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[nightblogofficialbook]

Chapter Seventeen

Also available to read at Tapas.io!

The next couple of weeks didn’t exist for all I was aware. I had to be given time to recover before I had enough blood restored to let Zain feed from me again, which meant we were both essentially bed-ridden and on house arrest. 

Wendy’s and Mason’s bodies had been cleared away by the council, and murmurs as to what happened spread throughout the castle.

As glad as I was to not be at the center of questions and rumors and stares, being stuck in the room wasn’t much better. I couldn’t get the images out of my head. Zain barely talked, and I didn’t want to press him. He just lost his best friend. Not only that, but he also almost died. We almost died.

I shuddered, remembering how much it burned. Being almost turned into a vampire. I still didn’t know how I felt about it. I don’t even know if I’ve even processed all that had happened yet. This wasn’t like when I first found out I was going to be stuck here. It wasn’t the same as when I realized my whole world had turned upside-down. Something about it was still detached, like it didn’t even happen at all. I shuddered again.

My inner recollection and reaction caused Zain to sit up suddenly, looking over at me with worried eyes. “Helen?”

Shoot, I already forgot. I immediately tried to push it to the back of my mind. I’ve been trying not to dwell on it, for his sake at least. He’s dealing with his own demons right now, he doesn’t need mine added to the mix.

“Sorry, it’s nothing, I’m fine.”

His eyes stayed on me; it seemed like he was looking for a reason not to be in his own head.

“So um,” I started to say, trying to think of something to fill the empty silence. “What do you think they’re going to do about Christmas and New Year?”

“It’s usually combined,” he answered, though sounding disinterested in the subject. “We celebrate it as an end of the calendar year bonfire party, similar to Hallow’s Eve.”

I nodded. “There’s a lot I still have to learn about I guess.” He grunted in response.

Silence filled the space again. I glanced up at him from my hands; he was spaced out but still faced towards me, lost. His eyes looked so dark.

“Zain,” I spoke tentatively, catching his attention. Something in me told me that it was time. “Do you...want to talk? About what...about what happened?”

The red in his eyes seemed to increase in color and vibrancy as he looked away from me again. He looked scared. I made a motion almost instinctively to reach out to him, to offer comfort, but stopped. I didn’t know if it would make it worse.

Just as I was beginning to regret saying anything he dropped in head into his hands. “How are you still so calm about this?”

I took it as his answer. “I don’t know. I don’t think it’s hit me yet. I might even be handling this incorrectly, like since everything has been so shocking this just...doesn’t feel like a shock.”

“But you almost died. I very nearly couldn’t save you.”

“I know.”

He looked up at me again, his head still propped in his hands.

“Why are you here?”

The deja vu from that dream I had so long ago unnerved me far more than the events that occured after it. His question made no sense without that context; I had no idea what he could mean by it. But...something about it was the same. Like the answer he was looking for was the same I had given. I don’t remember what I had said. But, somehow, I knew what he meant.

“I don’t know,” I finally said after a long pause of silence. His eyes seemed to fall, like he was hoping I had all the answers. “I don’t know why I ended up here. Or why you came across me. That day, I was running home and running late, and took a shortcut through the woods. It should have been the same as any other day, I had been taking that path home for years. But it got dark, and, somehow, I got lost. I knew this place might have existed, and like everyone else I left well alone and wanted nothing to do with finding it. By the sounds of it I should have never even have been able to find it, lost or otherwise. But I did, and now here I am.”

Tense silence filled the gap as the look of uncertainty grew in his expression. Anticipation kept me from saying more.

“I trusted him,” he said at last, and the tension released. “He was my best friend.”

“You never doubted him,” I said encouragingly.

“Not for a moment. Not for even a second. I never realized...I never saw...I didn’t know he…”

Nothing prompted me to hold back this time. I got up from my bed and went to sit down next to him.

“I don’t know who to trust anymore. Dmitri-”

“Dmitri is definitely still your friend,” I defended firmly, causing to him to look up in surprise. “Mason...Mason had some sort of mind controlling powers or something, I don’t know how that works exactly, but I know he has it! He used it on me to keep me from fighting back-”

“Not that you could-”

“Shush, the point is, Dmitri was knocked out cold in that last fight. He wasn’t even awake, and he has ALWAYS cared about you.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I-” I stopped, not actually having an answer. “Okay, I don’t actually know for sure. I can’t know for sure. But...I dunno, call it intuition. Mason always kinda weirded me out, I’ve never felt uneasy about Dmitri. And everyone loves the guy.”

“Mason never did like anyone much,” Zain said, his eyes beginning to look less stressed.

I nodded. “I think...I think you’re so used to just sort of… knowing whatever it is you need to know because you’re expected to. They were introduced to you as your friends and guards so it’s like it’s expected of you to trust them as the future leader of the castle. You...I think, at least it seems like this, but I think you’ve never been given the opportunity to actually get to know someone like, well, like a normal person would.”

Zain stared at me as I spoke. “Where is all of this coming from?”

“I don’t know, it just...occurred to me I guess? I mean it’s not like I have a basis for it but...I dunno, maybe it’s a byproduct of the Bride thing I guess. I’m supposed to act as a sort of emotional support, right? That’s why our mind are forced together, right?”

He sighed in exasperation, and with relief it almost looked like his normal self. “Helen...you’ve been taking that class for four months. We’ve been in the same classes. How do you not understand how that actually works?”

“Hey, nothing in that class makes any goddamn sense and you know it.”

He raised his eyebrow with a slight smirk. “Do I though?”

“Yes, you do. Just because you’ve grown up knowing about it doesn’t mean it makes any logical sense to the rest of us. Especially since half of it is apparently wrong.”

“Hm. Touche.”

I pursed my lips, but was internally glad for some normal banter for once. “How’s your shoulder, by the way?”

“It sucks,” he grimaced, doing a little testing motion with it. “I don’t know how you humans put up with long-term injuries like this. You recover enough blood yet?”

“How the hell am I supposed to know that?” I exclaimed, but smiled. He released a sheepish grin.

Zain sighed and fell back in the bed, and the rest of the tension in his body seemed to melt away. The air in the room felt calmer. We talked some more about various other things, some related to all of the events leading up to now, some unrelated to anything but casual conversations. I found out he has a fondness for very classic children’s stories because his mother used to read them to him. And that his dad had the ability to bend the wills of others similar to mind control, hence the reason for Mason’s accusations. I talked about what it was like living with only my mom, and about Emily. As the words flowed the air grew lighter. Everything else felt so trivial, like we created a bubble of our own existence. There wasn’t any reason to restrain our answers, or think about potential implications of saying what was being said. It was as if we had been friends all along, and were catching up on lost time apart.

Within the next week a blood count was done, and I was given the close-enough-to all clear to give some blood again. Thankfully, Zain only need a small amount to make a full recovery, and my own healing would be expedited from there as well. With very little arguing I managed to convince him to let me go with my friends to the bonfire gathering. I hadn’t seen them at all since the incident, I felt like I owed it to them at least.

“Are you going to participate in the closing ceremony?” Suzanne asked after wiping the tears of happy reunion from her eyes. The others released me from the group hug I was greeted with upon arrival at the dorms the day of the celebration.

“Uh,” I stuttered, not having a clue what she was talking about.

“It’s another little tradition,” Claire explained. “You write a letter conveying your wishes for the new year and send it into the bonfire. Supposedly if the paper burns up before it touches the bottom, your wish will likely come true.”

“It’s pretty fun, a lot of people have a working theory that only selfless wishes have a chance of being ‘accepted.”

“Oh, if that’s all it is then yeah. Sounds like fun.”

We spent the rest of the afternoon with snacks and opening gifts. Alice and Suzanne had gotten me a scarf to replace the one I had left in the woods a long time ago, Claire a huge stack of chocolates and candy canes, and Rose a really pretty hair pin. I felt horrible for not having anything prepared for them, and even more so that it never occured to me to get any gifts ahead of time. They told me not to worry, that I was still new here and that I shouldn’t have to worry about any of that stuff yet. After everything that has happened it occured to me just how little time had actually passed. Four months...that was only a single semester at high school. But it felt like an entire year. It’s a little scary to think what else could happen if that all can happen in just one season.

I spent the last portion of the evening with a pen and a red piece of paper while the TV played Christmas programs idly in the background. Claire and Alice were playing a game of cards while Suzanne was trying to convince any of us who’d listen to let her pick their outfits for the evening bonfire. It was nice, being here again, in the common room. The fire was warm, and it felt miles away from all the dangers I had faced.

I didn’t really know what I wanted to write. It’d feel pretty disingenuous if I just listed off a whole bunch of stuff like a letter to Santa, and I wanted to take it seriously. But I didn’t even know what to wish for. That next year not be so filled with danger? That Zain and I have a better relationship with each other? That I discover a painless and safe way to escape? I don’t even know, anymore, if I want to escape. And asking for no danger just sounds unreasonable given the position I’m stuck in. And my relationship with Zain-

A flurry of warm images came to mind, different scenarios where he’s laughing and smiling and we’re just...two people. Enjoying the day, enjoying each other's company. I hid my reddening face behind my paper with a sneeze. No, stop. We’ve been through this. I thought this was over with, I thought I squashed that dumb reaction-connection thing. It’s just platonic.

I pushed it aside with determined focus on the paper. Despite my wandering thoughts, an idea did come to mind. I began to write.

‘Dear Mom,

By the time I’m writing this it’s been four months since I disappeared. Sorry about that, by the way. A lot has happened since then, but I just want you to know that I’m okay. I was accidently taken by some by the people who live in that castle in the woods. The one everyone avoids and that has rumors about it. I got lost on my way home, I was running late and I didn’t mean to. I learned something about this place, and now I can’t leave. But it’s okay! I mean, it’s not okay, but I’m okay. They’re really nice, and, despite how it sounds, feel bad about the fact that I can’t leave. No one is supposed to know about them, that’s the main reason why, but there’s something else too, that I can’t really say. Basically the world might end up in danger if I leave, as dumb as it sounds. But I’m well taken care of. There’s even this whole school system set up, so I’m still “getting my education.” And the guy who found me, Zain, isn’t so bad either. We didn’t really have the best introduction, or act very mature to each other, but he’s pretty okay too. And he’s saved my life a few times now.

Anyway, I’m getting off track. The point is, I’m okay. I’m not hurt, dad didn’t find me (pretty sure he’s still in jail anyway), and I’m still alive and okay. I’m sorry I can’t come home, I really wish I could, but I don’t want you to worry. I’ll see if I can earn enough favors to convince them to let me come visit you at least, hopefully soon. I miss you, be safe. I’ll be safe too.

Love,

Helen’

I looked over the letter, checking to make sure nothing was misspelled. Not really a wish, but I guess the hope of sending this message was my wish. It made me feel better, having written it. I didn’t expect it to be “chosen” or anything, and despite literal magic existing I’m pretty sure that’s just a superstition and not actually a thing.

The sun was beginning to set, which meant the bonfire was about to be lit. In the clearing west of the stables, just before the trees where I was once attacked, a huge hole had been dug out of the ground and filled with enormous logs and branches. Around the yard fairy lights had been strung back and forth between the wall and the castle, and tables filled with warm snacks and drinks were set. The mood was chill and casual, and a little to my surprise no one tried to swarm me with questions about the events of the Solstice Ball. Though I guess it may have been due to being bundled up and relatively unrecognizable. Some vampires had shown up as well -though there wasn’t nearly as big a turnout as the solstice had been- also bundled up in warm clothing.

“There isn’t really a schedule of events so everyone can just arrive and leave whenever they want,” Rose explained to me as we all got some hot chocolate. “Some just come to put their wishes into the fire, some for just the food, but ultimately it’s a good place to relax and socialize and sometimes exchange gifts.”

Looking around I saw that some people were, indeed, carrying wrapped packages.

“We always come right when it’s lit,” Claire said. “Its really cool, because the fire just fwoosh! Roars to life and warms up the whole area.”

“They usually have a fire-user light the fire. I wonder if Lord Zain will do it this time?”

At this point I couldn’t even be surprised that Zain would be here, though that didn’t stop me from looking. Sure enough, as Alice suspected, he was over by the bonfire pit, speaking with some of the people in charge of monitoring it. Though he had made a full recovery, he still looked drained and tired. He was wearing a long wool coat and thick pants, and a small muffler of his own. I wondered if maybe he didn’t actually fully recover yet, and the cold was affecting him. He caught my eye for a brief moment, and the very tiniest of smirks curled the corner of his mouth as he continued to talk, and I’m pretty sure I was the only person that could have noticed.

Miss me already?

I blushed a little but couldn’t stop my grin. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?

I saw him suppress a chuckle, but this time it didn’t go unnoticed by the person he was talking to. Feeling a little smug I turned my gaze away, only to find my friends now grinning at me.

“What?” I asked, starting to feel warmer underneath my scarf.

“Oh, nothing,” Suzanne said in a mockingly wise manner. “We’re just glad to see you’re enjoying yourself.”

“And making better friends with everyone winkwinknudgenudge,” Claire added, winking and nudging at me.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, not looking at them. They laughed, I laughed, but inwardly felt a little conflicted. I don’t think I’ve ever actually expressed how I feel, about Zain specifically, to them, or about the forced feelings being a Bride causes someone to have. I couldn’t actually remember if it was ever talked about in the classes, and wasn’t sure if that was something humans were supposed to actually know about. Ms. Lorely was the one who told me, I think, so maybe it was okay?

Before I could dwell on that any further though, it was time. A hushed excitement fell across the yard as Zain took a stance and three others made sure no one was too close to the pit. He made a motion that looked like he was skipping a stone into the wood pile, and at the bottom a small flame sparked to life. He made a lifting motion and it grew. Bolder, warmer, livelier, until suddenly with a roaring whoosh! it rose high into the sky above us. The crowd clapped and cheered as the flame calmed back down and burned brightly in the pit.

I followed the girls around as they mingled in with other people and chatted about how cool the fire was and about theirs hopes and predictions for next year. The cocoa in my hands was warm and relaxing, and it was nice being there, even if I didn’t feel like saying much myself. The letter I wrote was still in my pocket; I planned to throw it in along with theirs whenever they planned to do that. Mike and Jason had started a snowball fight in one area of the yard and managed to entice Claire into a round. Alice and I retreated closer to the fire in protest to the cold.

By now a lot of people had been tossing their notes into the fire. Some were placed in fancy envelopes and some were folded into intricate designs, probably to increase their chances of getting a rising paper. It was cute, and felt a little wistful. Alice babbled on about ideas she had been researching as I listened. She’s never said it outright, but I get the feeling she probably hopes to be some sort of doctor. Or maybe some type of scientist. She had some really fascinating topics to chat about, even if half of it went over my head. And I was glad to be able to listen again. After what happened to Wendy…

I stiffened and tried to put those thoughts away. Not right now. Besides...they don’t have the same memories as they once did about her. Mason had made sure of that.

The rest joined up with us at the fire, Claire sopping wet.

“Ahhhhhh,” Claire sighed, rotating herself in front of the fire like a vertical spit-roast. “That’s nice…”

“Did someone dunk you in a lake or something?” I laughed. “What happened?”

“My ass got owned,” she grinned. “Worth it though.”

“You guys ready to cast the wishes?” Rose asked, pulling out her sheet of paper.

Everyone got their own sheets out with a chorus of yeses.

“Don’t forget the kiss for luck!” she said, kissing it.

I laughed. “Wait, what?”

“It’s part of the ceremony,” Claire grinned. “Like, putting extra magic in the wish.”

“Okay, okay, fine,” I laughed again, giving my own sheet a light peck. It’d be pretty cool if this worked though, I must admit.

“Okay!” Everyone poised to cast their papers. “One, two, three, go!”

The papers all flitted down into the pit, the ones making it closest to the center catching fire quicker. Staring at the bright light of the fire, it was hard to make out anything burning within it. But, like most things would have, it looked as it each of our papers made it to the ground before turning to ash.

“Dang, and I was hoping by waiting a bit longer the fire would be hotter,” Claire said. “Oh well, it’s still just-”

Suddenly there was a woosh! and a brief flash of purple; we turned our heads to see a charring red fold fly straight up above the flame like a bottle rocket and burn out into the wind. Everyone nearby was staring in awe too, and then clapped as if it were part of a demonstration.

“...what just happened?” I asked.

“We don’t know,” Rose said, dumbfounded. “That’s never happened before.”

I looked around again, searching for Zain. Something...it feels like he must have had something to do with it. I wasn’t 100% sure, but I was pretty positive; that was my paper.

Surprisingly he seemed to have vanished; I didn’t see him anywhere. It’s just as well, I don’t know what I expected to do if I spotted him again. It wasn’t like I didn’t appreciate the sentiment if he did make that happen, but...more than anything there was a little outrage in the potential meaning behind it.

I didn’t want to dwell on it any longer, so I let it go. It really isn’t important.

The social exhaustion began to wear thin on me, so I excused myself back inside the castle. I made sure to give everyone a hug before I went, making more mental promises to put more effort into getting to know them better. They’ve done so much for me, and after what had happen to Wendy...anything could happen here.

I thought about what I wrote on my walk through the slightly warmer halls, and about the fact that I’ve pretty much abandoned my plans to escape now. It seemed so strange that, now that I knew more about what’s going on, I have to accept that I’m invested in this now. Like it or not Zain needs me to stay alive. I could still try to get out but...I don’t know, something in me just doesn’t want to anymore. Which is completely illogical, I shouldn’t have to be in so much danger.

While my mind was rambling I found myself at the library doors. I wonder if Ms. Lorely was still in, or if she’d be celebrating the holidays in her own way. The door was unlocked though. There was no way she’d leave the library open AND unattended.

“Good even Ms. Morris!” she greeted cheerfully, her purple glasses adorned with a chain of tiny snowmen. “Did you enjoy the bonfire ceremony?”

“I did, it was pretty cool.” I accepted her cup of hot chocolate automatically, even though I had already had two cups at the party. “The girls had me do the paper thing.”

“That’s sweet. What did you wish for?”

“I didn’t really make a wish per se. I decided to write a letter to my mom instead, even if it was silly. It felt nice, though.”

She nodded understandably. “It’s nice to allow our fears and sadness a medium to be expressed. I know I wrote many an angry letter I never sent in my life.”

I nodded as well, but couldn’t help remember the fact that she had killed her vampire. I could almost picture her letters, her handwriting harsh and vicious with unresolved rage.

“Hey, Ms. Lorely?” I asked.

“Yes dear?”

“When you were still human, were you ever able to...STOP the feelings you had for him?”

She thought about that for a moment. “Hmm...yes, I think I was able to seperate myself at one point, just before deciding I should turn. He was very good at manipulating those reactions from me, it made it very hard to think of a way out. But I did manage. There were still lingering tugs and desires, but they no longer existed in my head.”

“Lingering-? What do you mean?”

“Oh, reactions and such to his whims and desires, access to his mind and such. There was still the connection; there would have always been the connection, the bond wasn’t broken. But it took tremendous willpower to break the emotional one. And that, thankfully, never resurfaced again.”

I nodded, understanding, but new confusion was starting to take its place. Then...is that NOT what happened to me? Was I not able to cause the same kind of break? Or...or is something else going on?

“Anyway, now’s not the time for such dark conversation. Don’t think I’ll be the only one to not have a present for you.” She rustled in a cabinet beneath her desk.

“Oh no, not you too!”

She smiled. “Oh yes, me too. And don’t worry dear, I don’t expect anything in return. You’re company will always be enough.” She pulled out a somewhat large rectangular package. “Happy Holidays, Ms. Helen.”

I tentatively unwrapped it, trying not to feel anymore guilty than I already did, but that quickly turned to curiosity as I realize it was a book. And then excitement when I realized it was new, with a leather-back cover, and handwritten. On the first page inside was a small note in Ms. Lorely’s soft, cursive handwriting.

“It’s a full catalog of ancient symbols and a language breakdown. I’ve seen you try to make out some of our oldest additions, so I gathered up what knowledge I had access to and made this. It should be useful for you.”

I hugged her. “This is amazing, thank you so much.”

I wanted to use it right away, but it was getting very late by now, and I was reaching my energy limit. Though the incredibly cool gift gave me the boost I needed to walk back to the room. This was just the thing I needed. I should be able to start translating those books! My head swam with ideas of what secrets(or just interesting stories) they might hold.

The gift didn’t distract my mind enough from the conversation we had just had, though. Those thoughts quickly brought themselves to my attention, like a problem I wanted to avoid. What she described sounded just like what I had felt, like a huge ordeal, or disconnect of emotion. And I had felt strange, and numb, afterwards, even after Zain and shown up. The mental disconnect and the pulling sensation may have been blocked by Greg’s power, but when they came back, that didn’t.

So why is it back now?

But it was different now, I argued. It feels...different. Not new, but not like it was before. Something about it was different.

I need to think about this. I need to consider this carefully, and impartially. The Bride thing is a feeling forced into me by chemical changes, and magical ones too apparently. Which means it should be like a hormone thing, like starting puberty but different. That said it should be my thoughts after the reaction that matters. From the get-go I thought he was attractive. But I’ve never been attracted to anyone, and sure he was kinda cool-looking but his personality was a complete DE-traction.

And he was mean. So mean, the whole time. It gave me such whiplash to go between automatic pangs of out-of-character jealousy to hating his guts to wanting him there. When he saved my life, things changed a little, I actually got to know him a little better. I think for just a moment then I might have stopped hating him, and started wanting to actually know why he hated me. Then the swimming pool and incident afterwords should have been the final straw, should have actually been the stress that seemed to be required to break that emotional connection.

But it didn’t. My heart started picking up as I remembered that vividly. Instead of hurting me more than he already had, he comforted me. And...I wasn’t aware of it then but I could see it now; he was being absolutely genuine with me. The amount of remorse I felt from his mind was real, I didn’t think it was possible. I didn’t want to believe it was possible. I was afraid it was possible. And then everything after the fact, the concern, the worry, his story, his life...I learned the reasons why he acted the way he did. He even apologized to me, and seemed to have been trying to make amends. But I was still fighting the internal thoughts. The longings, the wanting for us to not just be better friends, but to be more.

A fantasy played out in my head, where Victoria hadn’t been a variable in the current situation. Where we had met accidentally in the same manner but instead of holding resentment for each other we got to know each other, and worked together to try to undo it. Where I would learn about everything I had so far but on much nicer terms, enjoying his company, his companionship, and he enjoying mine, eventually coming to the decision to stop looking for how to break the bond to send me back, because we wouldn’t need to anymore and-

Oh my god.

The connection DID break. The bond doesn’t force me to feel these kinds of things anymore.

It doesn’t need to.

I’ve fallen in love with Zain.

“What?”

My heart stopped as I froze in the door frame. My inner thoughts had made me autopilot all the way back to Zain’s room, and I wasn’t guarding them. I hadn’t taken the precaution to make sure the walls had been up. And the look of utter bewilderment on his face told me everything I feared. My breath came out sharply.

“No…”

He heard.

He heard everything.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING

I can’t even begin to express how happy I am to have finished and published this, even more so that people would actually like it enough to read it. This book will always be available to read for free, both here on this blog (for as long as Tumblr lets me stay) and at Tapas.io under novels. It was never my intention to try and make money from this, only my hope that it would get seen. Having it available for purchase was more for a little something here and there, like a kind of feedback. If people liked it enough, it’s only $3 to not only help me but to own a digital copy.

If this actually gets popular enough, I want to put more effort into a cover and release physical copies as well. 

But, in the meantime, thanks so much for reading Zain and Helen’s story. If you’d like to help support my future endeavors, as well as the sequel (currently titled Daybreak), purchase the whole book here!

[nightblogofficialbook]

Chapter Sixteen

Also available to read at Tapas.io!

“Quiet,” he ordered immediately as I spun around, pointing a single finger. All thoughts of speaking ceased, and my mind became foggy and strangely empty. I couldn’t move.

Mason walked past me to the window, taking a careful look outside, thinking. After a few seconds he withdrew from it, muttering something about Greg and having enough time. The fog in my head was beginning to fade, and I put all the willpower that had come back into trying to move my fingers, to do something. He cast another look and I was locked tight into place.

“I suppose I have enough time to give you an explanation, since none of this is your fault and yet everything is your fault,” he said, taking off the jacket he was wearing and laying it on the floor. “You were never supposed to have shown up, if you hadn’t he never would have gained so much power and things wouldn’t have become so goddamn complicated. Greg wouldn’t have royally fucked up either.”

Something in me snapped and the fog was blown away. “You’re working with Greg?!”

He arrested my mind again. “I employed Greg. You see, we have like-minded ideals.” He made me stand on the coat.

But you’re his best friend! I try to say with all my might, somehow knowing he could hear me.

“That brat is no friend of mine,” he growled, his demeanor dropping from a strange aloof calm to rage. “I was forced into his servitude from the moment I was born--no, before I was even conceived! My family has been under his for generations, forced to give a damn by his stupid ancestor! I never had a choice! Maybe I wanted to do something else with my life! But I was never given that luxury. All because of that stupid Blood Pact.

“The world will be much better without it. Our existence will be much better without him. Like always, someone else had to be caught in the crosshairs of his mess of an existence. Greg had a soft-spot for you, since you had no idea and, like us, you had no choice. But unlike him, I’m willing to do what’s necessary. But,” he paused, again looking as if listening for something, “I’m going to make sure he suffers from it.” There was a sharp pain in my neck once again as Mason bit down and began to drain the rest of my blood.

HELEN!!

Zain’s voice sounded incredibly faint in my head despite the sheer force it rang with. Not a second later the door had been shattered open, revealing the voice’s owner himself. His gaze froze on the scene before him; Mason was still clamped onto my neck. It was as if time had frozen, an endless pause before anyone resumed.

“Mason…” Zain’s voice was quiet, vulnerable. He couldn’t believe what was happening in front of him. “What are you doing?”

Mason had release his grip on my neck, still keeping a hold on my limp and numb body. It was strange, I knew this was bad, but I didn’t seem to care. My mind was numb.

“Killing your Bride, of course. What did you think I was doing?”

No. No, this can’t be right, something’s not right here.

Zain took a step forward. “Mason-”

“Ah!” A hand closed around my throat, stopping him immediately. “Not another step, my lord.”

Dmitri appeared in the broken doorway. “Zain, what is--Helen!” Zain held an arm out to stop him from making a move, his eyes remaining fixed on Mason with rising panic.

“Why?” he asked, and I heard it. The crack in his voice, the thing he’s always been afraid of. The fog in my mind began to lift a little.

“Do I really need to answer that? Surely you heard it all from your little harlot here. I know you’re always listening, don’t pretend you’re not.”

“Mason, just let Helen go and let’s talk-”

“Don’t give me that bullshit Dmitri!” Mason snarled his way. “You of all people should know how I feel about this!”

“It’s not what you think,” Dmitri tried to plead. “Mason,  you don’t have the whole picture, if you listen-!”

“I don’t have the whole picture?! I’ve been planning this all from the getgo right in front of both of you! I’m done being his nanny, I’m done with our families, our entire species, being in constant servitude to them!”

“Mason-”

“You could have told me,” came Zain’s quiet voice. “You could have told me how you felt, I could have answered…”

“What difference does it make?” he growled back, and Zain flared.

“What differ--you’re my best friend! It makes all the difference in the world, Mason!”

The fog was lifting further, but thankfully he hadn’t seemed to notice yet. I was aware that soon I would be able to move.

“Mason, please listen, the Blood Pact doesn’t work like that-”

“That’s bullshit Dmitri, you know very well the kind of command he has over our kind!”

“That wasn’t him, that was his father’s--!”

In the split second I felt my body and mind return full control back to me I flung my arm as hard as I could into Mason’s crotch, hoping Zain had caught on to what I was about to do. Mason doubled over and released me; I stumbled away as there was a loud bang behind me with a gust of wind. Zain and Mason were wrestling violently on the ground where I had just been standing. The room felt like it was beginning to rotate when I tried to stand up; I had lost so much blood now.

“Here, Helen,” I heard Dmitri’s voice, and his arms carefully pull me up. “We need to get you away-”

“No,” I protested suddenly. Something urgent was telling me I need to stay, that even though my life was currently in danger, if I left now it would be worse.

“Helen-”

“I can’t leave his si-”

A mass of body hit the both of us and sent us flying across the room. I stifled a scream that nearly made me pass out as my rib was knocked out of place again. Zain clambered up with a groan, nursing a limp arm, and Mason, out of breath, took a hold of me again.

“If any of you,” he breathed heavily, “take ONE MORE STEP, I will snap her neck. I swear I will.”

“Weren’t you going to kill her anyway?” Zain spat blood from his mouth. “You’re not going to do it, Mason.”

But then a smile formed on his face. “I thought of a better idea, instead. An ultimatum, if you will. There’s worse things I could do than kill her. And I think I know just the thing.” He raised his other hand to his mouth and bit it. “She’s looking a little pale, isn’t she? Lost quite a bit of blood. Might do some good to replenish that, wouldn’t you say?”

“NO!” Zain lurched forward and stumbled, looking terrified. Mason growled and squeezed my throat a little more.

“What did I just say?!”

“Mason, don’t do this to her!” Zain pleaded.

“Or what? You’ll order me into submission?”

“You know very well if I had that power I would have used it already!”

“I don’t care,” he spat. “I’ve made my decision, of my own accord, and I’m sticking with it. Now it’s time to make yours. Either you choose for her to die, or you let her be turned by me. Either way, you’re going to die anyway. So what’s it going to be?”

Zain was frozen with desperation, his internal struggle on full display; I could read him like a book. He was trying to think of a way out of this, a way for us to both walk away safely. Dmitri was knocked out, he couldn’t help. Zain is injured, and I’m close to fainting. There was no way out that wouldn’t kill him right now.

“Bottoms up, princess,” Mason said, seeming almost angry as Zain’s head fell. “Looks like you get to be spared today. You should be honored, being a vampire isn’t so bad.”

I squirmed as I saw his cut hand come close to my face, keeping my mouth clenched shut. I didn’t know what was supposed to happen if someone else tried to turn me, but it seemed like my consent wouldn’t matter in this situation. And Zain would die. If Mason turned me, Zain was going to die. I don’t want him to die, I don’t want anyone to die…!

“Mason stop!”

The voice that echoed so quietly seemed so loud. Everyone froze as we stared at the shattered doorway.

Wendy stood there, her steel grey eyes firm and blazing with determination, her chest heaving from the hurried run she was just in. She had a knife in one hand at her side.

“What are you doing, Wendy?” Mason growled. She swallowed.

“Stop this, Mason. Put--put Helen down and leave her alone…!”

“Go back to your room, you’re not supposed to be out.”

She shook her head, and lifted the knife with trembling arms. “I-I won’t let you do this anymore, not to Helen, I won’t…”

Mason’s eyes widened and he dropped me to the floor without a second thought, taking a step towards Wendy. “Put that knife down!”

Zain lunged immediately, colliding once again with him while Wendy remained at the doorway, still with the knife raised in uncertainty. For a moment Mason got the upperhand, pinning Zain down and punching him repeatedly, until Zain finally caught his fists and managed to reverse their positions at last.

“You were my friend!” he shouted at him. “My best friend! I trusted you!”

“Yeah?” Mason said, his eyes darting to the side for a moment. “Well...maybe you should be careful how much trust you place in people.”

Dmitri was suddenly behind Zain, his eyes sort of glazed, and hit him over the head. Mason scrambled up and lunged towards me. I didn’t have any time to react; he shoved his cut hand directly into my mouth.

“NO!”

Mason was thrown off me with little resistance as he suddenly gasped and spazzed. There was as thunk from the doorway as Wendy fell to the floor. I tried to spit the blood out of my mouth, but it seemed no use. A hot, burning sensation filled the inside of my mouth and traveled down my throat, growing warmer and warmer and warmer until it was so hot I thought my throat would shrivel up in ash.

There was another cry in the room; Zain was clutching his throat too, as if it was burning him as well, and had to steady himself. I fell to the ground as my vision left and there was a loud ringing in my ears. Voices seemed to fade in and out, the searing pain was slowly spreading to my body until I couldn’t feel anything else. I wanted to die, I wanted this to end. Please, someone make this end…!

There was a cooling sensation that pierced my shoulder, and it began to spread quickly. It felt wonderful, and cleared my mind. Zain, no, what are you doing...I’ve lost so much blood already, if you take any more I’ll really die…

And then the coolness entered my mouth, washing away the searing pain, traveling down my throat, putting out the fires that had formed all throughout my body. Something tugged at me as it did, pulling me away from the pain, and into the dark like I had experienced once before.

Memory upon memory flashed before my eyes. Three young children meeting for the first time, one who was shy with red eyes. The same three children playing together, causing problems, laughing, getting scolded, the red-eyed child’s eyes were now green. Each flash they grew older, looking a little less happier and livelier as more and more responsibilities were put on them. Mason listened while Zain talked about his fears, was there for his father’s funeral, and again for Mason’s father. There was so much they had been through together.

And then I saw the same man, holding my limp body in his grasp, my blood dripping from his mouth. A wave of sheer betrayal fell over me in a fury. He was my best friend...my best friend…! I trusted you!

I trusted you!

When I opened my eyes there were tears running down my cheeks, though they didn’t feel like mine. My body felt cool and somewhat numb, like I had finally broke from a fever. Zain was on the floor, holding me up loosely in his lap with his head over me  in his knees, trembling.

My voice cracked once I found it. “Zain…?”

The shaking seemed to increase, and a contorted noise escaped. I knew what this was. I had been there before. The distraught, the feeling of your world crashing down around you, the loss of everything and wondering if anything is worth the effort anymore. The empathy overtook me.

Without another thought, I wrapped my arms around his head and hugged him. A second later, more by instinct it seemed than anything, Zain’s arms lifted and wrapped around me, holding on tightly. I squeezed back, feeling my own tears fall down my cheeks as he clung to the comfort I was offering.

The next thing I knew I was waking up again, this time in a different room. There was a weight across my legs, and I opened my eyes slowly in an effort to make the blurring disappear faster. The whole place felt like it was swaying, there was a strange kind of tilting sensation like I might slide out of my bed, but eventually it all calmed down a bit and I could see.

Zain sat in a chair next to the bed, quietly sleeping with his head across the blanket over my knees. There was a bandage around his head and his arm was in a sling. His eyes, closed, looked sunken in and dark. I let my eyes close again. A dreamless sleep greeted me, and I could not be more grateful for it.

The longest night of the year ended with the break of dawn.

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Chapter Fifteen

Also available to read at Tapas.io!

When I couldn’t stand the cold anymore I went back inside, flipped on the TV, and attempted to figure out how to navigate the channels. It was a satellite connection, with hundreds of programs of every kind of genre, and I had never used one before. There was also one in the dorms, but I had left the controls to the others.

I settled on a documentary of some sort that seemed just interesting enough to keep my mind from wandering too much, and sat down on the couch. The shadows around the room began to grow longer. Daylight had grown shorter with winter in its wake, but it was surely well past noon now. I fidgeted, worried. Zain had said he’d be back around noon...did something happen? I felt for that pulling sensation that always alerted me of his direction, and on the theory of a whim I imagined following it, reaching out along it. I closed my eyes for good measure, letting the volume of the program drown out into background noise.

Assuming this was working, it didn’t feel very far. As I reached closer to him, though the pull didn’t change in intensity, I could feel something increase. There was irritation, and anxiety. It was very familiar. A heated argument was happening, and I felt very strongly that I needed to convince someone of something. I felt kind of silly, wondering if I’m really just pretending, as this is what I’d expect to feel from Zain given how the council treats him. But then the feeling changed, like a sudden startlement, and with the sensation of amusement he reached back. There was a gentle snap, almost like I was being told to go back, and I opened my eyes and felt a little strange. There was a weird tingling on my brow, like Zain had been here himself and flicked me in the forehead.

I rubbed the feeling away, feeling at least comforted in knowing he’s just still in that meeting.

It was almost sunset and my stomach had gone through the stages of hungry to fine to sleepy. I had just started dozing off when I heard the door click and swing open. I looked over hopefully.

Zain lumbered in, looking terribly exhausted. His eyes were vaguely unfocused as he closed the door behind him. I swallowed, unable to get any feeling from his current demeanor.

“How did--?” I began to ask as he stumbled over to the couch I was sitting in, and was cut off as he suddenly flopped downward onto it, his head landing in my lap. “Zain, what the--?!”

“Just stay,” he said with a sigh as all tension seemed to release from his body, and my heart climbed into my throat. “Just let me stay like this for a moment.”

His head was heavy on my thighs as a strange giddiness replaced where my heart left my chest. Zain almost seemed to just melt into the couch like a cat while I sat silently, too shocked to even know what to think. He grabbed my arm and took a small bite, drinking for a few seconds before closing the wound and letting my arm go. My head started to unfuzz.

“Wh-what are you-?” I started again when my throat unstuck, but then realized he had promptly fell asleep.

I sat there dumbfounded, marveling at the situation I was in and wondering if I wasn’t still in a dream. Zain’s body rose and fell gently with his breathing, his eyes closed, his face still in my lap. I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t know how to think. I tried not to think about how strangely elated I felt. My head was instead full of confusion and hope and uncertainty.

He’s just tired, I reasoned with myself after calming down enough to carefully put my walls up. He’s just tired, and needed sleep. And maybe a little bit of comfort and intimacy. This felt a little too intimate to me, but maybe he needed it. Like how sometimes I need a hug.

But then why didn’t he go to Victoria? a small, mutinous voice chimed in from the back of my mind. As far as I was still aware, they were still an item. I hadn’t really seen them together much, but that could simply be because I was actively trying to ignore them in order to avoid the stupid pangs of jealousy. But…she would have gladly given him this comfort, and then some I’m sure. Why did he come back to me? And why do I care?

It must just be because of my blood, I thought bitterly. I’m his Bride, after all. Or maybe it’s because being near me makes him feel stronger, so he would feel more secure. Victoria would be all the way across the castle, and, as big a jerk he can be, I don’t think he’d be horrible enough to bring her here while I was here. And why would I even care? These feelings aren’t real. I need to get this under control.

The shadows continued to grow longer until they filled the room with darkness. I hadn’t gotten around to turning on any lights before he came back so all that lit up was what the TV had provided. The documentary had turned into a cooking show, something about a British guy going around and angrily fixing up horrible restaurants. I thought about waking Zain so I could turn on a light at least, feeling weird now that I had gotten used to the weight in my lap,  but that mutinous voice refused. He looked so relaxed, it almost seemed a crime to move. So instead I was stuck. Pasta was begin cooked on the show, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten yet since breakfast. My stomach growled very loudly.

“Shoot,” Zain murmured and stirred, lifting his head off my lap and making my heart pound into my throat again. “I’m sorry Helen, I forgot…” He sat up and stretched, looking groggy and slightly embarrassed. There were crease marks from the fabric of my pajamas on his face, and his hair was pressed against his cheek from laying on it.

“About time you woke up,” I said, looking away and trying to hide my thoughts. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw his face tinge pink.

“You didn’t have to let me lay there,” he tried to accuse back.

“Last time I woke you up you nearly knocked me out,” I said flatly, and he gave a hesitant laugh.

“Sorry it got so late,” he apologized again, changing the subject. “You must be hungry, I’ll go get you some food.”

Soon as he came back my stomach became ravenous. I ate silently, trying to take advantage of feeling hungry this time to eat as much as I could. He waited patiently for me to finish.

“An official search for Wendy has been called, as well as an investigation into your friends’ memories.” He seemed much more relieved now than when he left this morning. “We’re finally making progress…”

“But they still don’t think it’s a conspiracy on your life?”

He shook his head.

We sat there talking more about the results of the meeting, Zain complaining with me about how dumb it was that they think he’s too young to be actively targeted yet. His relief was contagious, and eventually it seemed like the tension that been surrounding us for the past week began to lift a little. It wasn’t much, but he was right; the fact that they’re taking action now was at least a step forward. I just hope it’ll be enough.

The subject of the ball came up and I immediately wanted to divert attention from it. I was not looking forward to it at all. Dmitri’s extra lessons had been helping me catch up significantly (and without Zain knowing, he’s under the impression that Dmitri will be controlling my motions for the first dance of the night), but it was still a very large pompous social gathering I wanted nothing to do with. Zain, however, felt irritated that I didn’t think it was important to talk about.

“You do realize it’s not just our residences that will be attending this year?” he said as it felt like an ice cube was dropped into my stomach. “The other family leaders are coming to meet my new Bride, in addition to the witches and other creatures from around the world. Like it or not you’re going to be representing me, and it would boast pretty poor confidence if my Bride didn’t know how to conduct themselves.”

“Why can’t you just make Victoria do all of this?” I grumbled.

“Because Victoria isn’t my Bride,” he said with thinning patience.

And who’s fault is that? I thought bitterly before I could stop myself.

Zain visibly bristled and his red eyes turned a shade bolder. “Regardless,” he said through gritted teeth, “it would be a lie to pretend Victoria is my Bride, not to mention unfair to her. I don’t like to lie if I don’t have to.”

“You don’t seem to mind lying to half the castle,” I accused unfairly.

Zain sighed instead of bristling this time. “Helen,” he said, exasperated. “Do we need to talk about this another time?”

I simply grumbled in response.

He ran a hand stressfully down his face with a groan. “All you need to know is that we open the dance, I’ll be introducing you to a lot of people, and you’ll be free to go embarrass yourself elsewhere. As long as you behave yourself until then there’s nothing else involved. There will be plenty of food too.”

