

by ALINA POPESCU

BAD BLOOD I

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission of the author.

**Smashwords Edition**

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. In other words, if you think this is about you, it probably isn't! But, as an Internet meme says, if the shoe fits, then lace it up and wear it proudly!

No vampires, humans, animals, or other living things have been hurt in the process of writing this novel. My friends, my family, and my sanity might have suffered, along with my dog, but he's the one who'll forgive me the fastest.

**Warning!** This is an urban fantasy novel featuring vampires. Some blood sucking, violence, swearing, and sexual interactions occur that make it suitable mostly for adults. Bad Blood is also a serial, which means the books in this series follow a connecting story arc. If you dislike any of those things, maybe this isn't the book for you.

The Edge of Hope

Bad Blood Trilogy, Book I

Second Edition

ISBN: 9780463131510

Copyright © 2014 Alina Popescu

All rights reserved.

Character design by M.P. Revita

Cover design by 8th floor studio

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

To those who've loved and lost, then found the strength to go all in again.
Table of Contents

Title Page

Acknowledgments*

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIV

Chapter XV

Chapter XVI

Chapter XVII

Chapter XVIII

Chapter XIX

Chapter XX

Chapter XXI

Chapter XXII

Meet Alina Popescu

Book Two Preview--The Breaking of Bonds

# Acknowledgments*

_*long list of thanks; basically, your run of the mill, very long Oscar acceptance speech._

Before we start, I feel I need to tell you all I understand if you fall asleep during this bit. There is a long, long, extremely long list of people I have to thank for making this book possible. It's like the credits at the end of the movies, but we authors insist on shoving this before the actual book. No, really, it's a mile long! I'll try to group them where I can, in a most surely failed attempt not to bore you. I have to start with the boy I fell madly in love with and who inspired my first solo novel. I was ten, he was older and cool... you know the drill! A big shout out goes to my grade school geography teacher who sometimes read my scribblings. Yes, during class. I remember I was working on the story of a female bull fighter, but I gave up. Tons of hugs and kisses to my high school classmates and Romanian Lit teacher who read and critiqued all the stories I played with.

Of course, I have to thank my family for showing me how to love books and for giving in to my pressure and teaching me how to read when I was five, and for supporting all my dreams, no matter how ludicrous they might have sounded.

Don't worry, we're now approaching the _Bad Blood_ trilogy and _The Edge of Hope_ part of the thanks. Some people have read this in the very early stages, back when Alexa's story was fundamentally different. They stuck with me through quite a ride and kept reading and offering feedback, all sprinkled with a healthy dose of love and encouragement. In no particular order: Loredana, Alina, Alina (yes, two other Alinas. What can I say? Popular name in my generation), Tina, Mig, Adi, Alexandra, Joanna, Emma, and a ton more friends that have quietly nodded while I was ranting on about my stories. I love you all.

In July 2013, I decided it was time to take my writing seriously and I launched my author page. From that point on, I was taken in without question, protected, inspired, encouraged, and praised by a warm and lively community of authors, readers, editors, and book lovers (most of which also enabled my caffeine addiction). They made me feel at home and never ceased to amaze me. I hope I don't forget anyone, but please know that even if I do, it's just because I am so freaking nervous I am bouncing off the walls: Kerry, Kindle, Susan, Geoff, Algie, Lachi, Laz, Jaye, Jacque, Carol, John, Ash, Shanella, Janice, Matt, Taz, Jo, Eloreen, the entire MM Book Rec group and the Book Chat Group, absolutely everyone in my street team. I give all of you a big, fat, juicy thank you from the bottom of my heart! Seriously, I feel like I should add everyone but, trust me, there would be a few hundred names in here! Just so you know, if we've ever discussed writing or books, I appreciate you and I thank you.

I also have to thank the powers that be that gave me coffee, books, chocolate, the Internet, gadgets, pretty pens and beautiful notebooks, sunshine, music, dancing, and everything that ever inspired me to write.

This book has been edited by the amazing Kim Young. I have no words to express my gratitude and love for her, she's just awesome and I will rave and rant about her forever.

If you're reading this book, I love you forever. Yup, every single one of you!

Finally, I have to thank my dog, Ares, lovingly referred to as The Dog from Hell, for cheering me up every time I needed him to.

That's it. I'm done for now. You've survived! 
The road to hell is paved with bad relationships.

It felt like liquid fire... a searing substance filling my mouth, eyes, and nostrils, making it impossible to breathe. As it dispersed through my body, it melted every cell of what used to be me, flooding my brain, and torching my conscience as I was floating through this life-ending sea. This sensation must be what hell really is--knowing there's no way you can live through the torture yet realizing it will never end; perpetual deep-frying into a liquid tunnel as you slip away to nowhere. How did I end up here? How the hell did I get caught in all of this? What good or bad intentions of mine or others led to this drastic resolution? Bad relationships, trusting who I wasn't supposed to, investing too much of myself in helping others, running around like crazy trying to please everyone but myself... I should have spent all that time and energy on myself. Who knows? If I had, I might have been swimming in an actual sea, one that was cool and refreshing and not so keen on melting me away.

# Chapter I

I STARED AT THE INTERVIEW questions, wondering why they baffled me. I knew them by heart, but I kept looking, as if I would eventually see beyond the words on my computer screen and understand how and why they had been written and sent to me. When my vision would get too blurry, I'd hit "Alt + Tab" on the keyboard and switch to the enticing and surprisingly high-quality photo that accompanied the online profile of the man who had sent them.

Whenever I got an idea I considered brilliant, I'd somehow convince myself it was just as marvelous to the rest of the world. That was why I had talked myself into believing not only that I'd make it big as a writer, but that I was a gifted marketer, so I'd started promoting my book long before I'd gone past drafting the first page. Getting people acquainted with the characters and promoting the story idea right from the start meant I'd have plenty of time to build tension. Then everyone would be dying to buy the book by the time it was finally published.

It wasn't an entirely innovative idea, though. I wasn't the first author to start making waves about a book before its release, but most would have at least half of it written before the full-on PR campaign. Even HBO used role-playing Twitter users to help promote _True Blood_!

I was writing a vampire story and those types of characters always had a strong appeal. I was also one of the genre's raging fangirls, but I felt I needed to put my vampire version on paper. So why not create a Twitter account and Facebook page for the main character? Why not write a blog about her, the novel, how I experienced the whole writing process, and so on? You could have asked anyone, they would have agreed it was a brilliant idea.

