Snowhowl

"It's still sore Spikey-Wikey." Rarity cooed as she rubbed her neck with a wet cloth. "I know I wanted this, but your father said that it would feel amazing. Not that it wasn't, but he never mentioned what it actually felt like after." Gently, she pulled the cloth away to look at the two holes in her neck where he had bitten her.

Softly, his lips parted as his serpent like tongue ran over the wound, making her shiver with delight. "I'm sorry Rawity." His arms slipped around her stomach as he continued to lick her neck, his tail soon finding its way to hers. His sharp talons lightly brushed against her bare flesh as he gazed into the mirror they stood before. Seeing her in nothing but her undergarments and wrapped up in his arms made him feel giddy. When he looked at her marked neck, he could not help but let a soft growl escape from him.

"Mmm. You seem to be doing that a lot recently. You did that in your sleep last night, and every time I catch you stealing a glance at my neck you seem to do that." A smile danced across her lips as she looked at their reflection.

"I can't help it if the most beautiful creature in all of Equestria is not only my girlfriend, or my best friend, but is also claimed."

She giggled. "Not just claimed, but claimed by the most caring, most stunningly gifted, and the most courageous dragon to ever have lived." Together, their eyes closed as their lips came together, no longer feeling the heart wrenching pain that was their secrets from before. Nothing was held away from the other, and that was the way they liked it.

"I love you so much Rarity Azure. To call you mine is an honor and a privilege to say the least." He whispered when they broke.

"No Spike, the honor is all mine. You are not only Canterlot royalty, but also heir to throne of dragons. If any pony or dragon knew, I would never be able to be by your side. So many females to pick from, I would hardly be a glitter in your eye darling."

"That's not true. Had I been raised by my mother in Canterlot, I would still love you. You have had my heart in your hands since we first met Rarity. Nothing will ever change that. Although you are not my mate, I look forward to the day that you are."

"As do I Spikey-Wikey. I am content for the moment to be called yours solely by this mark I bare." She tapped her neck gently. This earned her another growl followed by a series of kisses to the mark. As Spike continued his work, Rarity noticed the two similar marks that were on his neck. Seeing the wound made her feel giddy, yet at the same time, scared.

Sensing her fear through his nose, however faint, he paused his venture to look at her reflection. "What's wrong Rawity?"

Sighing, she lowered her eyes from his and gazed at the floor as she spoke, "I'm afraid Spike." Now was the time when he needed to show her that he cared, and he could sense it. Pulling her closer, he quietly listened as she spoke. "Last night, was amazing. Although we didn't exactly mate, what we did instead was beyond imaginable. Your magic was able to give me fangs for a night, what I did with them though, haunts me." Spike remained silent as she shifted through her memories of last night.

"I love you Spike, I really do, and I don't regret what we did." Though he did not voice it, his scales tingled as his mind sighed in happiness. "I know what your father said to be true now. I can smell you, I can feel your heart beating, there is a certain fullness that I get around you. Sometimes, I swear that I can hear your thoughts as if they were my own. I love all of these new sensations, and when we are one I know that they will be even greater."

"I don't understand then Rarity? What are you afraid of?" For the first time since he had known the mare, he knew nothing about what ailed her.

"I am afraid of myself Spike." Spike gave her a quizzical look while her eyes remained frozen to the soft white carpet below her feet. "Spike, I am afraid of what I am becoming. You may think that this sounds crazy, but last night, after I bit you, I loved the taste of your blood. It was as if I could not get enough. Something inside of me was craving it, and the more that I tried to fight it, the stronger that it got. I was, aroused by the smell of it, the taste, the thickness of it."

Spike had to stifle a chuckle as she continued on telling him about how she did not want to turn into a monster, about how she was afraid that she was craving something that was unheard of. "Rarity." Speaking softly, the drake raised his mare's head to look into her beautiful sapphire eyes. "What you are feeling is only normal. You love me, and when we started our bond, it is normal for a female to get, well aroused by the males blood. There is nothing wrong with you. Its just, well a side affect to being claimed by me."

