In her angelic form Enid didn’t notice the weight of Matilda as the girl fell asleep after all the excitement of the day and the near-death experiences. The group had fallen into silence as they walked across through the Italian night. Hazel eventually spoke, she was using the English that Helen would understand.

“Mom you lived through this already, but like…how did you know who those two people were? He looked nothing like the movie and the pope was dressed in normal clothes… Were you in Italy now?”

“No, I am not in Italy right now. But I met both of them before.”

Enid continued walking Hazel looked up at her expectantly.

“You can’t just say you met Dracula and leave it at that.”

Enid sighed.

“First off, his name was never Dracula, that’s a Bram Stoker fictional creation, I’m sure he got his name from Vlad the third. It’s not that interesting.”

“Well neither is this road and my holo-phone needs a recharge after the EMP pulse.”

Enid rolled her eyes.

“Fine, I guess its story time. A long time ago in a shitty part of Europe I wasn’t always an angel. Or you know God’s personal errand girl. When I was enforcing vampire law I was earning money doing mercenary work. You know the kind of work people don’t ask questions about you and you don’t ask questions about the job? I wasn’t exactly the beacon of humanity I am today so I didn’t really care what I was doing as long as vampire laws weren’t broken and the money was right. So, Vlad had a falling out with the Turks. Not that it seemed like he needed much of an excuse to fight. The Turks decided he’d pissed them off enough the wanted him out of the way. So, I captured him for them to ask for a ransom, which is mostly just get him out of the way of his brother so he could take over the kingdom. Was a nice payday. The end.”

Hazel frowned.

“That’s it? What about the pope?”

Enid sighed.

“Fine, So Pope Pius the second has this hard on to start a Crusade against the Turks and he’s trying to goad nobles into it. But what he really needs is someone who shares his vision of a Turk free world, enter Vlad the Impaler. Problem is Vlad is in a Turkish prison. Now Vlad is Catholic but also a sadistic bastard. Pope doesn’t care. So, he hires a mercenary to go rescue Vlad. A short, red-haired woman who doesn’t care who she is working for… namely me. He has a big sack of money. So, I go rescue Vlad. Pope doesn’t know who I am, doesn’t care he just wants his crusade. Vlad recognizes me when I rescue him. He’s curious why I would first imprison him and then rescue him. So I say, they paid me to capture him, not keep him imprisoned. He laughs so hard he nearly throws up. Offers me more work so I say yes…which is why I know I’m not here right now because I’m helping him prepare for his attack on the Turks by weakening their defenses right now. Defenses which are not in Italy, obviously.”

Hazel narrowed her eyes at her mother.

“Why bother at all, you never needed money since I’ve been with you?”

“Because of the jobs I did like those and a few thousand more. I’m immortal that does not translate to immune to boredom.”

“So much for not interfering with human affairs.”

“Well technically I was just the weapon. If it wasn’t me, it would be someone else.”

“Did you ever kill people for money?”

Enid grumbled at the disappointment in Hazel’s voice.

“Of course I did. Mortals were food, if someone pays you to eat food you eat it don’t you? Ever wondered if you should be eating that real meat peperoni because an animal died?”

“Well no.”

“Then why would a vampire care about a human when human’s are their food? If I worried about every single human I’ve killed and drained dry I’d go insane.”

“Why would you marry them?”

She looked at Matilda.

“Have human children?”

“Because I’m not that vampire anymore, I haven’t been for a very long time. And I’m mostly human…or was now. Look I’m not about to explain my moral compass to you. You’re still a child and just do not have the ability to comprehend it.”

Helen was paying close attention to the conversation, especially Enid. Hazel shook her head.

“If I said I’ll pay you to go kill Vlad the Impaler right now would you?”

“No, definitely not. We’re here to fix the timeline not fist it into oblivion. Yesh kid.”

Hazel frowned. Enid gave a small scream of annoyance as her wings mimicked her arm gestures as she spoke.