I had gotten quite a few followers on Facebook and Twitter, and the traffic stats of the blog (which I'd obsessively check throughout the day) were getting better and better. After a long struggle, I had the plot, the main characters' bios, and something that could pass as an outline, but I had only written ten pages and it was going at a never-before-seen slow pace. A snail would crawl faster than I'd type an opening for, well, any paragraph in any chapter. My creativity would normally flourish when I was sad and depressed, but that happened because I almost always still liked myself or still thought I had any brains. That wasn't exactly how I was feeling when I'd started working on this book, however.

But these interview questions were seriously digging for way too much information. What had gotten me staring at a stupid email for over an hour, though, was an eerie feeling that the person who had written it had looked deep within my literary brain, getting a first-hand tour of everything even remotely related to my book. As if that alone wasn't enough to get me worried, the journalist, Anthony, wanted us to meet in person. He had sent me the questions so I could have time "to prepare", but he wanted to see me and record the interview one evening. He'd said he could fly to Bucharest in a couple of weeks.

This was not your average friendly blog. This was _All Things Vampire_ , an online magazine dedicated to everything about the fangers: books, movies, actors and actresses in said movies, games, art, comic strips... anything under that sun even remotely related to vampires, they covered it. Sure, they were known for paying attention to indie authors, but I wasn't comfortable calling myself a writer and I was far from becoming an author. I was still struggling to get past the first few chapters. So why would a magazine with hundreds of thousands of monthly readers be interested enough to send a reporter to interview little old me?

After another session of ogling over the photo, and a few deep sighs yanked out of me by his onyx eyes, raven-black hair, and full lips, I was still wondering why on earth they would care? I kept trying to find clues of a hoax. Anthony had the sort of smile that said "I know every woman and gay man wants me. I'm even making straight ones fall in love with me", along with the dose of smugness and cruelty such knowledge comes with. He wore a leather jacket, tight shirt, and tighter jeans in the photo, as if the magazine wanted groupies and not just readers.

It eventually registered that the issue was easier to deal with than I'd thought because I wasn't even _in_ Bucharest. On the first of February, I had landed in Malta and made my way to Silema. I had booked a month-long stay at a small beach hotel. As it was the off-season, I got a room with an ocean view for a smidgen more than my rent in Bucharest. The official reason for my stay was writing my novel, but I was also doing freelance work for an old client to support myself instead of depleting my savings. Back in Bucharest, I was a freelance web developer working with a few designers to build the apps and websites they had created, but I had stopped doing most of that. The only client I was still helping needed something extremely basic that required 5% of my skills, at best, so my brain was free to dream up the plot. My initial one-month stay got extended so I kept busy with the client project and did some writing. My startling progress of five pages a month wasn't bad. It was terrible.

I eventually emailed Anthony and told him that, sadly, I wasn't in Bucharest for the time being, nor did I know when I'd return. I then switched off my email client and returned to turning more PDF pages into HTML code. Later that night, when I checked my email again and deleted a whole bunch of spam messages, I also read the reply from Anthony.

Valletta is actually closer so I could get there soon. Would ten days from now be a good time for you?

I stared at the email, jaw slack, eyes wide, and just didn't get it. I was hardly the big name that would prompt a reporter to book a flight and a hotel room to come see me. The wheels started turning and my "very fishy" alarm went ballistic. What magazine would have the travel budget to have him chase a writer wannabe around the world?

In the end, the photo helped me decide. He was too hot for anything else to matter. I wrote back and agreed to the interview, then re-immersed myself into my work. I had this feeling he wouldn't reply that night because it just seemed like the sort of thing a man like that would do. I was wrong, though. Anthony let me know he'd have his assistant make the arrangements and asked which hotel I was staying in so that he could book his room at one close by. He sent me all his contact details, including his cell phone number, and promised to let me know exactly when he'd arrive and where he'd stay.

After spending a large part of the night going over the hotel's security and trying to use all my TV and movie knowledge to figure out what could happen if I did say where I was staying, I realized if Anthony really was on a killing spree, not saying where I was staying would just slow him down, not stop him. So I sent him the hotel name and my own cell number, then waited for the details he'd promised.

The big Anthony interview, as my mind chose to think of it, completely changed my routine. I actually left the hotel a few times within those ten days for more than just an evening walk or my morning exercise. I went shopping, got my hair done, and went to a small beach-side café, where I got that month's five pages written. I also made time to look over everything I'd made public on the website and Facebook to see what everyone knew about it and try to figure out why Anthony's questions felt so weird. Most of the information he'd hinted at was there, but some details had never been disclosed. How did he know about them? I told myself it was nothing more than guesswork on his part but, on some level, that didn't feel like a good enough explanation because his "guesswork" was spot on. 

# Chapter II

WHEN THE DAY I'd meet Anthony finally arrived, I was so wired, I'd make an addict going through withdrawal seem mellow. I had been pacing my hotel room since 5 am. I tried having breakfast at some point, but my stomach couldn't take more than a few cups of coffee. I changed outfits a few times and had completely redone my makeup twice already. It was barely 10 am and the meeting was not till 11. Anthony wanted to meet me and get to know me first, leaving the actual interview for Sunday. He'd suggested a walk on the beach and light conversation over some cold drinks. It was March but, apparently, the 24-degree peak temperatures of Malta were enough for cold drinks. I finally decided on black fitted jeans. They made me look good enough. I added a bright red, somewhat revealing top just because I was still quite proud of my breasts (having men drool and women ask if they were real kind of helped), and a black jacket. It clearly wasn't hot enough for me to switch to iced drinks.

I went downstairs two minutes before the meeting time. I was never late if I was able to help it, but this time I had to make an effort not to be too early. I was heading for the exit when I heard my name called with that strange sound foreigners give to my Romanian name.

"Alexa, over here."

I turned and saw Anthony in one of the armchairs in the lobby. He was wearing faded jeans and a white button-down shirt, and he had that very same smile I had noticed in his photo. The only difference was that he looked so much better in real life. I felt like jumping around him like any self-respecting groupie would do right after asking for a rock star's autograph. Instead, I went for a neutral smile. Well, I hoped it was neutral.

"Hello, Anthony. Nice to meet you," I said, holding out my hand.

