A Friend

Skyler Rose Daratrazanoff was sitting on the porch swing, swaying back and forth in the slight breeze. The previous day's events replayed in her mind again and again, refusing to leave her in peace.

She remembered awakening in Dimitri's protective arms. She'd thought she was dreaming, but then she'd seen Gabriel's hate-filled gaze and her dream turned into a nightmare, and then into reality.

The pain she saw in Dimitri's eyes hurt her more than anything that had ever been done to her by her foster father. When she had gone into the forest to speak to him she had only made things worse. She'd only added to the pain by making him kill again.

What should she do, what could she do? She couldn't be with him, no matter how much he needed her. Her soul was still too broken; it would never be whole again. Dimitri would have to find someone else to be his lifemate, someone else to love.

But the truth was she didn't want him to stop loving her. She didn't even know him. And still the thought of him looking at another woman with those piercing blue eyes, made a dark emotion, she dare not name, rise from inside her.

What was wrong with her? "I can't love you Dimitri, but you have to stay and love me forever even though you'll lose your soul" She was practically ripping the man's heart out and stabbing it with needles! She wasn't making any sense. It's no wonder that Josef thinks she's insane!

BOOM!

Suddenly the front door flies open and a woman with shining blonde hair and blue-green eyes came striding toward her. The woman (whose name is Courtney Abarai) grabbed her by the wrists and tugged her off the swing and began pulling her off the porch and across the snow covered lawn… toward the forest.

Skyler slammed her heels into the snow, creating two definite lines in the snow. "Courtney what do you think you're doing? Wait up a minute, and tell me what's going on."

"Whoops! I guess I got carried away," she smiled guiltily, "I came to stop your moping and sulking."

When Skyler just stared at her questioningly. She continued-

"Your parents have given me permission to take you to the awesomeist place, that's almost completely safe, in this part of the mountains. And if you refuse I also have permission to temporarily kidnap you, and force you to have fun"

She smiled jokingly at Skyler "So what do you say? You wanna join my wonderful trip of funly-ness?"

Skyler stared at her for a long moment.

Then she said, "Moping and sulking? Since when do I mope and sulk?"

"Ever since Dimitri and Gabriel got the bright idea to go at it like to cavemen fighting over a piece of meat." the blonde carpathian answered.

Courtney huffed out an exasperated sigh and a ghost of a smile appeared on her face--" I could see Dimitri acting the way he is, he's always been the soft-hearted, over-bearingly protective kind. I bet if you cried he'd just about do anything for you.

The smile turned into a comical grimace, "But I was really expecting more out of Gabe… He's a two thousand year old warrior and he freaks out at the first glimpse of a lifemate for his daughter!"

The woman shook her head "It's all pretty pathetic if you think about it, really."

Skyler smiled at the expression on Courtney's face. It looked like Gabriel and Dimitri's stupidity was actually causing her to have a headache.

"So where is this place you want to take me?"

" It's not that far. It'll take us about ten minutes to get there."

Skyler quickly decided that anything was better then letting the depressing thoughts of yesterday take her mind over again and she agreed to go.

"Great! I've already told your parents where we'll be and they know how to get there. So now the only thing left to do is leave." She smiled mischievously, "Are you ready for this?"

Skyler closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Okay, lets get this over with."

She heard the crunch of snow as Courtney moved. Silence surrounded them for along moment. Skyler cracked open one eye wondering why Courtney hadn't thrown her over her shoulder, and took off like a bat out of hell.(like she ususally did)

Courtney had her back to Skyler and was in a crouched position. She was obviously waiting for Skyler to climb onto her back.

She looked over her shoulder and said.

"Come on Skyler, I won't wait all night."

Skyler wasn't very much of a physical contact person, so the idea of a piggyback ride wasn't exactly her idea of fun (even if they were going about a million miles per hour.) Skyler heard someone behind her say her name. She turned to find Gabriel standing in the doorway with his arm wrapped around Francesca's waist.

"Go on honey, you deserve to have some time away from…" he paused

"Away from over-bearing, know-it-all males who just cant resist you." Francesca finished her lifemate's sentence with a loving smile on her face. She completely ignored the look Gabriel was giving her. "If you need anything, honey, just call for us."

Gabriel gave her a sour look. That's not what I was going to say and you know it!

Francesca's laughter echoed through his mind Just because it's not what you would have said doesn't mean it isn't the truth. They waved at Skyler and closed the door. Then they went into the living room to talk about exactly who was, and who wasn't right. (Gabriel lost because Francesca 'distracted' him)

Skyler stood there for a moment longer, then turned back to Courtney.

"Do we have to travel this way?"

Courtney straightened back to her original height and smiled.

"Of course not. There are much more entertaining ways to travel."

