Ranch work wasn't hard on the strange teen Thierry brought to his home almost a month ago. Accompanied by his she-wolf companion, Adren Foster slowly regained his humanity by sweating over fences, weeding gardens and trimming Thierry's prized ruby red roses.

But still with all his achievements, Adren was still a wild wolf at heart. The herd of cattle and sheep would become nervous anytime that he was around. No horse would allow Adren to ride them didn't hurt. Anytime he needed to move a long distance fast, he would change into his other form and race to where he belong. What did hurt was Adren still hadn't spoken a word.

He understood English. Thierry saw him in the kitchen one day performing a spell from a book in front of him. In fact, he discovered Adren knew at least two other languages. Latin: Thierry walked by his study and found the teen pouring over a book of history, translating it into a blank journal. French: Mrs. Miller reported to Thierry that Adren assisted her in cooking a recipe written in French. Before she could even ask, he had grabbed the ingredient, pointed at the French word then at the ingredient.

Why hasn't he spoken to any of us? Thierry asked himself as he watched Luna and Adren scuffle in the yard. What happened to you that made you this way?

"Who are you?" he murmured aloud shutting his eyes and tipped his head up to the sky.

"Adren." Came a weak reply. Thierry opened his eyes and looked down to see the teen standing before him.

"Adren Foster." He told Thierry pointing to himself. Then he pointed to the lobo at his feet. "Luna."

Thierry smiled and felt like whooping with joy but knew it would probably startle the young man and set them back all those days of trust they developed.

"I'm Thierry Descouedres."

Adren nodded and knelt down to pet Luna, who panted happily at his gentle attention.

"Adren, how is it you came to be in the dog fighting arena?" Thierry asked him.

"He sold me."

"Who?"

"The man dragon."

"Why did he do that?" Thierry asked and saw Adren's shoulders stiffen.

"He hates to love." Adren told him, "and loves to hate."

Adren sighed and sat down in front of Thierry. "First I was witch, daughter of the brother of Witch-Queen. Then I was slave, his slave. Then I was royalty, born to marry him. And I was priestess to the gods."

He smiled faintly and continued, "Then I was man, loved by many, bit by a wolf that was woman. She cared for me. She and hers took me into their own. Then he found me and took them away from me, like he took me over the ages."

Adren bowed his head, "Fate betrayed him and he took it out on me. Killing me this time was not enough. He wanted me destroyed, inside and out so I would never desire to return…. Or love him."

Realization hit Thierry. "You're his soulmate!"

Adren frowned and nodded, "I don't understand the word but it seems right." He looked up at him, "Do you have a soul-mate?"

Thierry's gaze went distant, "I did. But no matter how hard I try, she is always murdered."

"At least she wasn't turned into a man."

Thierry looked at Adren and saw the small smile on his face then laughed.

"Very true."

Thierry and Adren both stood up and headed inside where Mrs. Miller was preparing lunch. Together with Luna, they went into the study and shut the door behind them.

"What do you remember of your first life?" Thierry asked taking a seat behind the massive cedar desk while Adren sat in a comfortable leather chair across from him.

"My name was Adren Far-Star, my father was Bano."

"Hecate's brother?!" Thierry exclaimed stunned. "It was thought he died."

"No, another cave dwelling clan discovered his battered body and took him in. There he lived and sired me before trying to return to his sister. From there he vanished." Adren replied.

"What do you know of the Night World?" Thierry inquired.

"It's made up of: witches who are descended from the clan of Hecate; shifters, who are ruled by the descendants of a baby dragon; werewolves, who I think should be included with the shifters but generally aren't. There are two types of vampires: lamia and made. All lamia are descended from Maya, renegade daughter of Hecate, twin of the Hearth-Woman. Made vampires are those bitten by lamia or those bitten by the bitten of lamia."

Adren's gaze locked with Thierry's, "You are the first made vampire, the second vampire in creation."

A chill went through Thierry.

"I know."

"They need to be stopped."

Adren nodded, "Yes. Erikthya and Maya need to be stopped" he looked up at Thierry and asked, "But how?"

The vampire ran his fingers through his hair, "The first thing we need to know is what they are plotting."

"What does Maya want?" Adren inquired absently petting Luna. "Erikthya was always a follower in bigger schemes. His goals are to live in hate filled comfort, not use his dragonic sorcery for anything big. Too self absorbed."

Thierry nodded, "I'll send some spies to investigate. Let's get back to you, what other things do you remember of your past lives?"

"I remember my life as Adrena, Erikthya's concubine." Adren replied with a blush. "The first time our eyes met he knew who I was, even if I didn't. Then, I only dreamt of my past. When he killed me, I was so shocked that my devotion was betrayed so."

"In my next life I was Lady Adrene Farst, the betroth of Lord Erik the Drake. Upon meeting my future husband, I saw my previous lives… and then he killed me. It was then he promised to hunt me down every time I returned."

Thierry shook his head in disgust as Adren finished the deathly tale.

"My last life was of a priestess for pagan gods. My earliest memories in that life were of pouring over potions, receiving visions of my past and of him. When I was the age I am now, I sensed him coming for me and prepared myself for a battle to the death. I lost."

"What of your past here?" Thierry inquired, "You mentioned you were bit by a werewolf…"

"Yes, her name was Constance. She wanted to see a Fianna, a legend amongst the shape changing wolves." Adren smiled faintly in remembrance. "A peaceful black with eyes of green. A shaman."

"What of your life before?"

Adren shut his eyes and laid his head back, "I'm Adren Foster now."

Thierry nodded andstood up

"Shall we go to lunch?"

Adren nodded and stood as well, "Yes. Lunch." He replied distantly.

Lunch was ate in silence amongst the few ranch hands that didn't desire to out on the range.

Thierry watched proud as Adren used the fork and knife sat beside his plate of steak, potatoes and peas. The humans at the table didn't seem to notice or mind that Thierry himself didn't eat. Having a werewolf around or vampire for a boss was a price they'd gladly pay for the money Thierry offered.

"So where should my spies start to find out what Maya and Erikthya are up to." Thierry said after lunch as they both were safely behind the closed doors of the study.

"Find a place where there are animal fights. Dog, were, cock, it won't matter. In one of them you shall find Erik." Adren replied.

"And from there Maya." Thierry added and Adren nodded.

Spy reports came in around dinner. Thierry had just sat down at the table and Adren began to eat when a small nondescript man scuttled in and whispered something into the vampire's ear. The something seemed to deeply disturb Thierry who stayed silent throughout dinner.

After dinner, the vampire lord called Adren into the study and began speaking to him only after the door was shut behind him.

"Maya wants the dragons."

Adren went cold all over and he sighed. "It had to be dragons."

Thierry nodded, "She wants Erik to use his sorcery to wake them up."

"And how do we stop them from doing just that?"

The vampire lord turned to the werewolf sitting before him and sighed as he sat down.

"You want me to speak to Erik." Adren said emotionless.

Thierry nodded.

"I'll go then. Tomorrow at dawn."

Only hours before this teenager was a frightened animal, skittish, and silent. Now he spoke with the knowledge of many lifetimes. How proud Thierry was and he wondered if perhaps he could face the fears of his own past just as bravely.