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.
