Blood Desires

"What do you mean after Seth? Why would they come here?" Daniel did not seem concerned, but rather outraged.

"Just listen." Taylor placed her hands on his shoulders, looking up at him. "He was attacked by vampires awhile ago. They wanted him to come with him. They mentioned something about a prophecy, but he refused to go. He killed one of them and fought another off. Last night our apartment was ransacked too, but none of my valuables were taken. It wasn't a regular burglar. It was a vampire, looking for something in particular. Of what I'm not sure."

Daniel's face had gone pale. "They might've been looking for something, but honestly, I think they just did it to send you a message. A warning."

Taylor could feel her energy draining out of her body. Seth hadn't returned home. She couldn't even reach him telepathically. They surely had taken him.

Taylor plopped down onto the mess of a couch, willing herself to continue breathing steadily. How could Seth be taken? Strong, cunning and invincible Seth.

"Taylor." Daniel waved his hand in front of her face for a response. "Taylor, what's wrong?"

"Seth was supposed to be home a couple of hours ago and he never showed. I tried to reach him telepathically and couldn't. They must've gotten him." She just stared out into space, unsure of what to say or do from that moment on. She had no way of finding him and no way of helping him. He was the savior, not her. She only hoped that he could save himself and come running back to her.

Daniel's face had gone into shock as well. The full effect of what she was saying beginning to fill the room. It no longer felt safe to be there. "We should get out of here." Daniel grabbed her hand and pulled her along.

She had Seth's card and they walked down the street to a cafe. They sat in a far back corner, away from the other customers. Their heads low and close together as they picked away at their food and talked.

"Taylor, we can find him. It wont be easy, but I know we can. With my magic and your abilities, surely we can. We have to."

Taylor listened but didn't fully take it in. The entire thing felt like a hopeless mission. Even if they did find Seth, there was no way that the two of them could overcome vampires. She sat silently, picking at her food and trying hard not to cry. She hated to cry. If she could choose, she would rather always be angry then sad. "This is fucking hopeless."

"No it isn't", Daniel told her. "We can do this. I think the first thing is to find him though. That's going to be a lot harder then facing the vampires."

Taylor shuddered as her thoughts shifted to the vampires. They may never find him. They could rip him limb from limb and burn the pieces. Even simpler; they could cut off his head. "I can keep trying to reach him telepathically, but otherwise I have no idea how to find him."

"Well, you're in luck. I do." Daniel grinned.

They walked back to Seth and Taylor's apartment to prepare themselves. Daniel was so sure of himself. He walked around examining the place for something. Taylor just sat and watched, fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

"All I need is something Seth has used, but seeing as how he's a vampire I haven't seen anything useful." He plopped down on the couch next to her. "Maybe it is hopeless."

Taylor thought for a moment. "Actually, I think I might know of something. Assuming he left it here this morning." She thought back to this morning when he took his time leaving. She went to their bedroom, looking into the side drawer and seeing the pocket-watch he'd had for years. At least, ever since they were invented. It was his pride and joy.

She walked back to Daniel, showing him what she'd found. He examined it for a moment, "This should work just fine." He cast a bright smile, causing her to catch her breath. How could he do that to her?

He stared at the pocket watch intensely for several minutes. When he had finished she watched him, waiting for something to happen. Nothing did.

"Well that was sort of anti-climactic."

Daniel just laughed, "You weren't supposed to see any results." He tapped his head. "They're all up here. It's just as I thought. They took him to Nathus."

Taylor just stared at him for a moment, confusion on her face. "Where?"

He laughed again. "Nathus. It's a realm for magical beings. It's very easy to get to. It's in plain sight for humans, but there are wards put around it that keep normals from stumbling upon it. Not that they'd likely live to tell the tale. The forest that surrounds Nathus is enough to keep most people away."

"Oh." Taylor paused for a moment before diving in again. "So, are we going there?"

"I guess we have to. I could easily portal us there. That's not the hard part. The hard part will be finding him once we're there. See, our realm has one of the most complicated governments there is." He stood up this time. "Here, you better hold onto this in case we need it again."

Taylor took the pocket-watch and stuck in the bag she'd thrown together. She wasn't exactly sure what she should take. Not like she'd ever been to Nathus before. It consisted of a small first aid kit, the pocket-watch, some cash and other random things that were already in the bottom of the bag. She doubted highly she'd need any of it, but better safe than sorry. "When do we leave?"

He got one of those grins again. He smiled so often, it was like he was laughing at her lack of knowledge. "Let's go now."

He began moving his hands in a circular pattern against one of the walls. Slowly a mirror like image began to appear on the wall, until it formed into a silvery pool. It wavered on the wall, moving like water. "Together. That way we don't get separated." He extended a hand out to her. She took it hesitantly, before stepping up with him, and into the portal they went.

