The merchant had arrived at midday. His horses had run a long way, I could tell from the mud on their hooves. For someone wealthy, he sure was a scrounge. I patted the horses down and pressed my fingers on their necks, trying to calm them, while Jog was getting ready to sell by placing a table at the center of the village close to Common Table.

Mayor Thiodor, pulled his fat belly and walked closer to the table, his thick furs coming right behind him. I never liked that man but everyone respected him in the village. He caught me watching him and slowly, taking my time I turned to the horses. When they calmed down, I walked around the cart.

I fell down before I could tell what had happened.

"Witch!"

"Devil's child!"

"Demon lover!" the boys squealed as they ran in circles around me. I sighed, got up and straightened my coat and dress, making sure my hair was pinned close to my nape and that my hood hadn't fallen.

"Do you want me to tell your mothers that you stole the bottles of ale of the mayor's?" I had seen them that night when I was returning from the barn.

When they paled visibly and ran back, I muttered: "I didn't think so." The women stared at me with obvious hostility. Thinking if it would be good to stay close to so many people or not, I turned around, heading back to the house. I saw him them.

Wurdulac strolled through the people, no one sensing or even seeing him. He walked close to the mayor and I saw him poking Jog. The man obviously paled and together they headed back to the cart. I didn't stay to find out if the vampire had found what he was looking for. Apparently, not even daylight was bothering him.

My house was cold when I got in. The fire had died out and quickly I threw some logs in, trying to make it stronger. I looked at my back; Papa was sprawled to the floor his head and chest one with the ground while his feet were at an awkward angle on the couch. After Mama's death, I had tried to keep everything clean but Papa would vomit and faint everywhere around the house except his bed. I leaned and hoisted him up knowing that after three years from the plague Papa had lost weight.

I was seventeen. Most girls my age were already married but no one would ever take someone with freaky eyes and a drunken father. Not that I cared but from time to time I wanted the peace a good marriage would offer. "Come on Papa." I muttered.

Suddenly he straightened and turned to me. His bloodshot eyes were almost purple and he was really stinking. "Get away from me, monster!"

I tried to ignore the sound of cracking in my chest and came closer. "Papa, it's me, Tatiana."

"Monster! Your eyes killed them!"

"Papa stop!" I screamed not caring that he was older than me. "It's only us left! Don't leave me alone! Not you too!"

He staggered to his feet but with an incredible strength he grabbed my elbow and opened our door. The wind hit me in the face and I shivered without my coat's protection. He threw me to the ground and stood in the doorway, trying to hold himself up. "Tomorrow the horses and the barn will be sold. I have already signed the deal."

I stopped breathing. "No."

"You are no daughter of mine. Leave." He slammed the door to my face.

I got to my feet and began pounding the door, not caring the eyes of the people, not caring about the cold which was slipping into my bones, making my finger numb and my breaths fogged.

"No! Don't do this! Don't sell Mama's dream!"

The door opened again.

And the barrel of the gun aimed my forehead.

"Leave." Papa's voice was nothing more than a growl.

I whimpered and stepped back. My body was cold but my soul felt colder. "Goodbye Papa." I turned and ran away.

----------

The stables were still warm as night fell. Huddled on the hay with the blanket covering me, I tried to find the resolution to get up and go. But this place held so many memories it was impossible to do so.

"Tatiana?"

I opened my eyes. Wurdulac was staring down at me frowning. "Please go away," I mumbled and turned to the other side.

His arm curled around my waist pulling me up. I was too tired body and soul to disagree. "You are cold. Why aren't you at home?"

"There is no home for me."

I heard him curse and I could only lean on his chest, trying to feel the warmth of the heavy coat he wore. "Tell me vampire, am I a monster? Or do we disguise as monsters those who are different from us?"

"All of us hide a monster within." He replied and I closed my eyes too tired to answer.