"Likewise," he said. Or, at least, I thought that was what he'd said. His touch was electrifying, melting all my coolness. But I was good with appearances when I had to and I could have sworn he never even noticed.

"Should we go, or do you want to get a cup of coffee first?" I asked when I was sure my voice wouldn't betray me.

"Oh, I'd like to go for our walk, if you don't mind. It's lovely outside."

So that was what living in London did to people? Pushed them to treasure absolutely every minute of sunshine they could get and wear short-sleeved, almost see-through shirts in 15 degrees Celsius weather? I had been under the impression global warming had changed that somewhat. But I couldn't really complain. I could freely indulge in admiring every single muscle adorning his upper body, so I decided being thankful was the right approach.

"When did you start writing?" he asked when we got down to the beach, walking slowly near the waves.

"A long time ago. I've been writing stories and essays most of my life."

"But you're in a different line of work, isn't that right?" he cocked his head and bore his intense black eyes into mine.

"That's right. I take the same pleasure in coding that I take in writing. Different types of music, same keyboard."

He looked at me and smiled warmly, but it was accompanied by a condescending huff. I instantly felt like a child being questioned by an older, wiser member of the village, who held the true meaning of life and was amused by the ramblings of the youngling.

I looked at the sea, focusing on the steady move of the waves. "What's so amusing?"

"Oh, I just can't understand what code and music have in common. Writing...that I can understand. But programming? Seems to me you're just trying to make your job a little more interesting than it is," he said, the same annoying smile on his face.

Why had I turned to him, again? I was better off staring at the waves. He was getting on my nerves, and fast. "That's just because you haven't seen me write code. My ex used to get a kick out of seeing me type my code or write my stories," I blurted out, reminiscing on the past. "He said it looked just like playing the piano."

"Then he knows nothing of playing the piano," Anthony said, matter-of-factly.

I thought he looked very pleased with his wits and superiority. Naturally, it was time to cut him down. "You are probably right. What would a musician know about playing the piano? Or music, in general?"

I turned my back on him, wondering if I was better off cutting our time together short. I'd just about had it with his smugness.

"I have offended you."

Brilliant deduction. Anthony should thank the gods he never chose investigative journalism. "Wrong. You've stepped on my toes by forcing me to defend my ex. These days, I have a hard time doing that, even when he's right."

"Sorry, that was not my intention," he said, looking at his shoes and shaking his head.

"No, just the consequence of your need to act all superior and pretend you're all-knowing. Unfortunately, you are not the only person on earth who thinks the world of themselves."

"Usually, I _am_ right. That can be my biggest weakness at times," he replied, smiling shyly. I would have never taken him for someone capable of shyness.

"That's all right. It is part of my heritage, as well. I was born being right. Or a smartass, depends how you look at it."

"Apparently, you're better at dealing with it than I am."

I couldn't help but laugh. The guy I thought had a direct line to how my brain worked based on some lucky deductions about my book had no clue about me.

"The difference between you and me is that I clearly see all my flaws and everything that's less than perfect about me."

"And is that why you are not so taken with yourself?" His smile had faded and his lips were pressed in a thin line.

"On the contrary. That is _why_ I am so taken with myself. See, unlike you, I see it very clearly, and I still believe I am as good as it gets. I am God's gift to men, the perfect friend, and so on. My list of superpowers is very long."

His eyes roamed up and down my body, as if trying to assess me, but in a way that was void of anything I'd expect from a red-blooded male checking me out.

"Very bold words for someone who likes herself so little."

I couldn't say what hit closer to home, the harshness of his words, spoken with no emotion, or the fact that it was all true. I didn't like myself at all these days, but no one could ever say I couldn't twist and turn words in my favor!

"I might currently dislike myself a little. But based on what I have told you, you should have guessed I believe I am the only one who really knows the limits of my... awesomeness."

"Right. I was so mistaken to think you were modest," he said, laughing whole-heartedly. It was a deep, masculine laugh that melted my bones.

"You were," I agreed, smiling. "But my knowing how great I am is of no importance. I have learned my cruel lesson by now."

"And what lesson might that be?"

"That what you really are and what people choose to see are two very, very different things."

Hoping I'd puzzled Anthony, maybe even impressed him, I left him standing there and walked away.

"I don't see how anyone could fail to see everything that you are," Anthony said when he caught up with me. "I might be wrapped up in my own air of superiority, but I would never consider you anything short of amazing."

His flattery sounded almost believable. "That's what they all say...right before they get close enough and the first wave of imperfection changes their mind."

Quietly, we made our way to a small café near my hotel. It was somewhat busy, as it was a Saturday, but not crowded enough to prevent us from finding a private and cozy spot. He ordered some mint lemonade, I asked for a hot cup of coffee.

"So what are you really doing here?" Anthony asked after the waitress brought us our drinks. "Taking the time to write your novel?"

"That's what I'm going with." I smiled, hoping he would leave it at that.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Off the record?"

"Must I?" He scowled, and somewhat he managed to make that look cute.

"You must."

He really didn't have to. He looked at me so intensely and with such a genuine smile that I probably would have volunteered more than I should have. Luckily for me, he didn't try to push.

"So be it, then. Off the record."

"The man I thought was the love of my life cheated on me, then when I was more than ready to forgive him, he rejected me. My closest friend betrayed me, as she turned out to be the person he cheated with. I was sad, broken, and distracted so business got tough to handle. I focused on taking it one day at a time until business picked up again. That took a few months and long days of hard work to make up for the times I just didn't feel like getting out of my bed."

I stopped to sip some of my coffee and take a few deep breaths to help calm me down a bit. "When the business aspect was stable, I did what any strong, independent woman in my situation would do."

"And what was that?" he pressed, with a quirky smile.

"Use the decision to turn a dream into reality as a perfectly good excuse to run away from it all, of course."

I probably shouldn't have said that right when he was sipping from his glass of lemonade. He choked on it, spilling some on his lovely white shirt. When he stopped coughing, he started laughing so hard the entire café turned to look at us. I could feel the huge grin on my face. Being honest felt so liberating.

"Oh, god. I know a horde of women who would have you stoned for saying that about strong, independent women."

"True." I shrugged and hid my smile behind my coffee cup. "It sounds a bit off. But, if you stop to think about it, when you're strong and independent, you can afford to run away to lick your wounds and grant yourself time to heal. It sure beats allowing yourself to be bound down by some crazy standards...stay home, work like crazy, put yourself out there to date, and pay a shrink to help heal your mind and soul."