She felt herself gliding almost. No, not that, like swimming. Then suddenly she felt weightless as if she was floating. It was like feeling every fiber of her being moving in unison through a substance that seemed to change every second. One moment it felt like going through water, another moment it felt like air.

With another lurch she felt herself falling and the next thing she knew she was laying on her back, aching from the small fall that landed her on the hard ground. "Well that was crap."

"Yeah, I didn't say it was my specialty. Sorry", Daniel said, standing up and brushing himself off. He offered her his hand again and helped her up.

As Taylor stood, she looked around her. They were in a forest. Nothing seemed particularly special about this forest. It look as normal as any. She saw a small dirt path a few feet away from the clearing they were standing in. It led through the trees a little ahead, eventually fading into the distance.

Then, just as Taylor was convinced they must be in the wrong place, she noticed it really wasn't an ordinary forest. What looked like a bug flew by her face, then hovered next to Daniel, seemingly buzzing in his ear. A closer look told her it was a small person, with silver sparkling wings. It hovered there for a moment, while Daniel responded with, "Daniel Twix and Taylor Smith", before flying off along the dirt path.

"What was that?", she questioned, mouth slightly agape.

"Just a pixie wondering who we were." He started walking towards the path, and she followed, falling in step beside him. "Your last name is Twix? Like the candy bar?"

He looked slightly annoyed, "Actually the candy bar comes from my name. Some of our family members aren't so good at staying inconspicuous. They think it's funny to throw our names and powers around in plain sight. Normals never notice. My grandfather actually had a hand in the name. They're foolish." He flicked his hand in the air, casting the thought away. "Besides, your name is just so... normal."

"Well I am one of those 'normals' you speak of." She rolled her eyes. She felt that Daniel and Seth often thought they were above normal people.

"You're far from normal, Taylor." His tone was suddenly serious. Silence followed his words as they walked the dirt path. She wasn't sure what to say, and instead relished in the time to think.

Taylor looked around, examining the sights. The flowers were more exotic, obviously touched by the magic this place had. Even Taylor could feel it in her bones. It was like she belonged here, but she couldn't explain why. Her energy was higher and she felt alive. It was like someone had given her a shot of caffeine that grew stronger the longer they walked.

The road eventually forked and Daniel walked to the left one without hesitating. It was clear he knew where he was going. "You've been to Nathus before I take it?"

He laughed loudly. "Of course I have. This is where I was born and raised. It's where most magical children are born and raised really. It's home." There was a sense of sadness in his voice at the word "home".

"So why do you live in my world?"

"Listen, it's still as much our world as it is yours. We just get tired of living a magical life sometimes. Some of us actually enjoy being normal."

Taylor rolled the idea around in her head. So Seth wanted to be normal? She couldn't understand why and magical being would want that. Nathus was beautiful and the power she felt just being there was enough to make her want to stay. "Where are we going exactly?"

"I need to catch up on what has been going on here. I haven't visited in almost a century." Taylor's mouth fell open a bit at that. She couldn't imagine not visiting home for one hundred years. Then again, when you lived as long as they did, one hundred years didn't seem like such a long time. "I have a friend who can fill us in."

They walked for what felt to Taylor like half an hour more before the clearing slowly opened up into a large open plain. She could see dots along the flat landscape, more scattered close up. In the distance there were bigger smudges of brown and gray that reached up, seemingly to touch the clouds. She wondered if they would walk that far and groaned.

"We wont go into town today", Daniel stated as if he'd read her thoughts. "My friend lives on the outskirts. We can see her house from here." He pointed to a small house in the distance.

It looked closer than it really was. It was another hour before they came upon the house and Taylor realized it was no house; more like a mansion. The double doors had a large iron knocker on the front in the shape of a dragon's head. Daniel led Taylor up the steps and knocked on the door with a loud thud.

A few anxious minutes passed before a woman with curly red locks opened the door. Her eyes were hazel and she was no taller than Taylor. She looked to be around forty, but Taylor guess that wasn't the case. Her eyes widened when she saw Daniel. "Daniel! Is that you?" She threw her arms around him in an embrace. "Where have you been?"

"I'm sorry Caroline. I just couldn't bear to stay here. I've been living among the normals."

Caroline just shook her head, "Yet, still too busy to come visit?"

Daniel sighed and turned back towards Taylor, rolling his eyes at Caroline's words. "This is my friend Taylor. We need your help. Should we go in and chat?"

Caroline pulled open the large door effortlessly and motioned inside. Daniel walked in to the house confidently and Taylor followed, the heavy door closing with a loud click behind her. What was she getting herself into?