When I woke again, I felt the blankets around me forming a warm cocoon. I was... in a cave the stalactites hanging dangerously above me but on the far side of the circular chamber, a big fireplace was casting light around. Fur rugs were covering the floor and when I got up my bare feet touched the softness; I could moan from pleasure

There was an opening on my right and when I walked outside the bedroom, dressed only in my dress, I found Wurdulac polishing a long sword. He was sitting in an armchair big and made of black stone with red covers around it. The room had a wide library on the one side of the wall while stone stairs were leading upward, to the cave's entrance.

"You're awake." Wurdulac got up still holding the sword. It looked ancient with a wooden hilt and the blade looked rusty. "I have gathered some food for you." He motioned at the table. Meat, well cooked, a cup of ale and some hard cheese were placed on it. Despite my watering mouth, I didn't touch it.

"Why have you brought me here?"

He looked at the sword then at me. "What do you know about the sword of Kladenets?"

I frowned at him as I sat. "There are stories how the tsars fought the firebird with it. They wanted its feathers for the warmth and the golden eyes for treasure. What does this have to do-"

"Your mother was the firebird." Wurdulac said, his expression neutral.

I stilled. "You're lying. My mother was a human."

"As I was once before being consumed by the demon." He sat at the opposite side of the table and began filling a plate with food. "My real name was Aleksei Nicolaevich, second tsar of the glorious empire of Kuratovo." He slid the plate to me. "Any bells ringing?"

"But...that empire was thousands of years ago! Before the Great Hunger, before the Death of trolls even before the last Year of Songs! How did you..." I stared at the plate as if I was wishing to give me the answers I was searching. I looked at Wurdulac, no Aleksei.

"You are almost a thousand years old."

"Actually I will be in five months but I accept 'happy birthday' early. I was the one who found the firebird right in these plains. Oh, you should have seen it Tatiana. Long feathers of gold and myriads of colors and eyes golden like the sun. But when the time came to kill it with this sword, it actually spoke."

"The firebird could speak?"

"Oh yes, that was my reaction exactly. It offered me a deal in exchange for its freedom. I asked for eternal youth and life."

"And you got the demon."

Wurdulac's eyes glowed red and for a moment sparks appeared on his red hair. "I was a fool. I lived to see my family perish and my land dying. I was tied on the plains and I couldn't leave. The sword, my sword was the only thing which could locate the Firebird, since it was blessed with holy water. And today I found it again."

"Why do you think my mother was the Firebird?"

The vampire suddenly appeared in front of me shoving the chair back. With a cry, I fell down and he straddled me the blade aiming my neck. The blade wasn't cold on my skin but warm. Wurdulac's left hand was holding my head down while my arms were pinned to my sides. "The blade becomes warmer when it senses the bird. And what do you know I return to say my thanks to you and the sword lights up like fire. Add your eyes to it and here I have a fledging."

I squirmed, trying to break free, get away but I couldn't. "Will you kill me then?"

He leaned then and I saw his fangs appearing from his curling lips. His mouth brushed my neck, the sharp fangs slowly touching my skin. I stopped breathing. He moved closer and closer to my face his breath warm and spicy on my skin. "No. I like you too much to kill you."

He got up and pulled me along with him, sheathing the sword. "Besides, you are not the complete form of the firebird, only its child. " I was still breathing hard when he stepped away. Despite the fear of him, he hadn't killed me; he had even offered hospitality, which was truly a human custom.

Wurdulac pointed in the direction of the chamber. "You are free to stay as long as you want."

"I can't. I have to save the horses."

His eyes looked sad as he stared at me. He turned and looked at the stairs. "I heard of it."

"What will you do now then? What did you hope to achieve by finding the firebird?"

"I wanted to be free of the demon, to live and die like a man, marry and see my children grow and thrive. Immortality is a suffering if you have to live it on your own."

Slowly I walked closer and I touched his shoulder; he turned and looked down at me. "I will go and save the horses. They were my mother's dream. When I make sure they are safe, I can come back."

His hand covered mine and kissed the heel of my palm. "Don't do that from pity Tatiana."

How strange it was from sympathy to grow into affection. I touched his cheek of this man who didn't have the heart to live forever alone, just like me and I smiled. "Not pity. I am alone too."

His kiss was like ice and fire, his hands strong and gentle as he gripped me tightly, flushing our bodies together. "Tatia..."

