FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

As the last bits of sunlight faded, Vanya drew back the hood of the cloak she wore, letting long black hair fall over her shoulders, and glanced around the marketplace. She'd awoken at dusk, as usual; tonight was her first night in Groveport in decades, and she intended to spend that time exploring her old haunts. Then--then she would decide whether to move on, a nostalgic whim satisfied, or if she had long-overdue tasks to finish. The thought that she'd been avoiding it all this time brought a small, humorless smile to the Rilima's face; there was something she found deeply ironic in the possibility she was superstitious.

It would have been unrealistic to expect the city, and the whole of the country of Pravell, not to have changed in all that time, but she couldn't help but be surprised at how... cosmopolitan her former hometown had become. On a pragmatic level she preferred cities to towns; small populations were hard to blend into without spending more time than she had patience for.

She crossed the open-air market, threading her way between stalls to stop at a tea stand. The human pouring her brew into a small paper cup stammered, as he handed it to her, that she was shockingly beautiful for a mouse woman. Vanya smiled tolerantly to him; he'd phrased it inelegantly at best-in many parts of the Empire, calling someone by ancestral species name rather than formal racial name would be taken as a slur-but tonight, she didn't mind being seen. She was beautiful, some might say supernaturally so, and they might be closer to the truth than they knew.

Turning away from the stand, she walked away with her drink without paying; the briefly charmed server likely wouldn't remember why, when he shut down in an hour, his register was two vars short. She wouldn't allow herself such idle indulgences in her talents often, but sometimes she knew it couldn't hurt.

Vanya had barely taken ten steps when she became aware of other eyes focused on her. She paused, looking off to her right.

A Vraini child, perhaps eleven years old, had started to approach her, moving in quick jumps: scamper pause stare scamper pause stare scamper pause stare. Their eyes locked after his last stare.

She'd rarely seen fox cubs who couldn't be described as cute, and this one was no exception. He stood barely four feet high, and his bright gold eyes had been partially obscured by a lock of stray head fur. Grey denim shorts and an eggshell tunic-style shirt showed signs of energetic wear.

Taking another sip of the tea, Vanya looked away. Normally she could fade into the background as easily as she could stand out, but doing that with an attentive child was difficult. Children made her uncomfortable.

"Hi," the cub said as he came up to nearly within arm's length.

Vanya nodded, still looking away.

"I'm Planvi," he offered.

Sighing very thinly, Vanya turned to look down at Planvi. "Isn't it a bit late for you to be out by yourself, child?"

"Nuh-uh," he said, shaking his head. "Uncle Char lets me stay up later than this. What's your name?"

She finished the remains of her drink and crumpled the cup up, walking on without responding. Planvi followed unbidden, adding, "You make me think of him. Your eyes."

"The same color?" she said, not truly listening.

"No," he said doubtfully. "Something else."

Vanya's brow lifted and she looked down at the child. "What, then?"

He scratched his ear, looking frustrated. "Something else," he finally repeated. "If you saw him, you'd know, I bet."

"Is he here in the marketplace?"

"Nuh-uh." He dug around in a pocket, his expression scrunching up in concentration a moment, then held up a faded yellow rose in much the same shape as her espresso cup.

She stopped and took the flower between two fingers. "You haven't taken very good care of it," she said.

Planvi's ears folded back; that wasn't the sort of thing adults were supposed to say when children played show and tell. "It's from Char's rose garden."

Vanya masked her irritation as she glanced around, looking for a graceful exit. "Don't you have somewhere you're supposed to be, Planvi?"

"No," he said, now with a hedging tone.

She looked back down at him more intently, then closed her eyes a moment, focusing on the murmur of the surrounding crowds. After several seconds she could faintly pick out someone calling Planvi's name. Glancing in that direction, she saw a Vraini man hurrying through the marketplace, sweeping his gaze around frantically.

Vanya concentrated on him, for just a moment. He immediately turned to stare in her direction, another shout frozen in his muzzle. Then he realized Planvi stood next to the object of his sudden fascination, and he hurried toward them.

"Planvi!" he called as he approached. The cub started to scoot backward. Vanya put a hand on his shoulder, holding him in place until the older fox scooped him up. "Don't you know how worried I was?" His voice showed a mix of sharp anger and desperate relief.

The Rilima studied him. He stood short, five and a half feet tall; she stood tall for her own kind, putting her eye to eye with him. His reddish fur was darker than his son's, his eyes emerald rather than amber, and the fur on his muzzle showed a haphazard mottled pattern. Even so, his athletic build made him handsome enough. A gold chain necklace hung about his neck, the sun amulet-a symbol of the Vraini religion-seeming almost gaudy when set against his faded blue work shirt.