"That's an interesting theory." His features morphed quickly, losing their humor and turning serious. "And how are you doing now? Are your wounds starting to heal?"

"Oh, I don't know exactly how I'm doing. I am definitely better. I'm moving from surviving to living. I want to enjoy life again, not just take it one painful day at a time. Some wounds take longer to heal though. And the scars never really go away, they just fade."

I could feel my mood going sour and the tears lurking, waiting for the right moment to reveal my weakness to the world. That was best kept private so I changed the subject. I asked about his work, the magazine, where he'd been recently, and I slowly got us sharing travel tales from across the world. At about 3 pm, we realized we were starving and found our way to a small restaurant in the hotel.

Anthony seemed to have the shock of his life when I ordered, his eyes nearly popping out. He was still speechless long after I'd made my choice of food. The waitress had to ask him about his order a few times in her desperate attempt to get his attention. I had just ordered steak and French fries, a side salad and, of course, dessert. So unladylike!

"What?" I eventually asked, annoyed by his horrified look.

"Sorry. I am used to girls that only go for the side salad and a half-portion of the leanest meat they can find...boiled, if possible."

"Oh, well, I'll work out extra hard over the next few days. Besides, bread is my kryptonite and I did not order that." I shrugged and dug into the side salad. "Besides, I read somewhere that if you work out, you can eat whatever you want."

"And where exactly did you read this gem?"

"The Millennium Trilogy. Stieg Larssen sounded like the smartest man in the world at that point. Of course, I wanted it to be true."

He didn't seem to be buying it, judging by his careful analysis of how much of my food I really ate, but I didn't care much.

"I've had my weight issues. I tend to gain weight when I'm unhappy and depressed. I finally got over them by paying more attention to what I eat and working out a lot. That also proved very useful in burning rage, disappointment, and rejection."

"So are you a fitness fanatic like that policewoman in the book?" Anthony asked in between bites of his own steak.

So he had read it! Yes, I was impressed. He went out of the fantasy world or vampires once in a while. "Not really. I lack the discipline, I think."

"I somehow doubt that," he said, smiling warmly.

"You shouldn't. I do lack discipline in just about anything. I am extremely lazy and count too much on my ability to do a lot of things at the very last minute."

"It takes discipline to think of a novel idea and then put it in writing. It takes a lot of determination to start it and a lot more effort to keep going until you see it through."

Those words rang true. I suddenly felt ashamed of my five-page-per-month progress. But at least the storyline was no longer fuzzy, and I had been working full-time during the past two months. Either way, the conversation was again getting dangerously focused on me and I needed to distract him. However, it was more like he was distracting me with his good looks and apparent awe. We stuck to small talk for the rest of the meal and parted for the afternoon, but not before he managed to yank a promise out of me: I would introduce him to Valletta's night life later that evening.

# Chapter III

LOCKED IN MY HOTEL room later that afternoon, I realized what a crazy promise I'd made while fervently googling Valletta nightspots. In the nearly two months I'd spent there, I'd never been to a club, concert, or bar. Long walks, late night drinks at the hotel bar while fending off all male interaction had been the extent of my after-dark adventures.

After a few unconvincing articles on Valletta nightly fun and games that were older than I cared to admit, I decided the waterfront would be the best place to go. We could take the ferry to Valletta, which was the fastest way. Unfortunately, it sometimes just didn't make the trip across. Those long five minutes of sailing were too much to ask for at times; apparently, the sea was often too restless for the ferry. Worst case, I could rely on the local buses and taxis, so we had options.

I had read that smart-casual would usually do the trick so I chose a simple but sexy black dress, dug my expensive and painfully gorgeous high-heeled red shoes out of my luggage, then grabbed a red purse, a red necklace, and a matching dark jacket. Black and red were my favorite evening wear colors, although I felt a bit unusual sticking to the same color scheme for our second meeting. I ditched the necklace and went for a brightly-colored silk scarf instead.

The makeup took far less time than earlier in the morning, but that turned out not to be the best thing, as I was ready a good half-hour before Anthony was supposed to arrive. I powered up my laptop with the intent to work, but the lonely word document saved on my desktop, my often-ignored novel, drew my attention instead. I felt like writing. I opened it, brushing off the cyber-dust, and kept typing until I my phone rang. The shrill sound scared me half to death, as I'd never heart it before. No one used my in-room phone to call me. I answered it, wondering who the hell used landlines anymore. It was Anthony calling from the lobby. I was ten minutes late. How had that happened?

I ran out of the room and had to come back for my purse. As the elevator was taking too long, I took the stairs. I hated being late and the disadvantage that came with it with a fiery passion.

Anthony was waiting on the same armchair he had been sitting in earlier that day. He smiled broadly, seeming all too aware of the upper hand I'd given him. I was late and I was supposed to apologize. I figured it was as good a time as any to pull the scatterbrain artist card. "I'm so sorry, Anthony. I felt like writing and never noticed how late it was."

"That's perfectly fine. Don't worry." The glitter in his eyes told a very different story, but I chose to take his words at face value. "I can certainly understand what being so caught up in your thoughts feels like. It's happened to me on a few occasions."

I smiled, waiting for the catch.

"Anyway, you'll make it up to me with a drink. Let's go, the car is waiting."

Ah, there it was. Although a drink was a small price to pay, he'd claimed his compensation. "Did you call a cab?"

"Oh, heavens, no! I hired a car and driver for the night. I thought having someone waiting around for us would be far more comfortable."

"If you tell me the magazine pays for this, I will apply for a job tomorrow," I said, and was truly considering my future career path.

"They don't, but I travel so much and work such crazy hours, I lack the time to spend what I make so I can go crazy every once in a while. Especially in new cities where I am not familiar with cab services and their schedules."

I frowned and nodded slowly. "If that was supposed to make me forget about applying for a job there, you've failed."

"I'm hardly trying." He chuckled and put his hand around my shoulders, ushering me to the car, a big black one that reminded me of New York. Huge cars, bright lights, people on the streets of Manhattan at any hour, day or night.

He opened the door for me and then went around to get in. "So, where to?" he asked, after shutting his door.

I shrugged and tried for an innocent smile. "The Valletta Waterfront?"

"Sorry, is that a question?" he asked with a playful smile.

"More of a gamble, really," I mumbled.

"Oh, my god! Don't tell me you're one of those girls who never go out."

