“Gather around my fire, travelers from afar. Be still and hear what I have to tell you. I will not tell it again. I know of your quest, and I know what you must know in order to succeed. First you must know this. Magic in this world is not quite like magic in the world from whence you come. Fear not, for the traveling spell that will send you on shall succeed, but the spell you bear to track that which you seek shall not. The shard you seek, however, is known to me. Several days ago it fell to the earth. Baron Almaric, lord of this land, holds it now.

“He is not an evil man, but neither is he a good one. He thinks first of his own land and people. He will not aid strangers without a price. But the price you pay to the Baron shall be the least of your losses. There is another from your world here. The vampire Drago has followed you, come from his castle in the shadow realm. Your fellows who set out to seek it have been trapped therein. Already one has been lost. Others may yet follow, but know this. If you seek Drago’s castle to rescue your friends, he will find the shard before you and your quest shall fail. You shall be trapped here, unable to move on to the second world or return to your home.

“Spectoria where you stand is a dark land. Here Drago’s power is great. You must not face him now. He will follow you again to the next land you visit, and there your power will be great and your allies many. This all I see ahead for you. Perhaps it is not beyond changing, but the means to change this fate are beyond my sight.”

She stopped then and looked over the strange group gathered before her. “Have you aught you would ask me?”

“Please,” said Brianna, her violet eyes shining with pain, “is there no way we can save our friends? We can’t just leave them in Drago’s hands.”

“I said not that you couldn’t save them. I said only that in this world you will of a surety lose. Hurry in your quest and you will yet be able to save those who remain. The second world you must visit is not a place of dark magic as is this place.”

Brianna bowed her head, accepting.

“How do we know,” said Lavasida, “that we can trust you? You’re a stranger to us.”

The old woman smiled. “Ah. You are one how knows much of betrayal, and you are right to distrust. I ask then that you prove my words. I have told you where the shard lies. Go, speak with the baron. If all is as I’ve said then you’ll know I speak true.”

Lavasida didn’t look satisfied, but he nodded curt acceptance of the gypsy’s words.

“I’ll do this for you as well. You will need to travel for two days to reach Baron Almaric’s castle. To speed your journey so that you may go by daylight I’ll lend you one of our wagons. Once you reach the castle you will not easily be allowed inside, particularly looking as you do. But the Baron is holding a costume ball on All Hallows Eve, three days hence.” The old woman smiled, her face wrinkling merrily. “On that night your odd appearance will not draw comment, save perhaps admiration for the quality of your costumes.

“Now, you may rest here while we prepare the wagon. I will send a driver along as well to return the wagon when you are finished with it. By the time the sun rises all will be ready.”

“Thank you,” said Brianna softly. “I wish you hadn’t had so much bad news to tell us, but thank you for your help.”

The others remained gathered around the fire, but Aidan got up and made his way out of the circle of wagons. Flame rose and followed him. “Are you alright?”

With a heavy sigh he sat down at the base of a huge oak. “I guess. I just… I’m not adjusting to this vampire thing very well. The whole time that old gypsy kept talking it was all I could do to keep my attention on her. Somebody in the camp is injured, bleeding, and I can smell it. I’m hungry in a way I’ve never been before. It’s getting harder and harder to ignore. I just had to get away from it.”

Flame Song sat down next to him and took his hand. “I hope you don’t mind if I keep you company.”

Aidan closed his eyes. “I… I’m afraid I do mind. It’s not really you, but… so long as you’re here I can still smell it. Do you understand?” He looked at her pleadingly. “I can smell your blood! I can hear your heartbeat! There’s just no escaping it, no way to fight it.”

Flame looked at Aidan silently for a long time. Then she took a deep breath and said softly, “Maybe you shouldn’t fight it.”

“What?!”

“Look Aidan. We’ve been here for less than two days now, right? And you’re already having problems. We need at least three more days, if this gypsy is right. Are you going to be able to hold out that long? And what if it takes longer? What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know! But I can’t just go out and find some victim.”

“But you have to do something. What happens if you lost control and just attack somebody? You might kill them.”

“Well, what are you suggesting?” said Aidan, frustration in his voice.

