Chapter Three

Nickolai

Present-day

I'm starting to get pissed. I've been here for over a week now and I still can't get around this damn shield, to make matters worse I haven't seen her in two days and I need to leave for a short While. There are people following me and the last thing I want to do is lead trouble to my love's doorsteps. I would've liked to have met her before I go through but once I get rid of these guys I will come back and I'll make her mine. My beloved as some really powerful friends, whoever did this spell did an f-ing good job, not only does the spell covers this entire half of the mountain, but from what I can tell nothing supernatural can cross through, so my only option is to either go down the mountain or back the way I came and that was out of the question.

Starting the run down the mountain I stuck as close to the barrier as I could. I was counting on the pricks tailing me and following me down the mountain. Halfway down I stopped and gather some wood. It's all wet but it would still do the job. Taking off my clothes, I piled them on top of the wet wood along with my shoes then bit into my wrist drawing blood then held the open wound over the pile of wood and clothes. Once I was sure that everything was covered in my blood I close the wound. Now for the hard part, I haven't changed form in over a hundred years, there was never any need to but I need to get these guys off my trail for a while. I closed my eyes welcoming the change. It was fast and effortless even after so long without changing. When I open my eyes again everything is bright red and yellow. I gave my wings a good warm-up since I haven't used them in a while. Two big flaps and I was lifted off the ground, the snow was melting fast where I stood.

The balls of fire farm in my palm with easy and aim them that the pile of clothes and blood. My blood will act as an accelerant fuelling the fire and in a matter of minutes, everything ash. I need to get out of here because the snow is melting fast and a few of the trees are starting to wither.

I took care take of the five vampires following me next. They were tracking my scent, not with great experience but in this form, my new scent would through them off making them easy pickings.

Payton

Whoever this person was they have to be very powerful. More powerful than anyone that I've encountered in a long time, including my mother.

It took me three days and two spells to find whoever has been watching me. He keeps moving all over the mountain and every time I scried for him he was in another location. I realized he must have been trying to find a weakness in the force field that surrounded my home. Took me two more days to pinpoint his location.

I nearly fucking fainted when he just appeared out of nowhere. I had taken an invisible poison to search the area because the son of a bitch was all over the place and that's why the scrying took three days. I search the area where he was supposed to be but couldn't find a thing. The next thing I know the guy just appears out of nowhere. I mean if this was a scary movie I would be screaming my head off right now. Once I got over the shock I realized that he was just staring at my shield. I had to smirk to myself I did a good job with the shield, nothing, and no one supernatural could cross it. He stood there staring for so long that I thought that he must have sensed me there because he sure as hell couldn't see me before he just took off down the mountain. I said he took off but in actuality, the dude just disappeared like the fucking wind.

"Vampire".

What the fuck would a vampire be doing this far up the mountain? Even if he was just passing through, why so high up, and why stick around for so long? He couldn't pass my barrier, yes, but he could have found another way off the mountain so why stay up here and why was he watching me because I'm pretty sure he was.

I took off down the mountain after him. I can't run as fast as a vampire in human form but using the wind to carry me I could keep up. When I finally caught up with him halfway down the mountain he was gathering wood. I watch as he piled the wood too close to my shield than I liked and then started to take off his clothes. He went for his underwear and I was glad I didn't have a mirror to see myself as pretty sure I was turning red. Jesus, talk about a fine male specimen. I took a few minutes to check him out and the first thing I noticed was that he was freakishly tall, he looked to be around six/six maybe six/seven with long black hair going down his back. I couldn't see his eyes from here but he was buff, since when do vampires work out?

I watch as bared his fangs, then processed to sink them into his wrist drawing blood. He held his bleeding wrist over his clothes that I now realize he piled on top of the wood he collected covering them with his blood. Once the wound on his wrist was healed he closed his eyes and the next thing I know the guy burst into flames.

Screaming, I lost my concentration and fell face-first into the snow, thank god he was more focused on setting his clothes on fire because even though he couldn't see me he would have seen the indentation in the snow. What is the name of sweet baby Jesus was going on?

I knew that some vampires have special gifts but nothing like this. I heard of a vampire once named Sebastian that could manipulate the mind but I've never met him, this guy has wings and is covered from head to toe in flames and if that wasn't enough he was flying away like a fucking eagle. The beeping of my watch is what brought me back from my shock induce state, the invisibility poison lasts for only six hours and was now wearing off. I don't even know how long I was setting in the snow just look at the spot he was just standing, the trees were burned and wilted and a small lake had formed where he was standing.

As supernatural, our biggest fear was human ignorance, it was safe to say that a giant vampire torch with wings was now added to my list of things to fear.

It's been two weeks since the incident with that damn vampire and I've spent those last two weeks reading everything I could get my hands on about vampires. I even went to Spain and borrow some books from my coven library. Do you want to know what I came up with in all that time? Squat. There wasn't a single mention of any vampire with the gift of fire and certainly not one with wings.

"Dammit Wynter"

"I want to run" Wynter has given me a headache, intentionally. I haven't shifted in a while and she wants to go for a run and see her wild family. That means demon vampire research was going to have to wait.

Half an hour later I was in my wolf form and heading further up the mountain. Unfortunately, Wynter's friends live outside my barrier. We got in a good run before making the short distance to the wolf den. My witch powers work better when I'm in my human form so I quickly shift back and opened a small door in the barrier. I was I'm immediately attacked by four white pups the minute the space opened in the barrier. Giggling I squat down to pet them all.

"I missed you guys too, you're all getting so big, Where's your mom and dad?

>Wynter: "They're hunting ".

>Payton: "Okay, do you want to take over now"?

>Wynter: "Yes please, but how long do I have"?

>Payton: "A few hours, we have to be on the other side of the barrier before nightfall".

>Wynter: ok