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Chapter 3 – Out of the Snow and into the Coven

The girl kept her eyes close. She felt warm and snug under soft blankets. Her arm still hurt, but she was getting used to the pain. Voices of people arguing in another room drifted through her senses. She almost didn't care. Really, she thought about going back to sleep. She was so tired, and hungry. She couldn't remember the last time she ate something other than grass or tree bark.

A comment was made by a familiar voice, and all the others cried, "Fenris!"

Fenris? Did she really just hear that right? Curious, she sat up and looked around. She could smell the ocean, and see it out large open windows framed by white lacey curtains. The bed she was in was bigger than any bed she had ever seen. Was this what they called a king-sized bed? The room itself looked as big as her apartment in the old house. Lounge chairs, love seats, what looked like a big bathroom and walk in closet all filled the room. Windows covered three of the four walls and beautiful gardens outside filled the air with not only the ocean but of tropical flowers. Flowers, rugs, and art on the walls added to the richness of the room. Where was she? Sliding out of bed and making her way over to the cracked double doors that led out of the room, the girl peeked through to see an even larger sitting room full of people. Catching bits of their conversation she caught on that they were arguing over her and weather it was safe that she was here. She recognized the blond-haired woman sitting in an antique looking chair as the one who had helped her out of the snow. She had changed her cloths to fit the warmer climate. Tight, black, leather pants and a tube top covered by a fishnet shirt. Something like sequins or rhinestones sparkled on the fishnet as she moved. Intricate and wild tattoos covered most of her arms and torso. There was something about the fearsome looking warrior woman that struck as familiar. Tilting her head to one side, there was something about all of them that struck her as familiar.

"You were causing a bit of trouble out there you know," came a voice behind her. Looking around it was the fiery haired vampire that had also found her. "That's usually my job."

Jumping to her feet, the girl looked around for a way to run. They hadn't hurt her yet, but what if they did? She hadn't bothered anybody, so why had they come and found her?

"Hey, let’s just start with good evening silly girl."

Taking a deep breath and trying to gather some courage, the girl squared her shoulders and tried to sound confident. She noticed he was also dressed different. Dark denim jeans covered his legs, and he also wore a tank top. Though his looked shinier, like the material workout shirts are made of. Without all the warm layers covering him the girl could see he was covered in muscle. On his left arm was a tattoo that covered his whole arm that spoke of old magics and wolves. With a small shake of her head, she tried to banish the wild thoughts she had that this might actually be Fenris Dragonheart.

"Where am I? Who are you, what do ya want, and I ain't done anything!" more meekly she mumbled, "Please don't eat me..."

The man chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her. At first, she was scared, but although he was cold as ice, the hug was gentle. Even his smell seemed to calm her. Even before she had been attacked her senses were stronger than that of other people, now they were even stronger. She stopped trembling until he said, "We're not going to hurt you, unless you deserve it."

"Fenris, don't frighten the child!" came the voice of another man. Looking over her shoulder she saw a new person who had come in the room with the big silver wolf that had found her in the woods first. He had shaggy, burnt orange, hair, and dark brown eyes that almost looked black. He also wore eyeliner in a way that made her think of Egypt, with beetle green eyeshadow. Even his long tunic top and brown pants made her think of dessert clothing. Could that be the accent to his words as well? He was paler than the blond, but could he just be an old Egyptian? While the girl studied him, he looked down to the wolf and said, "No, she should be fine now that's she's awake."

The wolf tilted his head to one side and let out a small whine.

"It's not common, but not unheard of either, for young ones to get a fever. Especially if they have had a bit too much rich blood. Young ones can get sick easily not sticking to their age group." the exotic vampire told the wolf.

Taking advantage that no one was really paying attention to her, the girl slipped from Fenris’s grasp and slipped behind the wolf and buried her fingers deep into his fur. Gathering strength from her large companion she glared at the two men as threating as she could and growled, "Back off, I'm warning you lot! I have this wolf trained to maul on my command!" whispering into the wolf's ear she added, "Please play along Wolfie."

The wolf turned his head back and licked the girl on her cheek and thumped his tail a few times.

The girl smiled and stroked the wolf's back before a light flicked on in her head, "Wait, did you really just call that guy Fenris?"

The strange new vampire smiled kindly and nodded, "Yes I did."

"As in the metal star Fenris Dragonheart?" the girl asked excitedly as she bounced back up on her feet.

"Yep."

"Are you really suing the creator of Saga of Thunder and Blood?"

Fenris rolled his eyes. “Yes, I am. Bernard had no right to profit off my life experiences.

The girl’s eye grew even bigger with surprise. “So… You really are a vampire? All that was true?”

“Enough to be irritating.”

The girl turned to the new vampire. “Then are you Dag Grim?”

"Right again, though it’s pronounced Dagrim. Just one G." the man chuckled humorously. "I bet you could guess all of our names because of Bernard’s movies, couldn't you? We could make a game of it!"

