Protector

"Good boy Aramis." She kissed his nose before leaving him and walking through the town. Two small girls played at the edge of a large fountain, they turned to look at her as she approached and she smiled taking care not to show her sharp fangs where her canine teeth should be.

"Good evening, could you tell me where to find the Mayor?"

The smaller of the two girls shrank in on herself holding a doll close to her chest, but the larger, possibly her older sister, stood.

"In the big house down there," the girl looked Daida up and down. "Why are you wearing trousers? Ladies should wear dresses."

Daida couldn't help but laugh. "It's easier to run in trousers." She walked down the street until she came to the large house, she knocked on the heavy wooden door and smiled at the man who answered. "Hello, I wish to speak to the Mayor."

"He is busy at the moment."

She held up the parchment she had pulled from the tree. "He will want to speak to me." The man looked from the parchment to her before nodding and motioning her to follow him. He lead her down a corridor lit with gas lamps to a set of wooden double doors, he knocked and a deep male voice called for them to enter. He pushed open the doors and they walked inside.

"Sorry to interrupt but this woman says she needs to speak with you," she stepped forward and the Mayor looked her up and down, a smiled curved his lips and he stood coming round the desk and taking her small gloved hand in his, he kissed it and she had to hold herself back from recoiling from his touch.

"My pleasure ma'am."

"Likewise," she held up the parchment. "I think I can help you."

The Mayor nodded for his butler to leave and the door closed behind him. The man motioned with his hand for Daida to sit and she leant back in the large chair facing his desk, he poured wine into two glasses from a jug and handed one to her. "How do you think you can help?"

"Well you tell me, what has been happening here?"

He watched her with a raised eyebrow before sitting in his high backed chair. "There have been attacks, animal attacks. No livestock has been taken but children have been disappearing at night, the tracks that are left are of animals but we have never found any evidence of them being anywhere else. We put those up around the forest, hunters live out there and we thought maybe if we offered a reward we could tempt them here and they would help but so far none of them have had any luck."

"That's because you're not looking for animals, not really." She drank from her glass and crossed her legs. "I need you to listen very carefully."

"Very well."

"Has there been a burning smell? The nights the children disappeared?"

He nodded. "Yes, its strongest the nights they are taken."

"You said no animals have been taken?" He nodded. "Have the animals been exhibiting any strange behaviour?"

"The farmers tell me they are spooked by something, acting strangely, refusing to eat. Why? What is this?"

"It's not animals you're looking for, I believe you are being targeted by a Witch."

He laughed and shook his head but she saw a flash of fear in his eyes. "That's not possible."

"And wolves taking children but not sheep is? Have there been any trials here in the last few years?"

He looked to the door before sighing, placing his glass on the desk he leant forward. "Three years ago, there was a woman, Mary Shaw. She practised the craft. You know what people are like, a story like that gets out and they panic, parents feared she would take their children, they pressured me to do something. I did the only thing I could think of. I tried her, found her guilty and burned her. Everything was calm for a while then a year later the first child disappeared, one or two went in the first year, since then they've been more frequent and now its one or two a month, sometimes two in the same week."

"How old have these children been?"

"I don't know, young?"

"Five?"

"About that age maybe. How do you know all of this?"

"The Witch you burned, Mary, she is the one taking the children. It is possible before death she was a White Witch, they are harmless, take their power from nature their spells can be used to help crops flourish. Any form of witchcraft is feared and when you killed her she had a choice, she could die and move on or she could transform and use her powers for evil. I'm guessing she chose the latter." She drank again. "Witches use children, a Witch who has been burnt using them to replenish their power, they can only be used in their fifth year. The children who have been taken, they are the ones whose parents forced the trial?"

"Most of them."

She nodded and stood. "You shouldn't tell anyone what is happening here. I will check the forest tonight and tomorrow I'll bring the children back to you, if its not too late."

"Wait, what about the animal tracks?"

"She wont be strong enough to bring the children herself, she will be using wolves to do her work. Wolves are drawn to Witches, especially White Witches."

