February 2007. Meridian, Idaho. Late at night.
Rion had been with the vampires for two months now. The social seclusion did not bother him, and he was fed relatively well thanks to the Voe's interest in him. The thing he was having the hardest time with was being couped up underground for all of the day and usually most of the night. Before his parents had died he'd virtually lived outdoors. When he wasn't in the shop helping his parents, he was hiking and exploring, and always in the sunshine. Because of his current situation he was only just now starting to miss it again.
Voe had been kind to him. She'd shown him the night and he had found a new appreciation for it, but there was almost nothing he missed more than laying in an open-field with the sun beating down on him and the tall grass waving around him. Now he only saw the sunlight in his dreams. He hadn't yet been allowed to venture out during the day, because he would have had to be alone. Sometimes he wished that he could share the day with Voe, but he knew it was impossible and sometimes it bothered him that he was growing so fond of his captors.
It hadn't taken him too long to realize that there was no real chance of escape. He had two options: try to leave and be killed, or stay and live as a prisoner/pet to Voe. He'd decided that he wanted to live, he wasn't quite ready to die. Somehow the darkness that had ruled his life after his parents death had not totally managed to extinguish the warm light of his spirit. Granted, he was still searching for his old self, but he was finding it inch by inch.
Another thing he missed was the freedom to change into his other form. It had been a very long time since he'd last been able to stretch his four legs. Sometimes the desire would keep him awake all day when he was supposed to be sleeping with the others. He'd toss and turn in the bed, trying to fight the unrest that coursed through his body. As bad as it got though, he was not yet willing to share that part of himself with his captors.
Despite his longing for the daylight, he did look forward to the outings and walks that he took with Voe. The night was beautiful, and she had a way of pointing things out to him that he may not have otherwise noticed. They were almost back to the compound and he felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. He didn't want to go back inside just yet so he stopped and took her elbow gently. "Look," he said, looking up. "It's starting to snow." Sure enough small snowflakes had begun to fall from the sky to sprinkle their clothes and hair.