Hours later, Annabel found herself sitting in the back of a cab with the air conditioning on full blast as it drove into a small town just outside Jackson's city limits. "Not from around here, are ya?" The older man driving the taxi asked as he glanced in the mirror at the lone figure sitting in the back of his car. Smiling softly she shook her head. "What gave me away? Is it the lack of a tan?" She joked inspecting her bare arms as she had rolled up her sleeves as soon as she had exited the airport, the Mississippi heat making her uncomfortable. "Just a bit," He laughed before continuing. "You don't sound like you're from around here, got more of a Northerner's accent."

Rubbing her tired eyes, the small woman looked at the scenery passing by slowly before glancing at the driver. "You'd be surprised at how far north." Was all she said before she noticed they were slowing down as he pulled into the gravel driveway of a cute house. "Are we here?" She asked as she glanced up at the small two floor cottage to the right of the taxi. "Yep, this is the place." The driver confirmed, looking at the paper with the address written neatly on it. "I'll help you with your bags before I go on my way." He stated before popping the trunk and stepping out. Grabbing the few belongings she had sitting in the back seat, Annabel stepped out into the humid air once more, groaning as she felt the sweat begin to form on her forehead once more. "Don't worry, you'll get used it." The man laughed as he watched her struggled to tie her long black hair up and wipe the sweat off her face with her sleeve at the same time.

The pair proceeded up the stepping stones leading from the driveway to a stone arch covered in vines and blossoms that had a small wooden gate inside of it, all of it connected to a wooden picket fence going all the way around the house. As she reached for the gate, she noticed a little silver placard placed on the gate with 'Ravenloft Cottage' etched into it. "You can just leave those over there, I don't want you to get stuck in traffic or anything." She stated to the taxi driver as she pointed to a little bench sitting on the other side of the gate. Nodding his head the man placed the suitcases down on the bench before turning to the woman he just spent the last 45 minutes with. "Here." She handed him the money for the cab ride along with some extra as a tip and a thank you. The man smiled before he walked back out of the gate and to his car. Annabel waited until the cab was gone before she turned around and walked up the path towards the front door, the path changing from stepping stones to bricks.

There was a large amount of yard on the inside of the fence, mostly dirt patches with unplanted trees and flowers sitting around everywhere. Flowers from lilies to daisies, roses to chrysanthemums and everything in between sat in their pallets and pots waiting to be planted and sitting under the shade of a large willow tree that sat to the right of the house were some topiaries and a few small wooden benches. "He wasn't kidding when he said I could make this my own little paradise. Especially with this house." She mused as she stopped to look at the house sitting at the end of the path. It was like a fairy tale had come to life and placed itself before her, waiting for her to come and make the magic lying within come to life.

The cottage was made out of a sandstone with sloping and jutting roofs, covered in roofing resembling pieces of wood. There was a large window on the front of the house that was framed in turquoise painted wood and looked like it opened out into the yard. Next to the window was the front door, a large arched dark wood door with an old fashioned brass handle and a small window placed in the center. There were windows on all the walls of the house, all with the turquoise colored framing and some were covered in vines that creeped up the house to the second floor. To the left of the house the path lead to what seemed to be a little sandstone shed, looking like a mini version of the main house. To the right of the house and past the old willow tree the path went behind the house and from where she was standing Annabel saw a small pond, and beyond that stood a stone wall with a bright red gate placed in the middle.

Digging into the front pocket of her jeans Annabel pulled out an old fashioned brass skeleton key and unlocked the large door to her new home. The door creaked a little as it opened but when the light streamed in Annabel's breath caught in her throat. The inside of the cottage was gorgeous and had her uncles little touches everywhere. The first thing she noticed as she walked over the threshold was the smell, it smelt of her uncles cologne and wildflowers; the two smells she loved most in this world. After she placed her belongings inside the door, she started to wander around taking in the home that was now hers. Pictures of her and her uncle hung on the walls, along with pictures of Alaska, the ocean, and a few generic ones he picked up along the way. Each room was decorated to make it look like you stepped into a fantasy world and reminded her so much of the cottages in the storybooks she was read as a child.

