I slept lightly and not for very long. I have studied the kingdom law since I was little. My grandfather was a constable and so was my father. At the age of twelve life changed for me. Some people know the dark creatures still existed. What they did not know was we had a pact with them.

A rogue blood drinker entered my home, it killed my parents, my older brothers and sister and came for me. It was extremely fast and extremely powerful. It caught and bit me and began to feed. I had been running through the kitchen and he slammed me into the wall. He held me off my feet and ripped at my throat and I could barely move.

My left hand searched and gripped a handle and I yanked and stabbed. I did not realized it was my parents silver cake knife as I kept stabbing into the neck and back of the creature. It screamed and jerked but it was my turn to cling to him and I did. I stabbed and stabbed and it flayed and fell and rolled.

Finally I was on it and plunging the silver knife into its back repeatedly. I slowed and became dizzy and shifted and fell to one side. A man crashed through the back door and into the kitchen. He looked at me and then at the creature and then knelt. He yanked it over and plunged a wooden knife into its chest.

Next he rolled it and put silver restraints like a constable carries on it. He checked me and pulled out a small jar and poured it on my throat. It felt like it was burning and eating into my throat and I screamed and passed out. When I woke I was in a quiet room with crosses on each wall and a priest beside the bed.

It took a week to recover and by then my family was buried. I know now precautions were taken against my father, brothers and sister rising. I also know my mother was changed into a blood drinker, they had not found her body in the backyard. I knew that because the first night I was released she came to me.

I grew up in the home of the man that entered our house. His name was Mort Albert and he was a queen’s special magister. He was not a magister as you would consider them. He was more like a constable but he enforced the pact between the kingdom, the dark creatures and those that were magical like dryads or nymphs.

The reason he was called a magister was he could judge and take the life of a creature. At eighteen I gave my oath to the queen and the magical and dark creature council. Mostly I worked at night and visited the many places the dark creatures and those with magic gathered. They spoke to me or whispered from the shadows.

My eyes opened and I listened before I rolled out of bed. I crossed the room and walked into the bathroom. I went and then took a cool shower and got dressed. I grabbed my bag and unbarred the door and stepped into the hall. I looked at the door across from mine and knocked, “see you tonight mom.”

I heard her inside and knew she was there even if she did not answer. Once I left the old manor I went to the stable and saddled my horse. My mother was not the only one living with me. I had a mated couple that were shifters and a mother, father and three children that were called Brownies. On the estate grounds I even had a wood spirit and a satyr.

Lately those two were always together and enjoying each others company. I pet one of the several stray cats and swung up into the saddle. As I rode out I saw the satyr collecting dead branches. I waved and kept going and turned once I left the gate. First I went to the palace and checked all the new reports.

Next I went to see the queen before she retired for the night. She smiled when I came in, “nothing Daniel.”

I bowed and left and rode to the river and then west. The coast was a day away but at the very edge of the city was one of the special markets. Four huge warehouses had been built together and the inner walls removed. Thick tree sized posts went up to the high roof and stalls, some permanent and some temporary made rows and isles.

I turned my horse into a warded and fenced area and took my bag. I walked into the quiet warehouses and started for a far corner. The ... merchants were only beginning to set up as the sun began to set. I nodded and greeted those I knew and when I reached a open café I sat at one table with my back to the wall, “tea Luther.”

Luther and his family were fourth generation shifters and ran the shop. They served everything from tea to ... well ... blood or raw meat. He walked around a counter, “you are early Daniel. Not sleeping?”

I smiled, “not much no.”

He set a small china plate down and then a tea cup on it. His wife walked out of the large cooler and slowed to grab a pot and bring it to the table. While Luther sat she poured my tea, “you need a mate to help you sleep.”

I grinned, “you are taken and your girl is not old enough even if she does flirt.”

Luther laughed and she grinned, “I was thinking of another. Mist is or was bitten like you but it was an accident. Her mother is a ... um ... lady of the evening. She was exploring one of the old buildings and found a tunnel. It led to a sleeping chamber and one of the ladies of Gildor was on a bed.”

She shook her head, “she got to close and you know what can happen. When lady Margaret woke she had already begun to feed. She was appalled and distraught and held the girl and wept. It was the girl who recovered first and finally comforted lady Margaret. Each night Margaret and Mist meet after she has fed.”

She smiled, “Margaret has been teaching her and has given her protection under the Gildor coven.”

I sipped my tea as I went over what I knew. Because of my bite and what had happened to me, I had special abilities. Faster than a normal man, stronger and able to see in the dark. I could also feel magic which was rare, of course some could do magic. I looked around, “does she want to join the coven?”

May snorted, “no and Margaret is not pushing it or letting the others push it. The girl’s mother has no idea and cares little for her own daughter. I think besides feeling guilty Margaret is mothering her in her own way.”

I smiled as I drank, “Margaret mothering? Next thing you will tell me is Simon is acting like a father.”