I wasn't sure if he was really curious or just mocking me and my reply came out a bit harsher than needed. "Oh, excuse me for not knowing all the Valletta night spots by now! I imagine you were not paying attention earlier. I did not party my way out of my issues, you know." I softened it with a smile, or at least tried to.

"Well, then, it will be a shared first-time experience."

The car ride to the Waterfront was quiet and not terribly long. It gave me plenty of time to think. I couldn't figure out why I got so defensive around Anthony. Maybe it was his dashing look for the evening. He wore a slim-fit black jacket, light blue dress shirt, slacks that seemed cut especially to complement him, an intriguing cologne, and the self-confident "I can have any woman" smile. Or maybe it was the dedication he showed to spending his entire trip to Valletta with me. I was his story, true, but it felt like a little too much.

Maybe I was a little paranoid and my past experiences with lying, cheating, and rejection made me doubt anyone showing any interest in me. I just _had_ to look for ulterior motives and schemes. But what could Anthony have to gain from all this? A juicy story? That meant more attention for my novel if and when it was finally published.

I decided to just go with it, wherever "it" would take me. It was high time I allowed myself to enjoy something without overthinking it to death. I turned to Anthony and was taken aback by how intent his eyes were as he examined me closely. "You look absolutely stunning," he said after several beats of charged silence.

"Thank you. You look quite handsome yourself." _God, please don't fucking blush right now, Alexa!_ I decided looking out the window would be a smart move. I couldn't see much as it was pretty dark outside, but I sure wasn't going to let Anthony notice my beet-red flush.

The waterfront was breathtakingly beautiful. The brightly lit buildings, old and restored to preserve their spirit, were awe-inspiring. Their flowy rendition on the water, dotted by a myriad of reflected flickers from the streetlights made them even more stunning. We walked around for a while, taking it all in. The only name I recognized was _Hard Rock_ , the international brand for good music, over the top friendly service, and delicious barbeque ribs. But as that culinary delight didn't go well with my dress, we went into a little bar nearby.

It seemed cozy and the music wasn't loud enough to require one to scream into the ear of the person next to them to make themselves heard. Anthony ordered brandy and I got a fruity cocktail, delivered with the proper assortment of umbrellas, flags, and neon-colored straws.

"Girlie drink for the lady," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"It complements the color of my scarf, so I couldn't resist it."

"Is that so? Or are you just afraid I'll get you drunk and get all your dirty secrets on the record?"

I rolled my eyes and almost snorted. I stopped myself just in time to disguise it into some sort of huffing sound. "Oh, it does not take much to get me drunk. The challenge is to get the secrets out _after_ that." I shrugged and tried not to smile. I didn't want to turn it into a real challenge.

"I take it alcohol does not loosen your tongue?"

"No, it just heightens whatever mood I am in. I've never gotten drunk enough not to know exactly what I was doing and what I was saying."

"Have you actually tried?" He put his elbows on the table and rested his chin on the palm of his right hand.

"A few times. I failed miserably so I stopped trying."

We bar-hopped until close to midnight, enjoying the drinks, the music, and the atmosphere. As time passed, the waterfront nightspots got busier. People were laughing and talking loudly, and we could barely hear each other. It was fun and casual, and I felt great. Soon after midnight, we decided it was time to go back to Silema. Anthony called for the car and our driver said he'd be there in five minutes.

"Let's just walk around until he gets here," Anthony suggested. It sounded marvelous to me.

"Oh, I love this song," I said as we walked by a small bar where Ayo was begging on her knees for relief that never came _._ It reminded me of home, of old friends, and of drinking hot chocolate in Bucharest cafés.

"We shouldn't waste it then," he said in a low, husky voice. I felt his hand on mine, stopping me and turning me to face him.

"What? Here? In the street?"

"Why not?"

I was either too happy, too tired, or too intoxicated after downing a few cocktails earlier, because I couldn't find a good reason to say no. I stepped closer to him and he placed his free arm around my waist. I followed his lead into a middle of the street dance, moving too slowly for that particular song. Other party people were walking past us, smiling and pointing in our direction.

Anthony looked into my eyes and I couldn't make myself look away. His burning gaze, the windblown locks of hair falling on his face, his body so close to mine, and the general intimacy of the moment made me feel powerless. It was exhilarating and frightening at the same time, and relief washed over me when the song ended. Something about Anthony made all of my alarms go off. They warned me of the high potential of my getting hurt if we continued to spend so much time together. I knew it might be just my fear talking, given everything that had happened in the past year, but if there was one thing I had learned it was to trust my instincts. And they were telling me to run.

Instead of screaming and making a quick getaway, I smiled and thanked Anthony for the dance, turning to our car which had just pulled up.

"My pleasure," he said, taking my hand in his.

That small gesture felt more intimate than the dance and all I wanted was to yank my hand back and run away like a little girl, but I stopped myself. Just a few steps to the car and I'd be free.

On the way back, the car felt extremely small. Anthony never attempted to take my hand again, but I was sharply aware of his closeness. His presence, his scent, the thought of him sitting next to me were nauseating and scary, and my heart beat way too fast for my well-being.

I tried to understand where this restlessness was coming from. I felt like a deer hunted through the forest as the hounds closed in and sensing the killing blow long before the hunter even thought to squeeze the trigger. I wanted to slap myself, feeling silly and overcautious.

Why on earth did I have to see dark potential in any human contact? I always foresaw how it could hurt or disappoint me. Sure, I had experienced my fair share of heartbreak and betrayals, but I was too young to give in to mistrust, seclusion, and to barricading myself to make sure no one ever got close. Anthony was nothing more than a journalist I had met for an interview. After the weekend, I would probably never see him again. Worst case scenario? A fairly unsatisfying affair. Why couldn't I just let go of all the things in my past and finally allow myself to fully experience each moment?

"We're here." Anthony's voice brought me back to reality. "I've arranged for a private breakfast in a small meeting room at your hotel tomorrow morning. I hope you don't mind," he said. "Interviews over food and coffee are always more relaxed."

"That sounds wonderful."

He stepped out of the car and held the door open for me, offering his hand. I took it without realizing and then noticed I was no longer terrified by that simple contact.

"Thank you, Anthony. I've really had a great time tonight."

"So have I. I never thought meeting a writer for an interview could be so much fun. Thank you for showing me around."