She smiled, turning around in his grip to hug him closely. A few tears fell from her eyes as she buried her face into his strong chest. A pregnant silence hung in the room as the two just held each other close, letting the couple soak in all that had been told. Their silence was broken when Rarity giggled softly, looking up into the drake's eyes. "Well is it normal for me to want to crave it now?"

He laughed before he said, "Yes. Most ponies and gryphons think that these marks are for show, like a wedding ring. While that is true, there is also another purpose for it. Think about where the mark is, and you will understand. Your want, need for my blood will never be sated until we actually mate. Everyday the thirst will grow stronger, but everyday so will you. For some reason, my father always said that it was not normal for dragons to crave the blood like my mother did, like you will."

Rarity felt her jaw begin to shift slightly, revealing the same set of fangs that she had last night. When she looked up at Spike, he smiled, "When you were asleep I cast a spell that gave you fangs whenever your thirst was at its peak." Grinning, he placed her delicate fingers against his fang marked neck. "I do believe that your thirst calls milady. Don't let me stop you."

As Rarity's fingers brushed against the two holes in his neck, she could not stop a shudder from raking her body. Following it was a soft moan as her fangs grew to their full length. Hearing a click, she knew that it was time. The metallic, cinnamon scent of his blood wafted into her nasal passage, and when she closed her eyes, she could feel all of her senses leaving her. With waning strength, she opened her eyes to look into the drake's. "Let it out. There is more than enough."

It was as if the floodgates to a dam had not even had the chance to think about opening before they were bowed outward from the immense pressure. All at once, the walls crumbled and the gates clattered along the shallow riverbed as the river was released from its relentless prison. Rarity's lips found Spike's, and using momentum as her ally, she pushed him back until they fell onto her bed. Without even breaking their kiss she allowed her fingers to explore his toned chest, while his hands set to work massaging her back.

Releasing his lips, Rarity tried her best to growl as she immediately went towards his neck. As her fangs sunk into his scaly flesh, Spike had to stifle a moan as he felt the intense wave of pleasure that came with her bite. Blood began to seep from the wound, and Rarity was all to happy to indulge. Gulping loudly, she had no trouble voicing her pleasure as her eyes closed, her throat accepting the hearty amount of blood that it was getting.

Spike, knowing that Rarity would be displeased if he fought his own desires, allowed his fangs to sink into the silvery-white mare's neck. Blood dripped onto the bed sheets as her lips parted enough for a moan to be audibly heard. Spike shivered as her sweet vanilla tainted blood entered his awaiting maw. In his mind he fought the lust that was threatening to take over, his heart pushing forth his love and passion for the mare whom he held dear.

As they began to coil their tails together, their lips parting in smiles, more blood oozed onto the bed sheets. It rolled down their jaws to dangle at their chins, dripping to the thin fabric below. Neither one felt any pain, only a burning desire to be closer to their lover. Despite the fact that neither one was allowing the lust to drive them, they each felt a pull at their heart.

Spike knew that Rarity wanted more from him, he knew that she wanted nothing more than to be fully claimed by him, but he also knew that she wasn't truly ready in her heart. Until that day came, he would always show some restraint. Nothing else but her smiling face mattered to him, and he would rather slit his own throat than part with that. Together they began to roll around the bed, spreading the blood to all corners of the sheets, some clinging to his scales while some stuck to her fur.

---

From somewhere down the road a siren rang as a police car drove onto the street. In the darkness of a deserted alley way a cloaked figure ducked down as it came passing by. When it was sure that it was in the clear, it raised back up to stare at the opposite end of the alley.

Steam rose from some pipes to cover the entrance, giving the alley a sense of dread and forbidding. It beckoned those wishing for a swiftly demise to come closer, to see what lied beyond the shroud of white smoke. Clicking was heard as a cloaked figure emerged from the steam, its golden yellow eyes staring straight ahead. Darkness pervaded its features, masking the creature from the world around it.

"Ah. Shadow Snowhowl. Lord Derang sends great tidings about you." A deep, raspy, dark voice echoed off of the brick walls around the alley.

The cloaked figure said nothing as it came to a stop, letting its eyes wander around the alley. "Lord Derang sends you a new mission Shadow. Prince Spike of Celestia's descent must be taken out swiftly, making it look like an accident. Prince Ryder of Celestia is to be brought back to the great lord himself, alive, if possible."

