Running his hand gently down Areion's neck Raphael made soothing sounds as he sunk his fangs into one of the horse's veins. He snorted and pawed the ground with his left front hoof but he stayed still allowing the vampire his feed, it still amazed him how calmly the horse took being fed on. Even the first time he'd not reacted much more than he was now. Licking the wound so the coagulants in his saliva would close the small puncture wounds he patted the horse's neck who turned to nuzzle the Vampire. He reached into the saddlebag closest to him and pulled out an apple for the horse.

"Thank you, boy." The animal sniffed at it then taking it in his huge flat teeth began to chomp on it.

"We shouldn't be far from the Isle now Areion. It's along this coastline somewhere." The horse snorted back at him. It was one of Raphael's favourite things about the huge loyal animal, not only did it let him feed, he always snorted or whinnied when the vampire spoke to him like he was actually listening and interested. He'd been so glad of the animal's continued company on his long ambling trek across Europe. It didn't seem to matter how far they travelled in a day the steady creature just plodded along mile after mile never seeming to need to rest or mind the journey.

Finishing his apple the animal bent his neck and started to chew on a tuft of grass as the vampire walked to the cliff edge and stared out to sea. The wind buffeted against him as he took a deep breath. He'd gotten to a point now after all these months on the road that he could forget to think about his witch. Caring for Areion had helped a great deal with that. The horse almost seemed to instinctively know when Raphael's mind had wandered to her and demanded some attention whether it was an itch he couldn't reach or being hungry. The animal always seemed to have perfect timing in needing something to distract him from his beautiful red witch. As if on cue Areion whinnied and began to paw at the ground with his right hind leg and swish his tail.

"Got an itch lad?" he crossed to the horse and ran his fingers over his rump until he found the itchy spot and the horse stopped pawing the ground and whinnied happily.

"Guess it's time we set off for the day."

Once he had the horse's blanket and saddle securely on him they set off at a slow ambling pace. They were never in a hurry, it was one of the things Raphael had enjoyed most about their trek together, the horse set himself a pace and just plodded along at it. On rare occasions, he would get a spurt of energy and take off at a gallop but for the most part, the horse was laid back and just happy to go with the flow. He began to muse over how the animal would take to an island full of werewolves. Hopefully, as well as he had a vampire. That was of course if the wolves would let him stay. Duncan had invited him but it was his father who was the pack leader and Raphael hadn't made the best impression at the conference in Venice. But then if they didn't want him on their Isle it wouldn't be the end of the world. Maybe he'd take Areion into the highlands and find himself a home well away from habitation. That could work for him and the horse. His mind wandered back to the puppy he'd found as a child. He loved that little dog, right up until his father had found him sneaking food out of the house to it in a shed at the bottom of the garden. Marcus had drained the puppy of blood like it was nothing more than a snack and then thrown its lifeless body at the young vampire.

'You are not a simpering nymph. We do not keep pets and fawn over them like a woman over a baby. Do I make myself clear?' Raphael shuddered at the memory then patted Areion's neck to reassure himself.

"I'll keep you till your time comes lad, don't you worry." The horse snorted as if he knew what Raphael was talking about.

In a V-shaped dip, inland Raphael noticed a small craggy island, barely more than 200 feet from the land and couldn't have been any longer than that. The slim grey rocky land jutted up from the ocean and was completely unremarkable, in fact, the vampire found himself looking away from it and inland. They carried on along the coast a few minutes before he tugged on Areion's rein.

"Hold up boy." He glanced back over his shoulder and looked at the small landmass. Again he found himself thinking how unremarkable it was and looking away from it. Duncan had said an island he couldn't look at. Again he tried to stare at the empty rock and again his eyes couldn't stay on it. How could that rock jutting up from the sea be the wolf's home? Once more he tried and again his eyes turned away. It had to be it.