He sounded polite and cold, like there was a distance between us that hadn't been there just moments before.

"Good night." I whispered it for some reason. Before I could stop myself, I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. I didn't wait for a reaction and headed to the entrance. I did notice that he took his time letting go of my hand. 

# Chapter IV

MY ALARM WENT off at 7 am the next morning, and I used all my pillows to aim for my cell and try to make it stop ringing. I missed, but the effort completely woke me up. I had, of course, forgotten to switch my alarm to a later, more bearable hour and it was pre-set to wake me up at the same time each morning. I got out of bed, put on my running clothes, and went outside. It was a chilly and cloudy morning and running felt great. Exercising had this ability to help me sort out my thoughts. My worries ended up seeming less important when my body felt sore and breathing became an effort.

The beach was empty, so were most of the cafés. Off-season Sunday mornings were so quiet, the resort so deserted, I could delude myself that it was all mine and no one could disturb me unless I allowed it.

An hour later, I was back in my room. I showered, got dressed--jeans, a pink, lively top, and casual shoes--and went over the interview questions once more. I tried to decide what was safe to say without revealing too much of the novel. If everybody knew what was going to happen, they were less likely to buy it. It had to sound fun and interesting, while keeping the mystery alive.

I was skimming through some pages of my novel when I heard a knock on the door. To my surprise, it was Anthony, looking fresh and cheerful.

"Good morning." He was beaming, and I hated him a little for it.

I scowled at him. "Good morning. Why so chirpy? Don't you need sleep like the rest of us?"

"Oh, be serious. We really did not stay out that late." My questioning look finally got through his good humor. "I'm sorry. I got here rather early and the lobby looked boring. Are you going to invite me in?"

"Sure, come in," I said and stepped away from the door. "Breakfast is in another thirty minutes, right?"

"Yes, 10 sharp. But I can try to switch it to now, if you like."

"No, that's fine. Please, sit down."

My room had a desk with a chair, an armchair, and my bed. I hoped he'd pick some other place than the unmade bed, but he didn't. He sat right on the side I slept on and looked around, taking in the room. "It looks very cozy."

"It is. And big enough for me not to go crazy when I am trapped here for a few days."

"Has that happened much since you've arrived?"

"More often than I'd care to admit. Work followed me here, I'm afraid." I shrugged and looked around the room, wondering where I should sit.

"How long do you plan to stay?" He rearranged my pillows, getting all comfortable.

"I'm leaving at the end of the month. It's time I got back to my life."

"Why not start a new one?"

"A new one?" I frowned and stared at him, wondering what he meant.

"Yeah. New country, new people. From what I see, there's nothing stopping you. You can work from wherever you are, can't you?"

I had never even considered that. I'd gone all the way to Malta, but that had always been temporary. My plan was to regroup, recover, and eventually go back. I had my parents, friends, clients. My whole life was there, in and around Bucharest. I hadn't considered leaving it all behind just because things were not as I wanted them to be. I'd thought of moving abroad, but for very different reasons than running away. Yet, somehow, the idea was not entirely unappealing.

Anthony went on to tell me about his life in London, his time in other European cities he had been to. He had moved around quite a bit. He didn't look much older than me, and might have looked younger than he was, but I still couldn't imagine him being older than thirty. He had lived in Paris, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, and London. And these were only the places where he had been for more than a year. The more he talked about it, the more appealing the idea of moving around the continent became.

The room phone rang for only the second time since I had arrived here almost two months ago. It was the front desk telling us that breakfast was ready. We went downstairs to enjoy our food and interview after Anthony took a little too long to decide to get up from my bed and make his way to the door.

The small conference room was not a real breakfast spot. They had brought coffee, tea, warm milk, a selection of cheeses, ham and salami, veggies and hardboiled eggs, plus some fruit and sweets, and had set it all up on half of the table. The other half had some hotel-branded notebooks and pens, and two chairs.

I poured myself some coffee and made a quick sandwich, then sat comfortably in one of the chairs. "Ok, shoot," I said, wiggling a bit in my chair to get comfortable.

He poured himself a cup of coffee (surprisingly, no tea) and sat down, smiling. "You're in an awful rush to get this interview started."

"I am curious about where it's going to go. The conversation topics you emailed really puzzled me."

"All right then." He took out a small recorder from the back pocket of his jeans and turned it on. "There are so many vampire stories out there and hordes of writers willing to tap into this niche of fiction. Why do you think your book will be a success?"

_Ok, coming on strong. He was definitely bold_. I'd prepared for this though. I'd asked that very same question myself about a million times so far.

"The theme, subject, or type of characters used is not what makes a novel great. It's not even the storyline. There's rarely much innovation going on. How a story is told is sometimes more important. My story is not revolutionary. I won't completely shift perceptions on vampires, supernatural beings, or humans. I think my book will be a smashing success because people will find it easy to relate to. It will have the feel of a true story just because it taps into reality to power unreal events and characters. Nothing will seem far-fetched. And people sometimes need real stories, the kind that don't reek of fiction, that they can see themselves living."

"You say you are not looking to revolutionize how people regard vampires. But they are not from earth," he said, arching his eyebrow.

"That's not entirely correct. Actually, they _are_ from earth, just not initially created here. They're not the result of an accident, or evolution, or any kind of natural need of a predatory humanoid."

"But they are, in a way, from outer space. Isn't that true?"

"This is not an alien vampire story. Yes, they have come from somewhere off-world, but they have no high-tech ships. It's just a different world, and closer to a different dimension or a different plane of existence."

"So how come they are from earth? They seem to have nothing to connect them with this planet."

"They originated somewhere else. The first group arrived here, a bit by mistake. Then they turned humans. Those are the only vampires that survive today. The human, earthling kind, as the initial creators are long gone."

"I see. So what happened to those who had created this species on earth?"

I was a bit taken aback by his ongoing interest in vampire origins in my book. It hardly seemed that important in the overall story. "They're gone. There might be a sole survivor still wandering the earth in search of a way home. But it's just a rumor," I said, feeling my frown deepening.

"Haven't you decided? Or don't you want to tell me?" He grinned and winked.

"Well, I have to keep a few surprises," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Where did you get the idea for this other-world cradle of vampires?" he asked, straightening his upper body and turning serious again.

"I just thought of a few possibilities. A mutation of the human race would make sense, I guess--a different path of evolution--but, then again, I would either accommodate all the supernaturals, allowing them to evolve on earth, as only one species does not make sense, or play favorites."

