“Oh Jesus, oh Zeus, oh Odin,” Anya dropped the stick and started shaking. “Oh shit.” The bird spread out its wings, which slowly transformed back into arms and the rest followed until it was a man once more.”

“Oh, and Aramis? There is something else about the girl that you should know.”“Yes?”“She is of Yanka’s blood line. That won’t be an issue for you will it?”“No sir.” Aramis hung up the phone quickly and tried not to drop it as he put it in his coat. His hands trembled as he tried to maintain a cool, professional façade. Yanka’s blood. He had to find her and fast.”

“I don’t naturally look like this. I have to feed in order to have the power to hold it.”“Feed on what exactly?” Please don’t say blood, please don’t say blood, she whispered in her mind.“Death,” Trajan answered. Anya didn’t know if that was better or worse.”

“Oh Jesus, oh Zeus, oh Odin,” Anya dropped the stick and started shaking. “Oh shit.” The bird spread out its wings, which slowly transformed back into arms and the rest followed until it was a man once more.”

“Can I have a final request in case I don’t make it?”“Anything.” “I haven’t been kissed in five years, kiss me Trajan,” she whispered. “I am so afraid.” Trajan slowly pushed his glasses onto the top of his head and brought his lips softly to hers.”

“He felt the magic pouring through his body. The tattoo twitched and with a shout of pain Vasilli could not hold in, the creature pulled itself from his body. It flopped, bloody as a newborn onto the ground and stretched its wings. It started to cry and grew to the size of a horse before it turned to Vasilli and lowered itself in a bow. “How may I serve, Master?” Its voice rasped through a mouth of venomous fangs.”

“The trail through the pines and beech trees was bright red. He was surprised the other human couldn’t see it. She was walking slowly, not far from him. He could smell the moisture on her hot skin. She hadn’t noticed his presence yet. She stopped in her tracks and he moved silently behind a cluster of moss-covered rocks. She turned and he saw her face.Oh no not her…he thought before turning and bolting back the way he came.”

“Tuoni takes her by the shoulders and turns her to face him. “Remember this Anya. Dreams have power; they show old truths you are too blind to see on waking. They make you remember memories that are lost in the blood flowing through your veins. Remember her magic. Remember what she did when you wake,” he says before he pushes her off the cliff.”

“You don’t let many people behind that wall of yours do you?” “No I don’t because basically people are shit. They have let me down over and over so now I choose them very carefully.”“You have let Yvan in,” he pointed out. “Yvan’s different.”

“The shiny black nose of a fox appears through her door before the rest of it steps tentatively across the wooden floor to where she’s cooking. A pile of children’s clothes lie discarded in a corner of the room. The fox knows what she is cooking and holds back a shudder. There are some things even foxes know better than to eat.”