Kara stalked a few steps ahead of Hunter. He could easily have caught up with her if he chose to but he didn't need to read minds to know she was angry.

Susan poked her head out of Kara's pocket. "Please don't be mad," the mouse begged her. "I hate it when people are mad. I always feel responsible. Besides it's not Hunter's fault Ulrich is a jerk!"

"He bit me!" Kara snapped, and it was worse than that and she didn't know why. She felt really aware of him at her back even though he was keeping his distance and her hands were almost aching with the desire to turn around and touch him. Absently she rubbed her hands against her legs as if trying to get something off them.

"Well if he hadn't I can bet what the werewolves would be doing to you now would be much worse," Susan calmly informed her.

"Really?" Kara asked, suddenly aware of the true enormity of the danger she may have just been in.

"Really," Susan stated with an authority that worried Kara. She bit her lip, wondering if she had been unfair to Hunter. Maybe he really was just trying to protect me, she thought to herself.

"At last she gets it!" Hunter called out triumphantly behind them. Kara turned and glared at him. Hunter grinned mischievously at her and she had to fight to keep a smile from her own face. What was it about him that made her want to smile anyway?

He closed the distance between them in three easy strides and took her hand in his. "I'm sorry, but I had no choice. Do you forgive me?"

Kara looked at their hands, wondering why it just felt so right that he was touching her. She smiled softly. "I forgive you," she answered, her voice quiet. Then, without meaning to or even understanding how she managed it, she was kissing him. She drew back quickly as though startled and turned back to the path she had been following since they'd left the forest. She focused all her attention on it, acting as if it was the most important thing in the world and trying to ignore the little voice in her head that was demanding to know why she'd just done that. At some point during her let's-stare-at-the-ground-and-pretend-I-didn't-just-embarrass-myslef plan the path branched in two directions. Kara had been thinking more about what she'd just done than about walking and simply begun walking down the left branch.

"You really don't want to go that way!" Hunter advised still a few steps behind her. He could feel her emotions so keenly they may as well be spelled out in ten foot high flaming letters. Though it was kind of adorable when she blushed. He shook his head, reminding himself she was on a quest that would only last a few hours more.

She turned around, cutting into his thoughts when she demanded "Oh and why not? What more could possibly happen to me now?"

"Me!" said a deep and menacing voice behind her. She spun round and came face to chest with a man who towered over her. He was dressed all in black and she had to lean back to see his face, he was so close to her. She took a step back and her gaze met his cold green eyes. They were like pools, deep, chilling and dark in the depths and she felt herself drowning. Though she was actually starting to feel quite pleasant although she wasn't sure why and she certainly couldn't remember why she was standing before this man. In fact she was beginning to wonder why she wasn't bowing because he was obviously powerful and far more important than she. Yes, she should be bowing! No, kneeling, such power demanded such respect and...

Hands gripped her shoulders and jerked her roughly back. Pain biting a little through the cloud she was rapidly becoming lost in. She was dimly aware of someone saying her name but she didn't want to answer, didn't want to be taken away from the man in front of her. His power was a fire she was privileged to be close to and she didn't want to loose it.

Hands spun her roughly around, tearing her away from the dark green pool and she found herself staring into calm depths of blue flecked with violet. There was something terribly familiar about them, something important...

She felt lips crush against hers, almost bruising and the press of fangs. The hands held her closer and the familiarity was overwhelming. Her eyes snapped opened and that was when she realised they had been closed. She blinked twice, confused, feeling like she was coming awake after a long sleep she didn't remember having.

"Are you ok?" Hunter asked his arms still wrapped around her.

She nodded her head slowly. "What just happened?"

He released her and she looked back at the man dressed in black. Not sure why, but convinced it was his fault.

"This is Morgoth," Hunter said coldly. "Keep your distance and never, ever look him in the eyes."

"Oh," she said and instantly averted her gaze, focusing on his chest instead. Susan had retreated back inside her pocket and Kara could feel her trembling.

