They returned home from their visit to Snowcap, and during the journey Aidan kept thinking about Asmodeus and the note. He could ignore it, of course. Corinne was probably right in thinking it was some kind of trap. And yet… if he didn’t go and face the demon he would spend the rest of his life being hunted by the demon’s mortal followers. He would have to keep killing, and not only that, eventually one of them might get lucky and actually manage to kill him. He didn’t value his own life that much, but he had his family to think of. By the time they reached their home he’d come to his decision. He would go.

Sitting by the fire after the children had gone to bed Aidan told Flame Song what he’d decided. She looked at him with an expression of worry and concern on her face. “Are you sure?”

“I have to take care of this, Flame. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life dodging Asmodeus’ henchmen.”

“I’ll come with you then. I don’t want you to do this alone.”

Aidan shook his head. “No. He’d just kill you, Flame. He’d kill anyone who came with me. I have to go alone.”

Flame Song sighed. “I suppose you’re right. But I don’t like it. I’m afraid I’ll lose you.” She put her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Aidan looked into Flame Song’s emerald eyes and saw a tear spill down her cheek. He reached out and gently wiped it away.

“Here now, don’t cry Flame. I’m not planning on dying, believe me. I intend to deal with this nuisance and come back and live a peaceful happily-ever-after with you.” He wrapped his own arms around her, and folded his wings around as well, encircling them both in soft white feathers. He stroked her hair gently as she blinked the tears out of her eyes. Then he kissed her, telling her without words that he loved her and he always would.

They were silent then as they spoke in a language of gentle kisses of soft caresses, reaffirming their love for each other. Aidan’s kisses moved down to her throat and his lips hovered over the spot at the base of her neck where her pulse pounded close to the surface. A shiver of pleasant anticipation went through Flame Song as Aidan drew his sharp eyeteeth gently, tantalizingly, across her skin. Then he broke through to taste the salty-sweetness of her blood.

Aidan was enveloped in a rush of sensation. The taste of his wife’s blood was heady, intoxicating. It sent him soaring to a high the likes of which he’d never known as an ordinary mortal. The blood-bond that formed between them allowed Flame to feel his pleasure, and she too was lifted with him to a dizzy peak of emotion. Their hearts were linked in a profound union, and each knew the true depth of the other’s love.

No matter what problems they might face, neither could doubt their love. They had shared this union many times. It had little to do with Aidan’s need for sustenance, he satisfied his purely nutritional needs with animal blood in greater quantity than Flame Song could provide. This sharing of blood was an act of love as profound, if not more so, as the more ordinary physical union they also shared.

Aidan didn’t want to take too much from Flame, so eventually he had to break things off. He kissed away the thin trickle of blood that ran from the two little marks he’d made. Flame Song sighed and lay back, resting her head on the cushions that lay scattered in front of the fire. Aidan lay next to her, his arm resting across her stomach, his head tucked under her chin. He closed his eyes and let a deep, dreamless sleep steal over him.

When he awoke the next evening he started preparing for his journey. He examined the crude map again. It showed the way to a hidden cavern with a starting point marked “Aerievale.” The high peaks that surrounded the aerian city were honeycombed with caves. Aidan had explored a few of them when he’d lived in the city. At least I’ll be on somewhat familiar ground, he told himself.

He didn’t have much to pack. He needed no food, he could find what sustenance he required along the way. He put on his sun medallion that allowed him to go out in daylight unharmed, put one set of lock picks in his pocket, hid several more in various places, belted on his two long daggers, added boot daggers, three different hidden daggers, and was done.

Saying goodbye was the hardest part. He hugged Ariana, saying, “You’re the oldest, you’ll have to take care of everyone else while I’m gone.” Then he gave each of the twins a hug. “Dart, be good for your mother. Flare, looks like you and Dart are the men of the house now. Think you can handle it?” The solemn little phoenix child nodded and his impish brother’s customary mischief was missing as he hugged his father tight. They all sensed their parents’ fear: that their father might never return. Lastly Aidan hugged Shadowfire. He held the little aerian girl for a long time. She was only two, but already she and Aidan had a special closeness. Finally he gave Flame Song one last kiss and stepped out the door. He didn’t look back, knowing that if he did he might not be able to go after all.

The long flight was at once far too long and all too short. Aidan wanted to get this over with and yet he knew that he might be going to his death. He did not, however, go straight to Aerievale. He took a small side trip to Queen Tara’s tower. He hadn’t been there in a long time, but he knew that his friends would still be willing to help him, no matter how many years had passed.