Take a Look Inside:

Chapter 1 

             From the back door, Ladislav exploded to top speed before we rounded the corner of the arena. The blanket cocooned around me, holding me tight against him and blocking the icy wind. The blurry trees and incredible speed disoriented me. I closed my eyes, hunkered down, and held on tight. His smooth movements became a lull, and sleep tempted me. The high speeds distorted time. One second melded with the next, dragging me towards relaxation.

             Suddenly, the lull jerked and shifted slower. The quick change in speed lurched me forward toward his shoulders. The treetops came into focus, and the colder air brushed my face as I peeked out. And then, we stopped. All motion ceased, but my body continued to feel the movements despite them not existing. He untied me and set me down. I wobbled, unable to remain standing. I lowered myself to the dirt trail and braced myself for sickness. The crisp air rushed into my lungs, cooling the rising heat.

             “Oh, gods.”

             The bile crept up my throat, and I wretched. My knees dug into the ground with each heave. My body trembled and shook. His icy hand made slow circles on my back, grounding me. I struggled to adjust to the lack of movement. He handed me a water bottle, and I managed a few difficult sips. The gathering clouds above us released its soft snowflakes. They drifted towards us, threatening a quiet cover.

             “Stopping is always the hard part.”

             Ladislav stood and gave me space. The edge of the cliff side disappeared close to me on my left. To my right was a giant opening into the rock face. Behind me, a narrow trail wound down the mountain. Treetops dressed in blankets of snow stretched to the horizon. Fluffy white clouds dotted the sky. The falling snow clung to every surface not yet already white. The bits of rock peeking through the trail disappeared one flake at a time.

            “Where are we?” I forced a few more sips. 

            “It’s a cave system west of the farmhouse. We are quite a distance away. It was built a long time ago with carved out rooms, and it’s quite cozy.”

            He motioned to the opening. The earth called to me in quick pulses deep within my muscles. The limitless sky begged me to soar on the wings of eagles and claim the sky as my own. My conflicted body was slow to cooperate, but Ladislav’s hand was available by my side to stabilize me. The moonlight only entered a few feet. My eyes adjusted, and I let Ladislav guide me further into the tunnel.

            My steps were small and tentative, but he didn’t mind. He slowed himself to match my speed as he escorted me down a small slope and around a corner to my right. Several more steps into somehow darker shadows, and we turned back to the left. The small hallway seemed never ending until the slope straightened out into a tall, open room. Ladislav let go of my hand, and the disorienting darkness swayed my balance. The snaking entrance blocked the immediate cold, but I shivered, releasing the pent up chill.

            Sparks flickered in front of me. A shower of sparks followed another until the flame caught, and it illuminated his face. His usual stony expression was soft, almost human. He placed the baby flame down into a fireplace type crevice. The light initially dimmed before growing into a blaze. The large room came into focus with three exits on the opposite side of the room from the tunnel we entered. The heat chased the chill from the air. The higher it burned, the warmer the waves it threw out.

            “One way in; one way out.” Ladislav nodded behind me. “Those doorways are rooms.” He motioned toward the others. “I wasn’t sure if you’d have a preference, but I put some of your belongings in the middle one.”

            “Thank you.” I paused. Relief welled up in my chest. “For taking me away from there. For everything you’ve done for me.”

            He stoked the fire, and I let my fingers trail down the dirt and rock walls. They sang under my fingers, but I resisted answering the call. It pulsed within me, begging to be released. It’s not safe. I urged it to keep quiet, to stay hidden. The smoke begged me to follow it up the unknown venting shaft. The water deep below beckoned me to take a quick dip. A deep breath centered me. He poked at the burning embers, breathing more life into it. 

“Lucrezia wasn’t kidding when she said family. She just wasn’t referring to the Consilium. Let me show you around.”

            An enormous smile spread across his face. His demeanor shifted the longer we were away from Wintermoor. His shoulders relaxed, and his normal stoic facade melted into an array of authenticity. He pulled a stick from the wall and dipped it into the fire. It ignited in a hissing fury. He ushered me next to the carved hearth into a small cove. Stacks of firewood were tall and plentiful. He motioned to them as if to say that it speaks for itself. 

We continued around the chamber to the first of the openings. The torch crackled and hissed, illuminating the small room. A plateau type table stood in the center with a filled bookshelf style pantry on the left wall. It reached my height, so I wouldn’t have to climb to grab something.

