The mist dissolved the whole room of the castle and then there was the familiar sight of the beautiful moor land and its trails illuminated in wonderful sunlight….

Sun light.

Bright sunlight.

“Oh god!” I said to myself. It was daytime and Dante had no idea.

The mist between the stones started to swirl and I saw Dante’s dark figure materializing in the sunlight. My hand raised to my mouth unable to comprehend what would happen next as Dante’s vampire skin came in contact with the burning sun. My heart felt like it was caught in a vice. As Dante stepped out from between the stones I flung myself over him, trying to cover every inch of him with my body. Dante tumbled to the ground and lay very still as I used my body to shield him from the sun.

“Are you okay? Is this working?” I asked desperately.

“Yeah it’s working.” Dante said softly a hint of amusement in is voice.

My eyes snapped down on his face and there was a massive grin growing across his face. My whole heightened sense of immediate panic suddenly flat lined as he lay under me smirking. Putting his hands behind his head like he completely chilled out Dante yelled loudly,

“Oh baby!”

There was a gasp behind me and then a loud tutting followed by someone yelling, “Oh my goodness, young people nowadays have no shame.”

Numbly I looked behind me to see a large group of tourists shaking their heads disapprovingly at me. My mouth ran dry as a guide suddenly appeared through the group and snapped,

“Excuse me this is a public place. Not a hotel room!”

I jumped off Dante feeling my face slowly turn bright red. “Um, I’m sorry- you misunderstood, you see he’s-” what a vampire? Yeah sure that will go down really well. I hesitated then felt Dante’s hand interlace with mine. He stood protectively in front of me and said loudly,

“It’s not her fault. She’s a sex addict.”

My jaw hit the ground. “What do you think you are doing?!” I hissed at him.

“There’s no shame in your secret darling!”

“There is no secret you bloody idiot!”

“Sometimes I just feel like a piece of meat to you!” Dante announced dramatically.

The guide and group of tourists stared in awkward horror before I snatched my hand away and marched off down the trail. Dante apologized to the crowd explaining, “She’s going into rehab soon.”

Dante ran to catch me up and was clutching his sides laughing.

“You bastard!” I snapped, “I thought you were about to turn into a pile of bloody ash.”

“I’m sorry baby. I couldn’t resist.”

“You made me look a complete doughnut in front of all those people.”

“I’m sorry, but you should have seen your face.” Dante howled.

“Idiot vampire.” I snapped underneath my breath.

“Come on Ebony, baby.” Dante said trying weasel his way around me.

“Look can we focus on getting off the moor and into town, please. Wait,” I stopped and reached behind me, touching my back. “Where are my wings?”

“We are immortal and this is a mortal realm. Neither of us belong here. When you were brought into this world you lost everything that made you immortal and that includes your wings.” Dante explained.

“Why didn’t you tell me that before we came?”

“I had my reasons.” Dante shrugged.

I dropped the subject, I felt too tired to work out Dante enigmatic bull crap. How could one man be so confusing! On minute he was tearing off my wings, the next he was jumping out a tower to save me and then he was announcing to the world that I was some sort of predatory nymphomaniac. I felt like I was married to someone with multiple personality disorder. I walked on ahead trying to increase the distance between us.

“Ebony! Ebony!” Dante yelled after me.

I didn’t stop. I refused to stop. The sooner we got this blasted item from the Loch Ness monster the faster I could go home, get world peace and divorce this loser. Dante caught my hand, “Wait up, where are you going?” He asked.

“To town, I just told you.”

“Why?”

“We need transport.”

“I’ve got no money.”

“What?” I yelled my jawhitting the flaw.

“Do we need money?” Dante asked tilting his head like a bamboozled puppy.

“Of course we do you useless vampire!” I snapped raking my fingers through my hair I asked,

“How did you think we would get Scotland without any money?”

Dante again shrugged, “This is your turf- you figure it out.”

We marched into the nearest town in virtual silence. I found a bus that would take us to the nearest train station but unfortunately I had no money to pay the fare. Miserably I sat at the bus stop next Dante trying to think of ways to get money in a hurry and I concluded there was two ways to get cash fast- begging or busking. Only problem was that my pride wouldn’t allow me to beg and neither Dante or I had any talent that could wow the crowds. I stared across the road at a café and wondered if they needed any work doing. It looked really busy inside, maybe a I could waitress or something... As that ridiculous idea floated into my head I noticed someone staring at my through the café window. Oh god, it was Henry and he was waving at me from behind the café net curtains. I blinked. Oh great, another useless vampire. Thankfully Dante was looking the opposite direction as Henry drew unnecessary attention to himself. Turning to Dante I said, “Stay here, I’m just popping in that café to use the bathroom.”

Dante shrugged and sat at the bus stop. I hurried across to the café and slipped inside. Henry was sat at table with a pot of tea grinning at me.

“Do you have a death wish,” I said placing my hands on my hips, “If Dante-”

“Oh come off it love, take a pew.” Henry said pointing to the chair opposite him.

“I can’t. He’s waiting outside,” I snapped. “What do you want?”

“Our mutual friend in your husband’s basement,” Henry winked referring to the dragon, “Has asked me to ensure that you have the necessary resources to achieve your goal in your time scale.”

Henry pulled out a brown envelope from his jacket pocket and handed it to me. I stared at it suspiciously and opened it. The envelope was stuffed with ten pound and twenty pound notes. A smiled bubbled up and felt a whole lot better, “Thank you.” I said.