"Uncle Char?" Vanya inquired. The elder fox stiffened and looked at her.

"No!" Planvi squealed before he could reply. "This is Daddy."

"You've been talking with my son, I see," he said guardedly.

"After I found him, yes. Or rather, he found me."

He looked back at Planvi and sighed. "We're going to have to talk about not speaking to strangers," he said. Then he looked back at Vanya. "No offense, ma'am, but I'm having enough trouble keeping him away from this 'Char' character as it is."

"He's not your brother?"

"Hell, no," the fox snapped, then his ears colored.

Planvi pouted. "Why don't you like Uncle Char, Daddy?"

"I know he's nice to you, but I don't know him, Planvi," he said, sighing. "And there's something... the couple of times he and I have met..." He shook his head.

Planvi's pout became a scowl.

The elder fox sighed again, then set Planvi down, glancing at Vanya. "Thank you for finding him." He paused, looking like he was about to turn away and head off with his son, but had found himself caught by the mouse's eyes. "I'm Rin," he added after a moment, tone distracted. "Rin Lawson."

"Vanya," she replied simply, favoring him with a very small smile. He smiled back, looking flustered.

She considered. She'd been looking for someone to amuse herself with, but Rin seemed too easily caught; she could make a bare outline of his life just from the dazed look on his face: a lonely man, raising his son alone, not used to the attention of a pretty woman. He might be fun for her, in a fashion, but her dalliances rarely worked out well for her partners. This rarely bothered her, but with a child involved, she didn't want to be too callous.

"Well. I... should be going," Rin mumbled, running a hand through his hair. "Thank you-"

"I was gonna meet Uncle Char!" Planvi protested. "He should be here now!"

"You're not-"

"Look!" He pointed, and waved frantically.

Both Rin and Vanya looked in that direction. Rin growled; Vanya merely squinted. A tall, gaunt young human man, dressed in fashionably cut dark green shirt and slacks, was making his way toward them.

"No," Rin said sharply. "You're going to stay home safe in your bed tonight." Vanya noted the slight emphasis he put on safe.

"Good evening, Planvi," Char called, voice lilting. "And Rin." He smiled more at the adult, in a way which came across as subtly mocking rather than friendly.

Then he looked at Vanya, lifted a brow, and smiled just a bit more, almost predatorily. "And good evening to you, too."

"Good evening." His eyes showed no sign of recognition as they swept over her, but she immediately understood what he was-and what Planvi's fascination was with him.

"Hello," Rin said tersely. "Planvi, we have to be going."

"Dadddyyy-" Planvi whined.

Char laughed. "You'll see me again soon enough, dear Planvi," he said. He glanced sidelong at Rin. "These things always have a way of working out."

"Goodnight," Rin snapped, scooping up his child again and marching off, over Planvi's increasingly frantic protests.

"A sweet child," Char murmured with a smile, watching them go.

"What's your interest in him?"

He turned to look at her, flashing her a suave smile-with a touch of extra charm, much the same as what Vanya had used to attract Rin's attention minutes earlier. She felt it, momentarily-the promise of romance, lavish attention, a changed life. Even knowing full well what those changes meant, a shiver ran down her tail. "I don't know that I've had the pleasure of your acquaintance, miss...?"

"You haven't," she said, clasping her hands in front of her.

He frowned, almost imperceptibly. Most women would already be all but falling over him. "Rest assured I mean him no harm."

"His father seems to think otherwise."

Char waved dismissively. "He's been hurt by life, and it's made him far too overprotective."

"Or unusually perceptive."

The human's eyes narrowed. He may have been thinking of amusing himself with her, but Vanya could tell she was becoming less amusing each time she spoke. "Are you impugning my motives, madam?"

"Let's say I'm unusually perceptive as well. Sir."

Char clenched one fist. "Insulting me isn't wise, little mouse girl," he hissed. "You may get more than you bargained for."

Vanya looked back steadily into his angry eyes, then laughed. "Of all the threatening cliches, you don't know how ironic it is you picked that one." She shook her head. "I believe I'll be on my way now."

"I trust you'll not concern yourself with my business, then. Believe me when I say that you don't understand what you're dealing with," he said icily, stalking away.

Vanya watched him go, sighing. She understood precisely what she was dealing with: a human vampire, in Groveport, interested in a young child.

While the evening had just begun, the market's business hours had drawn to a close. The tea stand had already been shuttered, and merchant carts rattled down the increasingly empty paths between stalls to surrounding streets.

She had no intention of retiring to her hotel suite yet, however. Drawing her cloak about herself, she headed to a livelier district.