“Fuck these wings!”

Helen and Hazel looked at each and started laughing. Enid folded the wings in tightly and glared at her daughters.

“This is not funny. They are going to make it impossible to hunt whatever we’re hunting. And so is having a five-year-old girl with us.”

“I think its hilarious mom. Got a joke for you: A vampire, a werewolf and angel walk into a bar-”

Hazel was cut off and Enid swatted her free arm at her. Hazel continued laughing and Helen hadn’t stopped either. Enid shook her head and let a smile creep across her lips.

“You two should laugh more and fight less.”

Helen’s laughter died down as she noticed the pink on the horizon. She flinched as the rays of the sun hit her. Enid had pushed into the sun at one point, cruel in some people’s opinion but its what Sextus had done to her to prove to her the sun was not to be toyed with. She blinked as her heart started beating she looked at Enid who nodded. Matilda was starting to stir and stretch. She kicked her feet and Enid put her down. Matilda smiled up at Enid after a big stretch.

“I’m hungry.”

Enid nodded.

“I think you all are.”

She started pulling some of the food Hazel had packed from Arl’s kitchen. She passed out bread, dried meat and fruit. And she pulled out a chocolate milk she’d stashed in there at some point and offered it to Matilda after popping the cap. Matilda sipped it after giving her mother a weary glance. Then started gulping it down. Enid stopped her when she was about to take the third one.

“Slowly dear.”

Matilda pouted. Enid pulled out a banana and peeled it and offered it to the five-year-old.

“Eat this first. Then you can have the rest.”

Matilda narrowed her eyes at her mother then nibbled. She took another bite soon afterwards seemingly content her mother wasn’t trying to poison her with cabbage soup again. Helen took a few hesitant bites of an apple then started eating some bread finding her appetite for human food had returned. Hazel for her part was devouring enough to feed three Helens as she always did. She paused long enough to ask a question.

“Mom, you’re not eating?”

Enid shook her head.

“I’m not really hungry. I’m not really anything. Its strange. Its almost like I’m… projecting myself here. I can smell the air feel the stone that I’m leaning against but I’m not cold, I’m not hot, I’m not hungry. Kind of like, I know there is air here, and I should be breathing it but I’m not. I just am kind of divorced from the physical world. It’s very strange.”

“That sounds kind of not good mom.”

“Well what am I supposed to do? Its like got a mind of its own. I can’t get back to my real body.”

Hazel and Helen both shook their heads at her, in unison.

“That is your real body mom. Like God said, everything else is a mask.”

“We can’t believe everything he says. He tells us what he thinks we need to hear.”

Enid could feel her still very real temper roiling inside of her. She punched the large bolder and it shimmered and started to shrink and vibrate. Hazel, Matilda and Helen who had been sitting on said bolder fell down. Enid stood on front of them as the rock shimmered and flared with a bright light. Enid held her hands out in front of her and the blast of energy the rock unleashed flared past them. Then they regained their sight they were standing on glass. The entire area had been vaporized around them. The shield Enid had put up to protect them caused a shadow where the beautiful flowers that had dominated this field were still there blowing in the wind. Enid should have been full of adrenaline, but she felt nothing. She wasn’t even breathing hard; She wasn’t breathing at all. Enid stumbled backwards and tripped over a rock that had only survived the blast because it was in the shadow of Enid’s shield. She landed on her angelic ass and tears graced her angelic face. She started shaking her head.

“This… this is wrong. I shouldn’t have this power.”

Helen turned in place looking at the absolute devastation around them. Hazel kneeled beside Enid pulled her mother close hugging her tightly. Matilda after finishing her banana did the same. Hazel was somewhat of a role model for the girl and if she wasn’t being mean, Matilda would often emulate her.

“Shh. No one was hurt. You didn’t know you could do this and now you do. That’s what you told me the first time I changed and… well. You were there with me like you always are. We’ll figure it out just like you helped me figure out the wolf thing.”