I knew I was being childish, I didn’t really know why I was suddenly being so difficult. I felt tired, like I hadn’t had a day’s rest for weeks. I really wanted to go swimming.

It almost felt insulting that after that, my days were expected to return to normal. Zain asked that I not venture outdoors anymore, which after two way too close calls, I was happy to oblige. If it weren’t for the amount emotion that’s been involved I would have thought it a conspiracy to scare me into not trying to escape, because I didn’t want to go anywhere near the woods. I became extra paranoid about everyone I encountered, questioning the reasons behind every pair of red eyes. I decided not to question my friends about Wendy, though I wanted to try and jog their memory. Zain had suggested that it might be better if I don’t draw attention to it, that wherever she might be hidden would end up changing if it seemed like it would be revealed. I felt guilty, as it didn’t seem too hard not to bring it up. Wendy never had that much of a presence, she was like a quiet shadow. But now that I’ve noticed she’s gone, it didn’t feel normal at all.

With the days drawing closer to the Solstice everyone was growing more excited. Alice and Suzanne decided to take me shopping to pick out a dress, since I had been putting it off in hopes that the ball would be canceled. Everyone who wanted to attend turned in their RSVPs that were handed out while I was locked in Zain’s room; I didn’t need one since I had to go anyway. Suzanne and Alice were going with themselves, hoping to meet someone while they were at the party. Claire was going solo (though technically with Jason for the sake of his pride) and Rose with Mike.

Before I knew it the day had arrived. I sat in front of a huge dressing room mirror and a table full of products I had no clue how to use. I had been so focused on making sure that first dance would be successful that I forgot that I’d need to dress up. I’ve never dressed up for anything in my life. I could hear murmurs echoing outside and down the hall from this room, people arriving early with excitement. My stomach sank rapidly.

A light tap on the door startled me. “Come in,” my voice squeaked.

“Good evening Helen,” Dmitri called cheerily as he walked in. He was dressed in a handsome, dark blue, gothic style fitted suit. “I just came to check...you’re not dressed yet?”

I groaned. “I don’t know what to do, Dmitri! I’ve never done this before, I don’t even know where to start, I--!”

He cut me off, smiling. “Well, it’s a good thing I brought a little surprise for you then. Perhaps they can help.”

He stepped aside and my friends came in, their face bright and excited.

“Hey Helen!”

I nearly cried with relief. “You guys…!” Even though I literally just saw them a couple days ago, it felt like ages.

Suzanne seemed to laugh at my lack of progress. “You haven’t even started?”

“She’s helpless without us,” Claire teased.

“I was helpless before you guys,” I said, scooting the chair so that Suzanne and her sister could go to work on my face while Rose worked on my hair. Dmitri quietly excused himself.

“Nothing too flashy, I think simplicity works best for you,” Suzanne murmured almost to herself.

“What do you think, flowers or gems?” Rose asked.

“Flowers definitely, the wine red ones. It’ll match his suit.”

I closed my eyes and let them work, so very thankful I didn’t need to give input. Suzanne always looked so pretty and put together, I could trust her judgement. About an hour later they were finished and ready to head out while I changed into my dress. Claire gave me tips for putting it on without messing up anything, and then they headed out to meet their respective dates.

After somehow successfully climbing into my dress I examined myself in the mirror, nervous beyond belief. My transformation was amazing, the subtle makeup bringing out an elegant shape to my face, the smokey eyes and a hint of eyeliner made my eyes look bright and attractive. My ordinary brown hair almost seemed to shimmer with vibrancy, dark red flowers woven into a chain and through my hair. The dress was silky and, in my opinion, quite practical as far as movement was concerned. It was simple, elegant, and flowy, reaching all the way to my feet but hovering just off the ground so I wouldn’t step on it and trip. It was a sleeveless open back type that tied around my neck, and black with a very deep red tint that was only noticeable in the outline of my profile, creating a shimmering effect when I moved. I really like this dress.

I stopped being vain and took a breath, walking out the door. It would just be a short walk down this hall, then around the corner to the grand staircase.

The staircase. I forgot. I’m going to have to walk down stairs in heels.

Why did I let them buy me heels.

At least they’re wedges, I told myself. More surface area means less likely to fall. And you’ve practiced in them, you’re ready to mother-lovin’ dance in them. You can do this. I know you can.

I stopped just short of the corner and hunched over against the wall, hugging myself. I don’t want to do this, I don’t want to do this, why do I have to do this…? Everyone is going to be staring, this ball is essentially a celebration to see me, the chosen Bride of the Aros family heir. That’s the whole reason I have to walk down a grand freakin’ staircase by myself, instead of discreetly with my friends. I’m going to fall, everyone is going to laugh, Zain is either going to sneer or be embarrassed for me, or both, and I’d never hear the end of it.

A tiny spark of determination lit up inside me, fueled by spite. I bet he’s expecting me to fail, to make a fool of myself. I bet he’s just hoping I’ll want to do the bare minimum and quietly disappear. I stood up. We’ll see who outshines who tonight. He doesn’t even know I’ve been practicing. Before this new courage could disappear I turned the corner and strutted towards the stairs with my head held high.

Soon as I took that first step I was met with golden light; the marble had been polished to a sheen, streamers and banners adorned the ceiling and walls between chandeliers who’s candles were lit and casting a warm light down below. Golden vases adorned with beautiful christmas-time flowers and plants were skillfully scattered around the hall, and soft floating balls of light drifted and flitted about like fairies. I’ll bet anything they actually ARE fairies.

No one had noticed me yet, thankfully, as I had stopped in awe at the grandiose-ness of the dance hall. A small orchestra of about thirty players were roped off in the corner, playing a very light and non-intrusive piece. The staircase had a second level landing area, where Zain stood waiting and watching the crowd idly, and then one more set of stairs until the floor. Good, maybe I can reach him before someone notices, and maybe I won’t trip in the meantime.

Of course it was wishful thinking. Soon as I took the first step down it seemed to cause a domino effect. One by one the attendees of the ball turned their eyes towards me until all were watching with excited murmurs of anticipation. My chest caught as I nervously tried to keep my focus on Zain, and to stay focused on where my feet were going. If I can just reach Zain everything will be fine…

Though that, too, was proving to be a dangerous distraction. Zain looked amazing, instead of the normal formal military-style suit he wore something a little more casual, very much like the attire he wore that first night I met him. His hair was tamed up and looked as soft as ever, with almost an extra sheen of bronze due to the way the lights were bouncing around. He was very attractive, that fact making worse the thought that I would be attending this party at his arm.

I had made it halfway down the first set of stairs by this point, and, piqued by the turned gazes, Zain turned towards me. For a moment, everything seemed to fade away and almost stop as I watched his expression transform. It started with very slight annoyance, as I was sure he probably felt I procrastinated for far too long (even though officially the dance isn’t slated to start for another 10 minutes), and slowly his eyes widen in surprise, until he simply looked astonished, maybe even awestruck. The red color in his eyes faded into that galaxy green.

I dropped my gaze and focused on my feet, my face feeling hot.

Once I reached the rest of the way without falling I looked back up bashfully. His eyes hadn’t changed back; they were still green. A strange fluttering began filling my stomach. Zain gave a slight bow, holding his hand out for mine. He took it with a gentle kiss, sending my heart so far up my throat it may as well have replaced it.

Applause broke the bubble of my fantasy and I remembered where we were. I flushed again, kicking myself for getting caught up in the moment. It was just a formality, an act. I’m being presented, I need to look and act royal, and Zain to react accordingly. That’s all it was.

He guided me carefully the rest of the way down the stairs and the party seemed to resume. Some guests came over excitedly, taking turns to congratulate the both of us as if this were a wedding reception. I flushed every time someone addressed me, and was glad Zain already had answers at the ready for every question to come up. Zain introduced me to some important vampire figures in our castle, including official introductions to the Council of Vampires. And then I was introduced to the heads of the other twelve vampires clans and their Brides. My heart was still so filled with anxiety that their names flew right over me, the only one I could remember for sure was a female leader with short blue hair whose name apparently was Sky. I did notice, though, each one seemed to hold a strange, subtle expression of contempt.

“Helen,” I heard Zain murmur after a few more introductions flew past me in a haze. I looked up.

“What?”

“Relax.” He squeezed my hand reassuringly. Nothing’s going to happen. This is a party; everyone’s here to have fun.

I swallowed and nodded. He was right, but that wasn’t all I was worried about. The worst part of the night had yet to come.

We mingled with the crowd a bit more, and I had just spotted my friends when there was a fade out in the music, the cue for the dance to begin. It felt like a rod of ice had taken residence all the way down my throat to my stomach. It was time.

Zain led the way through the crowd where the center floor was emptying away in hushed anticipation. He took a bow much like the one he greeted me with, and I curtsied this time reflexively. As Zain took my hand and my waist I heard his voice in my head, assuaging me.

Don’t worry, Dmitri will be standing by to help.

I nodded, knowing full well that Dmitri was going to let me do this on my own. Zain’s face grew puzzled, but before he could question the music began.

My feet moved automatically with the music, matching Zain’s pace step-by-step as he led me into the motions I had been practicing voraciously for the past couple weeks. One-two-three, one-two-three, one-two-three, turn. Zain’s expression slowly grew impressed as he began to realize I was doing it of my own capacity.

“You’ve been practicing,” Zain murmured. I felt a little smug hearing his surprise.

“Maybe I’ve just had a hidden talent,” I responded slyly, and immediately regretted it soon as I saw his face light up with mischief.

“Let’s test that then shall we?” he smirked, and swapped grips suddenly, leading me left handed.

I stumbled only for a moment, suddenly afraid for my ankles and thanking whatever forces out there exist that I had learned how to follow a lead. He switched up movements suddenly, again, somehow keeping with the rhythm of the song, then spun me around back into the normal steps.

“Don’t do that!” I hissed quietly, feeling a little out of breath. He chuckled, looking pleasantly amused. For nearly the rest of the dance he continued to throw me off, testing me. It was a declaration of war, and I wasn’t about to let him win. At some point the rest of the crowd was encouraged to join the floor, but we were caught up in our own silent battle. Zain skillfully led us through the crowds, avoiding collision with any other dancers. I heard the music began to to swell, the big finish was coming up. He flung me out at arms length, I was to go into a spin and then come back into a close position. But instead, as I came back, Zain had put his foot out, catching mine as I spun and fell backwards in alarm. He caught me with ease into an intentional dip as the music finished. He grinned, looking proud of himself for the apparent prank, as we both tried to catch our breaths. I couldn’t help smiling as well, despite feeling frustrated by how much more complicated he made things. As much as I didn’t want to admit it...that was fun.

“Helen!” The girls gathered around me after I made my way out of the crowd in order to avoid another dance. It was part of the deal, after the first dance I wouldn’t have to do any other performances tonight. I was still breathless and grinning as Alice and Rose caught me in a hug.

“You’ve been holding out on us!” Claire accused. “That was as cool as watching Victoria dance!”

“I didn’t want to make a fool out of myself,” I laughed. “Trust me, that’s the last time I’m ever doing it. That was way too much work.”

“You did splendid,” spoke a voice, and Dmitri made his way over, an abundance of pride in his eyes. “Well done Helen! I thought I might have to assist when I saw Lord Zain testing you, but you managed wonderfully!”

“It’s all thanks to you,” I smiled back. “Really, thank you so much, without those extra lesson I couldn’t have done it by myself.”

He gave me a sly wink. “I knew you had it in you all along. It just needed some motivational persuasion to bring it out. Now,” he suddenly addressed Rose, who gave a start. “I believe I owe a certain lady a dance?” He gave a bow and asked for her hand. “You earned top marks this year, you’re improvement deserves showing off. May I?”

Rose sputtered her answer as her face slowly turned bright red, and gave an excitedly happy look back at us as he led her onto the dance floor. Claire wolf-whistled and the twins cheered for her, beaming. I grinned as well, feeling really happy for her.

“Mayhaps there in romance in her future,” Claire pondered comically, and broke into a grin. “She turns twenty this January, she'd be optimal age for Bride candidacy.”

I gave a start. “Wait what? She’s that old??”

Alice gave me an indignant look and Claire snickered.

“Yeah, didn’t you know? She’s the adult of our dorm, the one in charge.”

“Well, I figured that, I just thought she was closer to our ages…” With a start I realized...I never did ask how old they were.

“I’m sixteen,” Claire offered, as if reading my mind. “I’ll be seventeen next February.”

“We’re seventeen,” the twins said in unison.

I flushed, feeling embarrassed for not even knowing my friends’ ages.

“C’mon, come check out the food bar!” Claire linked my arm in hers. “You haven’t had a chance yet have you?”

We raided the table spread full of tarts and cakes and small sandwiches, finding to our delight there was no limit to how many portions we could stuff ourselves with. It seemed as the night went on the brighter the halls became, and more relaxed and fun the atmosphere was. I let Suzanne show off her handiwork, dragging me around to curious observers while talking their ears off with beauty tips and methods. Both Jason and Mike asked me for a dance, which I politely declined, explaining that my performance before was a one time thing I had no amount of energy to duplicate, to which they seemed to understand, though disappointment still lingered in their eyes. Rose came back from her dance for a breather as the two boys took the twins out to the floor. Claire started teasing her relentlessly, which she took in stride. I offered to get everyone drinks, feeling thirsty myself, and headed back to the buffet tables.

I took advantage of my trip to the drink station to breathe, glad to have a moment to myself. There was so much social energy going on I was beginning to feel pretty exhausted, though not quite to the extent of wanting to leave. I had received a few more requests to dance from guests I didn’t know along the way, and was glad to have a shorter excuse to decline. There were a lot of drinks to choose from, from juices to soda to wines and spirits(the latter being watched over very carefully). I glanced along the table, trying to decide what I should get.

“Don’t do the punch,” spoke a voice behind me, causing me to nearly fall into the table.

“Jeez!” I exclaimed while Zain snickered. “Do you really have to keep sneaking up on me like that?”

“You’re reactions are priceless,” he said slyly, leaning against the table next to me.

I eyed him for a moment. “...what’s wrong with the punch?”

“It’s not for human consumption, to put it simply,” he said, taking a sip of his wine glass. “Not that you’d be allowed to make that mistake, I just wanted to startle you.” His eyes, still bright green and almost joyous, fell on me from the side while his smile stretched wide across his face.

“Ha ha,” I said flatly, but smiled just a little myself. “So what’s that you’re drinking then, punch?”

He cracked as smirk towards me. “You’re much too young for this drink, Helen.”

I laughed incredulously. “Are you an under-age drinker, Zain?”

Zain chuckled. “Alcohol isn’t going to stunt my growth. You, on the other hand,” he lightly poked my nose with amusement, making me flush, “might end up poisoning me if you drank.”

“Wouldn’t it be no different from you drinking it?” I asked, internally enjoying this buzzed side of Zain.

“What’s poison to you would poison me,” he said, taking another sip. “Alcohol changes the quality of blood, and like I’ve mentioned before, human foods don’t have much of an effect on us. And I see that smile there,” he said suddenly, making me blush again. “You’re enjoying yourself, aren’t you?”

“Okay, fine, yeah, it’s been fun,” I said, looking away from him in embarrassment. He snickered.

“And you tried to fight me on it,” he smiled, looking out at the crowd. “Didn’t even want to go.”

I looked out too, having completely forgotten I was supposed to be getting drinks for everyone and instead taking a sip of a sprite I had gotten. The dance floor was still getting action but significantly less as the night had worn on, everyone growing tired and red faced but smiling. I couldn’t deny that it felt quite pleasant being here. Had I known, I probably wouldn’t have protested so much.

A couple of vampires had come up to the table get some some punch, giving a cheerful hail to Zain, and I realized it was two of the clan leaders I had met today.

“Wonderful party this year, Master Zain, wonderful indeed,” spoke one, a tall, lanky, red-haired vampire with almost spindly thin limbs. He was at least a foot and a half taller than us.

“Hear hear,” Zain replied, toasting his glass to them with a clink. “You’ll be hosting next years, correct?”

“Indeed.”

“Lancaster’s daughter will be taking a Bride soon,” spoke the other, a slightly shorter curly brown haired lady with soft violet eyes and very dark skin. “She’s so excited.”

“Right, how is Laurene?” Zain asked.  “I heard she had a brush with the wolves over the summer.”

The clan leaders continued to chat idly, and I awkwardly and quietly slipped away. It felt a little like I was intruding, like I didn’t need to be involved in the conversation. There was nothing I could add anyway, it seemed better to excuse myself. But for some reason the hall seemed very strange all of the sudden, almost alien. It didn’t have the same jovial mood, despite all the happy faces. It was like a bubble around me had burst and I stepped back into a darker reality.

I don’t belong here. This isn’t me, this isn’t where I’m supposed to be right now. I wish I could return to the dorms. A strong sense of loneliness coupled with the increase of the pulling sensation enveloped me like a suffocating blanket. The music seemed muffled and bland, the colors much dimmer than they felt just minutes ago. I want to go home.

“Helen?”

Zain had caught up with me, a strange expression on his face. I tried to keep the depressive thoughts safely in the back and pretended to still be cheerful.

“Everything okay?” he asked, his eyes tingeing red in concern anyway.

“Yeah, sorry, it just felt like situation I didn’t need to be in…” I answered, trying to look anywhere else but at him as that different set of loneliness started creeping in.

He frowned. “Don’t let them make you feel lesser, you’re at the same level as I am. You have just as much right to be here as any of them.”

Something in my gut prickled, and I didn’t know what to make of it. I kept glancing around, looking for something to change the subject with. I spotted her almost immediately, standing alone against a wall and watching her friends be taken onto the dance floor.

“Zain, have you danced with Victoria yet?” I asked, not expected the pang in my chest as I did.

This question threw him off. “What?”

“You should go dance with her,” I said into my cup, still not looking at him. Something inside me burned; I didn’t want him to go dance with her, why am bringing it up?

It hasn’t been fair to her, and she should be having as much fun here as anyone else. She loves Zain, it should be her at his side. He should be spending the evening with her, not standing next to me.

But it’s not fair, a quiet voice protested inside me.

The current song had finished and the next one was about to begin. These thoughts had crossed through my mind in only about a second. Zain stared at me in confusion.

“Helen, what-?”

“Go,” I said suddenly, pushing him in Victoria’s direction. “Go dance with her, she’s been looking forward to this night with you for a long time now.”

He glanced back, his expression still strangely puzzled and his eyes still slightly tinged red with worry. I remembered I was supposed to have brought the girls something to drink, and made deliberate steps back to the tables, refusing the desire to look back. That invisible pulling cord seemed to light on fire, each step I took away attempting to scorch my insides. I downed my drink, wishing I could try some of that wine he was drinking, and collected up some more cups for the girls.

“Oh my gosh, thank you Helen,” Rose said as I handed the drinks out to everyone. “You’re a lifesaver! I’m so thirsty.”

“Where are the Suzanne and Alice?” I asked, and as if on cue they arrived with Jason and Mike in tow, along with a few other ladies and men. Two of the girls gave me almost mischievous looks, and with a start I realized they were the vampire-Bride pair from my classes.

“Hello miss Helen,” they greeted.

“Hi!” I replied in surprise, glad for the distraction from the burning pit in my stomach. “Sorry, I don’t think I ever got your names…?”

“We’re Moira and Denise,” one of them replied, a really pretty bushy-haired  girl that I think is the one who’s human. I didn’t see any fangs at least.

“And it’s understandable, it seemed you were pretty preoccupied during sessions,” the other giggled, her short blonde hair pinned back with a ornamental butterfly. I blushed a little bit and tried to ignore another flash of pain in my chest.

“Ooooh, look!” Alice called, pointing towards the dance floor, and I looked without thinking.

Zain and Victoria were now dancing, looking extremely elegant and ethereal, like two creatures that couldn’t possibly exist in this reality. Her dress billowed about through intricate turns as he guided her skillfully across the floor. She looked up at him happily, her eyes sparkling, and he looked-

I tore my eyes away as I felt an overwhelming rush of emotion. But the damage had already been done, it was flooding through me now. I stood up suddenly, startling everyone. “I need some air.”

Rose and Claire stared at me in intense worry. “Helen?”

I need to hurry, now. “I’m...I’m just going to step out for a bit, I’ll be back. It’s a little stuffy in here.” Without another word or even time for them to react I started walking away, feeling their eyes following me and mine struggling to see. I didn’t really process where I was going, I just knew there was a courtyard around the other side of the hall. I felt Zain’s presence reach towards me and threw my barriers up. They need to hold, I need to get away. I’m not going to ruin this night because of this stupid Bride’s bond!

The cold air hit me in the face with a shock, just enough to numb me for a moment. Instead of grass out here there was cobblestone and moss-covered gargoyle statues. Tall, sleek, dark, decorative arches stood all around, almost like a maze you couldn’t possibly lose. Something about it felt familiar but I didn’t care. Further in began a very large, actual maze made of shrubbery and hedges, only about seven feet high. I kept walking, past the vampires also stepping out to take a breather or a smoke, past the couples wanting a little more privacy to themselves, straight through to the center of the hedge maze. All the while inside of me each step was like a stab through the heart.

I collapse against the fountain edge as my walls came tumbling down. The cord pulling sensation was fading but my insides still burned. I let the pain take me over, let it wrack my body with a grief I had never felt before. I lost myself to it, falling into such a swirling state of agony that, somewhere inside, made me glad to be so far away from everyone.

I knew this was necessary. Sheer will power alone was not enough to stop it, and I was tired of it. I was tired of feeling jealous, of feeling heartbroken, of feeling the agonizing longing that had only grown with time, not diminished. I was tired of this stupid god-damn bond making me feel this way, interrupting my thoughts and making it hard to think. He doesn’t care for me like that. He will never care for me like that. These feeling need to be stomped into the ground, I need to kill them before they grow into anything worse. They’re not necessary; they’re not even my own. I can be his power, I can give him what he needs to live, but I will never be anything more.

When the moments passed I began to calm down, and as I did a strange sense of nothing filled the place of pain. Like something in me had snapped and the weight that was pulling it had been set free. I felt...numb. But calm. I could no longer feel that connection, but I knew it was still there.  

“Heartbreak is a terrible thing, isn’t it?” spoke a calm voice near me.

I jumped, nearly falling into the fountain. A vampire was sitting next to me; I had no idea when he got here, or how much he saw. But I didn’t have time to be embarrassed as recognition made my insides colder than the air.

Greg lifted his hands in a vulnerable manner, attempting to pacify. “Easy, easy, sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you, Miss Morris. You left the party looking quite distressed, I felt the need to follow out of concern.”

I eyed him carefully, feeling my heart thunder in rising panic. “Why...would you be concerned?”

He looked abashed. “My dear, would it not be the concern of all who reside here the well-being of the Lord’s Bride?”

I didn’t have an answer to that. I saw a slight smile rise.

“But is seems despite you two growing closer, his heart still goes out to Victoria,” he continued into the air. There was an expectation of a pang but instead it felt like a hollow echo on an empty drum. “The bond of a Bride is a powerful thing, even more so when feelings don’t quite match up. It’s a reaction that attempts to rectify any lack of emotional development.”

I wiped my face with my gloves, still debating whether it was safer to hear him out or attempt to get away. I was regretting running out so far from the party.

He eyed me carefully, like he was considering how to choose his next words. Or maybe deciding what I might be about to do.

“...there is a way to break it, you know.”

I stared at him.

“The bond, that is. There is a way.”

I asked before I could stop myself. “How?”

“You’ve already taken the first steps in cutting the ties; it’s not an easy process by any means. And it would not kill your vampire, merely allow a transfer to take place. I know you’ve been looking for an option, one that wouldn’t mean killing anyone.”

I inhaled sharply as the cold reached my head and toes. “You’re the one who sent the note.”

“I arranged for it, yes, you’ve been on the right trail, but only half correct. It was never my intention to lead you to your death.”

“Then why-?”

“To perform a transfer. If another vampire attempts to feed from a Bride, with the intention of creating a Bride, the bond could be transferred. That thrall was close to feral; he would not have had much longer to live, and would thus free you from your emotional shackles. You would have been free to go.”

My mind reeled. Given what I know it made some sense but...something wasn’t adding up. Something was missing from this.

A subtle, strange fogginess was filling my head somewhat, making me stumble over my next question.

“Why...didn’t you try to tell me then?” I asked.

“You still had much to learn, I was afraid you might not have understood or believed me...and I’ll admit I was afraid Zain would find out about it as well. I’m sure you remember the quick work he made of that thrall.”

My head started clouding more, almost relaxingly… A bit too much. I can’t relax right now...the enemy is right in front of me, I have to keep on guard. But...if the bond can be broken…

“You could go home,” Greg murmured, almost as if he were finishing my thoughts. His hands had taken hold of my neck and chin. I shivered, but I couldn’t move. I was stuck in a strange hypnotic stupor. His fangs seemed to draw in closer. “You could be free, free to go home, to forget this place, free from the pain his very presence now gives you. I can free you from him, Helen. All I need is a yes.”

Free...I could be free from it all. I could go see mom again, I could talk to Emily again, and finish school. I could get a job, and have a normal life again, away from vampires, from royalty, away from prying eyes and judging gazes and the threat of danger. Away from Victoria, from Dmitri...I’d be leaving everything behind again. The free-time to pursue hobbies, the nightly swimming, the great food, Claire, Rose, Wendy, Suzanne, Alice, all of the friends I’ve made here. No more dance lessons with Dmitri, no more snide but funny commentary from Mason, no more conversations with Zain-

Zain. I would never see Zain again.

A fire that blazed hotter than ever rose inside me like an inferno, and cleared the fog away. Greg’s fangs were inches from the crescent mark on my shoulder. I shouted and punched him away, getting up immediately and tried to run while he remained startled.

“Very well,” came his bitter voice behind me as I entered the hedge maze. “If that is your answer, then I guess plan B is in order.”

Suddenly he was in front of me, his eyes now blazing red, ready to grab me. I skidded and nearly fell in my wedges, kicking them off and changing direction down the left path. As if out of nowhere he was in front of me again, and I made a right. Again and again he appeared, forcing me to change directions, never actually chasing me, just toying with me. And then I was back at the fountain, and I realized all he was doing was herding me.

I tried to reach out, to tell Zain, knowing there was no way I was going to escape, but the bond was cut. I cut it, I severed that connection. I felt nothing.

“Gotcha.” Greg’s arms closed around me while the horror of what I’d done distracted me. I squirmed as a sharp pain clamped into my neck.

“No!”

There was an impact, I was flung into the fountain and something in my side made a sickening crack. There were snarls and yells and my vision was white for just a moment from the sheer pain. Someone scooped me up, causing another wave of searing pain. Hot liquid was bleeding down my arm from my neck.

“Helen, are you okay?”

My vision cleared, barely. Dmitri was holding me up, his hand hovering over my ribs. Something squirmed and snapped again, and the pain was less.

“Zain will be here soon, don’t worry,” he said, his eyes, red with concern, landing on the bite on my neck.

“Ah, the heir apparent is coming? I feel honored.” Greg climbed out of a now busted gargoyle, wiping blood from his mouth. “But I’m afraid you’re a little too late, I’m sure he-” He looked at the location of my bite as well. “Damn. Missed. Well. I’ll just have to try again.”

“Like hell you will,” I heard Dmitri growl, startling me. I’ve never seen him so angry. But in a flash Greg had lunged, causing Dmitri to drop me as they crashed into the fountain. I winced, feeling like my rib was going to dislodge again, and tried crawling away. There were more crashes, things were lifting up weightlessly and thrown around. I heard a cry of pain and looked back.

“Helen keep going!” Dmitri threw his hand out and my body started lifting up over the hedges, and for a scary moment I thought he was about to throw me. But to my horror I saw Greg double back towards him, and latch onto his throat. I fell into the hedge as the connection broke.

It felt like everything was silenced. Dmitri, no, please be okay, please be okay.

It’s my fault, this is my fault, I shouldn’t have come out here, I shouldn’t have gone off on my own.

Please be okay please be okay

I held my breath as the branches moved away and another familiar face filled it.

“Evening princess.”

Mason pulled me out of the hedge.

“Mason, Dmitri, he’s-!”

“Don’t worry, he’s still alive, I got ‘em off just after he dropped you. Knocked Greg out for good measure-”

But then Mason was also caught off guard as both he and I were knocked through the hedge and back towards the center once again. I went tumbling across the cobblestone, wincing each time I rolled. Mason had crashed into the fountain and was out cold. Dmitri was also passed out on the ground, bleeding. Greg stepped through the broken-open hedge, sporting a lot of gashes and bruises.

“Now...to finish what I started.” He started towards me, all pleasantries gone.

There was no one left.

“No…” I whimpered, once again fearing for my life. I don’t want this, I don’t want to die, I don’t want anyone to die…! My vision was starting to get a little bit blurry, there were two of him now. I clapped my hand to my neck as he strode up to me, trying to stanch it. No, it can’t end this way, it can’t…

Suddenly there was the roaring sound of wind and warmth. Fire erupted from all around me and blocked Greg’s path. He stepped back with a hiss, looking just as shocked as I felt. Arms wrapped around me from behind and picked me up. Warm, comforting, familiar arms. I felt a gentle touch on my neck and the stinging stopped, filling me with calm and more warmth. The pulling sensation I thought I had broken was back.

Zain’s eyes remained fixated on Greg, full of such a blazing rage it was beyond comprehension.

“Well well,” Greg said, standing a safe distance from the flames. “How unexpected. It appears I didn’t have as much time as I thought.”

“When I felt the connection with Helen interrupted I thought something might be up.” Zain’s eyes glanced briefly to his two friends. “That was your doing, wasn’t it?.”

Greg chuckled. “Well, it appears we both lapsed into arrogance.” Zain bristled. “Information gathering isn’t all I can do, as you’ve you've realized by now. But, seeing as I’ve failed again, I do believe I’ll be taking my leave.”

Fire rose up from all entrances and exits to the maze, creating a box around around the whole area. Greg stopped, looking back at us.

“That’s quite a power you have,” he said to Zain, his face impressed. “Elemental fire. Well, there is more than one way to douse a flame. And I know you won’t kill me.”

“What makes you say that?” Zain asked cooly. Greg smiled.

“Because you still don’t know who my accomplice is.”

“So?”

“So?!” Greg laughed. “Think you already have the big picture, huh? You think your pyrotechnics are enough to find them, right?” He laughed again, an eerie, high pitched laugh. “You don’t have the whole picture, they’ve been under your nose for all this time and you still think you can trust them?”

Zain and I both stiffened. He growled.

“Enough with the mind games,” he said, putting me down gently and striding forward. Around us it seem like the wind was picking up, making the fires rise higher and higher. Surely someone would see this by now?

Greg sidestepped slowly, keeping his eyes on Zain. “Tell me, my Lord, if what I say isn’t fact, why haven’t you killed me yet? You could easily do so, I don’t have the powers or the strength to fend myself against you.”

He didn’t say anything, but continued to advance on him, creating a fireball in his hand.

“However,” Greg continued, eyeing the fire, “One thing I can boast is my speed, and ability to disappear.” He suddenly vanished. “And your arrogance of that will be your downfall.”

Zain whipped around and cast his fire in my direction, narrowing missing both me and the Greg who suddenly yelped back.

“You will not touch her!” Zain snarled, and lunged.

Once again everything became way too fast for me to see. There were clashes and bangs and fire everywhere. Greg tried to douse Zain’s flames by causing a deluge of water to flood out of the broken fountain. Zain brushed the water from his face and placed one on the wet floor at his feet. Lightning crackled and traveled up a line to Greg, who was caught in paralyzing spasms. Through what looked like pure willpower alone he leapt out of the water and away from the conductive current, his eyes appalled.

“Impossible! Vampires can’t have more than one ability!” He dodged another fireball attack, landing on top of the broken fountain in a crouch. “Yours is fire! HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS?!”

“I never said my power was fire,” Zain said coldly, and made a lifting gesture. The water rose up all around Greg; there was no escaping it. “You made that assumption yourself.”

The water closed around him in a giant sphere. More electricity kept him paralyzed as the sphere began to freeze over. Greg was now encased in ice, unable to move, his body stuck in the appearance of agony.

Zain let out an exhausted breath and stumbled, looking like he just finished running a human marathon. He wiped his brow and made his way quickly to Dmitri and Mason.

“You still alive my friend?” he called to Dmitri, kneeling down and holding out something that looked like a capri sun pack.

Dmitri took it gratefully, draining it. “Barely,” he replied.

A groan made their heads turn. Mason was sitting up, looking dizzy. “Whatappen…?”

I carefully attempted to stand, wincing with pain from the broken rib. Immediately there was a rush of wind and Zain was at my side.

“Helen, I’m so sorry, I should have been here sooner,” he said, supporting me.

“Seriously, what took you so long?” I teased darkly, wincing again. Then, against my better judgement, I hugged him. “You stupid vampire, I was so scared…”

He hugged me back, wincing too. “I think your rib is broken.”

“No, really? I hadn’t noticed.”

Once recovered some more Dmitri and Mason made their way over. Dmitri once again reset my rib while Mason examine the ice pop enemy.

“Seems a little too easy,” he commented, staring up at Greg. “The guy we’ve been suspecting being the one behind it all.”

“There’s still his accomplice,” Dmitri added. “We have no idea who it could be or how they were working together.”

“Greg had power over the flow of information,” Zain said, finished with addressing my scapes and cuts. “He could easily have communicated without anyone picking it up, and even block connections with Brides if he wanted to.”

They looked at him; so did I. Zain glanced down at me.

“You disappeared soon as you entered the garden. I should have responded to it sooner, but I thought I you might have just been blocking me. When it didn’t waver something seemed wrong.”

I swallowed, confused now by what had happened earlier when the pulling sensation was severed. Then was that just...him jamming the signal?

“Check the perimeter for around the castle for any rogue groups; Greg wasn’t from the castle, he could be apart of an organization. Get the guards on alert.”

Mason nodded and disappeared. Zain picked me up carefully, trying not to dislodge the broken rib again.

“You’re probably going to need a brace for that,” he told me quietly.. “That’s probably going to take a lot longer to heal than I can make it.”

“Greaaat.”

Mason came back. “It’s done, the guards are out looking now. Party is getting antsy though, they saw the fire display.”

“We need to get this one to a nurse and tell the council,” Dmitri limped over, gesturing to me.

“I’ll take her,” Mason offered. “You two get this guy to the council.” As Zain seemed to hesitate he added, “Dmitri’s condition is going to be a lot more convincing than mine, not to mention he got to the fight sooner than I did, so his memories will be more valuable. And with the guy on ice you’ll be able to order a full memory dive on him, find out who the other accomplice was.”

Zain nodded and I was transferred over to Mason. With the adrenaline starting to fade, sleep began to threaten my mind.

“Don’t sleep just yet Helen,” Zain said, sensing it.

“Well get ya patched up and in the warmth soon,” Mason said. “Then you can sleep as long as you want.”

I gave a look of goodbye towards Zain, wishing I could just stay with him, and then the surroundings became a blur once again.

I hadn’t realized just how cold I felt until a blast of heat told me we were inside again. Zain’s fire from earlier had fought back the frost during the fight but the time afterwards was enough to feel numb again. But now it stung as feeling in my fingers and toes began to come back.

Numb is how my mind felt too. I still haven’t exactly processed what just happened. It all went so fast, so much happened all at once that there had been no time to think. A burning question sat in my mind: did the bond actually break? Did I actually manage to close those feeling off, or was he just jamming the signal connection with Zain? And...if I hadn’t snapped out of it, would the connection have actually switched?

“We’re here,” Mason said, and everything stopped blurring by so quickly. “I’ll run to fetch the nurse while you get warmed up. Can you walk?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I think so, thanks.” This healing ability was amazing, my ribs only slightly throbbed at the moment...so long as I didn’t turn the wrong way.

He set me down and I opened the door, walking into a darkly lit room still in thought. There was one window, and, unlike many of the rooms in this place, no other doors. Come to think of it, this didn’t look like any nurse’s office or room I’d ever been in. There wasn’t even a cot.

Behind me I heard Mason close the door, and the unmistakable click of a lock.

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Chapter Fourteen

Also available to read at Tapas.io!

I sat where I was on the couch, still mulling over things. It felt like a week had passed me by in just 24 hours. Despite having a full night's rest I felt exhausted. And furious. Why did he do that? Why did he decide today, of all days, would be a time to test that? I was still unnerved at the fact that he actually made me feel comfortable, relaxed. I didn’t like it. It was terrifying.

A few more minutes passed before Dmitri arrived with a soft knock. He gave me time to get changed and fixed up, and then he led me down a spiral staircase and out of the tower. He assured me that everyone on the riding trail made it back safe and sound, and have been given enough information to placate them. This made it easier for me to come up with what to actually say, in case I say too much.

After what felt like a long walk we finally reached the open glass hallway to the Day Wing, and I relaxed just a little more, thankful for the familiarity. Dmitri said he’d let me go from there but assured me that he’d still be close by.

Everyone was practically in hysterics when I showed up, Claire even in tears since she saw me last. I felt horrible. Not only was I not able to tell anyone when I left, but now I had to leave them in the dark again, after they all had woken up and found me missing. They thought I had been kidnapped, which...they weren’t exactly wrong about.

To my surprise though, they took my excuses readily, understanding immediately, soon as I mentioned Zain. I’m starting to realize what kind of power he actually has...and just how much power his name alone carries. I wonder what else I’d could get away with.

After packing my things and handing them to Dmitri I decided to walk around with the girls, seeing as I don’t know how much more time I’d be able to spend with them now. Everything seemed...normal, despite the buzz of rumors about what happened yesterday. News of Zain’s injuries had spread with worry and yet hardly anyone seemed actually concerned. Less concerned than the day I had shown up even. It made me recall the story he had told me last night, and his disdain. Everyone knew...but nobody seemed to care. Like it was just an every other day occurrence.

The only thing that seemed to really change was me.

Despite staying in his room from then on, I didn’t see Zain for nearly the entire week. Dmitri and Mason would trade off escorting me to and from his room since Dmitri would still have classes. I began to wonder when Zain sleeps, and if he ever normally sleeps. Maybe he sleeps during the day; most of his duties seemed to be at night. I asked Mason one time where he was.

“The idiot is still running around on fumes,” he said, shaking his head. “Still trying to gather evidence of a conspiracy to give to the council; dumbass hasn’t even slept yet.”

Well that answered one question. Regardless, I slept on the couch instead of the bed, which was significantly less comfy but felt way less weird.

Aside from the rumors of his attack, the Winter Solstice was still the main topic on everyone’s mind. It was the one night that every human was invited over to the Night Wing to comingle and celebrate with the entire vampire population. There was talk of extravagances and earning favors, the pinings among my peers for the chance to meet young suitors at the dance. Even if I weren’t already required to go, I’d have no interest in any of this whole affair. I’d be doing my best to ensure I COULDN’T go. But the ball was only two weeks away now, and a horrible thought just occurred to me.

I’m going to have to dance with Zain.

And I still can’t dance worth crap.

“Hey, Dmitri?” I asked once everyone had left the classroom. “Can I...ask you something?”

A slight look of worry tinged his eyes but he obliged. “Of course. What can I do for you?”

“You remember when you offered to...when you said if I ever changed my mind about dancing, you’d be up for the challenge?”

His eyes immediately lit up. “Yes, of course. My offers still stands, naturally.

I nodded, feeling determined now. “Do you...do you think you can help me in time for the Solstice Ball?”

It was very dark by the time I got back to the Night Wing. Dmitri was ecstatic, and wanted to start working with me immediately. I’ve all but filled up my free time now with extra lesson with him, trying to learn the specific dance style that was traditionally performed. Unsurprisingly my klutziness resulted in some really horrendous accidents that, had it been another human being, would have definitely caused injury. But Dmitri was unfazed by it all, and remained determined  to make a dancer out of me.

I groaned as I opened the door, feeling rather sore yet somewhat exhilarated, and felt the pulling sensation increase. With a start I looked up; Zain was back.

He was sitting on his bed, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hands, his face furrowed. He made no noise or motion that indicated he was aware of my presence. I shuffled in awkwardly.

“Hey,” I called with uncertainty. “Um, hi, I’m here.”

“I know.” He still didn’t move, his eyes staring out into nothing, like he was looking outward for something.

“Um…” I tentatively pulled up a chair and sat down. “Has...has something happened?”

The concern in my voice seemed to snap him out of it. He looked up, his eyes focused on me, and then back forward. He looked so tired. But he was present now.

“No, nothing yet. Nothing definitive. I managed to find traces of the group that attacked me, they were definitely organized. But there’s nothing that draws them back to the castle. Whoever it is, they’re keeping very good tabs on their tracks and alibis.”

“What about Greg?”

“I’ve looked into him too. And into every piece of paper that entered existence in this castle and where it goes. He’s never exhibited any behavior out of the ordinary, except when he intercepted us last week. And no one knows how that letter ended up in your possession.”

I shivered. “Do ghosts exist too, by chance?”

He gave me an impatient stare. “Really, Helen?”

“Come on, I’m half-kidding. I don’t know what’s real or fantasy anymore. I still wonder if I’m not just having the world’s longest nightmare.”

“Tell me about it…” Zain grumbled.

Silence fell between us as soft moonlight began to fill the windows.

“What about anyone on the council?” I asked after a moment. “At this point we should be treating everyone as a suspect, right?”

