In Exchange for Magic

"The Palace?" I screeched. "As in the King of Attannia's Palace? The Palace belonging the man who wants to kill you? That Palace?"
Ez winced. "Yes. That Palace."

I anxiously ran a hand through my hair.

"I was thinking about leaving tomorrow," Ez stated casually.
"Tomorrow?"
"Yeah..."

"There's no way, Ez! There's just no way! We'd never be able to make it out of this forest, let alone past the guards and... What if the Librarian is scary? You know, one of those mean ones who spits when she shushes you? What would we do if the King found us lurking about his-"

Ez's eyes widened.
"Woah, woah, woah! Hold on... We?" he questioned. "Us?"
"Yeah," I shrugged.
"No, Sweet," Ez said. "You're staying here!"

I snorted in laughter. "Good one."
"Rose, if I travel with you, there's a good chance I'd lose control... I'd... Well, you know..."
I rolled my eyes. "Seriously Ez, despite the gross factor, I'm not all that worried about you and your fangs."
"No, Rose. I won't have it. Who's to say that when I bite you-"
"If you bite me!" I interjected.
He rolled his eyes. "Who's to say that I'll be able to keep my head about it? Who's to say I won't drink you dry?"

"But..." I stuttered. "But..."
"No, Rose," he said solemnly, shaking his head. "You've got to stay behind."
"But, Ez!"
"Look, as weird as this sounds, I want you to come with me. You'd probably be a nuisance, and end up getting us captured... But, honestly, I enjoy company. Any company."
"So why can't I come?" I whined stubbornly. "I won't go near you in the moonlight! I won't-"
"Rose!" he hissed. "Don't you see? Last night, there was no moonlight! That's how bad it is!"

I grunted in frustration. "But what about all the creatures? It's dangerous for me to stay here!"
"It's more dangerous for you to go!" he shouted.

Then, something occurred to me. Ez had an addiction to human blood. Not my blood specifically. That's why, when he was a human, he'd been able to resist his bloodlust. He was feeding off his own human blood.

So... All that was needed was a little human-izing...

"Come here," I ordered, resigned.
Something flashed in his eyes. He knew what I was doing.
"Oh, no, you don't!" he cried, backing up a couple steps.

"You just don't want me to come with you, is that it?" I demanded, advancing towards him.
"No!" he protested, quickening his pace backwards. "But I can't be a human... I won't be able to fly!"
"I'll walk the whole damn way if I have to!" I said, taking a few giant steps towards him. "But I am not staying behind like a little side-kick!"

At this, he took off, stumbling and tripping himself up on his own feet. I followed, hot on his heals. He finally took a sharp turn, and ran around to the fire pit. Anticipating this move, I beat him there.

I stood across from him, the circular pit a gaping empty hole between us. He faked left, but I caught him at it. Slowly, he inched towards the right, and, glaring at him, I inched towards the left. We made a stalking circle around the pit, talking the entire time.

"Think about what you're going to do, Rose," Ez coaxed. "Imagine walking for ten straight days."
I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Don't make me Run during the daytime," he resorted to pleading. "If I use my vampire powers while I'm an elf, I'll be too tired to start the journey tomorrow."

I met his pleading eyes. I wasn't going to make him Run. I honestly didn't care about the walking, either. Attannia had made me a little tougher.

I realized that he was standing directly in front of the log that we sat on to eat. With a decisive leap, I cleared the fire pit and plowed myself into his chest.

Caught off balance, Ez teetered... Before tripping over the log and landing on the other side of it, his backside slamming into the dirt-covered earth.

I landed slightly on top of him, and took the position to my advantage. I... Well, frankly, I attack-kissed him.

He squeaked and tried to get up, but I took a firm hold on his hair. He squirmed, and I tightened my fingers, pulling on his bleach-blonde locks until he quieted. Then, after a bit, he raised his head off the ground, parted his lips, and tried to kiss back... He raised a hand and placed it on my hip, slowly running it up my back. And that's when I pulled away.

"Ew, gross, Ez! Don't kiss me while I'm kissing you!"
He grunted and shoved me off of him, rubbing the back of his head... Which had met with the ground when I'd tackled him.

"Sorry," he grumbled. "I'll try to remember that the next time I'm being kiss-raped."

I shrugged and dusted off my clothes.
"Well, look at the bright side... I'll be joining you for ten glorious days of walking!"
"Yay," Ez muttered sarcastically.
I furrowed my eyebrows. "Hey! At least you've got your... erm... fix! You won't be bloodthirsty for a while!"
"That," Ez spat menacingly. "Is not the point."
"No?" I questioned. "Then what is? You know, you're being a colossal baby right now, Ez... You should be thanking me."
"Thanking you?" he exclaimed. "For what?"

"Thanking me for getting rid of those nightmares!" I shouted.
He froze.
"I... I..." I continued weakly. "I've noticed that you don't have them... you know, when you're human..."

He seemed to think about that. We were silent for a long while as Ez stared into the empty fire pit. Then, he rose quite quickly and looked me straight in the eyes.

"Thank you, Rose."

He leaned down, as he towered compared to my slight frame, and kissed my forehead gently.

"Everything will pass as it is meant to be," he said in a soft voice. "That's the inscription on my mother's necklace... It's in Elven."

My fingers flew to the gold pendant around my neck.

Ez turned and stalked off to the opposite end of the campsite.

"Wh-Where are you going?" I asked after him feebly.
"Packing!" he called over his shoulder. "We've got a long day ahead of us!"

I beamed, triumphant.

Us!