Chapter 1 - The Beginning to an End

Knight and his familiar, Arrow, are sent to the mountains of Transylvania, Romania to investigate an increase in Wendigo attacks when things take a turn for the worst.

"I think this whole thing is stupid Arrow . . . It's not something to fight over."  Knight Glory wanted nothing more than to sit next to a fire and sleep.  He and his familiar had been in the mountains for three nights and days, with little, if any sleep.  Pulling his parka tighter around himself, he listened to his familiar and companion, Arrow Reign, lecture him about decisions made before they left the school days before.  He would have tuned him out if his head didn't hurt so badly.
            "Are you even listening to me?" Not really.  Giving a glance at the dark haired man beside him, his lips tilted up slightly.  He looked pissed.  
Knowing the demon's reaction, he was ready when the wrath demon chucked a snow ball at him.  With ease, he dodged the ball of snow, and tried to stifle a laugh.  
            "I'm not going to start a fight with anyone just because someone is running their mouth."   Honestly, there were times when Knight believed he was surrounded by idiots.  A feeling that left little comfort.
            Arrow came to a dead stop and shook his head, his blue and purple eyes blazing with irritation. "So basically, you're saying you could care less."  
Knight rolled his eyes and released a sigh and continued walking. "Are you really that bothered by the fact that I don't?" Unbelievable. 
            Arrow shook his head in disbelief again. "If anyone were to mention anything about the girls, you would kick their teeth in.  If it's about us, you just ignore it." There was a long pause. "That's messed up Knight."
            Knight walked passed Arrow and put his hands in his pockets.  Did the temperature drop again? "We can handle the glares and insults," He rolled his shoulders and held up a hand to silence his familiar's protest. "I'm not saying the girls can't, but that's beside the point.  You and I are males that do pretty sketchy stuff.  Hell Arrow, we kill things for the headmistress.  The fact that people have heard about that doesn't surprise me one bit.   It was bound to happen sooner or later." He sighed again, lifting his shoulders in a shrug. "Just because we've been getting the cold shoulder, doesn't mean we should react with violence."  He looked at Arrow and smiled. "Are you really that bothered by it?" He shook his head slightly, and said, "It's not a big deal, so chill out."
            He heard the wrath click his tongue, saying, "It bothers me because I'm married now, and don't want my kids hearing something about their dad being a crazy mercenary.  Sorry if you don't understand how that would affect me." Arrow pushed up his goggles and glared at him again. "You can't even begin to understand the concept of family, so shut your mouth." 
Okay, now he was trying to piss him off. "I don't understand the concept of family?  You're one to talk Arrow.  Who cares if you're a parent now, it wasn't too long ago that you slept with anything that moved." A*****e.  Glaring at the wrath demon, he continued walking. 
Arrow just shook his head, his dark hair slipping out of his hood. "For someone with such a high IQ, you're quite the idiot." There was a slight pause before the wrath demon smiled and gave an accusing look.  "You still haven't told Jinx how you feel have you?"