"Aleksei."

He pulled back, feathering my cheeks and eyelids with small kisses. "Be careful. I can't leave the mountain if not summoned."

I nodded and after kissing him one last time I ran up the stone stairs.

-------------------

When I finally reached the village it was already midday. The roads were, as usual, busy but as I hurried through the edge of the houses from the back I didn't waver. My resolve was absolute. I was sure that Aleksei would help me with the horses; maybe our life could be into that mountain away from the superstition. I wanted that.

The doors to the barn were closed but I entered through the back smaller door. The horses stomped when they saw me. I quickly pulled the saddle and opened Wind's stall. "Come on boy, help me please."

After making sure he was ready I tied the rest of the horses from the bristles to the saddle and climbed on Wind. I was getting ready to ride when the doors opened. Papa, Jog and the mayor stared at me in a moment of confusion. I didn't wait. I kicked Wind and the horse galloped, running straight to the men. The horses followed from behind as we hit the road and began riding. I vaguely saw Dmitri on the bakery but my mind was too focused on leaving.

"Run Wind run!" I shouted as we got out from the village heading to the mountains. The sky was cloudy making the day look more like evening.

The sound of guns echoed on the plains. I looked over my shoulder and saw five, no six horses getting closer to us. They had riffles on and I was sure that they weren't aiming the horses. Something popped on my side and for a moment I lost my hearing. I looked down at my body. Red bloomed like poppies on spring and I realized that my eyes had watered. Not from the pain but from the sadness of not being able to reach the mountains, save the horses and him too.

I fell, feeling my body crumbling to pieces, sure that Izzy and Dust would throttle me on their way. But I never felt their hooves. I tried to lift my head and saw that the horses had stopped running, neighing loudly.

"Run..." I whispered, hoping they would hear me.

"Do you know what we make of the thieves?" the mayor spat on my face clutching my coat and lifting my torso, turning me on my back. Strangely I liked the way the sky looked.

"We kill them," Papa answered.

I continued to stare at the sky. "Aleksei..."

"What did she say?"

"No wonder she speaks after that shot. She should be dead."

"She is a demon's child!"

I stopped hearing them, black dots clouding my vision. In the background, I heard a roar as if someone was in pain.

And then, everything exploded in flames.

My body left the ground and hovered to the sky. It felt like an outside of the body experience. I saw myself melting away, my clothes disappearing, my hair glowing gold, the red as everything was covered in flames. The horses were away and the men were screaming. I lifted my arms as I looked down at them and smiled.

My fingers became softer and feathers covered them. My back arched as I left a cry and soon I was flying above them, with talons of steel, feathers of gold and rainbow and a beak sharp. I had become the Firebird. I saw the men bowing to me, fearful and with respect, but I knew their minds, their souls' desires.

Greed, hunger, power, not even o fiber of kindness existed in them. And the worst of all emptiness in my father's soul. Few meters away Aleksei stood with his sword raised, ready to attack. He had come to my rescue, my lost tsar.

"Mortals." The voice of mine was ethereal and strange as if someone was speaking from my own soul. "You have angered my offspring, treating her with fear and hatred. You deserve to die."

I heard them whimpering from fear.

"But I am not the one to judge. Leave and remember my warnings. I shall burn you to hell if I am to see you disrespecting life again."

The men ran to their horses and disappeared fast like the wind. My feathers moved slowly as I descended and my talons touched the ground. The firebird's head turned to Aleksei. He had bowed, his head low, not looking at me.

"Tsar."

"Firebird." He spoke slowly.

"I see affection in my daughter's heart. She wishes for you to live."

His red eyes glowed as he locked them with mine. "I want that too. Together with her."

"Then you have one thing to do. Drink her blood and the demon shall disappear. You'll be a mortal again and life will continue for you."

The flames covered me again and I wasn't sure if I howled or screamed. When I opened my eyes again I was surrounded by ashes around a burnt circle. Aleksei was holding me tightly palming my cheek. I touched his lips and smiled. "Live with me Aleksei."

I offered him my neck.

"Forever."

His fangs sunk into my skin.