He gave me another look of frustrated impatience that quickly turned thoughtful. “That’s true. It could even be the entire council, and that’s why they’re so against it.” He groaned and fell back into the bed. “But they of all people would understand what would happen if I died. Their interests is in the peace of our preservation, not destructive chaos. Someone could be pretending, but…”

He suddenly sat up, his eyes wide. “That’s right. Someone could be pretending--lying. But they wouldn’t know…” He stood up, coming over to me. “Helen, have you noticed anything strange about your friends?”

I bristled. “I’m sorry what?” I felt extremely confident that none of them are trying to kill us.

He shook his head and gripped my shoulders, looking hopeful. “I don’t mean like that, I just mean have any of them been acting weird, or stranger than usual?”

I thought about it, about the week so far. Nothing had been strange, Rose seemed a little more worried but remained a powerhouse to the dorm, Alice and Suzanne hadn’t changed routines at all, Claire got her form from Greg for the spring trip and some new snacks, Wendy-

My insides grew cold with guilt as I realized. “Wendy wasn’t at the dorms at all.”

He stiffened. “That’s not good.”

I stared into his eyes with worry. “You don’t think…?”

He didn’t answer. He seemed to be thinking things over, then…

“I need to check something. This might be...this might be the lead I needed.” He looked into my eyes again, patiently pleading. “And, Helen...I really need you to cooperate with me today.”

I stiffened, immediately remembering what he did last time.

“I promised I wouldn’t do that to you again. I keep my promises.”

I swallowed tentatively and took a breath. “Okay, fine,” I said, awkwardly moving my hair out of the way of my neck. “It’s better not to take chances I guess.”

He seemed to chuckle and smirk a little, and took my arm instead. “Just a snack this time, Helen. No need to be so dramatic.”

I flushed and glared at him. “Excuse you, who was it that’s always objected to anything but my neck?!” But he had already bit into my arm.

The brief pain caused me to wince but it soon faded quickly as the vague yet familiar numbness took it place as he drew my blood. A slightly morbid curiosity filled me as instead of shutting my eyes I glanced sideways at him.

Zain was holding my arm gently to his mouth, his lips soft against my skin as if he were simply kissing it. His eyes were closed and relaxed, though his features seemed ragged with exhaustion. The skin around where he bit was unmarked except for a little drainage of color. As he drank slowly and carefully, I realized just how used to this I had gotten. The sight, the idea of it, no longer sickened me.

He lifted his mouth with a light gasp, and then let me go after a quick swipe of his tongue over the wound before the blood could bead. I snatched my arm back soon as he did, startled and a little weirded out. And then saw the two red punctures reduce it’s swelling and heal over, leaving behind the smallest hint of a bruise. My eyes widened.

“Vampire venom,” Zain explained to my alarmed gaze as he wiped his mouth. “You’ve heard about it, we make a diluted paste out of it for humans. In pure concentration it can be toxic. You’re immune to mine though.”

“How do people not die when they’re not a Bride?” I asked in disbelief, still staring at my arm and trying not to think about the fact that he just licked me.

“It depends on how much blood is taken, and how healthy the victim is.” I smirked a little when he said ‘victim,’ and he rolled his eyes at me. “I’m not the only one who has a hard time following the rules; some humans and vampires do contact feeding; it’s part of the reason why we make sure everyone stays healthy.”

“So no one accidently dies,” I nodded. “So...if another vampire bit me, then…?”

“As long as I keep feeding from you regularly, nothing should happen. My venom in your system acts like an antibody as well as a healing mechanism; it uses your energy to accelerate any injury recovery, and it attacks any foreign intrusion if anyone else tries to bite or turn you, kind of like guarding a territory. If you were to be attacked, and someone else bit you or tried to turn you, you'd be in mortal danger unless I get to you in time. My regular feedings from you isn’t just for my benefit alone; it's keeping you protected as well.”

“Thats...disturbing. Yet somewhat reassuring.” It was weird to know that essentially Zain’s spit coursed through my veins, but at least that meant I'd be relatively safe from other vampires’ bites. Zain was staring at me now, though.

“What?” I asked, then realized. “Did...did I just say that outloud?”

“You did,” he answered, still staring at me curiously. “Not that it would have matter whether you vocalized it or not.”

I looked away and crossed my arms, my face tinged pink I’m sure. It was really unfair how often he heard my thoughts. “Stay out of my head.”

“As I’ve said before, I would if I could, love.”

Now it was my turn to stare at him.

“Oops, did I say that outloud?” he said with an air of false pretense, the corners of his mouth curling ever so slightly, and teasing mischief in his eyes. I glared at him, glad the anger hid the embarrassing thoughts my mind had jumped to. That’s not funny. He seemed to think it was.

He cleared his throat and began heading towards the door, the humor falling back to a mode of seriousness. “I’m going to go check some things now, and see if I can find your friend.” My anger subsided immediately and gave way to worry. “I don’t know how long it will take, but please, PLEASE, don’t leave the room unless Dmitri, Mason, or myself comes for you. They’ll be close by just in case, but if we’re being watched they’re going to know I’ll be on the other side of the castle, and away from you.”

I nodded, feeling my insides curl with a growing sense of unease. I really want to go to the pool; I’m probably not going to be able to sleep tonight.

He cast me a sympathetic stare before opened the door. “Stay safe, Helen,” he said, and then he was gone.

I sat in the quiet, trying not to think once more. I really didn’t like this room. It was too big. Too empty. There was too much space for my thoughts to escape into. Wendy...how could I have not noticed her? That she was missing? Why hadn’t anyone mentioned it? Or noticed it? I know it was common for her to miss classes but…

Wait. What if she was just in her room the whole time? Maybe she was sick…

But her urgent warning that day was too coincidental. Something strange, stranger than normal, was happening.

I shook my head and propped it against my hands on the table. I was so tired. I wanted to lie down. But there was too much happening in my brain. He licked my arm. I shuddered, feeling weird, casting my eyes to the almost-gone bruise. That healed way faster than the ointment Alice had used on me my first night here. And the bruise on my neck after his first actual feeding...that had still been really dark, though it hadn’t left any swelling. And the fast healing bruise from when I force fed him, it had gone from purple to yellow very quickly; it was gone within that evening. My body, I realized, has steadily grown more efficient at healing those things. My hand traced the welted scar around my collarbone idly, recalling what he just told me earlier. About his venom in my veins, its healing properties. The changes my body was going through, would continue to go through. That venom...must be responsible for preserving the life of Brides, I concluded. If Zain stopped feeding from me, I wonder, would I start to age, same as he would?

But then, Brides were supposed to be changed from the moment of the first bite, regardless of the lifespan of the vampire. Or...was that also a lie too?

My head slowly fogged over, my eyelids drooping. I really wanted to lie down, but I was too worried. Loneliness was all that filled the space here. I found myself wishing he would come back soon, as my head slowly lowered to the table.

Everything felt bright and airy, and I knew immediately I was in a dream. I was floating through the snow, but it wasn’t cold. The trees were quiet, and soothing. It was a blissful moment, but I should probably be getting home.

Very slowly eyes began to form on the tree trunks, following me, growing more frequent. It unnerved me, and I started running. Now I was in the castle walls, passing portraits and shadows. The eyes continued to follow me.

I was in a courtyard, but not one I’d seen before. There were large stone arches and a fountain. Someone was standing on the other side, a dark figure. They felt dangerous. The eyes were starting to close in, like they were excited, like something they had been wanting was about to happen.

“Helen?”

I looked up, startled. Zain was standing next to me, looking bemused.

“What are you still doing there?” he asked, and the eyes disappeared. Elation filled me; I was so relieved. Zain’s here now, everything will be okay.

The world around us blurred and we were back in his room again. I mumbled something about “You scared the eyes away.” He looked at me quizzically for a moment, and then seemed to understand.

“Let’s get you to bed,” he said gently, and lifted me from my chair. His arms were so warm and his scent so pleasant...I buried my head in his chest, sighing and wishing this wasn’t a dream. A soft chuckle resonated within it.

He set me down on the bed and began to walk away, but I reached out and grabbed the sleeve of his sweater desperately, causing his red worried eyes to turn back in surprise. Don’t go...please don’t go, they’ll come back, I don’t want them to come back…”

“Who will come back?” he questioned, his voice sounding worried.

“The lonely,” I murmured, my droopy eyes starting to well with tears. “Don’t leave me, please…”

Something seemed to click in his expression, and he sat down on the bed next to me. His eyes switched from red to green like a stoplight. “What do you need me to do?”

“Just stay…” I still had a hold of his sleeve. “Don’t leave...just stay with me…”

“I won’t leave,” his gentle voice murmured, and I felt my heart lift. I closed my eyes, the tears that had built up pushed themselves out and down my cheeks. He was staying, it was okay. Everything was going to be okay.

There was a soft humming and I felt my hair being stroked gently. It was comforting, and his voice soothing. I could feel myself falling deeper into sleep, wishing once again this wasn’t just a dream.

When I woke up my face flushed immediately. The dream played and replayed in my head a few more times, each time more embarrassing than the last. I sat up, my feelings squirming in a weird manner inside me. That was definitely a dream...right? He didn’t...he wouldn’t have acted like...and didn’t really...I didn’t...right?

The door clicked opened and I threw the metal barriers up immediately, squeaking in fright. The smell of fresh warm eggs and bacon wafted in, and Zain walked in carrying a plate of breakfast. He spotted me.

“Oh good, you’re already awake. I brought up some breakfast.”

I stared at him incredulously, wondering if I wasn’t still asleep.

“There’s some things I need to talk to you about,” he said, making his way to the couches and table. “Something that...isn’t going to be easy for you to hear.”

I swallowed, and my stomach growled. Unable to resist the smell of offered food I obliged and got out of bed. I watched his face with growing anxiety. Did he...hear my dream at all? Would dreams carry through thoughts? I didn’t want to be teased for this. It was bad enough that...but his face remained stoic, his eyes not meeting mine. He waiting for me to start eating first, staring down at his hands in contemplation.

“I couldn’t find Wendy,” he said, and I dropped my fork.

“You couldn’t…?” I picked up the fork again, the dream falling completely from my  mind. “Then...is she…?”

“She’s vanished, I couldn’t find a trace of her anywhere. Her scent led up to her room and never left. I don’t think she’s dead.”

The food grew bland in my mouth. I didn’t want to eat anymore. “Then...then she’s been taken.”

“That is my best guess, though by who I can’t be sure. Your friends’ memories, however...have been altered.”

I froze. “What? What do you--?”

“They’re okay! They haven’t been hurt, but...someone’s tampered with their memories of Wendy. They seemed to be under the impression that she’s simply an acquaintance; they have no recollection of Wendy ever having stayed in the dorms.”

“But--her room--?”

“The plaque had been removed.”

My head spun as I tried to keep my breathing steady. Wendy’s been taken...someone must have found out she tried to tell me and took her. They’re trying to erase her existence to cover it up. “Who has the ability to do that?”

“Too many people unfortunately,” Zain grimaced. “But now we have something that I can force a proper investigation on. Even if it’s unrelated, she might have been kidnapped to make a Bride, which is against the rules without the proper procedures. They can’t ignore this.” He looked triumphant, and hopeful, but still with a twinge of worry in his eyes. And then his expression fell just a little. “But this would rule out Greg; his ability has to do with intelligence gathering. He can observe high amounts of information through strands of thought,” he added to my puzzled look. “He’s kind of like an antenna…” Zain trailed off as a thought dawned on me.

“That’s how he could be keeping track of us,” I said out loud. “He wouldn’t need to follow us around.”

“He can just tune in to the right frequencies,” Zain said, his hand going to his mouth in realization.  “But then...that would definitely mean there are more accomplices, if that’s the case. Someone who can tamper with memories, and someone who can collect information.”

We sat there for a moment, and I dropped my head into my hands in exasperation. Zain cast me a look of sympathy.

“Why does everything keep getting complicated…” I grumbled. “Is there a way to get their memories back?”

“It depends,” he answered hesitantly, “on how they were taken in the first place. Vampires powers are fairly unique, but they’re usually a variation of four category types: Mental, Physical, Elemental, and Ethereal. Mine would be considered elemental, Dmitri’s telekinesis is physical, Greg’s would be mental. Memory tampering would also be mental, but there’s different variations of how that works. It could be that they’re memories were reordered, locked, or, as an ethereal version, actually stolen away. It doesn’t seem like it’s a case of that, ethereal abilities are actually pretty rare. If they’re scrambled, we can find a person who can put them back but…”

“...but there’s a chance that person would be the one who scrambled them in the first place,” I finished for him. He nodded.

“Things might get...more dangerous today,” he began to say. “I don’t think whoever it was expected me to let you back to the Day Wing so quickly; they might not have snuck your friend away so soon if they knew. But they’re going to know by now that I’ve searched for her, and once it gets to the council today they might think they’ve been compromised. I want you to stay here, okay? Just for today at least. They might get desperate, they might act while I’m away from you this time.”

I didn’t like the idea of being stuck in the room all day, but I also didn’t like the idea of feeling paranoid walking through the halls. “What about you? Wouldn’t it be better if I stayed with you?”

He blinked at me for a second, and then the slyest smirk I’ve seen from him yet pulled up the corners of his mouth. “What’s this, Helen?” he accused teasingly. “Worried for me?”

For second it felt like he knew. He knew about the dream, he heard it. But I wasn’t going to admit it. I flushed and looked away angrily. “Of course I’m worried, jerkface. It’s not like I want you to die.”

A small triumphant glee rose in me as I saw his expression fall just a little, once he realized his teasing didn’t work the way he intended. He sighed sheepishly.

“I’ll be in the council room the whole time, so unless it’s the council themselves, whoever it is will have a hard time fighting against fourteen powerful vampires. I appreciate the concern though,” he added with another smirk.

He waited until I finished the rest of my breakfast (what I could stomach at this point at least) before leaving, promising to be back by lunch. I sat where he left me, staying in my pajamas, uncertain. The pulling sensation grew taut but not unbearably so, almost seeming to react to my anxiety this time. I was afraid, afraid for my friends, afraid for Zain, afraid for myself. There was nothing I could do about it right now, nothing I could do at all. I could only hope that things work out, that the COV listens to him, that they find Wendy safe and sound.

Wendy...I looked over at his bookshelf. Peter and Wendy, the story of Peter Pan. A boy who never wanted to grow up, whisks away a young girl and her siblings, and proceeds to have many adventures. Our Wendy’s been whisked away too, only she was all alone, kidnapped by an unidentified Captain Hook.

I shook my head and tried to busy myself. I tried to practice the dance steps Dmitri had been teaching me, pretending to be waltzing with an invisible partner. When I felt too silly I decided to poke around, investigating Zain’s office-sized walk-in closet. Despite the size it looked like many articles of clothing remained untouched, some even looking to be too big for him. When that didn’t work I sat back down next to his bookshelves and tried reading some of the books he had.

Time continued to drag on, I was pretty sure it was noon now. I was starting to get hungry again. I briefly considered sneaking down to get food. It was a stupid idea, of course. But I decided to get up anyway and press my ear to the door. No sound was coming from the halls, not that I was surprised, this was probably the only room up here.

I walked over to the balcony window and hesitated. Surely it would be okay, it would be safe, right? It was part of his room after all.

The blast of cold air was a breath of relief. I hadn’t realized how stuffy it felt in the room. The sky was white and cloudy, and there was a fresh layer of snow. I stepped out and leaned against the stone railing, my breath coming out in puffs of steam. I started to relax.

It’ll be okay. Thousands of strange things have happened now, but you haven’t died from them.

Not yet anyway.

Shut up, that doesn’t mean things won’t work out. I mean, it’s been four months now, right? That’s plenty of time for things to turn catastrophic.

But something was coming. Something in me felt it, like the foreshadowing of a story. It was like a big storm was coming, and I was staring into the thunderclouds rolling towards me.

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Chapter Thirteen

Also available to read at Tapas.io!

Once again, I didn’t know where I was.

I sat up immediately, feeling alarms pump through my veins as I glanced desperately around. Nothing was familiar, this bed was way too big, I was in an open room. Then I heard a light exhalation of air towards the couches and saw Zain sleeping. Everything that happened started coming back.

It took a few steady breaths to calm my heart. That’s right...he was attacked yesterday, and had me pack and brought me here. I dropped my head into my hands and sighed. Why does everything just...keep happening? Is it going to just keep happening until one of us dies or something? Am I really going to have to live forever with this?

I heard another noise from Zain’s direction; he shifted to his side and muttered something in his sleep. Mild curiosity replaced my angst, and I quietly got out of bed and tip-toed across the soft plush carpet.

His expression was very peaceful, almost gentle even, as he slept. His hair was mussed, probably from tossing. His mouth was open slightly as he breathed, and I could see the tips of his fangs peeking out from behind his lips. It was...kinda cute. Like watching a kitten sleep or something.

Ignoring the fact that I just compared Zain to a house cat, I glanced around from where I stood. I was awake now, and unsure of what I should do. There weren’t any classes scheduled for me today, and I wouldn’t even know where I was to go to them anyway. I was pretty sure he wouldn’t want me leaving, not without him being close by at least, in case something happened. But I didn’t want to just sit here. I had half a mind to wake him up.

I looked back at him. His chest rose and fell gently to the rhythm of his breathing, quiet and peaceful. He always looked so tired, like he never got enough sleep. I had wondered, too, if vampire’s actually sleep as well, and I guess this answers my question. His hair looked incredibly soft, and I had an overwhelming urge to touch it. A sweet scent seemed to diffuse around him, and I found myself leaning in. It was really nice and...warm. Like sunlight through an open window on a lazy spring afternoon. That’s not at scent at all, but it’s what it makes me think of. It was so out of character for a scent I’d expect him to wear.

He shifted and I froze, not daring to move or breath in case he woke up; the last thing I needed was for him to think I was watching him sleep. Which I was, but that was beside the point. To my relief he resettled after turning a little and his breathing evened out again. A piece of his hair, though, was now stuck in the corner of his mouth from where his head had been resting on it. I stifled a laugh, making a mental note to sear this image in my memory forever. It was going to bug me to just leave it though, having seen it now, so very slowly, very carefully, I reached out to brush it away from his face.

Everything happened in an instant; Zain’s eyes snapped open as he grabbed my wrist and flung me over the side of the couch, pinning me against the carpet floor by my throat. His grip was tight and his fangs bared in a startled and threatened snarl.

I barely had time to process being scared before he actually woke up with a start. He let go of my neck immediately and backed off. “Helen what the hell?!”

“Back at you!” I snapped back, rubbing my neck as I sat up. My head began to throb from hitting the floor. “What the heck was that?!”

He narrowed his eyes, and then stretched tiredly. “What are you doing waking up a vampire?”

“I wasn’t trying to wake you.”

“Oh yeah?” he yawned, and then gave me a teasing look. “And just what were you trying to do?”

I flushed before I could stop it. Shoot. “Nothing,” I said quickly, looking away.

The corner of his mouth curved up. “Nothing, hm? Just watching me sleep? I didn’t take you for the type.”

“What--no, I wasn’t--!”

“Keep denying it, it’s only gonna make me believe it’s true,” he said, heading towards the bathroom.

The whole time he walked to the bathroom I imagined literal daggers being flung at him. The growing fear of danger was just as quickly disappearing as I realized his wake-up reaction was probably due to survival instincts. I stood up, feeling embarrassed and frustrated, and decided to poke around a little, now that he was awake. For some reason it felt a little less awkward, as if his consciousness was permission.

There really wasn’t much to look at though; I guess Zain isn’t the type to clutter. The books on the shelves were a blend of old and new, not as old as those tomes in the library, but at least a century old to present. A lot looked like non-fiction, many were in different languages, but there were a few stories hidden amongst them. Nothing seemed to be ordered in any manner, but they were clean of dust. The most intriguing was an original copy of Peter and Wendy. It was well worn, like it had been taken out many times.

In the corner of the room I noticed an inconspicuous door, just past the seating area. It looked pretty plain, without a frame around it, so it blended into the wall. I tried turning the dark brass handle; it was locked.

“Rather nosy, aren’t you?” came Zain’s voice very close behind me. I jumped and spun, and he laughed.

“You’ve locked me in your room,” I argued after a moment. “What do you expect me to do? Just sit quietly and wait?”

“I’m surprised you didn’t try to leave yet,” he smirked, walking back across the room to an open walk-in closet. I flushed as I realized he wasn’t wearing a shirt, only a pair of dark jeans.

“What’s in the locked room?” I asked, sitting down and facing away from him. “Secret torture dungeon or something?” His laugh came from the closet.

“Sure Helen. I keep my torture dungeon right next to my room, on the top floor of the castle.”

“It could have stairs,” I said, smiling just a little.

“Regardless, it’s nothing you need to worry about right now.”

“Is it something I’ll have to worry about later?” I asked back sardonically.

“Possibly,” came his voice, suddenly right by my ear and causing me to shiver. Before I could react properly, his hand had reached around my neck from behind, tilting my chin back. His other hand gently but firmly gripped my shoulder, holding me in place.

“What are you-?!” I gasped, the touch feeling strangely electrifying.

“Sorry,” he murmured before gently biting my neck.

Something weird was happening again, different this time. Something cool seemed to fill me from head to toe, emanating out from where he bit me. It was pleasant, calming, and made me think of the pool. My eyes closed and I began to float, like I was there. I could almost hear the the water, feel the weightlessness and the quiet, could almost forget. It was wonderful.

And then it was gone, fading away like a distant daydream. Zain was staring at me, his eyes scarlet but curious, a tinge of red on the corner of his mouth. My senses came back to me and I immediately leaped away from him, my hand to my neck.

“What did you do?” I demanded as he straightened out.

“Sorry,” he said again, wiping his mouth and looking away from me. “I wanted to try something.”

My insides froze. “Try somethi--? What did you do to me?!”

“Oh, calm down, Helen. It’s not that big of a deal.”

“No, I will NOT calm down! What did you do?!”

He sighed impatiently. “I wanted to see if I could impart a specific feeling to you, like how you did with that accidental Dive.”

My chest seemed to be trying to collapse on itself. “You were trying to make me feel a certain way.”

He looked back at me, offended. “What? No, that’s not at all what that-”

“Don’t. Ever. Do that to me again.” I hugged my knees, seething and feeling scared at the same. It was bad enough...it was bad enough that simply being his Bride was affecting how I felt. But...if he can do that to me directly…

“Alright, alright, fine.” He lifted his hands in submission. “I won’t do it again. I promise.”

I didn’t move or respond. As much as I’ve gotten to know him so far, there was no way to know if he’d actually keep his promise. And that really, really scared me.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. “I have to attend to some issues regarding what happened yesterday, and obviously I don’t expect you to hole up in my room all day, so Dmitri will be by to escourt you back to the Day Wing. You should be safe to grab any other necessities you weren’t able to bring with you and have them sent here. I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I can’t let you stay in the dorms anymore.”

“How long will I have to stay here?” I asked flatly.

“I don’t know,” he responded honestly. “At the very least until the issue has passed...unless something else comes up,” he muttered bitterly.

“Wait, what am I suppose to tell my friends? They’re going to know I didn’t stay in my room last night.”

He gave me a look that said I already knew my answer.

“I can’t lie to them again,” I said with a pang of guilt. “They’ve been so nice to me. I can’t just...make something up, they deserve to know…”

“Would you rather they be in danger too?” he said empathetically, and I bit my lip. “They can’t know what’s going on, Helen.”

“I have to tell them something…”

“Just don’t give them all the facts. Tell them something happened that you can’t talk about.” He started opening the door. “Tell them I’m making you keep quiet. They’ll understand.”

I didn’t like it, but it was better than nothing. “Okay.”

Zain cast one more glance back at me before walking out the door. “Stay in the castle, don’t go anywhere without supervision, and please...don’t do anything stupid.”

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Chapter Twelve

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I still couldn’t sleep. It was still too weird, being in Zain’s room, in his bed, even though there was at least twenty feet between us. It should be less weird. He once watched over me as I slept, after all. Maybe it was the unfamiliarity, maybe it was because we were isolated, or because of what just transpired moments ago, or maybe because this room is way too dang huge. Whatever the reason, it was still weird. I tossed and turned but only made myself more antsy.

“Hey Zain?” I called out quietly. “Are you asleep?”

“Yes.”

His response briefly amused me. “I have a question.”

“When do you not?”

I scowled a little into the dark but only for the moment; the awkwardness wasn’t the only reason I couldn't sleep.

“Something...you said earlier today, back in the woods.” I heard him shuffle; he was listening. “You said something about...if you die, then all of the vampires would go feral. What did you mean?”

He didn’t answer for a moment, and I could feel his thoughts deliberating. “Do you want the story, or to be able to sleep tonight?”

“I’m already not going to be able to sleep,” I mumbled, wrapping a corner of my blanket around my fingers. He sighed and I think I heard him sit up.

“A long, very long time ago, a single vampire created the very first human Bride.” His voice was quiet and somber, and I listened. “It was during a time well before technology or proper medicine, a time of humans and monsters. Every vampire was feral, jumping from one victim to the next, slowly killing off the human population each time they fed. Everyone was at war, and no one was safe. Hunters came after them; witches came after them. They fought over hunting grounds with the wolves. It was uncertain chaos, with very few vampires even having enough sanity to mask their natures.

“Until one vampire fell in love with a human. Mordecai Aros. He was able to feed without killing them, made a promise to protect them, and made them the very first Bride.

“It was the first time any vampire had experienced power. Some, whether born or created, are gifted with abilities beyond that of any normal human, and the strength varies based on the blood they consume. The less often they’re able to switch the more powerful they can become. But a Bride could guarantee maximum potential; the power made them like a god among their own kind. It gave them the security of a meal, and the ability to protect their partner, in exchange for linking their life with theirs. This vampire had his eyes opened, and saw an opportunity to make the lives of both vampires and humans better. His powers gave him the ability to create contracts with his own kind; by sharing his blood with them, he shared his mind, and was able to tie down their most base urges and control them. He did this with twelve vampires, and encouraged them to each start a clan, a family. They each took on Brides of their own, inducted humans into their families, and began the seeds of the society you’ve been experiencing for the past three months.

“The Blood Oath he created would continue to be passed down in each family. Because of this, and because of their closed societies, they continued to thrive. Vampires born or created would inherit the contract, and so long as that vampire’s bloodline continues they can continued to be controlled. The moment the last heir dies, every single vampire will have the Oath released, and lose control of themselves. It will be pandemonium if that day ever comes.”

During the course of his story I had turned over to watch him, his red eyes glowing dimly in the dark and the moonlight casting silver against him. He stopped, and was looking at me. I wasn’t sure why, until I realized what this was leading up to.

“No…” I breathed, my stomach dropping.

He nodded. “My name is Zain Aros. My parents were Marian and Eldrin Aros. I have no siblings. With them gone, I’m the last living heir to the Aros bloodline.

“Right now there are people that don’t like the fact that the Oath exist. They think anyone in my family can just control them and take away their free will. Even though they don’t understand, it doesn’t stop them from trying to kill us. They’ve been gunning for my blood since before I was born.”

I swallowed. “Does...doesn’t everyone…?” He laughed sardonically.

“Yeah. Everyone goddamn person in this castle knows my family is a giant target. They’ve known since my father took a Bride, and his father before him, and his father’s father. The humans might be fairly blind to it but it’s not a secret, it’s not anything new. The only thing they seemed to be concerned with is whether I’m as powerful as I was supposed to be because I didn’t take the Bride that I was supposed to.”

“...are you?”

He seemed to hesitate for a moment. “...funny thing, my family’s bloodline. Remember when I said the less often a vampire switched targets the stronger they could be?” I nodded. “The same applies to the potential Bride. If a vampire has never fed before taking a Bride, they can achieve their full, maxed out potential. My family in particular can go a very, very long time before needing blood, until their very first feeding. You were the first one I had ever bitten, ever.”

For some reason that made me feel embarrassed, and I was glad it was dark because I had been blushing way too often today. “So...so then...in other words, you’re beyond powerful…?”

“More than I expected,” he replied, and then almost to himself, “...more that I could have imagined...I haven’t told or demonstrated this to anyone, just so you know, and I’d like to keep it that way. If there’s a traitor in the castle, the less information they have access to the better.”

I nodded. That wouldn’t be hard, I’ve only seen a couple of instances of it so far, after all. “What are you going to do?” I asked, sitting up now.

“I don’t know,” he groaned, his face dropping into his hands. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. No one will listen, they think it’s too early for someone to try an assassination attempt simply because my parents and all before me were adults by the time they were attacked and killed. The only ones I can trust are Dmitri and Mason, but three vampires aren’t enough! I don’t know who else in the castle is trying to kill me, who else would be on my side…” He took a breath to steady his voice. “They got to my parents before they could teach me enough. I’m not ready for this responsibility, all I have to go on is the story I just told you and the things that people tell me.”

I watched Zain, feeling bitter and helpless. I’ve been selfish. My problems, my desire to go home, it all seemed so trivial now in the wake of this. Nothing’s been fair to either of us. But I didn’t know what I should do about it. I wanted to help him, to comfort him, like he had for me when he made me fall apart, not understanding anything, but...I didn’t know how.

“Sorry,” was all I could think of saying, and it was pathetic.

He sighed. “Helen, don’t apologize. None of this is your fault.”

“Still, sorry…” I murmured. “I didn’t know...I didn’t know this was what was happening. That this was what you were dealing with.”

He laughed darkly. “You’re not supposed to know about all of this, Helen. Even as my Bride. This is all supposed to be kept secret from every human living here, but I guess I’ve broken that rule as well.”

I hugged my knees. “I won’t tell anyone.”

“I know you won’t.”

Awkward silence fell as neither of us knew what to say next. I tried to reprocess everything I just heard. It all sounded so surreal, even by fantasy standards. I thought about all the times I felt him blame me for seemingly no reason, and understood why he felt so angry...and so scared. If I were in his place, if our roles were swapped, and I grew up with having to deal with what he’s been dealing with...I probably would have reacted the same.

“That doesn’t excuse what I’ve done to you,” he murmured, startling me. “How I’ve treated you. You didn’t deserve any of that.”

“I haven’t exactly been helping things either…” I muttered back. Silence filled the room once again.

“While we’re still asking asking questions,” Zain began after a moment. “I have one of my own. How did you perform that Dive?”

“I’m not sure,” I replied. “I wasn’t sure what was happening, I had started getting dizzy like I usually do, and it felt like I might pass out. I was trying not to, and then it felt like something was pulling me out of my body.”

“Hmm…” He looked thoughtful and...slightly embarrassed?

“Why?” I asked tentatively. “Is that...not what’s supposed to happen?”

“Not...exactly.”

I stiffened. “What do you mean not exactly?”

He was extremely careful with his next words. “I...don’t think it was the same kind of ‘Dive’ I’ve been doing. That kind of...merging usually doesn’t happen in that scenario.”

“Um, okay…? When...should it happen, then?”

Zain’s face tinged pinked. It took me a moment to figure it out.

“HOLD on,” I exclaimed. “Hold on hold on hold on what the--? What do you mean, it was something for...that?!” My face flushed hot. “What did--?! What is even the purpose of--?!”

“It’s like an ultimate connection,” he explained uncomfortably, looking a little impatient with me. “That doesn’t mean we did anything, we’re both still virgins, Helen.”

Everything felt way too warm now and my palms became sweaty. “WHY on earth did that happen then??”

He shrugged, trying to be nonchalant as he laid back down without looking at me. “Who knows? Maybe we have feelings for eachother?”

My insides froze and I had to throw up my walls again. Bitterness and longing filled me, and I felt angry and frustrated. That’s not funny. That’s not funny. He can’t just...make a joke like that, knowing...knowing that I don’t have choice about how I feel…!

I slumped down facing the other way. “I’m going to sleep now,” I said bitterly.

“Finally,” he replied.

Neither of us said another word for the rest of the night but my mind was still buzzing. I understood so much now that I felt even more confused about myself, about the future. About what’s going to happen. Are we going to have to deal with this forever? Will I have to worry about everyone trying to attack me in order to get at him?

...will he be okay?

Everything felt upside down. I hate him. But I didn’t really. I couldn’t, not anymore. Not now that I understood him. Not now that I’m here. I wonder if there was still a way...a way to change this. Maybe to transfer the bond. But...would he lose power if that were possible? Would he be in even more danger because of that?

I just don’t know anymore.

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Chapter Eleven

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Zain let me down off his back and opened the balcony doors. A blast of warm air thawed my appendages as I relearned how to walk and unstiffen my joints. Nerves began to get to me; this was Zain’s room. It had been strange enough having him come to my room, even stranger that night he sat vigilant while I slept. But now I was about to see where royalty sleeps.

I rushed inside nonetheless, as it was still icy cold outside. Zain darted around the room turning on various lamps and light switches as I gawked. A plush, creme colored carpet extended across an expensive open-floor suite that was bigger than my house. To one side there was a sunken in sitting area in front of a contemporary gas fireplace built into the wall, above which was a panel that looked like it opened to a wall-mounted TV, probably. Couches sat around a simple black rectangular coffee table, and extending out from there were a couple more single cushion chairs and a side table. Directly across from where I stood was a hallway that my guess was to outside the room, as it reminded me of some hotel entry designs, and on the other side was another set of chairs and side table set in front of a floor-to-ceiling bookcase, and a grand, modern-victorian style bed. The bed was huge, as if meant to sleep eight people, and looked incredibly soft.

“Hellooooo?” Suddenly there was a hand waving in front of my face and I jumped and flailed in surprise. Zain smirked slightly. “There you are, back to earth?”

My heart slowly climbed back down my throat and back where it belonged. “That’s not funny…” I muttered, not looking directly at him.

“Well,” he walked past me and shut the balcony doors. “There’s a bathroom over there, through that door.” He gestured diagonally past the bed in the corner of the room. “You should get cleaned up. No one else can get in here without permission, so we’ll be safe.”

I nodded, nervously fiddling with the fraying bag strap over my shoulder. The thought of a warm shower was nice. Not wanting to stand awkwardly in the room I followed his direction through the door.

Immediately I noticed how significantly more quiet it was in the hallway than his room, and felt a little more relaxed. There was so much open space out there, too much open space. The hallway was dimly lit and narrow, kind of like the hallway back home that led to my room. I don’t know how he stands living in such a space, so empty and alone.

At the end of the hall was another set of doors, one that was small and just held bath towels and such, and the other...the shower room.

Like, an actual, bedroom-sized, black and white contemporary shower room.

Starting from the back wall towards the center was something like a clear glass cage and hanging above it was a huge metal platform where water would rain straight down. Around the cage to one side was a set of sinks and mirror and cabinets, on the other a large black marble bathtub and racks of salts and soaps. The entire room was about the size of the room I had been staying in up until now, dedicated entirely to bathroom necessities.

I didn’t like the openness anymore than I liked it about Zain’s room. I felt way too exposed, way too nervous. Way too much like it would be far too easy to be spied on. I didn’t want to undress, but my current clothes and hair were sticky from the wet snow and mud, and I really wanted to shower. I made sure the door behind me was locked, thankful that the narrow windows along the top of the walls were well frosted over, and stepped into the shower.

A large panel was set inside the stone wall with different buttons and dials. I press one button, and the entire piece above me dumped hot water. I pressed it fervently again many times to make it stop, pressing my body as close to the wall as I could. Nothing was labeled. Surely one of these was the temperature?

After taking a moment to experiment I figured out the different shower settings, and slowly became amazed at how cool it actually was. The buttons seemed to be preprogrammed to specific settings of power, temperature, and area of affect. The dials all controlled those to an extent, the coolest by far being one that actually changed the falling pattern of the water.

I let out a relaxing sigh as the hot water washed away all the sweat and grime, trying not to think. Not about where I am, what just happened, or why. It wasn’t working. My mind was still too buzzed on adrenaline, despite also feeling a wave of tired overtake my body. This morning felt so long ago, like something that happened last week. The bruise on my arm was, amazingly, almost gone, but I could still feel the slight twinge of pain from his bite. I shuddered, remembering the state he was in, how beat up he was. He had taken out that one thrall so easily, if he could be nearly overwhelmed like that…

A loud THUD echoed all around the glass walls and I nearly screamed; the shampoo bottle fell from its perch. I glanced around hurriedly, for some reason afraid that maybe someone had gotten in. But no, I definitely locked the door. I bent down to pick up the bottle. But...would a locked door keep Zain out? It hadn’t kept him out of my room.

I flushed and dropped the bottle again as I couldn’t stop the imagery of him coming into the shower. God I hope he’s not paying attention right now. I slapped my cheeks a couple times as I tried NOT to think about him in his swimsuit. Or without his swimsuit.

He’s a jerk he’s a jerk he’s a jerk he’s a jerk he’s a jerk stop thinking about him he’s a jerk.

He’s only protecting you because what happens to you, happens to him.

He doesn’t actually care. Why would he care anyway? You’re just a commodity, a perk.

You’re just the source of his power.

I stopped mentally beating myself up. The source of his power...so vampires can have superpowers, depending on who they feed from. That might explain the telekinesis I saw Dmitri exhibit. I wonder if he has a Bride? I feel bad for Rose if he does. I grimaced as I realized I’d have to feel bad for Victoria for the same reason. But Mason said they were like Zain’s cousins, and Zain said his family already had powers to begin with. Maybe he doesn’t have one, and is just actually a distant blood relative or something. But then...Zain said something that made it sound like he was the last one in his family. Something about a Blood Oath, and everyone going feral.

My mind stayed on these thoughts as I dried off and changed into the pajamas I brought. The towels were heavenly, and I felt much lighter now that I was clean. Unsure what to do with my dirty clothes I repacked them and stepped out of the bathroom and back down the hall.

Upon opening the door a delicious spicy-italian smell wafted into my face and my stomach growled. Zain was sitting in that sunken seating area, back towards me, TV on a low volume. He looked over his shoulder almost impatiently.

“Took you long enough,” he said.

“Your shower is complicated,” I responded cooly, trying not to blush again as he turned back towards the TV. “Is that food I smell?”

“You hadn’t eaten since this afternoon, right? I had some sent up for you. You should eat.”

“Thanks, I’m starving,” I said, my stomach winning over any sense of awkwardness as I made my way towards the coffee table where a plate of warm, steaming spaghetti sat enticingly. Next to it was a small basket of breadsticks, one of those wine glasses I’ve seen people use for water on TV, and a frosted mug of root beer. I stared at the root beer in particular, baffled.

“How’d you know I like root beer?” I asked, sitting down and looking at him suspiciously.

“I know a lot of things,” he said simply, not looking at me.

I wolfed down the spaghetti regardless, relishing in how amazing it tasted, and really thankful to have it and the root beer, even though the flavors probably don’t pair at all. It was just the kind of comfort food I needed. A dumb comparison popped in my head, as I realized instead of me feeding him, he was now feeding me.

“Can vampires eat food?” I asked curiously.

“Helen, you’ve been here for three months now, how can you not know that?”

I scowled at him. “I’ve lived with humans this whole time, remember? And none of the vampires want to talk to me so it seemed like a rude question.”

He finally looked at me, a single eyebrow raised. “So you thought it fine to ask me?”

“You don’t count,” I said, coyly sipping my drink. I expected some sort of snarky rebuke, but instead I heard him snicker.

“Okay fine,” he said eventually, and, instead of explaining, reached over to take one of my breadsticks and take a bite out of it. He pointed the bitten end back at me. “Happy?” he said, still chewing.

“So you’re not going to, like, throw it back up later or something?” I asked, and he choked and coughed.

“What the hell gave you that idea?” he said after clearing his throat.

“I dunno, literature?”

“Liter-?” His expression fell flat. “Really, Helen?”

“Well, what am I supposed to think? Everything I know about you guys is from myths and legend and stories people have told and written, and don’t you dare say this was in the Bride class because, contrary to what you may think, I have been paying attention.”

He sighed. “Fine. Vampires can eat food, we have a digestive tract and everything, just like humans. We just don’t get the same kind of nourishment you guys do.”

“But you DO get something, right?” I asked, super curious now. He nodded. “So then, theoretically, you could survive on food alone, without drinking blood, right?”

“Theoretically, probably. The extra nourishment we need comes from a sort of life energy that is present in blood, supposedly that's how we live forever and never age, so if a vampire stopped drinking blood they’d probably start aging again, like a normal human. Though they’d probably die from shock withdrawals before that happens.”

“What do you mean?”

“Think of it this way; imagine a baby born already with a heroin addiction. It’s body literally refuses to function correctly without it, a lot of time they die unless they are given the equivalent or slightly lesser alternative drug to ease the symptoms of withdrawal, just to even sleep and eat. Vampires are pretty similar; we’re born already with a dependency for blood. It’s not a necessity to live, per se, but for us it is in order to function. Take too long to feed and we might end up going feral.”

Feral...I swallowed, remembering once again that thrall back in November. And then remembered the first time Zain fed from me, when he accidently made me pass out. He had gone almost a full month...I really DID almost die.

He shifted his position casually but I could tell he was listening in on my revelation. A quick guilty expression crossed his face briefly.

I finished my plate in awkward silence from there and went back to his ridiculous bathroom to brush my teeth. When I came back the TV was off and he was looking out the window.

“What’s-?” I began but he shushed me softly. I walked lightly over to him and looked out as well.

The trees beyond the wall were still except for one area. A rustling breeze seem to dart around in a line, almost pacing back and forth.

What is it? I asked.

Not sure, possibly thralls, more likely a guard patrol.

I shivered, watching the movement with him, until it went along the wall out of sight.

“You know,” I said quietly, thinking. “I should probably be grateful it was you who found me outside the castle. If you guys get thralls this close on a regular basis, I’d probably be dead.”