---

The sign outside the Grey Gryphon Pub had made her think it would be an old and colorfully disreputable place. The inside revealed it, however, to be the sort of modern establishment that did its best to merely appear old and colorfully disreputable. Tawdry bric-a-brac had been carefully arranged, not honestly accumulated, and the nearly spotless floors and tables betrayed its true audience: well-to-do youngsters seeking the looks of a rough and tumble place without risking actually finding one.

Even so, it was bustling, and that's what she wanted tonight-to lose herself in a drink and a crowd for a while, and perhaps head home with someone lightly amusing rather than an unexpected mystery.

The bartender approached her almost the moment she sat down, the Melifen smiling brightly. "What can I get you, my lady?"

"Rum and tonic," she said. He nodded, feline ears flicking, and headed away, returning to set a glass down in front of her a minute later.

She sipped it and brooded. Not concerning herself with Char's business was good advice. As unpleasant as the implications were, she had nothing to gain by making this her battle, and she hadn't stayed alive this long-dealing with creatures like Char and the wild-eyed zealots who believed in them enough to hunt them-by nurturing an altruistic streak.

Yet the correlation to her own past was too close to be ignored. Or perhaps she simply wanted to see patterns where none existed. Char was not Narith; Rin was most assuredly not her.

Swirling the glass, she took a long sip, then a deep breath.

"You look lost," a voice said from her side. She'd been aware of the L'rovri as he'd walked past her, slowed, stopped, but hadn't seen him take a seat on the adjacent stool.

She turned her head to look at him. The wolf's face looked boyish, barely old enough to be in this bar, though he stood at least a half-foot higher than she did-and looked strong for his size at that, filling out a tight leather jacket handsomely. His eyes were bright, showing a mix of attraction and curiosity.

"Only in thought," she said quietly, straightening up and brushing her hair back over her shoulder. She smiled, with the same hint of charm she'd focused on Rin earlier.

The wolf cleared his throat, suddenly looking like his jacket felt just a little too hot, but he smiled back. "What are you thinking of?"

"Ghosts from my past." She sipped her drink. "I used to live here, long ago."

"Where do you live now?"

"Rionar." True, although as that was largest country in the Ranean Empire, it actually said very little.

He nodded, plush grey tail swishing slowly. "Back in town on business?"

She thought about that, holding her glass. "I don't know yet," she answered at length, favoring him with another enigmatic smile. "It depends on what business suggests itself to me."

After a confused pause, he laughed. "I see." He tilted his head to the side, and said, "I know this is terribly stereotypical for a stranger in a bar to say, but you're very attractive."

"It is," she agreed. "But thank you." She took a longer sip of her drink and appraised him again, letting her eyes wander over his form. "Very much the alpha look."

He grinned, showing just the tips of his teeth. "You know L'rovri don't really have pack hierarchies."

"Of course." She set down her now mostly empty glass. "But most of us have a little... something feral in us, don't we? Even if we don't usually admit it in polite company."

The wolf's tail swished faster now. "I don't know," he said with a laugh. "What would a feral wolf do with a beautiful mouse?"

She leaned forward and looked into his eyes. He looked back, blinked once at the intensity of her gaze-and kept looking, his smile slowly fading to be replaced by an expression of rapt wonder. She held him there, parting her lips as if promising a kiss, but not moving forward. He didn't dare to move, either. He couldn't. His breathing became faster and shakier, his ears folding back submissively. Finally, she murmured in a tone of honey and smoke, "I'd love to find out."

"Y... yes. I would... too," he said, his voice a little hoarse.

Vanya stood up and extended a hand to him. He took it without hesitation, and she led her catch out the door and back toward her hotel. The night might be amusing after all.

---

Two nights later, Vanya had another tea in hand, but instead of sipping it in the market, she'd walked down a residential street she hadn't been on since she was a teenager and come to stopped at a side street. Down that second street, less than two blocks, lay the house she'd spent so much time in. Now, this close to it for the first time in all those years, she found herself reluctant to get any closer, as if it would summon back all that desire, all that desperate need. When she'd left, she'd never intended to come back, not to Groveport, not to Pravell-and most assuredly not to here.

She'd been sitting on a bench, alone with her thoughts, for nearly a half-hour, when a familiar figure approached, hurrying down the street's opposite side. Rin, hands in his pockets, tail and headfur in disarray, muttering barely audibly under his breath. He turned the corner, faced the side street, gazing in the direction of the house from Vanya's childhood. The Vraini stood stock still for two seconds, then turned away, cursing, looking down at the ground and beginning to pace.

It was her turn to stare now. She strongly wanted this to be a coincidence, to believe that Rin just happened to be on this corner, just happened to have stopped close to where she had, just happened to have looked in the direction she had been avoiding facing. She let out her breath in a long, near-silent hiss, and brushed her hair back, calling his name softly. "Rin."