Suddenly Courtney's eyes changed from their swirling blue-green to and sparkling sapphire. Skyler heard joints popping and saw Courtney's form change.

Courtney went down on to all fours. Her hands transformed into paws with wicked claws and her body became more muscled. Her clothes disappeared and were replaced by black shining feathers. Her face became falcon-like and an insanely sharp beck appeared in place of her mouth. Skyler watched in awe as great black wings speckled with white emerged from her back and a long black lion tail formed.

Courtney's new body was that of a great black Gyrfalcon.

The Gyrfalcon body resembled the shape of a ebony female lion with a black falcon's head and feathers, and beautiful white speckled wings that could carry something twice its size.

Skyler stared, for what seemed ages, at the creature before her. She carefully walked up to the Gyrfalcon, one slow step, at a time. Courtney's new sapphire eyes never left hers.

After the third step she shrieked impatiently I'm not going to bite you! Hurry up. At this rate we'll be fossils before you even make it to my side.

Skyler jumped with shock. She'd forgotten that this wasn't just some animal; it was her incredibly impatient friend, Courtney.

"Sorry, I've never seen a Gyrfalcon before today... except in books that is." Skyler said as she quickly approached the mythical beast.

A sound emerged from Courtney's throat that sounded like a bunch of shrieking and cawing gibberish. Skyler quickly realized that it was the Griffin's form of laughter, and giggled silently at herself.

Skyler heaved herself onto Courtney's back by grabbing a handful of feathers and using a wing for support. Once she was seated Courtney looked at her out of the corner of her eye for a split second before she launched herself into the air at an amazing speed, causing Skyler to have to wrap her arms around Courtney's neck to stop from flying away.

ARE YOU INSANE!! Skyler screamed into Courtney's mind. Skyler was freaking out. But she was enjoying herself.

Courtney laughed in Skyler's mind, Well my best friend seems to think so and she's also sort of my therapist… So I guess that means that I am just a little crazy. I'll have to ask her about my sanity later, I think you two would like each other; I'll have to introduce you to her.

A familiar touch brushed Skyler's mind. Dimitri quickly found the source of her panic and sent her warmth and comfort as he left her mind. Skyler fought the urge to hold his mind to hers, she DIDN"T want a lifemate… or at least that's what she kept telling herself.

Courtney's speed drastically decreased within seconds of his departure form her mind. Dimitri REALLY doesn't like it when your unhappy. Can you do me a favor and call your wolf –man off me? Skyler felt Courtney's joy for Dimitri even as she criticized him. She was just happy that he was able to finally feel something even if it was anger and worry. Skyler could sense the pain it had caused Courtney to see one of her only remaining friends lose his emotions and grow more and more distant.

Dimitri please let her be. She was just trying to have fun. Skyler would never admit it to anyone, but she loved talking to him mind to mind. He wasn't towering in front of her, and being over-bearing this way.

Of course my love, I was just reminding her that you aren't as durable as us Carpathians. If you were to fall I would have to get VERY mad at her, and I'd rather not yell, at one of my closest friends, about protecting lifemates. Especially since she has lost so much already… Dimitri sent her all his love, warmth, and reassurance. Trying to tease her a little, and draw her attention from the hundreds of feet between her and the ground.

Skyler giggled at the light-hearted sound of his voice. She thought about his last comment, What has she lost, Dimitri?

As far as Skyler knew Courtney hadn't lost any more than every other Carpathian who knew a hunter turned vampire. What had she lost that makes Dimitri so reluctant to even mention the subject of protecting lifemates?

Dimitri silently cursed himself for slipping up, and mentioning Courtney's most painful memory, It is not my story to tell, little one. You will learn soon enough, it's part of the reason she is doing this…he paused I must go, my love. Please take care of yourself. And never fear to call for me in a time of need.

Skyler tried to ignore the bereft feeling that came when he left her mind. She didn't want a lifemate— she didn't! … She couldn't be what he needed, and at the same time, she couldn't let him go. The thought of Dimitri and another woman… it brought anger and jealousy to her mind. And those were to emotions she had never felt toward anyone.

Skyler…? Skyler please don't be sad, Courtney had felt her sudden mood change, …we can go back if you want. I'm sorry if I scared you…

Guilt washed over Skyler, was she destined to hurt everything she touched? NO, No! That's not why I'm sad. I was just… thinking.

Skyler… The reason your parents wanted me to take you on this trip is to, Skyler felt a wave of pain go through Courtney, …to show you what will happen to Dimitri, and you, if you refuse to be with him.

How…? Skyler wasn't surprised that this had happened. But she was surprised by who had been chosen to tell her. She had expected someone like, Destiny or Syndil to come. What did Courtney know about what she had gone through? What could she possibly know?

Thats the end of chapter one people.

pleeez tell me what u think and i'll up date sooner.