             Knight's right eye twitched. "Shut up.  You're making my head hurt." If Arrow didn't shut his mouth within the next five minutes, he was going to kill him.  
If there was one thing he hated more than ghouls, it was headaches.  That constant pounding in his skull irritated the hell out of him.  "Let's just get to the cabin and head back to the academy before I kill you."
            He watched Arrow roll his eyes. "I would looove to see you try."
  It amazed Knight how his familiar could be over a thousand years old, and act like a child.  
Releasing another sigh, Knight closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.  His head was killing him.  So not the highlight of his day.
            "When it comes to women Knight, you have to read into their feeling, more than your own.  They're like flowers that need special care."  He watched Arrow walk past him, his steps swift and smooth. "You can't just tell them how you are feeling with actions.  You need to use words."  
            He rubbed his temples as he followed after Arrow. "Yeah, whatever.  We can talk about his later.  Right now I'm tired and cold." He winced slightly at the growing pain in his skull.  What the hell was making his head hurt so damn bad?
            Knight could feel Arrow's cold gaze on him, but he could really care less about anything other than his pounding skull.  He felt like s**t, and wanted to do nothing more than curl up in his bed and sleep for a few weeks.  Sadly, he had to fill out a report about the recent wendigo population increase in the northern mountains.
Normally, wendigos only hunted in packs of two or three.  Here however, they were in greater numbers, ranging from ten to fifteen.  He and Arrow had struggled dealing with the increased pack numbers.  While the smaller packs weren't organized, the mountain packs were.  They had even observed a pecking order of sorts. 
The monsters were getting smarter.  A dangerous development that could cause enormous problems for the residents of Velvet Moon.
            While thinking about the wendigos, he hadn't realized Arrow had stopped, or that the wrath's normally calm stance was now aggressive.  
Gun ready and hood down, his familiar looked fierce.  And a little too happy.
Looking around Arrow, he felt his pulse pick up, and headache get even worse. 
In front of them stood a large pack of wendigos.  Monstrous in stature, they towered over Knight and Arrow.  Their ash gray skin and manes of white fur were drenched in freshly spilled blood, while their long limbs dragged on the snow covered ground.  The sight of their long, yellow fangs and bloodied mouths, were enough to send chills up his spine.  Their sunken red and gold eyes, stared strait at them.  Unmoving and fierce.   Moving his gaze to the monsters' large and gruesome feet, he cursed and moved his hand to the hilt of his gun.  
At their feet, lay the remains of dismembered werewolves.  Scattered around the wendigos' feet in a bloody mess of disarray.  If it weren't for the furry humanoid limbs, he wouldn't have been able to identify the species of the packs latest victims.
  Moving slowly to stand next to Arrow, he pulled up his goggles, gun held in front of him, and aimed at the closest wendigo. "Don't get killed."
            The wrath's smile widened as he watched a wendigo take a step toward them. "I was going to say the same to you."
Rolling his shoulders, Knight stepped closer to Arrow, as the wrath fired several shots from his gun, he sent a wendigo to the ground with a bone chilling screech.  One down…Nine to go.