The fox looked up sharply, startled, then hurried across the street to her. "What... Vanya, wasn't it? What... what are you doing here?"

"Visiting a neighborhood from my childhood," she said. "I don't mean to pry, but you seem quite upset."

"Planvi's gone. Since this morning. Maybe last night." He clenched his fists. "Char left a note saying Planvi was... 'visiting.' Indefinitely." He took a deep breath. "I know Char lives around here. I know the house. I'm just..." He ran a hand through his hair. "What am I supposed to do, just charge up there and demand my son back? That's what I was going to do. But now that I'm close, I'm... I don't know. I don't know."

Vanya patted the seat by her on the bench. "Sit with me and calm down."

He stared at her, expression doubtful, then sighed, slumping next to her, burying his face in his hands. "I don't know what the hell he wants with my son. Planvi's been over there before. Char keeps him up all night. We've never seen him during the day, you know that? They swear there's nothing sexual about it, but would Planvi even know? Or be willing to tell?" He straightened up and looked at her. "What did you think of Char?"

She remained silent, considering her words. "I think he's dangerous to Planvi," she said at length, "and to you."

"To me?" he said, brow furrowing.

Vanya smiled a small, hollow smile. "For now, say that I know his type." She pointed down the side street. "On the second block down from here, the third house on the left?"

Rin straightened up, looking shocked, then slowly began to look angry. "You're with him, aren't you? What the hell do you-"

Vanya put her hand on his shoulder, looking into his eyes intently. "I have a history with that house, Rin, and it's not a pleasant history. I assure you I'm not working with Char, or against you."

He scowled, but his voice returned to uncertainty rather than anger. "How can I trust you?"

Pursing her lips, she looked away. "I won't ask you to judge me by my word, only my actions," she said flatly. "Your problems shouldn't be mine to be involved with. But I'm starting to think they concern me whether or not either of us is comfortable with that."

"I... I don't understand."

"I know. And for the moment I'm not inclined to explain." She sighed, rubbing her temples, then looked back up at him, meeting his eyes but resisting the temptation to match her gaze with a subtle coercive charm. This time, it felt important that he choose on his own. "Let's walk to the house together."

"Now? Just like that?"

She nodded. "Just like that." Standing up, she held out her hand to him.

Taking a deep breath, he stood up and put his hand in hers.

---

The house they headed toward sprawled over twice as much ground as any other in the neighborhood, taking up a full three parcels. A wrought iron fence surrounded it. It would, Vanya thought, look as forebodingly gothic as one might imagine a vampire's house should-if the two-story structure hadn't been painted a cheerful sunshine color, the lawn kept deep green and immaculately trimmed, well-tended flowers planted along the walkway to the porch.

She paused when they were on the opposite corner of the street, several houses away, jerking Rin to a stop with her He nearly stumbled. "What?" he murmured, voice a near whisper.

"Hold on," she said softly, studying the house intently. She only looked at Rin when she realized he was rubbing his wrist. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

He shook his head. "No, no, but you've got one strong grip," he whispered back.

She smiled slightly, then kept studying the house. "He's not home," she murmured finally.

"Char? How can you tell?"

She moved forward slowly. "He's not who I meant."

Rin followed, hands in his pockets now. "Every time I ask a question, you get more enigmatic," he said. "Are you some kind of wizard, then?"

"Some kind," she said with a slight nod.

He nodded back, following her, then sighed after a few seconds when she said nothing more, drawing to a halt. They'd almost reached the house's front lawn now. "Look, this is crazy, isn't it? I need to go back and get the Guard. This isn't something I should be doing just with me and a mysterious-"

"They won't help you," she said, tone flat. "They'll come to get Planvi, and he'll be fine, and he'll say he came here of his own free will. And they'll speak sternly to Char and let him go, because there's nothing he's done yet that's criminal. And soon as Planvi's able to, he'll come right back here, no matter what you tell him. And this will keep happening until you come back here, alone, to face Char and to find out what he really wants with your child. Or you can do it now, with my protection. I'd strongly advise you to take advantage of that."

Rin's ears folded back as Vanya spoke, his tail swishing in agitation. "I'd really like to know what the hell is going on," he muttered, voice thick with tension.

She started walking forward briskly. "I'm afraid you're about to find out." Before Rin responded, she stepped up onto the front porch.

"What are we supposed to do, just knock?" the fox hissed softly as he came up behind her.

Vanya tried the door handle gently. Locked. She glanced back at him, then rapped the brass door knocker three times. Rin gritted his teeth.

After a few seconds, a female voice responded from inside. "Just a minute." A deadbolt clicked open, and the door parted fractionally, to reveal a black-furred Melifen woman who looked out warily. "Can I help you?"

"We're looking for a Vraini child who's visiting here."

