China smiled at Silva and thistle. She had an uncomfortable feeling in her stomach, but ignored it.

Rome couldn't help it. He started laughing along with Senshi. He had learned quickly not to get on Thistle's bad side. It didn't matter if she was in her more delicate looking human form. She was lethal. He looked at China. "Should I give her some help?" he asked, pointing towards where Thistle still circled the tree.

She smiled, a little painfully. Sure. Go for it.

Rome had been about to cast a spell to make the branch Silva was sitting on fall, but stopped when he saw China's painful smile. He cupped her face in his hands. "Are you alright? What's wrong?" he asked, looking into her eyes worriedly.

She shook her head.I'm... I'm fine... She bit back a gasp.

Rome grabbed her shoulders firmly. "No you're not. What's wrong?" he asked, his voice sounding worried and almost scared. Senshi had stopped laughing and looked worriedly at his master and China. Even Thistle had stopped growling, although she didn't stop glancing up at Silva with bared teeth.

She turned her head and suddenly ran, too fast to see, in the opposite direction.

Rome stood where he was in shock. He wanted nothing more than to chase after her, but he was still unsteady after his time in the shield. He suddenly swayed and would have fallen to his knees if Senshi hadn't raced forward to hold him up. Silva jumped quickly out of the tree and sprinted towards Senshi and Rome with Thistle on his heels. She had decided what was happening at the moment was more urgent than what had made her angry. "Go and find China." Silva ordered her, keeping his voice quiet. She dipped her head before running after the vampire. Silva stopped in front of Rome and helped Senshi lay him down. "Don't exert yourself unless you want to end up back in the shield's protection." he told Rome. He could see the after affects of the shield taking their toll on his friend as Rome's eyes dropped heavily and the next moment he was unconscious.

Thistle ran quickly through the trees, following China by scent. She was surprisingly fast in her human form and she could tell she was getting closer to China.

China ran into a dark, heavily hooded area. She stood, breathing heavily, and looked around. Somebody suddenly grabbed her from behind, putting their hand over her mouth to muffle her scream and spinning her.around. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was. Sobs choked her as she threw her arms around Keltoh.

Thistle growled as she picked up another scent along with China's. She sped up her pace and stopped in her tracks when she saw China and a stranger. She let out a growl, her ears twitching and her tail lashing.

Keltoh smiled at China. He was lean and tall, of muscular build, very pale and clearly a vampire. He had purple hair flecked with black, green eyes flecked with.gold and wore jeans and a jacket with nothing underneath. He stroked China's hair softly.I thought you were dead...China moaned.

Thistle shifted uneasily. She had been ordered to go and find China, but that was it. She let out another growl and started to pace. Her eyes never left China and the stranger. Her tail lashed back and forth and she could feel her finger nails lengthening into claws at the same time her canines stuck out over her bottom lip. She was growling more agitated and her pinned back ears showed it.

Keltoh hugged her close to him. Her sobs finally quieted. How did you find me?

Thistle let out a growl and suddenly she was in her wolf form. The spell Silva had cast on both her and Senshi allowed them to shift between their natural forms and a human form. Thistle's midnight black fur stood on end and she finally made up her mind. She stalked forward and let out a warning growl at the stranger. She had been told to find China and since her master's friend had feelings for the female she would protect her. The stranger hadn't harmed China yet, but she wasn't taking any chances.

Keltoh jumped back, surprised. China turned quickly. She remembered Rome for a split second, before Keltoh brought her lips to his and she kissed him with more passion than anyone had ever.seen.

Thistle jerked her head up in surprise when the stranger kissed China. She quickly recovered from her shock and immediately let out an angry snarl, baring her sharp fangs. Without warning she leaped at the stranger and barreled into him, snapping her teeth as she dug her nails into him.

He rolled back, trying to get her off. China snarled and tried to dig her nails in to her flesh. Keltoh suddenly zipped toward where Rome was, smelling another vampire. China was not far behind, yelling at him to cone back.

Thistle let out a yelp when China attacked her, feeling betrayed by someone she thought was a friend to her master and Rome. She let out an angry growl when they took off and then realized where they were headed. She tilted her head back and let out a howl to warn Silva before racing in the same direction.

Silva jerked his head up at the sound of Thistles howl and stood up to face the direction of her howl. He and Senshi sensed something coming closer and they both stood protectively over Rome's unconscious form.

Keltoh stopped with a skid in front of Silva. He bared his teeth, thinking that Silva was a threat. China came up behind him and grabbed his arm. His expression softened immediately, and he turned.He's a friend.She muttered soothingly.

Silva had his hand on the handle of his sword the instant he saw the stranger quickly realizing he was a vampire. "Another friend of yours?" he asked. He saw Thistle race out of the trees and his hand tightened on his sword when he saw how angry she was.

Thistle put herself between Silva and the two vampires, snarling. Her fur stood on end, her teeth were bared, and she continued to growl and snarl.

She opened her mouth, but she closed it again. He wrapped his arm comfortingly around her waist.Mate, actually.

Silva eyes flashed in outrage. He went to leap at China, starting to draw his sword. Shenshi moved quickly and wrapped his arms around Silva, pinning the spellcastor's arms to his side. Silva thrashed in Senshi's grip, trying to get free and get a hold of his sword. "You led him on! You let Rome think you loved him! You even turned him into one of you! How could you?! Do you have any idea what this is going to do to him?! You should have let the poison his father gave him kill him!" he shouted, struggling violently. Shenshi held Silva tightly so that he couldn't get loose, keeping an eye on Thistle who was close to leaping at him or the two vampires. He had been ordered by Rome to protect China.

Her eyes widened.Silva I didn't know he was alive!Keltoh growled at Silva.

Thistle turned towards the male vampire with a warning growl. "So Rome was just a replacement?!" Silva snarled as he struggled even harder even though there really wasn't any point in trying to get loose. Senshi still had all of his strength even though he was in a smaller body.

Keltoh looked at China.Rome? China opened her mouth, but she couldn't speak. Keltoh had supposedly died over two hundred years ago. She hadn't tricked Rome. But now she was stuck. Keltoh rubbed her arm. He thought Silva was lying.