He stiffened, but then scowled at me. “NORMALLY humans can’t even get within a mile of this place, so had you behaved as you should have you wouldn’t have even come anywhere close to a thrall.”

I shrugged and walked away from the window. “Welp, that’s me alright. Weirdo Freak Helen, breaking all the norms.” I looked around the room again, feeling sleepy while Zain was confused by my response. “Um...possibly stupid question, but where am I supposed to sleep?”

“That is a stupid question. The bed of course.”

My heart stopped in my chest and immediately nerves and fear took hold soon as he said that. I was expected to sleep...in Zain’s bed…

“Oh yes, of course, I made all of this up just to get you in bed with me.” He rolled his eyes. “Jeez Helen, really?”

My face blushed with irritation. “Whatever, stay out of my head,” I grumbled, going over to grab a blanket out of my bag. I’m just going to sleep on one of the couches.

He sighed and left the window, walking over to stop me. “No, I’m sleeping on the sofa. You take the bed.”

I ducked away, trying to get around him. “I don’t want to sleep in your bed.”

“What’s wrong with the bed?”

“Exactly, why don’t you sleep in your own bed?” I accused.

He stepped in my way again. “It’s my room.”

“Yeah? Well I don’t want to be here.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Would you rather die then?”

I scowled. “That’s not funny.”

“I’m not trying to be funny.”

“Then let me sleep on the couch.”

“I’m sleeping on the couch,” he growled firmly.  “Sleep on the bed. The bed is better.”

“If the bed is so great then why aren’t you sleeping in it?”

He groaned. “What is your problem?! Why can’t you just accept that I’m trying to be nice?”

“THAT’S my problem!” I jabbed a finger angrily at his chest. “I thought you hated me, why are you trying to be nice all of the sudden?!”

“Because I’m scared, Helen!” he shouted back, and I stopped. “I’m scared. I don’t know what’s happening, or why, all I know is someone is trying to kill me and no one will listen.” He ran a hand stressfully through his hair, his eyes glowing a little bit brighter. “I was attacked today, but you could have easily been attacked too, and I wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it. If something happened to you…”

My heart almost seemed to flutter for a moment as the severity of the subject seemed to give way to the genuine emotion Zain now displayed. There was a raw sense of helplessness I saw in him that both frightened and relaxed me somehow at the same time. Rather than putting up a wall, he left himself open; he trusts me.

In that moment, I really wanted to comfort him.

The feeling made me bitter.

“Whatever,” I muttered, looking away from him as suddenly the pulling sensation I hadn’t felt all day seemed to kick into maximum overdrive. “I’m still going to sleep on the couch.”

He sighed in exhaustion and, without hesitation, suddenly lifted me up by my waist. “No, Helen, you’re not.”

My face heated immediately and I flailed. “Yes I am, let me go!” HOLY cow he was strong!

He carried me, with effort due to me thrashing about, over to the bed. I grabbed a hold of the bed post as he tried to throw me down.

“Stop--fighting, Helen!” he grunted as he tried to drag me off the post.

“Don’t tell me what to dooOO--!” My grip slipped and we both fell onto the bed.

My whole body seemed to sink right into it as Zain’s body fell on top of mine; it was just as heavenly as it looked, the comforters super soft and super plush and super warm. I pushed against Zain.

“Get off, you’re heavy,” I complained.

He started to lift himself up. “Well, excuse me for-” And then we both stopped.

My breath seemed to catch for a moment in my chest as I couldn’t look away again. His body was warm, so very warm...his face was almost inches from mine, I could see into the depths of his eyes. The bright red glow seemed to dim and fade as green swirled in and took its place once more. His breath was soft and gentle in my face, his sweet scent was all around me. My heart began to pound, rapidly, against my chest.

Then suddenly his face went red, and his eyes widened as he seemed to inhale sharply in realization. He rapidly jumped back and off the bed, facing away. I sat up, slower than he had reacted, feeling strange as my skin prickled from where his warmth had left me. My heart continued to climb to my throat.

Zain took a slow, deep breath, and let it out in a sigh. “Look, you um...You don’t have to sleep in the bed if you really don’t want to. I just...would rather you did.”

“Why?” I asked quietly, still in a daze but beginning to feel bitter again.

He didn’t turn around, instead making his way to the couches again. “It’s just...easier. For me. It would be more comfortable for you than it would be for me.”

I had no idea what that meant. But I couldn’t really care about it now as the desire for his warmth began to flood back. I threw up my mental barriers quickly; I don’t want him knowing that. He doesn’t need to know that. I laid down on top of the covers, preferring the blanket I was really glad I had packed, relishing in the comfort of the bed despite my protests against it. Awkward silence fell between us. The lights were still on.

Zain held up a hand in the air, and all of the fire-lit lamps seemed to have their flames pulled away from them, all gathering in a ball in his palm. He closed his hand, and then snapped his fingers. The rest of the lights flicked off.

I turned over, facing the other direction, as my mind briefly became distracted with trying to process how something like what I just witnessed was even possible, and then tried to fall asleep.

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Chapter Ten

Also available to read on Tapas.io!

Zain’s red eyes met mine with relief, and then he collapsed.

“Zain!” I reacted immediately, my heart thundering, and ran to catch him. He was covered in gashes, his blood all over, churning my stomach but for once not because of my queasiness. His breath was ragged as I pulled him up, and as if purely on instinct he bit desperately into my open neck.

I winced, and everyone finally reacted in panic, crowding around with worry and fear while my vision started getting dizzy with losing blood too quickly.

“Back up, back up!” barked Ruby as she corralled everyone back. “Give em space!” Then she and her daughter knelt down next to us.

Zain disengaged his fangs and wiped his mouth with his torn-up sleeve, still breathing heavily. My eyes widened as I saw the cuts all over his body slowly healing over, regenerating on their own.

“It’s not safe in the forest,” he breathed urgently, holding Ruby’s gaze. “You need to get everyone back to the castle, now.”

She nodded calmly and gave a short whistle. “Saddle up everyone, we’re heading back!”

Murmurs of worried theories filled the group as they went back to their horses. I thought about following them but Zain kept a firm grip on my arms.

“Zain…” Victoria stood where she was as the crowd dispersed around her, her eyes in fearful worry.

He gave her a patient smile. “I’m alright. Go back with the others, okay?”

She held there in hesitation, her eyes darting to me for just a moment, and then went back to her horse.

Amber came back with the black mare’s lead. “Ya two need to get back to the council quickly; this is Shadow, she’s the fastest little lady we have. She’ll get ya home lickity split.”

Zain nodded and climbed on, pulling me up behind them. Rose’s mom pulled her up onto theirs.

“We’ll get this lot home quickly; you two do what you need to,” Ruby said.

“Be safe,” he said, and then coaxed Shadow into full gallop straight through the woods.

My mind raced as fast as the trees passed us by. “Zain-”

“Don’t talk,” he interrupted, the firmness his voice had held up until now wavered with fear. “At least not right now, not here.” His arms were trembling, and the while the shallow cuts had healed up, the gashes hadn’t. His breathing was become labored again; it felt like he could pass out at any moment.

I made a decision in my head before I even needed to think about it. I gripped at his shirt with conviction.

Zain, stop the horse.

He gave a start, not expecting to hear my voice, I’m sure. “What?”

“Stop the horse, now,” I said, out loud now that I had his attention.

“Helen, I’m not slowing down, I need to get back-”

Stop right now or I will throw myself off this horse!

His eyes widened as he turned back to meet mine. The sheer determination seemed to convince him and thankfully he didn’t call my bluff; Zain pulled on the reins and brought Shadow to a careful halt. I hopped off, rolling up my sleeve the moment my feet touched solid ground.

He got off too. “Okay, why the hell are you-”

“Don’t talk right now,” I said, and, before I could lose my conviction, forcefully shoved my forearm into his mouth until I felt his fangs pierce my skin.

His eyes widen in complete comical shock for only a moment, and then he grabbed my arm desperately and bit down hard. I hissed, fighting back the pain, as a soft moan seemed to come from Zain. My vision began to blur again, but I saw the gashes in his body getting better. I tried to keep calm, keep my heart level. It’s okay, everything's okay, it’s just like the normal, weekly feedings you normally do, it’s not at all as if Zain almost DIED or anything and we were still in the middle of the woods. I vaguely felt my knees land in the snow, Zain still attached to my arm. My vision had faded almost completely. It’s okay, everything’s okay…

Something weird was happening.

There was a strange sort of tugging sensation...not the cord pull, that was like something was pulling my body around. This was like something was pulling my… well, myself out of my body. I tried to fight it but I didn’t even know how. Before I knew it I had left and was in darkness.

I wasn’t passed out; that was a very distinct loss of self, like I just stopped existing for a bit. I was definitely still aware of myself, like I was pulled into a dream...or that illusion world Zain had created once.

Suddenly a whole bunch of images switched on all around me, like a bunch of TVs, blinking static in and out between what looked like movie scenes. I saw my face in a few, and many other faces and places and things. Each jittered and shifted into one single scene that engulfed my vision and all my senses.

Trees were passing by in a blur, as if I were moving through the woods at highway speeds. I was running, and it was such a rush! I felt so free and so...powerful. Nothing could catch me. Nothing could outrun me.

Something’s been bothering me; the forest had been too quiet, especially after the influx of thralls. I had to focus; I had to know. Surely...surely I was wrong.

The image jittered again like a bad signal and the scene fast forwarded. There was someone in the woods, I know it, I can smell them. What are they? Fast forward again, I’m being attacked! Pain engulfed me once again, nearly identical to what I had felt only half an hour ago. There was so much distance between me and...everything shifted once more.

I was limping through the woods, unable to run, a really foul taste in my mouth. Those bastards...they knew! They knew how far away I would be...she would be, from me. They knew I hadn’t fed for a while, they knew...I stumbled and fell a moment, trying to hold as much blood in a very large and painful gash in my side. I had to keep going, I need to find her, I need her, now, or I might…

I could feel the distance growing shorter; more of my strength was returning. I groaned and pushed onward; why the hell did she have to be so far out…!

Realization finally dawned on me. This was planned. Their plan A didn’t work so they changed targets. They lured me out from safety, to investigate, at the precise moment she would be the furthest away from me. It wasn’t just someone that would be close to her, it wouldn’t have been just someone around her…it was someone who would know me, too.

Someone I knew was trying to kill me.

My eyes snapped opened with a gasp as suddenly I was back in my own body again. My head spun for a moment, Zain holding me up so I didn’t fall back into the snow. My forearm throbbed, a purple bruise being the only indicator of the bite. My vision straighten out.

“What just happened?” I asked, still just a little dizzy.

“I was going to ask you that,” he replied. “Are you alright?”

My head felt fuzzy and light. “Yeah, something...something weird just happened. I didn't pass out did I?”

“Sorta, it was more like you were in a daze,” he said, and then asked carefully, “Did you...see anything?”

I blinked in surprise by the question. It was enough of an answer.

“I think you accidently performed a Dive.”

“I...what?! Those were your memories?!” Diving was what he had been doing to me when he had searched through my thoughts. “Was that supposed to happen?”

“Not...usually, not like that.” He seemed mildly embarrassed. And then after a moment, “You’re not nauseous.”

“There are more important things to worry about; I’ll throw up later.” I didn’t want to press my luck by over thinking.

He was quiet again but his eyes held my gaze, questioning. “Why did you do that?”

“Do what?”

He lifted my arm, the purple bruise slowly fading to a slightly brown.

“Oh.” I scratched my head, making sure I had the right words first. “You...you were about to pass out, I could tell. You might have fooled anyone else but...but you weren’t healing. It just felt like what you needed in the moment.”

His face changed to a patient but confused amusement. “So your first thought was to force-feed me?”

I flushed. “I dunno, for some reason I thought you wouldn’t listen to reason,” I crossed my arms, looking way in mild irritation.

“You don’t know that,” I heard him mirror my words, and stole a glance. He looked deep in thought, worried again. I took a breath.

“Zain…” He looked up at his name. “I...understand for the most part what’s going on, but...but it feels like you know why. If...if this is going to happen again, I need to know why too.”

He stared at me for a moment, and then glanced around, slightly anxious, breathing in. “...you’re right. But not here. We need to get back quickly, I have to tell the council.”

I nodded, trusting him to tell me. We got back on the horse and back to a full gallop, leaning forward to avoid the branches passing overhead. Zain felt warm and stable now, some cuts still remaining but were shallow compared to what they once were.

You know about how Brides are chosen, right? came his voice in my head, startling me.

Yeah, I was told they can happen accidently, when a vampire reaches a certain age or something.

...forget everything you’ve been told then, they’re lies.

My eyes widened. “What?”

Bride’s aren’t created accidentally, not the way you’ve been told at least, they’re deliberately chosen. Deciding to take on a Bride is a huge risk, it puts your life in their hands. But in return you receive an immense amount power.

What do you mean?

Zain demonstrated by holding a hand out where I could see. Lightning crackled between his fingers, and immediately I remembered the convulsions from that thrall a few weeks ago.

I can do more than just that, too. I already had power to begin with because of my heritage; taking on a Bride magnifies it, and the amount by which you get stronger depends on your compatibility.

That’s why everyone was so worried when I showed up, I realized with a start, and he nodded. But...you said what we’ve been told is a lie, does everyone…?

The humans don’t know, but they could sense from the vampires that something was complicated.

But if...if Brides are chosen and not accidental, then why...why me?

I felt his thoughts waver as he tried to find the right words, or an answer in general.

I...I still don’t know, it was never my intention. I wasn’t even supposed to be out there at all; I was supposed to be kept under close watch and stay within the castle until I took on a Bride, especially with my parents being...gone. There was a heavy sadness in that last word. I was stupid and slipped my watch on the eve before I was supposed to be bonded with Victoria, and then I saw you.

I thought about scaring you; it looked like you had ended up here accidentally, and no one is even supposed to be able to get this far thanks to the barriers, so I was just planning to chase you off. But then you cut your arm, and… He struggled again, and sighed in defeat. I had never smelled something so sweet. I had never fed before, and the overwhelming urge to taste it overtook me. Before I knew it you were passed out in my arms and my mouth covered in your blood.

I swallowed and felt the panic of his memory fill him. I didn’t need to see to understand what he probably felt next.

Someone in the castle is trying to kill me, he continued. I’m positive now, the coincidences were too close. They must have seen an opportunity when I accidentally bit you, a possibility that I could be weaker than anticipated since I was pushing you away.

What do you mean?

You’re the source of my strength and power; the proximity between us affects how strong I can be. That’s why there was so much debate on where to put you.

I mean, I get that, but...why? Why are you being targeted?

He was silent for a good moment, and I could feel the sheer gravity from the words he said next.

Because if I die...every single vampire on this planet will be free from my family’s Blood Oath and go feral.

Silence fell between us for a good long moment. The connection with Zain’s thoughts still remained opened but were quiet. He felt tired, and fearful. His answers had been coming unfiltered with no reluctance; I felt like I now knew more about the situation than probably 90% of the castle. It felt strange, like a huge responsibility was just bestowed upon me and I didn’t know if I was right for the job.

Zain...I know I asked for answers, but...why are you telling me all of this?

He seemed to deliberate for just a moment. Because you’re the only one I can completely trust right now.

That caught me completely off guard. Why me?

I know your thoughts; I can be in your head when I need to, and I can see your memories; you’re not trying to kill me, even though it would be in your best interest. You want to run away but are willing to compromise. Despite everything, you’re trying to help me even at the cost of self-harm. And you’re right; you deserve to know what kind of fucked-up scenario you’ve been pulled into.

The trees gave way to a worn-down and hoof-printed trail. Shadow picked up pace, now that the way through was clear and sure. Maybe twenty minutes had passed since we left the springs; the rest of the group won’t be making it back for a good hour. I worried for a moment, but remembered that group was littered with other vampires. Surely they’ll be okay, right?

“There aren’t any more in the woods right now,” Zain murmured to me. “The rest scattered away but they could be back later. They’ll make it back in the barrier safely.”

His voice only gave me a small amount of comfort but it was comfort nonetheless. Zain rode Shadow all the way up to the castle path before wrapping an arm around my waist and hopping off, much to my slight protest. He gave a light pat of thanks and sent the horse off, and then took off running through the halls faster than humanly possible, slinging me up over his shoulder in an awkward and rushed hold. I had to shut my eyes to keep from getting dizzy as I got whipped-lashed with each sharp turn he took.

And in no time flat we were standing in front of those conference rooms once again. Dmitri and that one guy, Mason I think his name was, appeared seemingly out of nowhere as well with a rush of wind. Both their eyes were red.

“Zain! We got your message, what-?” Dmitri’s eyes widened with shock. Zain was still covered in blood and torn clothing. Mason whistled. “Daaaamn, what happened to you?”

He set me down. “Thralls, there were six of them waiting to ambush me in the woods.”

“But...I thought they had moved on, isn’t that what the hunters…?”

“And hunter’s have lied to us before, but I don’t think that’s the case this time.”

Mason’s eyes looked surprised this time. “You think it was…?”

“Undoubtedly. You called the others, right?”

Dmitri nodded. “They’ll be here soon. They’re not too pleased, Zain…”

“I don’t give a damn, Dmitri, I almost DIED.” They flinched. “This NEEDS to be discussed, properly this time.”

I swallowed, unsure what to do with myself. I felt like a tagalong that didn’t belong somewhere, like when a parent takes their child to a family-friend’s birthday party. We had walked into the room and were waiting at the top of the walkway. The air was tense and uncertain.

“They’re here,” Mason said, and not a moment later other doors around the room were opening and the COV made their way down to their seats.

Zain began to make his way to his seat, as did Dmitri. I started to follow but was stopped by Mason.

“We, uh, will have to sit this one out, princess,” he said sheepishly. I looked back towards Zain with worry.

“Go with Mason,” Zain ordered, glancing back to me. “I’ll come get you when we’re done.”

I swallowed and nodded, feeling very uncertain. Mason led the way through a different set of doors into what looked like a small waiting room. He went to lean against a wall, keeping both exits in view it looked like, and I sat down in one of the chairs. The silence was deafening.

“Um,” he began after a minute. “Sorry for, you know, teasing and scaring you that time. Zain’s been a pain in the ass all his life so having all that chaos around then didn’t really put me in the best of moods.”

I smirked a little. “So his jerkness IS inherent then.” He laughed at that.

“Yeah, he’s an idiot, but not a dumb idiot if you get what I’m saying. He’s got a lot on his plate.”

I nodded, and felt worried again. “What do you think is going to happen?”

“That depends; how much do you know?”

“I...I think I understand most of what’s been happening,” I said warily, unsure if Zain might get in trouble. “He’s told me a bit about what’s been happening behind the scenes...and the truth that the humans don’t know about the Brides.”

His eyes widened in surprise. “Really…? He told you?” He looked off, smirking incredulously. “Well I’ll be damned…”

Mason shook his head, still smiling. “Well, knowing how the council tends to respond to crisis, they’re going to argue with him. They tend to want to ignore the severity involving danger to the family, mostly ‘cause denial is less stressful, you know.” He sighed. “They’re a bunch of idiots.”

“Then why are they still on the council?”

“‘Cause as dumb as they are they still get things done, and they’ve got the public’s interest. It’s be dumber to demote them.”

Silence fell between us again. I cleared my throat awkwardly.

“So, um, how do you guys…?”

“Know Zain? We all kinda grew up together. Dmitri and I were wee little tots when Zain was born. Our families has been in service to his for a long while; you could almost say we’re his cousins. Soon as he was old enough to socialize our parents had us all meet and we became his guards. We’ve been best friends ever since.” He winked. “That's how we’re able to refer to him by name instead of honorifics. Well, at least privately.”

I nodded, feeling only a little bit more relaxed now; Zain trusts him then, and Dmitri too.

“Hey, if Zain’s such a jerk how come everyone keeps trying to tell me he’s nice?”

Mason laughed. “Oh that’s funny. Well, truth is he is a decent guy. But he’s also a kid, and kids are asses, no offense.”

“None taken.”

“Behind his ‘professional demeanor,’ he’s a bit of a brat, but he’s mature enough not to let that intervene with how he acts around everyone else. Zain was taught to have a pretty good eye for when to be mean and when to be polite, and to be honest he usually prefers to be polite. But he does care about everyone, the poor kid just doesn’t know how to handle it sometimes.”

Suddenly there was a loud BANG and the door burst open. Zain stormed in, furious and cursing as Dmitri followed, trying to pacify him.

“Those fucking idiots!”

“Zain-”

“I was attacked directly! How could they not see--?!”

Mason smirked lightly. “Didn’t go well?” Zain shot a glare at him.

“They believe these incidents were a coincidence,” Dmitri explained to me.

“--calling me paranoid--!”

“What?!” I bristled in alarm. “But you…? They…?” But he was attacked! I was attacked!

“I know!” he snarled furiously. “They wouldn’t even hear me, told me it was too soon for an assassination attempt. Damn it!” Zain kicked a chair and it shattered. My chest clenched and I flinched.

“Zain, calm down,” Dmitri warned, having seen me jump from the violence.

“I’m calm,” Zain growled, but was visibly calming down. His eyes flicked towards me and his expression softened. “Sorry, Helen.”

“I’m okay,” I assured, telling myself to calm down. “I’m...I’m okay.”

Dmitri nodded. “It’s getting late. You should take Helen back to her dorms; we’ll keep an eye on things around the castle.”

“That group should be getting back by now,” Mason said. “Someone’s gotta let them know what’s going on.”

Zain sighed. “Fine. You two take care of that. Let’s go, Helen. I’ll take you back to your room.”

I stiffened, remembering the trip here. “...can we walk this time?”

“Fine,” he obliged irritably.

Mason and Dmitri gave quick nods. “We’ll figure this out, Zain, don’t worry.” And then they vanished with a whoosh of air.

Zain began walking out and down the hall. I followed, quickening my pace to catch up to him. He was looking off in the distance, his eyes narrowed and angrily muttering to himself. I swallowed, feeling strangely awkward again, and fearful. I began to wonder, though...could it be a coincidence? Is it possible that maybe, just maybe, we might be jumping to conclusions?

“Of course not,” Zain spat in a low voice, making me jump. “I know what I saw, Helen.”

“I-I know, I’m just thinking…”

He breathed and sighed. Okay. Fine. Let’s analyze the facts then. You were given a letter that led you directly to a thrall waiting just outside the barrier at just the right time, with the intent to kill you. That letter could only have come from someone within the castle. Someone who can monitor you. Fast forward to well after the fact, I’m lured out of the castle, in the complete opposite direction as where you would be located, in a similar manner, after having to skip a feeding week.

I blinked. You were given a note?

No. But concerns were presented to me; some of our visitors expressed worry about a strange presence in the forest when they arrived. Someone knew I would respond, and had six more thralls laying in wait to ambush me.

With a jolt I remembered what Wendy had said to me earlier. “The eyes are watching…” I whispered. Zain stopped walking.

She knows?

I nodded. I-I think so. She was scared Zain, something was keeping her from saying anything.

“Let me see,” he said out loud, taking my face in his hands. My face flushed and my heart rose to my throat again but I didn’t resist; I let the memory come forward with ease. Zain’s eyes stared into mine, glazed over in that manner that felt like he was looking through me...which he was. His face felt so close to mine, that sweet scent was filling my senses…

And then suddenly he let go and was standing protectively in front of me, looking alarmed. He shushed me quietly before I could make a noise. Be casual, I heard him say, as his demeanor transitioned from one of alarm to one of formality, his expression hard set and cool.

A vampire came rushing up the hall, at normal speed. It wasn’t Dmitri, or Mason, or anyone else I would have expected. Oddly enough it was Greg, looking flustered and worried.

“My Lord, is everything alright? I heard-” He spotted me and noticed the state of Zain’s clothing. “What happened? I heard you were attacked!”

I gave a start; there was no way news would have traveled that fast...would it?

“Everything’s fine,” Zain replied coolly. “There was an altercation, but nothing to worry about. It’s getting late now so I’m escorting my Bride back to her dorm.”

His eyes almost seem to light with an idea. “Shall I assist you? An extra pair of eyes might be useful, in case something happens on the way.” My insides froze; this was way too coincidental. He knows, he knows it’s just Zain and me right now, he knows-

Calm down Helen, he’s not going to do anything. “My presence will be enough, thank you,” Zain replied, a small hint of a protective growl that caused Greg to dip his head in submission.

“My apologies,” he responded. “It was rather presumptuous of me. I shall leave you to it then. Have a good night, Miss Morris. I hope you sleep well.”

We waited until Greg had passed us and went out of sight, and then I let out the breath I had apparently been holding. My heart seemed to stutter as it tried to go back to normal and relax. I looked up to Zain, expecting to maybe see some sort of relief.

Instead he looked concerned and scared.

“...Zain?”

“You can’t stay in the dorms anymore,” he spoke quietly, and began moving again, still in the same direction as we had been going.

I blinked. “I’m sorry what?”

He didn’t answer, and his silence made a new fear rise up in my chest.

“Hold on, hold on…” I quickened my pace to keep up with him. His face was still the same set of concerned fear as before. “What do you mean I can’t stay in the dorms anymore?”

“The safest place for you--for the both of us, is if you stay as close to me as possible.” If I’m right, if someone from within the castle is trying to kill us, to kill me, then they’re going to do it when we’re separated. “I can’t take the risk of something happening to you when I’m not close by.”

I swallowed as I realized what he was getting to. “Wait. Wait, no.”

“Get over it Helen, you can stay tonight but after this, you’re staying with me.” Ignore what I’m saying out loud, I’m not taking any chances. You’re coming back with me tonight.

My mind reeled at the thought of what he was insinuating and the whiplash between hearing his voice out loud and in my head. We had already made it to the Day Wing by now, and were close to the door.

Just go to your room and wait for me by the balcony; grab only what you need and do it quickly.

“Wait, hold on, hold on! What am I supposed to tell the others?!”

“Don’t tell them anything; just act normally.” Just go up to your room and be ready when I get there. He opened the door and shoved me in. “Now go!”

“Zain!” I hissed but he was already gone.

“Helen?”

Claire was sitting at the kitchen table. She stood up immediately. “Hey, is everything alright? We just got back not too long ago, is Lord Zain-?”

“He’s okay,” I replied quickly, hating the fact that I have to come up with a lie. “Zain just...needed healing.”

“Ah, say no more,” she said, to my relief. “You probably want to go lie down. I’ll let the others know, no worries.”

“Thanks Claire. I’ll see you later.” I closed the distance between myself and the stairs, climbing as slow and normal as I dared, and shut the door to my room behind me. Immediately I went into autopilot, pretending to pack things as if I were going to an emergency sleepover. A couple changes of clothes, underwear, toothbrush and bathroom necessities, whatever I could think of that I would need for an overnight stay. Keeping my mind occupied, trying not to think about the danger I might currently be in.

Everything was packed now, though, and panic started coming back.

There’s no telling what’s about to happen. Zain was attacked today, he said they might be back. There’s a spy in the castle that wants to kill us, and that could be Greg. Something about that interaction worried Zain enough to have me pack, have me leave. He was worried enough that if I stayed here I could die. There was no knowing when or where we might be attacked again, or what could happen next. It was like a pit had opened up all around me, and one wrong move, one wrong step will cause me to be swallowed up.

I gripped my arms, trying to stay calm. It was a vampire that attacked him, and likely a vampire trying to kill him. Vampires can get in anywhere they please, they could get into my room, there  could even be one on their way now to finish the job…

I heard a light thud behind me and felt a blast of cold wind, and screamed.

“Helen, shh, it’s me!” came Zain’s voice as he covered my mouth and pulled me back. “Calm down, it’s okay, it’s just me.”

Zain’s clothing was soft and warm; he had changed out of the tattered blood-stain ones already. I slumped into his arms and started to cry.  

“Hey, hey, it’s okay, Helen. I won’t let anything happen, I promise.”

I swallowed and nodded, feeling embarrassed. We heard a light knock on the door and stiffened.

“Helen?” came Claire’s voice through the door. “Yo, you okay in there?”

“Sorry!” I called automatically, trying to mask the rasp in my voice. “Just a spider, I’m okay!”

She walked away after a moment to be sure, and we both relaxed. Zain released his arms from around me as I felt the chill of the air fill their place.

“We need to move quickly now, someone may come here tonight and catch my scent here,” he said. “You have everything ready?”

I nodded, my voice croaking quietly. “Y-yeah, I’ve got what I need.”

“Good. Grab it and come with me.”

I followed him back to the balcony as I started to realized how he planned on getting me out unnoticed. I shivered as we stepped out into the frosted air; the night was quiet and muffled, the sky clear and the moon bright. He knelt down a little bit and held a hand out over his shoulder.

“Climb on,” he ordered.

I was dumbfounded and more than a little nervous. “What?”

He scowled. “Now, Helen.”

This wasn’t the time for my stupidity; I took his hand and hopped onto his back. I could feel every pulse in my body pound as I tried to find the least awkward way of holding on and trying not to think about him touching my legs.

Once he deemed me secure enough he stepped up on the balcony rail with lithe and practiced ballance. “Hold on tight as you can, and don’t scream.”

“What are you—?” The words were thrown right back now my throat as a rush of cold air took my breath from me. My arms around his neck tightened in surprise; he had leapt upwards and was now dangling on the edge of castle with nothing but air between us and the ground far below. I suddenly realized I may have a fear of heights.

Zain seemed to bunch up beneath me, and I realized he was about to jump again. At the very last second I gripped tighter once more as he release powerfully into the night air.

We were practically soaring, flying up along the sheer face of the wall, the cold wind biting at my cheeks and arms. I should have grabbed another jacket. My stomach lifted as we reached the crest of his momentum and then plummeted as he grabbed the ledge and lunged forward across the rooftops. I buried my face in his back and closed my eyes to block the wind as he ran, trying not to think about how high up we were.

Zain moved like liquid; the ride this time was much more gentle and smooth. He jumped between the dips and valleys effortlessly, like I wasn’t even there. I stole a peek, and gasped at the quickly moving landscape around us. It was just like in the memory dive, like we were moving at highway speeds almost.

As we reached the center of the castle rooftops, Zain changed course slightly, spiraling up the side of a tower until everything came to a stop at the top.

I gasped in the cold air as I looked around. The land stretched all around us, the sea of trees far more vast than I thought. They rose and fell in hills in the distance in one direction, and flattening out in the other towards town. Steam was lightly billowing from the hot springs I had just been out at with everyone else. The snow left a quiet, glittering blanket of white across it all.

“It’s hard to believe,” came Zain’s soft voice, startling me, “the world is so much more vast compared to the confines you were raised.” He looked up. “I’ve wondered how different it would be, to see the same sky somewhere else.”

I looked up too, amazed. The sky held so much more depth and color than the sky I was used to seeing. Shades of blue and dots of color-changing light glittered across it, the full moon casting a bright glow from the sky. Our breathes came out in puffs of air, and his body felt very warm against mine. The cold was biting at my cheeks and nose but for the moment I didn’t care. It reminded me of the snowy mornings and evenings I used to walk through the woods, the peaceful lull letting me forget about everything.

Zain’s eyes moved slightly back towards me and met mine; they weren’t red anymore. Before now I had wondered if I had imagined it, but now I was certain. His eyes were green and vast, like a nebula flecked with gold. And for a moment I felt my heart stop. I couldn’t be sure, it was very slight, but Zain...might have been smiling.

And then the moment was gone. His eyes had gone back to red as he looked down at the castle grounds before us.

Vampire’s were darting around the Night Wing courtyard, setting up tables and lights and decorations, getting ready for the Winter Solstice Ball. Some humans looked to be performing magic, and were helping too. Zain looked down at them all with concern.

“It’s getting close,” I commented quietly, thinking about the ball. Everyone was really looking forward to it, but with what just happened...I wonder if it was even a good idea to go through with it. And I wonder if Zain was thinking the same thing.

“Time to hurry,” he murmured. And then we were off again, the air rushing past our faces.

Thoughts of the dance passed and I thought about why we had stopped in the first place. It hadn’t been necessary at all. Even though we were in danger, even though we were in a hurry, he decided to stop and climb that tower. To show me the sky, the view. It felt like something private, something he had never shown anyone. But...he showed me. Why?

“I just thought it’d be something you’d like to see,” I heard him say quietly, then add with a sly smile, “You know, just in case.”

I blinked and then my face flushed. He...he’s teasing me! “That’s not something to joke about!” I hissed angrily. He laughed quietly, and picked up pace. I ducked my face into his back again, my cheeks and nose and fingers beginning to go numb. I wonder if the cold affected him at all, or if it was just something he was used to.

“It’s freezing,” he said, as if in response, and began to slow down. “We’re almost there.”

I peeked over his shoulder and saw the edge of the castle rapidly coming towards us. My chest tightened, remembering just how high up we were and how far down the ground was.

“Please don’t tell me you’re going to jump,” my voice squeaked.

“Alright, I won’t.”

“Zain, that’s not what I--!” Once again my words were thrown back down my throat as his muscles bunched and leaped forward. If it weren’t for my breath being knocked away I probably would have screamed as we began a free fall over the edge. At the last second Zain grabbed a flag pole with one hand and changed momentum, flinging us towards the castle wall at a downward angle. And then, almost effortlessly, we came to a soft stop on the railing of a large stone balcony.

“We’re here,” he said.

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Chapter Nine

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Everything seemed to go back to normal, for the most part. Victoria started to leave me alone, going back to making snide remarks and otherwise ignoring me. I’m guessing Zain probably talked to her. Her groupies hadn’t forgiven me for my verbal assault yet, though, so every now and then when she wasn’t looking they’d try to corner and harrass me. Miraculously, though, there always seemed to be someone who showed up to keep things from getting really bad. Sometimes Claire, sometimes Rose, sometimes even Dmitri or other vampires. I got the distinct feeling that I might have an invisible watch guard now.

And feedings had resumed once a week, only now it was going to be the same evening, same time, every time, in the same place. Whether it was out of consideration for me or not, I wasn’t sure, but at least now it was in the comfort and privacy of my room.

Zain landed on my balcony and I let him in, still feeling awkward about trying to forget that last incident in addition to the fact that I was letting him into my room...through the window. Had we both been human this would look pretty scandalous. Also I wouldn’t be doing it. Actually it would probably look scandalous regardless.

“Have there been anymore info on...you know what?” I asked. He shook his head, closing the balcony and shutting out the frost.

“Activity has quieted down, there haven’t been anymore sightings of thralls around the castle. The hunters have informed us too that they seem to be moving on.”

“You think it was just an abnormality?”

He looked worried. “I don’t know. It’s possible. That note still worries me though. It DEFINITELY came from somewhere in the castle, it’s possible they may have been using the activity as an opportunity and nothing more, but-”

“-but that means they’d know about it happening, and are already in the system,” I finished for him, suddenly thinking of Greg the account keeper.

“He’s definitely on the suspect list,” Zain responded, hearing my thoughts. “He’s one who arrived just a few years ago, and created not long before that. But that list is growing pretty large.”

I gave a start at this information, remembering the encounter with that thrall not all that long ago.

He rolled his eyes. “Thralls don’t go feral until after hundreds and hundreds of years. It depends on the age they’re turned but it still takes a long time. They’re still people, Helen.”

I tried to ignore the strange jolt from hearing my name. “What happens when they do go feral, then?”

“We’re pretty good at telling when it’s about to happen. And they know it will happen to them eventually. We move them to a secure location, where they can have some peace, and put them down before they lose themselves completely.”

I swallowed. So much for eternal life.

He shrugged. “Would you rather they take the alternative?”

“I guess not,” I muttered.

He sighed. “I’m wasting night, no more talk now.”

I grimaced as he took my shoulders. “I really hate this…”

He narrowed his eyes in slight annoyance. “Oh? Really, do tell me about it, I don’t think I’ve heard you express that before.”

I shut my eyes and sighed. “Just get it over with.”

His bite was much more careful, as had been the previous times now since the...incident I won’t think about. It barely hurt this time, and it was easier to ignore the sensations as he drank. But I was super sensitive to his scent and touch; they were so warm, so gentle. I had to fight the urge to wrap my arms around him, to feel his embrace again. The resentment had dwindled down into small fire of loneliness, and it took all my willpower to keep these feeling at bay. It helps to know they weren’t real, that it was just because my body was developing more into his Bride.

What didn’t help was that Zain had been much more careful around me, more...dare I say, considerate of me. We didn’t fight as much, nothing more than our exchange just a moment ago, and when I asked him about something he answered. I didn’t see him at the pool again, which was a relief, but also disappointing. He was trying to be polite, maybe even trying to make up for being so mean to me. But I was wary. Anything could change it back to how he was.

He let me go and wiped his mouth, looking out the window. “It’s going to snow next week. You should look into getting a larger coat, and try not to catch a cold.”

I nodded, unsure how to fill the awkward silence, but feeling a question slowly develop.

“Can vampires get sick?”

“Of course n-” he stopped mid response, and thought about it in mild curiosity. “...I don’t actually know.” He glanced back at me with a shrug. “I’d rather not find out though, so you better keep healthy.”

“Yeaaaaah, that’s some wishful thinking…” His eyes questioned. “I always get sick for the first snowfall.”

“Well, let’s hope there’s a first,” he said, and vanished into the night.

True to his word the very next Monday we all woke up to a blanket of white. And...true to mine I woke up with a pretty bad cold. I could almost hear him berating me for not taking better care of myself. But whatever, this was expected. It wasn’t too bad, I just kept myself quarantined to the dorms while Claire made sure I had plenty of food. And I had some company; I wasn’t the only one who got sick during the winter.

Wendy sat beside me on one of the couches, watching a movie as we both enjoyed a nice warm cup of camomile and lavender tea. Her quiet demeanor was very relaxing, albeit her unfocused eyes were a little off-putting. It always looked like she was in a constant state of lost-in-thought, sometimes in anxiety. I wished I could help her, but since she didn’t talk much I didn’t want to pry. It didn’t feel like it’d be my place to say anything either.

But we enjoyed the movie and pampering nonetheless.

A couple days into the cold I found a note on the inside of my balcony window from Zain, essentially berating me like I had thought he would for getting sick, but also telling me not to worry about feedings until I felt better. For a moment I thought it was more consideration, as doing that was both physically and emotionally exhausting. But then I remembered...it’s probably because he’s afraid of catching my cold. The thought made me laugh.

Eventually the cold broke and I felt better, well-rested, and just in time too. Amber was making plans for a horseback ride through the woods as a special treat. I was pretty excited, but also nervous; it’d be the first time I’ve been outside the boundaries since that attack. And the woods were beautiful during winter time. I asked Amber if she wouldn’t mind making an exception to the enrollment and letting me bring the other girls on the trip too, and to my surprise it was an open sign-up; a lot of people were going to be coming.

“Yeah, It’s a pretty regular thing to look forward to,” Rose explained, elated that I wanted them to come along. “Amber’s a pretty good instructor, she tries to make sure everyone has a chance to do it. Usually it’s in fall though, I wonder why she had it put off?”

I had a pretty good idea why, but I made a promise not to say anything.

The day arrived pretty quickly. I traveled with my friends to the stables, Claire bouncing up and down with excitement, Alice and Suzanne laughing at her antics. I stayed wrapped in my new blue winter coat and scarf, wearing my new gloves and also wishing I had gone for fingered instead of fingerless. The excitement was bouncing back and forth, everyone full of high spirits.

Except...Wendy.

Wendy looked incredibly nervous, anxious, for once her eyes not lost in the distance but focused, darting. I could feel her anxiety climb more and more with each step towards the stables.

I hung back, letting the others move on ahead of me, and matched her pace. “Wendy?”

Her eyes snapped to me, as if I broke a trance, and they were bright and fearful. “Helen…!” She looked like she wanted to tell me something, her eyes scared and warning, but was choking on the words. Dread slowly creeped in on me.

“Wendy...what’s wrong?” I asked quietly.

She grappled with herself, like something was physically preventing her from speaking. “Helen...be…be careful, don’t trust...them,” she managed to say, as if having to cycle through allowed words.

“What do you mean, who…?” I began patiently, and she groaned in frustration again, holding her head. And then suddenly she had an epiphany. She looked at me, her steel grey eyes focused and serious.

“The eyes...they’re always watching,” she said, hoping I understood. A chill that had nothing to do with the snow filled me.

Claire and the others hollered for us. Wendy’s words filled me with a sense of foreboding; she knew something, something about the note. Something she physically wasn’t allowed to say. I was afraid; afraid for her, afraid for everyone. Whoever was behind it, they must know...that Zain knows. I shivered; I need to tell Zain, that might be why the activity has gone down. But...I have no idea where he’d even be. The pulling sensation was very faint; He could be anywhere, on the other side of the castle.

Tonight was a feeding night...I can tell him then. It might be a better idea, I could get Wendy in trouble if I reacted now. I resolved myself to act normal, and drew upon the excitable energy to keep face.

“Alright everybody!” Amber hollered out. “Now, I got ya each assigned to a horse based on yer experiences and temperaments, so no swapping now. Each horse’ll be connected with a rope via the saddle to keep us all together and prevent any of ya getting lost and wanderin’ off. If ya pull on it, or mess with it at all you’ll throw the whole group outta wack, so don’t.” She smiled to lighten up the seriousness. “We’re all here to have some fun after all.”

Everyone climbed on their horses, and with it being my first time the thoughts of foreboding fell away. The one underneath me just so happened to be Bitey, the chestnut brown with the white diamond I met during my first class. I looked around and spotted Adrian, who still didn’t talk to me anymore but gave me a nervous smile. I smiled back; it was both our first time on a horse.

