Skarvast was an interesting place. Before now, the only time Ellie had seen this many vampires in one place was back at the northern border. She walked through the crowds, finding it half amusing how different this town was from the last. For a long while she just wandered aimlessly through the village and its cozy streets. Comforting stalls packed every alley. Orange lamplight filled the air with a pleasant warmth. Scatterings of snow sprinkled down through the air, resting in tall drifts on quaint window frames.

She pulled her hood up tight around her face and shoved her hands into her pockets to fight off the cold. It never occurred to her that vampires might live like this. She’d always imagined dank hollows and cold caves. What else did they want for except blood and sex? The charming streets of Skarvast held many answers. She often forgot that most vampires were regulars. Most were more human than vampire.

It occurred to her that walking through alleyways chock full of vampires might have terrified her once. The idea seemed funny now. Being around vampires was almost starting to feel normal. She didn’t know where she was going, she just wanted to look around and forget about everything for a while. What had that conversation with Kara meant? She thought of the old woman and found a thousand more questions bubbled in her subconscious. What a peculiar vampire she was.

Trust your instincts.

As if from nowhere, the echo of her memory played once more in Ellie’s mind. She buried her head into her coat and walked back toward the square, as if leaving that spot might give her some peace. What did ‘trust your instincts’ mean anyway? It wasn’t exactly like she was denying herself of anything. She only ever did things that made sense.

But things don’t always make sense.

She stopped in the middle of the packed crowd to watch a street performer as they juggled rings of fire through the air. A small crowd was gathered around the performer, clapping and cheering as the act became more complex. A scent lifted through the air, rising up and calling to her. Ellie knew the scent from somewhere. It was that comforting aroma, the one that seemed to lift her out of her body and make her feel as if she was floating. The rich scent of oak and fresh earth.

Jack.

Her eyes jumped about as she turned, looking for the familiar shape of the vampire in the crowd. Wasn’t it strange that she could just pick him up like that, in a square full of hundreds of people? She held onto the scent and let out a deep breath that relaxed her some. It called up memories. Memories that recounted each time she was close enough to smell him. Every time he was near it was all she could do to keep herself held back. Even back then when he’d first taken her, when their relationship had been less friendly, she couldn’t deny that she found him deeply attractive.

And why wouldn’t I? That face. That beautiful body. His sparkling eyes and thick red lips…

Tracing her mind over those facets filled her body with a strange and tingling warmth. She rolled her bottom lip against her teeth and noticed she was smiling. Where was he anyway? Ellie moved away from the street performer and pushed back into the ground again to try and follow that rich scent. As she walked she found her mind kept going back to that night they stayed at the border. The night after the fight. The night they…

How could she even describe it? How amazing his hot breath had felt on her body. How right it felt to have his hands smoothing over her breasts, down her thighs and touching her there. She trembled slightly at the thought, rolling her lip against her teeth again. God. What she wouldn’t give to feel that again. Back arching, sweat trickling on her skin. His lips between her legs, sending her to a private heaven of her own.

She stopped briefly at having realized something. All this time they’d been together she’d only wanted one thing. And it was the thing she’d been denying herself all this time.

“Ellie!”

Turning, Ellie saw Jack standing at the outer edge of the crowd, talking with a vendor outside of a blacksmith shop. She made her way over to him with an excited smile on her face. “Jack, what’s going on?”

“I was just talking with Garret here.” Jack thumbed to a large looking man with a long red beard. He was as wide as he was short, reminding Ellie of an ancient Viking warrior. “Turns out he needs some help in his shop.”

An amused smile crossed her face as she looked between the two vampires. “And you’re the one to help?”

“Aye,” Garret said in a deep and booming voice. “That he is. Not many carry the mark of the hammer.” Jack held up his right wrist, showing the black hammer tattooed on his flesh. “Trained smiths are hard to come by these days. Jack mentioned he was in town until the passage north clears up. Everyone in Skarvast has to work, makes sense he works for me.”

