After roughly twenty minutes we arrived at the ranch. It had a brown oak fence forming a cobbled path with lush, green, rolling fields either side. The path formed a grey ribbon leading up to a typical, faded red barn with a long wooden post with various horses of different sizes and colours tied to it.
When we approached the barn, a tall middle aged woman with messy strawberry blond hair and jade green eyes emerged. She carried a bridal over her left shoulder and wore navy jodhpurs, a crimson shirt and long black boots.
"Sylvia? what can I do for you?" she asked in an accent that I couldn't recognise.
"I know its late notice but can we take the horses out for a ride?" she asked looking at her innocently.
"Anything for you dear," she said with a smile. "Follow me"
We walked around to the side of the barn to see nine horses, all around 15-16hh tethered up and already in their tack.
"I had a cancellation so you can take these guys," she said scratching the neck of a nearby speckled grey horse.
She led each of us in turn to a horse and said that the one I was to ride was called Storm.
He was a stocky build and had a beautiful dapple grey coat that shone vibrantly in the beaming sun. I stroked his dished nose gently and he rubbed his face into my torso affectionately.
"I trust you Sylvia, so do you mind going on your own? the chores are never-ending in this place" she asked leaning up against the barn.
"Sure, see you later Jessy," said Sylvia with a smile.
"I'm assuming you can ride?" she asked turning to us.
We all looked to Orpheus because he was the only one who hadn't said anything.
"Yeah" he confirmed walking over to his horse.
His horse, Ember was tall and a slimmer build than storm and had a silky chestnut coat that gave off a soft golden glow. He approached her left side and placed his foot in the stirrup before jumping lightly onto her back.
We all mounted swiftly and began the ride, as soon as we had walked through the cobbled paths and crossed into the field Storm pricked his ears forward and lengthened his strides.
"Who wants a gallop?" called Max with a laugh.
We all quickly agreed.
"Stop at that tree" added Chase pointing to a lone oak tree that was swaying slowly in the faint breeze.
I squeezed my heels to send the stallion forward and he jumped straight into a gallop overtaking the others. The wind gushed passed my face reminding me of why Chase wanted to do this, riding brings a sense of freedom and serenity while allowing adrenaline to burn through your veins, it was perfect.
I knotted the reins quickly to make them shorter and let them go before spreading my arms out trusting that Storm would stay on his path. I looked right to see Orpheus doing the same, running in sync with me and Storm.
When we neared the tree, I regained my reins and slowed Storm down gradually before stopping.
"That was amazing!" I exclaimed hugging Storms sweaty neck.
"I told you," said Chase appearing beside me.
We walked away from the tree and down a hill, we crossed a small river before cantering up a steeper hill into a forest area.
I loosened the reins to give Storm his head as we walked through the forestry that would take us in a circle back to the ranch.
The comfortable silence, other than the light thudding of the horses' hooves and an occasional snort was interrupted by a blood gurgling scream.
Storm plated himself to the spot and moved his ears around frantically.
"Its okay" I cooed patting his neck.
Another, weaker scream filled the air.
"Come on, this way" I screamed pushing Storm into a canter.
We tore through the forest until we found the source of the noise.
There was a girl pushed up against a tree by a boy of about our age, vivid, dark blood was coating her white shirt. She noticed us and her eyes widened.
"Please... help.... me.."
I leapt off Storm and handed him to Sylvia before running down the banking with Orpheus close behind.
"Let her go" I shouted causing him to stop.
"You don't want to do this" reasoned Orpheus.
He turned around slowly, his face was covered in dark veins and his eyes were pure silver. Blood coated his fangs and dripped down his face and down onto his neck.
"Actually...I do" he said with a smirk before plunging his fangs back into her neck.
I swiftly ran over to him using my own vampire speed and pulled him off the girl pushing him down onto the forest floor.
"I said stop," I growled.
He squirmed around and fought against me before he met my gaze, he looked up at me and his features softened allowing his face to return to a normal colour.
"Aurora?" he questioned.
I looked down at him confused, how the hell does he know me?
I searched my brain for any trace of him but there was nothing.
He took the opportunity to push me to the side, I crashed onto the forest floor and immediately reached out grabbing him by the shoulder, he spun around, grabbed my arm and snapped it, throwing me to the ground. I screamed out in pain and clicked my arm back into place as Orpheus latched onto the boy preventing him from moving, I sped up to him and faced him.
"You shouldn't have done that" I said angrily.
A large smile appeared on his face as he tried to grab me again, I span out of the way and grabbed ahold of his neck and snapped it, his body went limp and I released his head allowing him to fall to the floor.
"Aurora! what the hell?" screamed Verity.
"He's a vampire, he'll come back in ten to twenty minutes," I said plainly before approaching Orpheus who was staring at the girl who was being comforted by Max and Zack.
"You ok?" I asked placing my hand on his shoulder.
He spun around, the same black veins appeared on his face and his usual warm blue eyes were now cold and silver.
"Aurora... I want...to kill her" he said forming fists with his hands.
"You won't," I said holding his face in my palms "you're stronger than this"
He looked down at me and placed his hand on mine, his eyes gradually faded back to blue and his face regained its flawless complexion.
"Go and wait with the horses," I said softly removing my hands from his face.
He reluctantly let go of my hand and walked back up the hill.
I quickly ran over to the girl.
"It's bad" whispered Max.
I looked at the girl's neck to see that the boy had taken away most of her blood and violently tore up her skin. I concentrated hard and a soft golden glow emitted from my palms, I hovered them over her neck and the wound glowed brightly until it had completely healed.
"Amazing" voiced Max.
I smiled and brought my attention back to the girl who was now alert, her eyes were darting back and forth nervously.
"What are you people?" she asked backing up into the tree.
I ignored her question and sighed before holding her head firmly in my hands.
"You are going to forget everything that happened here, you were walking through the woods when you came across a wounded deer, you tried to help it but the deer died despite your efforts, you realised that you got blood all over clothes and went home to bath" I said looking her dead in the eyes.
She went into a trance and repeated it back to me, I watched happily as she then got up and walked calmly through the forest.
"You did it," said Orpheus proudly. "I guess my lessons paid off"
I smiled as his happy face and turned around to see that the vampire had disappeared.
"How the hell did he get away without any of us realising?" I screamed looking around the forest.
"Should I track him?" asked Max angrily
"No... let's go find Asher" I sighed running back up the hill.
I vaulted effortlessly onto Storm and took off at a canter towards the ranch. This day, that was meant for us to be able to have fun quickly changed to yet another mystery. Who was that vampire? And how the hell did he know my name?
*** Thanks for reading
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