Matilda clutched onto Enid.

“Mama, I want your old face back. This one is scary.”

Enid closed her eyes and tried once again to form a body and suddenly felt her heart beating again. Enid was crying at the same time she was laughing at this point. Giddy that she could feel like truly part of the physical world again. The angelic form was…disturbing to a mortal mind. Matilda cheered and Hazel laughed. Helen shook her head a look of confusion crossing her face. Hazel squished her mother.

“What brought you back?”

“I… don’t know. Its like blowing the rock up bled enough energy off to let me contain the angel again. It is getting harder to take another form. Not letting it out again if I can help it. It’s too dangerous.”

“I say the same thing when I switch back from half-wolf. Too dangerous, too out of control. Yet when I need it, I change. You’re just not used to it.”

Helen knelt down and touched the newly formed volcanic glass. The dirt had been turned to sand then melted into glass. She looked at Enid.

“Mother what happened?”

Hazel shrugged.

“Who cares? No one got hurt.”

Enid touched the glass herself it was still warm.

“I think… I turned the rock into an implosion bomb. Compressed it to a molecule then released it. Like a mini supernova. Collapsed on itself until the molecules were too close to sustain the compression and they exploded outwards.”

Helen looked at Enid as if Enid was speaking a completely different language.

“I don’t understand.”

Hazel sighed heavily.

“It got really small then really big.”

“I’m not an idiot Hazel. I just do not understand some of the words she is using. You don’t have to talk to me like I’m Matilda’s age.”

Enid frowned. Matilda covered her ears.

“Would you two stop it, you’re upsetting Matilda.”

Hazel crossed her arms.

“I will as soon as she stops being primitive idiot bloodsucker!”

“I’m not the one who needs a collar and leash!”

Enid pushed them apart as they lunged at each other.

“Stop it or I swear to God almighty I will bend you both over my knee and spank you! We need to figure out what the demons did here to change the future. Save your anger for them. And Hazel you have the benefit of several years of high school in the 29th century and a translator remember when you first got to the 29th century. And Helen if you ever tell her she needs a collar and leash again I’ll make you both wear them! Am I understood?”

Helen and Hazel both tightened their crossed arms and turned away from each other.

“I swear the reason you two are always at each other’s throat is you share a brain. You’re so much alike. Now lets go I think we’ve wasted enough time. Hazel carrying your sister please.”

Hazel reached down and scooped up Matilda and put her on her shoulders. Matilda giggled. They had to walk for an twenty minutes before they were past the edge of the blast zone Enid had caused. Helen looked back at the devastated landscape.

“That is it? Mother wipes out all life within a mile and we just walk on?”

Hazel grumbled.

“Like I said, it was plants, who cares?”

“If she was in Lincolnshire… she would have taken out the whole town, the keep, several farms.”

Enid looked at the road and kept walking. That was already at the front of her mind. How many would she have killed without meaning too? Hazel sighed.

“It wasn’t Lincolnshire. It was a bunch of grass and rocks. Considering she just blew up an entire hemisphere of Earth with antimatter, I’d say on the scale of things, this is pretty minor.”

Enid shook her head.

“She is right Hazel, this cannot be allowed to happen again.”

“Mom, what if it’s the only to stop a demon hmm? You didn’t even glance at Lucius when were with in arms reach. It’s the only thing that can permanently kill a demon besides Seraph.”

“We don’t know that. We will find another way.”

“Mom, you blew up half a planet! You had missiles that can do the same thing. You killed like a million vampires in one night with purple and black lightning. Or you know you killed an entire Roman legion. Or that village you wiped out in England? There is no difference.”

“Yes, there is a major difference.”

“Like what mom?”

“Like, I had to very specifically choose to do most of those things. This was a complete accident. I had one brief moment of anger and I touched a rock and it wiped everything out for a mile radius. This isn’t me telling Apollo to put antimatter in warheads, target the area I was aiming and pressing a button. One touch of my hand turned a boulder into a tactical nuclear weapon.”