“Feels like it’s been forever since we met now, huh,” I cooed to Bitey, patting his neck. His hair was coarse and yet soft, almost like dog fur.

Amber called everyone to attention, sitting atop a gorgeous black mare with tall lithe legs and beautiful muscle tone. She danced antsily, as if excited for the ride too, while Amber kept her skillfully under control.

“We’re going to be following the path out into the woods for a good half a mile, and then we’ll veer off towards the hot springs.” I perked up; I didn’t know we had a hot springs in the area! “After that we’ll take a short break, let the horses warm up a bit, and then we’ll head back. Remember to stay on your horses, and if for whatever reason you get separated, they’ll know the way back. Everyone ready?”

A chorus of readies. My heart started to pound. And then we were off.

We went at a pace just under a trot, everyone bouncing up and down at different rhythms. The snow crunched musically underhoof. I blew puffs of hot air, watching my breath fog like the little child that I was right now. I wasn’t the only doing that either. The sun glittered through the trees through the winter wonderland that was once the lush green summer woods. Everyone’s voices were hushed and quiet, respecting the muffled silence in the air. Thoughts of that warning fell away. It was peaceful, soothing, close even to the feeling I got during my late night swims.

The group veered off the path and our pace slowed to a gentle lumbering walk. Some had to duck heads and lean to avoid branches, but the speed gave us ample time to react. The further along we went the higher the branches grew, until the air was clear of them and the trees were so tall I had to crane my neck back to see the canopy. In the distance we heard loud cracks as the ice split the bark off a poor tree.

“Look at that!” Suzanne whispered excitedly, pointing off in a the direction of a bush. I squinted, trying to see what she was looking at, and then I saw a long white ear twitch, giving away the outline of a fluffy white rabbit.

“It’s a bunny!” I whispered back. The rabbit took a tentative hop forward and then, nose in the air, smelled the horses. In just moments it took off, vanishing into the white.

“That was so cool!” she whispered. “You don’t see that too often, I wonder if it was wild or was once someone’s pet?”

I nodded, smiling as well. “Who knows?”

Then suddenly a burning, searing pain slashed across my body and the world went white. It felt like gashes were being ripped open on my shoulders, my sides, my arms, my legs everywhere. Something hit my head and my back was wet and cold. I heard cries of panic and someone calling my name.

And then it stopped, leaving me breathless and my throat sore and hoarse. The grey-white sky and canopy of trees were directly above me; I had fallen off my horse. Amber and her mom were helping me sit up while Claire, Rose, Alice, Suzanne, and Wendy looked on with anxious, scared expressions.

“Easy, easy,” Amber said. “What happened? Is everything alright?”

My hands went over the different parts of my body; there wasn’t a scratch on me but the phantom pain still lingered. It had felt so real, so terrible…

“I...I think I’m okay, I’m sorry, I don’t know what just happened,” I said confused.

“Do ya think ya can finish the ride or should we send ya back?”

I thought about that carefully, slowly standing up. I felt fine.

“I can finish, sorry,” I apologized again, feeling incredibly embarrassed.

On the other side of the group Victoria made a snide comment under her breath, and the people around her murmured in disdainful agreement. I flushed more as I climbed back up on my horse; I didn’t do it on purpose… What on earth even was that? It was...it was kind of like that pulling sensation but way, WAY different, too precise, too specific. I swallowed nervously and tried to finish the rest of the ride calmly.

We made it to the hot springs with a breath of relief; everyone clambered off with stiff legs and backs and sat all around the pocket-ponds of hot steaming water for warmth. Rose and her mom, Ruby, got the horses situated around some of the other pools, letting them warm up without them climbing into the water. I sat down on a stump next to Claire and took my jacket and scarf off, noticing Wendy watching me with extremely worried eyes. It made me wonder if that sensation had anything to do with what’s been going on.

I leaned back and sighed. How many more surprises are going to keep jumping out at me? I wondered bleakly.

As if on cue there was the snap of a branch behind us and the rustling of leaves. The girl’s and I turned towards it in surprise, and I tensed. The cord pulling I hadn’t felt in a little while became alarmingly magnetic, and then Zain limped out of the bushes, haggard and covered in blood.

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Chapter Eight

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When I woke up next I was pretty sure I had dreamed everything.

Zain was gone, maybe never even having been there to begin with. I was glad today was my day off as the only indication so far that I DIDN’T dream up everything is that I indeed felt like shit. The cuts were gone but my head still throbbed and my body felt weak, like I just had to do a massive feeding like the first time. I could barely remember what happened, the only things clear being the fact that I was stupid and almost died, the connection to the note, and his last, mildly cryptic answer. Breaking the rules...I understood what that meant, but the inflection in his voice insinuated there was more to it than that.

My awareness of everyone became much more detailed, that note putting me on edge now for a different reason. It could have been from anyone...someone that knows me, and is watching me. Eyes, watching, all the time. I swallowed, worried. Even though Zain had asked me not to say anything, the fact that I was still alive would be a pretty big tip off that not only did it not work but that it was guaranteed that I would know now that something was up. Or maybe...maybe I could play it off as a result of the harassment I had been getting.

Or maybe, I thought to myself as I saw Victoria walked by from the food court. Maybe it actually was because of the harassment. Victoria would want me gone, afterall, or maybe she thought it would be the perfect prank.

No, she’s not stupid. She knows that killing me would kill her precious Zain. She didn’t even react upon seeing me the next day. Besides, that vampire, the thrall, said “he.”

It was easy now, though, to know which vampires were aware of this development. Most everyone’s eyes now just fluctuated between their natural colors and red depending on the day, but it seemed like certain shades indicated different levels of stress. The ones whose eyes glowed the brightest all had one thing in common; worry and fear. It wasn’t hard now to see why.

“Hey Greg!” Claire called as we passed by the tall, pale vampire with blue eyes. “You get those forms in yet?”

“Not yet,” he answered. “They’re still not going to be ready ‘till December, you know.”

“I knoooooooow. I just finally have enough points! I want to make sure I’m on the list.”

I blinked. “What are you talking about?”

“Remember when I said I was saving up for the excursion?”

“Oh, right, the one that happens every Spring I think.”

She nodded. “Yeah, you gotta have enough points saved up and be able to submit a form in time before they fill up. Greg here works in the paper-filing department place thing.”

He rolled his eyes but smirked. “I handle submission forms and accounts.”

With a jolt I recognized him. “Oh! Right, you helped me set up my card!”

He bowed. “That I did. You’ve been working hard, too. Plenty of points flowing in.”

“Yeah, thanks,” I blushed, and then felt a chill. What if…?

“So yeah, make sure I get one first Greg!” Claire poked him teasingly, making him laugh.

“I already promised to send you one first thing, what more do you want me to do?”

We continued our way to class, my head spinning. It would make sense, he’d be able to have access to all sort of information. Including my location; all he’d have to do is see where the points came from to know where I was spending and earning them at any given time. And no one would question him if he went looking for information.

I thought about bringing this up to Zain, but almost forgot I’m suppose to pretend like the discussion we had didn’t happen; it would definitely look suspicious if I just went to talk to him when we publicly hate each other.

Which...after that incident, I’ve been feeling conflicted about. Zain’s a petty jerk but...now I understood why. He’s been under a lot of stress, and vampire or not he’s not that much older than me. I barely scratched the surface of the politics he’s been having to deal with probably from the time he was born. It didn’t excuse his behavior, but neither did it validate mine. We’ve both been childish.

I sighed, drifting on my back across the water of the pool, mulling over my thoughts. It didn’t excuse anything but...but that night he was being genuine with me; he didn’t have to tell me anything. And maybe it was because he was scared and that was what broke his pride and made him open up, or maybe it was something else, but it happened. He wouldn’t even tell Victoria...but he answered me.

“You’re taking that out of context,” his voice echoed off the pool room walls.

I jumped in shock and choked on the water, spinning around. “Zain?!”

He sat crossed legged on the pool’s edge, looking mildly annoyed but somewhat amused, in a pair of blue swim trunks.

“You shouldn’t just make assumption about people, you know,” he continued, my reaction curling the corner of his mouth slightly into a smirk.

I flushed. “When did-? How-? What are you doing here?”

He shrugged. “I’ve been here the whole time. You just walked right in, not even paying attention. I wondered how long it would take you to notice. Apparently never.” He slid into the water. “Might I ask what you are doing here, out so late at night?”

I narrowed my eyes, flustered and swimming backwards away from him. I didn’t know how to answer him. He chuckled.

“That’s what I thought,” he smirked.

“Don’t vampires have their own pool?” I chided.

“Sure, but it gets so crowded.”

“So?”

He gave me a look. “So how come you’re not swimming during designated swimming hours instead of the dead of the night?”

I looked away. “The door was unlocked…” I muttered bitterly.

“Everything is unlocked.”

“Aren’t you lord of the castle?”

He sighed in exasperation. “I’m not going to kick everyone out just because I had the urge to take a midnight swim by myself.”

I moved away from him some more, trying to push back the oncoming nervousness and instantly feeling that dumb pulling sensation come back. “I’m not leaving.”

He shrugged and tilted onto his back. “That’s your choice. But I was here first.”

I hmphed and kicked all the way to the other side of the pool, trying to put as much distance from him as possible and ignore the fact that he wasn’t wearing a shirt. I wasn’t about to let him bully me out, this was my space. I don’t care if tonight he was here first, I’ve been doing this for awhile now. This was my escape, my solace, where I can calmly forget and relax.

I dove under, letting the water muffle all the noise and envelop me in calm. The pool lights danced about, reflecting off the ripples in the water. The weightlessness combined with the silence felt like another world, like a dream. I spun around, feeling lithe and graceful, a sensation I could never achieve on land. I dove deeper, flipping and twisting in an underwater dance, feeling completely at ease.

And suddenly I had a partner, matching my pace, mirroring my movements almost perfectly. I felt a challenge; he was trying to show off. I wasn’t about to be bested in my own element. We twisted and turned and circled and dove. A smile was growing on my face. I think he might’ve had one too. It was like we were different people, two different creatures in an alternate reality, all forms of animosity washed away with the water. He glanced at me and I saw green and gold.

Then suddenly my lungs were on fire; I need air. I kicked desperately, covering my mouth and nose as I felt the overwhelming need to inhale. I gasped as my head broke the surface of the water and coughed, my chest burning and heaving. Zain held me above water as I regained my bearings.

“Are you alright?” he asked, worried.

“Yeah,” I coughed again, sheepishly looking up. “Sorry, I just forgot...how to...breathe…” my voice trailed off as what I saw made my brain stop and my breath catch in my chest.

Zain’s eyes weren’t red anymore.

They were a shimmering green, like a supernova cloud, with specks of gold staggered around his pupils. They were beautiful, and lost, enveloping me in a sensation that felt like drifting off into space. His gaze held mine, surprised same as I was, no thoughts crossing our minds. He wasn’t angry, or irritated, or accusatory, or anything. We just...stared, not breathing, his hands still holding me up by my waist.

A strange, tingling sensation from where he was touching me made my heart race and break the spell. I pushed off, away, and swam to the edge of the pool, feeling my face go red and my heart fluster. My thoughts were everywhere in an intangible mess of feeling. I couldn’t think straight. But his eyes still lingered in my mind.

“...I’m gonna...go,” I said after a moment, my voice echoing soft off the walls. He didn’t respond. I started lifting myself out, trying to regain my composure before my thoughts started straightening out.

“Wait,” I heard his voice call out and I froze, my heart climbing to my throat. “What’s that?”

“What’s wh-” Before I even had the chance to turn around, there was a sudden rush of water as Zain swam impossibly fast right up behind me, a single finger pulling down slightly on the back of my one piece. A shudder ran up my spine as I realized what he had spotted.

“It’s nothing!” I squeaked, unhooking his finger and scrambling out of the pool.

The water splashed loudly against the pavement as he pulled himself out of the pool; his eyes were red again, narrowed and probing for answers.

“That didn’t look like nothing,” he scowled, taking a step closer. “Tell me.”

I kept my back away from him, not looking directly at him and desperately trying to put the walls back up. “R-really, it’s nothing…”

“If it’s nothing then why are you lying?”

He stepped closer and I continued to back away.

“Because it’s not your business…” My back hit the wall, startling me and causing me to look up. Zain’s face was suddenly very, very close, his red eyes forcefully holding mine in place, his arms boxing me in from either side. Fear rose up to my throat; no, please no, I don’t want to think about it, just stop, I don’t want to remember…!

“Remember what?” he murmured hypnotically. “Tell me.”

“No!” Through sheer force of will I wrenched my eyes shut and shoved him away. My breath was panicked. He let himself step back from surprise as I quickly grabbed a towel, shaking, and covered the tip of an ugly grey mark on my back.

Soon as I took a step towards the door he was in front of me. I ducked under his arm, not looking at him, but he grabbed my arm instead.

“I’m not just going to let you off so easily,” he growled, and I seethed.

“Let me go!” I twisted my arm away hard, my voice shrill. “Why do you even care?! You wouldn’t even-! Just leave me alone!”

I stormed out of the pool, and he didn’t follow.

Tears filled my eyes as a disappointed sorrow filled my chest. My wrist was starting to throb a bit. I wiped my eyes, trying to keep my composure the whole freezing walk back to the dorms, still in my swimsuit with only a towel draped over. As soon as I got to my room I shut and locked the door and cried against it.

I hate him. I hate him so much.

He was everywhere now.

He didn’t approach me, or try to confront me, but everywhere I went, everywhere I looked, Zain made sure I saw him. He was waiting for an opportunity to corner me; he really wanted to pull that memory out of me, he really wanted me to suffer. He really hates me that much.

My chest pained. The swimming pool was no longer a safe place for me. He’d be waiting for me, expecting me. He’d even follow me to the library, I was sure if it. There was no where I could go now, to escape anything. It was a place of peace and he’s taken that from me.

“Alright Helen Morris I want answers.”

I jumped with a jolt and spun, and then scowled. “What do you want Victoria?” Really? I just got done with my kickboxing class. I’m already stressed out dealing with Zain, and now she’s cornering me?

“Something is up with Zain,” she said and I immediately rolled my eyes, “and I KNOW it has something to do with you.” She fixed me with a hard stare that paled in comparison to Zain’s. “Why does he keep following you? What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything,” I growled back, seething. She took a step back, startled. “Maybe, just maybe, you should go ask that asshole yourself instead of having everything done for you!”

She looked appalled and incredulous, and my voice had drawn a crowd. “How-! How dare you speak to-! You little-!”

“Alright look, princess,” I said, my voice laced heavy with a malice I knew I was going to regret. “You have no idea what shit I’ve been dealing with, you with your life all taken care of and planned out for you and la-di-da-di-DA. I don’t give a crap WHO you are. Just fuck off, and leave me the hell alone.”

Victoria’s body had stiffened and her face had gone white, unable to process what just occurred. I laughed as I turned away, feeling strangely manic. She’s probably never had anyone talk to her that way. Our audience was shocked too, including her little groupies. Her groupies…

The rush of adrenaline faded and I realized I might have just screwed myself over even worse. Soon as I rounded the corner I ran. There’s no way her friends were going to let that go, I was definitely going to be attacked for that.

Suddenly that pulling sensation magnified, yanking me from all different directions and growing stronger and stronger. I ran faster now, not caring where it was I was going. It felt like I was ripping at the seems almost literally; he was really determined now. There was no way I could get away, not with his speed, not with his tenacity. But I wasn’t going down without a fight.

He grabbed me from behind with a single hand to the chest and threw me sideways into an empty room. I scrambled back to my feet and darted back, ready for a scream. He shut and locked the door and caught me, dodging my punch this time and pinning me against the wall, covering my mouth. I thrashed against him uselessly.

“This has been fun, chasing you around,” he sneered quietly, “but I’m tired of playing games. Now,” His eyes stared hard into mine. “You’re going to give me what I want, or I’m just going to get what I want.”

I squirmed as I felt his mind probe into mine, smashing through the walls and filtering through my memories. I fought as hard as I could but he was persistent, prepared this time. He started getting close to the right time period and a whimpering noise escaped my mouth through his hand, tears forming in my eyes and my body starting to shake. Please no...I don’t want to remember, I don’t want to remember...Pain seared across my back and Zain gave a yelp, dropping me and stepping back in shock as the spell was broken.

I dropped to my knees, shaking and hyperventilating from the phantom pain and holding my chest. Zain’s eyes were wide, shocked and guilty.

“It’s a scar, okay?” my voice came out feebly and shaky. “I got it from my dad...he kept hurting mom, I didn’t want him to hurt mom, and he...he…” My body convulsed in pain from the memory and for a moment I couldn’t breath, couldn’t think, couldn’t escape because now I was there and trapped. “Are you happy now, Zain?” I cried softly. “Did you get what you want?”

Everything inside me was broken now. All of the barriers, all of my strength, any self-esteem or conviction, in pieces. I didn’t want to exist anymore, I didn’t want to be here anymore. I didn’t even want to go home anymore. I wanted nothing more now than to just disappear forever so I wouldn’t have to feel anything ever again.

Suddenly I was encased in warmth, and a sweet smell smothered me as my face was pulled into his chest. Zain held me tight as I clung to him and cried, his voice pained and guilt-ridden in my ear as he apologized over and over. I didn’t think about the fact that he was comforting me, or saying sorry, or whether or not he really meant it. I just cried, letting his warmth envelop me and falling into the false comfort it gave me. A comfort I had been craving for so long, a sense of security I had never known ever in my life. Despite everything, despite even that it was Zain, of all people, I felt safe.

After a long time I started to calm down. My breathing began to stabilize, and my body felt exhausted. My emotions felt drained; I hadn’t cried like that in a very long time. Not since...I flinched.

“I’m so sorry Helen,” Zain murmured, squeezing a little. His voice was gentle and sincere. “I didn’t know...I didn’t think it would be something like that…”

“Just don’t talk right now,” my voice croaked, my face still buried in his shirt. A short wave of internal pain came and passed, and I shoved it all back this time. After I did, I realized that Zain had just used my name for the first time.

“You’re taking things out of context,” he teased, but gently, tentatively.

“Oh shut up,” I muttered, and heard him chuckle. It resonated deep in his chest, like a gentle drum, rising up to this throat.

“That’s the spirit,” he smirked crookedly. “You’re almost back to your old self.”

I hit him lightly in the chest, and then unclenched the grip I had on his shirt, lifting away. “I think I’m okay now.”

His arms loosen a little. “You sure?”

I hesitated, and for just a moment I didn’t want his embrace to end. I wanted to stay here and pretend we didn’t hate each other, pretend he wasn’t a jerk and our lives weren’t messed up. Pretend we were those creatures underwater in the pool, thinking of nothing but enjoying the moment. Pretend that things were different. But that was a reality I can’t accept, shouldn’t accept. A reality that just wasn’t true. I gently pushed him away.

“Yeah,” I said, unable to hide the listlessness in my voice. “I’ll...I’ll be alright.”

He released me and helped me back to my feet; my body shook and wobbled, my face sticky from dried tears and snot. It felt like electricity was coursing beneath my skin where his embrace had created an absence. I flushed in embarrassment as the events that just happened started to hit me.

“This, um,” I began, carefully choosing my words. “This…this never happened, okay?”

He seemed to understand. “You didn’t just have a meltdown.”

“And you weren't comforting me.” A pang hit my chest as I said that, and I pushed the longing back. After a moment of silent truce and a weird, awkward exchange of insisting the other goes through the door first, we went our separate ways.

It was evening already, and my head was still in a daze. I tried not to think about anything, I tried to keep the desire to go back, to follow the pulling back to him, at bay. I missed the warmth, his smell, already. I slapped my cheeks. Get a hold of yourself, Helen. He’s not your friend. He’s not even...he’s a bully and a jerk and an abuser. One moment of kindness doesn’t make up for all of the malice, the unreasonable blame and forceful demands.

This bond was dangerous...I thought of Ms. Lorely’s story, how she got trapped into feelings of desire for the vampire that abused her and shuddered, briefly thinking of my mom and her situation too. Ice filled my chest and throat as I realized I might be trapped in that as well. Zain hasn’t ever hit me, or hurt me necessarily beyond feedings (or when he threw me into that room), but he’s been forceful. Aggressive. It doesn’t take much for that to turn extremely bad. I still didn’t know anything about him. And it’s only been two months.

Two months…it feels like a lifetime ago.

I opened the door to the dorms and everyone stood up and rushed me immediately, their faces filled with elation.

“Oh my gosh Helen!”

“You’re okay, thank goodness!”

“We were so worried, we thought Victoria might have-!”

With I jolt I realized they were talking about my shouting match with Victoria. I had completely forgotten that had happened.

“Yeah sorry, I um-”

“We were looking everywhere for you, we didn’t know if...but then it got close to curfew so we told Dmitri and Greg and Mason-”

Ah, so there is a curfew. It doesn’t seem to be enforced, though.

“Helen?”

I stopped, realizing I had still been walking towards the stairs. Everyone looked at me with worry in their eyes, Rose especially.

“Is everything okay?” she asked carefully. “You’re eyes are…”

I gave the most convincing smile I could muster to put them at ease. “I’m okay, I’m just...really tired. When I started cooling down I realized what I just did so I’ve been kinda...running and hiding.” Not entirely a lie a guess. It convinced them though. I felt a little bad about it.

“Okay, you should get some sleep then,” Rose said. I nodded and started climbing the stairs.

“Helen?” she called again as I reach the top. I stopped and look back at her.

“I know we can’t really know what you’re going through, and we understand if you don’t feel comfortable enough to trust us, but...I just want you to know, if you ever need someone to talk to, we’re always here. You’re our friend, we want to help however we can, okay?”

Tears welled up in my eyes. “Thanks,” I croaked out, darting quickly into my room before I cried in front of them too. I really didn’t want to cry anymore, not ever again, for anything. But the sincerity got to my frazzled nerves and I needed a long shower and some calming quiet before I got it under control again.

I should do more things for them. They’re trying just as much as I am. I don’t feel like I’ve been considerate enough back to them. I curled up in my bed, feeling exhausted, and fell asleep thinking about different activities I could do.

What a bizarre birthday this had been.

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Chapter Seven

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I wanted to put that incident behind me, and to my relief it seemed like he did too, as I didn’t see him again. My swim bag somehow had made it back to my room, maybe as a peace offering but I pretended it didn’t exist anymore. I built my walls back up, perfectly, and focused on making plans. I had decided to follow that note I had received, and made arrangements to be there. It could be a trap, it could potentially mean my death, but at the moment I didn’t want to care, I just wanted to know. And I wanted a way out.

Victoria, however, suddenly became relentless. It was a relief to not feel like I’d run into Zain again for a bit, but Victoria, who had up until this point only taunted me from a distance but otherwise pretended I didn’t exist, now made an effort to mock me at every turn, loudly, to everyone. And her groupies would join in physically, trying to trip me (and succeeding) around every corner, dumping my tray, deliberately running into me when passing in the hall. People started avoiding being anywhere near me because of the targeted harassment. The worst thing is, I didn’t know how to make it stop. There wasn’t anyone I could complain to, and even if I did she’d have them in her pocket.

The only thing I could think of is that he set her on me, leaving me alone as I wished but ensuring I still remained miserable. Fine. I’m getting out of here anyway. I shouldn’t have to deal with this crap.

The day arrived, and I tried to keep from being nervous so as to not tip anyone, especially Zain, off. Dmitri was demonstrating a new dance form in class that we tried to mimic. With the Ball coming up the whole castle was abuzz with excitement and nervousness, which meant Dmitri’s classes fluctuated in participants. To my embarrassment the class came up odd today(Zain was attending), and since no one wanted to be my partner and the girls had already paired up, Dmitri paired up with me instead. Somehow my body was able to move effortlessly as he explained the steps to me, but then when I’d try again, I stepped on his feet and elbowed him accidently in the chin. He seemed patiently amused, and I could tell he had underestimated me when I told him I’m no good, but there was a fierce determination in his eyes. At least I had some solace in that I won’t break my teacher this time.

Also he apparently has super powers. He can use telekinesis, and I think that’s why I was moving perfectly at first and then not. I have no idea how he’s able to do that, but I wish it was a spell he could just permanently cast on me. That’d be pretty great.

The class ended and the girls and I split; I’d have two hours left before I needed to be out there, I decided to go hang out in the library as per usual. On my way though, I heard quiet murmurs of protest around the corner. I tried to keep walking, pretending not to notice.

“...been acting really strange! It’s not like you!”

“Everything is fine, Victoria, don’t worry, I’m fine.”

“It’s still her, isn’t it? I don’t like this, I don’t like it at all.”

“I know, I don’t either. I don’t know why it happened.”

“I mean how did she even get in?! I don’t trust her Zain, what if she tries to hurt you?”

Zain laughed, and kissed her forehead. “As if anything could hurt me.”

I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my chest and it took all my willpower to ignore it and fight back the tears threatening my eyes. A sudden start in Victoria’s voice told me Zain had felt it and reacted, and I hurried along and away before either of them could accuse me of eavesdropping.

I sat in the empty library banging my head again the table, trying to push the feeling out with pain. What is wrong with me? I’ve never had this much irrational reaction to anything, to anyone. There was no control, no reason behind it. He’s an ass, a jerk, a bully. And he hates me. So why the hell?

The hard desk beneath my head turned soft. I looked to the side to see Ms. Lorely had placed a pillow between me and the surface. She had a quiet, almost motherly smile of amusement.

“Hard day, Ms. Morris? You’ve been doing that for a bit now.”

I groaned in response. “It’s Zain...and this stupid bond thing.”

She sat down next to me with cup of cocoa. “That’s the trouble with being a Bride, it does tend to hasten certain emotions.”

“But I don’t like him, and he loathes me, why would I…?” Then I sat up, realizing what she said. “Wait, are you saying this stupid feeling of jealousy is because I’m the Bride?”

She nodded sadly. “It happened to me, too. I became the Bride of my late husband by accident. We had only met briefly, talked in passing, and I found him at the wrong place and the wrong time. He wasn’t too happy about it happening, was very...angry, with me. In those days it was pretty common for everyone to resort to violence. I thought he was attractive, but the connection made me desire him despite my inexperience.”

I listened with interest, and a little bit of shock. “But...you became a vampire?”

She nodded. “It was the only way to be strong enough to be free from him.”

“What...do you mean?” I asked, trying to keep the baited excitement out of my voice.

Ms. Lorely gave an almost sassy, crooked smile. “I killed him of course.”

My insides chilled.

“I’m not saying at all that’s what you should do, far from it,” she said hurriedly. “Lord Zain’s behavior as of late has not been...his usual self. He really is a kind person, but he’s been through a lot, well before you came along. I just wanted you to know, though, that I do know what you’re going through. The forced feelings, the unwanted desires, the frustration of it all.”

I nodded, trying to get the image of her killing someone out of my head. “So then, you were able to break free of it because you killed him?”

“Because he died,” she corrected. “It could have happened another way, by someone else; that is a benefit to being a Bride. Your life is not as dependant on his, the way he is dependant on you. The changes...will remain, you’ll always be a Bride regardless how long your vampire stays alive. But if he were to perish, you will continue to live.”

“Ms. Lorely,” I began after a moment. “Are...are you by chance…?”

She waited, a patient but very confused expression on her face. “What is it dearie?”

I shook my head, deciding it wasn’t her. “Nothing, sorry. Just a silly thought.”

She chuckled. “You’ll make it through this just fine, Miss Helen. Right now you are both still quite young and inexperienced. But you’re both very level-headed individuals; you’ll find a balance soon, and the forced feelings will begin to fade.”

I smiled appreciatively. “Thanks Ms. Lorely.”

We chatted a bit longer as she told me stories from her time as a human, and the time period she lived. Apparently she was as far back as the middle ages, just before the renaissance period. She had been the daughter of a successful baker and had always dreamed of being a scholar of some kind. It made me warm to realize the extensive collection of books and documents, both old and new, were because of the years she spent looking for them. It was strange, yet comforting, to know that should I decide to be made a vampire myself, I wouldn’t suffer the brain deterioration that’s supposed come with created vampires, either.

Before I knew it the clock chimed for 8pm and she bid me off to bed. I left with a wave back towards the Day Wing, but kept walking past the entrance that led to the dorms. Hard determination set in my core, and I was careful to keep my walls up. I monitored the tugging sensation, paying close attention to the intensity and hoping it was actually a gage of his attention and distance, like I had been assuming. It was low and idle, as per usual on a night like this. I kept my pace even; if someone saw me I didn’t want them to think I was sneaking off.

The information I learned was useful to an extent; it was possible to break this little curse, but...as much as I dislike Zain, I wouldn’t actually want him dead. And I don’t want to turn into a vampire myself, like Ms. Lorely had. So that option was out of the question.

The stone floor gave way to dirt once more as I headed towards the stables. My breath came out in puffs, everything had frosted over by now. I started being more careful, not wanting to be spotted by the stable staff and very thankful they were human; I’m pretty sure they’d smell me or something if they had been vampires. I passed by the building quickly, heading west as the note had said. I could feel my heartbeat quicken in anticipation, but tried to keep it level; I didn’t want to get my hopes up too much.

It took a little walking into the trees, maybe only a minute at my pace, as this side of the castle opened out into the woods. It wasn’t hard to spot the large oak tree; It was very wide and almost spindly, branches turning every which way in long, twisting arms. Like roots growing outward. With a chill I realized this could actually be a prank, that Victoria could have been the one to send that note in order to make it look like I was running away. She could tell Zain, and he’d believe her 100%.

I leaned against the tree facing outward, my heartrate beginning to climb in anticipation and debating now whether I should go through with this. In the distance I heard a clock chime; it was 9pm. The cold bit at my cheeks. I held my breath and listened.

A small snap! and a rustle of leaves was heard in front of me, further into the trees. My heart was reaching thundering speeds as I felt a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach; something was wrong. This was wrong. I shouldn’t be here. But it was too late now. The shadow of a figure grew clearer as it walked towards me, almost casually. I saw his eyes, glowing bright red, and a flash of white teeth as he smiled.

“Well well well,” a new voice purred that turned my insides to ice. “Info was right; lookie here, right where he said, right on time.”

I skirted around the tree, slowly backing away from him. “S-stay back,” my voice squeaked. My throat was feeling tight.

“Now, see, that’s rather unfair,” he spoke again, his voice caressing the air with thick desire. “You see, they won’t let our kind in the castle, says we’re too much a danger to your kind.” The moonlight lit up his face and I gasped; it was manic, ragged, like a dead man walking. Not at all a match for the smoothness in his voice. A fear I had never felt exploded through my body like a ruptured artery; I turned and ran back towards the castle as fast as I could.

I heard a laugh and collided into something hard; a rancid smell assaulted my nostrils.

“Oh no you don’t little lady, I’ve been hungry for far too long,” I heard the vampire purr again. I had no time to be shocked, I rolled back immediately upon hitting the grass and scrambled to my feet in a manic sprint into the woods. Branches cut at my skin but I couldn’t care. This was so stupid, I’m so stupid! I don’t want to die, of course I don’t want to die! Tears blurred my vision and a tree branch caught me in the face. I fell, and heard more laughter all around me.

“You smell absolutely exquisite, I’m so going to enjoy this.” He fell into a hunter’s crouch, approaching me quickly. My head was still spinning as I tried and failed to stand back up, something wet was running down the side of my face. This was it. Everything in my life was leading up to this; a moment of stupidity. Tears ran down my cheeks and I squeezed my eyes shut. I could only hope that it would be quick.

Screams filled the forest but they weren’t mine. I opened my eyes in shock to see the vampire, upright and convulsing, screaming in pain. Whatever it was that possessed him released, and he looked back incredulously. “You-!”

No sooner had he spoken than was there a sudden impact and he was sent flying into a tree. Zain stood where he was, eyes blazing with fury and his mouth in a snarl. The vampire leapt back again, his figure almost towering over Zain, and they engaged in a battle too fast for my eyes. Trees broke, I couldn’t move, the noises were deafening, and then at last there was just Zain, clothes torn and breathing heavily, standing over the corpse of my attacker and splattered in his blood.

His red eyes snapped toward me, his mouth still in a hard set snarl.

“What the HELL are you doing out here?!”

Tears continued to stream down my face as I went into shock, unable to process what just happened. I curled into a ball and hyperventilated, trying to make it calm down. Zain waited, kneeling down in front of me. When my breathing steadied he asked me again, firmly.

“I...I…” Words still evaded me. His gaze was hyperfocused on mine but I couldn’t look at him; guilt began to replace the terror that was coursing through me.

His head suddenly lifted and he gestured me to be quiet. I covered my mouth and tried to make my breathing quiet as my heart thundered again. I didn’t hear anything.

“It’s not safe here,” he finally murmured, and suddenly scooped me up into his arms.

“Wha-!” He shushed my sudden surprise with a hiss, and before I could even process what was about to happen the scenery around us became a blur and the air was rushing against my face and body. Within moments everything stopped again, and he was standing on my balcony and opening the window.

Once inside he dumped me unceremoniously on the floor and crossed his arms in frustration, his eyes narrowed and demanding.

“Just what the hell were you thinking?!” he berated me. “Do you have any idea how close you were to killing us both?!”

I whimpered from my sore butt in addition to the scrapes and cuts and the throbbing pain in my head. “I’m sorry…”

“Sorry doesn’t cut it!” he hissed. “You were trying to leave the castle, weren’t you? How stupid do you--!”

“I wasn’t!” I protested. “I...that wasn’t why I was there, I…!”

“OH~? ENLIGHTEN ME THEN.”

“I-I-was…” The adrenaline was finally starting to wear off and the nausea arrived in full force. My stomach gave a massive heave and I couldn’t stop it.

Zain held the trash can beneath my face before anything reached the floor, still angry but waiting for me to finish. My hands were turning white as I used the rim for support. Finally I groaned, my body shaking and feeling incredibly cold.

“There was a note…” my voice crackled feebly. I could feel his stare on me hard, piercing through my head for the image of that message.

“What does it mean?” he asked, his voice still firm but with a slight waver.

I groaned again, keeping my eyes closed and trying not to think about the blood that was all over both of us and running down my head. “I was trying...I was trying to find a way to break it. The connection. I just...I just wanted to go home, I didn’t…”

His voice became icy and accusatory. “The only way that’s possible is if you have me killed.”

“I know… I don’t want to resort to that, I was hoping...I thought that maybe…”

I felt him probe my mind again, visions of my searches flashing through like a fast-scrolling film. My thoughts, my emotions, I had no strength to push him out. He saw the library, my chat, the books I looked through, the notes I took. There was fear, and worry, where he searched, and something he wanted to be sure of. Finally he released his hold and leaned back with an exasperated sigh.

“You’re impossible.” His voice wasn’t angry anymore, just exhausted.

The nausea finally passed but I kept my eyes shut. Bitterness grew in its place. I just wanted something that would work. Can you really blame me for trying?

“No,” he replied, tired. “I can’t. I would’ve done the same.”

I opened my eyes but he was suddenly holding my head down in his hands before I could take in his expression. “Hold still,” he murmured, and I felt a strange tingling sensation just above my left temple. His hands were warm, and a subtle, sweetly comforting smell drifted off of him. I closed my eyes again, giving in to the involuntary relaxed feeling it created.

“You’re a mess,” he scoffed quietly, and I felt myself lift to my feet. “You should clean yourself up.” I opened my eyes sleepily and found myself being led to my bathroom. “Don’t look at the mirror,” he warned.

I was careful to keep my eyes closed as I undressed and rinsed off in the separate shower room, giving plenty of ample time for all the blood to wash down the drain. The cuts on my arms and face stung, and to my surprise there was no open wound on my head anymore. The hot water was nice; I wanted nothing more than to just lie down and fall asleep. But the bathroom was not a place for that. My old clothes were gone when I stepped back around and in its place a pair of long-sleeve pajamas. That was nice.

I groggily stepped out of the bathroom and stumbled towards my bed. I flopped into it, relishing in the softness and warmth, and then realized Zain was sitting in a chair next to my bed, his arms and legs crossed and staring at the balcony window.

“I’m not going to run away,” I said sleepily, trying to sound accusatory and lifting my head up.

“I know,” he replied simply, not looking away from the window.

I let my head fall into the pillows again. “I didn’t take you for the sleepover type,” I said dryly.

He made a noise I couldn’t decipher, but I think...I think he laughed.

“Did not,” I heard him scoff.

“Those thoughts are private,” I murmured.

“Then keep them that way.”

A few minutes pass, and my brain finally starting working a bit more properly.

“You’re still here,” I stated.

“So?” he responded.

I sat up now; I heard it again, in his voice. “Why?”

He didn’t answer immediately. He seemed to be thinking. And then…

“Do you still have that note?”

I blinked in surprise. “Uh...no, sorry. I didn’t want anyone to know what I was doing so I burned it.”

He turned to look at me, his eyes still casting a faint red glow into my room. “Do you remember exactly what it looked like?”

“Um, maybe, I don’t…?” But then he was suddenly leaning close to me, taking my face firmly in his hands.

“I need to see it,” he said, his red eyes piercing mine.

My heart started beating quickly and my face flushed. “Wh-what are you…?”

“I need you to picture it,” he ordered. “The day you got the letter, I need you to recall it as clearly as you can manage.”

Realization clicked as I finally understood. I forgot, we’d be able to dive into each other’s memory, as if we were there.

He rolled his eyes. “Could you be any more slow?”

I narrowed my eyes as his went back into looking through me, searching. I recalled that day as much as I could, trying to calm my heart down. The letter mixed in with the clothing, the color of the paper, the handwriting, the ink...details were being pulled in that I would have otherwise not even thought about, and I realized this was his doing. The choice of words, the scent of the paper, my thoughts wondering who could have sent it, the people I considered, the fact that someone from within the castle must have sent it--

Zain stiffened and let go of my face in thought. His eyes were wide and darting back and forth at the nothing in front of him; he looked worried, confused...lost. It was the same, EXACT same lostness I had seen in his eyes in the dream.

He didn’t move for a good minute. I swallowed.

“Zain…” He snapped out of it in surprise, a strange expression in his eyes at the sound of his name. That same subtle fear I had noticed only a few times before was radiating off of him now. “Zain...what’s going on?”

He looked away, his face anxious as he debated an answer. “I...I don’t know,” he said, to my surprise. “Activity around the castle has been increasing to an abnormal amount. Thralls, like our friend from earlier, have been appearing more frequently, causing problems and trying to get in.”

I swallowed. “Thralls...a created vampire?”

He nodded seriously. “It's a common occurrence for them to appear during certain times of the year, usually hunters take care of them for us. They’re attracted to this place because of the dense population of humans, the barrier keeps them out though. But…” He ran a hand through his hair stressfully. “It been too frequent lately, ever since you showed up actually, and now this…”

“Zain, I promise you I was not out there because-” I began to say, thinking about Victoria’s rumor of infiltration.

“I know,” he interrupted, his eyes patient and believing. “But...the fact that you got a note that led you outside the castle walls, outside the barrier, AND you were attacked by a thrall-”

“He was waiting for me,” I breathed in realization, startling him. “That’s what he said, ‘right where he said, right on time.’”

Zain paled. “Someone planned this.”

I swallowed, my head spinning.

“Okay, listen,” he said after a moment, taking my shoulders and giving me a hard, firm stare. “I can not stress this enough, but you can’t tell anyone. No one, especially not the humans. It’s bad enough the vampires are noticing this, but if the humans...This would cause a mass panic, and we don’t have all of the information.” The seriousness in his voice frightened me more than any threat he’s dished out so far. “If there is someone in the castle doing this then we can’t let them know that we know--that I know about it now.”

I nodded in agreement. “Is...is this why you wanted...?” He heard my thoughts, understood that I was talking about the feedings. He nodded.

“I won’t tell anyone.” He relaxed and released my shoulders.

This...this was a lot, but explained a lot of things. If this was why he had been so demanding, so insistent…

“You would have still resisted me,” I heard him mutter.

“You don’t know that,” I said, bristling. “You might be a jerk but I’m not unreasonable.” He scoffed at that. “I’m serious. I have had zero freakin’ clues as to what the heck is going on. I just almost DIED, again, and I still don’t even know why. I’m doing my best here.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment, but I was sure he had heard me. I was reminded of Ms. Lorely’s words; he’s not a thick-headed idiot.

“Hey,” he warned.

“I was defending you, and stay out of my head,” I chastised.

“Would if I could,” he spat back.

An awkward, childish pause filled the space between us for a moment.

“You should get some sleep. You’re going to feel like shit in the morning.”

I grimaced. “Gee, thanks for the assurance. What are you going to do?”

He had resumed his sentry position of watching my window. “I’m going to make sure nothing else happens tonight.” I swallowed, but nestled back down in the bed.

More awkward silence filled the space; I felt antsy about him being there, and unsure, but weirdly enough not scared. His scent would drift over to me, so comforting and...warm. It didn’t make sense. But it had a relaxing effect on me, putting me at ease, making me feel like I could trust it. Trust him. I could feel my eyelids drooping.

Everything that transpired, all the way from day one, cycled through my brain. The bullying, the anxiety, the demands...one particular memory had me curious though. “Hey...” I called sleepily. “I have a question…”

He didn’t move or respond.

“That morning after the first night I was here, when you dragged me into that supply closet…” my eyes were closing against my will now but I wanted to know… “...why did you ask me not to tell anyone you were outside the castle?”

