"I know you didn't finish the sentence, but they know what you were about to say" Rei scolded her son as she got nearer. "I don't think we're welcome anymore, let's go before they make that more obvious" she added with a sigh, motioning for the kids to follow her.

Ryan had the good sense to look embarrassed, and followed after his mother. Silently, Aislinn followed along too.

"I know you don't like to use mind-link so much, Aislinn; and, usually that's no big deal. In places like a witch's market, we should really do our best to keep our conversations private. You can never be sure who's listening" Rei continued on, not slowing her pace as she climbed the stairs to escape the witch's market.

"I understand. I'm sorry" Aislinn replied, ashamed that her discomfort with mind-link caused them trouble. Her issues with it were layered, from remembering communicating with her parents using it, to seeing it as a reminder that she doesn't yet have her wolf. Still, she never considered how it could be putting them in danger, and she felt awful for not considering it.

"It was my fault, mom" Ryan said, the three of them using their pack link so all three were privy to the conversation. "Don't blame Aislinn."

"Oh, I know it was your fault, young man! You were the one about to insult a room full of witches! That doesn't excuse Aislinn's poor judgment, she should have switched to mind-link when you didn't. I'm disappointed in you both" Rei explained, clearly worked up.

The three remained silent after that, with Rei leading them out of the city. Thankfully, she didn't believe anyone had followed them; so, once they were in the woods, safely off of witch territory, she stopped and faced her children.

"Look" she started, sighing again. "I'm sorry if I seem like I'm overreacting; but, that could have gone very badly for us. I need you both to have your heads on straight when we are in dangerous situations" she explained.

"I know, mom, I'm sorry! It's not like witches have werewolf hearing, though" Ryan protested.

"The walls have ears, when you deal with witches" Aislinn mumbled, knowing that witches were notoriously suspicious and untrusting.

"Exactly" Rei agreed. "And they heard what you said, the air shifted as soon as that sentence left your lips. I could feel it; and I'm sure that with one more wrong word or move, we'd have been attacked by at least one witch. We depend on these markets for our safety and financial stability, do you understand? We can't risk that, and we can't risk drawing the ire of witches or werewolves by being part of unsanctioned, cross-species fighting. So...Mind-link when we're in human and witch territory, understood?"

"Yes" Aislinn and Ryan replied in unison.

"Now" Rei continued, more cheerfully this time as she started to walk again. "I understand that the cat's out of the bag. So, Aislinn, when did you plan on going off on your little adventure?" She demanded.

Aislinn tripped over her own feet hearing this, nearly face-planting. Fortunately, Ryan caught her arm and held her up while laughing.

"I couldn't let you trust a witch...I had to leave so you wouldn't" the young girl tried to explain feebly.

"Oh, I can very well appreciate your line of thinking" Rei said with a small chuckle. "I just wish you'd come to me, to discuss it with me...I know it's unheard of for a werewolf and a witch to trust one another; but...I do know a witch we can trust. So, you needn't go running off to try to save us. I promise you, the Royal pack is a much more dangerous place for any of us than you can imagine."

"I heard the new King is a jerk" Ryan added, stuffing his hands into his pockets after he was sure Aislinn's balance was steadied. "His dad was a shit king, and he had to take it over before he was ready. I think that—" he was saying, before his mother cut him off.

"We are on werewolf lands now, my son. Do not speak ill of any of the rulers, or did you forget that sometimes ears can be everywhere?" She demanded sternly.

This was sufficient to shut Ryan up for the remainder of their trip back to their little temporary home. No matter how Aislinn asked, trying to word her questions slyly, and other times just outright asking, Rei would give her no further information about this witch she claimed she could trust. Eventually, Aislinn gave up, and the topic switched to more mundane things, such as what they would have for dinner.

Later that evening, the three curled up into their beds. As it had become habit, and Kenji enjoyed being able to stretch out more, Ryan gave control to his wolf for the evening. Kenji curled protectively around Aislinn, and the small family drifted off to sleep.

She wasn't sure exactly what time it was when she awoke, but something within Aislinn was screaming for her to wake up. It was telling her to stay still, and continue looking like she was sleeping; so, she kept her eyes closed while she tried to gain her bearings.

The first thing she noticed was that it was eerily quiet. Usually at night, there would be crickets chirping, or some animals chattering; but, there was nothing. Dead silence.

The second thing she noticed was the smell. There was an odd, faint fruity odour in the air; although, it was horribly overpowered by what she could only describe as rotting flesh. It took enormous effort to not gag from the stench, yet she somehow managed.

Third, and last, she noticed that this overpowering stench that should have alerted Rei and Ryan, had somehow not caused them to wake. How were they still asleep with such a threat being so close?

So close that she could now sense it.

It was leaning over Kenji, and its icy cold hand was reaching towards her. She couldn't see it with her eyes still close; but, she could feel the change in the air's temperature because its body sucked away all warmth around it.

It was a vampire.