It had been some time since their massacre, and subsequent escape, from the realm of the Fae. They had found an abandoned cabin out in the woods a few hours away. Davacor had seemingly joined with Varia as she bid farewell to what remained of her parents mangled bodies.

Varia had cried surprisingly little, there was a great deal of love lost, as well as suppressing of emotions and shock from the entire ordeal.

The cabin was silent, not even a creak or rattle from the wind outside. It was like they existed separately in this place from the rest of the world. The tang of burning oak from the fireplace, a welcome reminder of reality.

Varia sat on a leather couch, while Davacor curled up next to the fireplace. Varia had her legs tucked under her as she stared into the writhing flames.

Silence reigned as days dragged into weeks, always the same routine, hunt, eat, chores, survive, relax by the fire. Occasionally Varia would listen to Davacor’s wisdom regarding the hunt or her stories.

Tonight was a rare night in which Varia actually asked, “Dava, have you ever encountered something that made you so afraid, you just couldn’t stop running?” Varia was once again on the couch with legs tucked. Her head was tilted to the side, a considering and curious look. With her slight frame and angular features, the pose seemed decidedly avian. With her eyes like hard unblinking stones, she seemed a bird of prey.

Davacor approved of the hard eyed stare, it was only appropriate for a bonded one to show such fierceness. “Yes, Little One, I have. It was even one of you humans. I met him some time ago, though we never spoke, he spoke to me.” Davacor stretched out, feeling the luxurious warmth soak through her body.

Varia reflected that it wasn’t unlike watching a cat stretch itself out on a rug.

Davacor slowly became wreathed in a faint glow of shifting violet and red. “I do not know if I should call him human, he doesn’t react like you, speak like you. He was the closest thing I’ve found to one of the People on this world. I was tracking down a person from one of your music groupings... Band?... Thirty Seconds to Mars. I found the name distinctly hilarious. I knew I had to make their leader mine. To be fair, he acted more the little girl than you did, beautifully loud too. Even kind of looks like a girl.”

The Violet and Red became shot with tinges of Yellow.

Yellow faded from her aura as Davacor resumed her tale. “It was all ruined as I traveled the woods and found a man barring my way. I knew he saw me and that he wasn’t shocked by it at all. Still high off the thrill of my stalk, I figured a good scare would really send the man running. I slipped into the spaces between dimensions and approached him from behind. As I started to slip back into our dimension I saw he was staring at me.”

The Violet hue deepened to a darker strain. “I immediately slipped back and circled him, his eyes followed me. I will never forget the frozen jade coloring. I swear I could almost see my own impossible reflection staring back at me as well. He demanded that I stop, and against my will, I did. Such was his presence. He chuckled and promised not to harm me so long as I harmed no person. He even said he considered extending me an offer. He walked right next to where I was standing. My mind believed I could feel his breath, as my three hearts pounded relentlessly. I recognized, for the first time, a better predator than one of the People.”

Suddenly a Vivid Blue replaced the Deep Violet, “Then he did something I did not expect. He drew a knife and laid bare his arm before cutting neatly, drawing a smooth flow of blood without a flinch. He requested that I mix my blood with his, and offered to let me have a free shot whenever I want. He would welcome the challenge of such a apex predator as myself. Instead, I ran, my instincts had screamed at me from the start to do so, but only then did I listen.”

The auric glow faded entirely. “I never met so frightening a being. He knew everything I did, as I did it, on top of finding me in the first place. He could have killed me, with little effort. I can feel this in my bones, hearts and minds. He was beautiful as a hunter, unwavering and unconquerable. If I could claim him, I would have. Yet, some being greater still, holds his heart, I could smell her on him. Such power was chilling, as the cold of the starless dark.”

Varia, rather than frightened, was thoughtful, “I think we should find him, make him hunt the things that hunt us. Why should we hunt or hide alone when we can have a pack with someone or something like him? I feel we are pulled to this.”

Varia never mentioned the man she saw sitting in the flames, a man with a threadbare black suit and hat, pale as a white spider, with a press card stuck in the band of the hat.

Black Jack