Ellie stared at Jack in disbelief. “You can blacksmith? You… never mentioned that.”

“Must have slipped my mind,” he said with a wink and turned back to Garret. “I’ll be back tomorrow for my first shift.”

“Sounds good,” the bearded vampire boomed back. “Work starts at midnight. Don’t be late.”

They both peeled away from the metal shop, resuming their exploration of the village. Ellie looked over at Jack, unable to hold her question in. “So… you’re a blacksmith?”

Jack laughed, rubbing a hand over the back of his head. “I guess so. I come from a privileged family, maybe it was a passing indulgence of mine? One of the guards collared me at the bottom of the temple steps when he saw the mark on my wrist. Said the local blacksmith was in desperate need of an assistant.”

“I almost feel quite proud,” Ellie said with a mocking smile. “You got a job.”

“You’d have to get one too if you were staying,” he said back, his smile fading a little. “Order of Kara. Everyone staying in Skarvast has to work if they’re fit to do so. It’s what you get in return for accommodation.”

At that moment a guard approached them from the crowd, and they both came to a stop. The vampire looked slightly out of breath. “Sir, Miss, sorry to lose track of you.”

“Track?” Jack said. He and Ellie both shared a puzzled glance.

“Yes, I was supposed to keep watch over you, per Mistress Kara’s orders. I’m supposed to show you your lodgings. Kara informs me you are privileged guests. You will stay in the guest village. We have a dozen houses just over there on the other side of the temple.”

“Sounds… fancy?” Jack suggested.

“Oh, it is,” the guard answered. “Only the most exclusive members of Skarvast stay there. Please, follow me now and I’ll show you the way. It’s a lovely space for two.”

“Actually.” Jack held his hand out, making the guard pause. He looked over at Ellie. “Ellie here isn’t staying long. Isn’t that right Ellie?”

Is it? Was it? Damn. She didn’t even know any more. Did she really have to make a choice this fast? “Well, I, err, probably have to make a plan first,” Ellie said, laughing nervously.

Jack stared back at her suspiciously. “A plan?”

“Sure.” She nodded, taking her eyes from his. “I’m in the middle of nowhere, there are dangerous vampires about. I probably need to make a strategy first.”

“An astute point,” the guard said. “These are dangerous times and we recommend guests only travel outside the village if absolutely necessary. We have staff at the travel bureau that can help plan your journey if you are moving on. I can arrange a meeting tomorrow night?”

Ellie gave a reluctant nod, forcing a weak smile as she did so. “Sounds great. I can start planning then.” She looked over to Jack. “Will I be okay to stay with you until then?”

Jack’s eyes looked away, but he gave a slight nod. “I don’t see why not. Come. Let’s go and look at this accommodation.”

* * *

They followed the guard down a small alleyway that led behind the temple to the guests’ village. The guests’ village had all the charm and whimsy of the main village, but the romantic cottages were larger here, bordered with tall trees and private gardens. The guard led them down the quiet street to the building at the end, a wide two-story house that looked right out of a fairytale. They walked inside, and he handed Jack a set of large iron keys.

“I trust you are able to explore the house on your own, and I hope it is to your satisfaction.”

“This is great,” Jack said, looking around the spacious hallway.

“I’ll be back tomorrow to escort Miss Ellie to her travel planning.” The guard gave her a wide and enthusiastic smile, stood for a moment in awkwardness and then continued. “We’ll get you out of here in no time.”

Ellie smiled back weakly. “Great. Thanks. See you then.”

The guard exited, leaving Ellie and Jack alone in the spacious cottage hallway. They looked at each other, looked away and pretended to study opposite walls of the room. Silence filled every corner.

“So, you’re really going then,” he said after a long moment.

She swallowed, twisting her fingers together. “That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?” She paused and let the question hang in the air. It occurred to her for the first time that Jack had only offered to let her go after she’d shared her story with him.