             “This is the kitchen of sorts. There’s non-perishable food in all the cubbies. It replenishes itself. Also, a high-powered flashlight.”

             His outstretched hand contained a heavy cylinder. Tears filled my eyes to the brim. The thought and care that went into my escape touched me. If there was ever a doubt to his care for me, it dissipated. He loved me as much as a vampire could love a human. Not wanting to spoil the moment by turning on the bright electric light in my hands, I perused with his torchlight.

             I took a stroll around the options. One entire row on the bottom shelf were bottled waters. Then came the canned soups and fruits. To the right of those were granola bars and jars of peanut butter. Crackers and beef jerky were next, and my heart fluttered with appreciation. At the end of the shelves, a small box seemed carved out of the surrounding stone. As I approached it, it was cooler than the rest of the room. 

             “That is a special refrigerator. It doesn’t need electricity. It will always be cold, and nothing inside can perish. Also, it restocks itself.”

             “I can’t thank you enough for this. It’s absolutely perfect.”

             His cold arm wrapped around me and pulled me close. No longer having to hold back my reactions, I released my tears from their dam. They spilled down my face, dragging relief with them. His safe embrace held my gratitude. The weight of oppression from my former prison lifted. Each breath was deeper and easier.

             “Come, we aren’t finished.” 

             His smile creased his eyes, and I wiped my face dry. We left the small dining area and walked to the middle opening. He forced the fire through and lit up my new bedroom. A similar plateau table was up against the wall to the left decorated with my bedding and pillows. The cubbies were on the right side of the room, across from the makeshift bed. Changes of clothes and other personal items waited for me. 

             “I don’t know what to say.”

             “You don’t have to say anything.” 

             Expecting the bed to be as hard as the surrounding rock, it was soft and welcoming. Lifting the covers, a thick memory foam topper appeared. The pillows lined the wall, and I was excited to settle down and rest. At least, once I calmed down and the adrenaline wore off. Overwhelmed with a mix of excitement and guilt, I wrapped my arms around him again. Gratitude threatened to ignite my magic in a grand display of thanks. I desperately begged it to surrender and lessen.

             He waved me on to the third room. A stone tub sat in the corner, and a few feet away was a toilet-like protrusion from the wall. He walked the light around, showing more of the detail. He turned a stone above the tub, and water poured from an open mouth. I gasped in awe. Indoor plumbing? I couldn't comprehend the complexity. He noticed my reaction and shut off the flow before it unleashed my magic.

             Overwhelmed and filled with gratitude, I found a spot to sit in the main chamber. The soft glow of the roaring fire calmed me. The mountain itself comforted me. The magic in my veins begged to be released, to be allowed a recess to stretch and exist. A deep breath did nothing to temper the impulse. Ladislav hung the torch on the wall and joined me. His chilly hand settled on my back, and I sighed. 

“I’m going to head back, so there’s no question as to my presence or absence. Lucrezia or I will be by to make sure you have everything you need. It may get lonely, but under no circumstances are you able to use your magic. I know how difficult that is, but it’s imperative.”

             “Understood. I won’t do anything to get me back on his radar.”

             “I’m proud of you.”

             Tears blossomed in my eyes. My chest tightened, and I leaned into him. His arms encompassed me, and I wrapped mine around him. I hung on. I knew he had to leave, but I didn’t want him to go. He let me cling to him. He rubbed my back and gave me time. Finally, I sighed and released him. 

             “Be careful.”

            “Always.”

            He kissed my forehead before leaving. He ceased to exist as soon as he rounded the corner to the exit. Silence. Alone, but not the same isolation as the farmhouse. I studied the main chamber and walked the lengths. My fingers trailed the walls. The brand new living space was more of my home than the farmhouse ever had hoped to be. It welcomed me in a way that only nature could. 

             I hesitantly shuffled my way up the only way in and out. The light stretched to the first turn, leaving the rest caked in darkness. Standing at the first turn, I debated if I should go any further. The flashlight was heavy in my hand, and a deep yawn overtook me. Nothing urged me to continue exploring, so I abandoned the trek in search of rest. I have a room. I added another log to the fire and turned to my new bedroom.

             The memory foam eased the rigidity of the rock base. The comfort surprised me. A deep breath relaxed me further into the bed. The shadows danced along the wall in the flickering flame light. My tired muscles settled in, and safety encompassed me. Sleep whisked me away before I could think another thought.