- The fire cakes them into stone statues. - one of the witches agreed. - But the catch is that witchcraft with fire is the most difficult, so with these golems, the chances of our victory increase dramatically.

The "black something" continued to grow, increasing in size and bubbling like a nasty viscous slurry.

- I suggest us leave before it is finally formed. - one of the witches suggested in a frightened voice. - None of us will be able to contain him when he appears.

- And then why did you create it? - Nicole screamed at Trish in horror. - Are you crazy, do you want to kill us all?

But Trish just burst out laughing like crazy.

- It’s so funny to see our brave Nikki scared. What happened to you? Did you feel defenseless? Where has your courage gone? - the obvious mockery was directed in her direction.

Unnoticed by the other witches, Urum’s gentle strokes on Nicole’s back became more assertive and she felt it with every cell of her skin. He was trying to let her know that he was there and that if anything happened, he would stand up for her.

- Stop it already, just let’s go. - the witch almost pleaded.

- I’ll open the portal. - Nicole said dryly, with suppressed irritation.

She waved her wand, whispering a spell, and the snow cover around her rose into the air easily and smoothly, forming a snow funnel.

Urum did not understand spells from the word at all, but he caught the word "Abion" with his sharp ears very clearly when the snowy mouth of the portal opened in front of them.

The witches alternately began to disappear into the magical whirlpool.

- Do you understand that we have no other choice to go there? - with remorse in her voice and a sad look, she asked Urum when they were the last ones who had not yet entered the portal.

- I’m not sure my feelings for vampires are warm, if that’s what you’re worried about. - he chuckled.

- So are your feelings for witches. - she noted and murmured softly. - Thea will be furious if she finds out.

- Oh, no, she won’t. - he objected, and Nicole nodded grimly, realizing that the person who will do it will be the vampire king.

Her solar plexus contracted painfully, to the point of slight nausea.

- Shall we go? – he asked, and she hesitantly stepped over the portal gate.

A warm, pleasant breeze stirred her short fluffy hair, blowing it into a chaotic mess as soon as she appeared on the other side.

In the distance, a small village could be seen, literally from thirty houses, no more.

- And then what? - Nicole asked the witches with a restrained heart.

- And now we’ll split up. - Trish said. – You, your dog, me and Ashley will go to the village, the others will keep the perimeter under guard.

Nicole noticed how Trish put another piece of strange dried driftwood in her mouth.

- What is it? – she repeated her question again, which was ignored not for the first time.

Trish held out the jar.

- Take this and eat it, and then I’ll explain. - She replied with a smug expression on her face.

With a confident hand, Nicole took one piece from the jar and stared intently at it.

It was an oblong, fibrous something, with sparse white veins and had a rather black hue, with red flecks, abundantly seasoned with a mixture of herbs. Sniffing, she held her nose, feeling a new round of approaching nausea. Why did it smell so disgusting? Even the herbs could not kill this earthy, putrid smell.

She was about to put this disgusting "food" in her mouth when Urum ripped it out of her hands, literally biting into her olfactory receptors and radiating extreme hostility.

- Meat. - the hump of his nose was covered with folds and he said through his teeth. – Human flesh.

Nicole gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. It reflected the utter disbelief that was directed at Trish and Ashley. The last girl only awkwardly looked at the grass under her feet, but Trish, this fact, did not seem to bother at all.

Urum threw a piece of dried meat aside, feeling the remnants of this disgusting smell of dried rotting flesh on his hands.

- If you want to survive the battle, you must accept all the gifts sent to you from above. Especially since it makes you stronger. It was the order of the Supreme witch. She wishes the coven prosperity. - Trish spoke as if the last sentence was the ultimate truth, not subject to dispute.

- You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to. - Ashley immediately added.

- I don’t care. - Trish waved it away. - But, if you will get in the way, with your weak forces, I’ll deal with you myself.

A chill slipped through every dropped word.

- Don’t worry, I’m sure that even without the use of black magic, I will be able to compete on a par with you. - she said confidently, trying to suppress her inner anger.

- Suit yourself. - Trish shrugged. – But, you still have to prove your loyalty to us.

All eyes were involuntarily reduced to Urum and this was the main reason why her words and actions are questioned.

- Kill the vampire. - her lips stretched into a mad, expectant smile. - Can you do that?

Nicole, who had never killed anyone before in her life, felt the heat on her eyelids as her eyes slightly moistened. Now she was already thinking that she needed to open the portal when Urum said so.

Maybe then they would have to fight the witches from the coven, but it would be better than killing an innocent person. But was it possible to say "innocent" about vampires?

Her restraint was fueled only by Thea’s words, otherwise she was still the same one who subconsciously disliked vampires. But is it to such an extent as to kill a vampire without a reason?

Everything was simple in words and imagination and much more complicated when it came to direct action.

- I’ll do it. - Urum said, stepping forward as if for him it was nothing more than swatting a fly. – Will that be enough?

Trish stretched her lips contentedly.

- Do it. - she hissed like a snake. - Bring me his head.

The man took one last murderous look at Trish before transforming his body.

The torn clothes fell at his furry paws and he stepped over it, circling around Nicole several times, nervously and aggressively, before rushing away towards the quiet little village.

Nicole couldn’t do anything, there was no turning back. Her torments were passed on to Urum and he made the only decision that was beneficial for them now, since he could not allow her hands to be stained with the blood of an innocent victim. He knew that she would not forgive herself for this, he saw it in her alienated, lost eyes.

Having no attachment to any blood-sucking creature, he lay down on the ground and hid on the very outskirts, from where the hearing and gaze of vampires could not reach him. It remains only to wait for a good moment.

And such a moment came when he noticed a cart passing by. He lay so soundlessly, completely controlling his heartbeat, but it was negligibly insufficient, as the carriage stopped in an instant and the coachman’s eyes flashed dangerously in the direction of the werewolf.

Now he was in range.