"So no other supernaturals in your novels, ever?"

"Not in this one in particular. I'm not trying to keep the story interesting by always complicating it with new beings. It's as hard as it is to manage relationships with people and animals. Add vampires and it gets complicated enough to make a lot of shrinks rich."

"There's nothing revolutionary about the nature of your vampires, but this theory regarding their origin is clearly very different. What else is different in your book?"

Finally, he changed the subject! I felt relieved now that he'd stopped trying to push me into major spoiler territory. "There's one thing that's extremely important to me. Purging the idea of all-knowing, ultra-intuitive humans that smell a vampire from miles away; the smart, but lonely girl that puts the pieces of the puzzle together; the young warriors that hunt them to rid the world of them. To me, that's hard to digest."

"And why is that? Aren't humans smart enough to discover the existence of supernatural beings?"

There was a condescending touch to Anthony's voice, but I chose to dismiss it and smile. "Humans being smart or not is not the issue. We're not talking ghosts here. We're talking about a species, a predatory one that feeds on human blood, that's been around for millennia. While we've gotten smarter, so have they. It's important for them to stay hidden, and they might have gotten better and better at that. If any human that knows where to look and keeps an open mind would be able to discover them, they wouldn't be very good at hiding, would they?"

"That's indeed an interesting perspective," he said, nodding. "So no humans know of vampires?"

"A chosen few of every generation know of their existence, but only because they are allowed to. If a human or a group of humans would find out on their own, their need to brag and get famous, especially in this day and age, would force vampires to take some sort of action. Their sitting idly by while more and more humans find out their secrets and gain power over them, that's an unlikely scenario."

Throughout the interview, Anthony kept throwing intense questions at me, his eyes keeping a close watch on my reactions while he carefully analyzed every word I said. He kept going back to how I came to the idea of giving a different birthplace to vampires, why that was a must in my story, and so on. We then got to the main character, my promotion strategy, my plans on finishing a first draft, potential publishing deals, and many other things. Two hours later, he turned off his recorder and slid it back into his pocket.

"Thank you so much for the interview, Alexa. You've got quite an interesting story there."

"My pleasure. This was a great interview. I haven't gotten a lot of them, but the ones I did were extremely boring. The interviewers were more interested in whether vampires can or cannot have sex in my story, not their origin or what else makes this novel unique."

"Not every journalist is a great one. And not all have good interviewing skills, but I bet they did bring traffic to your website," he said, smiling broadly. That was the first time he had completely relaxed since the interview had started.

"Oh, that they did! Some for a couple of hours, some for a day or two, some long term. But I got the word out."

"Look, I really must run. It was a pleasure to meet you."

I was stunned to see him rushing out. I knew he had an evening flight, so he could have stayed longer. In fact, I _wanted_ him to stay longer.

"Talk to you soon," he said, almost running out the door.

I felt hurt and disappointed, although I had no reason to. He had come, done his job, and then left. It made perfect sense. But then there was the night before, the dancing, and him being so hot. I'd thought... no, hoped he'd be interested in more than that. Yet he wasn't.

I went back to my room, got into bed without changing, and turned the TV on. Better to do some brainwashing activity than feel sorry for myself.

A knock on my door woke me up. I reached for my phone and checked the time: almost 3 pm. I was surprised I had dozed off and that I'd actually slept for so long during the day. A second knock caught my attention.

"Just a second," I mumbled, slowly moving toward the door.

I opened it and froze. Anthony, in a tight navy-blue t-shirt and skinny jeans, both designed to make him look exquisite, stared at me.

I should have been touched and happy for getting what I wanted...him. Instead, I was irritated to borderline furious because my ego had a problem with him deciding to come back hours later. His terms, his decision.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

He said nothing. He stood there, his intense gaze that had a certain glow to it roaming over me. It should have been the kind of look that fueled desire. Yet it felt like something else, something I could not describe. It definitely was void of any loss of control and crazy impulses born of lust.

"Cat got your tongue?" I tried again with a forced smile.

Still nothing. I backed up a bit, leaving him just enough room to come in. Remaining completely silent, he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He came one step closer and put his hands on my shoulders. He slowly pulled me closer to him. I did as he wanted, mesmerized by those strange eyes and his full lips. His scent flooded my senses and I wanted nothing more than to feel his touch on every inch of my body. Once again, my instincts told me I should run. His was not the look of desire. He was a man interested in me, but in what part me, exactly? For what purpose?

I felt his hands sliding down, my skin reacting under his touch. They stopped around my wrists, and his lips slowly descended on mine. I wanted to run, but before I could, he pushed my hands back and I felt him locking my wrists tightly in his hands. All I could do was stand still and, caught between fear and my strong want of him, watch his slightly parted lips get closer, my entire mouth tingling in anticipation. He pressed his lips to mine and I felt them slowly caressing and overpowering me, making room for his tongue to slide in and take over my senses. I instantly responded to his kiss, wanting to push my entire body into his, tangle my fingers in his hair, and hold his waist tight with my legs, bringing him closer and closer to my very being.

Anthony's hold on my wrists prevented most of my movements so all I could do was push myself forward until our bodies met and let him kiss me until there was nothing left but a need for him. 

# Chapter V

FOR MANY DAYS after Anthony had left, I would linger in the steamy afterglow of that afternoon. His seemingly complete control over me, his knowing touches that left no room for protests or second thoughts, his warm lips and his inquisitive tongue, his fingers and his perfect body moving over me in the light of the sunset. While the pleasure of it all and the powerful orgasm that made it into one of my personal tops were what made the memories so intoxicating, the underlying feelings--or rather lack of certain feelings--and thoughts were what pushed me to revisit that afternoon so often. Openly or not, depending on the moment of my life, I had always been quite passionate and sexual. Any experience, good, great or just average, had been liberating. There had been nothing liberating about that first sexual encounter with Anthony, satisfying and exhilarating as it was. Although his own pleasure and satisfaction in having sex with me had been undeniable, I knew it hadn't been raw desire that had powered his actions. When we were still lingering in my bed afterward, eyes half-closed, his words and touches seemed warm, but his entire being felt cold.

I told myself I was trying to find ways to sabotage whatever had happened. The past year had taught me nothing good could come of such an encounter, no man would be truly interested in me, I wasn't really worth that much effort. So I focused on working out and fervently striking my keyboard, trying not to think, not to remember, not to question it anymore.