"But what if another one is taken?"

"Aramis will know if she plans to take another. He will stand outside the door of the house where the child is, if you see that get every able bodied man there and do not let anything in or out."

She began to leave but he called out again. "Wait, who's Aramis?"

She looked over her shoulder and smiled showing her pointed fangs. "My horse."

Back in the stable she untied Aramis and stroked his neck. "You be good OK?"

She walked from the town and into the trees, lifted her face she sniffed, scenting the air until the acrid smell filled her nostrils, wincing she looked around. Taking the gun from the holster at her ribs she walked slowly checking each trunk for any sign. She walked the woods for an hour before another smell reached her, soft, sweet. She took a step towards it but a scream invaded her ears and she spun round looking back towards the soft light of the village, cursing she took off at a run, her Vampyre blood made her faster than any human and she skidded to a halt at the outskirts listening again. She sensed Aramis' distress and ran to the house, there were hoards of people outside and a large grey wolf snarled at them, the fur on its back stood on end and its eyes watched the people thrusting swords, pitch forks and whatever other weapons they could find at it. Raising her gun she hit it in the back of the head with the wooden handle and it fell to the floor unconscious, the gathered crowd screamed and she raised a gloved finger to her lips.

"Quiet, leave that one." Aramis stamped the floor and she looked up at the open window, leaping up she caught her fingers on the sill and pulled herself into the first story room, she heard the gasps of the gathered people and looked around the dark room. A second wolf, larger than the first, stood over a sleeping child, she whistled and it turned to her, it growled and leapt towards her but she raised and hand and caught it round the back of the neck, ripping off her glove with her teeth she placed her hand into the warm fur and closed her eyes.

"Amaeris notoriea." A soft light glowed where her palm touched the beast and it suddenly went still looking up at her with its glowing eyes. She stroked it gently and it licked her fingers. She walked to the child and placed her hand on the boys forehead, it was hot but he was breathing steadily and she leant to whisper in his ear. "Rasfara." His eyes flickered open and he sucked in a breath, his dark eyes looked at her terrified and she shushed him stroking his forehead softly.

"It's alright, you're OK now." The door to his bedroom slammed open and his parents burst in, they screamed as they saw the wolf but she held up a hand. "Stop."

"Kill it!" The mother screamed and she shook her head.

"If you want to get the other children back alive we need them, do not hurt them."

She brushed past the parents and the wolf followed behind, outside she shooed the crowd away from the first wolf and gently touched its snout speaking into its ear, the words were too quiet from them to make out but the wolf lifted its head and licked her hand. Without a word she walked from the house the wolves and Aramis following her.

She returned to the Mayors house and walked through the door the wolves following but Aramis remained outside, the butler screamed as the beasts walked past him but they paid no attention to the man. She pushed open to door to his office and he looked from her to the animals.

"The children are alive."

"How do you know?"

"I can feel them, tomorrow I will go and retrieve them, it is best if I go in daylight. If she is still taking children she is not at full strength yet and in the day she will be weakest. I will need them to lead me so no harm is to come to them," she heard the voices of the townsfolk approaching and smiled.

"We need to see him now!" The door burst open and they stormed into the room, many clutched their children to their chest and she recognised one of them as the boy the wolves had come to collect. "What is happening? Who is she?"

The Mayor stood and held his hands up. "Calm down she is here to help."

"What are those things doing here?" A woman spoke her voice high pitched, hysterical. "They took my daughter."

"And if you want to see her again you'll shut your mouth and listen and if any of you lay a finger on these animals you will never see those children again." She spoke up, she still sat in the chair her feet resting on the desk facing away from the mob, she reached down to stroke the soft fur of the larger wolf.

"Who are you?"

"Daida, I'm a Protector and I'm going to bring those children back."

"How? We don't even know why these things took them, they could be anywhere by now, how could you possibly find them?"

"Because I know who took them," she turned the chair so she faced them and crossed her legs, she still stroked the wolf with one hand and tapped the nails of the other against the arm of the chair. "Three years ago you killed an innocent woman, you believe she practised Witchcraft."

