Pentagram of Fire Ch. 08

a huge thanks to you the reader and my editor couldnt do it without you both

Men were running about getting things organized for our departure.

I didn't even know where we were going; all I knew was that we were going north.

While the supplies were being gathered for the trip, Damien ran me through some sword practice.

After a few hours of preparation we were ready to set out.

I had a sword strapped to my waist. I still wasn't completely sure how to use it, but I was sure I would learn quickly. I looked over at dad.

"So, how are we getting to where were supposed to be?" I asked.

"By horse of course." dad said.

I gawked at him "horses?"

"Yes Sara, did you honestly think that we were going on foot?"

"But dad, I've never been on one."

"That's okay you will learn," dad said with a wink.

"So, where are they?" I asked.

"Damien is taking them around to the front so we need to be out front. Wear this."

He handed me a long black cloak he draped it round me. It was fastened at the neck with a pentagram.

We went out through the main door. The wind blew my cloak around me as we waited for Damien. At last, Damien walked around to the front of the castle with two pure black stallions.

Their coats were gleaming in the moonlight. Evening had set in during the hours of preparation.

Dad walked me over to one of the horses, saying, "This is Midnight. He's yours."

Dad said he was the bigger of the two horses.

"Wow, he's beautiful!" I said, as I petted him.

Dad had to help me to get up onto Midnight since he was very big. Being on top of a horse was the weirdest feeling I had ever experienced. Dad guided his horse beside me.

"Don't worry! I will stay beside you and try and keep you on the horse." he said, laughing.

"Oh, very funny. As long as he doesn't bolt or something I'll be fine." I said.

"Okay, off we go." dad said.

I gently nudged Midnight and he started to move with the group. There were about twenty of us in our small group. Dad was on my left and Damien on my right.

"How long will it take us to get where you think they are?" I asked.

Damien said: "By horse, three or maybe four days because we'll be stopping to get rest and food. If we went all night it would only take a day or so."

"So, tell me why are they after the book?" I asked.

Dad responded, "It contains all the spells that the sisters used. That includes both the good and the bad. When they split from each other Alana hid the book to prevent it from falling into the hands of the werewolves."

"What happens if they do find it?" I asked

"It could mean the end of our clan! Have you noticed that we can walk in the sunlight?" Damien asked.

"I did, yes, but I just thought that the sun being dangerous was an old myth. After all, I can walk in the sunlight."

Dad responded, "Well before our ancestor John met up with Alana, we couldn't walk in the sunlight. Likewise the werewolves could only change when there was a full moon.

When John and Alana became mates, Alana used her magic so that the sun was no longer a problem for us. And if they strip our powers we become vulnerable to sunlight again and that would kill us"

"When you said that John and Alana had become mates, what do you mean by mates?" I asked.

Dad said, "When a vampire or a werewolf decides that they want to spend the rest of there lives exclusively with each other they can mate."

"I understood that in the light of what James tried to do to me. But what I mean is some people consider simply having sex to be mating. Since we can have many sex partners, what is your meaning of the word mate?"

Damien chimed in, "Yes. Well indeed, some people use the word mate to simply indicate the sexual act itself. However, for us it is different. If two vampires decide that they want to only be with the other one, sexually and romantically, they do things a bit differently."

I looked at him with a confused expression on my face. I hadn't noticed where we were going I just followed the rest of them we had ridden into a very dense forest. I noticed that it was getting a lot colder.

Dad said, "When two vampires wish to seal their relationship for a lifetime, exclusively with the other, the sexual act is done slightly differently.

This requires both partners to use special genital adaptations, which are never used for any other purpose. While the female is and at the moment of orgasm, tightens the muscles in her vagina's wall to prevent the male from pulling out of her.

At the same time, the male attempts to push into her much farther than are normally comfortable for both partners. They stay in this locked position for at least three hours.

During that time something like a 'mind mesh' takes place. What that means is that you will be able to read each others thoughts fully and each others emotions.

Although we can read each others minds, the bond itself is a lot stronger. When they separate they are bound to each other for life.

They will no longer engage in sexual activity with any other vampire or human. Only death will free the surviving partner to seek sex elsewhere."

I thought about what dad and Damien had said. We rode for a few hours more and then stopped to make camp. I was sharing a tent with Damien. The sun was beginning to come up as we crawled into bed.

