of your phase shift?”

She was quiet for a moment, then nodded her head. “Some, yes.”

“Is this a Phase 3 or something else?”

“I’m not even sure. Emerald has told me it’s not, but is more of a result from,” she trailed off, and paused for a moment. “From what happened. From losing Legacy and Janus, then being made what I am now. And, there’s this,” she said, stopping in the middle of the hallway and holding her left arm away from her.

Adian felt the air around him grow colder and it crackled with static as he watched a long blade of apparently ice form from her hand. The blade was surrounded by electricity, and seemed to be cored with something resembling blood.

“And yet, as strong as this magic is, it’s not enough to kill an Avizon,” Emerald’s voice said through Snowhawk. “We don’t have enough time to hone it. Anya is a liability.”

The Lupino was unnerved by hearing a different voice than Snowhawk’s speaking through her. “Is this your magic?”

“Partially, in the electricity and the blood. The ice is all hers. Were Anya not what she is, or time not an issue, we wouldn’t have had to come back.”

“You’re both immortal, now. What time could you possibly need?”

“You know as well as I do, wolf, what happens after so long with a half vampire.”

“One can hope. So this– arrangement allows you to control her body more than just laying around?”

“Oh much more than that, wolf. But you’ll find out soon enough,” she grinned, then the grin faded to Snowhawk’s former, sad expression, as the icy sword in her hand vanished.

“Does she do that often?” Adian asked.

“Yes, and more.”

Adian sighed again, thinking this may be more complex than he originally intended, or perhaps the necklace would work better than expected. Either way, he needed to get it on her soon.

After a short time, they reached Adian’s room. Inside, he presented Snowhawk with a small box. Inside were two dark silver replicas of the daggers of her past life.

“Adian, these are–” she began, reaching in to pick one of them up.

“Everything but the blades are yours. I made sure the craftsman balanced them as closely as possible, accounting for the blades now being slightly heavier. You should have no trouble using them.”

Her hand shook as she held the dagger, not having touched the grip since she nearly lost her life on her final mission for Janus’ uncle. “Thank you, Adian.”

“Now, let’s find the bitch that killed my brother.”

*********

Several hours later, the darkly cloaked figure of Snowhawk left the Sininensusi estate, having found where Anya may be hiding. Adian watched her trot away, the sound of her steel shoes echoing back to his ears through the otherwise silent night. He honestly wasn’t sure if he’d see her again. Emerald had warned him against following them, and Avizon were no push overs.

He now had to think of ways to get her away from both Emerald and Kione’s influence. The necklace might be a start, but the elder vampire really needed to be taken out of the picture. Emerald might leave Snowhawk as well then.

“But how do I kill an elder vampire?” the wolf said aloud and to no one.

Or so he thought. “Might I be of assistance?” a black-furred, silver-maned, silver-muzzled Delphin offered.

Adian jumped at seeing the other Delphin behind him. “Who are you?!”

“My apologies. My name is Onyx. I’m a Royal Guard, and a remnant from Emerald’s time.”

Adian paused. “That was more than two thousand years ago.”

The black-furred Guard shrugged. “I was one of the lucky ones.”

“Why are you here now?”

“Do you know the duty of a Royal Guard? We don’t protect just one Delphin, but the whole family line. I unfortunately have been so busy with her son and cousin’s protection that I couldn’t watch over her as well. The Royal Guards are gone, except for me, for a reason.”

“I’m sure it was somewhat easier before the slavers came.”

“Incredibly. I may be an old Del, but I haven’t forgotten my duties. You are a better protector than my old self could ever be, so I wanted to help you with your vampire problem.”

“What will you do?”

“Help you kill him, of course. It’s been a mission of mine for years, since he took Emerald. The manipulative son of a bitch has had it coming for a while. And then maybe I can rest.”

The old Delphin needed it, it was obvious even if one didn’t know his age. “Very well, sir. Let’s go get a vampire.”

*********

Snowhawk trotted through the city’s outskirts hours later, searching for the elusive Avizon. Anya was one of the best shape shifters alive, and like most of her species, was an expert at hiding. But they’re not good enough to avoid me, Emerald had said, when Adian asked her about tracking Anya.

Emerald’s words were not empty threats. She’s here, the grey Delphin’s voice calmly stated as she nearly passed an unassuming, run down apartment building, like so many others around the edges of town. Snowhawk quickly turned and ran into the building. Slow down, dammit! She’ll hear those shoes of yours.

