Erin stirred the poultice in the cauldron on her stove. Walking away from the mixture, the spoon kept moving as she inspected her shelves for more ingredients. Poor Kofi, head split open over a silly fight with the boys at their bakery. She looked over to where he sat in her kitchen chair, holding the side of his dark head.

"I'm telling you, Erin, Big E came out of nowhere with that fist. We were talking pancakes and breakfast options over at the Unicorn. Then, the subject of Paige came up. Xavier and I started to grouse about her being constantly underfoot in our house. She's always cleaning something. Or singing. She does not have the voice of an angel, I can tell you." Erin chuckled at that. "And, well, he got all angry. I guess I should have seen it coming after being together for so many years. I have no idea what is really bothering him, though."

Erin hummed in concern, turning back to the pot. She added a couple of ingredients and declared her work done. Dipping a linen bandage through the liquid, she walked over to Kofi and wrapped it around his head where the gash was. "Did he tell Xavier? I mean, you three are so close. You've been together for years without issue. And, after taking in Paige to help you out in the shop too, maybe it's just a little stress. We all know he can get a little stressed out when things are changing."

"Xavier is useless right now; Big E broke his pan flute in two. You know how he gets about Francesca, poor man is inconsolable," Kofi said mournfully.

Giggling, Erin replied, "But you guys are doing such a good thing for her though, you know? She needed so much help when she had to run from her horrible step-mother. It's good of you to give her a roof over her head and a job to do." Erin paused, "Do you think that Big E's feelings might be a little more than just protection?" She tapped her fingertip on her lips and hummed lightly, smiling. "Do you think that he might have a twinkling of love for her?"

Kofi looked at her, horrified. "And break up the best three man baking team in town? Oh no," he wailed, holding his head again, "what would happen to us? Xavier and I would have to get a new house!"

"Kofi, for the love of Francesca, calm down. I'm merely pointing out a possibility. You might want to talk about it when you go back." She leaned down and inspected her bandaging work, "All good here. Keep that on for a few hours and it should be all recovered. Go home, Kofi. Go back and have a decent chat with your boys. Tomorrow is a new day, I'm sure it will all be better then."

She walked over to the stove so that she could clean up the mess she had made when a thundering knock sounded at the door, followed by Baron shoving it open and collapsing just inside. "Erin…" He groaned out as his head fell back. He clutched at his side and Erin noticed blood blossoming around a large silver arrow protruding underneath his ribs, poking up into his chest cavity.

"Baron!" She yelled out in alarm, running to where he was crumpled on the floor, her skirt swishing around her legs as she ran. She moved her hands near the wound, pushing his vest to the side. "Baron, oh wolfie, what happened to you?" She cried. He was gasping in short, shallow breaths. He couldn't speak. There was a gurgling sound coming up from his throat. His light moans were beginning to fade away to silence. No! this was not happening, she wouldn't lose him like this. Not her wolfie, not her best friend in the whole world. "Kofi!" She shouted, "Help me get him in here and close the damn door. He needs me!"

Kofi ran to the doorway and shoved the large man inside. He pushed the door closed so that no one could see what was happening, should anyone pass by Erin's hut. Fearfully, he wondered where the person who had shot the arrow was and if they were following Baron to Erin's house.

Erin ignored Kofi. She ignored all the noise in her head. She closed her eyes and focused on the huge current of emotions in her heart, pushing them aside. She cleared her mind and felt the magic flow through her body. The power rose inside her as her breathing calmed. She envisioned the white magic following the markings on her body, winding up her legs, over her torso and down her arms into Baron's body. Her hands glowed with a silver light as she placed them on his chest, near the wound. Baron's breathing seemed to calm from the frantic shallow breaths. He inhaled deeply and exhaled a shuddering gasp. She could tell his quick pulse was beginning to settle down.

Kofi had come over to see what was going on, curious about the huge man sprawled out on Erin's floor. He watched in shock as Erin leaned down to whisper in Baron's ear, "This is going to hurt, big man, hang in there." She reached over to the arrow and gingerly wiggled it until the tip had reached just under the surface. Pausing to get a decent grip, she pulled, quickly removing it in one stroke.

Baron let out a long groan of pain at the removal of the arrow. He slowly blinked his eyes open and grimaced up at Erin. A fresh surge of blood flowed from the wound and Erin quickly tore some of her dress to press down on it. Clearing her mind, she wrapped herself in a blanket of calm and visualized the silver light coming through her hands once again. Her magic stores were beginning to empty, she needed to focus. The torn cloth glowed while Baron moaned under her ministrations. The blood slowed to a trickle and then stopped completely. She removed the cloth to see that the wound had healed, but it left behind a scar where the arrow had pierced his pale skin. Silver did that to him. He never scarred from anything but silver. Her head hurt from her frenzied activity. She was exhausted from the use of so much of her magic. Erin collapsed down on his chest. She listened as his heart beat steadily under her head. She let the calm envelope her as she felt the even rise and fall of his ribs as he breathed easier.

Attempting to rise, he shifted his arm around her to get leverage, but she just snuggled into his embrace. She needed this moment to recover, to stop her heart from thundering in her ears, to stop the tears that were falling from her eyes. This time was it too close. What if he hadn't made it in time? It was a silver arrow! No regular hunter she knew used those. No, that was someone who was specifically hunting Baron. Someone who knew what he was.

Groaning again, he rose to a seated position and pulled Erin into his lap. "Hey little angel, it's ok. I'm ok now. Thank you," he murmured as he brushed the tears from her eyes with his huge thumbs.

