Helen stared into the flames at the hunter that was in the circle of fire. Her eyes flickered to the side, where she saw a human standing near the lake and then a werewolf picking her up and going back into the flames.

"Was that all they wanted?" she asked, still staring at the flames. "To get the human away from us?" A laugh escaped from her mouth. What a big show for a simple human's life.

"I doubt that they will attack us, Siegfried," Helen said as she stepped away from the water. "It seems that they're more afraid of us than we are of them."

A voice rang in her ear's. Alana. 'At the lake,' she replied in her mind. 'We're fine, just having ourselves a little bit of entertainment.'

* Josh quickly brought the girl back into the ring of fire, where the (he now realized) vampire hunter was there waiting for him. He grabbed her by the shoulders and glared right into her eyes. *

"Are you insane!? We are one werewolf, one hunter, and a regular human versus the entire vampires' main base of operations!! Even if we had a hundred werewolves with us we wouldn't win this fight. This is not a time for a frontal assault this is a time to run. I'll take you back to our camp, the Alpha can explain more." *he smiles* "We have a plan."

Holly almost laughed at his explination on why they had to run but followed him running as fast a she could back to his camp. She hoped werewolfs were nice, and wouldn't eat her. She wondered then tripped and fell flat on her face. "Owww!" She said and stood up running to catch up with the werewolf. She felt pain going up her arm and saw a huge cut on her arm. "Crap!" She yelled and covered her arm.

* Josh looked back and saw she had fallen and hurt herself. He cursed his own stupidity, obviously he couldn't expect a pair of humans to keep up with him, even in his own human form. He stopped. *

"Alright, listen, I'm going to change into the largest wolf form I can manage. I need both of you to get on my back and hold on tight. Don't let go for any reason, okay?"

* Josh changed slowly, becoming a large muscular wolf about the size of a lion with long fur that would be easy to hold on to. *

Alana continued down the path even though she had heard the message sent by Helen. SHe wanted to be sure. She smelled human blood in the air and stopped. She had not eaten much and wondered if she could control herself. She decided to keep going. She paused as she saw a werewolf with two humans. SHe stayed still hoping not to be noticed by them. She watched as the werewolf spoke to the humans and wondered what those humans had that the werewolf was willing to risk his life to save them.

Holly got onto his back looking around her. She thought she saw something in the woods but didn't say anything. As her and the other girl go onto the wolf he began to run so it didn't matter anyway. Holly held on tight to him so she wouldnt fall off. He was moving really fast, looking around her she couldnt see anything because of how fast they were going. She also couldnt speak because of tho wind that blew into her lungs when she opened her mouth. She hoped they would be there soon she was getting a little dizzy.

* Josh ran as fast as he could, taking twists and turns through the woods to make himself harder to track. He knew that no vampire could catch up to him in a dead run, but werewolf scent was strong and lingered long, and if he wasn't careful he might lead the vampires straight to their main camp. Luckily all werewolves of the pack were trained never to go straight back to the camp, but to take long winding detours and to always stop in the village for a night in human form to lose their scent among all the smells there before going back to the camp. Josh wended his way through the woods, gradually getting closer to the village. *

Holly saw the village in front of her and wondered why they were going her. As the arived the werewolf slowed down a bit. "Um why are we here?" Holly asked him. She hadn't planned to be back here. Holly wasn't going to go back to her house and risk seeing anyone she new it wasnt worth it. Holly wasn't going to live here and just let vampires come and go as they pleased it wasnt right. They shouldn't be alive. Something had to be done.

* Josh stopped just outside the village, then changed into human form after letting the two girls dismount. *

"Vampires have very keen senses of smell, and both humans and werewolves leave distinct scent trails, especially werewolves. If we spend a night walking around the village, our trail will be lost in the quagmire of scents and smells that accompany any human village. We'll stay at an inn tonight and make for the werewolf camp tomorrow morning. Come on, I know just the place."

* Josh leads the two girls to an Inn he knows about where they always make sure to have one room free for any werewolves who need to lose their scent. The Inn has an attached bakery, and the strong smells of cakes and breads and baking pastries saturate the Inn and waft out for many blocks in every direction. Anyone who even walks past the Inn has the scent of the bakery stuck to them for hours; any scent trail that enters this area is pretty well lost for good. *

Alana wondered what her friend Stephanie was up to. She took off to the villiage.

"Im going to stephanies" She told Helen telepathically.

She got inside the city gates and walked over to her friends cottage. She knocked on the doory.

"Hey Alana" Stephanie said giving her a hug. "What are you doing here?"

ALana smiled "Sorry steph I just needed to get away from everyone. I am gonna get in so much trouble for what happened earlier."

Stephanie grinned "Theres a caravan that just arrived. You wanna go see if there doing anything fun? Maybe get a drink at the inn?"

Alana grinned "you know I dont drink. Not inn drink anyways."

The took off to the caravan. There were flame throwers and jugglers and lots of fun to be had.

* Josh walks up to the Innkeeper. *

"Hey, I'd like a room, and could you knock a piece of silver off the price?" (that's a code werewolves use to let the Innkeeper know they are using the room to mask their scent and will be leaving early in the morning)

* The Innkeeper nods, Josh tosses some coins onto the counter, then turns to the two girls. *

"Stay here and whatever you do don't leave the Inn. Buy some pastries, go see the room, but for Luna's sake stay here. I'm going to drop in on an old friend of mine who lives near here, I'll be back in an hour or so. Definitely get some sleep tonight; we're leaving before dawn."