Jumping down from his saddle to tug gently on the reins to get the horse to follow him. They ambled back to stand opposite the island and just stood there. Raphael realised he had no idea how to get Duncan's attention or anyone's for that matter if this was the right place. Did they have sentries? Should he swim over and knock on the door? Not that there was a door. He should have asked the wolf more before racing off. Perhaps this had all been a really bad idea and he should just head into the highlands and make himself a home somewhere isolated.

***

"There's a man and a horse on the mainland staring at us." One of the young wolf pups ran up to Agnes as she stirred the huge pot over the cooking fire. She looked up towards the mainland but from here she couldn't see anything.

"Robert! Duncan!" She yelled as loud as she could. "Someone's on the mainland." Seconds later the two men came jogging out of the small ancient stone-built castle that was their home as leaders of the pack.

"Who is it?'' Her mate put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, Robert like his son was tall and the spitting image of his gargantuan son only his hair was more of a chestnut brown rather than the intense orange of his mates and sons.

"If I knew that, why would I call?" The boy who had told Agnes ran off to tell others his exciting news. Unexpected visitors never came to the Isle, if for no other reason than they couldn't find it. Agnes handed over her huge ladle to her niece, Bryn and the three wolves walked over to the edge of the barrier that separated their home from the rest of the world.

As they drew closer Duncan laughed

"I thought he'd gotten lost or changed his mind. It's Raphael, the vampire from the conference, I invited him."

"That was months ago?" Robert glanced at his son as they walked.

"Not a clue why it's taken him so long to get here. Probably couldn't find us." They stopped just inside the barrier and watched as the vampire fed the horse an apple from a saddlebag.

"Which brother was he?" Agnes asked her son.

"Not one of the famous ones. He's a good guy, I enjoyed his company. Feel for him too. Being fated to someone who doesn't want him. I don't think he has any friends either, the eldest brother seemed to find him a nuance."

"He has a horse." Supplied Robert.

"Can I invite him in?"

"It's your home too lad, you can have him here if you trust him enough to let him near the pack."

Raphael noticed movement on the tiny island and forced himself to look at it. Duncan was placing a small boat in the water and climbing into it. He watched the wolf row the short distance to the rocky shore and drag it onto the land.

"I'd figured you weren't coming." He shouted up to the waiting vampire.

"Sorry, I rode across Europe rather than take a boat. Am I still invited?"

"Of course, I would never be so rude as to turn away a friend. Your friend will have to swim for it though if you're bringing him, no way he's fitting in my little boat."

With some difficulty, the two men got the horse down the rocks and holding onto his reins pushed the boat into the choppy water. Areion whinnied on the shore not wanting to enter the water before finally following them with a little encouragement from Raphael as he tugged on his reins. It only took them a few minutes to reach the shore of the tiny island.

After dragging the unimpressed horse up onto the rock, Duncan lifted the boat and walked towards the other end of the tiny island which for the wolf's long legs was not far. As Raphael was about to ask where he was going a disembodied arm appeared in the air, Duncan took it and disappeared as if he'd stepped behind a curtain. A moment later the arm appeared again. Considering it for a moment then taking a breath Raphael took it and pulled his horse after him and stepped through.

On the other side of the invisible curtain, he found himself holding the arm of Robert, pack leader and Duncan's father. He tugged Aerion through after him and faced the waiting wolves. Agnes opened her mouth to speak but her mate cut her off.

"Let us head to our home then you can interrogate the lad there my love." He took her arm and began walking back to their castle home.

Duncan nudged the vampire.

"Welcome to the Hidden Isle. you really been travelling here this whole time?" Raphael patted Areion's neck.

"We just kind of ambled across Europe, keeping away from society, it was pretty peaceful." Duncan eyed the children all gathering at a distance to watch the newcomer.

