Chapter 2 -Frozen Rescue
The evening sun was setting, but it was so hard to tell with the thick cloud cover. It was more like the lights being dimmed than an actual sunset. The girl’s thoughts were on the sun. If she was a vampire now, would sunlight kill her one day? Other than her own set of fangs growing in her mouth, and her wounds healing that night, she hasn't noticed any change. Even her torn arm still hung limply by her side, it had never healed. A bush laden with snow quivered before her. She froze. Something told her it was more than wildlife.
"I can defend myself!" She proclaimed into the evening air. Her voice sounded strange after not using it for so long.
A quick bark sounded in response as an enormous silver wolf leapt from the bush. The girl gasped in awe and fear. His shoulder stood about even with her waist, and its head was even to her shoulder. She knew wolves were big, but were they normally this large?
"Nice boy," she said soothingly, hoping it was a boy. "I'm not going to bother you, so could you leave me alone, please?"
The wolf waged his tail slightly as he whined and approached the girl. He sniffed the dried blood on her hoodie, and then looked up into her face.
"Are you friendly? Can I pet you?" the girl asked as she reached out her right hand.
The wolf nuzzled her hand, moving it to a spot right behind his ear. Giggling, the girl started to scratch. His fur was soft and warm. She hadn't noticed how cold or how white she was until she saw the contrast of her hand in his fur. She stopped scratching and looked at her hand with sad realization. She did not regret what she did, it was the only way to save her life, but this would stay with her for not just one life time, but for many life times.
The wolf tilted his head to one side as he studied her face. She gave a weak smile. She knew wolves were smart and dogs could sense emotion. Could wolves sense emotion? Maybe that was why he hadn't attacked; he knew she wasn't really going to hurt him. He lifted his head up and gave her a quick lick on the cheek. The girl giggled as his warm breath and tongue felt nice. What she hadn't expected was that he would bark again and jump up on his hide legs, landing his front on her shoulders. Her one shoulder could not bear the weight and she screamed in pain as they both fell back against an ancient oak tree. The wolf whimpered in concern as he licked her about the face. The sound of quaking snow made them both look up. The branches were covered in feet of thick, heavy snow, and it was about to fall. There was not time to move as it plummeted down to earth. Grabbing the girl’s hood, the wolf pulled her to the ground and lay on top of her as the snow buried them. All the girl could do was cry. She still hurt, she was hungry and cold. Even with the large wolf protecting her, she still felt cold. The plummeting snow sending waves and more waves of unrelenting pain into her torn limb. Could anyone save her? As she thought these sad thoughts, her weariness, and the cold over took her and lulled her back into a dark, dreamless, sleep once more.
The wolf whined and licked and licked the girl trying to wake her back up, but it would not work. He tried to stand up and shake the snow from them. He could not. It was too heavy and too thick. He wasn't strong enough right now to free them. It would be a few weeks before he would be strong enough. The darkest night had just been the day before this. Would the child survive for that long? Monsters of blood had attacked her and perhaps that would help lengthen her life. All he could do was curl around her and try to keep her warm. Every once and while she would cough and he thought she would wake up, but she didn't. What had happened to this small pup?
The wolf woke up from his nap. The girl was still breathing, barley. A scrapping noise had woken him up. He had hoped it was the little pup next to him trying to dig out. Now he could hear voices, voices of man as well as the aura of power and age. More blood monsters! What did these murders want with this pup? It did not matter; they would not have her. He would die before they hurt her. Gently freeing himself from the girl, he readied himself to lunge out and attack.
"Are you sure you want to do this old man?" a woman’s voice said lazily. "I smell wolf."
The other voice sounded annoyed and short of breath, as if he was the only one digging in the snow. "I told you; I heard a young one."
The wall of snow was thin now, launching himself forward the wolf barked, snarled, and gnashed his teeth at the two strangers. Attempting to project his thoughts he proclaimed, *I smell blood suckers! *
The one closest to the hole pulled back just in time. The wolf's fangs missed him by only inches. He did not look angry, just concerned.
"Nobel wolf, we mean no harm," The vampire's thoughts said as they entered the wolf's mind as well as they came aloud from his mouth. "We only wish to help the young one."
*She does not want your help! * The wolf snarled back.
"She is not your kin. She is ours. She will die soon if we do not help."
*She would have no need of your help if your kin hat left her alone to start with! *
The woman had leapt over the snow bank and landed a firm foot on the wolf's head, pinning him to the ground as he yelled with his thoughts and words, "Hey, you flea bitten mutt, let us help the kid or else!"
