Her boots thudded softly up the familiar dirt path, pausing at a rickety gate. She raised a hand to open it, but chose instead to bypass the latch and rest her palm on top of the short, wooden frame.
Their home was barely large enough for the two rooms it held, but it had brought them warmth and security, and it was better than sleeping on the hard, unsheltered streets back when their days as orphans began.
Something was wrong, though. It was only the early hours of the night, and yet there was no candle flickering in the window, or from the hearth. The absolute quiet and stillness was as unsettling as the chilled, ominous breeze that touched Lightning's cheeks, though no blood rose against it.
She breathed a quick exhale that shook with worry, a breath as cold as the wind and leaving her mouth without a trace of fog. Lightning vaulted over the gate, sprinted up the rest of the path, and jumped over the small steps to the door. The tiny wooden porch creaked loudly under her weight as she shoved the door open.
It was empty. The single bed they shared when Lightning was home was unmade, and Lightning's pillow was pulled down and rumpled as if it had been clung to one too many nights. The common room that acted double as a kitchen, while not nearly as messy as what would suggest a break-in, was still unkempt beyond Serah's standards. A small table and chair had been pulled over to face the window. A few wrinkled and soiled cloths were scattered around. On the table was some red yarn and an almost finished scarf.
Lightning chuckled, glancing up from the cooking pot. "And what are you going to do with your first payment?" Serah had been so determined to find work. Lightning had rejected the idea a number of times until it was clear she was not able to keep their cupboards full on her own.
Serah smiled, counting and organizing the pitiful few coins on the table. While Lightning still disliked the idea of her working at the local tavern, Lebreau had proven to be a fair and safe employer. And it was hard to stay mad when Serah looked so happy."I'm going to buy you that red scarf you were always looking at in Eden when we were little."
Lightning picked up the scarf and ran her hand over it. Serah still didn't have near enough money for that scarf, and they'd never gotten around to making the trip anyway; Lightning had always been out looking for the next job herself. It had taken most of the gil Lightning had managed to save up just to get them out of Eden in the first place.
Setting the scarf down, she moved to the hearth in the center of the room and touched the coals. They were as cold as her hand.
She swallowed dryly, taking a few panicked glances about the room before the subtle hum of voices drifted in. She rushed to the window, spilling coals on the floor and bumping into the table in her haste. The yarn and scarf fell off, but she ignored it, scanning the outside terrain. Even with her vampire eyes, the speakers were far enough away that it took a moment to see exactly who they were. Without thinking, she snuck out the door and hurried around to the back of the house.
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay over?" She recognized the kind voice of Bodhum's guard captain, Amodar. "My wife and I would always welcome you, as long as you wish."
"Thank you, Amodar." Serah. Lightning sat down against the wall and curled her knees up to her chin. "I appreciate you walking me home from the tavern. And you and your family have been more than kind. But I want to be home for now."
The porch creaked wearily beneath their steps. "Well, if that's what you want..."
A pause. "Sazh and Dajh haven't come back, have they? Do you think she's-
"I've got my guards out looking. The snow is still heavy in some areas, but you'll be the first to know when we find them."
"But-"
"When we find them," he said firmly.
Serah choked on a sob that was soon muffled, and Lightning imagined Amodar giving her a comforting hug. A few more words were exchanged, and then Amodar took his leave.
It was so quiet now, but Lightning could still map the movement of Serah's footsteps within the house. She closed her eyes, appreciating the sound. It reminded her of when she'd get home late at times, waking up just as late the next morning and pretending to be asleep while listening to her sister move about the kitchen.
She inhaled, thinking of the pleasant aroma of a morning meal.
Instead, it was the scent of blood that tickled her nose. She put a hand over her nose and mouth, but her fangs only pressed more insistently against her lip. She clenched her eyes tight, and the vision that emerged was not of a warm, hot breakfast, but of Serah's blood on her hands, on her lips, trickling to the floor as teeth ripped into her throat-
Lightning shoved herself from the wall and tore off across the field.
She wasn't able to see her sister pause at the scattered coals. At the fallen scarf and yarn.
…
The trees blurred past as she continued farther and farther. There was no burn in her lungs, no ache in her legs. She could go as fast and as far as she wanted; until the sky lit with color and cleansed her with fire.
Another blur flitted at the edge of her sight, separate from the trees and very much alive. Lightning dug in her heels, sliding through dirt and leaves to a halt. With no breath to catch or hide the sound of, she rested a hand on her sword hilt, paused, and listened.
Behind her.
She spun, drawing the sabre and facing... a tree.
"You know, we really need to stop meeting like this. Just you and me, out in the middle of the woods." Behind her again. The dirt stirred at her boots as she turned.
A tall woman was leaning with her shoulder against a tree, arms crossed. A dark, fur mantle rested atop her shoulders and draped down over her upper torso. Beneath it, she wore a simple brown leather tunic that was laced along the sides, tight enough to hold to her form, but loose enough to expose some of her skin. Baggy trousers were held up by a belt with a small dagger tucked into it. Leather guards strapped to her forearms, emphasizing the considerable muscle of her biceps.