After you bared yourself. After he realized how broken you were. The thought stung in her chest and brought tears to her eyes.

“I just want you to be happy, as I explained before. You’ve never had a choice. It only feels fair that you finally get one.”

A cold laugh sprung up in her throat. “Right. That’s why. You want to give me a choice. No other reason.”

Jack looked up at her, his brow knotting with confusion. His red eyes glared at her in question. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“You really think I believe this is some grand gesture? You’re just letting me go? I know what’s really going on here. You don’t have to beat around the bush.”

Jack scoffed and turned his head as he paced across the hall. “So why don’t you fill me in? Because clearly I’m missing out on something.”

“You’re bored,” she said. “You made a mistake when you took me, and you’re only just realizing it now. I mean, you were out of your mind when you took me, so who can blame you for making a mistake. Now you’re back to your old self you’ve realized that I’m not what you wanted. You don’t believe in any of this… I doubt you ever did. It’s just a waste of time. You think this is easy for me? Being dragged across the world like something on the end of your arm? It’s just one giant fucking waste of—”

Jack turned in a flash, his face tightening with rage. “You want to know what’s wasting my time?” he roared. “Spending all this time with you, hoping that you might see something in me!”

Ellie stumbled back, stammering her response. “W-What?”

“That’s right. I thought you might be able to overcome your upbringing. I thought you might be able to look past the fact that you find vampires revolting and see something in me. This hasn’t been easy for you? How do you think it feels for me? Finding out that my destined fucking mate is the one thing that hates me the most. She’s a god damned vampire hunter.”

Ellie’s eyes widened as confusion took hold of her. She stared at him in disbelief, hot tears brimming at the edges of her eyes as she shook her head. Breath shaking, her jaw stammered while she tried to put her thoughts into words. “Y-You think I hate you? You think I find you revolting?”

“It’s the truth isn’t it?” he said, his voice lower now. “Every second we’re together all I want to do is jump you. All I’ve ever wanted since that first kiss is to feel another. Your body, your scent. It’s driving me fucking crazy standing here and not being able to taste you. I can’t stand here another second and not have you, so leave Ellie. Leave before I drive a point through my own heart to end this fucking madness.”

She stood shaking, almost dazed as his words hit her like a freight train. “Y-You want me?”

The vampire shook his head in disbelief, tore his eyes from hers and clutched the wall beside him. “Isn’t it fucking obvious? Please… just—”

“You want me,” she said again, almost unable to believe the words. He wanted her. Just like she wanted him. He’d been denying himself, thinking that he hated her. She’d been denying herself all this time. She’d been denying herself her whole life.

Without thinking, her feet carried her forward. She walked timidly across the floor and stopped at the vampire’s side. She placed her hand on his shoulder and pulled it. “Jack…”

He glanced her way, his red eyes burning like autumn fire. “Ellie, please. I can’t do this anymore.”

She opened her mouth and the words came out. They came out like iron. Strong. Hard. Real. She felt as if she’d been waiting her whole life to say those words. “I want you.”

He turned slowly and faced her, his eyes flickering over her face with uncertainty. “What?”

“I want you,” she said. Repeating the words louder this time.

Realization sparked in his gaze. Black flushed against red. He whispered the words back to himself and stepped forward, almost erasing the space between them. Heat rolled off him in raw and powerful sheets. The scent of oak and earth lifted through the air, making her feet feel as if they were floating. Heat tingled on her skin. Her stomach tensed in anticipation.

“You want me?” he said, leaning closer to her with every passing moment.

She nodded vacantly, eyes flicking back and forth to his lips, longing to feel their hot flush. Screaming for him to take her in his grasp. His hands slipped around her waist and he pulled her in tight against his body.

“Well I suppose I best take you then,” he said in the lowest whisper.

Their bodies crushed together in an explosion of passionate fury and fire. She melted into his grasp and let herself go to the moment entirely.

Trust your instincts.

This is what she wanted.