The feline furrowed her brow. "I don't think there's one here, and Master Narith isn't home." Her voice had a slight slur, as if she'd been drinking heavily. "Can you come back?"

"What about Char?" Rin snapped. "Is he home?"

"I don't know if he's here or not."

"May we come in?" Vanya said.

"I don't think-"

Vanya stepped forward, looking up into the woman's eyes intently. "It's very important," she murmured. "And it will just take a moment."

The cat woman blinked, looking unsteady, as if she might fall over but for the support of the Rilima's iron gaze. After several seconds passed she opened the door fully and stepped aside to let them into the darkly paneled foyer.

The Melifen was beautiful, dressed only in a diaphanous nightgown whose design accented her figure. Rin's eyes widened in spite of himself.

"The house hasn't changed much," Vanya said.

"You've been here before?"

"Yes. There used to be a picture, right there, though," Vanya said, pointing up at a corner of the room behind the woman's shoulder. "Can you remember what it was?"

Furrowing her brow again, the cat turned her head that way, stretching her neck up as she looked at the blank spot on the wall. As she moved, two small, neat scabs, like those of puncture wounds, became visible on her neck as the fur shifted.

Vanya glanced between the wounds and Rin, catching the fox's eyes and making sure he'd seen them as well. There'd never been a picture there, but she knew it would be easier to show than explain.

"I... don't think I remember anything there," the Melifen finally said doubtfully.

"That's no matter. The second sitting room is just down the hall, isn't it?" Vanya started to walk that way, motioning Rin to follow. The hallway maintained the dark, almost black, wood of the foyer, with gold-trimmed wall lamps illuminating brass clocks and small hand-woven tapestries along the way, no attention given to aesthetic coordination. No one had ever accused Narith of being understated.

"Yes-but wait-I should announce you to Master Char!" the cat said, hurrying after them.

"Oh, let's let it be a surprise. I'm sure he'll be thrilled."

"But-"

Char's voice echoed from the room down the hall to the right, sounding more surprised than pleased. "Do we have guests, Wynn? Please show them in."

Wynn pushed past Rin and Vanya, looking almost panicked now. "Yes, yes-uh-it's-"

"Rin Lawson," Rin gritted. "He'll know the name."

"Rin Lawson," the cat repeated dutifully, tail lashing. "And-" She glanced at Vanya inquisitively.

The mouse smiled without saying anything.

"Rin?" Char laughed. "How unexpectedly bold of Mr. Lawson." Char walked through the doorway, smirking, then stopped when he saw Vanya, his expression shifting quickly from amusement to surprise to anger. "And he's brought a friend, I see." He kept his tone formally polite.

"Seeing as you and I share such a concern for child welfare, I felt certain you wouldn't mind," Vanya said.

Char barely controlled a sneer.

"Daddy?" Planvi's voice came. "Mouse?"

Vanya's brow lifted fractionally at that, but Rin started. "Planvi!" he called.

As the Vraini cub ran out of the room from behind Char, the human turned to Wynn. "We won't be needing your presence, dear," he said. "Do some work in the kitchen."

She bit her lip, then nodded meekly, heading out of the room.

"Thank you for letting me stay with Uncle Char, Daddy," Planvi said, hugging the bigger fox's leg.

"What? I didn't-" He looked between Char and Planvi; Char laughed, crossing his arms. "What did you tell him?" Rin said tightly.

"Only that he can stay here as long as he wants." Char spread his arms welcomingly. "And leave whenever he chooses. Of course."

Rin kneeled by his son, all but growling. "Planvi, you can't stay here. Char isn't your uncle. He's a-he's a-"

Char tilted his head, looking amused. "I'm a what?"

"I saw... I saw Wynn's neck," Rin muttered.

Planvi started to look between Char and Rin, his tail twitching, his expression getting more confused.

"And what do you think that means?" Char said smoothly. "That she's been attacked by some kind of... mythical monster? You surely know how ridiculous that would sound."

Rin clenched his fists, sighing. "I didn't say that."

"And I'm sure you don't believe it." Char stepped forward, looking down at Rin intently, unsmilingly. "Because surely you wouldn't have come to such a creature's lair so utterly unprepared."

The Vraini's ears folded back again. "Planvi," he said unsteadily, "we're going home now."

"But-"

"No buts," he said firmly, looking into his son's eyes. "You can't stay here, and that's final." He looked up at Char challengingly.

Planvi burst into tears.

"It's your choice, Planvi," Char said, leaning over and putting his hands on his knees. "You can go with your father, or you can stay here."

Rin growled, getting to his feet. "No, he can't."

Char ignored the fox, holding his hand out for Planvi. Still crying, the cub looked between the human, and his father, then back at the human. He remained looking up into Char's eyes for several long seconds. His sniffling stopped, and he put his hand in Char's.

