“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.”