She had dark bronze skin, and her hair was a wild mess that fell past her shoulders, a few beaded and braided strands dangling on one side of her face. A bracelet of beads wrapped around one wrist, and the strings of a necklace were visible just above the mantle.
Lifting a curved brow, she said, "Don't recognize me? I'm hurt." She gave a mock grimace, placing a hand over her chest as she pushed away from the tree. She took several confident steps toward Lightning, fully ignoring the blade between them.
Closer now, Lightning could seen the green of her eyes, and the reddened tips of her hair. The wild, fearless air about her was beyond human.
"You're..." Lightning's eyes dashed up and down the woman's frame, "shorter than I remember." The woman chuckled, but Lightning's lips thinned even as the woman's almost feral smile stretched. "I thought you took Vanille back."
"I did. She wanted to come with me here, but she's hurting more than she'll let on, so I made her stay and rest." Fang stepped away, giving Lightning space, and leaned her back against the tree, arms crossed again. "I swear it's taken me a whole century to figure out when she's bluffing."
Century? After a short pause in order to look Fang over again, Lightning only shifted a little in her stance, keeping the sabre out. "So what are you doing here?"
Fang tilted her head. "Isn't it obvious? I was looking for you." Her smile dimmed. "Thought maybe, uh. You could use some help, you know?"
Lightning frowned, shaking her head slightly. "And why would you want to help me?"
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not particularly fond of vampires. But you weren't exactly looking for blood when I first saw you. You got caught in a bad spot while Jihl was looking for me, and she'd already gotten Vanille not long before that," Fang sighed, "I couldn't have stopped what she did to you, but... well... you helped Vanille get out of that rotten place, so let's just say I feel I owe you a few favors."
Lightning's hands tightened, tension rising along her arms and shoulders. She turned on her heel and marched away. "There's no need."
She heard footsteps following right behind her. "You look like you're in a pretty big hurry. I believe town is the other way."
"It's not your concern."
"Actually, I am a bit concerned."
Irritation spiking, Lightning turned and lashed out with the back of her hand, but Fang caught her wrist easily. Growling low, Lightning tried to tug her arm back, but the werewolf held firm. "Why don't you do me a favor and leave?" she bit out.
Fang's eyes were steady and neutral on hers. "Vanille said you had a sister. Have you seen her, yet?"
Lightning hissed, adjusting and striking out with her foot. Fang blocked inside it with her shin, shoving to set her off balance. She stumbled just as Fang caught her other wrist, twisting the sword out of her hand, and used her body to forcefully shove Lightning back against a tree.
Lightning snarled, her sight clouding with the slightest touch of red. She pushed back against her, but Fang's hold was impossibly strong, and she hardly budged.
"You're not thinking straight. I can tell just by smelling you that you haven't had anyone's blood but mine," Fang said, speaking as though it took her no effort to hold Lightning down. "What's it been now, at least a week? My blood is strong, but going for too long without more is gonna make you pretty irrational. Makes you do stupid things like tear someone's head off, or run out in the sun."
"What's it to you?" With her tireless muscles, Lightning kept struggling.
Fang's eyes hardened. "Do you think she'd want you to do what you're doing? Hm?"
Lightning snapped her teeth at Fang's face, making the woman jerk back. A brief thought of sinking her fangs in the woman's throat emerged, and Lightning used the extra space to shove from the tree and push Fang back. It felt like she'd used all of her strength, but it only caused Fang to take a few steps away. Lightning made herself fall back against the tree, trying to shut out the image. Fang didn't grab her again.
What am I supposed to do? Lightning wanted to ask. She'd thought about hurting her own sister...
"You're trying to protect her, I know. But this isn't the way to do it." Even though Fang wasn't touching her, Lightning still felt pinned. "What would you do if your positions were reversed? Would you turn her away?"
Lightning clenched her teeth and looked up at her. "I spent my whole life keeping monsters away from her, and now I'm one of them. I can't just- "
"Monster?" Fang interrupted with a biting laugh. "Surely you're not that naïve." Lightning glared, but it didn't seem to phase her. Fang shrugged, lightening her tone. "We're all monsters, including humans. It's just easier to see the fangs on us."
Lightning didn't answer, keeping her face turned. She tensed as Fang's hands reached toward her, but they only settled firmly on her shoulders. "Let's get you some blood." The friendly tone and strong grip was... grounding. "You can drink from an animal well enough, for now. It's weaker, and not really as filling as human blood will be. I'd offer mine, but... to be honest, I'm not really a fan. And you need to learn to do this on your own."
Lips pursed, Lightning said, "I'm not a child." Animals... she could do that.
Fang chuckled. "But you are a child. A newborn who just got their fangs in and doesn't wanna eat their greens."
Grinding her teeth, Lightning huffed and shoved off the werewolf's hands. Then she rolled her eyes. "I think it's reds now."