"Well you've reentered society I'm afraid my friend." Raphael looked around him, the tiny visible part of the island was nothing compared to what was hidden. To their right was a small grey stone castle, around it were scattered wooden cottages, maybe thirty of them. In Front of the castle was an open-sided barn-like structure with long tables and benches under it, next to it was a huge fire pit with the biggest cooking pot suspended above it Raphael had ever seen. A pretty young she-wolf with tawny-coloured hair stood beside it staring at him as he walked past.

"How many of you live here?" they stopped outside the castle

"In the main village here about sixty, there's a small farm village about four miles north of the castle with another twenty inhabitants."

"Four miles? How big is this isle?" Duncan laughed as his parents rejoined them just outside the huge wooden doors

"Our Isle is about thirty miles long and twenty miles wide." Raphael stared at Robert in shock.

"I had no idea." Robert laughed

"Few people do, because the isle is hidden, everyone assumes it's some tiny rock in the sea." Agnes was eyeing Raphael suspiciously.

"Why have you come here, vampire?" He looked down at the little woman then to Areion and patted the horse's neck, it had become almost a habit to make physical contact with the horse when he was feeling anything. "Why have you really come? Don't lie to me laddy I will know."

"I just needed to get away, I'm fated to a woman I can never have, I've never really been liked by my brothers, my father was a... not pleasant man, I just... " Agnes grabbed the Vampire in a hug.

"Oh you poor boy, you can stay here as long as you wish." Thrown by the sudden affection he stared at Duncan in shock. The wolf and his father just laughed at his distress.

"You're on your own boyo, once she gets a hold of you you're pretty much adopted." Agnes let go of Raphael and playfully punched her son's huge arm.

"Be quiet you big oaf."

"I ah..." Raphael reached into the saddle bag nearest him and pulled out a small bolt of fine red and gold silk fabric. "Brought you some gifts. My mum always said you don't turn up to someone's home empty-handed."

"Oh you dear boy, you shouldn't have." he handed her the fabric followed by a bolt of blue silk and then some cooking spices. Lastly, he handed Robert two bottles of expensive French wine. "They all look so lovely." Agnes beamed at him.

***

Sitting between Duncan and his cousin as bowls of stew were filled and passed down the long tables Raphael couldn't believe people lived like this. The whole village seemed to have gathered for the evening meal. Children laughed and sang as adults chattered loudly amongst themselves. A bowl of the amazing smelling stew was placed in front of him as a platter of bread was passed to him by the she-wolf sitting next to him. She smiled sweetly at him

"I helped bake it fresh this afternoon." He took one of the rolls and passed the platter onto Duncan who shot a quick glance at his cousin before taking a roll himself and passing it on.

"I'm Bryn, Duncan's cousin." She held her hand out to the vampire

"Raphael." She bit her lip as she gazed up into his clear blue eyes with her warm amber ones.

"Are you staying long?"

"I'm not sure how long I'm staying." She looked at Duncan to see if he was listening.

"Are you Mated?"

"It's... uhhh... Complicated."

"Bryn, don't start all that. He's not here for you." Duncan glowered at his cousin and she promptly looked away.

"Don't mind her Raph. Eat up, it's boar stew. No one makes it better than me Ma."

Duncan was right, it was a good stew and the bread had been beautiful. He sat back listening to the noise of the community clearing up as one of the mothers gathered the children around her and began to tell them a story. It was about the first leader of their pack, Argyle and how he met his Mate Cadha and they founded the Isle pack which would later be known as the Hidden Isle pack. Raphael listened with interest to the folklore of their founder, several of the older children joined in with the story as the woman told it. It must be a wonderful place to grow up, surrounded by all the warmth and love that radiated from this isolated wolf pack.

When the she-wolf had finished her story Duncan nudged the vampire's arm.

"Enjoy that did you?" Raphael laughed.

"It was interesting. I just can't believe a place like this exists, it's like a children's fairytale." The wolf laughed.

"A mainlander like you will soon get bored of the quiet and lack of anything interesting happening."

"I wasn't known for getting up to much on the mainland. I'm sure I won't get too bored."