“Go to sleep,” he growled. But then, quietly, after a few more seconds, he answered. “...it’s because I was breaking the rules.”

My head swirled in groggy confusion as new questions filled the mess. Just before the blanket of sleep consumed me though, I realized something. Since the moment he had rescued me, that strange, elastic-like pulling sensation had stopped.

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Chapter Six

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The next morning I saw that all that remained from the feeding was a slight bruise, but thankfully no one questioned me about it. I covered it up with a bandage, and then my weekly schedule started. Time began to fly by as I followed it, the activity classes were much more involved than I expected. The kickboxing alone made me sore for an entire week. It made trying to dance an even more hazardous affair than it would have been already, causing me to stumble over feet and into other people, earning shrill giggles of entertainment from Victoria and her groupies. Zain, to my relief, didn’t always attend the class with her, since he had more than just studies to worry about.  

Keep reading

[nightblogofficialbook]

Chapter Six

Also available to read on Tapas.io!

The next morning I saw that all that remained from the feeding was a slight bruise, but thankfully no one questioned me about it. I covered it up with a bandage, and then my weekly schedule started. Time began to fly by as I followed it, the activity classes were much more involved than I expected. The kickboxing alone made me sore for an entire week. It made trying to dance an even more hazardous affair than it would have been already, causing me to stumble over feet and into other people, earning shrill giggles of entertainment from Victoria and her groupies. Zain, to my relief, didn’t always attend the class with her, since he had more than just studies to worry about.  

I found to my surprise that the time slot for my math and reading courses accidentally corresponded with Claire’s, which was a huge relief. Any required group or partner work was easier to approach since I knew her, but to my dismay I didn’t have any other courses with anyone else. The tension during those periods were deafening, as everyone’s eyes and whispers would follow me with anticipation and unease. My training classes with Zain were even more tense, as we were both being taught how to do certain things like what Zain had done during feeding, and given “homework” to practice. We both were fully aware that neither of us had any intention of spending any more extra time with one another, but given that I was the Bride I was expected to keep a journal of my daily habits and observations about myself, to monitor changes. The Horse Care class, which I thought I would get to have with Wendy but as it turns out most days she misses her classes(much to Amber’s clear disappointment), was even worse as the vampire I had met, Adrian, refused to even look at me, radiating unease at my very presence.

There was a noticeable difference, too, between the behaviors of vampires and the behaviors of humans around me. The humans’ unease stemmed from curiosity and awe, and the uncertainty of how to address or approach me, like meeting or realizing you’ve been talking to a celebrity. Many of them wanted to speak formally, feeling nervous about any sort of casual interaction. But the vampires...most of them actively wanted to avoid interacting with me, some out of some unknown fear and some out of distaste. There were a few that would speak to me only out of politeness, such as when I needed help finding a specific classroom or with directions, but I could always tell they wanted any interaction to be as short as possible.

I suppose it was just as well, I didn’t want to grow too comfortable here. I was already beginning to forget how dangerous they could be.

And speaking of danger...my meetings with Zain once a week had become an annoying, unexpected, irregular thing. I got the feeling he was doing it on purpose; he probably enjoys appearing out of nowhere and startling me every time, just to get on my nerves. I still look back each time, surprised at myself, with how sharp and curt I would be to him, despite the fact that he could, and almost did, kill me. We would argue back and forth in the most immature manner, and then would grow silent in awkward truce just before the actual feeding.

That was something, too, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to. The pain became less and less sharp, less, well, painful. But the drinking sensation, the feeling of someone sucking on my skin, from my body...I shudder just thinking about it. It wasn’t...bad, but it was such a weird and unnerving feeling that I dread every time it has to happen.

The last dregs of summer gave way to the cool fall wind, and before I knew it, it was November. Halloween had come and gone, everyone dressing up the week before for a big bonfire party the evening of the 30th, with hotdogs and smores and games and candy. Claire tried to get me to join in on the traditional Jack-o-Lantern walk, where a single person would walk through a maze in the dark with nothing but a pumpkin lantern while getting frightened along the way, not unlike a haunted house walk. I politely declined, but enjoyed the end of night celebration and music. Now all anyone could talk about was the Winter Solstice, a ball held in December to celebrate the longest night of the year.

In a few weeks time my birthday would soon come and pass. I couldn’t help but wonder what had become of my memory outside the castle. I wondered whether anyone was looking for me, whether I was suspected to be dead. I wondered how mom was doing. She would be distraught, I was sure, thinking the worst had happened, probably thinking dad had escaped and found me, or one of his friends.

I shuddered at the memory of him, bringing back the ghost of a sting on my back. I hadn’t thought about dad for years. We had made a promise never to talk about it, mom and I, in order to move on from his memory. It had been a happy day when he was put away, even if it had meant losing our home and relocating. The things he did, the anger…

I shook my head. Lets not think about it. I should still be trying to find a way to escape, anyway.

The library became my favorite place to be, especially as the days grew colder. Ms. Lorely, the vampire in charge of keeping it, was a lot nicer than I once took her for. She was one of the very, very few vampires that didn’t care about my status or position and was only bothered by how I treated her books. She saw me quite often, as reading was one of my favorite escapes, and started offering me hot chocolate when she knew I was coming. Sometimes she would chat with me about the books I would check out, other times just give me a polite nod of understanding. This was one of the few places, I’ve learned, where I wouldn’t be bothered by unwanted stares and whispers.

She didn’t mind me going to the second floor, either, after seeing her books returned in the same condition I borrowed them in. Not that I would ever take any of these books from the library; they were so delicate and old I was afraid of even going back downstairs with them. The old section was always empty of visitors, too, so it made for a nice place to hide away from any extra prying eyes.

Many of the old books were written in a different language, making it difficult to find anything useful pertaining to my situation. The Bride classes I had been taking had been very informative in what to expect and how to handle the different changes; I was getting better at hiding my thoughts and emotions from Zain, much to his satisfaction and my relief in knowing I’d have a little more privacy. But nothing yet about how this bond necessarily works, other than its like a “magic knot” that ties us together and evokes change. And the books I have found only confirmed what I was told in class. There was still the top floor, but no matter where I poked around there didn’t seem to be any way up.

I yawned sleepily, enjoying a day off in the warmth of the dorm common room, when an envelope fell into my lap, my name written on the front in a smooth and legible cursive, in addition to a couple of large, soft, squishy packages.

“You’ve got mail,” Claire said with quoted enthusiasm, grinning. “Looks like your stuff came in.”

“Thank god,” I said, opening the packages as Claire went back to the kitchenette for her snacks. With the change of weather I had expressed the need for new clothes, and everyone decided to make a shopping trip to the tailor in the center of the castle, where the other point-based shops were located, to pick out some styles and be fitted and measured. It was the first use I made of the points I had accumulated so far, and it felt pretty nice, like spending my own money. And the clothes were super nice; a soft, plush, wine-purple turtleneck, some new jeans that actually had useful-sized pockets and fit exactly where I wanted them, some new fingerless gloves, and a few other casual shirts, sweaters, and shoes, all handmade. I felt pretty good about the haul.

And then came that envelope, only addressed by my name and with no sender. Curiously, I opened it up to read:

‘I’ve seen you snooping around a bit, and might have the information you seek. Meet me at the large oak tree west of the stables in the evening at 9 o’clock next Thursday. Tell no one of this letter.

~ a friend.’

I stared at the letter, unsure what to think as a strange sensation settle in the pit of my stomach. A tiny, albeit doubtful, hope filled my head. Could...could this be real? Could they actually know what I’ve been looking for? Could this be my way out? And how did they know?

My attention was scattered for the following days into the weekend; someone here had to have sent it, right? Someone who knew me, or at the very least who sees me on a regular basis. It could be anyone; there were so many people. It could be Dmitri, or Amber, or maybe Ms. Lorely, or Adrian or…

“You alright?” Claire asked, worried, after I had been sitting and staring at my food blankly for ten minutes.

“What? Oh, right, yeah, sorry, just...lost in thought.” I took a bite of food but could hardly taste it.

Later that night I woke up less than an hour and a half after going to bed from a nightmare. Something was watching me, eyes following me everywhere, something unseen and dangerous. Sometimes I was running, sometimes I was trying to hide. Everytime I tried to fall back asleep I was woken up by just the sensation that something was wrong.

I got out of bed, giving up on falling asleep and deciding to find something to do. This sensation has been persisting ever since I arrived, and it made me anxious, like it was warning me of something bad. I need a distraction, something calming… The library would be locked up by now save for vampire visitors, and even though Ms. Lorely would probably let me in, I wasn’t even sure if there was an enforced curfew for the Day Wing or not and didn’t want to trouble her. But I didn’t want to stay in the dorms. I felt antsy, like I need to let out some energy and get away for a bit.

A thought crossed my mind, something I could at least go check and see: the pools. There wouldn’t be anyone there, and they might not even be locked. Even if they were, I could at least walk around. They’d understand if I didn’t know there was a curfew, I’m sure.

Before I could change my mind I grabbed a small bag and stuffed my swimsuit in it with a couple towels (despite the fact that there would probably be towels in the locker rooms), and left the dorms.

The halls were colder than I expected; I thought about turning back for a jacket for a brief moment, but for some reason I didn’t want to go back inside, similar to the unknown feeling I had about staying inside. I pressed onward towards the courtyard, feeling that sense of deja vu I hadn’t felt since the weird dream two months ago. The air bit my cheeks with the threat of frost, and I crossed it as quickly as I could, pushing the memory aside.

With relief I found the pool door, even more relieved that it was unlocked, as a blast of warmth and chlorine hit my face when I opened it. A heated pool in the middle of fall sounded even more amazing than I initially realized. With a little bit of nervousness, and after quickly checking to see that I was for sure alone, I switched into my swimsuit and stepped into the water.

It was colder than the air but by this time I had warmed up. I floated about, feeling refreshed as the tensions seemed to just wash away. Thoughts of everything drifted off as I enjoyed the sounds and lights from the water reflecting off the walls and glass ceiling. Moonlight poured in gently, and I found myself falling into the old warm-ups I used to do from the swim class mom was able to afford one summer. That was back when...back before he left, and was the one solace of peace I had outside of school. Back when reality was at least normal. The water was really good at making me forget everything, even that reminder, as all I felt was relaxed.

After an undetermined amount of time I was ready to head back. I quickly dried myself and my swimsuit and got back into normal clothes. Stepping out of the heated room and shivering, I made a mental note to remember warmer clothes next time, because I already knew I would need a next time.

Not too long after leaving the pool room I heard voices echoing in the halls, coming towards me. At first I wondered who else would be out this late, and talking so loudly. Then panic filled me; suddenly I felt like I was somewhere I shouldn’t be. I dove behind a bushy potted plant to hide, feeling immediately dumb. This would look even more suspicious if I was found like this!

Too late to change my mind as the voices rounded the corner.

“...so do you think you’ll still be able to go?”

“Of course I will! Why wouldn’t I? I’m still his girlfriend.”

“Yeah, well, I’m just saying, the new girl seems to kinda complicate things.”

“Helen Morris means nothing to him! She’d be an embarrassment if he had to take her with him, he told me himself.”

My inside turned to ice as I realized who was speaking.

“Yeah but, won’t he have to anyway?”

“It doesn’t mean he has to be with her. It’ll be more like bringing a pet than anything. Still...ugh, it’s so unfair! Why did it have to be her, she doesn’t even belong here! Just some plebeian outsider, I bet she’s just trying to infiltrate…”

All the relaxation and peace undid themselves within me as Victoria’s voice and footsteps faded away, and I remembered who and where I was. I had no idea what they were talking about or why it bothered me, but the listless depression I felt pressed hard on my back. I hugged my knees; I didn’t want to move anymore.

I’m so tired of this. It’s like a never-ending roller coaster; every time I think things will be okay, every time it feels like maybe it won’t be so bad, something happens to remind me that NONE of this is okay. I miss the boring simplicity I used to have, I miss complaining about school with Emily. I miss my mom. I miss not feeling like a mutant, and feeling invisible enough where people didn’t stare and gawk. I miss not having to feel this weird, stupid pulling sensation every minute of the day, trying to drag me everywhere.

“Is there a reason why you’re sitting among the foliage?”

I jumped and looked behind me. Zain was leaning around the leafy plant with a raised and suspicious eyebrow. I inwardly groaned. Not now, not here…

“No reason at all,” I grunted back as I pulled myself out from behind the plant and doing my best to remain neutral. I wasn’t winning that battle.

He stepped back to allow me to climb out, his arms crossed, and his expression twitched ever so slightly into a curious smirk. “Really? ‘Cause it seems like there must be a reason.”

“It’s nothing,” I tried to growl, but my voice cracked and the mental wall was beginning to crumble.

“HEY.” He grabbed my wrist to spin me back. “Don’t lie to me.”

I tried to jerk my hand away. “Don’t tell me what to do,” I spat, desperately trying keep it contained.

“I’ll do as I please,” he leered, “and you’ll do as I say.” He didn’t let go of my wrist, instead narrowing his eyes at my defiance. I can’t let it happen. I can’t let him see me exposed, I won’t give him the satisfaction of bullying me to pieces. But my wall was coming down fast, and he was way stronger than I was. And I could see it in his eyes he knew that too. So I tapped into some of that resentment we shared.

“Let me go, you jerk!” I yelled and, using the form I had learned from kickboxing, swung my fist at his face.

Had circumstances been different I would have laughed; his face was priceless. The last thing he expected was for me to try to punch him. Soon as I felt my fist contact his chin and my wrist was free, I ran, leaving behind the bag of swim gear and ignoring my throbbing knuckles. The rage I used to hit him faded quickly and was replaced by fear; I just punched a vampire. I just PUNCHED a vampire.

Suddenly the cord-pull intensified, and I was yanked back by my shoulders into a wall, pinned in place.

“You…” Zain’s voice was low and husky, and to my complete shock there was a strange, almost exhilarated smile on his face. “...are incredible. No one else would dream of even TRYING to hit me like that, and you…!”

My heart was thundering in terror while he continue to look amazed and entertained. He released me from the wall, and it looked like a lightbulb went off in his head.

“You might actually be fun to have around,” he said with a smirk, and my insides ran cold. “Go on then, run. Run as fast as you can. Let’s play this game.”

I stared at him in disbelief, feeling sick. I didn’t know what to do, so I just started walking, trying to ignore him and regain my composure.

“Oh, come on, where’d all that fire go?” He kept pace with me, taunting me, passing back and forth trying to egg me on as I felt everything in me start to shatter.

“Go away, Zain,” I muttered quietly, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Why, what’s wrong?” He said, leaning forward with a grinning face. And then it fell a little when he saw mine. “What’s wrong?” he asked again.

“Just leave me alone!” I shouted at him, making him recoil a moment. All sense of amusement fell.

His eyes narrowed. “Watch yourself,” he growled warningly.

“NO! Just shut up!” Tears welled up in my eyes and he stopped. My voice was still echoing off the halls. “You think this is funny? You think I want any of this?” My voice trembled as they fell down my cheeks. “I just want to go home...but I can’t,” I sniffed and wiped them, the pit of my stomach feeling hollow. “This isn’t my fault. So just...just leave me alone, alright?”

I couldn’t look at his face, so I couldn’t tell what he was feeling. Not wanting to stand there any longer, I started walking again. Back to the dorms. The magnetic pulling sensation was so intense it almost made me stop but I pushed against it. I wasn’t going to look back, I wasn’t going to go back to him, no matter how much harder it got. I wanted to run, to hide, to find somewhere to be alone and rebuild my walls again.

I expected him to try to stop me, to chase me down again, but he didn’t. He just stood there.

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Chapter Five

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The rest of the day felt like it went by in a blur, and I found I wasn’t able to pay much attention to the things the twins were showing me. And the next few days were spent in the same manner. This place seemed to have everything you could ever want for in life; clothing centers, food, swimming, dancing, horseback riding, a giant library, even an arcade. The place felt like a giant gothic-victorian themed mall, complete with vampire attractions. It was all still so very surreal, like I’m still in an ongoing dream.

My announcement had been made, too, and now the whole castle knew who I was. Eyes of all types and colors followed me everywhere I went; people began to be wary of me, some even purposefully stepping out of my way or avoiding my path. The girls were trying to stay positive about it but I could tell they were worried. Whispers and murmurs of questions echoed in the halls, things that people wanted to say but didn’t have the courage to face me directly. If it honestly weren’t for Rose and Co., I don’t know how I would take the sudden ostracization.

And yet somehow, two weeks had already gone by without my realizing it.

Alice and Rose sat with me at the desk in the library, going over an expansive catalog of courses offered here, the Day and Night Academy, as I learned the organization was called. Or the DNA, which Claire found amusing for some reason. Courses were divided between the two sides of the castle: the Day Wing, which is where humans reside and attended courses relating to their needs and interests, and the Night Wing, where the vampires live and have their own types of classes and setups in addition to where the COV does all of their meetings and things. Both species were allowed to take classes from either wings, but it was set up in this manner to help keep the peace and safety between the two. After that meeting I was given a letter, delivered right to my door, instructing me to submit time slots for my chosen classes (if any), and that I would need to choose a time period between 4pm and 10pm for the mandatory Bride classes.

I sighed and leaned back. “I thought I wouldn’t have to worry about anything like this till the end of next summer,” I complained.

“Well, remember you don’t have to choose anything,” Rose reminded.

“Except the Bride class thing.”

“Well, yeah.”

I looked down at the weekly scheduling paper, the indentions from many eraser marks and faded graphite, and then at the list of both Rose’s and Alice’s suggestions while they continued to comb through their booklets for what they think I’d be interested in. A thought crossed my mind.

“Hey, I can pretty much sign up for these at any time, right?” I asked.

“You can,” Rose said, “but there’s a limit to some of the classes due to capacity and whatnot, so there’s a period every start of the season where everyone is encouraged to rework or re-evaluate their classes, teachers and students alike.”

“So it’s usually better to make sure you do that then, if you want to make sure you’re in,” Alice added.

I nodded in thought. A very soft chime sounded through the library, and the girls looked towards the grandfather clock with a start.

“Ah, we better get going,” Alice said. “Today’s the double set of Histories, they’re showing a movie this time.”

“I think I’ll stay here and think a little bit longer,” I said. “I don’t want to keep putting it off.” And I don’t want to give them reason to decide for me, I thought bitterly to myself.

They nodded and said their see-ya-laters, and then I was left in the quiet silence of the library.

I leaned back in the chair, thinking. Somewhere in the back of my mind was the desire to run away still, to try to go home. I knew it was impossible, but...maybe I should still try. Maybe I should at least have a plan. I looked at the papers again, and started placing time slot ideas. Maybe...if I give myself enough time, and really got to know this place...I might find a way out. Or maybe find a loophole in the whole Bride contract thing.

A sudden idea popped into my head, and I looked up and around. This library was huge, with hundreds of shelves and cases, at least three tiers of floors, with books from every age and era. Hardly anyone was in here now, just a bored older vampire lady in a polkadot button up, and a couple of humans quietly reading. The second and top floors had their own categories and were so old they were hand-bound with leather and written on parchment.

I got up and wandered my way up to them, feeling a little like I should have no business being here. I could feel the librarian at the front desk, the bored-looking vampire, quietly glance my way when the spiral stairs creaked; something tells me almost no one ever goes up here. After a few minutes of trying to make sense of how these books were ordered, I heard a soft woosh behind me and a slightly shrill voice that made me jump.

“Are you looking for something specific dearie?” the librarian vampire asked, her lavender eyes full of mild suspicion.

“Uh, no, sorry,” I replied nervously. “I was just curious.”

She pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow, and then gazed solemnly at the rows and columns of tomes around us. “Some of these books are thousands of years old, each one a priceless copy that would be incredibly difficult to replace. You’re still, of course, welcome to browse them, but please,” she gave me an icy stare. “handle them with utmost care.”

I swallowed and promised, and she leapt backwards over the railing back to the floor below. Despite the lack of forbidding me from looking, I felt the need to hurry along. So instead I proceeded to gather my things and return to my room.

The schedule still needed to be submitted, so I clicked on a writing desk lamp, sat down, and got to work.

A hour later the sun had set completely, and my weekly itinerary was finished. For the sake of having something with all my dorm-mates I deciding to keep a slot for dancing, so once a week I would have that and the Horse Care and Management class, a few times a week some normal school classes like a math and history(which actually sounded interesting since it was being taught by someone who experienced it), and also signed up for a kickboxing and cooking class every other week because they sounded fun and potentially useful. And then, twice a week as instructed, the final slots for the Bride training classes at 8:45pm. I looked over the list once more, checking to make sure the time slots I wrote down were the correct ones, and felt satisfied with the layout. Friday afternoons would be free, as would be the weekend, and Tuesdays except for the Bride class in the evening. The rest of the days had one or two classes scheduled with plenty of open time throughout the day.

I leaned back and stretched, thinking about the library now, and those old books. I wonder what secrets they hold, what kind of histories they might tell. Maybe they might have my way out of this bizarre mess.

And maybe...maybe no one has ever even tried to find a way to break the bond of Brides, because it was never the desire of either party to do so. Dmitri did say that this had never happened in recorded history. But...what if it had? What if the answer to my problem--Zain’s problem, everyone’s problem, lies in one of those old books?

That question continued to haunt me in the following days as I waited for the submission to be processed. For the time being I was encouraged to continue tagging along with the girls, save for my first training class as a Bride. Since it was an evening class AND in the Night Wing, I would have to travel to it myself.

Claire offered to go with me, as did everyone else too, but they all had done enough for me already, and I wanted to take this opportunity, too, to observe the how the Night Wing would operate.

The evening was cooling off into a quiet summer hum, the halls echoing eerily as I followed the map I had. There was a different kind of tension in the air, and the sensations of many eyes watching me, following me. I never saw anyone, though, only the portraits that lined the dimly lit hallways. It seemed like the further and further I went into the Night Wing the darker it got.

As I turned a corner I could hear the faint sounds of conversation in the distance. Hoping it was where I needed to go I followed it. Up ahead a door was open, a soft orange light casting outward from it, and with a sigh of relief I saw a sign that read “Bride Training Course.” The relief, however, was short lived, as after I walked inside I realized I had been ignoring that pulling sensation that had been steadily growing stronger.

Zain sat at a table inside, looking irritated as usual and somewhat out of place. There were only six other people here, three human and vampire pairs. They all looked relatively young, but not nearly as young as Zain and I did. At the front of the room stood a vampire that somehow looked like an old man in a twenty-something body. His eyes were glazed silver over a subtle tone of amber, his skin almost stoney grey yet firm, his hair old-fashioned and short. Wrinkles filled his face as he smiled towards me.

“Good evening young Miss,” he called, his voice warm with a little bit of crackle to it. If ever a person looked non-human, this guy was definitely suspicious. Everyone’s eyes turned my way soon as he addressed me, including Zain’s. “We’ve been eagerly awaiting your arrival, welcome! Please, take a seat.” He gestured towards Zain, and I realized we were expected to partner up. This was going to be a long class.

About time you arrived, I heard his grumpy voice say as I came over. I shot him a look of dismay but said nothing in retort, sitting down silently and nervously. The vampire instructor, Mr. Miles, was beginning to outline his key points to this lesson on the marker board at the front. My chest began to thud as a burning, squeezing sensation began to radiate out from it. I clenched and unclenched my fingers, feeling unsure and scared of some unknown issue.

Zain scoffed beside me. “Will you cut that out?” he hissed in a low voice, his expression under duress. “There is nothing to get worked up over.”

“As if I can help it,” I muttered back, feeling irritated now myself. What, does he expect me to just...have complete control over my feelings?

That would be helpful, I heard his voice again.

Control your own feelings, you jerk, and stay out of my head! I thought back at him angrily, earning a cold and threatening glare.

Behind us a couple of girls giggled, a vampire and human pair, as they whispered gleefully and eyed the two of us. Zain directed his gaze towards them and they quieted immediately, but with amusement still in their eyes.

“Alright!” Mr. Miles called cheerfully to attention. “Now, due to recent circumstances we’ve added new time slots for this course to account for our most recent Bride’s and Bride candidates. We’ll be starting with the beginning, so for those of you who are already experienced,” at this the female couple and another couple chuckled in amusement, “please consider this a refresher course. Now--!”

I tried my best to pay attention, not having the forethought to bring any note-taking utensils and feeling way too embarrassed to ask, since no one else felt the need to either.

"First and foremost for the Brides to understand is, though you may not feel different or appear different, once your vampire performs what we call 'The First Bite' you are no longer human. Your bodies will now react differently to some things you’ve been used to, such as certain medicines no longer working, and the bite of any vampire no longer runs the risk of marking you as theirs. Vampires, you will discover, if you have fed before, than any and all other blood will taste vile and might even in some capacities make you ill. This is part of the contract you have made-or will make- with your chosen Bride. You cannot gain sustenance anymore from other sources, and you must learn now to rely on your partner. They are your pillar of strength, in both the literal and figurative sense of the word. The health of your Bride is now the health of you, so you would do well to learn how to care for them."

Mr. Miles continued on explaining the changes both the vampires and the Bride can to expect to occur. The "no longer human" part had sent me reeling with shock, and it was hard to keep up with the sudden onslaught of information thrown out in the same manner as a health class lecture. What I did catch at least was that, over time, I was expected to find my sleeping habits changing to suit the Zain's, as well as my body increasing blood production to account for the regular losses that will occur. Also I get to live forever, even if "my vampire" dies as some point. I didn’t know exactly what it would all mean, or how I would experience it, but it was more terrifying than learning about puberty had been.

I didn’t hear a snide remark from Zain, even though in the back of my mind I was expecting it. My insides were in turmoil. I wasn’t ready for this, I wasn’t expecting...this. So much of my life had been taken away from me, so many choices now being replaced against my will. The instructors voice faded away as my attention focused out and a sinking, debilitating feeling began to weigh me down. It just...didn’t feel real.

Soon as class was dismissed I walked out listlessly and feeling weirdly numb. Everyone else walked even further into the Night Wing as my feet began to take me back to the Day Wing. I didn’t want to think. I didn’t want to think about anything right now.

“Hey,” I heard a voice call, making me jump in fright and spin around.

“Jeez, relax,” Zain said, perturbed. “I need to talk to you about something.”

My mind jumped to that utility closet.

“Not like that—! Look...” He made a calm gesture down a small hallway. I followed, and he took a small, slow breath.

“Look,” he said again, his voice surprisingly patient. “Neither of us want the situation we’re in. I get that. But what’s happened happened, there’s no going back on that.”

I waited, not really sure where he was going. He began to grow slightly...flustered?

“I’ve been patient--gave you enough time to get used to things, and it’s been almost a month now, you can’t really refuse…” He seemed to be struggling to find the right words, until finally he just sighed in defeat. “Look...I’m at my limit. I need your blood.”

“My—?!” A chill ran through my body as I tensed; I hadn’t yet processed that this was something I was going to be expected to do.

He looked just as uncomfortable as I did. “Look, if I had any choice it definitely wouldn’t be you.” Something stung as he said that. “At least I’m giving you a warning, I could just make you if I wanted to. But I need it. If I don’t—”

“Okay.”

He stopped in his tracks, completely surprised. “What?”

I took a breath, trying to calm my heart with resolution. “Okay. I understand. Just...tell me what I need to do.”

He looked skeptical, and then relieved. He approached me quickly, and my heart rate shot up same time as that electric pulling intensified. He grabbed my shoulders awkwardly.

“Just hold still,” he said, leaning into my neck. I saw his fangs as he drew in close and could feel his breath-

“Wait!” I squeaked, suddenly very scared.

“What now?” he grumbled irritably.

I swallowed, my head swimming and trying not to think about those fangs. “Does...does it have to be my neck?”

“I’m starving,” he responded. “You expect me to get what I need from just your tiny veins?”

The imagery of how much blood was going to be involved was already beginning to make me dizzy. I abandoned my argument and tried to take another calming breath. “Fine, just get it over with, please?” I said, squeezing my eyes shut.

“With pleasure,” I heard him mutter, and then felt him bite my neck.

It stung, less than the last time but it still hurt a lot. I hissed through my teeth as I felt his fangs pierce through my skin. My nerves all came alive with sensitivity; I could feel every pulse in my body, every direction my blood flowed, the throbbing pain from the new wound in my neck. It was as if time had slowed down, making these tiny seconds feel like minutes.

Then I felt those fangs withdraw, and for a fleeting, hopeful moment, I thought it was done, that it was over with. I was so wrong. I let my guard down at the worst possible moment, as, instead of leaving, I felt his mouth close around the wound and began sucking.

My gag reflex kicked in.

Jeez, stop that or you’ll make me sick.

“I can’t help it, I—”

Don’t like blood, I remember. Another wave of nausea as I felt that word in my head. Just...think of something else.

You think of something else, I retorted back.

Alright, fine.

And suddenly I was standing in an open, grassy field field with a tall apple tree in springtime floral. The sweet, familiar scent of flowers drifted in the breeze that gently grazed my face, rustling the grass in a pleasing wave of green. I gawked. What just happened? Did I pass out? Am I dreaming?

You WISH you could dream this, I heard his smug voice say.

“How are you doing this?” I asked, my voice echoing all around this new space.

I see you weren’t paying much attention to your class today, as you would know if you had.

I crossed my arms; I tried to retain as much as I could!

“And let me guess; you’re not going to tell me because you’re a massive jerk?”

Correct. And then a short pause. HEY. Watch yourself.

“YOU watch yourself,” I replied childishly.

You realize I could easily kill you right now, right?

“But you’re not going to, because then you’d die too.”

Fuck you.

“Fuck you! And let me out of here!”

The calming field grew stormy and the apple tree began to bleed. The nausea came flooding back.

Do you REALLY want to go back?

I tried to close my eyes but couldn’t. “No, wait, stop that, I’m sorry!” I started to feel dizzy, my breath was becoming faint. The tree and the grass began to wilt and die right before my eyes and suddenly I felt danger. Like something bad was waiting for us, watching us. It had always been watching, waiting for the chance to strike. Waiting for the chance to kill. I don’t want to die. The edges of this place was fading away to black, creeping slowly and then quickly. Something is wrong.

The dream world snapped away just before the darkness closed around me. I heard Zain shout something in a panic, and the last thing I saw was his scared red eyes and my blood on his lips.

Darkness surrounded me. A darkness full of pain and fear. Something was chasing me, had been chasing me, and now I was in a box, a cage. A room too large in a place too foreign. Everything was hot. Everything was cold. Everything was nothing and everything at once. I felt so alone, in such an empty place the air was thin and suffocating me. I don’t want to be alone. Don’t leave me alone, please, don’t leave me by myself…

“I’m not leaving,” a soft, warm voice whispered, and the nothing became a blanket. The hot cooled; the cold lessened. The space grew cozy. I felt a soothing hand. A comforting presence. I wanted to cry. I wanted my mom. I wanted someone--this voice. I wanted this voice to tell me I’m okay, that things will be okay. That someone cared.

“It’ll be okay,” the voice continued in the haze, almost as if in response. “I’m right here, don’t worry. You’ll be okay. Just rest a little more…”

“Who are you?” I whispered longingly into the darkness. The fog began to clear, and I fell back asleep.

I woke up feeling hot and feverish. My whole body ached, like I had just tried to run a marathon but passed out halfway. Which meant I wasn’t dead. Cool. With a groan I rolled to my side, feeling extremely thirsty.

And then sat up immediately with a start.

“Good, you’re awake,” Zain said almost casually, the glow of the moon reflecting around his silhouette while he stood leaning against the window frame to the balcony of my room.

“How did you get in here?” I blurted immediately, the sudden movement making me lightheaded for a moment.

He gave me a raised eyebrow. “Do you seriously think I can’t get into anywhere I want?”

I swallowed, remembering now that this was the leader of the castle, the Lord of vampires. No door would have any business being locked to him. And then the aching pain in my neck made itself known, and with it came the memory. I flinched as it throbbed, putting my hand to the spot but somewhat surprised to find no welt or indentions.

“What...happened?” I asked quietly, feeling confused.

He looked away irritably and sheepishly, the struggle of guilt on his face as he tried to find his words. “Look, I...might have gotten carried away, feeding from you, and lost control of myself. I didn’t mean to do that to you.”

I just listened, baffled by his behavior and wondering if he was actually going to…

“But you shouldn’t have been provoking me,” he finally growled, turning all the way away. There it is. I knew it was too good to be true.

“You said it yourself,” I spoke up quietly. “I don’t like this anymore than you do.”

An awkward, frustrated silence fell between us, but in its place I think we both understood we needed a truce. He sighed.

“I can’t put myself in that situation again,” he began, his voice taking on the same calm professionalism as he had in the meeting a few days ago. “I’m going to need to feed from you at least once a week, from now on.”

“Once a--?! But they said it was every other week!”

“At minimum,” he corrected, but also somewhat surprised. “Crucial detail there. Besides, our situation is different. I have a castle to run, an entire species to protect.” An almost somber tone filled his voice. “Everyone is going to look to me for strength and protection. They’re already concerned I didn’t take the Bride I was supposed to, a Bride they knew would give me the strength I need. I need to show them that nothing has changed in that regard.” He looked back at me, his eyes narrowed again in frustration...but behind that layer I saw it in his eyes. That fear I saw, the fear I felt, in the illusion world he created.

“I need your cooperation,” he growled, and then I heard it, too. The ever so slight tremble in his voice. Something was wrong.

I felt my throat tightened a little bit before making myself speak next. “Zain...what’s going on?”

He was caught completely off guard, whether it was from my using his name or the worry in my voice, or the fact that I knew something was up, I didn’t know. But his reaction confirmed my feelings; something beyond the worry of current events was happening.

“I…” he became slightly flustered, unable to find the right words, and then became frustrated and angry. “It’s none of your business,” he finally snapped after some stuttering, and then before I could say another word he was out the window and gone.

“This isn’t my fault you know,” I muttered, bitterly, as a he left behind a wave of blame.

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Chapter Four

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I lay in my bed for a long time in confusion as the rest of me tried to catch up. The dream faded away quickly as the room manifested around me. The image of Zain shimmered and disappeared. I finally sat up.

The window was still opened, and I was still in my change of clothes. I didn’t remember ever going to bed, but the sun had broken the horizon and the twilight of dawn filled the sky and my room. The lamp was off as well. There was strange, almost sweet smell in my clothing. It was so subtle, but almost comforting. Like, if “warm” was a scent.

And then my head finally cleared, I was now awake, and the smell was gone.

What a strange dream...I could barely remember it, but it felt so real. I could still feel the ground under my feet, the cool grass and the crisp night air. That guy’s expression was still in my mind. It was so different.

I shook my head. There is no way that wasn't a dream. He would never look at me like that, not me. Not the one he blames for this happening. Even though this wasn’t my fault.

I tucked my knees to my chest again, feeling that subtle tugging sensation again and a bit of deja vu. Only this time I had no intentions of following it. That was such a weird dream. What did he ask? And what was up with my answer? ‘Followed my heart,’ what the heck?

I shook my head again and stretched. It’s too early to be analyzing weird dreams.

My stomach rumbled after I showered and changed, and with a start I realized I never did eat dinner last night. With a quick glance around the room in thought I headed out the door and down the stairs.

The girls were still asleep upstairs, I assumed with deja vu once again, as the sensor plug-in lights reacted to my presence. The steps creaked despite my efforts to keep the quiet of the room. Awkwardness filled the silence instead as I stood in the center, unsure if it was okay to actually raid the fridge and pantry. I decided instead to sit down in the living room area.

There was a combination of beanbags and couch seating arranged in a casual circle. Up on the wall hung a flat screen TV. To the left a bookshelf and magazine rack, and to the right a red brick fireplace. I sunk into a bean bag, still feeling awkward. I wish someone would wake up already. I don’t know what to do with myself.

As if to answer my prayers I heard the stairwell creak and I turned. The twins, Alice and Suzanne, were coming down stairs in fitted outerwear. They gave identical starts of surprise, seeing me.

“Oh hey Helen!” Suzanne called. “How long have you been awake?”

“Not very long,” I replied. “Just for a bit. What are you two doing up?”

“We’re apart of the morning yoga class,” Alice responded while her sister grabbed some granola bars from the cabinet. “You’re welcome to join us if you’d like. It’s good for your body, and it helps with waking up in the morning.”

“We can get some coffee afterwards and show you around the castle,” Suzanne added with a smile. “We actually don’t have other classes today, we like to have our days off spaced out.”

“That’s sounds great,” I accepted with relief.

I followed the girls to the courtyard, the familiarity of the dream still lingering in the back of my mind. Many other people were also gathering to the patch of open soft grass where we were heading towards. The morning air felt nice, the dew in the grass chilled, and a pleasant breeze would blow through and bring with it the crisp scent of the morning. I took a deep breath and let it out in a relaxed sigh as I felt my head clear with it, and tried not to think about how hot it would get later in the day.

An hour or so later we finished up the morning stretches, sweat lightly glistening on my skin. I wasn’t able to do most of the poses, and had fallen a lot on the balancing ones, but it wasn’t bad. The instructor was patient and able to help me find poses I could do, and no one seemed to care that I was super inexperienced.

“We can get cleaned up in the pool showers nearby,” Alice said, wiping the sweat off her face with a towel.

“There’s a pool?!”

“There’s a couple,” Suzanne laughed. “The other is on the other side of the castle in the vampire wing, but ours isn’t too far. There’s a change of clothes too so don’t worry about needing to head back to change or anything.”

I followed them to the wing towards the left and through a few halls until we came to a frosted glass door with “Pool” labelled on the front in plain black font. The smell of water and chlorine blasted out as they opened the door.

It was your basic in-ground indoor pool, with a sectioned off area for doing laps, and a couple of lifeguard towers. The ceiling vaulted high into a round, frosted shield that was currently mostly open and letting in sunlight; it looked like one of those convertible roof type things that would open completely to the air or close tight. I  think our school’s football practice field/gym had one that was crank powered. Some people were currently swimming in the pool, relaxing. The lifeguard on duty gave us polite nods as we heading to the pool’s changing and shower rooms.

After cleaning up we went back to the Food Court for coffee and breakfast, the sun growing high and the humidity already building up. We spotted Rose and Claire already in line for the breakfast buffet and waved. I didn’t see Wendy anywhere though.

“Cool, you were with Alice and Suzanne,” Rose said with relief after waiting for us to get our food and drinks. I started scarfing down my food with gusto. “We were a little worried when you didn’t answer or show up.”

“You mean you were worried,” Claire snickered. “I had a feeling you were okay. She was scared maybe you tried to leave.”

“...I thought about it,” I admitted after swallowing my food. “Though I don’t really know what good it would do, my impression is that I wouldn’t get very far soon as it was discovered.”

“You’re impression is right,” Alice said severely. “Vampires are very fast and their senses are very sharp. Not to mention you’re connected to Lord Zain now.”

“And they wouldn’t really be too happy about that,” Claire sheepishly said. “They’d want to keep you under a tighter surveillance, and we’d probably not get to see you again for a while.”

“Which reminds me,” I began. “I’ve been meaning to ask, why am I able to be unsupervised? It’s only been like, three days now I think. Am I really just allowed to...wander around freely?”

“They’re not barbaric,” Alice retorted. “They know you’re from the outside, and they know you didn’t come here of your own free will. It would be cruel to just lock you away, with no explanations and for no reason.”

“They’re very much a ‘until proven guilty’ sort of society,” Suzanne said.

“So then...who’s ‘they’?”

“The Council of Vampires,” Rose replied. “Or the COV. Lord Zain might be lord of the castle and over-arching ruler, but since he’s so young -especially since he’s still young- there still exists an appointed council to offset the responsibilities that comes with running the castle.”

“They’re like a government body, if you will,” Suzanne summarized.

“So then, who appoints them?”

“The lord of the castle does, ultimately,” she answered. “But there’s a forum and polls taken from everyone presently living here, including kids, about their opinions of who they like and don’t like and why. The opinions are taken into consideration when a decision to reinstate or to appoint comes around.”

“So…” I processed that for a moment. “What’s stopping them from just ignoring how every feels then? Wouldn’t it just be easy to just appoint whoever they want?”

“This is true,” spoke a familiar, gentle voice behind us. “But causing direct discomfort to our residences affects the quality of blood in supply, and would directly affect the health of all vampires living here.”

I turned to see Dmitri, the dance instructor from yesterday, standing tall and relaxed with his hair combed nicely and a gentle smile on his face.

“Yo, wat up big D!” Claire greeted boisterously and held out her fist to him as everyone else greeted him normally. To my utter surprise he bumped it, mimicking the flair at the end masterfully.

“Good morning girls,” he greeted in response. “Good to see you all doing well!”

“You too,” Rose said, a hint of shyness in her voice. “You’re all dressed up today.”

It was then I noticed what he was wearing, and the similar military-esque type of dress all the vampires wore the first time I saw any of them triggered a memory and sudden realization.

“You!” I said with a start, pointing. “It’s you! You’re the guy!” The guy from the first night, the one who announced me as the bride thing or whatever!

The girls stared at me in confusion while Dmitri sheepishly scratched the back of his neck.

“Ah, I was wondering if you had recognized me...You’ll have to forgive me for not saying anything, I couldn’t be sure and I didn’t want to upset you. I hope this doesn’t change how you think of me.”

My burst of indignation faded almost immediately and was replaced with guilt by the sincerity in his voice and expression. I sighed and muttered, “It’s alright…”

“Oh!” Rose said with a start. “Oh, right, you were supposed to be the one who…” She trailed off with realization, and quickly cleared her throat. “Um, anyway, how come you’re all dressed up?”