Having explored the first floor Annabel turned towards the small stone staircase that lead to the second floor. The upstairs consisted of two bedrooms and the bathroom and by the smell of the first bedroom she came across this was her uncles room, it smelled strongly of his cologne and his belongings were still inside. Taking a deep breath she turned towards the second bedroom, a sob managing to escape her throat as she looked at the room. Hanging over a large window that opened to a balcony was a large banner with a simple phrase written on it in big silver letters.

Welcome Home

It was sick, she realized as she sat outside on the balcony later that evening, sick that her uncle Theodore made it seem like she was coming to live with him, like this is where she belonged. Never mind the fact that he was now dead and buried and let on that he knew he was going to be gone soon. But that was Theodore, always seemed to be one step ahead of her and managed to make the transition as easy as he could. "It never made any sense to me, why he always seemed to know something was going to happen and why he was so vehement about coming here in the first place." She mused as she watched the stars twinkle above her.

As the warm night air gently caressed her face and brushed her long, dark tresses back the sound of howling was brought to her ears. It was a long, single howl that was soon met by another and another as the moon got higher in the sky. "I didn't know Mississippi had wolves." She whispered as she continued to listen to the howling. A small smile graced her face as the sound reminded her of home and the times her and Theodore would go camping and listen to the wolves howl. When her hazel eyes, which had become hazy with memories, refocused on the wooded land beyond her stone wall she thought she caught sight of a large pair of golden eyes staring at her from the darkness before they disappeared into the thick trees as quick as they had come.

"I must be more tired than I thought." She thought before she stood up to go inside, the soft bed her uncle had bought for her looking much like heaven at this point.

As the light switched off in the bedroom, the golden eyes appeared on the other side of the wall once more this time accompanied by two more pairs. Exchanging glances the three figures quickly turned and disappeared into the woods as fast as their legs could carry them.

The next morning Annabel was up early and as the sun shone through her large balcony window and bathed the room in an ethereal glow, she was already outside sitting in her uncles old pick-up trying to work her GPS. She was starving and there was no food in the house, but what did she expect? To come to the house of her recently deceased family member and find the fridge and cabinets fully stocked to her liking? "Finally!" She cried as she managed to get the damned device to point her in the direction of a diner.

The ride into town was a quiet one, the radio playing softly in the background and her eyes taking in everything around her once again. It was so different than Alaska, but it wasn't a bad different, it was a different she could see herself growing to love. Parking the large truck in a space on the street, Annabel stepped out into the early morning heat and felt like the eyes of the people all around her were staring at her. To them, she was a stranger, someone to be stared at and judged at a distance. Annabel payed them no mind though as she began her stroll down the street, her thick curls dancing around her pale shoulders and sticking out against the white summer dress she had found in her closet. As she turned the corner, her eyes glued to the antique shop window next to her she didn't notice the man rounding the same corner as her until they both crashed into each other.

Feeling like she had been hit by a brick wall Annabel stumbled backwards and hit the ground with a soft 'oomph!' escaping her lips while the man she bumped into had managed to catch and steady himself. "Are you alright?" The man asked, his voice deep and his accent strong. Looking up with cheeks tinged pink, hazel met dark brown as a breath caught in her throat. The man was very tall with broad shoulders that made his massive frame look even larger and a head of dark brown curls. His jaw was strong and covered in black facial hair that had silver streaking through it up to his curls giving him a rough look. A large, tanned hand suddenly appeared before her face and snapped her out of her mental drooling.

"Oh! Thank you." As she placed her small hand in his larger one she noticed his hand was extremely warm despite the temperature. "I'm really sorry about that, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." She bashfully apologized, having to tilt her head back to look up into the strangers face.

"It's alright, I wasn't paying attention either." Came his reply as he looked down at the woman in front of him, looking like a porcelain doll come to life. "I'm Annabel, Annabel Ravenloft." She introduced, presenting her hand once again. As his large hand cupped hers once more Annabel felt a small spark from where his fingers touched her own.

"Alcide Herveaux, pleasure to meet you."