Vinny, Moony, and I reconvened with the others at the entrance of an old mine about an hour outside of the kingdom's boarders. We traveled deeper into the cave, following Justin's lead. The spell Spencer had used to deactivate his and Ryan's transformation powers had yet to wear off, which meant we were following behind a stubby green dragon. Moony seemed very intrigued by this new creature, insisting on giving him a full sniff inspection. Justin didn't find it as funny as the rest of us.

Eventually, we parted from the abandon mine and entered into an untouched cave system. It seemed to be too narrow in certain areas for a proper dig to be established here, but Justin's tiny dragon body could weasel through no problem. Vinny and Moony were just limber enough, and by pulling Ryan into the shadow dimension with me, we were able to follow. The other side appeared to be a dead end. Justin only huffed out of annoyance as he stomped over to a boulder, griping about someone covering it up. I'll be honest, I watched the little dragon struggle against that massive rock for a second too long. It was pathetic in the most heartwarming way.

I walked over him, pushing the boulder over effortlessly. He stumbled a little as it was pulled away from him. Then, glared up at me, "What the Hell are you anyways?"

"You wouldn't even know if I told you." I responded.

Looking ahead, I saw we'd unveiled a short tunnel into a much larger cave. Though it appeared to be an actual dead end, it was far from barren. A few crates of supplies were set up against the wall. On a ledge just behind them there looked to be a bed. The most noticeable thing, however, was the natural hot springs in the center of the cave.

"We'll be safe here." Justin called to us as he climbed up on the side of a crate. I was expecting him to retrieve something, I don't know, important? But instead he dragged out a towel. With it clenched between his teeth, he grumbled, "Spencer'll know we're here but he won't bug us."

"The bounty hunter... That we just escaped from... Isn't going to come after us?" I asked.

The tiny dragon dragged his towel over to the edge of the hot spring, looking about as adorable as a toddler with their blanky. He laid it out on the ground beside the water, then climbed into the water itself. "He got paid, he doesn't care. You gonna join me? I don't know about you, but escaping prison ain't exactly my idea of relaxation."

The others were happy with the invite. They began removing their clothes and getting settled into our new accommodations. "I'll pass." I said, "Won't they just put out another bounty? And what was with the first one?"

"Yeah, they will, but Spencer's pretty good about giving me a break. Kinda the deal we got going on. I don't put up a fight when he catches me, he looks the other way when I break out. We were friends, before the trans ban. I mean, we still are, it's just not like it used to be."

"...Trans ban?"

Justin looked over at Ryan, "Are you sure this guy is in charge?"

Ryan had just finished settling into the water himself. His arms were propped up on the edge of the pool, eyes shut as the hot water relaxed his beaten body. "I know he doesn't know a lot about this area of the world, but you did see him move that boulder with one hand, right?"

"Point taken. You explain it, I'm done thinking about all this bullshit." The dragon turned on his back and began floating in the center of the water without a care in the world. You wouldn't know we were running for our lives just an hour ago.

"Transformation magic is illegal here." Ryan continued, "Part of the kingdom's religious doctrine, I don't have to tell you how that shit goes. Some is considered worse than others. Justin can't do anything about the fact he was born a shapeshifter and I had no way of knowing my magic would change me, so that's why we got away with a prison sentence. But, some get the death penalty."

Vinny's eyes lowered and he sunk deeper into the water. "That's why my brother... You know." Moony, sensing his sadness, cannonballed into the water and broke the tension of the room. The hot water splashed everywhere, nearly hitting me and knocking Justin off his balance.

He flapped his stubby arms with all his might and resurfaced as the water settled. Justin narrowed his eyes at the fox, "Could you not?" Moony only slurped his head in response.

It was enough to make Vinny and Ryan smiled. That was the important part. I left them to soak and enjoy a little time away from the madness. To say this cavern way tall was an understatement. I scaled up the side, finding a cold niche to relax in. My head was swimming with thoughts. Some of my questions had been answered, at least. The bounty hunter had left Vinny behind because he doesn't use any form of transformation magic—And the confusion he'd had about it, I figure he must've heard about a transforming ogre bearing a demon lord's sigil. The fact that Ezra could transform in any way at all, or at least did, was news to me.

And then there was Asher. I knew now why he was tasked with interrogating me. They'd never seen a creature like me before, but the change in my eyes revealed I was violating their precious law. At what level, they were unsure. So, it was his job to determine how much I was worth and what my fate would be. That didn't bug me that much anyways, figured the interrogation part was the standard schtick. Not my first time on the chopping block.