I cuddled up to Damien and he wrapped his arms around me, kissing me deeply and sliding his tongue into my mouth. At that point I pulled off his trousers and shirt as he undressed me. He slid effortlessly into me.

He showered me with kisses as he picked up a rhythm. I felt my fangs slide down my gums. I felt Damien twitch I knew he was close I brushed his hair out of the way as he thrust forward in his release.

I bit down on his neck as he did mine. I drank from him. He always tasted so good. After we finished feeding he slid from me kissing me as he always did. I tasted my own blood on his lips. We fell asleep in each others arms.

When I woke up I realized that some of the men were already awake and had lit a fire. I went over and sat down next to dad. He handed me a plate of food.

"Thanks! How far are we from them?" I asked.

"Still a few days yet, I think. Where is Damien?"

"Still sleeping. I didn't want to wake him."

Dad nodded. We ate in silence. Damien joined us as we were finishing up our meal.

"Hey sleepy head, are you okay?" I asked.

"Fine, you just took a little more blood than am used to." he said, with a grin.

"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." I said as he sat down next to me.

He took my hand "It's okay. I don't mind. I just needed a bit longer sleep to recover. I'm fine now."

Then he kissed me.

In a loud voice dad said, "We will be leaving in ten minutes!"

I went over to Midnight and got him ready for the night's travel.

I put my cloak on and Damien helped me get up onto Midnight. Then we set off. We had been travelling for about an hour when something unsettled Midnight.

He started acting jittery and trying to move off our path.

"What's wrong Sara?" dad asked.

"I don't know dad. Something is bothering Midnight."

Midnight reared up and bolted! I held onto him for dear life as he darted through the forest. He jumped over some logs and I could hear the thunder of hoofs behind me.

The rest of the group were struggling to keep up with me. I heard the howl of a wolf and then I knew what had made Midnight nervous.

I dug my heels into him and he seemed to go faster, if that was possible. I didn't know where he was taking me but anywhere was safer than near James. I heard snapping and growling. I looked down.

I was being chased by an entire pack of wolves. I drew my sword and swung at them I didn't do much damage but it was enough for the closest one of them to back off a little.

I couldn't hear the rest of the group. I now knew that I was on my own, with a pack of wolves at my feet. The forest was beginning to thin slightly Midnight was running at full speed.

He turned and jumped over the wolves and ran towards what looked like the end of the forest, because it was brighter. I thought I could see day light and I heard a terrible roaring sound. I had been wrong.

When I saw what was there I pulled on Midnight's reins to stop him. He stopped just in time. I dismounted him and sent him off. He ran back into the forest.

I was standing next to the top of the largest waterfall I had ever seen. Top to bottom it must have been close to a thousand feet, or so. The water looked crisp and clear.

I looked around. James and his pack were standing there. James was now in his human form.

James shouted over the noise of the waterfall, "Its over Sara. Come with me. You have nowhere else to go."

"Never! James I will never go near you after what you did to my mother" I shouted at him.

"They're telling you lies. I loved your mother and you're my daughter." he shouted back.

"You will never be my father no matter what you say. You're the reason I tried to kill my self." I shouted back.

"Look, we can discuss this at home." he shouted.

"Never! Do you honestly think that am going to go back with you so you can force me to mate someone I don't know then strip me of my powers?"

He looked at me as if he would punch me.

"How do you know about that?" he yelled at me.

"That's my business not yours." I shouted.

I stepped toward the brink of the water fall. I threw my cloak back over my shoulders and James saw my necklace. When he saw it his face looked like someone had punched him.

"Where did you find that?" he shouted.

"That's my business." I said as I walked to the edge of the water fall.

It was then I could hear the whispering again. I knew this time it wouldn't hurt me "jump into the water" it said.

I nodded I turned and jumped off the bank and into the falling mass of water that was the waterfall.

When I hit the water it wasn't uncomfortable. It was almost like falling into a bed of silk. I was sinking deep below the surface of the water but I wasn't getting wet.

I opened my eyes. As my eyes opened I found that I was standing in front of a woman. She held out her hand. I reached out and grabbed her hand. As our hands met I felt something entering my body and my necklace glowed a brilliant blue.

Suddenly I found my self spinning in the water. I pushed my self up.

As I rose the water came with me. When I reached the top of the water fall I was standing on top of the water and it set me down on the ground.

Some how I manipulated the water around my body like a barrier or shield. It was time for James to see just what he was dealing with. Judging from his face, he wasn't at all pleased...

To be continued