"Planvi!" Rin snapped, sounding frightened.

"Let's go upstairs," Char suggested to the child. "It's time I show you a few things I haven't yet."

Snarling, Rin stepped forward, raising his fist. Char waved his free hand and the fox collapsed to the floor as if a rug had been pulled out from under him.

"Daddy!" Planvi said, blinking. Before he stepped forward, though, Char tilted his head up again, looking back into the cub's eyes, then pointed upstairs. Planvi obediently headed to the staircase, moving like a wind-up toy.

Rin wheezed, looking up the stairs. "What are you going... to do..."

Char smiled, walking behind Planvi. "Whatever I want with him," he said pleasantly.

As the two reached the top landing and disappeared down another hallway, Rin looked up at Vanya, sheer panic in his eyes. The Rilima lifted him up to his feet. "Take a deep breath," she said. "Calm down. We don't have much time."

His eyes remained wide, almost terror-filled. "He's really a vampire, isn't he? He really is."

"Yes."

"Holy fucking-" He ran a hand through his hair. "This can't be... real. We've got to get, what, stakes. Garlic. But-"

Vanya put a hand on Rin's shoulder. "Listen to me, Rin. What he's doing to you right now-this panic, fear-that's what he wants. He wants to drive you to rage and then to despair."

The fox stared at her, breathing raggedly. "I... don't understand."

"What do you care about, other than Planvi?"

Rin started to speak, then stopped, shuffling his feet in a motion very similar to his son's. "Nothing."

"To someone who takes pleasure in hurting other people, that makes you a perfect target. He could be toying with any prey, but he's chosen Planvi because he wants the rush of power that will come from breaking you as you understand how powerless you are to protect the only thing you love." She started to walk up the stairs.

Rin gasped another heaving breath, shaking, and stepped after her, hesitantly. "But-is your magic strong enough to go after him?"

Vanya reached the top of the staircase. "Let's see," she murmured, scanning the hallway, then settling her eyes on one door.

"Shouldn't we at least have holy water or something?" he hissed nervously.

"Holy symbols are only as good as your own faith in them," she replied. "If you had enough to make a difference, that sun necklace you're wearing would have at least attracted Char's attention. And I fear I'm not very religious myself."

He laughed a little weakly, then stopped, staring at the door in front of them. Stepping back, he started to hyperventilate.

"What is it?"

Rin shook his head wildly, looking like he was concentrating all his will on not running back down the stairs.

Vanya stopped by the door, and touched her fingertips to it, tracing her hand down it slowly. "A ward," she muttered. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, then pressed both palms to the wood. Her ears popped, and Rin made a startled noise.

Something growled angrily from behind the door.

Trying the doorknob to find it locked, Vanya glanced back at Rin. "Don't be alarmed by this," she said, then stepped back and spun around, giving the door a smashing kick. The lock held, but the door splintered, slammed off its hinges.

Rin stared at the mouse, but she gave him no time to think, grabbing his hand and marching forward into the room.

A bedroom lay behind it. With a chill Vanya hadn't felt in a very long time, she realized she'd been here before, many years ago, another lifetime. She dismissed the memories of the scared Rilima child she'd once been; she had no time for that now. A canopy bed dominated the room, wide enough to comfortably sleep three, headboard pushed against the back wall. Planvi lay against that headboard, looking dazed, gaze unfocused, his shirt ripped. Char headed toward the two would-be rescuers, almost crouching, his expression now feral rather than falsely polite. His teeth-fangs-were bared, and his lips were smeared with blood.

Rin whined, stumbling back. "No-"

In a movement nearly too fast to follow, Char stepped forward, catching Rin's shirt and lifting him off the ground like he weighed nothing. "All right," he hissed, "you can watch. But don't touch." He tossed Rin negligently toward a side wall, and the Vraini crumpled, sliding down it in a painful wheeze.

"And you," Char sneered, whirling on Vanya. "You egged Rin on, didn't you? He wouldn't have had the nerve to come here without support." He put a hand on Vanya's shoulder, clenching his fingers into it painfully, and glanced at Rin. "You care for this little mouse, don't you? Not as much as for your son, of course." He lifted the Rilima up, dangling her by that shoulder, so she was eye to eye with him. "But I'm afraid," he said, addressing Vanya again, "I don't have any compunction not to hurt you."

"I understand," she said evenly. "I don't have any compunction not to hurt you, either."

His snarl changed to incredulity. "You presume-"

Vanya braced her hand on his arm, twisting around out of his grip and whirling about with the same kick she'd delivered to the door a few moments before, with much the same effect. Char flew into the same wall as Rin had hit, but hit high enough that he had another yard to slide down.

