I stepped out of my hut, pulling closer the furs around my neck and face. We had yet another hard winter here at the Kuratovo plains, where the mountains of Broken Tooth and Baba Nove rose at the horizon eerie and dangerous. The sky had just started to lighten and the neigh of the horses behind my home was a welcoming sound.

My family was the only one who tended the herds of wild horses. My village was small yet as we worked all together, there was still food on the Common Table, the tent which was located at the center of our community. And horses these days could catch nice.

After pulling my hood up, I hoisted the basket with the clothing on one arm and headed to the stables. They were some of the few buildings which were made of wood; none of the men was daring to enter the black forest at the east. Stories of Baba Yaga, the old spirit woman who scared off the people, and not only children, were still told under hushed breaths and not when it was windy. No one dared to shout.

The wind had a strange voice here. I could feel it in my bones, at the rush of it around my golden hair and at the sweet taste it left on my lips. My mother used to tell me that girls with my eyes, golden like the sunlight were destined for great things. Too bad I never learned what she meant.

The plague took her along with my baby sister because our mayor was too proud to pass the 'Sword', the narrow path between the mountains and bring back help.

"Tatiana!"

I turned around. Dmitri the ten years old son of the baker ran towards me. He was one of the few who liked my company. His small frame, black hair and adorable smile could even make Slovna, the old baba around the corner, smile. "Hello, Dmitri!"

"This is heavy, let me help." And he pulled the basket from my arm leveling it between us.

"Why are you up so early Dmitri?"

"Papa is already working on the bakery and Mama has gone to the mayor's. We need more flour and a doctor for the cows."

"I believe the right term is 'vet'."

"Da." He said boringly. Not many of the kids were interested in learning how to write and read. My mother Sasha used to be the teacher of the village's children.

My father Petrov had met her on one of his trips to the towns and they had fallen in love. I never understood why my mother had chosen this life, where superstitions were dictating at some point the ways of the living, but after seeing the sun rising, the wind moving around me I was sure that I loved this life too.

"Will you feed the horses today Tania?"

"I will try and make them warm at first. After I will move the hay and clean the stables. Do you want to help?"

"I would love too but I heard that a merchant will come." Dmitri smiled apologetically and I shrugged. I knew that travelers were rare and sometimes we would trade ale and fur for some delicacies, like chocolate. Papa used to travel to the cities and bring back to Mama, Irene and I sweets and dresses.

Now he prefers vodka more than the work at the stables or his daughter's life.

"Ok, go quickly back to the bakery. They don't want you to be around me anyway."

"Why?" the boy asked innocently.

I smirked and pulled my hood up. "Because I like eating children!" I drawled and ran after Dmitri who laughed and made a turn, running across the street. My smile faded as I picked up the basket again and pushed the double doors of the stables.

"Morning Dust, Star." I touched the muzzles of the mares and placed the basket on the floor. It was warmer inside and I pulled the windows closed, not the letting the harsh cold winds get in. I walked and arranged the hay around and after taking the brush in hand, I began stroking the fur of Izzy. She had given birth recently and Kod, her small boy was hiding behind her feet.

"You look good today Izzy." I rubbed her snout smiling at her gleaming black eyes; she leaned in and I rubbed her harder, knowing what she liked.

"I know, it's hard. After Mama died no one speaks to me." I sighed and got out from her stall, closing the wooden door.

I walked towards one of the two stallions. He was black with long mane and strong legs. Wind really liked to run and gallop. When the winds subside, I will take him for a ride. 

The horse neighed strongly and I made a small bow. "I know Wind. I didn't come yesterday." He neighed again.

"Hey, don't be so full of yourself!" I smiled and rubbed his muzzle.

The groan came from behind the stallion. Terrified, I opened the door and looked behind Wind. The body was in fetal position, arms and feet close together in an attempt to get warm. Or was he in pain.

"Come on Wind." I pulled the horse out and tied him on one of the logs. I got one of the buckets with fresh water I always kept and a run and carefully I made my way back into the stall. The lying man wore a long cape, which covered his head, but the muddy boots and the tall frame surely belonged to a male. "Sir?" I said walking closer.

He stirred and moaned in pain. After kneeling down, I pulled his shoulders and laid him on his back. I almost left a scream but I couldn't afford to scare the horses. His front was all covered in blood, from his chest down to his stomach, making his grey tunic and shirt look almost black. I bit my lip and slowly I pulled back the hood.