The cloaked figure remained silent, only nodding its head before turning around on a heel and walking back out the alley with the clicking of its talons. Entering the steam, its voice echoed as it spoke, "Lord Derang seeks to entice a bowl which has no opening end." Without so much as a backwards glance the figure disappeared into the steam as swiftly as it had arrived.

As the figure vanished within the steam, the remaining cloaked figure threw back its hood to reveal itself to the darkness of the alley. "Some choose to entice themselves without an end Shadow." Laughing evilly, the figure jumped onto the leaning edge of the roof of one of the buildings. Running across the tiled roofs, it kept laughing as it spread its wings, taking to the sky and speeding away towards the East.

Shadow caught the figure from the corner of his golden eyes, letting a faint smile dance across his lips as he looked ahead of him. Night life seemed to thrive in Ponyville, that much he had to admire. It seemed as though on cool autumn nights like these that almost everypony was out and about. A few dragons could be seen mingling with each other, some with their families going into the grassy parks that were in the town square. Further down he caught the sight of fireflies lighting up the night, their brilliantly green glow seeming to calm any racing nerves that he might have had.

Luna's moon cast a gallant shadow of light across the city, giving it an almost haunting appearance, but a vague sense of home. Lights from the street lamps seemed to glow and give the city a sense of safety for its inhabitants. Families could be seen running around, playing with each other while some chose to have picnics with their friends. Seeing such peace, such vast amounts of love, brought a smile to Shadow's lips, if only faintly.

Shadow's golden eyes looked up towards the stars, marveling at their beauty. Often he would wonder what tales would be told from the stars about his time after he passed, after the Era of Lord Derang had diminished. Although it was a thought that was always discouraged by his lord, he could not help but dream about that story every night. Sometimes he wondered if he would play a part in the story, but all too often he would realize that there was no important part to play for him.

Sighing softly, Shadow continued along his route, seeking out his target. Knowing not what his target looked like, he had to ask around until he was told exactly where to find him and what he looked like. With his new destination engraved in his mind, Shadow set out for a place called 'The Carousel Boutique'.

---

Barren. This was the first thought when Shadow emerged from a short alley between two candy stores. Not even the lights from the street lamps were on. Luna's moonlight did not cast a shadow across this part of the city, yet in the center of it was the most beautiful looking building that he had ever seen. Standing proudly was a two floor building with light lavender shaded awnings. The main entrance was a pair of double sliding glass doors which were at the present, locked.

Walking up to the building, Shadow was about to unlock the door with his talon when he heard the sound of voices coming from inside of the Boutique. Pressing himself against the outside wall, he glanced inside of the door to see an amethyst purple drake walking towards the door, his shirt covered in blood. Behind him was a silvery-white mare, walking awkwardly, if it could be called that, and looking enraged at the drake. "Just because we are together, does not give you the right to eat all of my gems.!

"Rarity wait. I thought that you..."

"Oh don't give me any excuses! You knew exactly what those rubies were for! I mean, I did tell you all week that I needed a hand with the dresses, you even helped me some days! I had to spend long nights awake trying to keep up with how quickly the customer wanted them done by! Do you know how much sleep I have even gotten in the last few days? Do you?"

"Not very much. Last night was the only night that you slept in since last Saturday."

"That's right, and I was all ready, spending three nights without sleep polishing those rubies, three more nights of cutting the fabrics into the proper lengths, and two nights still with minimal sleep trying to hand stitch the collars and cuffs!"

"And you think I wasn't there! I came over countless times to assist before moving in, and worrying about Thunderlane, school, my mother! I don't know what you want me to do Rarity, I really don't."

"I don't know either Spike! Maybe you could magically replace those rubies!"

"I could always go dig some more in our field?"

"But these rubies took me three nights to get to their full sheen, their full peak of perfection! I can't just throw in some rubies that I found lying around in the dirt!"

"I thought that they were pretty bland to most rubies I've eaten myself."

Rarity had to hold back a quick retort that she knew she would regret later, but her anger still got the better of her. "Really? That's what you think of my work?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

"I don't know, do I? Do I really know what my boyfriend thinks of my work? He's never really told me."