…
Fang led her straight to a rabbit, but left the catching up to her. She picked it up by its ears, staring at the frightened thing with distaste and hunger all at once.
"You can still use the meat later." Lightning glanced sideways at Fang. "For your sister."
She broke its neck first, saving it from suffering further. While her teeth hovered, she thought of the other times she'd seen vampires drink. How the blood would pool and dribble around their mouths, coating their lips.
She sank her teeth in carefully, holding the rabbit so none of the blood would spill. It was mostly tasteless, like drinking water. When she lifted her head, licking away the few traces of blood, Fang was giving her an odd look, but she offered no comment.
Lightning felt calmer now, less like there was an itch she couldn't scratch. Her mind was also more focused, and concentration didn't take so much effort.
"How did you find me?" she asked as she lowered the rabbit from her lips. "Did Noel tell you?" The brown werewolf that had escorted them all the way to Bodhum was kind and soft-spoken as a man, calm and even-tempered as a wolf. Lightning had gotten along fine with him, although she could sense his discomfort about being around someone like her.
"Nah, I passed him on the way here, but he was in a hurry to be home." Fang smiled, appearing pleased about something. "Here, sit. We've still got plenty of time before the sun."
Grateful for the extra time before having to go back to Serah, Lightning sat and propped herself against a tree next to the cross-legged werewolf. She set the rabbit on the ground beside her.
"See, werewolves are sensitive to blood, particularly our own," Fang started, warming up quickly to the subject. Lightning watched her gesturing hands. "You should be wary about drinking blood from a werewolf you don't trust. It's got much stronger restorative properties than normal humans, but... well, you ever seen a dog that's caught the scent of something? It's very easy for us to track a vampire that's carrying our blood. It wears off eventually, of course. But since you haven't mixed mine with anything else, you might as well have been a glowing torch out here in the dark.
Another thing about drinking werewolf blood, is it allows us to sense what the vampire is feeling, almost to the extent of mind-reading, in some cases." Fang looked down for a moment, and back up. "I could feel what you were feeling back in the cave. Vanille had a sense of it, too." Fang paused, giving Lightning time to say something if she wanted.
"How do you know all this?"
A side of Fang's mouth tipped up. "Let's just say I've been around for awhile."
She's at least over a hundred, Lightning thought, not quite sure how to wrap her head around that. By appearances, she looked to be the same age as herself.
"You'll find that blood will taste, and even feel, different from different sources. Obviously, animals aren't going to taste as good. And humans can taste differently depending on what they're feeling at the time. That's why some vampires like to scare'em first. Gives the blood a little more... zing, I guess.
Lightning nodded. "That's what Paine told me." Lightning recalled the older vampire trying to get her to drink, even offering to share when she'd found some herself. But she never did more than shrug when Lightning turned away.
"Oh? Is she still around?" Fang's expression changed a bit to wariness. Lightning could understand. Even though Paine had helped them, she used to be one of Jihl's people.
"She's staying at Sazh's place for now. She's talked about moving on soon, though."
"Hm. The fire spirit. I wasn't aware this area had one."
Lightning shrugged. "I've known him since Serah and I moved here. He paid me to protect him and his son when they made trips to Nautilus. I've never seen him use fire like that."
Fang nodded, thoughtfully picking at some sticks. "I'll have to go see him, sometime."
Lightning watched her for a moment. "You must have traveled as a wolf to get here so quickly. Did you... carry your own clothes, or...?" Noel had only changed after he'd "borrowed" some clothing off a line, saying he'd give it back when he returned.
"It's good to see you're thinking with some clarity, now." Fang smiled. "I've got some friends in the area. I'll introduce you sometime, so you both know not to tear at each other. They're a young pack, but their leader is a good enough sort. And it's not uncommon for a pack to keep extra clothing around. Seeing naked people wandering about looking for clothes all the time can be just as frightening to the locals," Fang said with a chuckle. After a moment's hesitation, she added, "I visit often enough, so I've left some of my own there."
Lightning nodded. They fell silent, and she was hesitant to break it.
Fang did so for her. "So. Are you ready, or do we need to find you another meal? There's a doe with a couple of little ones just a mile north."
Lightning shook her head. She at least felt stable for the time being. "Will you come with me?" she asked as they stood. If Fang was with her, she'd surely stop her if...
Fang's eyes shifted with surprise. But it was gone just as quickly, filled with understanding. "Sure. I wouldn't mind meeting this sister of yours."
…
Candlelight flickered in the window, and the door was open. Serah sat out on the steps, the red scarf clutched in front of her. She shot up as soon as Lightning stepped through the gate, Fang just behind her, and started sprinting down the path.
Thinking to shove her away, Lightning's arms disobeyed as her sister ran headlong into her front, and wrapped around her instead. She tipped her head down automatically to Serah's hair as the younger one buried her face in her neck.
"You're home," Serah breathed.
"Serah, I-"
Serah shook her head, burrowing more into Lightning's neck and shoulder, holding tighter still. "You're home."
Lightning's eyes squeezed shut, clutching Serah hard against her.