She doesn’t know it’s me. And I’ll stomp the life out of her with these shoes if I don’t slit her throat first, Snowhawk growled at the other female.

Don’t you dare lose her, was the only reply Emerald could manage.

Anya did indeed hear the loud, quick clip clop of shod hooves running though the apartment’s building. Were the building otherwise occupied, she wouldn’t have been suspicious as many Delphin still wore steel shoes. But the building was supposed to be empty, and had been for the past week or so she’d been here. As the noise grew ever closer she cautiously stuck her head out of the room she was holed up in. She nearly then lost her head as she barely saw and dodged an icy sword swung at her, and felt the tingle of the electricity as it missed her. “What the fuck?!”

The ice sword was dropped and vanished where it fell as Snowhawk simply pulled her cloak off and unsheathed the two dark silver daggers from her thigh sheaths. Her eyes almost glowed red as she then lunged at the Avizon, swiftly catching her and pinning her down. “Where is he?!” Snowhawk yelled.

“Where is wh–” Anya began, but was soon cut off by a dagger to her throat.

“You know who, you bitch! Where is Janus?!”

“He’s gone!”

“You fucking killed him, I know he’s gone. Where is his body?!”

“No, he’s not dead! But he escaped from me!”

“You’re lying,” she growled, pressing the dagger closer to the Avizon’s throat.

“Gah! No! He’s really alive. But he’s not the sa–”

“I will slit your fucking throat right here unless you tell me where he is.”

Snowhawk! She is telling the truth! Emerald’s voice rang out in Snow’s head.

No, she’s not. I saw him die. I’m not going to live with false hope he’s alive!

But–!

Emerald’s words were interrupted as Anya took a moment to regroup and push Snowhawk off her. “No, you aren’t getting away!” Snowhawk yelled as she quickly formed and threw a spike of ice at the still trying to stand Anya. The ice spike couldn’t completely pierce the Avizon’s leg thanks to her thick skin, but it did enough damage to seriously wound her. Snowhawk lunged at her again from the floor, sinking one dark silver dagger into her other leg and pulling her back to the ground.

“But he’s alive! He’s in the forest! That’s all I know!”

“So is that where you left the corpse? The forest? How could you?!”

“Goddammit, listen to me, there is no corpse unless he’s gotten himself killed!”

Snowhawk grabbed a handful of the Anya’s short hair, and pulled her head back. “Lying or not,” Emerald’s voice now said through Snowhawk’s body, “Kione wills you dead, and I will not disappoint him.”

“What did I do?!”

“You lost the wolf. That’s what.”

“He escaped!”

“You still lost him. And you’re lucky that I’m the one killing you instead of Snowhawk. She’d planned to drag it out and make you suffer.” And with that, Emerald, controlling Snowhawk’s body, slit the Avizon’s throat.

She remained in control of Snowhawk long enough to be sure Anya actually was dead, a far too uncommon occurrence it seemed.

How could you kill her so fast? Snowhawk questioned once she was finally able to take control of her body again.

Because making her suffer was not part of the plan. We don’t have time for that.

What’s next? Making me go kill Adian now?

Emerald sighed. You know Kione would never allow that.

Then what time are we lacking?

Yours.

Do I at least have time to finish my conversation with him?

I see no harm in it.

*********

The following day, Snowhawk slowly trotted through the gate of the Sininensusi estate. Adian greeted her at the door. “Is she gone?”

“Anya? Yes, she’s dead.”

Adian could still faintly smell the blood on her. “Come on, we can’t have you smelling like a killer.”

“Adi, I don’t have much time. We should talk first.”

He hadn’t realized how far over “half” she was. “I’ll meet you in the garden then. I need to take care of something first.”

Snowhawk gave a small nod and the two parted ways. She was a little confused at the chocolate wolf’s behavior. He normally would not be so secretive. Still, she went to the garden, sitting on the same bench as yesterday to wait on him. When he returned, he was holding a small, flat rectangular box.

“I had another gift for you, but I decided wait until you returned to give it to you. Close your eyes for a moment.”

She canted her head to the side, but soon complied, closing her eyes and holding her head up to wait.

She felt a bracelet soon close around her right wrist, then soon after felt a pendant press against her chest, and a necklace clasp was heard clicking closing behind her. Then she heard only silence in her head. “They’re gone!” she gasped, opening her eyes.

A black Delphin stepped from behind a hedge. “Excellent.”