"Aw, Prince Hunter has a new pet," Morgoth said mockingly. "What a pleasant surprise. We all thought you were never going to get over the last one." Morgoth's eyes fell on the wound on Kara's neck and he grinned. "You've even marked her!" He sounded like a delighted child just presented with a gift.

He came closer to them and Hunter wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close. "Well, little girl, what are you doing playing in the labyrinth with vampires?" he whispered, leaning forward to touch her hair. Kara shuddered, wondering how much trouble she'd be in if she just kicked him.

"Back off," she ground out instead, thinking it was probably safer to do that.

Morgoth laughed and his hand cupped her chin. He tried to force her to look up at him and her head was half tilted before she remembered and quickly closed her eyes.

His hand fell away and he chuckled, "That's not very fair is it? What are you afraid of little girl?"

Kara wanted to open her eyes at him and stare just to take away the mocking tone but she guessed that was probably just what he was hoping for. "Are you always this annoying or am I just special?" She asked amazed at how calm her voice sounded. This man could take over her mind and control her actions and that scared her more than anything else had ever scared her before. Next to her Hunter's body was tense and she didn't exactly find that reassuring.

"You know I could spirit you away faster than you could blink and Prince Charming here couldn't do a thing about it," Morgoth told her, absently studying his nails.

Kara opened her mouth to reply but just then a small bright bundle of flying colour launched itself from nowhere at Morgoth and hit him round the middle. Both fell to the ground, one squealing delightedly and the other making a sound of disgust.

A small girl about half Morgoth's height was wrapped around his waist, hugging him tightly. The girl had short red hair and sparkling green eyes set in pretty elfin features. Everything about the girl just screamed, delicate and cute.

"Squishy! I've been looking all over for you!"

"Squishy..." Kara, repeated disbelievingly, now more confused than she'd been a few minutes ago.

The girl stood up and dusted her self off. She stuck out a hand, "I'm Elena," she introduced herself.

Somewhat bemused Kara took the offered hand, "Kara. But why did you call Morgoth...squishy?"

The girl giggled, "He's my big brother. I like to call him Squishy Hugmore." Then the girl leaned forward to whisper, "This whole big bad thing is just an act. He only does it to annoy our parents."

Morgoth was picking himself up of the ground. He dusted himself of, grumbling the entire time and muttering curses at Elena.

Hunter and Kara exchanged a look and burst out laughing together.

Susan poked her head out of Kara's pocket, "Just wait till the rest of the Labyrinth gets wind of this!"

Morgoth's face was getting redder by the minute. "You know...I...uh...just remembered there's a curse I'm supposed to be working now...so I'd better go and...uh...see to that." With that he turned and ran down the path.

"Well it was nice meeting you," Elena chirped, looking after her brother wistfully, "and I thought we were going to have ever so much fun". She shrugged before calling out, "Squishy, wait!" and running after her brother who increased his speed in a desperate effort to get away. Hunter and Kara collapsed into a laughing fit again and needed ten minutes to recover.

"One of the most terrifying sorcerers in the labyrinth and his sister calls him squishy hugmore!" Hunter said through the laughter. He turned and their eyes met, he stopped laughing abruptly. Had she been that lovely five minutes ago? He shook his head but he couldn't get rid of the thought and continued to stare. Slowly, he cupped the side of her face, as if afraid any sudden movement would make her disappear, and brushed his lips lightly against hers. Maybe biting her was the worst thing in the world he could have done. He could feel the bond between them like a thread, though usually it was at least two bites before the bond became this tangible. He could have cursed himself for taking her blood under any other pretext than that of nourishment. Of course he'd honestly thought the worst that would come of it would be heightened awareness of her presence. Well he'd gotten that and them some. He felt like he was burning and touching her was the only way to cool it. He closed his eyes and told himself it would fade, once she was gone.

"We should go," he said quietly.

Kara blinked at him, unable to keep a little of the hurt from her eyes. He told himself that it was down to blood and nothing more as she nodded her head slowly.

"O-of course. Lead on," she answered, gesturing with her hand for him to continue. Without another word they both began to walk.