They laughed because Simon was a young shifter pack leader and had little time or patience for young of any kind. They went back to setting up and I paid in wooden tokens before walking around. Those were exchanged for silver, gold or copper. The market became busy as many of the people that came here woke.

Just inside and to the right of the main entrance was another area with couches, cushioned chairs and low tables. My eyes went to the teenager first before those arriving slowed and stared. I ignored them and crossed to the shadows, “mother?”

She leaned forward, “I heard you leave.”

I nodded and ignored the male with her. It had been years since father died and she like anyone else needed company or a lover. I looked at the others, “what do you think of Margaret?”

She smiled as she looked at the others, “she has changed. She is like a sister.”

I nodded and took a step and bent to kiss her cheek and barely whispered, “you need him to mom.”

I stood and turned as she chuckled. I bowed to the coven, “I will register the accident but I doubt the queen will question it. My suggestion would be to check your sleeping chamber walls and make sure there will be no more accidents. Enjoy your night.”

I started away and began to examine the wares in the stalls. By the time I was done with the last I was back at the doors. I started out and a teenage girl caught up. I shifted and turned and side stepped to the right and bumped her. Out of the dark a pack of huge wolves appeared and growled.

I stood between the girl and the pack and pulled the revolver from under my left arm, “beware Simon. If I find you have been hunting it will be your pelt on my floor.”

The wolves growled and shifted and six large men and three women stood. One moved towards me, “one day magister you will go to far and I will rip out your throat.”

I stepped and extended the revolver and touched his chest, “lets try it tonight.”

He froze and those following shifted and kept growling and I cocked the pistol. He licked his lips, “you would not dare.”

I smiled, “you have threatened the queen’s magister. If you like I can put you in a silver cage for a month.”

He slowly took a step back, “we did...”

I stepped back, “broke the pact. You and your people are not to shift until after midnight unless it is inside. I could call the council and see what they say?”

He finally looked away, “you made your point.”

I nodded as I took another step back and lowered the hammer on my pistol, “I am neutral Simon. Unless you step over the line you and the others have agreed to with my queen. Next time you wait to shift.”

He moved to my left slowly and those following went with him. After they walked inside I put my revolver away and looked at the girl, “you should be careful in these areas. Shifters do not like blood drinkers or humans. They rarely like anyone not in their pack.”

She grinned, “that is like almost all of the night people.”

I shook my head, “not really. Most of the magical or dark creatures fear humans.”

She blinked, “fear?”

I started for the warded corral, “fear. There are many more humans than them and humans would hunt them down day or night.”

I crossed to the corner my horse was in, “it is okay Kelvin.”

A smaller horse was on the other side of mine. A man’s head peeked under the neck of my horse and Mist gasped. I smiled as I kept going, “I spoke with her majesty’s farrier and he agreed to be here before the sun rises.”

He smiled and pushed and my horse turned to show the back half of his body was a small horse, “thank you magister.”

I pet my horse’s nose and moved to secure my bag, “your herd still moving north along the coast?”

He nodded, “into the wold by Loc Danison. We have mares ready to give birth and it is safe there.”

I looked at Mist, “this female is Mist. Pass her name to those in your herd.”

He looked at her, “human?”

I swung up into the saddle, “bitten.”

He sighed and bowed, “I sorrow for your loss.”

I looked at her as she started to open her mouth, “are you staying?”

She grinned, “where are you going?”

I looked into the darkness, “this is only one of several gathering places.”

She moved towards me, “I would go with you.”

I smiled and looked into the shadows, “I will watch and protect her.”

Margaret drifted out of the dark and looked at Mist. She smiled back, “I will be back before you sleep.”

Margaret nodded and looked at me, “we do need company and lovers.”

I bent and held down my hand, “we all do.”

I helped Mist up and behind me and turned the horse to the gate. I rode with her clinging to me and the feel of her breasts against my back made my cock hard. She sniffed and then gigged as one hand slid around and down and felt my cock, “want something?”

The feel of her hand seemed to make my cock grow harder and thicker. I felt a subtle swirl of magic from her and looked back, “Margaret taught you a little magic?”

She smirked, “she said it would keep a male producing sperm.”

I chuckled as I felt my swollen balls, “plus engorging their members.”

I shifted, turned, lifted and pulled her around so she was straddling me. The feel of her pussy through our clothes was almost hot. She wrapped her legs around me, “I really want you inside me.”

I shifted again and pulled a small knife and lifted her skirt. I carefully cut the crotch of her panties along her slit and then put the knife away. She was grinning as I undid my belt and pants. I lifted and stood and pushed my pants down a little. She touched and then felt my cock with a look of amazement.

When I sat she shifted closer and tilted her hips as she lowered herself. My cock pressed against the cut in her panties and slipped through. She shivered and slowly sat and my cock impaled her. She wiggled and squirmed and her tight pussy gripped my cock. I pulled her close and looked ahead, “roll your hips.”

She grinned and kissed me and then shifted and began to roll her hips. It almost felt like her pussy was grasping and milking my cock. A few minutes and she was lifting and then grinding while pushing down, “mmmm!”