Okay, it's finally up...whew this chapter was harder than I thought it would be...hence why it's also a little shorter than some of my other chapters.

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"Autumn, you are still hungry. Will you please feed?" Dominic asked, brushing a defiant lock of dark hair behind her ear. Autumn sighed and after a moment, filled his mind with a field of bright green. Dominic smiled and kissed her forehead. "Thank you, Dearest."

Dominic leaned closer to her, exposing his neck. Her mouth easily found his pulse pounding under his skin. His body clenched at the first touch of her mouth. Her tongue swirled once, and then twice, making Dominic reach up to tangle his hand in her hair bringing them closer together. She lightly nipped at his pulse running her tongue over the spot a moment later.

Just do it, Cistri. He whispered in her mind.

Her fangs sunk deep, sending a white-hot mixture of pleasure and pain lancing through his body. He pulled her even closer, her soft curves molding against his hard muscles. She barely noticed, caught up in the unique and vaguely spicy taste of his ancient blood. Dominic fought hard against his need for her. It had been so long since he had truly needed someone, it was almost overwhelming.

Slowly Autumn pulled away, closing the wound with a long stroke of her tongue. She looked up at him, eyes dark and sultry. Dominic bit back a groan and captured her mouth. He could taste his own powerful blood on her lips. His teeth teased her bottom lip, gently parting her mouth.

He took his time in exploring her mouth. He knew as long as he lived he would never get enough of her taste. It was addicting. Her entire body seemed to melt against his as his tongue swept through her mouth.

Suddenly Dominic sensed someone else approaching. Several male humans, all of them drunk. Dominic pulled away and turned his head. He easily spotted them making a loud and clumsy path through the gravestones. It was easy enough to read their minds. They were 'celebrating' like they did every night about this time. Twenty something's wasting their lives by getting drunk day in and day out. They hadn't even seen Dominic and Autumn yet.

A wave of his hand and all four of them instantly grew silent. Autumn looked at Dominic confusion foremost in her mind. "I need to replenish my energy as well, Cistri. And maybe it will teach them a lesson about the best way to spend their time. Getting drunk and using drugs will only waste their lives."

Autumn sighed but made no effort to protest as Dominic approached the group of men. Drugs and alcohol were thick in their blood streams but it hardly mattered Dominic could easily rid his body of the toxins. The four of them stood there calmly as Dominic stopped in front of them.

It was a good thing there was so many of them. He could feed and not have any worry that any of the men would be too weak or in danger of being drained of too much blood. After Dominic finished drinking his fill he lowered them to the ground planting a believable accident in all of their minds.

He turned back to Autumn who had her arms crossed impatiently. Dominic smiled and held his hand out to her. "Come, Cistri. We should go meet your parents. It will take us the entirety of this rising and part of tomorrow's to reach their home. The sooner we leave the sooner we will get there."

Autumn nodded and reached out to grab Dominic's hand. They both dissolved into a fine mist. Now, Cistri, flying is much faster than traveling as the mist. I will provide an image for you. Once they were high in the air the two of them shifted, becoming two large owls with glossy dark feathers.

Dominic could feel Autumn's amazement and joy at being able to fly. It was almost as if he were learning for the first time. He remained a shadow in her mind, making certain she didn't lose the image, as she rolled in the air enjoying the freedom of flying.

She tilted her wings slightly so that she spun upwards before dipping down towards the ground in a heart-stopping dive. Dominic dived down as well, not about to let her get into trouble from her own exuberance. Only a few meters from crashing into the hard ground, Autumn rolled and pulled upwards.

Dominic followed, leveling out under her so that she couldn't fall from the air. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. But please try not to get hurt. She didn't reply, just twirled in mid air again. Dominic attempted to be annoyed at not being listened to but found her happiness far too infectious. You are going to be the death of me, Dearest.

I take it you and Autumn have made up? Gregori asked through the common path that all Carpathians used.

Yes Gregori.

Good. Then we will join you now.

It wasn't long before three large owls joined them, ringing Autumn in as they flew. Annoyance sprung up in her mind, easily picked up by Dominic who was so firmly linked with her. I am sorry you dislike our protection, Cistri, but we are Carpathian males and it is in our natures to protect our women.

Autumn's annoyance didn't go away, if anything it grew even more. The image of eyes rolling in their sockets filled his mind. He almost laughed. This strange way of speaking was definitely difficult to get used to but it had its own unique charm. It was rather endearing in its own way.

Suddenly the dragon on Dominic's abdomen burned red hot. Vampires approach. He informed the others as he fell back slightly.

Red flashed in his mind. The symbol from before followed. The reptilian eye in the black diamond. Cistri, what does that mean? He asked as the other males guided Autumn towards an outcropping of trees. All four of them reformed on the tree branches while Dominic reformed in the air.

"Where are they?" Aiden asked looking around with flashing golden eyes.

"Dominic, can you sense them?" Gregori asked.

"No. I know they are near…but I cannot find them." He answered. An image of the ground appeared in his mind. Looking over to Autumn he saw she was staring at the ground with rapt attention. Following her blue gaze he saw plants wither and die in a long line coming from the forest's edge towards the tree they were standing in. Not only were the plants dying but the very earth seemed to be drained of all nutrients, it grew a light brown and started to crumble as he watched.

Dominic's eyes narrowed. Vampires didn't cause such an effect. Something else was hiding beneath the earth. Something he had never encountered before. What are they? He asked.

An image of the dragon decaying into an impeccable skeleton was his answer. The next image to appear was a hand with a red slash across it. Don't touch. Green flashed in his mind. How can we kill it if we cannot touch it?

"Dominic?" Gregori asked.

"Autumn thinks they are not vampires but something else." He supplied, still watching the line of death spread around on the ground. "Something that causes death to whatever it touches."

"I've never encountered such a thing." Aiden muttered.

"Nor have I." Gregori agreed.

Jacques shook his head. "How do we destroy such a creature?"

Another image appeared in Dominic's mind. A firestorm that rained over the entire surface of the ground. Fire, Cistri? Green flashed in his mind. Dominic raised his hand to the sky. Then there shall be fire. He said as he built energy in the sky.

With a wave of his hand large swirling balls of molten fire slammed into the ground, fire piercing the layers of dirt. There was a horrible screeching noise like a hundred birds dying at once. The ground seemed to swirl with fire and the line of dying plants zipped off towards the caves that Xavier used.

As the line of death receded he allowed the fire to die down. The dragon burning on Dominic's side started to fade. He looked down at Autumn. She smiled slightly before shifting into a large owl again. She jumped off the branch and started to fly off in the direction they had been heading.

"She never gives much warning does she?" Jacques commented.

Dominic shook his head. "No, she doesn't." Quickly they all hurried after Autumn, retaking their bird forms as they did so.