So they settled in for the night. Aidan leaned tiredly against the trunk of one of the few scraggly trees that grew on the hilltop. Flame Song settled in next to him gingerly, giving him a troubled glance.

“What is it?” asked Aidan softly. He knew her well enough to know that something was bothering her.

“It’s just…” She sighed. “I don’t know. This vampire thing. I don’t like it. I don’t like the thought of you as some kind of undead.”

Aidan ran his tongue over his fangs, feeling their sharpness. He took a breath to speak, suddenly aware all over again that he wasn’t breathing normally. “I don’t exactly like it either.” He reached out and took her hand in his. For the barest second she flinched away from his touch, and he felt as though he’d been stabbed in the heart. It may not be beating just now, he thought, but it can still feel. “Flame… you know I would never hurt you, no matter what.”

“I know,” she said, and consciously made the effort to relax. “I just can’t help but worry. What if it changes you? What if you become like other vampires? I mean I know Lavasida is an honorable man in his own way… but he’s hard, Aidan. He’s cold-blooded and inhuman. I couldn’t stand to see you like that.”

Aidan sighed, closing his eyes and trying not to think about it. Flame had just voiced exactly what he’d been afraid of and exactly what he’d been trying not to think about. “I won’t. Maybe if it was just me I might,” he said. “But it isn’t just me. I have you. So long as you’re with me I could never become cold. You’re my Flame, you’ll keep me warm,” he added with an impish smile.

Flame Song smiled back and squeezed his hand gently. “I guess you’re right.” Aidan gently caressed her hand, running his fingers over her smooth skin. She sighed softly and relaxed further, letting out a sigh of released tension. He smiled and leaned in toward her, resting his raven-haired head on her shoulder. Flame was taller than he by two inches. Not a really significant difference, but enough that it was more comfortable for him to rest his head on her shoulder rather than the other way around. He could recall a time when that had seemed odd, but now it was just the way things were. They leaned together comfortably until Flame let out a yawn.

“Tired?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I’m afraid we’re short on bedding, but if I’ll do as a pillow, feel free to go to sleep. I don’t think I’ll be able to fall asleep tonight.”

Flame Song smiled and laid her head in Aidan’s lap, and moments later she was snoring softly. Aidan smiled down at her, remembering all over again how much he loved her. He could never get over the fact that she’d wanted to marry him. Even after more than three years it still seemed like a miracle. He gently stoked her fire-orange hair. He could hear her soft breathing as she slipped deeper into sleep. He could hear too the gentle rhythm of her heart, as clearly as if he’d had a stethoscope to her chest, could see the faint pulse in her neck, and even smell the scent of her blood… No! He broke off his gaze, a shudder going through him. He forced down the sudden surge of hunger that swept over him, clenching his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut as he tried to block out sound, sight, and scent. I must do nothing to harm her! Nothing!

He opened his eyes and stared up at the cool, distant stars for a long time. I have to keep this under control, he told himself. Maybe I can talk to Lavasida. He’s been a vampire for who knows how long. He’s sure to be able to help me control myself. I’m sure we’ll find the shard in just a day or two, and then we can leave here and I’ll be back to my normal self. I hope…

A sound from out of the darkness cut through the soft sounds of Flame Song’s soft snoring, and he quickly identified the approaching noise as two sets of feet. Lon and Lavasida returning, I hope. A few moments later the approaching pair emerged into the firelight and Aidan saw that they were indeed the missing Clan members. They weren’t quite alone, however. Lavasida was carrying a young boy in his arms.

Brianna sat up from where she’d been lying by the fire. “What’s this?” she asked.

“Er…” said Lon, eloquent as usual. He’d turned humanoid again, but was still hairy. I think if he hadn’t been covered in fur, he’d have been beet red.

“Your beloved cleric has yet again distinguished himself, Brianna. He has managed to scare this child nearly to death. By the time I caught up with him he’d knocked the boy down. To give him credit I doubt he intended any harm, but the child was so terrified he fainted on the spot.”

Brianna rolled her eyes. “Oh Lon. Why on earth did you run off in the first place?”

“I couldn’t help myself,” the embarrassed wolfman admitted. “Something about the moon… I mean I’ve been half werewolf all my life, but now I have a feeling I’m the real thing, and I just couldn’t resist it. I had to run! I really didn’t mean to scare the boy.”

“Well, what’s done is done. I suppose we’ll just have to deal with it. Lavasida, put the boy down over here. We’ll see if Lon can redeem himself a bit and revive the child. And perhaps…” she looked around for a moment before her gaze settled on Flame Song, who’d been woken by all the commotion. “Perhaps a more normal-looking person than myself should be the one to speak to the boy when he awakes.”

Flame Song nodded and went over to the boy. Lon, still looking somewhat sheepish, knelt down next to him and put his large, furry hands on the boy’s head. He closed his eyes, summoning his clerical power. A few moments later the boy’s eyes fluttered. Lon quickly backed away from the boy. When his eyes opened all the way, all he saw at first was Flame. She smiled at him. “Are you all right?”

“I… Where is the devil-wolf?”

“He’ll not harm you. Don’t worry. What is your name?”

“Michael. Who are you?”

“My name if Flame Song, odd as that may sound. I’m a stranger here. I apologize for the man who scared you. He didn’t mean to.”

“But he was a devil-wolf! One of the were-folk demons! They are evil!”

“Things aren’t always as they seem, Michael. Lon, the wolf who frightened you, is also the cleric who woke you. He’s a good man.”

“A devil-wolf who is a cleric? Then you must be the strangers my grandmother sent me to find. She said there were strangers, new-come to Spectoria, though how that could be, as there is nowhere else to come from, I don’t know. But she told me I would know them because they would be as angels who wear demons’ forms, evil-seeming without and good within. Are you them?”

“I suppose we could be. We are certainly strangers here. Though how your grandmother could have known about us on the same night we arrived I have no idea.”

“Grandma knows nearly everything. She is our wise woman.”

“I see. Do you trust her then?” said Flame.

“Of course!” replied the boy.

“Then don’t fear. Sit up and take a look around.”

The boy sat up slowly, his eyes going wide as he looked at the group gathered around him. Two vampires, a werewolf, a zombie, and a goblin looked back at him. He looked for a moment like he was bout to bolt, or maybe to faint again, but he calmed himself and got to his feet. “I am to tell the leader of the strangers that her quest will not succeed without aid. She needs my grandmother to tell her how to find what she seeks.”

“Thank you for the message,” said Brianna. “I don’t doubt it, since the tracking amulet doesn’t seem to be working. I take it you’re supposed to lead us to your grandmother?”

“Yes.”

“We’ll go in the morning then.”