                                                 * * *

            Kain Valor watched his master pace back and forth, her expression resembling that of a worried and impatient mother.  "My Lady," he said calmly, "your pacing is driving me insane.  Calm down and sit."
            He had to hold back a smile as she looked at him with those evergreen eyes, glowing with irritation and concern. "You want me calm down?  They've been gone for a week, Kain!" She paced back and forth, one hand rested on her collar bone, while the other cupped her elbow. "How can you sit there as though nothing were wrong?  Aren't you worried?"
            He slowly shook his head, and watched her pace again. "Nothing is wrong.  Therefore, I have no need to worry." Rising to his feet, he stood and looked down at his master with amused eyes.  
At six and a half feet, he towered over most men, and knew everyone thought twice about confronting him with violence.     
Watching her continue to pace, drove him insane.  It amazed him how such a simple action from this women could raddle his senses.  Taking a step toward her, and opening his mouth to speak, she raised her small, pale hand to silence him.
She looked on the verge of tears.  A sight that bothered him severely.  In less than three steps, he was at her side, his hand rested on the small of her back.  "Elara…"
Wiping her tearing eyes with the backs of her hands, she rested her forehead on his chest. "I'm worried Kain.  If anything were to have happened to them…" She shook her head, holding a fisted hand to her chest. 
             Touching his hand to her hair, freeing it from the bun atop her head, he said, "My Lady, do not think the worst.  It breaks my heart to see you so upset.  Mad with worry."
            "I know." She rested her hand on his chest, and looked up at him, her evergreen eyes glistening with new tears. "I know, Kain.  I just-"
            Knowing her where her thoughts were heading, he gently wrapped his arms around her, holding her closer to him.  "My love, don't let your strength falter now." He kissed the top of her head and gently stroked her hair, letting silky strands of her beautiful flame colored hair slip through his fingers. "Be strong Elara.  Don't fret over something we have no knowledge of." 
He heard a small sob escape her, and winced at the sound. "I will go and bring them home." Lifting her head so their eyes met, he kissed her forehead, hoping to calm her if only a little. "So please, do not shed such tears." Gently cradling her face in his hands, he wiped away a tear with his thumb. "I cannot bear to see such pained tears rolling down your cheeks."
            She closed her eyes, making more tears roll down her cheeks, and nodded.  
Unable to speak, she simply wrapped her arms around his neck.  She moved her hands to his dark red hair.  He heard a shuddering breath escape her, breaking his heart and soul.
            Gently running his hand up and down her back, he tried soothing her worry.  Her fear.
            Another tear rolled down her cheek as she said, "Please come home safe.  I couldn't bear to lose you, or Knight."
            Resting his forehead against hers, he smiled slightly and wiped another tear away with his thumb. "I will bring them home, love.  This I promise." He took a step back from her and once again, let the silky strands of her fire red hair slip through his fingers. "We will come home safe and sound." Kissing the tip of her hair before it slipped through his fingers, he made his way to the door.
            "Kain?"
            Turning, he looked at her, and felt his heart squeeze. "Yes?"
            The broken smile she wore clawed painfully at his heart. "Be safe."
            With a swift nod, he opened the door and made his way to his SUV.  
His master was an amazing woman.  One who deserved to finally have a happy ending.  
Pulling the door to his black SUV open, he climbed inside and started the car.  Looking back at their home, he saw Elara standing in the window, protected by the special glass, with tears rolling down her pale cheeks.  
One day, he would give her what she truly wanted, taking away her pain and worries. "Just wait a little longer Elara." One day, he would give her a family. "I will make sure you get what you desire.  Even if I have to fight the gods and mankind in a whole, I will make you happy for the rest of your days."

                                                  * * *

            Yume Volkov stood outside the store, basking in the beautiful sunlight, while Chizu and her boyfriend, Jonghyun, browsed for a present.  
Flipping her dark hair over her shoulder, she continued to ignore the gawking males.  
She couldn't leave the dorm without Kim.  Otherwise, males like the ones drooling over her now, would try to pick her up.  
            Smoothing down her coat, and ignoring the males further, she heard footsteps approaching.  Looking up, she lifted a dark brow as she saw Kain, and his brutal height walking toward her.  Placing her hands on her hips, she smiled slightly. "What brings you to the Shopping District, Kain?  You don't normally come into town." She looked at the bright sky. "Especially on sunny days like this."
            The tall red head looked at her with narrowed blue-green eyes. "I would appreciate it if you would accompany me to the northern mountains this evening, Ms. Volkov."
            She gave him a bemused look and stared at him. "Accompany you to the mountains?" She crossed her arms under her breasts in confusion. "Why would you like me to accompany you to the mountains?  Has something happened with the wendigos?" 
            He looked impatient, a rare sight for the immortal. "That could be a possibility, but the reason I am asking, is because Knight and Arrow have yet to return from an errand Lady Bishop sent them on."
            She lifted her eyebrow once again. "Why would I want to help you find Arrow?  You know full well how much I dislike the wrath demon." She narrowed her own eyes. "And you for that matter."
            He crossed his large arms over his equally large chest, saying, "Because you care too much for the boy he's with, and happen to like the idiot's family."
            Her left eye twitched. "You know how much I detest you right?" The damn cat was irritating.  Knowing everything there was to know about everyone.  Damn cat.
Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she opened the door to the store where her master and companion were. Sighing, she added, "I'll be right back. I have to tell Chizu and Jonghyun to go home without me."
            He made a sound of impertinence, but nodded. "I'll be in the black SUV.  Make it quick."
            Rolling her eyes, she waved in response and entered the building.  So much for her peaceful evening.

Author's Note

Chapter One
I tired not to overly express what everyone looks like, and to leave room for the imagination.