What I first noticed was the hair. Red and long like the fires which licked the wood. His skin was pale white but luckily didn't feel clammy under my palms. There was a scar on his left side beginning from his brow, almost missing his eye the continuing to his jaw. It looked old but not less painful. "Sir, are you alright, can you hear me?"

His eyes flew open and stared straight into mine. I left a soft breath. And slowly I crouched back. "Please accept my help and hospitality." I shuttered barely holding my fear.

The man got up and sat, leaning his back against the wooden wall. His long feet stretched in front of him and took a deep breath, probably scenting his surroundings. He turned to me. "I accept your hospitality. No harm will befall you or your family."

"Thank you Wurdulac." I nodded and brought the bucket with the cloth closer.

"You know my name."

"I know of the stories."

He coughed a laugh. "At least I am more famous than Baba Yaga of the East."

I tried not to smile but instead, I grinned. "You don't usually come to the plains, well unless it's full moon. Why have you come?"

Wurdulac took the cloth from my hands and rubbed his face. "I heard that a merchant will come. He will be carrying a message for me and I need it." He looked at me and tilted his head. "I knew your mother. A kind soul, not like the blockheads of this village. If it wasn't for the oath of protection, I would tear their necks off."

The way he stated such a threat calmly made me shiver. I took the cloth from him and threw it in the bucket. "Do you want me to bring you something?"

"How about your neck? You look tasty." His red pupil slit eyes gleamed and I laughed. "Your seduction doesn't work on me Wurdulac."

"I have always wondered why. Since your birth, I have known that you have a shield in your mind. It's confusing... and challenging."

Well, it hadn't helped me when the villagers accused me of the plague because of my eyes, or when the children threw me into the woods when I was eleven, waiting for Baba Yaga to eat me. But of course, no one dared to approach Wurdulac, the protector of our plains who also happened to be one of the most ancient vampires of Russia. He was a common secret and thanks to him there had never been any criminals around Kuratovo.

The villagers were honoring him every full moon when he would come down from the mountains and drink from the most beautiful women. In return, the woman's family would get gold from him. In a way, he was helping quite a lot on our economy. No one knew how Wurdulac came to exist so close to us. But all knew the stories.

When the plains were barren and fire serpents were roaming them, Pasa Rickoevits, our founder, asked for Wurdulac's help. The vampire offered his help with one condition. Every full moon he would get a blood tax and so his guardianship began. My father used to scare me off with these stories, not wanting me to ride through 'Sword'. The path was known for its jagged rocks and avalanches and only someone with experience or even Wurdulac could pass through it.

"You look lost in thought Tatiana Petrova." Wurdalac spoke softly and I looked at him.

His eyes, sign of his vampirism were dark and his red hair was in a mess. I still could understand where that blood had come from. "Who did you drink from? I never thought you were messy."

"Ah, this?" he motioned at his shirt. "There was a fine stag on my area last night. It looked...tasty."

"Well at least thank you for not eating my horses. Wind would be displeased if you touched his mares."

He laughed and I couldn't help but laugh too. It had been a while feeling open like that, not caring for what the people would say. Wurdulac got up and straightened his cape. He bowed and walked out from the stall, gently taking the reins of Wind and placing the horse back into his place. I heard him murmuring into a strange language until I saw how the horse's muscles flexed and how his mane began to look healthier.

"Wind has been a great listener. He spoke of you." Wurdulac turned and closed the door. My eyes widened and I felt my cheeks flush. I would tell anything to the horses, my only companions.

"Tatiana." He leaned and got into eye level with me. I stared back at him. 

"I should give you a place to rest." I retreated and climbed the ladder to the second floor of the barn. And of course, Wurdulac was already standing in front of me offering his hand.

I didn't take it.

"There is hay over there and I can give you a blanket. Although it will be windy today, please stay inside until sunset."

"Are you going to lock the barn?" Wurdulac fell onto his back and stretched his hands above his head, a lazy expression on his face.

I really had to stop looking at him.

"No, I had come with the idea of cleaning but I can do it tomorrow." I offered him the blanket and he nodded in thanks.

I had already begun climbing down the ladder when Wurdulac said: "Why are the people so hard on you? I have always wondered that."

I held my breath; the vampire always knew what was going on in the village so where was he getting the sick sense of making fun of me? Of my pain? "Because of the plague," I said drily.

"This was not your fault Tania."

"I know that. But people will always blame those who are or look different from them." I got down the ladder and ran towards the doors closing them behind me.