Fenris crossed his arms and grumbled, "You're just trying to get Bernard in trouble, Dagrim."

The girl and Dagrim went to the cracked door and peeked out to the room beyond. "Okay, go."

The girl scanned the room again before she started, "Um, the intense looking blonde is most likely Fenris’s old jarl, Marith. The other girl with the long black hair is Orsola. Next to her is Bernard, he played himself in the movies.” Which warranted a humph from Fenris. “I’m pretty sure the guy near Orsola is her husband, Brynjar. Also, there is Narua, Idmu and the twins Rose and Marry, but I just don't see them."

"She knows all of our names Fenris." a new voice sounded from behind the girl. She turned around and saw the one she thought was Brynjar standing behind her and Dagrim. When did he get there?

Realizing this was no time to be frightened if every imaginary vampire, well almost every, was about to come in the room, she smiled and chimed, "Mine is, um, Jade, if that makes you feel any better. My school mates call me Wolfie."

"No." Brynjar stated flatly as he glared at her over his shoulder.

The girl stood up and placed her good hand on her hip, "Well, somebody ate their cranky pants cereal and drank their grumpy juice this morning. Next time try to remember to take your little ray of sun shine vitamins."

Fenris chuckled as Dagrim nudged him and smiled at the girl’s boldness.

“That kid's got guts." Dagrim chuckled back as he rubbed his head.

"And she's a moron." Brynjar added snidely as he turned to face her.

"She is not!" the girl protested indignantly.

"We are vampires and do not eat breakfast or have anything to do with sunshine," Brynjar said as if explaining one plus one to a toddler.

"Oh my gosh!" the girl exclaimed as she made a mind-blowing gesture with her good hand, "I wasn't being literal, it was sarcasm! Who's the moron now?"

Brynjar growled at her, she growled back. Then the wolf stepped up beside her and growled at Brynjar showing his teeth. Immediately the girl stepped in front of the wolf and scratched an ear.

"Hey big fella, we're just playing... I think." With her thoughts she tried to silently tell the wolf that he needed to be careful or the vampires would hurt him.

Looking into the wolf's bright blue eyes she could almost hear him say, *What if they hurt you little one? *

The girl smiled and thought back, *I think that if they were they would have by now. *

Another presence touched her mind as it stated, *You have already learned to get into the thoughts of another? *

*Who was that? * Was she hearing voices now?

The wolf shook his head. *Marith has been in my mind since we met. One precaution to ensure I do not attack and kill any one. *

*Oh, * the girl thought, *I really am talking telepathically? Cool! Hello Marith. *

"It's rude to carry on two conversations at the same time," Brynjar scolded as he continued to glare at her.

She glared back as she thought, *I'm gonna have ta let you go Marith. Yer kid is yelling at me. *

Distracted by everything else she hadn't noticed that Orsola had walked into the room as well. Walking right up to her she demanded something in a language she didn’t understand. Somehow the girl could understand her. She had demanded “How old are you, girl?”

Someone’s mind, the girl suspected Fenris’s, answered Telepathic translation provided by those who understand until you learn.

Pushing back the thought of just how comforting his voice sounded, the girl lifted a few white hairs from her bangs as she sighed, "It really isn't fair, I've had white hair since I was eleven. It's from my grandpa's side of the family. My grandma said everyone on that side greys early."

"That wasn't an answer," Brynjar pointed out grumpily.

The girl stuck her tongue out at him. "Fine, I, uh, am twenty-one."

"Who bit you?" Marith asked as she also entered the room with the rest of the Vampires.

The girl blushed and looked down at the floor. How could she say she had no idea who he was?

"Like I said, she could have killed him," Bernard said as he studied her.

"No, it wasn't like that!" she exclaimed as she looked up at him. "I got lucky was all; it was a fight of life or death."

His look softened as he added, "You're not in trouble. We just want to know who it was."

"I'm really sorry, I don't know. It was just some creeper who attacked me on my back porch. When he first grabbed me, I had the wild idea of some werewolf, vampire, murder, dude, but didn't mean the vampire part." the girl admitted sheepishly as she started to relive the memories of that night. If the wolf hadn't been leaning up against her she would have collapsed. Lately her nightmares were filled with the memories and even her idle day thoughts. No matter how often she relived that night it never got less scary. She almost died, she drank blood, she killed, and she ran away from home. Never would she have a normal life again, if she lived for very long at all.

Marith took a step closer to the girl and held out her hand, "I hadn't realized that was the reason you were holding your arm at such a strange angle. Come here a second and I'll fix it for you."

The girl held her arm and stepped back, "Nuh-uh, you feel upset, you all do... But it's not at me?"

"Of course not, now we have to put that arm back in place before it can heal." Marith tried to coax.

"I'm mad you already killed the guy." Fenris stated darkly, "He deserved a blood eagle. However, fireworks, that's a new one for me, and a tad humorous."

Hiding back behind the wolf she called out, "Ya know my arm feels fine. No one really needs to touch it."

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