Snowhawk looked at him, startled, then to Adian. “Don’t worry, dear, he’s here to help,” the Lupino reassured her.

“Indeed. My name is Onyx, I am your family’s Royal Guard, and I am here to finish what I should have finished when Kione took Emerald.”

“But, wait, how did they get out of my head?”

“Your wolf here had a necklace and locket fashioned of the dark silver from your Guardian’s sword. But that wouldn’t be quite enough, so I provided him with a bracelet made from it.”

“That makes no sense.”

“Originally, we planned to use it to prevent you reverting back to Emerald. Then Onyx informed me that I could use it to prevent Kione from controlling you. I know it doesn’t make a lick of sense. But the important thing is that it works.”

“For how long?”

“Until you take those off,” the Guard chimed in. “Or until we take care of the Vampire.”

Snowhawk looked down for a moment, thinking, “If you need a way in, he asked if you would come back, Adian.”

The wolf thought for a moment. “That could be an excellent idea, Snowhawk.”

“Indeed. If we could get in easier, with him not expecting us, that would certainly make our job easier,” the black Delphin replied.

“How are you going to get in, Onyx?” Adian asked.

“Make a distraction. I’ll find my way.”

Snowhawk paused for a moment. “If they can’t keep track of me, that will be a pretty big distraction on it’s own.”

“Leave the jewelery on then. And don’t worry about the vampire. He wouldn’t dare try anything to the host of his beloved Emerald.”

“Nothing he hasn’t already,” Snowhawk replied, seeming to shrink in size as she restrained herself from curling into a little ball.

Adian gently touched her shoulder, “I won’t let him.”

“Just keep those daggers handy, we don’t know if you’ll need them,” Onyx said, nodding to the sheathed weapons strapped to her thighs.

“Nothing could stop her from going,” Janus worriedly stated to his brother as the two spoke in the library.

“Reversions don’t usually occur this many years later. It’s very odd,” the vampiric brother replied. “But that’s not to say it doesn’t happen. If their old bond was strong enough, then time wouldn’t matter.”

“Is there anyway to stop it?”

“The best way would be to kill Kione, but that’s no easy task. I’d have to do some research, but I believe the silver Guardian swords are made from can be fashioned into jewelery and used to prevent it.”

Janus nodded, looking at his brother. “Thank you, brother.”

“You’re wanting to know something else, or you wouldn’t be so polite.”

“Yes,” the older wolf sighed. “Can he control you, like he does her?”

“He prefers females. He doesn’t want to control me.”

“That’s not an answer, Adian.”

“Brother, that vampire is so old and so powerful that he can control anyone he wants, thrall or not.”

Janus sighed again, frustrated at the indirect “Yes” answer. A moment asked he asked “Do you know what kind of bond was between them?”

“Are you really that dense, Janus?”

“No, but I was hoping I’d be wrong.”

“It does explain a few things, though.”

“Such as?”

Adian paused for a moment to find his words. “Such as how, ahem, ‘good’ she is, or so I hear. And how she never failed to seduce someone when needed.”

Not comfortable with the subject, Janus attempted to move on. “Anything else?”

“Emerald was a master of blades, especially small ones, like daggers. Where has her proficiency always been?”

“Small blades.” The older brother sighed yet again. “This shall be difficult.”

Adian nodded in agreement. “Yes, but right now, you need to concentrate on her. I don’t mean watching her like a hawk, but you need to be there for her more than ever.”

“What of Kione?”

“I’ll deal with him. If he was to get the idea in his head to get you out of the way first– Shit.”

“What?” Janus asked at his brother’s pause.

“He’s already got the idea in his head. That’s why Anya was here.”

“Do you think he’ll try it again?”

“Most certainly, though he wouldn’t go the same route. It would most likely be something more permanent.”

“I see. Thank you, Adian. I have some thinking to do.” Janus turned and left the small library, headed to his love’s room.

A feline formed Snowhawk met him halfway there. “Janus, what’s going on?”

she asked, concerned over the secretive nature of both her love and his brother the past few days.

Janus just wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. “Don’t worry, love. We’ll protect you.”

“’We?’” she asked, not exactly pleased with his non-answer.

“Yes, Adian and me.”

She’d not really had a chance to just talk to him lately, and most conversations led her far away from something that had been weighing on her mind. “Adi– Janus,” she began, pulling away from his slightly, “I think there’s something you need to know.”