“Haven’t you told me that people on your Earth give blood to those who are injured? It wouldn’t hurt me to give you a little bit of blood. Surely you don’t need that much?”

Aidan was horrified. He couldn’t… couldn’t drink his wife’s blood! The very thought was repulsive. “No! I won’t let you!”

“What then? You’ll wait until you can’t control yourself and end up killing some innocent?”

“That’s exactly why I can’t do this! What if I kill you?”

“You won’t Aidan. I know you. I trust you. And I trust our love. I know you won’t hurt me. And I can’t see any other way. It’s this now, or someone’s death later.”

“I just can’t. If I hurt you, I couldn’t live with myself.” His tone was pleading as he tried to convince her. She surely didn’t know what she was offering. To donate blood in a blood drive was one thing, but this!

Flame Song suddenly smiled. “But you wouldn’t have to live with yourself. You’re already dead.”

Aidan sputtered wordlessly. This wasn’t a joking matter! Besides, whispered a little voice in his head, you’re supposed to be the one who makes the jokes. Almost against his will a laugh escaped him. He quickly returned to seriousness, however, at the thought of what Flame was offering him. He looked at her. Too his newly sensitive eyes her face was clear in the dim moonlight that filtered through the trees. He knew to her his face must have been mostly in shadow. An expression of determination marked her features. It was one he’d seen before. She wouldn’t back down easily. And the thing was, he knew she was right. He felt like he was starving already. What would it be like tomorrow? The day after? He couldn’t keep on without risking a total loss of control. And here was Flame Song, offering him the greatest gift she could offer, offering to risk her life for him. He suddenly felt tears gather in his eyes. He hadn’t known vampires could cry. Not trusting himself to speak, he nodded.

Flame nodded, having known she was right all along. “What do I do then?”

“You know as well as I. But I don’t think you need to do anything. Just hold still.”

He put his arms around her, one hand brushing the hair away from her neck. She closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side. He could hear her heartbeat racing, the blood seeming to thunder in his ears. He hesitated, torn between hunger and revulsion. How could he do this? He realized that Flame was trembling and pulled back a bit to look at her. “Flame? Are you sure you want to do this?”

She shivered and spoke with her eyes still closed. “I… I admit it scares me. But yes, I’m sure. I love you, Aidan. I want to do this for you.”

With tears again welling in his eyes Aidan gently bent forward. He kissed the side of her neck softly, whispering “Thank you,” before biting down as gently as he could. She let out an involuntary gasp of pain. I must not hurt her, thought Aidan. I must take the smallest possible amount. And then he swallowed the first drops and all thought left him. It felt like nothing else he’d ever experienced. It was as if he’d swallowed liquid electricity, pure fire. Those were the only terms that fit, but there was nothing unpleasant about the sensation. It reached to the end of every nerve in his body, filling him with an amazing euphoric energy. Each drop strengthened him, filled him with new life, but he gradually became aware that as he grew stronger Flame Song was growing weaker. She sagged limply now in his arms, her breathing fast and shallow and he could feel the energy draining out of her.

He struggled. He didn’t want this incredible euphoria to end. It was so intoxicating, so seductive. Surely he could take just a little bit more? No! No, I must not hurt her. I can’t! The struggle went on for a moment longer and then at last will prevailed over appetite and Aidan drew back. Had it been some other person there instead of his love he might mot have stopped, but the thought of losing her was motivation enough to counter any temptation. He looked down at her where she lay slumped in his arms. Her eyes were closed and her breathing shallow, and for one horrible moment Aidan feared he’d gone too far in spite of all he could do, but then she sighed softly and took a deeper breath, relaxing into a natural sleep. He shifted slightly to rest her head against his shoulder, cradling her gently in his arms. She murmured sleepily and snuggled closer to him. She’s only asleep; thank whatever gods there are in this cursed place. And… the hunger is gone!

He looked down at his wife with a deep sense of gratitude. She had risked her life for him before, but somehow this was different. This was more… intimate, more personal. She’d offered him her own life’s blood. He was hit all over again by how very much he loved her. What would he do without her?