"She was a Witch, she would have killed us, our children."

"She was a White Witch, they live among humans, Black Witches don't. Black Witches are the ones that will do you harm, White Witches will do nothing but help you, help your harvest, your livestock, even your fertility. Mary Shaw was a White Witch and you burned her alive, if someone had done that to you wouldn't you be a little pissed off? When a White Witch is killed with no justice to her, she is given a choice. She may die, move on and try and find peace, or she can embrace the black magic inside very Witch and be revived to have her revenge. You brought this upon yourself and now, if you do not want my help, she will continue to take your children until she is at full strength then I cannot begin to imagine what she will do to you. If you've never been burned alive let me tell you," her gloved hand touched her leg through her trousers absent-mindedly. "It fucking hurts."

"It's Mary?" A young man stepped forward and she raised her eyes to look at him, his green eyes widened as he saw hers but he didn't look disgusted like most people. "She's alive."

"If you can call it that." She stood and the wolves followed her, the crowd split as she left but the man ran after her, outside he caught hold of her arm and she wrenched it away spinning to look at him, the wolves growled menacingly and he took a step back.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you, I just need to know. Are you sure its Mary?" She nodded looking at him warily. "She was my friend, I cant believe she would do something like that, she was so sweet."

"Being burned alive will turn anyone into a bitch." She turned to walk away but he called out again.

"Please, I want to help."

"You cant," she didn't stop, her heeled boots tapping against the cobblestone street. As she walked a familiar smell reached her, she nodded to the wolves. "Protect the children."

They ran from her side and she started towards the trees, the darkness pressed around her and she listened carefully. A hand on her arm spun her round ripping her coat off in the process and she was pressed against a tree, she searched the darkness until she found his red eyes and sighed.

"Vampyre, I should have known you would follow me."

"I told you they wont hesitate to kill you if you do not cooperate. I don't want to be the one to do it."

She laughed and pushed on his chest, he took a step backwards but recovered taking her wrists in one hand and holding them against the tree, he leant down so theirs eyes were level and spoke quietly but the anger in his voice made her shudder. "You don't think I could do it, you think my feelings for you will stop me from hurting you. You are not as safe with me as you think little one," he curled his fingers round her throat cutting off her air and her eyes widened as she tried to suck in a breath but couldn't. His eyes were burning into her and for the first time in over one hundred years she felt scared, he had looked at her like this once before and the outcome had been dangerous for both of them. Without thinking she pushed forward, pressing herself against him and felt his hard cock against her stomach, she moaned and wriggled trying to get closer and he closed his eyes. Leaning down he kissed her and his hand moved from her neck to thread through her soft hair, he still held her wrists in one hand and she tugged trying to free herself, he let her go and her small hands curled into his shirt pulling him closer reaching on tiptoe to press herself closer and he slipped one hand between her legs. She moaned against his lips and slipped her tongue into his mouth, he pressed a finger up against her and she whimpered trying to get closer wrapping a leg around his waist and pulling herself up. He lifted her and pressed her against the tree, reaching behind him he undid the buttons on her boots and let them drop to the floor, he unfastened her trousers and slipped his hand inside feeling her wet against his fingers. He kissed her again running his hands over her thighs, her slim waist and over her breasts, he ripped the white shirt open and tore through the tight under-shirt, her breasts bared to his gaze he stared at her pale skin hungrily before leaning down and taking a small pink nipple into his mouth.

"Dalton." She dug her fingers into his hair and held him to her as he sucked, licked and nibbled the sensitive skin until she was trembling and thrusting her hips against him desperately.

"What am I going to do with you child?" He lifted his head from her breast and stared into her eyes.

"Whatever you want."

His eyes flashed and his smile was feral. "Say it again."

She shivered and flicked her small tongue over her plump lips. "You can do whatever you want with me."