Janus sighed and pulled her back to him. “If it’s about the other night, I know. Don’t worry, love. I may not understand completely, but I understand enough. And I’ve already kicked my brother’s ass for taking advantage of you.”

Snowhawk chuckled a little at that. “I’m sure,” she replied, resting her head on him.

Janus scooped her slight feline form up, then carried her into their room. “I thought we knew everything about you, love,” the wolf sighed.

“I guess it’s hard to know everything about someone, even if that someone is yourself,” she responded as he placed her on the bed’s edge. “What did you find out?”

“We think we can stop the reversions from happening again, but we need to find a Guardian’s sword.”

“Wh– Why one of those?” she stuttered, nervous about any kind of silver with that kind of potential to harm near her flesh again.

“If we fashion some form of jewelery for you to wear from it, it may work to keep you as you are.”

The question had to come out. “But who is the other Delphin?!”

Janus sighed, knowing the information should be given to her, but still hesitating to say it. “She was Kione’s mate. And an ancestor of yours.”

“Oh shit.”

Janus had to chuckle at her reaction. “That’s what I said.” He stopped once he realized she was staring nervously at the door. “What’s wrong?”

“Someone’s here,” she whispered, backing her way across the bed. She suddenly stopped and dug her claws into the bedspread as she felt someone’s hand on the back of her neck. “Janus, who’s behind me?” she whimpered.

“No one, love,” he replied, “that I can see anyway.”

She leaned down as the hand pressed forward on her, then rolled to her side as it forced her over. “Please, stop,” she softly cried.

Janus again felt utterly helpless. “Goddamned vampire.”

A nearly inaudible chuckle was heard, then Snowhawk felt herself released from the invisible force pressing her into the bed.

“What the fuck was that?!” she exclaimed, crawling back to Janus and holding him tightly.

********

Adian sighed as he stared at the book in front of him. The list of known Guardian swords was short, most having been reclaimed for their metal during the slave uprising. The only ones he could find belonged to Jerome, and the other to Legacy, who he now knew as Quillen. “This shall be difficult. I lost that damn sword in the forest and the son of a bitch still managed to find it. And he almost killed her with it.” He scratched through his short, red hair. “Now what.”

At the bottom of the page, one more weapon was listed as known to exist, written in almost as an afterthought, but the location was in a fuzzy range of coordinates. “I guess that’s as good of a lead as any,” the dark wolf grumbled. “At least it’s possibly close, and in the city. At– Bryce’s old estate,” he realized, checking his map.

He sighed and scribbled the range on his map, then folded it and placed it into his back pocket as he stood. “Then if I can find this damn thing, I need to find someone to work the metal.” He turned from his desk and walked out of his room to try and find the elusive Guardian sword.

*********

Kione chuckled as he watched Snowhawk through a viewing orb. He could still be near her without placing himself in danger. He scowled as he saw her cuddle close to Janus. “Soon, wolf, you will be the one watching, and you’ll never be able to get her back.”

He could just end this all now, Adian had failed to prevent her from being controlled by him. But he was not the type to just take a prize without toying with the rest of the game. He loved to gamble, and he loved a challenge, both of which he could find here.

“So when are you going after her again?” Anya’s voice asked.

Kione turned and glared at the female, for once in her true, dragon-like form. “Three days,” he said to the Avizon, “but why would you care?”

“So I’ll know when I’ll have my wolf! Duh.”

“You’re confident you can take control of him this time?”

“Of course. Once he thinks she’s dead, he’ll be like putty to me,” she said as she flopped across a couch in a very non-ladylike fashion. “So what will you do with her? Keep her as is, or turn her back into Emerald?”

“As interesting as Snowhawk is, Emerald was the only being I ever cared for. It isn’t even a real question at this point. The wolf has no claim to her, past or present self.”

“So how do we do this?”

“I assume you’re still proficient with that crossbow of yours?”

“Of course.”

“You lure Legacy, Quillen, whatever he’s calling himself these days, to Janus’ estate. Make sure he can get in, so keep Adian distracted on this hunt for a Guardian sword. Once there, where ever they have their confrontation, be ready.”

“I get to kill the asshole?”

“Yes.”

“Sweet!”

Kione sighed at her. “Poison the bolts. We don’t want him coming back again. Once he’s down, take Janus out however you choose. I’ll be visible by that point.”

“She’ll have to give in to you once she thinks they’re both dead, as much as she might hate Quillen.”

