Chloe ran as fast as her feet would allow, feeling the branches and thorns dig into her bare feet. The memory of running through the woods gave her excitement, knowing what was awaiting her, never promises, just hope. Chloe stopped and looked at the vampire's traitor grounds. Where they hung, tortured and used the one's who betrayed them. One of the children has come to the village and told her they were at it again and her heart leaped for joy, along with her body bolting out the door.

I guess you could call it a hobby, a collection, or maybe even a pet project. They needed her and she could help, she couldn't leave them to die. A young man, blond hair, appearing to be very much dead, pale and cold to the touch, hung on a cross. She untied his wrists, trying her best to catch him as he fell but ended up underneath him. He weighed a lot, she noticed trying to wiggle out from underneath him but she could still feel a faint heartbeat in his chest. The blood soaked her raggy dress as she turned him over. Chloe placed her head on his chest, listening for a heartbeat, feeling for a breath.

She jumped in excitement when he moaned in pain, although she was only happy he was alive, not for the pain. "Can you walk?" She whispered next to his ear. His blue eyes turned to her, dull as the night sky and her heart fell, feeling his pain. Placing her hand over his heart she started to chant in a low voice and a bit of warmth came to his body, the blood soaking back into his body and his wounds, although not healing completely, began to close. "How about now?" She appeared tired and a bit pale. "What's your name?"

The vampire moaned again and turned on his side, facing her. "Taylor." He grimaced. "Where's Sade?" Chloe looked around but could see no one else, just the footprints left behind by the coven.

"I don't see her." Chloe sighed and touched his hair, dirty with blood and dirt, but still as soft as silk. "I will take you to my village. You can heal there." She smiled sweetly.

"I can't." He tried to stand but stumbled grabbing a hold of the cross for balance. "I must find Sade."

Chloe stood and touched his arm. "In this condition you'll never make it past the vampire's manor. They are becoming stronger daily." She looked up, the mansion barely visible from where they stood. "You can look for her once you heal, I'll help."

Taylor looked at her, a bit of hope filling his eyes. He wasn't ready to trust this girl, but she seemed very willing and joyful to help. "Fine." He tried to stand up straight but lost his balance. She caught him before he hit the ground, both of them on their knees, Taylor's head layed on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

She smiled and started to stand, trying her best to pull him up with her. "It's alright. Lean on me, I'll carry you best I can." His weight had diminished sense she had healed him a bit but he was much stronger then her, his muscles twitched in pain as they walked and she had to keep herself from starting to cry. Most people said she treated them like animals. It wasn't on purpose, just something that made her hurt. The woods were better with company, although he didn't talk she felt safer. Alone was painful, but even being with a stranger could lift you up.

The village was quiet, Chloe had to sneak him into the village. Vampires weren't very welcome but some people did help her take care of them. She walked into her drafty house, not very well made but warm from the well built fire. A few children laid idly on their beds and woke suddenly as she entered. A boy ran over to her and gave her a hug, almost making her drop Taylor.

"Adam, go make the extra bed up." Taylor looked at the boy and as the boy smiled he could see his small sharp canines. A young vampire, both the children had the scent. He sniffed lightly at Chloe but only smelled the lotus blossom and tulips she had collect the week before. "Rachel, could you get me some warm water?" She walked him into a small room, no windows, the whole house was void of windows. Adam moved out of the way and started helping Chloe put Taylor into bed. "Thank you hunny." She kissed Adam on the head and heard the hard footsteps of him running back to bed. When his footsteps stopped she could hear the almost unhearable smack of the girl's feet against the floor. She placed the water and a cloth right next to the door, not wishing to disturb Chloe's doctoring. "Thank you Rachel." She walked over to the girl and kissed her on the cheek. "Run off to sleep. I'll be sleeping with you tonight sense my bed is occupied." The girl ran off to her bed.

Taylor started to sit up and Chloe ran to his side. "You can't do that! You'll open your wounds. My magick isn't strong enough to completely heal them!" Taylor smiled but made a pained face as he sat up more.

"I do not wish to take your bed, mam. You've done enough for me. I should leave." She grabbed his hand, holding him from leaving. She took the bucket of water and placed the cloth in. She stripped his shirt off him watching him grimace.

"I'm sorry." She said lightly. The marks were deep, even with healing. She was surprised he had lived. She touched the cloth gently to his skin and he barely flinched, most likly at the heat instead of the pain. She patted at the wounds, getting as much of the dried blood off as she possibly could. "I thought you were dead." She kept washing off his skin a little at a time and worked her way to his face. He felt a bit like a child in her hands.

"You should have left me there. Without Sade I won't survive. She was the only thing I lived for." A pained look came over Chloe's face.

"I can help you see her again if you just believe." Chloe gripped his hands with hers and closed her eyes, Taylor was confused until he felt a pull, not physical, but mental. As he opened his eyes he saw Sade. Chloe stood behind him so she wouldn't be seen. "She can only see you as a ghost for now. You cannot touch her. It would hurt her, a pain you wouldn't believe." She walked over to a corner and sat, listening to their conversation, trying not to be nosy.

Taylor sighed and walked over to her. "I'm finished." He smiled, tears filling his eyes. Chloe looked at him, giving a small, half-hearted, sympathetic smile. She took his hands again and he awoke from sleep. He looked around but Chloe wasn't near him now. 'It was just a dream'. He thought to himself quietly. But as he looked at his surroundings, the bed, the windowless room, the bucket and cloth, he stood. As gently as possible he walked across the floor to peer into the living room, the floor creaking softly with every step. He looked into the two beds. The boy was sprawled out, half falling out of his bed with a small stuffed cat in his arms. He walked over to the other bed, feeling his wounds open and close while he walked, not enough to make him bleed, just enough to feel the stirrings of burning flesh.

He looked into the bed, the little girl smiled in her sleep, curled up in the arms of Chloe. Chloe's hair laid across the pillow like water, the red strands everywhere all at once. He remembered her eyes, grey. Dead. He hadn't thought about it before but as he looked at her, bruises, scratches, scars. She was blind. He understood now. Why she had power. The reason she protected the vampires. The humans probably thought of her as a witch, a demon who protected the devils. He smiled and ran the back of his fingers across her jawline, making her move closer to Rachel. "Thank you." He whispered softly into her ear, trying his best not to wake her.

Taylor looked at the door to freedom. He could leave now. He wasn't healed but he could survive on animals, at least till he got his strength back. He could hear the gentle chirping of the crickets and could feel the coolness of the night. It would only take the opening of a door to leave forever.

Taylor looked back at Chloe and Rachel, then to the little boy, Adam. "I owe you so much." He said to no one in particular. He walked silently across the floor back to the room Chloe had put him in and closed the door. "I'll stay until I'm unwanted." He felt at home here. He couldn't stay forever, knwoing full well he would still think of Sade nightly and dream of her in his sleep. He had to protect her but he had to repay his debts as well. "I'll find you soon, Sade. I have to return their favor." He paused, trying to think of what else to say. "I love you." He got into the bed and covered himself with the sheet, shifting into a dream of sweet lovers and happy times.

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