“Mom, you’ve always had this kind of power. Its just closer to the surface now. Its like you told Helen when you turned her. If you fear the hunger for blood, it will control you. You told me if I fear the wolf it will control me and so now, I’m telling you if you fear the angel’s power it will control you. You denied your true self for too long and it took over. Now you’re paying the price stop denying what you are.”

Helen started nodding and smiling as Hazel spoke. Enid frowned.

“When did you get so smart?”

“It might have something to do with my mom. When she’s not cowering in fear from her true self she’s a regular overflowing font of wisdom.”

Hazel looked at Helen who was still smiling.

“What are you smiling about fang-girl? You were the one who started this stupid argument.”

“I am happy we discussed it. That is all I wanted. I wanted it all out in the open and not hidden away and festering. Everything you said was absolutely right Hazel.”

Hazel narrowed her eyes.

“What are you up to?”

Helen shook her head.

“Nothing. I just had no idea you were this smart. It’s to tell behind all your muscles.”

Hazel growled.

“You seriously can’t say two sentences without insulting me.”

Helen blinked innocently.

“It was a compliment.”

“Maybe it’s just your voice everything sounds like an insult because you sound like a screeching harpy.”

Enid sighed; Saint she might be, but she definitely lacked their vaunted patience. She should have given up long ago. Sisters even adopted ones would be sisters. She listened to them bicker for another half an hour. It was closing in on mid-morning when she stopped suddenly as she remembered a very pertinent piece of information. Hazel and Helen eventually stopped mid stride and mid-argument and looked at Enid who was holding Matilda’s hand. Matilda tugged on Enid’s hand

“Mama why’d we stop?”

Enid looked at Matilda.

“Shh one second hon.”

Enid looked at Hazel.

“Hazel go to wolf form and howl that we’re hunting demons. Just remembered there’s a pack around here. Children of Rome of some such. Maybe they can help us narrow this down.”

“Mom, do you really want to go through this whole pack thing again? I mean sure they can help but they’re going to want to consult the spirts, they’ll be cranky about us being in their territory and they’ll deba-”

Enid sighed.

“Hazel. I love you. If I wanted your opinion on this, I would have asked for it, now just do as I say. Please.”

“Rude!”

“I’d do it myself but its sunny out, I’m also not sure if I’m vampire or mortal at the moment. SO just do it.”

“Fine, but if I have to fighter another pack alpha, I swear I’m peeing on your bed in wolf form.”

Enid poked her shoulder.

“Stop being a baby and do it.”

Hazel shifted into her silver furred wolf form. Matilda jumped up to get into Enid’s arms. Wolves were right next door to dogs which she was deathly afraid of. Helen gasped. She knew Hazel was a wolf-born but had never seen her as anything other then a human. She was slightly jealous. The change had been so fluid and natural for her sister. When she did it as a vampire it was like she was forcing a square peg into a round hole. Hazel howled loudly. Matilda slapped her hands over her ears and closed her eyes. Enid bounced her gently. Helen looked at Enid.

“What is she saying?”

“Uh… I am Ratpors-Sorrow, hunter of lost giants. I am here to hunt for a tainted one that has escaped its prison… Have you scented/smelled it? I come with Slays-Demons, Mother of Spirits, a cub and one without name.”

Hazel trotted beside them not bothering to shift back. Matilda eventually realized they were moving again and peaked out from behind her covered eyes then up to her mother.

“Where is Hazel?”

“She’s the silver wolf dear.”

“Did it eat her?”

Enid laughed softly.

“No, Hazel can turn into a wolf. Its one of her gifts. She won’t bite you. She’s big enough you could probably ride on her back. She’s what my people would call a dire wolf.”