He'd recovered fast enough to put his hands into a defensive position as Vanya leapt toward him once more. As he tried to grab her neck, her hands came around his wrists, and they grappled. His snarl changed to shock once more as she held him at bay, both of their arms shaking from the effort.

"You-can't-do that!" he snarled, glaring up into her eyes.

"I can't do this, either," she hissed. Then she spat on him, the saliva landing on his chest.

It started to sizzle.

The mouse pushed him away, staggering back as the human vampire's shirt began to smolder. He screeched, starting to claw at the shirt.

Abruptly Vanya was behind him, slamming his shoulders down to the floor. Flames began to lick out from under his form, and he began to writhe.

"Since you're lucky enough to be a vampire," she growled close to his ear, "you can't die from that. But you may wish you had."

"Put it out!"

The mouse yanked his head up by his hair, glaring down coldly. "You told me you didn't want to hurt Planvi."

"I don't!" He'd started to sob, unable to maintain even the illusion of control.

She stood up and hauled him to his feet, ignoring the flames around her fingers, and faced him toward the bed. "No, you wanted to hurt his father, someone you know nothing about except how vulnerable he is. Is this why you became a vampire? Or is this what Narith wants you be?"

He shuddered, then screamed again, trying to double over, clawing at his shirt once more.

Vanya tossed him roughly to the side, then stalked over to Planvi, lifting him up into her arms. He wailed nearly as loudly as Char, struggling for a moment, then buried his face against her neck.

Striding back to Rin, she took his hand and lifted him up. "Come on," she said softly.

Rin stared at her with an expression of horror; before he could say anything, she passed Planvi to him, and his arms instinctively went around his son. "Yes," he whispered hoarsely. "Let's... let's go."

"Help me!" Char screamed as they left. "I can't put it out-"

"It's nasty that way," Vanya agreed, herding the two foxes out the door.

"You're dead!" the human roared, panting. "You'll wish you were dead! Who are you?"

She looked back at him before she left. "Vanya," she said. "When your master comes to lick your wounds, do take care to remember my name for him. Vanya."

He collapsed, small flames still licking about his chest. The room had begun to smell, disturbingly, of bacon.

"It's not over," Rin said tightly as they hurried down the stairs. "It isn't over, is it?"

"No," she said curtly.

As they headed down the hallway, the mouse poked her head into the kitchen. "Wynn, we're leaving now."

The Melifen looked over from the dishes she'd been poutingly-and haphazardly-washing. "Have a good evening," she said sullenly.

"You have a pleasant evening as well. Although you might want to take a bucket of water or two upstairs. I set your boyfriend on fire."

Wynn nodded absently, then stiffened, staring at Vanya.

Vanya waved her fingers at the staircase. "Bucket. Hurry."

As the Melifen shrieked, dropping the dishes and starting to run to the utility room, Vanya held the front door open for Rin and Planvi.

---

Rin had heeded Vanya's command to move fast without speaking until they'd gone nearly two miles, on foot, and she'd stopped, saying simply, "It's safe." Then he all but exploded.

"Safe? What the hell do you mean it's 'safe?'"

"For you to start yelling at me," she said dryly. She paused at the intersection they'd come to, then headed right, toward downtown.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to my hotel suite, and you and Planvi are coming with me."

Rin hurried after her, but scowled. Planvi, still held in his father's arms, sniffled once; he looked nearly catatonic now. Blood had smeared across his neck and shirt. "The hell we are. He needs to go to a doctor."

"He'll be fine."

"Then we're going home, then!"

She kept walking, even faster, ears set back.

"Vanya-" He stepped after her, nearly breaking into a jog to keep up. "For Kirinaltha's sake!-I owe you my son's life, maybe my life, but you have no right to order me around and expect me to follow!"

"Char knows where you live." She didn't phrase it as a question.

"I don't know," he growled. "Probably."

"You have three options. You stay where I tell you to stay, where I have the best chance of protecting you. You go to your home and I follow you, where I may still be able to protect you but where they're very likely to set up an ambush because now they want you dead. Or we go our separate ways now and I wish you the best of luck with the stakes and holy water. Which is it?"

"I thought you said they didn't want me dead. And who's they? And what were you saying to Char about him not wanting to hurt-"

"We humiliated Char. Neither he nor Narith will stand for that. Before this was an idle game to break you, but now it's going to be a vendetta."

Rin looked at her open-mouthed. "And who's Narith?"

"Not here." They'd reached the hotel, and Vanya led the two foxes inside, up in the elevator, to a top-floor suite-a large sitting area, with kitchenette, writing desk and sleeper sofa, and a separate bedroom. She motioned them toward the couch, locking the door behind them.