Spike's jaw hung agape as he stared at the one mare he would take a dagger or an arrow for. Instead of storming over to her and doing something that he would regret, he remembered what he said to his father, if only a little, and stormed over towards the door. "I'm going out for some fresh air."

As the drake exited the Boutique with tears beginning to form in his eyes, Rarity threw his heart to the ground when she said, "Don't expect the door to be open when you get back." Gently, the door clicked shut, Spike locking the door with a few uttered words, unaware of the pain that he was causing both of them.

Rarity never looked away from the door, her anger still in the forefront of her mind, but pain in her heart and worry in the back of her mind.

Spike refused to look anywhere but the two double doors that entered into his new home. Tears ran down his cheeks, and when he finally managed to look away, his attention was drawn to his own claws. From somewhere inside of the Boutique he could her shuffling as Rarity was cleaning up their mess. He could not move, could not even think about anything other than the pain that was in his heart.

Sniffling, he managed to stand and walk back over to the glass doors, running a talon down it continuously. "Rarity, my love, I am so sorry. I knew that you had said that you needed rubies for your dresses, but I never would have thought that you had left them out in the kitchen. I should have known better, I should have asked." Though it was fruitless, obvious that she wasn't listening, he still felt that he had to say something, anything to ease his pain, and her anger. "I will stay with Ryder tonight. I'll see you at school tomorrow, my mate."

Shadow's eyes slightly widened as the implications of what the blood meant, and when he looked at the drake's neck, he knew it to be true. Spike, son of Princess Celestia, the enemy, was now mated. If it was at all possible, things had just complicated themselves for the drake. On one hand, he could just simply kill this silvery-white mare and be done with it, but on the other hand, that would reign down nothing but a war upon him. Though his master wanted nothing but the death of the drake at any cost, he knew that he had to make a quick decision.

Spike sighed softly as he slipped away from the doors to his home and began to trudge through the deserted street, the hair blowing his emerald green mane around. With his hands in his pockets, he whistled a soft, low, sad tune that made Shadow want to cry. Holding his tongue, Shadow began to follow the amethyst drake back towards this other home of his.

It was almost dead in the streets of Ponyville now. Some dragons could be seen lying on a park bench or simply hiding out in the alleys they lived in. Ponies were now switching off their lights, and closing their windows. Even the library in the town square was closed. Spike seemed to pay no mind to some of the wondering glares of hatred or of help that he was getting. His head downcast, tears falling from his eyes, and a sad whistle escaping his lips. He used his wings as a shirt to wrap around his body to fight back the cold that was starting to set in.

To Shadow, Spike looked to be the walking epitome of death. The way that he sulked through the streets made him wonder if the drake was just sad, or looking for someone to kill. Though he knew what ailed the drake, he doubted anyone else would care if his information was anything to judge by.

Clouds blocked out the moonlight every now and again as Shadow continued to stalk the amethyst dragon. Shadows would shift before his eyes, while Spike walked the streets as though he was a ghost. Circling around to a small apartment complex on the South, more middle district of Ponyville, he watched from afar as the drake made his way to the second story to knock on room number eight-zero-eight.

"Coming!" A rough, feminine voice answered before the door swung open, revealing a cyan colored pegasus mare donning a pair of black silk sleeping pants and a sports undergarment. Behind her he could see his other target, Ryder, a pegasus stallion with sports shorts dyed in a rich golden yellow. "What's wrong Spike."

"Nothing Rainbow, I just needed some fresh air, away from Rarity."

Ryder glanced from Rainbow to his brother, "Did you two have a fight?"

"Well, sort of." Ryder scrunched his nose a little as the smell of what his brother had actually done drifted into his nose. "You see, I... we..."

"You and Rarity mated." Spike sighed, as did Ryder, but both for different reasons. "Spike, you should have waited."

"We wanted to Ryder. It's not like I could stop her once she got started." Ryder glanced at his brother's neck, seeing the evidence to be more than enough. "So what happened then?"

"Well, after out little round of 'fun', I went down to the kitchen for something to eat. On the counter I saw a small bowl of rubies, a small bowl of sapphire, and a small bowl of emeralds. I ate the rubies, not realizing that they were for Rarity's dresses."

This time, it was Rainbow who sighed. "Come on in Spike, guess your spending the night."