*Over my dead body you murdering, bloodsucking, monster! *
The man was standing now and glaring at the woman. With words only he scolded saying, "You're not helping!"
"What else do you call stomping on a werewolf's head if it's not helping?" the woman asked with feigned innocence.
While the monsters were squabbling, the young girl started to cough again. Turning back to investigate the snow den, the wolf whined with worry. *Fine, you may have her as long as you save her life. *
"We will try our hardest. You may even accompany us if you wish to ensure her wellbeing." The man offered.
"WHAT!?" the woman yelped in distress and shock.
*I was whether you offered or not. I will not abandoning this young pup in the hands of unknown monsters. * The wolf stated somberly as he crawled out of the snow so the vampires could retrieve the girl.
Cradling her gently in his arms, the vampire looked her over with concern. He could see the dried blood on her neck, indicating she was freshly bitten. It was her deathly white skin that concerned him, and her cold feel. In his arms she should still have looked rosy and felt warm.
"She's already so cold and white," he announced to his companion.
"She kind of looks like I did a while back, doesn’t she? I'm sure she'll come out of it," she responded with a smile as she looked at the girl. The child had a soft shade of brown hair with golden highlights to it in the half-moon light. True the child was white, but the woman imagined the child look a lot better once rested up and warm. The child’s face was round and very girlish, looking no older than thirteen or fourteen.
The male vampire looked up at his companion with concern, "I really don't wish to give her my blood. She's too young."
"Better yours than mine, I think. I am technically older than you, Fenris. Once shouldn't hurt her. It’ll be worse if we wait. Hear how slow her heart is already?”
"I suppose you're right, Marith, but I still don't like it," the one who had been called Fenris grumbled as he raised a wrist up to his mouth to bite open the skin. Once he had he placed his bleeding wrist on the girl’s lips.
Almost instantly she snapped awake with a red tint to her blue eyes as she bit and grabbed ahold of his arm. He held her gently as she took a few big mouthfuls of his blood. After those few gulps the girl’s mind began to really wake up and realize what she was doing. Spitting out the blood in her mouth, she pulled away and scooted back a couple of feet from the strangers. Using the sleeve of her hoodie she wiped the remaining blood from her mouth, whimpering the word, icky, and trembling from head to toe.
The woman, who had been called Marith, draped herself on the wolf's large head and chuckled. "It sure didn't seem icky the way you were lapping it up kid."
The girl starred at her with awe. She was about the most intimidating woman she’d ever seen. She had fair skin, silvery almost purple grey eyes, and wavy golden hair that she had braided back into intricate braids, letting the loose strands hang about her beautiful face. She wore leather and furs that looked expensive, yet still rugged. Like some kind of snowy goddess warrior form a Viking tale or something. Maybe even an artic dragon slayer.
"Please don't feed her ego. It's unbearable enough as it is." Fenris stated. The girl looked at him, guilty she had been drinking his blood. He was just a bit older looking than Viking goddess, but looked paler and had freckles splattered all over his skin. They looked like they had coordinated their outfits together because he was also dressed in furs and leather. Only his hair wasn’t braided, but pulled back in a low pony tail and left to lay down his back like a fountain of fire. Calculated and serious dark blue eyes watched the girl, bit she could see a kindness behind them that make her feel safe. Feel that she could trust him.
"What ego?" Marith demanded indignantly as he pushed the wolf down into the snow as she pushed herself up.
Blushing, the girl apologized, "Sorry that was supposed to... be... in my head." It had been in her head; she knew it was. There was only one reason he could sit there so calmly after getting his blood drank and hear her thoughts. Jumping to her feet she backed herself up against a tree, really trembling now, "You're vampires! Please stay away, I didn't do anything!"
Fenris gave her a sympathetic look as he gently said, "Settle down young one, we don't wish you any harm."
As the wolf sat back up, Marith lounged on him again, asking playfully, "What is it you supposedly didn't do?"
"Stay out of it, you'll only frighten the child more!" Fenris snapped at his companion.
"Please," the girl whimpered with tears in her eyes, "Please leave me alone. I didn't want to hurt anyone!" as she spoke what little color had come back to her face drained out. She swayed a moment, and then collapsed into the snow unconscious once again.
The wolf wiggled his way free of the lazy vampire hanging off him to rush over to the girl’s side. Licking and trying to nudge her back into conciseness.
Lying in the snow herself, Marith groused, "Now she's covered in more snow."
"Come, we need to get her home where its warm." Fenris said as he picked up the girl and started to walk away.