Matilda shook her head but as the journey wore on she looked at Hazel more and more and finally struggled to get off of Enid. The group stopped and Hazel nuzzled Matilda with her wet nose the licked her face. Matilda giggled and hesitantly patted Hazel’s head. Hazel lowered herself down and Hazel got on top. She was used to riding horses, not giant wolves. Hazel trotted smoothly and Matilda giggled. Helen looked at her sisters then to Enid.

“She didn’t even have to try did she mother? She just decided to be a wolf and she was. Not like us…”

Enid nodded.

“Well, she’s wolf-born. All of her shapes are her natural shape. She was raised by a human so she prefers her human shape. But she could easily live in any of them and be comfortable. Shh.”

Enid put her finger to her lips as she heard the first return howl. She smiled. Helen looked at her.

“What did they say?”

“They will help. They’ll keep the howls going so we can find each other.”

Helen nodded they walked onwards. Matilda seemed happy to be riding on Hazel who didn’t seem to mind either. Helen glanced at Enid again.

“Why did she say I have no name?”

“Because to them you don’t. If you have no name you have no voice. Wolf-Born have their own society.”

“But you are not wolf-born yet she called you Slays-Demons.”

“Yes, because I earned a true name in battle. It doesn’t mean they won’t treat you well, it basically just means you’re a child to them. Or an outsider. But as someone who was turned by an Imperial Vampire you are respected due to the treaty.”

“What treaty?”

“My father signed a treaty with them a very long time ago bound by the spirts with blood. An alliance was forged.”

“So if a wolf-born asks me for help, I am required to do so?”

“Yes, absolutely. However, if it’s an internal matter, like infighting, battles for supremacy between different wolf-born we do not interfere. It is the same with us. However there are some exceptions, for example I have a true-name so if I ask for protection and aid from other imperials they are more then likely to provide me with a safe haven until I am capable of facing my enemies with honor. Say, if I were injured or incapacitated they would protect me and it would be expected when I am able-bodied I would deal with the situation on my own. Same goes with us for them. This will be simple for you to navigate. Pretend the wolf-born are your better. Treat them with respect and act somewhat submissive towards them and you’ll do fine. If we reach their territory by nightfall you’ll take wolf form and it will help things go smoother.”

“I understand mother. I will not embarrass you.”

“Just remember hon, Hazel has a true name, you do not. That means in their minds she is better than you.”

“I understand.”

Enid wrapped her arm around Helen’s shoulders and hugged her gently.

“You’ll do fine.”

*****

As Enid had predicted the trip took long enough it was after nightfall once again by the time they reached the meeting spot. She was still a mortal and her legs were killing her. Even walking as the angel would have been preferable at this point. She was exhausted. Matilda was getting the blinkies as well and almost fell off Hazel a few times. Helen was in her wolf form. Her fur, like her hear was a black. Enid must have looked quite the sight an exhausted human flanked by two wolves one of which was being ridden by a young girl. The group that met them consisted of five black wolves. Based on their builds she could tell they were all female. Male wolf-born tended to be wider at the shoulders. The lead woof had silver around her mouth and nose. She sniffed at Enid then shifted to human form. She looked to be a woman in her sixties. She spoke in Italian.

“You are not the pack of wolf-born we expected.”

Enid stifled her yawn.

“I apologize, no deception was meant. I am true-named Slays-Demons, Mother of Spirits, Empress of the Court of Eternal Night. The black wolf is Helen, a godling who has shared my blood, and is my adopted child. The silver wolf is my daughter by blood, true-named by tooth and claw, Raptors-Sorrow and the young one who is falling asleep is Matilda, also my daughter by blood.”

“What a strange pack, but a pack you are. I am Nights-Whisper, this is Waters-Edge, Talon-of-Owls, Darkness and our youngest has not yet earned her true name and is called Martina. We welcome you to our territory and offer hospitality. The spirits told us of your coming. That you hunt a great darkness and that we should aid you. Then we heard the howl of your daughter. Come join us by the fire. Tell us of your hunt.”