Shadow waited until the door clicked shut before he made his way over towards it, so that he might be able to hear a bit better.

---

Rarity fumed away from the door, ignoring Spike's words as if they were poison while she set about cleaning up their bed. Blood coated almost everything, and after what had happened, she felt like she was barely able to stand. Gritting her teeth to ignore the pain that was between her legs, she set about making sure that the room was all tidied up.

As she was putting the sheets into the washer for the night, she heard a soft clink as something fell from them. Glancing down, she was surprised to see that it was the necklace that she had given Spike all those years ago. Sometime during our mating it must have fallen off. She thought as she picked it up. Though it pained her to do so, she went back down the stairs to her dress shop, heading over to the room where she normally would spend her time waiting for inspiration to hit her.

Lying the necklace down, she just stared at it for a while, thinking about what she had done with Spike, about how much she loved him, and about how much she wished that she could take back what she had said. A single tear slipped from her eyes, but was caught by her finger as swiftly as it had come.

Spinning around, she walked over to her work desk, looking over her dresses. Are these dresses really more important than him? Do I really care about these, things of fabric, over my boyfriend, my love, my mate. The last word struck a chord in both her heart and mind, neither one making her feel anything but guilt. Especially when she turned around and found her bowl of rubies, the same ones that she had spent three nights carving and polishing, sitting untouched beside of her waste basket. Oh no.

Taking great care so an not to damage them, she began to count each little ruby, tears coming to her eyes the more that she counted. Picking one up, she could see that it shone more brightly than any she had ever seen, it had a deep, rich shade of ruby, a sign that they had aged well, and were perfectly smooth. Oh Spike, I am so sorry.

Now he was gone, for how long she did not know, but it tore at her heart to think of him sleeping anywhere but at her side tonight. Finally, unable to hold back the landslide, she collapsed on the floor, sobbing loudly. Through her sobs she spoke to the still silence that encompassed her, "Please come back. I am so sorry, please darling come back."

Rarity's crying never ceased until she was fast asleep, with only her sorrow as her blanket, and her guilt as her pillow.

---

Shadow sighed as he listened to the soft spoken words of Rarity. Though he had originally intended to speak with the mare about getting Spike back so that he could 'speak' with him, the sounds of her sobbing drew him to the ajar window near her inspiration room. Seeing her in such a state, it was almost too much for Shadow to bare.

Being a dragon, Shadow had been raised to believe that ponies were heartless, killing machines that would sooner kill a dragon that even take a glance at one. Though they were the words of the king, he always thought them to be true. Walking among ponies for the past year, observing them, silencing certain targets, it made him realize who were the evil ones.

He was in doubt before, but after seeing how hurt Spike, a dragon, was hurt by the pony he was starting to feel more inclined to believe that his lord was true. After witnessing Rarity collapse and break down from the pain that she felt without her dragon there made him believe that everything he had been told about ponies was a lie. "I am but a pawn in a bigger game." Shadow whispered to the softly blowing wind as he opened his wings and took to the sky.

Wind whipped against his cloak, making it fan out behind him while his thoughts were drawn to what he was about to do. Looking at the apartments that he had just left behind, made him feel a sense of pride, of honor in what he was about to do. "Never more shall our sins be thrown into the fires of despair." Closing his eyes, he began his dive.

Spike, along with Ryder, looked towards the door when they both heard something what sounded like a pony falling from the sky. Opening the door, they were in time to see Shadow spread his wings and glide down to the parking lot, where he got onto his knees and bowed towards the two princes. Neither Spike nor his brother moved as they just stared at the dragon, wondering where he was from, what he was doing.

Hesitantly, Spike dared down the steps from the second floor to walk up to the dragon. His body was tense, his nerves on overdrive as he neared the dragon cloaked in black. Gulping, he spoke, "Who are you?" The dragon remained unmoved, not even looking up. "What are you doing here?" Spike sounded so young, so innocent, so naive as to what was actually happening in the world around him. No matter what, he was going to complete his mission, he always did. He was Shadow Snowhowl, the glimmer in the night, the flash in the storm, the sword in the stone. Right?