Kofi coughed uncomfortably at the scene. Feeling awkward watching the two of them on the floor. "Um, Erin, I'm going to go now. I'm glad that your friend here is ok. Thank you for fixing me up. Let me know if you need anything, ever. And thank you for the advice. I'll make sure to talk to the boys tonight."

Erin glanced up at him with a watery smile, "I'm glad I could help you out, Kofi, anytime. Send Paige over to me if she gets too much in the way. Maybe I can find some more things for her to help with. Or maybe I could teach her a few." Burrowing back into Baron's hold, she let out a shaky sigh.

Kofi nodded at the two of them and took his leave.

Baron looked down at Erin and grumbled, "I'm too old to stay on the damn floor, angel, think we could move to a softer surface?"

Erin chuckled, "You're not old, you don't look a day over 25."

Adjusting so that he could stand, Baron lifted Erin in his arms and walked her over to where they could sit on her bed. He snorted, "250 maybe."

"And you'll live another 250 if I have anything to say about it," Erin said softly. "You scared me today. What happened? I thought you were just going out for a quick hunt. You've been gone for weeks! I didn't even get a vision that anything was wrong. Tell me, tell me what happened."

"Felt someone following me." His voice rumbled in her ear as he tucked her into his side. "They've been on my tail for a while. I've never been hunted quite like this. There wasn't a time over the past couple weeks when I felt like it was safe enough for me to turn and come back to see you." He huffed out a breath in annoyance. "I was trying to hide near the cave when the shot came through the trees. Hit me hard and I just started to run as fast as I could to you before I blacked out."

She sniffled a little, "I'm just glad you made it ok." She ran her fingers over the new red scar on his torso. "That would have been a mortal wound if you hadn't."

"I know, little angel, I know," he growled. He passed a huge hand over her head, "I'm glad you did it, but you know you shouldn't have shown your magic like that. You know they'll feel it and come after you. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you because you helped me."

"I think I'll be ok, wolfie, I'm pretty sure they've forgotten I even exist. It's been years since anyone tried anything," Erin sighed. She bowed her head, remembering that fearful time and understanding his concern.

She hadn't been hunted for quite a while. When she was still a little girl with Baron, every so often she would get the feeling like someone was watching them. She felt safe with him during their walks, though. Baron was always on guard while they would go out on their treks, always ready to turn and protect her.

During one of their longer explorations the first attack had happened. The smell of sulfur saturated the air and soon there was a huge hulking man standing in the middle of the forest, ready for a fight. His face was covered with an evil red mask and long greasy black hair fell from his head. He lunged at Erin with a grunt, big meaty hands trying to grab her. She screamed out in fear, but Baron got to her first, grabbing her and breaking out in a run. Baron had quickly stashed her in one of their many hiding places, growling at her to stay put, no matter what she heard. He turned into his massive wolf form and went back to attack the man. The sounds of the fight continued for minutes while Erin wavered between wanting to run out and help her wolfie and being petrified in place. After a while, Baron let out a long howl and there was a grunt from the attacker. Erin heard quick steps of retreat and the smell of sulfur again invaded her senses.

Poking her head out from her hiding place, she saw Baron, still in his wolf form, glancing around for any other attackers. The huge man had disappeared into the night. Baron stayed in wolf form for the rest of the walk back to their cave. He made her ride on his back so that he could quickly take them to safety should any other attackers emerge. That night he slept at the foot of her bed. It was then he began to explain about her special lineage and why she would be an asset to anyone who was able to get a hold of her.

"I knew from the moment I smelled you that you were an angel," Baron had rumbled when he finally changed back. "I knew I had to stay by your side and make sure you were ok, that no one could ever hurt you."

"But Baron," Erin had said, "that's just a silly name you call me."

"No, my littlest angel, it's what you are. The blood that flows through you is that of both the heavens and of hell. You are a true mix of all the good and evil in the world. You have powerful magic, little one, a magic that courses through your veins. Magic that could bring about the destruction of either of those forces, depending on which side got to you first." He sighed then, patting her head gently. "But do not worry. I will protect you. Always. I promise on my life I'll keep you safe, little angel. I'll never leave your side if you are in need."

Erin had been so shocked by the news that she was a magical being. She had heard stories about people who could heal with their minds and had seen the destruction done by the evil magics in the world. She just never thought she would be part of that realm.

The two of them always stayed close after that. There were a few other attacks as Erin began to figure out how to use her magic powers, but soon they started to ebb off. Baron encouraged her practice. He showed her what he knew and brought her anything from the magical world that would help her gain more knowledge. Her abilities grew daily. She would often perform a small spell and discover a new use for her magic. Baron consistently cautioned her that she should keep her true talents hidden from any outsiders. She could help those in need, yes, but he said she should never expel a large burst of magic, as that would alert those who were looking for her. It would take a powerful nose to smell what she really was if she didn't use her magics, and that meant wolves for the most part. Werewolves didn't really concern themselves with hunting down angels anyway. He promised to teach her how to fight, with weapons and with whatever magical knowledge he had. He told her that if anything ever happened to him, she would need to know how to take care of herself.

After years of practicing and honing her talents, she now used them in small potions to help those who came to her. Her visions, when they came, showed her the past and the future in small clips that she couldn't comprehend very often. She was always cautious of calling on her full power thanks to Baron's warnings. Today was the first time in ages that she had pulled every ounce of magic from her body to help someone. It was worth it to save her wolfie, though. She couldn't even begin to think about living a life without him in it. He was right, though, she mused, they might have felt that.