No, it was Asher himself that worried me. I've been through countless magic books in Ricky's library, ranging from facts and history to theories. The Heartagram I've seen in nearly every one of them. Ville hasn't failed to leave his mark on this world, but the pentagram—It hasn't appeared once. Why would it? It was a byproduct of an Earth-exclusive religion. So, why the fuck did Asher know what it was? And even worse, why would it be apart of his summoning ritual? Unless... But he couldn't be. He wasn't a vampire. That much I could say for sure, but there weren't any other supernatural creatures on Earth. I guess it's just one more mystery and one more reason to finish our mission here and return home.

I recalled something Ryan once told me, back when we'd barely known each other. He'd said, "If this realm wants you, it takes you." I can't help from wondering if it's true that all otherworldly beings are drawn together by some unforeseen thread; If there's something greater at play here, some cosmic plan we're supposed to chalk up to coincidence. Fuck, listen to me, looking for a reason like a human on their knees, praying to a God they've never seen. In a way, this realm has helped me to understand why humans cling to fiction. It's easy to convince yourself there's something bigger in the world when you're so small and powerless.

In that high spot I'd found comfort in, there was a crack of moonlight peering in. It was too small for even that baby dragon to slip through, but in shadow form, it wasn't an issue for me. The others deserve to rest and not worry about me. I left without telling them, figuring they're better off assuming I was nearby sleeping in a dark crevasses. I can't continue to watch time waste away like this. I need to finish what I'd set out to do and returned to Ricky already.

Atop that mountain, I saw a landscape of pine trees and leafless oaks dressed in snow. A new moon had blanketed the night in a dark veil. It's easy for my mind to become consumed by the whimsies of this world, distracted by the differences, but it really isn't all that different, is it? Forget about the elves and fae down there, forget the medieval kingdom of warlocks behind me. Just see the trees, the dark side of the moon, the crisp snap of winter, it looked just like Scranton. I used to stand on a mountain just like this and listen for lost souls. It was my hunting ground. This—This is my hunting ground.

The animalistic rage, a predator's inhuman hunger, they cause a blur of the mind. I was used to it, suddenly coming back to consciousness with a warm body in my grasp, far from wherever I last remember being. I had control over myself when it was important, but sometimes letting go is the best thing you can do. There was a fire, a dim one, and a girl dying on the ground. A brunette with the wings of a butterfly was locked in my grasp. She fought desperately against me and cried out disgustingly for her fading lover.

"Shhh," I hummed, as if I couldn't even hear her blubbering. My hand raked into her hair, yanking her head back against my shoulder with force. A short little thing, I had to hoist her up to even reach her neck. Once I was confident she was too weak to fight back, I let her collapse. She landed in the dirt, right beside her girlfriend. They were both beautiful. They radiated warmth, the warmth of young love. Just twenty four hours ago, I would've felt guilt over this, but the fog has finally cleared. With clarity of mind, I understand now exactly how far I have to go for my heart's keeper.

The two fairies had realized this was where their journey ended. Through all their frailty and fading, they found each other's hands. I knelt beside the brunette's head and watched the glimmer slowly drain from her eyes. Her soul flickered in her body as it evaporated into the essence I'd so often seen Ricky drink in. I couldn't see the smoke, yet I knew it was there and I knew exactly how to take it. All the attempts before, I couldn't say what was different, what was wrong, but finally I was capable of seeing that which Ville called unteachable. I understand now, it's more than a sinking of fangs in flesh. To reap a soul, you sacrifice a small piece of yourself. As I laid my lips to hers and drank in her life, I felt a change in my own body.

There was a taste to it—Sweetness, a floweriness. This marks the first time in two hundred years my taste buds had experienced anything other than blood. It was refreshing, and dare I say, invigorating. Once I'd finally crossed that line, it seemed so easy. Childishly easy. I took the blonde's soul effortlessly. She, too, tasted of the blissful romance she shared with the brunette.

This wasn't the plan. I didn't want to take lives this way, and from here on out, I won't. In the distance, I could hear it—Hearts beating, blood flowing, men snoring and snarling while their leader stayed awake muttering over a map and strategies. It was a war outpost not far from here. There had to have been two hundred and fifty men. They're almost all asleep. This'll be a cakewalk.

Snow began falling lightly, dancing around like a damn Christmas movie. Two dead bodies lay at my feet, husks of souls that'll never move on. Huh, yeah, I'd like to see Hallmark make a movie like this.