Rin set Planvi down gingerly on the couch and gave him a soft kiss. The cub blinked blearily, then touched his hand to his neck. "Uncle Char bit me," he said, then burst into tears.

"Shh." Sitting down and gathering Planvi into his arms again, Rin stroked along his son's side. "You're all right now. You're all right."

Vanya sat down beside them. "Narith's the one who turned Char, who made him a vampire," she said softly. "He's the oldest vampire in Pravell, and likely the strongest."

"You... know him."

She nodded.

Rin rubbed his forehead. "So what do we do? Wait until morning and go back to the house with stakes?"

"If it were that simple, Narith wouldn't have survived as a vampire as long as he has. We have to draw him away from his home, to somewhere he has less of a natural advantage."

The Vraini remained silent for several long seconds, then clenched a fist, looking at Vanya with a mounting horror. "You're here to kill him, aren't you? None of this-none of this is just chance. You didn't just meet us in the marketplace. You've come back to kill him and you're using us as bait."

The mouse stiffened, unable to keep the shock off her face.

"Come on. Planvi didn't just happen to find you, did he? You-"

"I did! I just saw her," Planvi protested weakly. "She's pretty. You said that, too, Daddy. She's really pretty."

Rin's ears flushed. "Pretty things are sometimes poisonous, Planvi," he said, looking away.

"I know I'm asking a lot when I ask you to trust me," Vanya said softly. "And I'm not going to answer most of the questions you have. But I didn't want to..." She trailed off, and ran a hand through her hair. "Whatever I might have done here, I didn't plan to involve anyone else. I don't want to be responsible for anyone else." She looked back at Rin. "But you were already involved. You know that's true. I don't have a choice."

Rin snorted. "You hardly owe us anything."

"No," she agreed. "That doesn't matter."

"I trust you," Planvi said.

"Planvi-"

"If she doesn't help us who will help?" his son said, cross in the way only a young child could be.

Rin sighed heavily, looking between his son and the mouse. "I don't know. I don't know. Hell." He closed his eyes, cradling his head in his hands. "So what do we do?"

"Tomorrow, when the sun's the brightest, I want you to go out and get two stakes."

He swallowed. "Stakes. Do I need anything else? Should I get garlic?"

"Not unless you're planning to do some cooking," she said with a faint smile.

"Oh." He cleared his throat. "What are you going to be doing?"

"Sleeping."

"Through the day?"

"We're going to be fighting at night."

"Wouldn't just going in during daylight be easier?"

"Not as easy as you think, and you'd be doing it alone, since I'll be sleeping."

He stared hard at her for a few seconds, then glanced down at Planvi. The cub's eyes had closed, and his breathing had slowed in sleep. Sighing, he murmured, "I doubt I'll be able to do that as easily."

"Don't let him out of your sight tomorrow."

Rin chuckled bitterly. "I wish I'd never let him out of my sight at all. I didn't know how hard it was to be a single parent. It was hard enough when Shara was here." He ran a hand through his hair. "She'd never have let this all happen, you know. Planvi's mother. Not on her watch."

"She died," she said softly.

He nodded, slightly. "Two years ago. It was... very sudden." He frowned, expression losing focus for a few seconds, then turned back to her. "This may sound crazy, but you remind me of her, a little. No-nonsense to the point of being kind of scary about it." He laughed weakly.

"I'm not experienced in raising children, or even being around them. But I think you underestimate yourself." She leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek.

Rin's ears colored deeply and he looked into her eyes, flustered, then started to breathe faster. Vanya sighed inwardly. It would be so easy right now-

She stood up, breaking her gaze away from him. "You sleep out here. I'll stay in the bedroom. At dusk tomorrow, not before, wake me up."

Rin nodded after a moment. "Yes. Thank you." He gave her a stiff, awkward smile, then woke Planvi up gently, so father and son could unfold the sofa into a bed. Vanya slipped into the bedroom, locking the door behind her.

Undressing, she dropped back on the mattress, staring at the ceiling. It would take a word or two, a quick glance, to have Rin in bed with her, and she'd vastly prefer it to sleeping alone. And it would quell the suspicions he had about her intentions-albeit by force of will rather than persuasive argument. The L'rovri of two nights before had been pleasant enough, although she'd twisted him around her finger too tightly. Pack or not, he had an alpha now. That had amused her then; now she felt strangely discomfited.

And why was she doing this? She hadn't intended to come back to Pravell to fight Narith, much less save a stranger's child. But perhaps she would be facing her own demons. Perhaps it was in her self interest to have this confrontation, to see it over with, to bring it to a close with his death or hers. And her thrall might be useful for more than amusement after all.

She rolled onto her side, sighing. It was still too idealistic a motive for her to be comfortable with, but it would have to do.