Sighing, the dragon rose to his feet, his eyes still drawn to the ground. "Spike Guâlhoran. Shadow Snowhowl." His voice was rough, sounded as though he had been through a tough childhood, but sincere. "A foul king sends but a lost soul to fetch yours." Spike knew nothing of what Shadow was saying, but something about it seemed familiar. "Your story has two sides young prince, be weary that they don't collide."

"What is it you are doing here Shadow?" Pulling a dagger from his belt, he dropped it in front of the prince. Shadow slipped a claw against his heart. Spike was quick to put the two things together, his eyes going wide when he realized that Shadow had been sent to kill him. As he backed away, so did the other drake. When he took a step forward, Shadow never moved an inch.

Cautiously stepping forward, the amethyst drake held his breath as he reached down towards the dagger. From his position, he could see the other drake's muzzle just below the lip of his hood, it moved now and again with soft whispers about something in an unknown tongue. It seemed as though the drake was asking forgiveness for his deeds, for all of the evil that he had done, the blood that he had spilled.

Spike knew of taking the life of an innocent, if his last experience was anything to judge by. Having taken the life of a mare, the love of his enemy no less, still plagued his mind with doubt, with worry that others would see him as anything but benign. Sighing, he hesitantly walked over to the other dragon, laying the dagger down at his crossed legs. "If you were going to kill me, you would have done so by now Shadow. My mother always told me to be wary of what others say, what others do, but for some reason, I cannot see you as a threat. Why are you really here."

Shadow said nothing as he just continued to speak to nopony but the air. "Shadow, speak to me please. Tell me why you are here."

"Spike, son of the Great and Wise Yugen, your heart speaks true, but your mind does not. Only when they become one, will the answer be clear. As is the wisdom of dragons." Not understanding what the dragon was getting at, Spike waited in silence to see if he would say anything more, but when he remained silent he just sighed and walked away.

"Ryder!" The emerald stallion bolted over the railing of the second story and rolled on the ground after slamming into the bushes.

"Ya." Spike pointed to the other dragon, to which Ryder nodded and made his way over to. Pressing a finger against the drake's cloaked skull, he closed his eyes and began to breath slowly.

Luna's moon was high in the night sky by the time that Ryder released Shadow from his group. "This dragon's name is Shadow Snowhowl, he has slain over thirty of our greatest leaders in this age, and we were his last mission. But, he is conflicted right now. He doesn't know what's right and what's wrong, where his loyalty lies."

"Thank you Ryder." Spike looked to the pavement for a while, thinking about what was said, and mentally talking to his mother. After a few minutes, he spoke, "Shadow, why are you broken minded?"

"I know not what I see. The truths of life are buried beneath the lies pf deception, of deceit."

"I see, would you be willing to atone for those crimes which you have committed?" He nodded his head. "Then I see no reason why you shouldn't disband your cloak and start anew. Let your mind fall with the dusk, but let your hear rise with the dawn."

Spike shook his head as he took a step back, feeling light headed. Shadow said nothing as he rose to his full height, pulling away the hidden sash around his waist with a sharp tug, never flinching when the numerous daggers inside clattered against the pavement. Throwing his arms back, he allowed the breeze to pull at his cloak, carrying it away down the street. Rays of light from the streetlamps bounced off of his navy blue scales, the twin lines of silver on his back acting like polished platinum in the morning light.

Around his midsection was what looked like a vest, covered with numerous daggers that glimmered in the light, a sword strapped to his back, the handle sticking out from his left shoulder. Adorning his bare arms were a pair of golden bracers dented from use and neglect, along with a pair of gloves on his hands, the upper half of his fingers exposed.

Luna's moon fully gazed upon the parking lot, exposing the navy drake to the world around him. Breathing in steadily, he allowed a slight smile to creep across his lips as he looked up to the stars, It seems fate does have a sense of irony.

From across the street, a dragon with ruby red scales looked upon the navy drake with a sense of both betrayal, and hatred. "Our lord is going to be having a field day with you Shadow." With a sinister smile, the dragon took off into the sky, heading towards the only place that he knew was home. "We'll be back Shadow, and when we do, there will be no second chances." He laughed evilly as he continued to fly off into the distance, away from Ponyville and to the South, where the dragon kingdom resided.