“She doesn’t hate him, actually. Don’t forget, I’ve been in her head.”

“Oh?”

“She feels pity for him, and is terrified of him at the same time. But there’s no hate for him.”

“Oh that’s even better, seeing him die, knowing he’ll never be redeemed,” she grinned.

“Precisely. Now prepare yourself. You may actually be useful for once.”

Anya grinned at Kione. “I’m always useful, dear vampire, but think of it as a birthday gift.”

*********

Three nights later, Snowhawk slept in Janus’ arms as usual, but their peace was not to last. Janus was awoken by a violent shiver going through Snowhawk’s body, and quickly noticed the look of pain on her equine face. Through the darkness, he could see a sword pointed at the two of them, and he smelled her blood.

“Hand her over, you bastard,” Quillen’s voice commanded.

“Never,” the wolf growled. “What did you do to her?” he continued to growl, noticing her to still be asleep.

“I should be asking you, you manipulative prick. Now back away from her.”

Janus sat up, pulling Snowhawk further away from Quillen. “What part of ‘never’ did you not understand?”

“Back. Away,” warned the former Guardian, advancing toward the two of them, until he was blocked by an invisible wall.

“The fuck?”

“Neither of us belong to you, Quillen,” said Snowhawk’s voice, accompanied by another, unknown female.

“Who the hell–”

The latter voice continued. “I am Emerald, the heiress to the Delphin Empire, and the first Royal Delphin to be killed by the slavers. The battle began with me, and it will end with her, my descendant. You have no business here.”

“I think I do,” he growled. “He stole my mate.”

“Then you were a weak fool. You have no business here, now, leave!”

“She is the mother of my son!”

“You treat her like a toy. An object. Not a mate or mother,” she glared.

Quillen had nothing to say to that. “Hand her over, wolf.”

“You will do no such thing, Lupino,” Emerald’s voice commanded.

Janus was utterly confused. Not about the decision to turn Snowhawk over to the angered, former Guardian, but over how a long dead Delphin could be controlling Snowhawk’s actions, without changing back into her old form. Her eyes were again, half open and dull, as they had been a few nights ago. How can they inhabit the same body?

“I don’t have time for this,” Quillen growled. “I will have what is mine!” He quickly lifted and swung the heavy sword in his hands toward Snowhawk. As expected, Janus, not knowing the strength of the shield, pulled her back onto the bed and out of the way. This broke Emerald’s hold over Snowhawk, dropping the shield, and allowing Quillen to quickly pull Snowhawk away from the Lupino, dropping his sword in the process. It was left behind as he ran from the room.

The male Delphin sprinted into the courtyard in front of the estate, grinning. “Finally, after so long, you are mine again and no one can stop me this time.”

But, he would be stopped by a crossbow bolt to the thigh. He screamed in pain, falling to his knees, then screamed again as another smooth, poisoned bolt embedded itself into his shoulder, missing Snowhawk by a hair’s breadth. He glared in the direction the bolts came from, as Anya’s draconic silhouette could be seen loading another bolt into the crossbow. Unable to hold on anymore, he finally let Snowhawk fall from his grasp, only to have her vanish before his eyes. She reappeared a moment later, in the arms of a man he didn’t recognize. One of his arms was around her waist, the other across her chest, and his hand was high on her throat, pointing her head toward him. “And just who are you?!” he panted, the poison beginning to take effect.

“It makes no difference, you’ll be dead soon enough,” Kione grinned. “Wake up, dear,” he told Snowhawk, who lightly shook her head and began to take in what was going on around her, from the site of a bloodied Quillen struggling to stand before her, and the hand of the vampire on her neck.

“Let me go!” she pleaded, struggling against the vampire’s grasp.

Ignoring her pleas, Kione kept his attention on the Guardian before him, who had finally managed to stand back up. “Don’t like pain so much now, do you?”

“Hand her over.”

“You just don’t get it do you? You aren’t meant to win. You’re just a pawn. She,” Kione said, referring to the struggling female in his arms, “was never meant to be yours.” Anya fired a third bolt toward Quillen, this one finding it’s home in his neck. “And now, you will die. For good this time.”

“No!” Snowhawk cried out, now struggling more. “He could have been saved!” she exclaimed as Quillen crumpled to the ground.

“There was no saving that one, dear Delphin.” She slumped a little his his arms, her legs going weak and tears beginning to fall over what she had just witnessed. “This shall be over soon, we’re just waiting on the next player.”

