I don’t understand. What am I doing? How did I get here? My thoughts waved in and out of focus. Everything was so damn loud. The wind, just a gentle breeze, sounded like a howling wolf. The snow is so bright, my eyes hurt.

My memory is confused. I was getting into my car, and a woman jumped me. Then she… bit me? Then all I remember is this burn throughout my body. The pain was so intense I blocked it. My subconscious locked it away to protect me. That’s my theory. Then I was here with four others who looked worse than me.
I am a cosmetologist, hairdresser, and part-time model. I’m in the middle of nowhere. All I see is white. Why am I not frozen? It is not cold to me.

I… I lost my thoughts for a while. We were in a different place. I want to go home.

Javana sniffed. What was the incredible scent? My stomach growled. No. That came out of my mouth. I sound like an animal.

Are there more people in the distance? Five people and some wolves stood upon a rise of snow.

She breathed in deeply. That scent. I… She shook her head as she came back to herself. They were closer to those people. One of them had wings? Now I am hallucinating too?

Her body lurched forward. That metallic taste. I am so hungry. I want to feed. What am I saying?
Why don’t I feel like eating the other four? This hunger is getting so strong, and soon it might not matter who I feed on.

One of the four, a guy dressed in a suit, rushed forward toward the mound and the people on it.

The older man pulled a sword out. He lit it on fire by running his hand across the blade’s flat. The fire was not the standard yellow-red but white with a gold cast. The fire burst forth, dancing along the edge. With one swing, the sword decapitated the man in the suit. The flame latched onto the suit’s body and head like a dry kindle.

Javana laughed. Why do I find a flying burning head funny? It’s not. He was just killed, murdered. She giggled again. I am going insane.

#

When the freshling attacked, Jacard moved too slowly. “We need to subdue them.”

Fixier fast as lightning, drew a sword, lit it on fire, and killed the first freshling. The hilt in Fixier’s hand sizzled. It smelled of frying flesh. Yet he did not seem phased that his hand burned. His hand looked undamaged.

Alara, in telepathic rapport with Jacard. Jacard that looks like holy fire. I’ve read about swords like that but didn’t think they still existed.

Jacard stepped back and looked away. “You just killed him and made it so he could not regenerate. Have you no sympathy?”

Fixier furrowed his brow and gave Jacard a stern look. “We don’t want them to survive. Who will take care of them? Teach them?”

Jacard wondered. How does Fixier know about vampires? Where did that sword come from? He knew that the fire would eliminate the healing. A freshling would not have a chance because they are too new.

Alara, broadcast to Jacard. If you can save them, we might change them back. Make sure they don’t feed.

Before Jacard responded, Fixier repeated the same maneuver, killing three more freshlings.

Jacard intervened on the fifth. He placed himself between Fixier and the last freshling. “I am Jacard. Can you think straight? I need you to answer now!”

Javana fell to her knees. “I am as good as dead. At least this will be over.” She looked up to see Jacard and responded, “Barely.”

Fixier, close by, hesitated. He did not swing his sword. “Get out of the way.”

Jacard tuned to face Fixier. “No. I will take this one as my responsibility, and according to pack rules, I’m taking her in as one of my own, putting her under my protection.”

Fixier almost swung anyway.

Hubaire mind-spoke to his dad, still unaware that Jacard could hear. Father, stop. This Jacard claimed her as his own under Alpha Law. You cannot touch her without angering the entire pack. They could turn against you. He is their friend, and they have known him longer than you.

Fixier dropped the point of the sword to the ground. The snow that came into contact with it made a hissing noise.

Javana fell over into the snow. “Please, help me. I do not want this.”

Before anyone could change their mind, Jacard swooped Javana into his arms and launched into the air. He looked to Elef. “I’ll be in touch.”

Jacard’s dramatic exit did not go as planned. His wings were still new. He had not built enough strength to carry himself and Javana. They fell to the ground.

He tried another approach. Jacard cast levitation and ran as fast as possible, beating his wings simultaneously. They went airborne after a while. Jacard’s back muscle ached, and he felt tired, yet he pushed up.

Once high in the sky, a jet stream provided relief, letting the air current help him. It was still hard work since he carried Javana’s weight.

He made it back to the cliff where Alara was waiting.

Alara had called for aid. Neferita and an acolyte waited to help with Javana.

#

Fixier frowned. To his son, Vocair had escaped. If this freshling knew anything, it could cause more problems, and Jacard had stolen her.

Hubaire looked into the distance. Vocair was nowhere in sight. I can try to catch her, but I doubt it. She is fast. If I had wings like that Jacard fellow, I might have a chance.

No. It’s done. I will deal with the fallout.

The pack looked at Fixier. Waiting.

Fixier motioned to Hubaire. “This is my son. He stays near his mother most of the time. He warned me of the freshlings.”

Hightower, in human form, “How is your son, also a vampire? I thought only vamperes could cross.”

Fixier shook his head. “His mother is a vampire. I’m only saying that on the subject. We are all tired. Hubaire needs to head home, as we all do.” Without saying another word, the sword disappeared, and Fixier changed into wolf form and headed home.

Hubaire left at the same time.

Hightower signaled the rest of the pack to stay. “There is something wrong here. I have experienced a strangeness ever since Fixier joined the pack.”

Elef tied off his clothes, preparing for the change. “Hightower, you’re the Alpha now. You can read his thoughts. He can’t be hiding anything.”

“It’s strange. When I focus on Fixier, I get nothing. It feels like he isn’t there. I can mind-speak with him, but it is more like a verbal conversation than a mind-speak. We need to watch him. I want someone on him at all times. I’ll put together a schedule when we get back. If his son shows up, I want to know. I want to speak with him.”

#

Vocair bolted. She had stopped in the distance and watched Fixier slaughter her freshlings. Dista’s freshlings. Dista won’t be happy with this. Fixier has done stupid things before but never revolted against her. I can’t wait to see her slay him. I have hated him since we met. She smiled. Seeing him die would be fun. Vocair kept up her pace until she hit the coastline. She paused and set out to cross the ocean.