Carnival: The New Year.

[Christian Armstrong]

I took Trisha's hand in mine as we walked out of the restaurant, I can feel the excitement she had building the close we get to the Carnival.

It didn't escape my notice that my kitten is a woman with childish needs. She is like a kid wanting small shiny things which made her happy.

I am delighted to be the one who provides her. Today when I feed her with my hands it was the most blissful feeling for me. Shifters have instincts that made them want to take care of their mates, Like protecting them, sheltering them, and feeding them.

Now as we walk in the passageway which will take us to the Carnival, watching her point in the direction of many stalls in front of us, I feel I won in life when she came.

"Oh my god Christian! look they are twirling a hula-hoop which is lit! What if something happened to him?" Trisha exclaimed looking with wide eyes at the clown who is fire hopping to entertain the crowd gathered around him.

"Yeah, They do it every day so it isn't dangerous for them," I told her.

She doesn't know that almost many of the performers here are shifters, even if the fire did hurt them, they will heal immediately.

I didn't tell her that, because she won't be as delighted as she is now if she knows the trick.

"Christian! I want to go there!" She demanded.

I looked where she is pointing, A confectioner was brewing a cotton candy.

"Okay let's go," I told her, She wrapped her tiny form around my arm, bouncing on her feet.

We approached the confectioner, a few toddlers were waiting for their fairy floss. Trisha removed herself and joined the line of the kinds waiting for the candy.

"Uncle! I want two candies!" She asked the old man, He nodded his head and continued to brew the candies.

A blonde baby girl poked Trisha's leg asking for her attention, Trisha looked down with a smile.

"Yes, dear?" Trisha asked the girl.

The girl frowned at Trisha, "Why are you standing here? it is kid's corner," She told Trisha.

Trisha pouted at the girl, " I want to eat the candy too!"

The girl thought for a minute before she extended her hand, "Okie, I will let you eat but my candy first then yours! Okie?"

I smirked when Trisha took the girl's hand "Deal!"

It took little to no time for Trisha's turn, Taking her two fairy floss, she came to me.

"See! I got two two candies!" She bragged as she pluck a piece of the floss with her lips making a sweet moaning sound that ignites the fire inside me.

"It's really sweet! Do you want it?" She asked me offering one of her candies.

I smirked wrapping my arm around her back and urging her to move forward, "I'll have my sweets later, '' I whispered, my words having the hidden promise to eat her out when we get back to our room.

She obviously didn't understand what I mean and moved on to the next subject, "Christian what is there?" She asked.

"It's the accessories corner, you want to see?" I asked her.

She nodded with a glint in her eyes. Taking her there, the first stall she moved toward was a locket's stall. Many kinds of neck chains and lockets were hanging there.

I recognized the stall owner immediately, It was Smith, One of the local Alpha working under my protection. He volunteered every year in the Carnival because his mate loves it here.

"Alpha, welcome! I hadn't known you would be here!" Smith greeted me, looking nervous. The local Alphas try their best to impress me and this is the first time he met me on such a casual occasion so he is nervous if he is having a bad impression.

I gave him a normal smile, Trisha was busy looking at the many lockets. "Yeah, I came with my mate here, she wanted to look at the lockets, let's see if she likes one," I told him in a low voice so Trisha does not hear me.

Smith gave me a surprised look, "Congratulations Alpha, Actually, I had not known there have been an announcement yet?" He inquired sneakily.

I mentally scold myself, Of course, there has not been any announcement or a mating ceremony yet, Because I have yet to claim her.

"Well, we are planning right now. We will announce later," I lied.

He seems to buy the lie, paying attention to Trisha as she asked about a locket in her hand.

"What is this? Why is broken?" She asked.

I looked at her hand, She was holding a wolf chain, It was a couple's locket. the one in her hand had the back body of a wolf and another wolf's head resting on its stomach.

"it is not broken luna, It is a mating locket. It has two parts, see," He told her, picking up the second piece, and bringing the two closers, they stuck together like magnets as soon as they reach the range.

Forming the shape of two wolves hugging each other in a wolfish way.

"It's really pretty, What is it called and what does it mean?" She asked him.

He gazed at me then at Trisha, "It is called Kindred spirits, The symbol of unconditional love, Normally mates wear these " He explained to her.

I saw Trisha's face falling immediately when she heard the last part.

Without a word, she nodded and started to look for another bracelet, as if she believes the locket isn't for her.

After that, no locket excited her so she decided she doesn't want to buy any.

"Let's go, Christian, I want to see the fireworks," She asked me meekly.

I passed a look with Smith, before nodding, "Okay let's go," I told her.

She hold my arm as we trailed to the borders where the fireworks were about to start. The Portuguese new year was about to start.

We took our place on the border railings. Everyone was taking pictures and videos, it was beautiful.

"When will it start?" Trisha asked me.

I looked at the watch, "It is about to start in five minutes," I told her.

She faced the sky waiting for the fireworks.

"Trisha, can you wait here? I will be right back?" I asked her.

She frowned but nodded, "Okay!"

I pecked her forehead before I left her there, walking back to the accessories corner, it took me a few moments to find Smith's stall again because of the crowd.

Smith saw me and greeted me quickly, "Hey"

I nodded, "pack those lockets please?" I asked him.

He smiled before quickly packing the lockets.

I took them from him before walking to the borders again.

I smiled imagining how happy she will be looking at these lockets.

But when I reached there, Trisha wasn't there.

"Trisha?" I yelled over the crowd's voice.

I looked around but she was nowhere to be found. I got back to where we were standing. I feel panic rising inside me. Her scent still lingers in the air.

Then my eyes fell on the concrete below me, squatting, I picked up the fallen shimmering thing.

It was an earring.

But it was not a normal earing, It was Trisha's earing. What was more strange was that it had another scent attached to it.

Extremely sweet smell.

The fireworks started I looked up as the new year started, every firework started off.

The realization hit me hard. Vampires.

They took her.