The very apt gothic castle towered above us. Directly beneath the main tower now I could see the ancient stones that gave the building its shape, the cracks that had grown over time. I stared upwards at the dank grey rocks against the pure white snow and light sky, wondering just how exactly all of this had come to be here, when a smell caught my nose. Then almost immediately it attacked my throat, savagely ripping across my taste buds, up to my brain, down to my stomach, sending my heart beating wildly.

I took one breath, and found it to be completely the wrong approach. The delicious, detectable, devastating scent of freshest human blood caught the flare of my nostrils, the alertness of my hunger. Not yet even dead the beautiful scent swam across like a destiny call, and as my nature drove me I was suddenly a slave. I knew that my eyes were turning black, my lips were curling back as my fangs got ready to drive themselves into soft pulsating flesh that I could drain of this sweet, sweet life juice . . .

'Aeatha?'

The crunch of snow behind me, and I was suddenly on guard. I tore around in a fury, eyes huge, body tense, only to shockingly see the form of Carver standing there. Knowing how I must look, and also realising that his abrupt interruption had also saved his life, I slapped a hand over my mouth and nose and instantly ceased to breathe.

'Carver,' I hissed tightly behind my palm, 'Don't do that ever again.'

'What is going on?' he asked, looking at me with concern. From all of his experience he knew what my problem was, he did not have to ask. But why I was such would solve his curiousity as well as his desire to be my friend.

Not wanting to waste the oxygen I had I shrugged, then jerked my head backwards towards where the original scent had come from. If I spoke it meant the air I had would begin to be used up, and from the extent of the power of the stench I feared what might happen if I dared take another breath.

Good thing then I was immortal and could go on without breath indefinitely.

Carver looked at me oddly, then sighed and nodded. Picking up his feet and knowing that I would not be satisfied until I knew the reason for all of the human blood, he walked around the tower, following the whiteness, until he had gone in a complete arc and disappeared entirely.