* Before either of them can say anything he turns around and walks out the door. *

Holly didn't move when he walked out the door. She watched him go wondering why he was in such a rush. Holly left the other girl and walked into the bakery. She sat down and had a cup of tea, having a flash back of what she saw earlier. She sat there getting anoyed that they hadn't killed the vampire and also getting really sleepy. Holly looked at the cup of tea and wondered if it had something in it. She shrugged and had another sip of it. Before long holly fell asleep in the booth she was sitting in.

Alana and stephanie walked into the inn and sat down. Stephanie ordered a drink and immediatly began to flirt with a nearby guy. He wasent interested in her as he was busy staring at Alana. Her beuitful complexion always did a good job of catching a guys eye. She ignored him as she smelt something odd. She was sure she could smell a wolf. She wasnet sure what to do. SHe noticed the two girls she saw earlier. Could that wolf be here to? She wasent sure what to do. She didnt want to leave. But she didnt want a fight either.

Holly woke up and looked at her cup of tea. "I just must be tired" she wispered. Holly stood up and threw out her napkin. She turned around an notice the vampire. The vampire was siting at a table with another boy and a girl who Holly didn't know. Holly wanted to talk to her but didn't want to get eated. She walked over to the vampires table and wispered in her ear "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Siegfried sneered and dusted himself off. What a life. "Suddenly I don't feel like perpetuating this walk any longer. What do you say we head back to the Castle and worry about killing those three later?" He sloshed moodily out of the lake, feeling his senses settle back into their normal frequency. Siegfried in general didn't like getting his hands dirty - he preferred his kills to be quick and stylish. Encounters where no one got killed made him grumpy.

The sun was beginning to set now. It would be night soon, and then Siegfried would feel more at ease. He liked the world better when it was dark. Right now, however, he was feeling like he needed to change his boots. He glanced at Helen's dress, noticing how the wet hem was dragging in the mud. "Is your dress alright? I hope it wasn't ruined." The dress was very beautiful - Siegfried wondered how Helen had come upon it. The village nearby was prosperous, but there was certainly no tailor with that sort of skill.

* Josh walks about a block down the street and knocks on the door of an old friend. *

"Hey Valdac, are you in?"

Alana looked at the girl who had asked to talk to her with a start. She excused herself from Stephanie and walked with her into a corner.

"May I help you?" She asked wondering what this human could want with her. Maybe its just how humans were. She tried to see the werewolf but she couldnt find him anywere and his scent was fading fast. He must have left already she thought to herself.

"I don't think you should be coming here anymore." Holly stated to her. "Not after what happened before." It bugged Holly that the vampire walked right back in here. Holly knew what she'd seen and wasn't going to let it go. She also new that something had to be done.

Alana frowned so she was the one who had seen that. She sent a message to Helen.

"I found the girl What do you want me to do with her?"

She was afraid of the consiquences of her actions but she wasent going to sit here and be blackmailed by some chick just because she thinks she knows what shes talking about.

"Its none of your buisness what I do. Go play with you doggy little girl. You dont know anything about me."

SHe pushed her against the wall.

"And dont presume to try to blackmail me. If I wanted to I could kill you right here and right now. But good thing for you I dont eat humans."

Opening the door, Valdac smiles. "Josh, good to see you. Come in, come in." he says as he takes a step back, opening the door wider for his friend to come in. Stretching his arm out towards an old but comfy looking couch, he silently offers a seat to his company. "Would you like something to drink?" he asks while closing the door. Walking to a window he pulls back the wooden shutters to let in some light.

*Josh walks in* "Sure, just some water would be great, thanks." *Josh takes a seat and looks around, making himself comfortable. It's been a while since he'd last visited; at least a month.*

Holly was going to run again but there was no point. The vampires would always find her. The vampire pushed her up against the wall, and spoke. "Thank you? I think." Holly said quietly. Then almost as an instinct she knew she was going to be getting back to the vampire castle sometime soon. Why not make it the easy way. "Sorry. Why don't we sit down and wait, I know you have someone else coming." Holly said. Knowing that even if the werewolf popped in right now nothing could be done. "Yes I Holly will not fight you." Holly said clearly. She wiggled a little not liking how close the vampire was.

Grabbing a small metal cup off of a counter, he fills it with cold, clear water from a basin. Handing it to his friend, Valdac sits across from Josh in the adjacent corner, and crosses his legs. Smiling lightly, he asks, "How have you been? It's been almost a month since we have last spoke." He looks over Josh slowly, his yellowish eyes glowing faintly in the dim corner.

"I've been doing alright, just, you know, hunting for the pack..." *Josh leans forward and sighs.* "I know you don't want to hear this, but you really should think about coming back."

"That sounds good," Helen replied to Siegfried. The strange encounter with the werewolf, hunter and human had her a little frazzled. Being inside the walls of the castle was a huge comfort for her. And, there were humans inside of the castle. Later, maybe she would have someone spare her some of their blood.

The crimson haired vampire took a step forward after she heard Siegfried's question about her dress and looked at the hem. Mud was sticking to the fabric, which was silk, so it was probably permanately stained. She glanced at Siegfried's boots and saw that he might want to change as well.

"Oh, it's fine," Helen said and she looked into his eyes and smiled. "I have plenty more dresses just as beautiful." The dress would be easy to replace. And it only took Helen a day to create a new gown. So, yes, Helen had many, many dresses.

Her eyes flickered to the castle and then she heard Alana's voice in her head. 'Kill the human,' she replied immediately back. Alana could handle one human easily. Her face remained serious as she looked to Siegfried. "Alana found the other human," she said. "I think she can take care of her." And by take care of her, Helen meant kill her.