“And how come you’re over here?” Claire added.

“Ah, Lord Zain has called together a meeting to address how we’re to move forward with the new changes,” he explained. “For the moment it was agreed that the best course was to keep the facts of the matter a secret, but he wants to address that now as the castle deserves to know what’s going on. And,” he looked to me, “since the subject matter pertains to Miss Helen, I’ve been asked to come fetch you to attend the meeting in the Night Wing.”

I stiffened, realizing that meant I would be in a room full of vampires, who would already have a low opinion of me, and would have to listen to them directly decide my fate.

Dmitri seemed to pick up on my distress immediately. “By all means, don’t feel obligated to attend just yet,” he tried to assure. “I understand you’ve only been here a total of three days and only been aware of our existence for even less time. I also understand you would have made plans today to spend with everyone. It wouldn’t be any trouble to express the need for more time to adjust, and postpone the meeting.”

“I…” I thought about it, feeling my chest ache and that strange pulling kick in a bit at the same time. A jumble of thoughts filled my head, all saying and feeling different things. I couldn’t be sure if I could actually trust what he said, whether I actually have a choice, or whether if I choose not to if it would only make things worse. I took a breath, and drew upon the calming sensations of the yoga earlier this morning.

“I’ll go,” I said, to everyone’s surprise.

“You sure, Helen?” Claire offered in worry.

“It really is okay to decline,” Dmitri assured.

I shook my head. “No, it’s fine. I want to go. I’ll be okay.”

“If you’re so sure,” he replied, holding out his hand to assist me to my feet.

“I am,” I said confidently, taking it and standing up.

“We’ll have her back before the afternoon is over,” he assured to the girls as they looked on with a little worry, the expression beginning to feel contagious. “It won’t take much longer than that.”

“Good luck Helen!” they called as Dmitri and I walked away, heading to the other side of the castle.

We walked in silence for the next few minutes as my moment of confidence began to fade away and the tugging sensation intensified. The presence of people slowly dissipated as we made some turns and climbed some stairs, until there was just an eerie quiet.

“It really won’t take long,” he tried to assure me and break the awkward silence. “It’s nothing severe either. At least, it shouldn’t be,” he added honestly.

“Great,” I grimaced. He gave a patient but worried smile.

“The biggest issue they want to discuss is how to announce you, is all,” he explained further. “There was already an upset soon as it was found the the lord of the castle had taken not the Bride assured and appointed to him but a stranger from the outside. I’m not sure how much you’ve been able to be informed thus far, but the uncertainty brings worry for the safety of the castle. But, since it can’t be undone, moving forward is the only recourse to put everyone’s mind at ease.”

I remained silent but his explanation was somehow calming. It gave me something to think about, instead of the worry of being in a room full of vampires and the worry of what they might do to me. A new question popped into my head. Or rather, not really a new question, but one that I didn’t know how to address, or who to address it to. Dmitri seemed like someone who might be able to answer it. I swallowed and took a breath.

“Hey, um Dmitri?”

He glanced at me in surprise, relief subtly set in his eyes when I spoke. “Yes Helen?”

“Um…” I swallowed again and looked to the floor as I built up my nerves. “Why...why did I get bit? Why was it me?”

He stiffened, and for a split second I saw his eye color change to a worried red. It was a swirling shift, like someone dropping red paint into a water mixture of green and blue. He closed his eyes and sighed, the color back to normal when he opened them again.

“I’m afraid I can’t say, Helen,” he answered sadly. “I’m not sure anyone can answer that question except Lord Zain himself.”

“Something tells me even he doesn’t know,” I muttered bitterly, remembering the list of demands he made of me in that closet only two days ago.

“You very well may be right,” he said, to my surprise. “Nobody knows what happened, or really understands how it happened. This is a situation that, in the full history of our kind, has never occurred before. Not to current record at least.”

“So…” I began after another moment. “So what...what do you think is going to happen to me? To...to the castle, and so on?”

“Hmm...that too is hard to say...if it were my decision, I think the easiest course of action would be to keep your identity casual; not hide it necessarily, but to let people discover who you are at your own pace. I think this would be good for not only easing you into our hidden society, but also to allow everyone to adjust to your arrival.”

“But,” he added with a touch of bitterness. “I have a feeling things may not develop so lightly.”

Before I could question any further we had already arrived. Before us stood a pair of oak wood double doors, similar to the ones from my first night here but not nearly as tall. Dmitri pushed them open and allowed me to step through before following himself.

The room was large but strangely contemporary, the regal decor of the rest of the castle feeling like a whole other world from this room. It was loosely sloped with tiers of tables and chairs, my guess it would fit about a hundred people at full seating capacity. Close to the center sat thirteen people, all vampires with stressed-red eyes, the same faces as from that first night. They were quietly and calmly talking amongst themselves as as we approached down the middle lane. Zain sat with a look of irritation at the head. Dmitri directed me to a couple seats at the beginning of the row and we sat down.

After a few more minutes another vampire entered and took his seat, casually apologizing for his lateness, and with another start of recognition I realized this was the same guy that escorted me to that hall from the room I had woken up in. He spotted me with a teasing wink and smile. The hair on the back of my neck prickled, and Zain shot him a darting glare.

“I believe that’s everyone,” spoke a slightly older vampire as he stood up. He looked to be maybe thirty, maybe twenty-eight, but there was a strange aged sound to his voice. “The meeting to settle the matter of Lord Zain’s Bride has been called to order. We shall be discussing first how we shall approach the public’s awareness, the statuses of the priorly appointed Bride and the new Bride, and the arrangements for relocations and tutorage of the newly appointed Bride. Is the council in agreeance?”

There was a chorus of soft agrees. The vampire turned towards Zain.

“And does my liege approve?” he requested.

“Approved,” he responded.

He nodded, and then made a motion toward Dmitri, who stood up next to me to speak.

“Prior to today, an emergency meeting was called to order in response to the contract with our Lord Zain and the Miss Helen Morris, who is currently present in attendance to this meeting. In that meeting it was discussed and decided that Helen Morris would reside with her human peers in the Rose dorms and that no official announcement would be made until a proper meeting could be discussed.”

“Does the council approve the recollection?”

More murmurs of approval.

“Does my liege approve the recollection?”

“Approved,” he replied again, but in a slightly quieter voice. I felt the pull towards him briefly turn up a notch.

Dmitri sat back down and the proceedings went on in a similar fashion, falling back and forth between addressing a topic and the council approving. I sat nervously, feeling my heart rate slowly climb with anxiety. Dmitri would try to give me an encouraging look but unfortunately I couldn’t focus on much else.

Finally they reached the first topic of discussion.

“The topic of Miss Helen Morris’s debut is now open for discussion,” the meeting leader guy announced as he sat down.

Immediately one of the vampires, a woman, raised her hand and spoke. “I feel it would be best to continue hiding her Bride association to the residences, and simply act as though Lady Victoria was successfully joined with Lord Zain. I believe it would put our public at ease and affirm to the outer societies that the bloodline is still strong and well.”

There were murmurs of both agreement and disagreements.

“Suggestion overruled,” Zain spoke firmly. “I won’t lie to our people, and rumors have already spread about a different Bride; they won’t trust it.”

Quieter murmurs of agreement.

“What if we were to present it as a stronger alternative?” one chimed in. “That, while Lady Victoria was the prime choice for Lord Zain until this time, it was a decision to bring in a suitor from the outside in order to strengthen the blood line?”

“Without any definitive proof that Miss Helen is the stronger choice, we would run the risk of going against Lord Zain’s wishes and be caught in a lie, which would only add cause for stress to the residence.”

“Stress to the residence is going to happen regardless; they are already worried as it stands. Our objective here should be to insure their security.”

“My strength has not been diminished,” Zain spoke firmly. “I am still very much in power.”

“Then we should choose a method that expresses that. I suggest we make the announcement as it is, establish the Miss as the official appointed Bride, and present the arrangement as if it were the intended outcome.”

Nods and murmurs of agreement. “There would be no risk of lying because it would simply be facts.”

More choruses of agreement. Next to me, Dmitri took on an expression of worry.

“How should we address questions that should arise?”

“They should be sent to me directly,” Zain offered simply. “If anyone feels they need more information on the matter then they are to ask me themselves. I will take the full burden of that responsibility.”

Almost unanimously positive murmurs.

The council leader guy stood up. “Then, are we in agreeance? We shall release the information officially as stated facts, all questions further are to be directed to Lord Zain himself?”

The council agreed in chorus.

“And does this decision appease my liege?”

Zain nodded. “This will do.”

The process was finalized. Dmitri sighed but looked content. “That could have gone a lot worse,” I heard him murmur to himself.

They continued to debate on the next subject in whether or not to have me in the same consideration as Victoria, or to have our social positions switched. There were many strong opinions expressed in this matter, between some that believed the regal traditions should be upheld regardless, and others that believed instead the titles should be more relaxed. Zain to my surprise remained quiet during this section, choosing instead to listen to the debates. His expression was somewhat indifferent, but something told me he did have an opinion on the matter, but was just choosing not to voice it.

Eventually they reached a point of agreement, and that was to leave it for a later date and decide after gauging the public’s reaction.

Then came the final topic: what to actually do with me.

“First and foremost I think we can agree Miss Helen Morris will need proper education on the matters Bridehood,” the group leader stated, the entirety of the council agreeing. “I move to arrange regularly scheduled classwork for the Miss, perhaps even to allow Lady Victoria to assist and tutor her.”

“That might be rather unfair for the Lady,” another interjected. “Lady Victoria will still be quite distressed about the current situation, she will need more time to adjust to the changes.”

“I agree,” Zain said. “Victoria’s been through enough as it is, there’s no reason to add more to her stress.”

“Then perhaps general classes are the best course of action?”

A chorus of agreement once more.

“Very well. Now what on the subject of her’s and Miss Helen’s relocation?”

A cacophony of opinions, one immediately after another, shot all around the room as if it were a bidding war. Every single person seemed to have their own idea as to what to do about where they wanted to put me in the castle. I looked around as the atmosphere in the room began to grow even more tense, unsure what to think, unsure exactly why I was even needed. Everything was being decided for me anyway, even deciding not to decide on it yet.

Zain’s face quickly grew exhausted as arguments ran around the room, propping his forehead against the palm of his hand in irritation. His eyes were still red, and lost. Almost, not quite, but almost the same sense of lostness I remembered in my weird dream. Next to me I heard a sigh from Dmitri, and saw his eyes tinge slightly red from worry and disappointment. I had to wonder how often discourse like this happened to them.

“And what about the young Miss Helen in question?” spoke up a familiar voice that cut through the arguments and quieted them. All eyes turned to him, the man who walked in last, the same one from my first night here, and then to me.

He flashed me a sly smile. “Does the princess have any opinions on the matter?”

“Yes, splendid idea Mason.” All the eyes on me were in varying stages of opinion. “Might you any suggestions on the matter, young miss?”

My heart rate skyrocketed as all of the tension was dumped on me. I stood up instinctively, after swallowing many times and trying to keep my breathe steady and feeling ridiculous for standing but it was too late to sit down now it would look even more-

Stop rambling and speak, I heard a firm, irritated voice in my head say, and saw Zain impatiently looking right at me.

I took a breath, feeling strange from having my thoughts interrupted like that. “I...I don’t really...know what to do about all of this. I’ve only been here three days, I’m still...I don’t really understand everything that’s been going on, but...I’m trying.” A small bit of courage filled me, and I could almost feel Dmitri smiling at me in encouragement to keep speaking. “I understand I can’t change anything now, I understand I can’t go back home. I...I’m willing to try to work with what I can. But right now...I’ve just gotten to know the people I’ve been staying with so far, Rose and Claire and everyone. They’ve been really nice to me, and helpful, and I...I feel like it would be easier to adjust if I were to stay with them…”

“A lot of unnecessary words, but she has a point,” Zain addressed to the council. “It would be better to keep her in the common wards with her peers.” His eyes glanced back at me briefly, slightly curious and...impressed? It was gone a moment later.

There were murmurs of agreement and murmurs of discontent. And truthfully, I didn’t want to be put anywhere near Zain. I’d take the stables over that. But Zain’s firm gaze was enough for them to reach an accord: I would continue to live in the current setup, and they would put it on review for another day to discuss again. Another round of “does the council agree” and “does the Zain agree,” etc, and the meeting was declared adjourned.

I let out all the tension I was feeling in a long breath as I walked the halls back to the other wing with Dmitri. He also relaxed with some relief.

“Thank goodness, that could have gone a lot differently,” he sighed with a smile. “That was a good move on Mason’s part, and you presented yourself decently well.”

“I still don’t even know what just happened. Or why I really even needed to be there.”

“Well, I suppose technically there wasn’t a need for your presence,” he admitted. “But formally it was out of respect. At anytime you would have been welcome to interject and speak your mind, especially since it pertains to how your life from here on will be. It would be your right to speak up and be opposed or for a decision. Luckily, the more pressing topics will be set for discussion for another date.”

I grimaced. “Will I have to attend that too?”

“Only if you wish to. This time around was a requirement formality, to account for your lack of information on these matters. In the future, you may refuse, but doing so will also forfeit your say in the final decision.”

“I see…” Great...A world of politics, and I hadn’t even left high school age yet. Wonderful.

“As a recap, if you are still confused, the decisions made today were to continue boarding you with the friends you’ve been staying with, in combination with announcing to the castle your role as Lord Zain’s Bride. In addition, you’ll be require to take a training course that will teach you what that role will mean for you.”

“What do you mean? Are Brides more than just food supply?”

“Yes, far more than that,” he chuckled in amazement. “Brides are incredibly important to their vampires for much more than as a resource. Ordinarily it would be the result of a relationship, so vampires depend on them for mental support in addition to physical. That will be why, if you’ve experienced it yet, you might feel Lord Zain’s emotions or hear his voice directly.”

I recalled hearing his voice just minutes ago in the meeting; him mentioning reading my mind in that closet. The vicious hate from that first night. This is all your fault.

Something clicked inside my head and I felt terrible. “Oh…” No wonder he was so angry. No wonder Victoria hated me. They already had something, were ready for this. He was expecting the emotional support from someone he cared about, the mental connections of someone not only willing but wanting to help him. And instead now all he hears is me; some girl from the outside whining about wanting to go home.

Dmitri cast me a patient smile. “I’m sorry you’ve had to be brought into this, Helen. If circumstances were different then maybe things would have worked out more smoothly.”

“It’s not your fault Dmitri,” I sighed, and then added bitterly, “Honestly it’s Zain’s, and maybe a little bit of mine too. I shouldn’t have been anywhere near the castle. I should’ve just taken the other way home, instead of trying to take a shortcut through the woods right at sunset. And...” I placed a hand to my shoulder. “...he shouldn’t have bit me.”

He seemed relieved despite what I said. “I don’t envy your position, but I’m glad to have received the chance to meet you, Helen. I hope you will be able to enjoy your time here with us.”

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Chapter Three

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I don’t know when it was I fell asleep but I must have slept for an entire day because it was already morning again. I turned over, my body feeling heavy but not terrible and my mouth dry and sticky. When I opened my eyes, for a moment I didn’t know where I was. This wasn’t my room. This was too big to be my room. None of my things are here either, and mom would have definitely woken me up before this point.

And then my memory returned, much to my severe disappointment.

I sat up, my hair feeling like a nest on my head, and stretched. That strange tugging sensation made itself known and then grew idle. I sat on the bed for a long while, trying to muster the energy to get up. It was then I noticed a piece of paper sitting in front of my door, having been slid under while I slept probably.

The curiosity worked and I got up to get it, remembering that Rose and Co. still wanted to show me around. I unfolded it.

‘Hey Helen! It’s Rose. I figured you were probably still asleep so we didn’t want to bother you. But I wanted to explain to you briefly how this place works on a day-to-day basis, in case we’re not on break when you wake up. During the weekdays we have a course schedule, and yes, just like school :P Since you’ve never experienced any of this before they want us to have you kinda shadow us for all the classes so you can get some experience, and then when it’s all said and done you’ll be able to pick your own schedule. On the other side of this fold will be all of our schedule and times, and a map if you feel like trying to find us. If not, break periods for us are listed too, so you can just wait in the commons until one of us comes to check on you.’

I blinked. ...Class? Like, school classes? I turned the page over like the note said. A chart was drawn really neatly and concise of each girl’s name and their classes, in order by time. I glanced over at the digital clock on the bedside table. Looks like no one will be back until fifteen minutes from now.

Still feeling...off guard, I got up and went to the bathroom to address the state of my hair. I’ve always been kind of a sleep tosser but I guess last night I really thrashed about. Using the tools already in my bathroom I carefully combed the tangles out of my hair and flattened the morning frizz with a straight iron. The kitty cat pajama tank had my shoulder on full display in the mirror, and for the first time in...I guess only a day, it felt like ages, I was able to see to what extend the damage was.

The bite on my neck was all but gone, only a lingering redness now remained from where that guy, Zain, had bit me. I was amazed at how quickly it was healed, especially for how much I bled.

Ugh, blood.

The brief nausea passed, and I examined the next mark: a now-silver welted crescent scar that sat right between my collarbone and shoulder. I traced it for a moment in shock and a little bit of morbid fascination. It still throbbed a bit, but significantly less. This...was the bite that started this. The one that changed my life. I wonder why it was a crescent and not fang marks, like the other had been? It looked more like someone with human teeth had bit me. I looked closer at it, the shape showing irregularities to it. About where the canines would be on a human bite mark, defined a little more than the rest of the shape, were almost definitely two fang-mark scars set within the rest of the scar.

I shuddered. To bite down with a force that strong...I’m really glad I passed out for that. Maybe that was why I passed out.

After changing into some relaxed day clothes that were available to me I went downstairs to the commons, feeling like I’m on some sort of rich-kid summer camp trip. It was quiet but brightly lit from the sunlight pouring through narrow windows down the rounded walls, the outside just starting to reach the afternoon. Feeling awkward I made my way to the kitchenette area and perused through the cabinets and fridge, looking for something to eat. I opted for snacking on some cheese and saltine crackers, since the rest looked like they belonged to someone or required cooking of some kind, and I didn’t feel comfortable doing that just yet.

The door clicked and in walked Claire, who gave a start of pleasant surprise when she spotted me. “Helen! You’re awake!” She closed the door behind her, smiling. “Good morning! You were out a while, you sleep okay?”

“Yeah,” I replied. “I actually felt pretty rested when I woke up, thanks for letting me sleep.”

“Yeah, cool.” She set her bag down and grabbed the box of goldfish cheese crackers I had passed over from the cabinet. “You get Rose’s letter by chance?”

I nodded. “If I understand right, I’ll be attending classes with you guys?”

“Yeah, it’ll just be for a couple of weeks to help you get used to being in the castle, then you’ll be able to decide what you want to do on your own. Cool thing is, nothing is mandatory.” She grinned, sitting down with the box. “You could just decide you don’t want to go to any of them in the end and chill all day.”

“Wha-really? Then why even bother?”

“Well, a lot of it is still really useful to learn, but mostly because of the perk points.”

“Perk points?”

She nodded, taking a handful of crackers and munching them. “Yeah, you get points based on attendance for class and bonus points for how well you do in them. Vampires get them too. They have a catalog for stuff you get in exchange for them, like new clothes or toys or games or extra snacks.” She shook the box of goldfish. “I like to spend mine on these, though I’m saving up the bulk of them for the excursion trip next spring. We’ll take you to go get your card set up and stuff and you’ll be able to look at the point system, but essentially the more valuable or the less ‘healthy,’” she used air quotes with an eye roll, “an item is, the more points it will cost. And vice versa, the more challenging a class is for you, the more points you get for it.”

“That actually sounds really cool,” I said, amazed.

“I know right? From what I hear about how schools are still done on the outside it’s WAY more awesome.” She glanced at her watch. “Alright, we should probably go head out to my next class, after that all of us have the same dancing class so we’ll trade you off after THAT class, and you’ll have just one more for the day with us.”

My head spun a little, not quite following what she said but I got the jist of it. She grabbed her bag and I followed her through the door into the open hallway of the castle. A fresh breeze drifted from the direction Claire was leading me, and almost as suddenly as we had left the dorm we were outside in open air.

The weather felt wonderful, the deep blue sky spotted with slowly drifting, fluffy clouds, blinking the sunlight in and out every now and then. The temperature was warm and comfortable, not at all like the summer heat it had been for the last month. And there were people. Everywhere. Mostly teens my age, but also adults. Children. I think I even saw a few babies. I was amazed, I never realized how big this place might be. It was like a whole village.

I watched the people pass me by as I followed Claire across the giant square courtyard I had observed just yesterday. Some were having a picnic complete with tablecloth, food, and family. Some were, like us, walking towards a destination in mind, and some were just playing games. It was how I always imagined a college campus would look like, all it was missing was the drunk frat boys and dumb shenanigans.

A wonder crossed my mind after we crossed the courtyard and into a different section of the castle. “Where are the vampires?” I asked.

“They’re asleep, they usually keep to a night habit like the myths used to say. But not all of them,” she added as a young guy with red eyes waved as he passed us, flashing a friendly-fanged smile. Claire waved back with a “hey Greg.”

“But for the most part they do vampire classes at night anyway,” she continued as we stepped into a classroom. “And usually in the other half of the castle. It helps keep traffic in the halls down so things don’t ever get overcrowded and stressful, and to keep some from getting too stressed out by the abundance of human smells.”

We sat down at desks and I was surprised about how...normal it was. It was just a math class, same as the one I failed a few days ago, only this teacher seemed pretty enthused. She talked over the coursework with passion, answering any questions that were asked and even re-explained some things in an easier to digest manner. I found I was able to follow along really well despite having to jump in the middle of a learning section.

Claire, on the other hand, looked like she was struggling to keep up, and hard. She was bent over her practice worksheet, looking relaxed but frustrated. I thought about asking her why she was taking the class if it was that hard on her, but then remembered how she explained the points, and her goal. I silently nodded to myself at the ingenious system they have here. It was a good way to motivate everyone to have a goal, and work towards it, but without forcing anyone to overstress about it.

And hour and a half had come and gone since we sat down, and class was dismissed. Claire stretched and groaned as we walked out.

“Man, I am so not good at math,” she said.

“Me neither, but that teacher was really good.”

“I know right? They don’t let anyone teach if they’re not up for the task. Anyway, I forgot about lunch between now and the next class, and…” she suddenly looked as if she was having an epiphany. “Oh yeah lunch! Dude!” She grabbed my shoulders excitedly. “You gotta see the food court they have here!”

My eyes widened and her excitement rubbed off. “They have a food court?”

…

They have a food court.

And it was incredible.

IMMEDIATELY, once I walked to the vicinity of its existence, I was hit by a myriad of delicious freshly cooked food smells. I’m talking bakeries, skillet cooks, sandwich bars, BBQ, breakfast food, lunch, italian, asian, and everything in between. I could hardly believe my eyes. I could hardly believe my nose. It was like there was a food festival going on.

Claire grinned at my expression. “Pretty cool, huh?” she nudged me.

“Claire…” I said, flabbergasted still. “Oh my god. I want to cry.” She laughed and took my hand, taking me to all of the booths and mini restaurant bars. Each one seemed to know her on a personal level, and, as she explained that I was new, free sample after free sample began to fill my tray.

“This is so much food,” I said in amazement.

“Yeah, I’ll be honest, I’m kinda pimping you out,” she admitted sheepishly as we headed for a table. “Normally you’re only allowed up to 2 free servings per mealtime, and any more is a point exchange.”

“Well, it worked,” I said, still incredulous. “Glad to be of help.”

“Helen! Claire! Over here!”

Rose was flagging us down; the twins and Wendy were already seated with her, in addition to a few people I haven’t met yet. We joined them at the table.

“Helen, this is Mike and this is Jason, they’re childhood friends of ours. Guys, this is Helen.”

Mike, who had short black hair and a shallow jawline and fair skin, gave a polite wave. Jason, who was far less reserved with bronzy-blonde hair, brown eyes, and a fairly strong jaw and nose, gave me a friendly lopsided smile and a look of interest.

“Um, hi,” I said nervously, sitting down next to Claire with my huge tray of food.

“Introductions later, it’s food time,” Claire said, excitedly picking out a sample from our haul.

I tasted as much as the food as I could, and shared the rest. Everyone chatted about their day so far and classes they were in and I politely listened, feeling a little happy. No, that’s not right. I was feeling a lot of happy. Everything was bright, and light, and friendly. Everyone was open and relaxed and feeling good. The tension I had been holding in my shoulders released.

And then suddenly something hot and soupy was dumped over the top of my head and into my lap. Claire leapt out of the way to avoid the splash, everyone else jumped in shock. I sat still, trying to process why there was suddenly chicken broth all over me.

“Oops,” spoke girl’s bored voice. Everyone’s eyes widened when they saw who stood behind me. I turned around.

She stood to be roughly my height with dark blonde hair pulled back in a bun, her blue eyes piercing cold and her expression haughty. She very clearly was holding an empty bowl, still over my head. I blinked.

“Sorry,” she said in the most uncaring manner possible. “Sometimes I don’t quite pay attention to where I’m going and things just…” Her eyes grew cold and vicious, reminding very much of Zain’s, and with a jolt I recognized her. “...happen, you see. But, I’m sure YOU, of all people, would understand, wouldn’t you Helen?”

“Hey, look, I-”

“Well,” she interrupted, ignoring me and addressing the entourage of people who were snickering behind her. “I supposed I should try to get more soup. I do hope they understand the little accident.”

“Oh, of course, Lady Victoria!”

“It was an accident after all.”

“I’m sure they’ll understand.”

“You can have mine, M’lady, if they can’t make an exception!”

“Thanks, guys,” she cooed to her little group as they left. “You’re the best.”

I sat there, dumbfounded, as they walked away, and turned back forward.

“...what just happened to me?”

“You got souped apparently,” Claire chimed, to which Rose reprimanded her.

“Don’t worry, we’ll help you get cleaned up, we can skip the next class if we need to,” Rose offered. I shook my head.

“It’s okay, I’ll just go get cleaned up and meet you guys there,” I said, my voice surprisingly normal considering I was drenched.

Claire looked at me in surprise. “You sure?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I have a map, and I’m surprisingly good with directions.” Except apparently when I’m in a hurry, I thought blandly to myself.

“If you’re certain…” Rose said, uncertain. “The next class is on the same floor, in the east ward across from this one. There’s four doors to enter from so it shouldn’t be hard to find as long as you make it to the right section.”

I thanked her and stood up, saying bye to Mark and Jason. They offered words of encouragement and good luck with cleaning up. Pulling out the map(which miraculously avoided getting souped as well) and going by what I remembered seeing on the way here I traced my way back to the dorms. Everyone I passed stared and muttered to themselves, some with pity, some with wonder. I couldn’t blame them for it, since I’d probably end up doing the same thing, and did my best to ignore it.

After a successful shower and change of clothes, it was now four o’clock, about fifteen minutes past when that class was supposed to start. I made my way across the courtyard to the ward across from the lunch area, now wishing I had eaten maybe just a little bit more and debating on whether I should even show up. The sun was in the second half of the sky, and by now majority of everyone out and about had gone back to wherever their own dorms were. It was crazy how many people actually live here.

I found the four doors Rose was talking about and heard music inside. Confused, I looked at the written schedule she had given. “No…” I opened the door, suddenly remembering with dread a small detail Claire had mentioned before.

Inside was a very large convention-style room, chairs stacked high against the wall. A large amount of people were scattered out in pairs, observing the teacher as he demonstrated what almost looked like a waltz with no partner.

Dancing. Great, just great...my stomach dropped, and as it did the subtle pulling sensation heightened.

The door slammed shut behind me before I could catch it and suddenly all eyes were on me. I flinched, feeling extremely embarrassed. “Sorry…”

“Not at all!” the teacher enthused. “Come in, come in! You must be Miss Morris.”

I sheepishly made my way to the edge of the wall out of the way but still in view, suddenly very aware of the fact that about 50% of the pairs of eyes still on me were red. I swallowed nervously.

“Alright, now I want everyone to try, on my count. Remember, you’re not looking for speed, you’re looking for precision. Make every move count until it becomes second nature. Now, one-two-three, one-two-three…” he flicked a finger in the air and suddenly music was playing.

I watched everyone try the steps, spotting the girls pretty quickly as they were having the most fun. Rose was paired up with Jason from before, Suzanne and Alice had decided to dance with each other -which made their synchronization so perfect it was almost creepy- and Claire was dancing with Wendy. Feet were stepped on, laughter was heard, partners were bumped into, it was an amusing scene. I smiled a little to myself, wishing I could join them.

I let my gaze wander around as the teacher also wandered amongst the dancers, giving form advice and praise as he passed them. I was amazed at how many vampires were here, considering it wasn’t really after dark just yet. Most were paired up with their own kind, but some had paired up with humans, a little to my surprise. And it looked like everyone was having fun.

“Hello Helen,” the teacher’s voice drew my attention to him; he had made his way over to where I stood, quietly addressing me. “May I call you that?” he asked sincerely.

“Sure?” I replied. He was pretty young looking for someone in charge of teaching a class, I would guess maybe super early twenties. His eyes were a deep hazel that seemed to change colors under different light angles, from blue to green to brown, and somehow all of the colors. His skin was fair and soft, his hair a short sandy brown that reminded me of some popular british actor I remember people fawning over. He was pretty attractive for sure, but something was strangely familiar about him.

“Excellent.” He looked relieved. “Allow me to introduce myself; my name is Dmitri. Some of my students call me ‘D’ but whether that be your preference to refer to me is entirely up to you.”

“Thanks, it’s nice to meet you.”

“And likewise you. Now, I understand that you are quite new to the castle, and that today is your first day during your adjustment period, so by all means don’t feel obligated to join right away if you don’t feel comfortable. We have a bit of an odd number currently so there would be no problems if you wish to sit out for now. But, if you do wish to join in, I would have no problems getting you up to speed.”

“U-um, thanks,” I replied, grateful for the extended invitation and surprised at how quickly he seemed to understand. “I think I’ll pass this time around...since there’s an odd number and all.”

He chuckled a little. “Not too fond of dancing?”

I grimaced. “How did you know?”

“I have been teaching dance for quite a while now, I can tell. I imagine you feel your skills are quite inadequate to even attempt the practice.”

“That’s an understatement,” I joked, feeling strangely relaxed around him. “My mom tried to get me into dancing for a while. I accidently broke the instructors foot once.” He laughed softly and I smiled a little. “She politely requested that I try out other hobbies after that.”

He looked outward, observing the dancing pairs in front of us. “Well, I won’t force you if you truly don’t want to dance, but if you ever feel interested, I would gladly be up for the challenge.”

He went back out to address a couple that had fallen over, helping them to their feet and explaining to them what had gone wrong. I smiled a little, feeling a little fuzzy inside, like I just gained a big brother. Dmitri seemed really sweet. The pessimism in my brain made me really hope he didn’t turn out to just have been flirting with an underage girl though. It didn’t seem that way, but...I’ve been wrong about people before.

Suddenly there was a strangely violent tug in the pit of my gut towards a single direction in the room. I looked up in surprise, holding my sides despite the fact that there really wasn’t an obvious origin to this sensation, and stiffened. One couple was dancing through the sea of everyone like wind through trees, effortlessly making every single person in this room look like stumbling baby deer. Their legs moved with practiced elegance, as easy as if it were breathing, their eyes almost bored and in another world. Zain and Victoria.

My stomach clenched with guilt and a twinge of jealousy. They looked good together. Perfect for eachother, I thought bitterly, remembering Zain’s childish aggression and Victoria’s stunt from today. Their skills looked matched, and though they seemed bored in this classroom environment, they looked relaxed. Comfortable.

Zain’s eyes darted my way and I looked down instinctively, my heart pounding for a moment, and then felt bitterness replace my emotions. It should have been her. I shouldn’t have ever been involved. Why did I end up at that clearing? Why did he have to bite me?

I heard a quiet tch! and looked up with just my eyes. The two had slowed to a stop, Zain’s face furrowed in frustration.

“What is it?” I heard Victoria ask, worried.

“It’s nothing,” he responded in a low voice.

Her eyes darted to me and I pretended to be watching the other people.

“Is it her?”

He gave her a small smile and stroked her cheek; a sharp pang hit my chest for a moment. “Don’t worry about it, okay?”

She still looked worried. “Okay.” Her eyes narrowed furiously towards me soon as he looked elsewhere. I pretended not to have noticed but I could feel the daggers emanating from her.

“Alright, I think that’ll wrap things up today!” Dmitri called out, clapping his hands. The music fades out and everyone gathered up any bags and things they had brought. He waved his hands and suddenly all of the chairs stacked against the walls unstacked and arranged themselves in the space everyone was just occupying. “Next class we’ll do a few more practice motions, and then try out partner changes. I look forward to seeing you all again.”

“Helen!”

The girls and Jason came over to me excitedly. The fact that I just saw legit magic fell to the back of my mind as I smiled a little at them.

“You made it!” Rose exclaimed. “We saw you talking to Dmitri, what did you think?”

“Dancing...really isn’t my thing,” I admitted carefully. “I’ve never been very good with the whole foot-body coordination thing.”

“She actually meant about D,” Claire snickered.

“I was talking about the class too,” Rose blushed slightly.

I thought for a moment. “He seems...pretty nice I guess. I mean, I just met him, at least I’ve gotten to know you guys for a bit.”

“Yeah, D is pretty chill,” Jason commented as we walked out of the room. I felt that elastic cord-feeling tug at me again and glanced back a moment, distracted by seeing Zain and Dmitri talking. Victoria wasn’t anywhere, I guess she had already left. The sight of the two felt vaguely familiar again, though.

“And take it from me,” Claire continue to speak, and I realized I had missed part of the conversation. “Dmitri is a SUPER good guy. He’s actually the one I told you about that saved me from my stupid aunt and uncle.”

“Wait what?” I asked, confused. “I thought you said that it was a vampire who took you.”

“Yeah, that was Dmitri,” she said. “It was his first time travelling with the embassy he said, I think.”

I looked back, but we had already gone out of sight, and then tried to collect my thoughts. “But...he...his eyes were…?”

“Ohhhhh right right right, I forgot about that,” Claire clapped in realization. “Yeah, vampires don’t ACTUALLY have red eyes, they just turn that color when they’re stressed out. Something something biology makes them turn red but they actually have fairly normal eye colors, for the most part.”

“It has to do with the way cortisol affects their system,” Alice spoke up. “They’re pretty human-based to begin with, so there's a lot of similarities, but there’s a chemical in their irises that causes it to glow red  with the presence of stress hormones.”

“It used to be because they were always stressed when hungry,” Claire added. “That’s why it’s a pretty common addition to the myth. Also pretty scary.”

“But now it’s just because they have anxiety like the rest of us,” Suzanne finished.

“But...everyone’s eyes are red?”

“Well yeah, duh,” Claire smirked amusedly. “The heir and leader of their home was supposed to be bonded with a chosen Bride to solidify their strengths and safety, but something happened and word has spread that some rando is now the Bride.”

“They feel their future is uncertain,” Rose explained gently. “Humans, too. No one knows anything about you or what benefit or detriment you might bring.”

Jason stopped. “Hold on, wait…” He stared at me, his expression stiff. “You’re the…?”

“Oh shoot,” Rose swore. “I didn’t want to say anything yet, I’m sorry Jason.”

“It’s okay, I just…” he shook his head. “Damn…”

“U-um,” I started awkwardly. “Is that bad?”

“No, I just didn’t want it to be spread around just yet,” Rose admitted sheepishly. “I wanted to make sure you were comfortable first. I figured it would be awkward for you if everyone suddenly tried to avoid you and address you as ‘Lady’ and ‘ma’am’ and so on.”

“Do you...want to be addressed that way?” Jason asked nervously.

“Oh, god no,” I assured him quickly, and remembered Dmitri asking if my name was okay. “Please, Helen is just fine.”

He relaxed, relieved. “Lady Victoria all but demands everyone refer to her as Lady Victoria.”

“I’m definitely not doing that,” I grumbled. “Not after what she did today. I mean, I understand where’s she coming from but…”

They glanced at each other with worry, and I could tell they had something to say but didn’t want to say it.

I sighed. “Anyway, about Dmitri and the vampire eye thing.”

“Right,” Claire shuffled. “Um, that was probably it, honestly. Vampire’s look like people except when they’re stressed.”

“And they’re all scared of me,” I joked a little. They laughed a bit.

“Give it a few weeks,” Rose assured. “Everyone will have calmed down again. Your arrival shouldn’t effect Lord Zain’s ability to run the castle.”

“That reminds me,” I said, “how does age work for vampires? He looks like he’s our age. And Dmitri looked pretty young, too.”

“They’re about how they appear to be,” Rose explained. “Lord Zain is seventeen I think, Dmitri is...twenty-five?” My eyebrows lifted. “The ones who are born will age the same way humans do, just a little bit slower.”

“They stop aging when they reach about Dmitri’s age,” Alice chimed “At that point the body just doesn’t need to grow anymore.”

“And then they live foreeeeeever,” Claire added dramatically.

“Except the ones who are made,” Suzanne said sadly. “They’re stuck at whatever age they turned. Their bodies freeze in time, but their mind will continue to deteriorate.”

I swallowed. “So then...are most vampires born?”

“Mostly. Accidents can...happen though,” Rose admitted.

“That’s why they don’t let vampires do any biting,” Claire said. “The ones that turn usually have this weird desire to create more vampires, which would be a problem, and you have to basically drink vampire blood and die in order to turn, so keeping them away during feeding times prevents that.”

“Will...will I ever be turned?”

“Bride are a little different,” Rose responded this time. “You’d have to want to turn in order for it to work, because of the mutual agreement the bond creates between human and vampire, otherwise you’d probably just...die. And you’d be different than a turned vampire, because your partner would still be able to feed from you.”

“It’s not really a necessary procedure,” Alice added, “so I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that.”

My head spun. This was a lot of information to process. “Wait, one more question, if vampires live forever, what about the human Brides?”

“You’ll live forever too,” Alice answered simply. “It would be bad if their only food source died of old age. It’s part of the changes that now allow you to choose to become a vampire if you wanted it.”

“Yeah, it’s kinda like you’re half vampire!” Claire joked, and my chest tightened. Half vampire...I put my hand on my shoulder again where the bite mark still twinged every now and then.

Everyone split up at the edge of the center courtyard, Claire and twins heading back to the dorm, Jason heading back to his, and Rose going to her class. I was scheduled to follow Wendy next.

“This way,” she spoke, her voice soft and quiet like a whisper.

I followed, feeling awkward as I realized that this was probably the first time I’ve heard her speak. She was extremely reserved and somewhat nervous, every so often fidgeting with her fingers and not looking up anywhere. I wasn’t sure if it was because of me or if she was just...like that. I sympathized though. Up till now it was easy to borrow off of everyone’s energies to relax and adjust. The presence of her anxiety, though, kind of kept mine at bay.

“So, we’re going to...whoa, Horse Care and Management, whaaat?” I tried to give a friendly smile. “There are horses here??”

She nodded. “Yeah. They’re very gentle creatures, and understanding. I like them.”

I stared off in the distance with a small grin as we walked down an open stone hallway and away from the castle, feeling just a little excited now all on my own. I had never been on a horse, or near one for that matter. Wendy’s cheeks swelled as she smiled, and it seemed like she relaxed a little more. The stables came into view as we rounded the corner and the stone floors turned into a dirt path. The smell of fresh barnhouse and hay wafted through the air, growing bolder as we got closer.

Not many people showed up for this class, it seemed. In fact, as far as I could tell at least, it was mostly vampires here. A girl no older than us was currently setting out harnesses and saddles, wearing heavy duty working gloves and clothing, with a red bandana around her neck and a wide straw sun hat. She greeted us when we approached, then beamed at Wendy.

“Hey! Good afternoon, glad ya guys can make it!” She gave a wide grin. “Looks like some newcomers today, Welcome! I’m Amber, I’m kinda second-in-command runnin’ the stables here with my ma and her sisters, I’ll be teaching ya guys all about horses!”

“Last week I got most of ya introduced to the residents here, so today we’re gonna learn the proper ways to clean the equipment. It’s easy enough, but ya gotta do it right or the leather will get too hard, or just not clean at all. And if you don’t clean it well, ‘specially the reins and the bit, you can get the horses sick and we don’ want that.” She went through the proper techniques for getting started and had everyone start a piece of equipment. “Newbies follow me for a sec,” she called out, and to my surprise I wasn’t the only new person.

“Hey,” a young vampire guy, eyes still red, greeted me shyly after we followed Amber and then were told to wait. “You new to this class too?”

“Uh, yeah,” I responded, feeling just a tad awkward.

He smiled forward nervously as we waited for Amber to come back, running a hand across the back of his neck. He looked a bit older than me, his skin dark and his body pretty lanky and tall. Like, a whole-head-taller-than-me tall.

“I’ve never even been around one of these things before,” he admitted after a few seconds of silence.

“Me neither,” I said, deciding to try and make small talk at least. “I’ve always wanted to though, they looked pretty cool.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, and then stuck his hand out. “I’m Adrian, by the way.”

“Helen,” I replied automatically, shaking his hand.

“Helen huh,” he laughed nervously. “That funny, I think that’s the same name as that girl from outside the castle.

“Yeah,” I responded nervously, unsure whether to say anything about that. “Pretty...pretty interesting.”