Soon after, Janus finally ran into the courtyard, limping, and having injured himself in trying to save Snowhawk earlier. He stopped several yards from them and immediately saw the vampire holding her, and the lifeless body of her former Guardian on the ground. He took only a few steps before a bolt from Anya’s crossbow found it’s mark in his side.

Struggling again, terrified of what would happen to Janus, she cried out to him though her tears. “Stop! They’ll kill you too!”

“Hush now,” the vampire said to her, tightening his grip on her throat. Then he looked at the light-furred wolf before him. “Do you want the same to happen to you as him? Will you keep trying to hang onto what is not yours?”

Janus took another step toward them, but soon found himself with a fresh bolt in his shoulder.

“Stop, now, before you are the second person she’s loved to die in front of her tonight.”

“You won’t keep me from her,” Janus growled. “She made that decision months ago.”

“And things have changed since then. I would suggest not moving again.”

“I said you won’t keep me from her, and I mean it!”

“Janus, no!” she quietly pleaded. She was terrified as he took another step toward them.

Soon another cross bow bolt found it’s place in his back. Janus just glared at the vampire. Another step toward them, and another bolt soon found it’s home in his back as well. With this, Janus fell to his knees, and Kione loosened his grip on the Delphin in his arms.

She broke free and ran to Janus, reaching him in time to have him quite literally fall into her lap. She leaned over him, sobbing, as he gently touched her arm, then fell limp under her, his ice blue eyes closing. “No– no, no, no, no. You can’t be gone!” she cried.

Not a moment later, Anya grabbed her horn, pulling her away from his body. “Come on you, I have plans for him.” She half-drug Snowhawk back to Kione, who nearly gleefully took her from the Avizon.

Snowhawk was numb. She couldn’t stand, and was honestly almost grateful for what she knew would come next. “That went well,” Kione grinned as Anya handed the Delphin to him.

“For once. Now, if you’ll excuse me,” she grinned, grabbing Janus’ body and vanishing into the night.

As soon as Anya had vanished with Janus, Adian ran into the courtyard. He bristled at the smell of blood “What the fuck?!” he growled, seeing Kione picking up Snowhawk. “Dammit! Let her go, Kione!” he yelled, running at the elder vampire.

“Wolf, you are as much of a pest as your dead brother.”

Adian stopped in his tracks. “Dead?”

“As is the former guardian. Too bad, you missed the fun. Anya just left with his corpse.”

“You son of a bit–”

“Adi, stop! Just– forget me,” Snowhawk said through her tears. “This is all my fault. Let me go.”

“On my brother’s memory, I can’t allow that.”

“Too bad,” Kione said, vanishing with the Delphin in his arms.

“Goddammit!” Adian howled. He was at a loss. He knelt next to the pool of blood where his brother had died. Snowhawk had been covered in it. “I swear on my life, my new life, that I will not let him win. He will not take her from this world.”

But he would need weapons now, and a quick look showed the former Guardian’s sword to be missing, so Adian hurried inside to find where he felt it may have been left.

*********

Hours later, at Kione’s sea side castle, Snowhawk stood in a darkened room in front of a mirror, apparently alone. She wore only a robe similar to the one she wore when she was first here. I should have stopped him then, she thought to herself, a tears welling up in her eyes. No, I should have given in. Then they would both be alive.

Her legs wobbled slightly as she stood, and her whole body wavered, and once she finally began to collapse, an arm caught her around the waist. She was stood back up, and the other arm again went around her arm and it’s hand held her throat lightly. The hand remained there for only a moment then dropped to the sash around her waist, untying it.

She made no attempt to resist him. The feeling of numbness wouldn’t leave her, and then she heard Adian’s voice in her head. I would do anything to make you happy. “Just forget about me…” she whispered.

The vampire ignored her talking to herself, simply pulling the robe open and off her shoulder, then sinking his teeth into her flesh. He fed on her only for a moment, then released her, never closing the now bleeding wound. He pulled the robe from her body, and removed the sash from it, then fashioned said sash into a halter around her equine head. It was not an unknown look. She often wore a silken halter when she was out with Janus. This brought more tears.

He left her alone for a moment, then a pair of unrecognized white furred hands turned her around. She gasped as she saw a red and white painted Delphin before her, with a long, silvery mane and tail, and glowing golden eyes. “I think we have some unfinished business,” Kione said, pulling her to the bed.