Hollering a greeting, Su-In waved to the men as they approached on the far side of the street. The two youngest Hannigan boys sat on top of the massive vehicle, long paddle-like instruments in their hands. They waved back heartily.

As the plow pulled closer to the entrance of the property she heard old Mr. Hannigan bellow, "We should have this part of the roads cleared by tomorrow."

"Yeah, can't have a teacher be late on the first day of school!" one of the boys exclaimed.

Su-In paused, her smile fading. The plow continued to roll slowly down the road. The eldest Hannigan sat on the tailgate of the vehicle, salting as they went.

"Well," she said, turning to D as the plow disappeared around the bend. "Time for a hot drink before getting back to work."

They stepped inside, the pleasant warmth of the house making her shiver as she removed her gloves and hat. "Ah, thank you, D," she said, grabbing the kettle and dropping in a pouch of dried green herbs.

Su-In sliced a piece of rye and nibbled on it as she waited for the tea to steep. She stared at the man in her kitchen, his eyes downcast as he leaned indifferently against the wall. "So I guess you'll be leaving tomorrow, then."

"That's right."

She took another bite of the bread, humming as she thought. "Dwight's going to be awful sore when he finds out you've gone. I think he might even miss you." She finished the bread and turned to pour herself a cup of tea. In a low voice she added, "I know I will."

D watched her as she brought the mug to her lips. She seemed smaller somehow, her shoulders drooping under an unseen weight.

She finished her tea in silence.

Setting down her empty cup, Su-In pulled on her protective clothes and said, "Back to it, then." Opening the door, she tilted her head to him, smiling faintly. "No need to come to my rescue this time, okay?" Wordlessly, D nodded. With that, she stepped outside and shut the door behind her.

Uneasy silence filled the kitchen.

She wanted something from him. He could see it in her eyes, the way she looked at him.

Reflexively, he gripped the sword in his hand. Humans were so complicated.

He had little to offer her that had not already been given. Most people found him inhospitable, their instincts marking him as a predator to be avoided. Or, inversely, they were besotted by his good looks and drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

And yet the people of Florence seemed to have forgone both of these preconceptions. Time and again they had offered him a place amongst their ranks, praising his skill and inviting him to stay.

An alien feeling of disquiet flickered in him as he turned his gazed to the kitchen window. There, beyond the sprawling white hills lay the Noble Road, the only highway that led South out of town.

The monotonous billowing of the wind and methodic scraping on the roof surrounded him.

Wearily, he pushed away from the wall to stand at the living room window. Su-In had placed the ladder against the roof to his left. She continued to work for a while longer, then gave her shovel a shake and descended.

She did not fall back in to the snow.

Picking up the ladder, she collapsed it down and made her way back towards the barn. She returned her tools, then pick up the heavy oak-handled axe from behind the door and crossed to the small woodshed. Hefting several logs, she cleared an old tree stump of snow, then set about splitting each piece.

Her wound flared angrily as she worked. She continued to haul the axe down time and again, breaking each log into quarters with two precise cuts.

The laborious, mechanical task eased her mind. For the first time since Wu-Lin left for Cronenberg, Su-In felt a sense of calm. She looked out to the endless fields of snow behind her home, listening for the distant crash of waves above the wind.

An old, familiar tune floated across her thoughts. Her grandfather used to hum it often while fishing or repairing a net, when his mind was at peace. She had never known the words but the melody was second nature.

She hummed, timing the song with the rhythmic chopping of wood.

By the time Su-In was done she had two bundles of firewood prepared. She returned the axe to the barn, then carried them inside.

D sat in the living room sharpening his blade, needlessly, once again. He sheathed the sword as Su-In entered. Her arms were overflowing with wood.

He moved to relieve her of her burden.

"I've got it, thank you!" she turned her shoulder toward him, smiling. She kicked the door closed behind her and waddled over to the basket next to the hearth, dropping the logs inside. Tearing off her gloves with her teeth, she pulled her scarf and cap off over her head. Her cheeks were flushed.

"Ah," she groaned, her hand going to the side of her neck. Fresh blood bloomed against her bandages. "Damn, may have over done it."

The swelling scent stirred D's senses, enticing and near at hand. He stilled, swallowing, trying to soothe the sudden aching burn that pooled in his throat.

Su-In froze as she tried to tighten her bandages. D had gone rigid. The edges of an eerie, frigid aura pulled at her, drawing her look to the Hunter. He was turned away from her, his face towards the kitchen window.

"D?"

The Hunter did not respond, his shoulders tense. His fists clenched at his sides causing his sword to rattle in his grip.

Just as suddenly as it had come, the aura receded.

Su-In's pulse thundered in her ears as she stared at him. After a moment he turned to her, his exquisite face as expressionless as ever.

"You should redress your wound." His voice was low but clear, breaking the uneasy silence.

Her hand fell away from her throat. "Um, yes, I think you're right."

She gathered up her discarded clothes and swept out of the room down the hall. The bathroom door closed softly. A moment later he heard the sound of water running as she turned on the tub taps.

Irritation swelled in his chest. The persisting torpor in his body had nettled him for days. He had surmised that his Noble cells had been damaged by extended exposure to running water, but had not anticipated the immediate consequence.

Su-In's blood had overwhelmed him, stoking the furious flames of his accursed thirst. Thanks to his iron will, he had managed to suppress his vampiric nature quickly. But she had sensed it, felt the black touch of his aura before he could reign it in.

He could hear the faint splashing of water from down the hall as Su-In stepped in to the tub. Pulling down the brim of his hat, D stepped out the back door.