Luckily Amber had already come back, leading a tall chestnut color horse. It had a white kite shape mark that spanned from it’s forehead down to its nose.

“This is Bitey,” Rose said, and Adrian stiffened next to me. “Don’t let the name fool ya, he used to be chomper when he was little but he’s quite behaved now. C’mon over and say hello!”

We both hesitated for just a moment, and then I stepped forward, feeling a little excited. The horse’s ears swiveled my way as I came up to it from the side, and he turned his head towards me.

“Hold yer hand out, fingers down,” Rose instructed gently. Behind me Adrian watched carefully as I did as told. The horse balked back a little, and then stretched out to sniff my hand. After a few seconds I reached forward to pet its muzzle. Adrian let out a breath of relief behind me.

“Now, horses are very sensitive animals, they can pick up on yer feelings pretty quick,” she said as Adrian worked up enough courage to come up beside me to also pet the horse. “They can be pretty skittish themselves, so it’s very important that ya introduce yourself properly.”

She had us step away after a moment of petting to demonstrate. “Ya always want to try and approach from a diagonal and make sure they can see ya. Cuz if ya watch him,” she stood at a severe angle from the back, “see his ears? They’re swiveled back cuz he knows I’m back here but he can’t see me. And if walk closer now,” she did, and he stepped away from her. “he’ll back up. It’s pretty nerve-wracking to have someone come up from where you don’t see em. That’s why it’s also a good idea to make sure you talk to em too. That way they can hear you and you don’t sneak up on em. NEVER sneak up on a horse unless you wanna get kicked in the teeth.”

Amber continued to explain how to approach and be around horses, how to present yourself, what to do if a horse charges at you, and had us practice approaching conduct correctly with Bitey. The whole time Adrian was very nervous, which I found just a little funny, all things considered; he could probably and easily take this animal down. It was a little alarming even. But then again...I hadn’t actually seen any proof that vampires have super strength or anything, I’ve just sort of assumed. A small spark of guilt set in my chest as I realized that...they really might be just like humans. Just people with different survival needs.

After a bit more practice she then had us rejoin the rest of the class to learn how to clean the tack, giving us the bit and saddle that Bitey had on. I went back to Wendy, who smiled at me and looked very relaxed and content. She was already drying off her piece of tack and had a couple bottles of some sort of leather oil.

The last half of the class was spent learning how to properly dry and oil the leather to help preserve its reliability, and just as the sun began to set everything was wrapped up and put away. I walked back with Wendy feeling strangely accomplished.

“That was...really cool!” I exclaimed with elation. Wendy nodded, smiling happily and quietly. “Like, never did I ever even think I would get to do something like that, not without paying a LOT of money.”

“It’s my favorite class,” she smiled quietly. “The horses really understand.”

I nodded, and remembered the vampire I had pet Bitey with, Adrian, and remembered how nervous he seemed but also how friendly. The horse wasn’t afraid of him, and prey animals are usually good at sensing predators. I thought about Dmitri, who I had no idea was a vampire, who wanted to make sure I felt comfortable with where I was. I thought about everyone I had met today, unable to help but compare it to how my life was before and how the people I had to deal with before. Against my inner denial about this whole situation, this...didn’t seem so bad so far. This actually felt...better.

We made it back to the dorms uninterrupted and I told everyone I was going to go ahead and turn in for the night, feeling exhausted. The gibbous moon had risen high enough already to cast some light in my darkened room, but I turned on a lamp anyway. The ambient lighting combined felt cozy and warm, but my room still felt too big, too open. Absentmindedly I walked to the window and opened it, then realized it had a balcony and climbed out onto it.

The night was pleasantly crisp for summertime. The sky was clear and bright as the moon’s light was cast down upon the world. Out ahead of me lay a sea of trees, and just beyond that were islands of houses. Neighborhoods. If I stared hard enough, I could almost spot the neighborhood I live in. Lived in. I breathed in and let out a sigh as I leaned against the railing, my mind debating with itself.

I shouldn’t be here. I should be at home. I should be helping mom get dinner ready, calling Emily to help her with homework. Sleeping in our run-down cozy house. Dealing with the same idiots entering the same society as me. I’m already starting to forget I’ve been kidnapped; this sense of open freedom is wrong, it’s a lie.

I looked down. It was only two, maybe three stories between here and the ground, and maybe only fifty meters between the castle and the surrounding wall. I could sneak away. I could do the bedsheet thing, anchor to the railing and then try to latch it to the decorations that topped the wall. I could go home, and try to ignore everything, pretend it was all just a bad dream.

Something lurched in my center, violently yanking at some core within me in an up-and-backwards direction. It was almost painful except for the fact that it didn’t feel real, didn’t feel tangible. I grabbed the railing to brace and support myself, my lips pressed tight in bitterness. That sensation continued to pull at me, almost like it was begging me to follow it. To follow it back to the one who bit me.

There would be no escaping that. There’s no undoing it, it would always be there. Following me, everywhere I go, no matter how far I would go. And he could probably follow it back to me. They’d find me, maybe even hurt my mom, maybe even go after Emily, and they would bring me back.

I sunk to my knees on the balcony, leaning my forehead against the railing as tears slowly filled my eyes and rolled down my cheeks. I had fun today. Today hadn’t been bad at all. Sure, I got soup dumped on me, but that was just one incident. Everyone was nice. I wasn’t caged, I wasn’t supervised. I was even allowed to make my way back to the dorms, all on my own. It was only the second day since I arrived. I could have gone somewhere else entirely. But I didn’t. Because being here today has been better than any other day in my entire life. I didn’t want to be here. But I wanted to be here.

“What’s wrong with me…?” I whispered out loud.

I don’t remember ever going back inside, but when I woke up I was in my bed. It was still dark out, the clock read just past 1 a.m. I sat up, still in the clothes I had changed into. I tucked my knees to my chest and sat there for a moment. My cheeks were sticky where my tears had dried.

The strange tugging sensation gave a nudge, not as violently as earlier, but subtly. As if giving me a suggestion. Without really thinking about it, I got up and went downstairs into the commons area, letting the tug pull me forward.

It was quiet in the room; plug-in lights with motion sensors lit up as I got closer to them, making the room have a strange dream-like glow. The girls were all still upstairs, sound asleep. The fridge in the kitchenette area kicked on with a hum for a few seconds before quieting down again. I paused like this for a little while, absorbing the atmosphere. Observing it. And then let my body be pulled forward again and out the door.

The halls were dim and quiet too. The carpet was soft but firm underneath my feet, muffling the noises of the world. I continued forward, my mind still in an almost fugue-like state. I didn’t care where I was going. I didn’t care where this pulling sensation would take me. None of it mattered anyway. Nothing I did would matter.

I came to the courtyard hub area that we crossed to get to the different areas of the human quarters, the Day wing, where classes usually occur. No one was here, but yet I could feel them here. The presence of people, the sounds echoed like the ghosts of a past memory occurring presently. I looked around and could almost see them. There wasn’t anyone here.

I felt a presence, a real presence, land behind me, and the direction of the tugging shifted and changed. I didn’t turn around or react, already knowing who and what it was but feeling nothing.

“Why are you here?” I heard his voice speak. It was soft, curious, and sad. A wave of somber confusion washed across me, but not my own. I turned around.

Zain stood right where he had landed, facing me. His eyes were firm but gentle, his expression matched the feelings in his voice. His hair shimmered in the moonlight, his red eyes glowing softly. He wasn’t angry, he wasn’t frustrated or resentful. Just...lost. Sad and lost, and looking for answers.

“I followed my heart,” I replied.

He looked on in confusion, observing me, his eyes searching. His heart searching. It felt like I could see it, his heart, reflected in his eyes.

“Why are you here?” he asked again after a moment, differently.

Tears welled up in my eyes. “I don’t know,” I answered softly. “I don’t know…”

His expression changed into a look of helpless anguish. “Why are we here?” he asked again.

And then my eyes opened.

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Chapter Two

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Consciousness spun back into existence; my body was hot, almost on fire, and heavy. Pain was pulsing and throbbing from my shoulder. My stomach was churning. Something in me felt taut, like my body had turned elastic and something was pulling it from one direction. I let out a groan.

Whispers filled my ears as hearing returned now, too, and the rustling sounds of people shifted around. With another groan and I pushed my heavy eyelids open, expecting to see a hospital room and doctors and nurses trying to figure out what happened to me.

Instead I was greeted by six pairs of glowing, bright red, worried eyes.

“Hey there,” one of the owners spoke softly, their voice very smooth. Everyone crowded around me with curiosity. “You’re awake, can you remember where you came from?”

My throat was stuck, my heart rate rising. Who are these people, where am I, what...? These questions ran through my mind but were unable to leave my mouth. An intense sense of danger radiated around the room, which was dim and currently only lit by the moonlight pouring through a single window and the soft red glow of these people’s eyes. Something about them was strange, alien even, like curious animals meeting a creature they’ve never seen before. They were very pretty, and their voice hushed and pleasant. That wasn’t enough to calm my thoughts.

I must have died. Maybe these were demons, trying to put me at ease with their smooth voices and attractive faces.

They began to murmur amongst themselves as I reacted. “You’re scaring her.” “She’s definitely not from the castle.” “Think she will be okay?” “She’ll have to be okay.” “What’s going to happen to the young Lord?” “What’s going to happen to us?”

“Alright, out out!”

From the back of the room the door opened, and a squat older lady with normal green eyes and bright red curly hair began to shoo everyone from the bed I lay in like creatures being herded away. To my huge surprise they responded sheepishly, as if caught red-handed somewhere they weren’t supposed to be.

“Jeez, let the poor girl breathe you silly things,” the lady continued to berate as they walked out the only door in the room. “She’s had a huge shock, we don’t need you exacerbating her condition.” After the door shut behind them she turned gently towards me. “How are you sweetheart? How do you feel?”

“My body’s on fire,” I croaked, my voice surprising me by how raspy it was.

She handed me a glass of water from a bedside table and placed a hand to my forehead. “Yes, you’re quite warm, your body must not have been ready for the sudden changes.”

I stiffened. Ch-changes?

She checked my pulse, her hands warm and clammy. “Heart rate is normal, well done. Let’s check on that bite now.

“Hold on, bite?!” Suddenly my memory came gushing back as she unwrapped a bandage from my neck and shoulder. The woods, the dark, the chill, the creature, the pain, the castle-

The castle.

I’m inside the castle.

I winced as she gently touched a red inflamed crescent mark that throbbed right between my shoulder and my neck, just behind my collarbone. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as a strange sensation rose across my skin and made me light-headed. I started to shake.

“What…what happened to...what happened to me? What’s going to-- what’s going on?”

She shook her head. “It’s...hard to say, dear. We’ve never had a situation like this before. The bite is healing nicely, but...there are other things that need to be decided before we can give any definitive answer, I’m afraid.”

She placed a gauze patch over the bite and applied medical tape to hold it on. I bit my lip in worry, feeling that strange pulling sensation grow tighter, like I was being stretched to the limit. What’s going to happen to me? Is this just a nightmare? Or am I...am I going to die? My mom’s face filled my mind. I don’t know how long I was out. Hours? Days? It was still night out. She must be worried sick. My bag was missing. I thought about how high up we must be, whether the window could be opened, whether I could tie tight enough knots to the bedsheets to escape, whether I would even be able to get out of here. I didn’t know what was going on. What bit me?

“Well, aren’t you alert and attentive,” spoke a new voice laced with sarcasm.

I jumped, seeing a tall, well built man probably in his early twenties standing in the doorframe, his eyes a darker red than the others that were in here before. He had short brown hair and a square, firm chin. The lady from before was gone, I don’t remember when she had left.

“There she is,” he smirked. “Good morning princess, did you have a nice rest?”

I swallowed, feeling my throat tighten in fear again. This man was different from the ones before. He felt very dangerous.

“We need to decide what to do with you asap, so I’m here to escort you to a little meeting of sorts,” he explained boredly. “A pain really, I don’t see what’s to discuss but,” he shrugged. “My orders are clear. So, you should get on up and follow me, alright?” He then smirked mischievously again, adding, “Unless of course, you need some help getting out of bed?”

My hackles raised and I jumped from the bed immediately, ignoring the protest from my spinning head and instinctively ready to fight a useless battle.

He chuckled in amusement. “Thatta girl. Now come on.” He walked out the door, leaving it open.

I stood for a moment, deliberating. This could be an opportunity, an opening. If I comply now I may be able to watch for an escape route, or at the very least get my bearings.

Tentatively I stepped through the frame into a dimly lit hallway. A dark red carpet ran down the center of the hall in either direction, framed by the kind of fancy carpet style you’d find in only a rich person’s home (of which I could only think of a Kazak carpet due to the similarity and the fact that is was my mom’s favorite design). That man stood just outside the door, waiting for me. He gestured to follow and I did.

“Oh, and don’t even think about trying to slip away. Just so you know, I’m veeery fast and enjoy a good chase.”

I swallowed, believing him. My shoulder throbbed, and I remembered that creature that bit me as I put a hand to the bandage. These people didn’t seem...normal. Maybe not even...human. What if...what if whatever he is, whatever they are...what if thats what bit me… My first thoughts were two things that they could be, and only one that I would think would have red eyes. I started trembling again, worried. If...if it’s true then… the one that bit me was so fast…but there’s no way, right?

Before I knew it he had stopped in front of a set of very large oak doors. That strange elastic pull I had been feeling was now pulsing too, almost dragging my body towards this door. I felt very distressed, very scared. The man waited at the door, almost as if he were thinking to himself, and then turned to me.

“Alright princess, you’re up,” he said, opening the giant door with ease and gestured for me to walk through.

I swallowed, dread filling my insides and a tightness in my stomach making me feel sick. I complied and walked across the threshold, into the room where my fate would be decided.

There were many murmurs that suddenly stopped as I walked in. The room was huge, and filled with many of those pretty people with red eyes, which were now turned towards me in hushed worry. Everyone was in beautiful formal attire. Nerves fill me to the brim and I stumbled, feeling like my legs would give out at any moment. I tried to ignore the eyes and the ideas of what they are, and focus on what was in front of me instead. Across the reflective caramel-marble floor stood a very small group of people; about five men and six women with formal, almost military attire, and two people that looked to be about my age, a boy and a girl.

The girl looked very distressed; she didn’t have red eyes, but instead her eyes were bright blue and tearful. Brownish blonde hair was swept back in a loose bun with white flowers woven in, and she wore a gorgeous white-gold gown and gold strap heels. She looked to be on the verge of hysterics. The boy-

That strange knot yanked at the center of my being as everything faded away except for my attention on this guy. His hair was a soft, bronze color with low-swept bangs that hung slightly over his face. He was dressed in similar militaristic clothes as the adults but with something more...important about him. His eyes were still turned towards the girl, bright red and upset as well, guilt and sadness weighing heavy in his gaze. The strange pulling sensation was moving my body on it’s own; with every step tilting my world, my very being, towards this guy. I wanted to comfort him, tell him it’ll be okay. I didn’t want him to be upset or unhappy. I suddenly cared so much about him as if he were an extension of myself.

As if sensing me, his eyes turned towards me, slowly, as though the world had all but come to a stop. A pit dropped in my stomach as I saw his expression transform, and tears filled my eyes as all I wanted now was to disappear. His eyes became cold as they fell upon me, narrowing in a red glare of hatred. A vicious voice filled my head.

This is all your fault.

My legs shook and I fell to my knees as a sensation fell over me that I had felt once before but never so bad. Tears rolled down my cheeks and my chest filled with a hurt that spread to my entire being. Pain filled every place of emotion I had. This was my fault. The boy’s expression changed for just a split second to regret and worry as he made a motion towards me, and caught himself in anger and frustration. The girl’s eyes widen and welled with tears of disbelief.

“It’s true,” I heard her croak. A soft “dammit” was uttered from the boy as he covered his face, and the rest of the room came back.

Then suddenly the spell was broken; I don’t know why I felt so upset. I knew nothing about him, had never even seen him before. Anger tried to fight the feeling back; it was like I just had my heart broken. Why is this my fault? Why should I be feeling guilty? I’d didn’t want to be here. I didn’t want to be anywhere but home. I just wanted to go home. I pressed my lips together, trying to stop the tears while wiping them away. How is this my fault?

One of the adults sighed as the boy comforted the now sobbing girl. “I’m afraid it’s been confirmed now,” he said gravely, gesturing for me to come closer. “The connection appears to be fully established; this girl has become our Lord Zain’s Bride.”

“Hold on what?” Reality snapped back in place as all other emotions of anguish or danger was shoved forcefully to the back at the sound of that word. I was barely aware of the man from before helping me back to my feet. All eyes had turned back towards me in surprise from my retort. “What on earth is-I never agreed to be any-what’s going on?”

I was amazed at my own sudden fearlessness. My body once again moved towards them on its own, but this time I was in control of the faculties of my mind. As I joined the group in front of me, feeling strange being so close to such strange people, the one who had gestured to me asked a careful question.

“Miss Morris, are you aware of where we are?”

We’re in that legendary castle; I was fairly confident of that now. But something else had my hackles raised.

“How do you know my name?” I demanded, taking a surprised step back.

“We know a lot of things you don’t,” spat the boy under his breath in the same voice I had heard in my head. A pang hit my chest from the anger in his voice, and he flinched subtly. I tried to push the feeling aside.

“Could someone please tell me what the heck is going on?” I questioned in frustration. I was beginning to feel the burst of courage waver as the indignity began to subside. My body was starting to tremble again. It felt like I already knew the answer.

“Miss,” the gentle man began carefully, “are you aware of...what we are?”

My head reeled back to the thoughts I had on the walk here. His question appeared to confirm that they were not human. Which means...which means they…

“I think the princess figured it out,” said the one who escorted me, looking at me from the side with an amused, toothy grin. My vision zeroed in on his mouth. His canines were extended well beyond what would be considered normal.

My head snapped forward and at everyone around me, my heart rate rising. Everyone with red eyes, who were now murmuring in wonder and worry amongst themselves, I saw. Flashes of fangs.

Red eyes. Fangs.

My hand went to my shoulder as I stumbled back.

I was bit.

I inhaled sharply and then couldn’t breathe.

A strange expression seemed to over take the boy as the world began to spin downwards. I heard him shout, “She’s fainting!” as I fell backwards into darkness.

~~~~~~~

My mind groggily came to as morning approached. Someone was gently patting my arm.

“Helen, Helen, you need to wake up.”

I groaned and rolled over. The room was still dark. I really didn’t want to get up today, not after a dream like that. It felt so real, so stressful. The restless sleep made my body feel so heavy... “Five more minutes mom…” I slurred sleepily, wanting to fall back asleep and replace the memory of the dream with something else.

“C’mon, Helen,” urged the voice again. My mind became more awake as I realized it wasn’t my mom’s. “You need to be awake, it’s not good for you to stay out of it right now.”

I opened my eyes and suddenly felt like I was hit by a truck. The pain on my shoulder was throbbing still, and my head was pounding. The room was dark, lit just by a small candle sitting by the bedside. The face of a young adult girl with bright hazel-green eyes cleared my vision, her dark brown hair and pink-tipped bangs pulled back in a ponytail to reveal a friendly and concerned expression. The rest of the room faded into view, revealing a different room than the one I had woken up in before, and five girls that looked to be about my age.

My stomach lurched and the girl who was waking me up held up a trash can for me as I turned over and vomited into it.

“Easy, easy,” she said, rubbing my back as I hurled again. After a third time the nausea started to pass and I felt even more drained. She wiped my face off with a damp cold cloth and handed me a cup of water. “Drink slowly, little sips.”

I did, my stomach feeling almost hollow. “What happened…?” I groaned drunkenly, my memory of the events extremely foggy. “Am I...am I dead? I feel like I died.”

“No, thankfully you’re not dead,” she said with slight amusement. “You’ve, um, had quite the ordeal though.”

I laid back again into the very soft pillows and bed. “Just tell me one thing at least. Are vampires real?”

She hesitated for just a moment, thinking of how to answer. At last she sighed, and I already knew the answer before she even spoke.

“Yes, Helen,” she confirmed softly. “Vampires are real.”

I breathed in deep, letting that sink in. My heart didn’t seem to have the energy to race, but my mind was able to process something. Either that fact is true, or I am still in an ongoing nightmare. Whatever the case, there’s nothing I could do about it right now. I let my breath out.

“Okay,” I murmured, mostly to myself. This may as well happen. The girls as seemed to relax at the calmness in my voice. “Okay.”

“How do you feel?” asked the girl right behind the one with pink hair, her hair short and almost black and her skin a soft brown. Next to her was an almost identical twin except for her hair, which was longer. Their eyes were amber in the candlelight.

“Terrible,” I answered, deciding to roll with what’s happening. “But the world has stopped spinning at least.”

“That’s a good sign,” said pink bangs in the front. “You’ll start feeling a lot better soon as you get some food and drink in you. My name is Rose, by the way,” she introduced, then gesturing to each girl in the room. “This is Suzanne and Alice,” the twins nodded, “Claire, and Wendy.” The last two, a strawberry-red curly haired freckled girl with bright green eyes and pale skin, and a short, shy, bouncy black hair and steel gray eyed girl.

“Helen,” I responded. “Though, it looks like you already knew that.”

“We’ve been updated mostly about what’s happened,” Rose said, helping me to sit up. “How much do you remember?”

“Well, apparently I’ve been kidnapped by vampires,” I said sardonically, rubbing my shoulder as the bite prickled under the gauze bandage. “And...now I’m married? What’s the deal with that?”

They tried to stifle a laugh; I smiled a little, glad they took my dark humor well.

“Not quite, at least not in the way you think it would be,” Rose briefly explained with an amused and patient smile. “We’ll try to catch you up on everything, but first we should get you something to eat. You feel okay to walk?”

I did a mental check of all my faculties. The heaviness was slowly lifting and the dizzy was all but gone. My shoulder still throbbed a little, and that strange rubbery stretching feeling was still there and still pulling at me, but I was otherwise feeling better.

“Yeah, I think so,” I said, and let them help me to my feet and out of the cushy bed. They led me out of the dimly lit room to a lighter room, and through another door into a hallway. It was a much smaller hallway than the one I remembered walking through before, not so wide, but decorated in very much the same fashion. Gentle light flitted through as the closed walls turned to open windows, revealing a pink and orange sunrise. My guess right now would be that it was just after 6am.

“How long have I been out?”

“Since the last time you passed out? Not long.” Suzanne walked beside me. “You were only out for a few minutes, and then slept for about an hour and a half.”

“What about...since I arrived?” I put lightly.

“It’ll have been less than a day I think,” Rose answered. “I think they found you outside the castle around 8:30-9 o’clock, they said you were in and out of it for a good while after that.”

Concern overtook me. “I...I don’t remember any of that.” Other thoughts filled my head as my hand subconsciously went to my shoulder again. “So—so I was bit, right? Am I…?”

“Don’t worry, you won’t turn,” Rose assured me. “Not unless you want to, but that would require a different ritual than what had happened, in addition to your consent.” I let out a breath of relief.

“So how does that work then?” I asked, relaxing just a little more. “I’ve always thought the common consensus is that once you’re bit you’re done for.”

We made a turn and walked into what looked like a kitchen restaurant as Claire replied this time. “That’s probably because people tend to disappear from your side of things whenever a vampire decides to feed, or their behavior might change. And when a vampire takes on a Bride their partner usually begins to have a preference to accommodate the vampire.”

Rose went and talked to what looked to be the chef of the kitchen, ordering food I assumed hopefully, while we sat at a stainless steel counter and Claire continued.

“But since vampires haven’t publicly done that in centuries, people’s assumptions only became more skewed and the myths more off mark,” she said.

“Okay, so, a lot of questions now,” I gestured in a slow-down motion.

“Food first,” Rose said, coming back to join the group as she and the chef she spoke to brought plates of breakfast. She handed me a glass of orange juice. “Drink a little of this first before you eat.”

I immediately became aware of how hungry I was and obliged, feeling better after a few sips of OJ, and even more after digging into warm eggs and sausage and toast. Everything tasted beyond delicious, and I was so thankful I wasn’t going to turn into a vampire. I would miss the taste of food too much. ‘Course, that was assuming anything mythology has said was correct. Which, it seems, might not be much.

“So,” I said after a few minutes of eating. “So, in step by step order of events if you can, what happened to me? And what’s going to happen to me now?”

They looked to Claire, who seemed pretty happy at the chance to explain. “So, starting with what happened before you were bit, last night was supposed to the union ceremony between the Lord of the castle and his chosen Bride, capital ‘B’. A vampire Bride is someone who a vampire has chosen would be their most compatible mate, and has committed to only feeding from that person. Historically this was a phenomenon that would occur when a vampire reached a certain stage in life and found a single source to feed from. It’s like this magical bond forms between them, and ties them into place and make the vampire only able to feed from one person. By only being able to feed from one source, the vampire’s life would be dictated by the well-being of their human. Sometimes they don’t make it to that stage, and sometimes…” she struggled to find kinder words. “...accidents happen.”

“But once it happens, it can’t be undone,” she continued after I swallowed nervously. “Here at the castle, soon as a new Lord is ready to take charge, a Bride is chosen for them and the ceremony is performed when the time is right and they reach that stage.”

I nodded again, and felt a chill of dread as I realized what this was leading up to. “So...so then…?”

They nodded.

“Normally it takes a few feedings to develop the bond. With the royal bloodline it works a little differently, but only in the sense that they can predict exactly when the final connection is ready to be made. That was supposed to happen with Lady Victoria, but when Lord Zain bit you...for some reason it was invoked instantly.”

“So,” I began, letting everything sink. “So, when this Zain guy bit me, I somehow became his host?” They nodded. “And there’s no way to undo it. Which means…” My stomach sank.

“Yeah,” Rose confirmed sadly. “I’m afraid you won’t be allowed to leave anymore.”

I slumped back, feeling dejected.

After a moment I asked, “So, you guys are human though, right? Does that mean you guys are food? Or also Brides or whatever?”

“Sorta,” Suzanne answered this time. “I mean, if you want to put it simply then yeah, sure, we’re basically food. But I mean, everything is taken care of for us, we’re still allowed to live regular normal lives and pursue interests and so on, we just have to donate blood regularly, take care of our bodies, and be supervised anytime we leave the castle.” Her sister nodded with her.

I perked up at the last detail. “You’re allowed to leave?”

“With supervision,” Rose clarified. “As we get older we’ll be allowed to travel to other boarding houses similar to this place and still experience the world, and with permission sometimes we can sign up to travel with the embassy on conference visits. We’re not allowed to leave the community since we were all born and raised with them and we know too much, but they do their best to try and make up for it.”

“That...” I started carefully, “that honestly sounds a bit like a cult.”

“I know, right?” Claire agreed with a smile. “That’s what I thought too as I got to know this place.”

“Oh right!” Rose said. “I forgot you came from outside the castle too.”

“What happened?” I asked casually. “Did you get Bride-ified too?” She laughed.

“Nah, I was rescued when the embassy was on a trip. I think I was, like, six? My parents had passed when I was really little so I was handed off to my aunt and uncle. They were assholes. Apparently a vampire saw me getting verbally abused by them in public, enough to warrant investigation, and ‘supposedly’ looked into the circumstances.” She make air quotes with her fingers. “Honesty I bet they had already decided to whisk me away regardless. Then hop skip and jump I was out my bedroom window and away from that mess.”

“Dang,” I exhaled, ironically shuddering at the thought of getting kidnapped by a vampire.

“Don’t get me wrong though, I’m really glad they did,” she continued. “I was in a really bad place. It’s a bit messed up the way it happened, yeah, and doesn’t exactly make for a good argument knowing a vampire cult can just go around kidnapping people, but it doesn’t happen that often and certainly not without good reason.”

At this point I became aware that we had long since finished eating and were making our way back. Other than the slight tugging-sensation that still occurred, which every now and then  would flare up a bit and then die down, I felt strangely comfortable now. We passed by the glass windows again, the sun a bit higher in the sky now and warmth falling in with the rays through the trees. A lush garden courtyard fenced by what looked like more open-view glass hallways and one open set of pillars and archways spread across the entire view. Dew coated the grass and flowers, and benches sat under trees. There was a small patterned hedge maze to our current left. It looked like a nice place to spend an afternoon reading or just relaxing.

A brief thought passed through my head. Maybe this won’t be so bad.

“How come this place was never discovered?” I asked curiously. “I mean, outside we knew a castle might be here but by the sounds of things there’s a pretty big civilization going on.”

“Well, it started when vampires started realizing that just feeding from any old human from any old place was dangerous,” Claire said. “You know, with the hunters and people not really liking that their family members were being attacked and taken away. So they started a coven of vampires AND humans, made an agreement to keep the humans alive and take care of them, and then boom, safe and stable food supply.”

“They keep it secret by keeping in contact with other creatures,” Suzanne added. “Witches helped by putting spells around vampire locations to make sure no one just accidentally wandered in, and so on.”

“Except for a few exceptions,” I muttered darkly, earning questioning looks from them. We rounded the corner and took a different turn than from where we originally had come from. The pulling suddenly grew stronger, distracting me from the fact that they had asked me something in response, and I debated on whether I should ask if this strange sensation was normal.

Before I could decide though Rose suddenly stopped with a surprised ‘Oh!’ My attention refocused forward and my breath caught in a very mixed emotion as all other questions fell away.

“Good morning Lord Zain,” Rose greeted respectfully, and the others shyly murmured greetings as well.

“Hello girls,” he greeted back. His voice was relaxed and somewhat friendly, yet slightly under duress, far different from the venom I had heard in it before. He wasn’t looking at me, despite the fact that I was frozen in place and couldn’t look away from him. His eyes were still very red. “You mind if I speak with Miss Morris for a bit?”

“Not at all,” Rose said, much to my internal protest and fear. “We’re were just about to show her our common’s area, but we can wait.”

“It’ll just take a moment, I’ll bring her there afterwards.”

I shot Rose a pleading look. She gave me a pat and whispered reassuringly, “Don’t worry, he’s actually really nice. You’ll be okay.”

I swallowed. I had a really hard time believing that.

Within moments it was just me and this guy in the hallway. Awkward nerves began building up inside me and I could feel my stomach trying to tighten. It looked like he was just as uncomfortable, but now he had let his facade fall away and looked irritated.

“Follow me,” he ordered flatly. Without hesitation I followed, a single mantra chanting through my head fearfully. Don’t upset the vampire. Don’t upset the vampire. Don’t upset the vampire…

He led the way a short distance in the opposite direction the girls had gone and stopped in front of a door. After taking a moment, as if making sure no one followed, he opened the door and stepped inside. I walked in after him wordlessly.

It was a small-ish supply closet, with racks of cleaning supplies and toiletries and such. He flicked on the light and stood facing the opposite wall as the door closed behind me. In the back of my mind I made sure I was ready to throw it back open at a moments notice.  I don’t know how much good that would do, but it gave me at least a false sense of encouragement.

He seemed to take a breath for a moment, and then turn to face me, a very firm, very impatient expression set in his eyes and mouth.

“What have you told them?” he demanded quietly.

“Nothing,” I replied instinctively, my heart rate shooting up and feeling very, very threatened. When his eyes flashed I quickly corrected myself. “I mean, I don’t know what you me-”

“I’m referring to what happened last night. Did you mention anything about us being outside the castle?”

“N-no, I’m mean, I don’t think I...I don’t think it was ever established or anything…”

His eyes searched mine, as if trying to decide if I was lying. The entire time I was very aware of the fact that the pulling sensation was almost magnetic now. He seemed satisfied and let out a slow breath.

“Good,” he said. “It needs to stay that way. You are not to mention, to ANYONE, that I was outside the castle walls, for any reason, understood?”

“Why-?” I began to ask but was cut short as his expression turned severe.

“Understood?” he re-emphasized in a low growl.

“Okay, okay! I won’t tell!” I assured, taking an instinctive step back towards the door.

“And you can’t tell anyone about this conversation either.”

My cheek twitched with a subtly growing irritation. This guy was starting to give me the impression of a spoiled brat rather than a scary monster.

“Okay,” I said slowly, my internal mantra from moments ago fading away. “Then what am I supposed to say?”

He gave me a condescending look. “You don’t say anything, I thought that was established?”

“Okay sure, but what if they ask what this was all about?” I gestured to the utility closet and our conversation in general.

“You tell them this happen,” he said, and grabbed my arm to yank me towards him.

“Wha-!” My indignant cry was cut short as my arms were suddenly pinned to my sides and a sharp pain pierced my neck. I thrashed for only a second before he let me go, wiping his mouth.

“That should be all the information they need,” he said cooly. “Understood?”

“You BIT me!” I exclaimed, my head reeling as I slapped my hand over the fresh wound. Jeez, was that really necessary?! I felt the hot blood seep through my fingers and saw the red run down my arm as the world started to tilt.

“Oh come on,” he jeered. “It wasn’t that bad, I barely took anything!”

“I don’t like seeing blood, you jerkface!” I yelled at him, angry, and then covered my mouth with my other hand as my stomach lurched. Unable to grab hold of support, my ballance toppled over.

He caught me before I hit the ground, his expression unsure and off guard. I was about to lose my breakfast. It had been so delicious though...

“Um, sorry,” I heard him murmur.

Whatever asshole, I thought to myself bitterly as I tried to mentally force my stomach to settle and not throw up and ignore the blood running down my arm.

He stiffened, a look of full offense on his face. “Did you just call me an asshole?”

I looked at him, confused and nauseated. “Uh, no? I didn’t say anything.”

His hands were still holding me up by my shoulders, and his eyes narrowed. “No, you definitely just called me an asshole.”

“Oh what, now you can read minds?” I joked sarcastically.

“Uh, yeah, that’s unfortunately how this stupid thing works,” he growled.

My eyes widened as I realized he wasn’t being sarcastic back.

“Wait, you’re serious?”

He gave me a flat expression. “I don’t appreciate being thought of as sarcastic, either.”

I pushed him away and leaned back against the metal shelving in the closet. “Great. JUST great…” I took a breath and pressed my lips tight. “Are we done here then?”

His expression didn’t change except for his eyes, which held a hint of confusion. “Yeah, we’re done.”

He reluctantly supported me the whole way from the closet and down the hall in the direction the girls had gone. It had only been a few minutes I’m sure, but that felt like an eternity. I never wanted to see this guy again, but I won’t be having a choice in the matter, it seems.

“The feeling is mutual,” I heard him mutter under his breath.

“Stay out of my head,” I grumbled back.

A few moments later we arrived. He leaned me against the door, and before I even knocked he was already gone from sight. Fine then.

They were already ready to catch me soon as the door opened, towels and bandages in hand. I toppled into their arms, my body still feeling shaky and weak, like I was about to faint again. I’m really surprised I hadn’t fainted again. Maybe I was already starting to get use to this.

“Easy Helen,” the long-haired twin, Alice I think, said as she and her sister Suzanne helped carry me inside to a chair. Rose had already pressed a compress to my neck after taking my hand away, and Claire started wiping up the blood.

“Jeez, what happened?” Claire asked. “You look like he nearly drained you.”

I was really glad they already knew, I didn’t want to have to deal with words.

“I get queasy,” I said briefly, and each one of their eyes flashed with understanding. Suzanne and Wendy went over to a nearby kitchenette and brought some tea and crackers. Alice was pulling ointment out of a first aid kit that looked like antibiotic, and Rose let up on the compress.

“Thankfully you’re not bleeding a lot,” Alice said gently. “But this is probably going to sting a lot and itch a lot.”

I braced myself and clenched my teeth; she wasn’t kidding. Whatever that ointment was, it wasn’t any antibiotic I’ve ever used. It burned like salt, and then a strange prickling sensation coated it until it was just an aching, itchy throb. Claire got a new towel and finished cleaning off my neck.

“What is that stuff?” I asked, eyeing the tube apprehensively.

“It’s kinda like a vampire-venom-ointment thing,” Claire said.

“It’s a healing ointment,” Alice rolled her eyes. “They figured out how to bottle healing aspects of vampire saliva and made it safe for humans to use.”

“It’s super useful for severe cuts and accidents,” Suzanne said, lifting my hand with an unsalted cracker in it to my mouth.

I took a nibble. “So vampire spit?”

“I mean, sure, yeah,” Alice said, making a somewhat exasperated face.

I took a slightly bigger bite. “...cool.” And gross.

Wendy handed me some peppermint tea and almost instantly my stomach started quelling. I freakin’ love mint, it’s so nice. I took a slow sip, feeling the warmth enter my system and my body beginning to relax as Rose applied a small bandage to the side of my neck where the fang marks had turned into throbbing welts.

“So, um,” Claire began kind of nervously. “What was it...like?”

I choked in surprise. “What was what like?”

“You know,” Suzanne and the rest were now also awkwardly curious. “Getting bit.”

I raised my eyebrow in confusion. “I thought you guys said you were food.”

“We donate blood,” Rose explained. “They don’t allow them to actually bite us, since there’s a lot of risk involved. They could lose control, we might turn into Brides and cause a supply limit, or into vampires ourselves, too many things could go wrong. So none of us have ever actually been bit.”

“Oh.” Oh. I placed a hand to my neck, thinking about the extra ramifications of feeding a vampire. Oh… How...how close was I to actually dying in that moment…?

“U-um, you don’t actually have to answer or anything if you don’t want to…” Claire’s voice snapped me back to the present. “We’re just...curious is all.”

“No, it’s okay,” I assured, pushing those thoughts to the back of my mind for a moment. “It was...well, like getting bit? Like someone biting you? It kind of happened so fast I didn’t really know how to process it. It hurt a lot, and I got dizzy, but that's just because I’m not to fond of the sight of blood…”

“How did you feel about it?” Alice asked. Wendy perked up in interest.

“How did I…?” I flushed with frustration about the encounter. “I was mad! I was scared, I didn’t know what he was going to do to me, he just...grabbed me and bit me! No warning whatsoever, and I-” I stopped, see their amused faces. “What?”

“You seem to be taking this pretty well, all things considered,” Rose said simply.

“Yeah,” Claire agreed. “You’ve had like, NO time to adjust to anything yet, and you already seem used to the idea of vampires existing and so on.”

With jolt I realized they might be right. I might have thought this was still a dream, but I had already given in to this reality and was simply complaining about it now. They were all so calm and casual about it all...I think it had already started rubbing off on me.

I sighed. “Well, I mean, what choice do I have here?” I replied darkly. “I’m here now and I can’t leave, so I guess it all just may as well happen.” I looked at their calm but concerned faces in turn, each one filled with a light opposite to what I felt inside. This was just normal life for them, like they just got to meet a transfer student.

“This is crazy,” I said, shaking my head in exhaustion. “So...so just so I have everything straight, I’ve become someone who is now the sole food source to the ruler of this castle, and now I can’t go home because of it, so now I have to live here and be food so that said ruler doesn’t die.”

“Sounds about right, yeah,” Claire said. “It’s not so bad once you get settled in. It’s not like you’ll be imprisoned in a holding cell or anything. You’ll be able to stay with us in the dorms if you want and we can help you get through everything, and you’ll have full access to the castle and courtyards. And, as you’ve seen, the food is delicious.

I nodded. “The food is pretty good,” I admitted humorously. They laughed a little.

After making sure I ate a little bit more they proceeded to show me around the common room area, and then up a spiral staircase to the dorm rooms, where each one of us had their own room. Their names were written on and decorated in what I guessed to be each one’s handwriting and style preference. I flushed when I saw mine though; presented on a temporary plaque in a fancy cursive font read Lady Helen Morris.

“Well,” Suzanne tried to offer comfort, “you are pretty much royalty now.”

“Greeaaaat,” I said groggily. Another notch to add to the stick, another anxiety to worry about. I really didn’t want to deal with that thought right now.

Rose saw how tired I look. “You know, we can always finish up the tour later if you want to take a nap and rest up.”

“That would be amazing,” I replied gratefully. I felt like I could sleep for a month straight at this point.

“Okay. We’ll be just downstairs if you need anything. There’s a bathroom in your room if you feel like getting cleaned up, and some spare clothes already in the dresser. We weren’t sure what your size would be so there’s kind of a grab bag of stuff.”

“Thanks,” I murmured, my eyes growing pretty heavy now. She chuckled and wished me a good rest. I closed the door and gently slapped my cheeks, and then proceeded to try and not think about anything. I focused instead on making my way to the shower, stripping out of my old, dirty and now slightly blood-stained clothes and let the warm water clear my head. It had been a VERY long day.

After the shower I settled on a pair of fleece cat pajamas that fit fairly comfortably. I managed to make it past drying my hair and sitting down on the bed before my mind started spinning full throttle.

Nothing was sane anymore. Reality was broken. Vampires exist and I’ve been kidnapped. I’ve been bitten twice, passed out almost three times, probably almost DIED...everything slid over me like a heavily soaked carpet. I pulled my knees to my chest, trying to keep my breath easy as my heart rate climbed. I feel like I’m going crazy, there’s no way this could all be real, right?

But it was. I knew it in the back of my mind. Dreams aren’t ever this vivid, this endless, this painful. Closing my eyes and wishing it away wasn’t going to change anything.

My heart lurched. Mom...mom would be freaking out so much by now. She would have called off work, called the police, the schools, the businesses, everyone. A pure state of panic. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I fell to my side on the bed, sobbing quietly.

I never wanted this. I never wanted to worry her. I just wanted to get a job, to help her out and make things easier for her. She tries so hard to protect me and take care of me, and now I’m missing. And I can’t ever tell her that it’s going to be okay, that I’m going to be okay.

I can’t ever see her again.

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