"Good girl." He threw her onto the floor and pulled off her trousers, laying between her legs he kissed her stomach and down towards her pussy, tracing his finger down the centre he pushed inside her and she moaned arching her back and her nails digging into the dirt beneath her. Gently he brushed across her clit with his tongue and she shuddered, he circled the small nub of flesh and twisted his finger inside her tight pussy. He settled his shoulders against her thighs keeping her spread beneath him and leisurely played with her until she trembled violently against him, lifting his head he looked down at the burnt skin at the top of her legs and stroked his fingers over it gently, he still moved his finger inside her and listened as her breathing became erratic.

"Why wont you let me heal that?"

She laughed in frustration and pushed herself into her elbows to look down at him. "Why do you want to?"

He kissed the skin. "You could do it yourself you know?" He added a second finger and she dropped her head back her hands curling into fists. "You're just too stubborn to use any ability to help yourself."

"You don't know me Vampyre."

He slid up her body but kept his fingers buried inside her, kissing her lips he began to thrust in and out watching pleasure cloud her face. "I do know you, I know you better than anyone."

"Shut up and fuck me." Her eyes sparkled half with frustration and half with arousal and he grinned.

"As you wish." Undoing his trousers he pushed into her and groaned feeling her wet heat, she was still resting on her elbows pushed away from the ground and he wrapped an arm around her waist. She moved her hands to hold onto the collar of his shirt and pushed her hips up matching his thrusts, his hair fell over his shoulders to touch her skin and she shivered, he flipped her so she was on all fours and thrust back into her from behind. Taking hold of her hips he held her tightly and slammed into her, the tight walls of her pussy massaged his thick cock and she cried out, he ran his hand over the soft skin of her rounded ass and when she pushed back against him he smacked her hard and she bit her lip going still.

"No no little one, you said I can do whatever I want with you. Stay still and let me."

He looked down at her, with a hand in her hair he pulled her upright so her back was against his chest and placed his other hand over her pussy, her hands were trapped behind her between their bodies and he twisted her head so he could kiss her. His thrusts were deep and he found her clit with his finger and circled it, she leant her head back to rest on his shoulder and he placed his lips against her neck feeling her blood rush under her skin.

"Go on." He stilled and her eyes were closed but she continued to speak. "I want you to."

He thrust hard and she jumped against him, he thrust again harder burying himself as deep as he could into her tight pussy and on the third he bit into her neck her blood rushing into his mouth and he groaned. She tasted like no one he had ever known, the different species in her giving her an exotic, strange taste. She was entirely intoxicating. He drank deeply and she shuddered against him, his fingers flew over her clit and she cried out as she came her juices spilling over his cock and he followed, filling her and kept her close waiting for their breathing to even out.

Finally he released her and they stood, she buttoned up her shirt and pulled on her trousers while he refastened his own, he watched her as she dressed and felt the emotion he worked so hard to conceal well up.

"I wont be able to protect you forever. Regardless of how I feel about you I still work for them, they own me Halfling. Please I don't want to do it."

"Then don't." She had dressed and stepped towards him, gently she touched his chest with a gloved hand. "I cant go back Dalton you know I cant, please just let me go. You could come with me." She blinked back tears. "I love you." She reached up and kissed him. "We could leave, they would never find us. We wouldn't have to be scared of them any more."

He watched her for a moment before shaking his head. "I'm sorry."

She took her hand away and stepped back. "I wont go without a fight."

"I know you wont."

"I wont hesitate. If I have to, I will kill you."

"I know."

Her eyes were filled sadness and she took a shuddering breath. "Good bye Vampyre."

"Good bye Halfling."

She turned and walked away, a single tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away angrily. The lights guided her back and she found her way to the inn where she had a room, she climbed the stairs wearily and when she turned down the corridor she sighed. The young man from before was sat outside her door but leapt to his feet when he saw her.

"Please just listen."

"I don't have time for this," she unlocked her door and walked inside, she went to close it but he stuck his foot in the way and she frowned angrily at him. "Look in case you didn't hear me earlier I'm going to fight a Witch tomorrow, I do not have time to listen to whatever it is you have to say."