Anthony's daily calls were not helping much with that. He'd call every day at 3 pm and engage in meaningless small talk. At one point or another, he'd hint at wanting to see me again or missing me, but never whole-heartedly. It was as if he was trying to show no weakness. I'd smile throughout the conversation, but when I'd finally hang up, I'd feel something was amiss.

Simply put, no matter how highly I tried to think of myself, Anthony's looks and way of being did not point to someone who'd actually meet a woman, be taken over by an overwhelming passion, and from miles away keep reaching out to them afterward. He seemed more like the type of guy women would chase, not the other way around.

Two days before my departure, almost everything was packed and ready to be squeezed into my little red mushroom, as I liked to refer to my car. I was busy saying my goodbyes to the island, one favorite spot at a time, when I got an early call from Anthony, the first deviation from his 3 pm ritual.

"I'm sending you an email," he said in a very controlled voice. No hello, no small talk.

"Okay, I'll read it a bit later. I was just on my way out."

"No, read it now. I'll wait."

I once more felt my hands pushed back and locked into his, urging me to do as he wanted. "Fine," I huffed after a few seconds of silence, quite annoyed with the feeling of forcefulness coming off him. I powered my laptop and launched my email client.

Alexa,

I know you're supposed to return to Bucharest and go back to your old life. Doesn't a new one sound better? Why don't you prolong your break from the past and, instead of driving east, try heading north and come stay with me in Amsterdam. I only ask for a month. You can work from wherever you are, so it would not be a complete halt to your life. Just give it a try.

Anthony

I read it a few times, more astonished each time, but I said nothing.

"So?" His voice sounded distant on the phone, but the impatience in his tone was clear.

"Amsterdam? I thought you lived in London." It was hardly as important as him asking me to spend a month with him, but the detail had caught my attention.

"I am leaving for Amsterdam tomorrow. Freelance work for a travel magazine that made an offer I could not refuse," he said, speaking faster than usual, as if rushing through his words.

"What about _All Things Vampires_? Are you quitting or something?" I knew I was trying hard to avoid answering his question. I squeezed my eyes shut and pressed the phone closer to my ear.

"No, I will still work there, but remotely. Like you."

"Anthony, I don't know what to say."

"Then say yes. What have you got to lose?"

"It's not that easy." I sighed and fell on the chair at my desk.

"Look, it will be a house with two separate entrances. You'll have your room, I'll have mine. You can pretty much avoid me entirely if you put your mind to it. Just come and give it a try."

"Can I think about it?"

"No." I knew he was joking because I could pretty much hear his smile, but it still felt like an ultimatum. "Please, just come. If you hate it, you can always drive home."

My ego got its ultimate boost. Hearing Anthony plead with me to go to Amsterdam with him was like steroids for my self-confidence. But I also felt that home was the next stop for me. Then again, I had friends in Amsterdam, which could be a good enough excuse.

"Ok, then. I'll come to Amsterdam and spend some time with you."

"Perfect!"

The sound of his laughter washed over me and I felt my lips curve into a smile. "I am not promising a month, though. Nor to dedicate the whole time I have to you."

"I know. You have to work, too, and you need to write, I suppose."

"I do, but that's not what I meant. I have friends there, and I will want to see them. I need some distance from time to time, just to have some sort of objectivity and decide if staying there with you is a good idea."

"That is perfectly understandable. Thank you and see you in a few days."

He hung up before I had time to say goodbye. He really didn't want me to have any chance to change my mind. I still could, though. I had a life in Bucharest. That thought suddenly seemed pathetic, a sorry excuse to turn down an adventure. I had nothing of utmost importance in Bucharest. Someone else was staying in my apartment and they'd be happy to stick around for another month. I used to have a best friend, but she was now very much involved in a relationship with my ex. My other friends couldn't help hide the pity in their eyes, especially those who were also _their_ friends. My parents didn't live in Bucharest so I didn't see them much. And my work was location independent. There was nothing calling me home, other than my need to parade how well I was doing, how great I looked, and how everything in my life was just awesome.

Then again, proving to everyone they were wrong about me, and secretly wanting to show the two people who had betrayed me that I was doing fine, was no sign of having moved on. Somewhere in my foggy brain, I did want my ex to take a look at me and regret it all so that I could have my turn at rejecting him.

It was high time I started thinking about myself and stopped planning things for others' sake. Behind all the fear and the strange feelings, I had embarked on a torrid affair with a beautiful man, whose secrets and complicated mind I'd have a field day discovering. I had left the pain and failures of Bucharest behind months ago. I had come here and I was happier the moment I'd driven my car past the border, although I was still struggling. Now I had a chance to live again, get to know someone and maybe fall in love, and reconnect with friends that didn't feel sorry for me just because I got dumped for my bestie.

Determined, I walked out the door, standing tall and striding across the hotel lobby. When I got outside, I realized I was just going on a leisurely stroll on the beach and all that might I had called upon was not part of the movie I was currently in. I laughed at myself and shook my head at my attempt to bring forth my utmost power and determination just to go watch the waves go by.

The walk managed to relax me, helping me enjoy my final days in Malta while doing as much work as I could so that the first few days in Amsterdam would not be such a hassle. I left on a sunny but windy morning at the end of March, taking the ferry to Sardinia. I switched to a different ferry to Marseille, where I found my way to a small hotel on the city outskirts that I had booked online. The next day, I woke up as early as possible, started mushroom's engine, drove off to the north of France, crossed Belgium, and waved to Spa Francochamps, as the name triggered a distant memory of a ski competition I had watched with my stepfather. Then I crossed the border again into the Netherlands, finally making my way to Amsterdam.

I'd tried not to stop much, but it had still been quite a drive so, hours after nightfall, I was still a few kilometers away from Amsterdam. I thought to call Anthony because I hadn't spoken to him since earlier that morning. He didn't pick up. I pulled over at the nearest gas station and tried his number again. No answer. I started to to panic, thinking this was all a big joke, a cruel prank that had me drive thousands of kilometers for nothing. I went inside the gas station and bought a bottle of Coke Zero. I downed half of it in an instant, then tried to breathe and relax. It was not the end of the world. I had his address. I could try to get there and if he wasn't at said address, I could always find a hotel, spend a few days with my friends, then go home.

I still felt scared and disappointed, but I had a plan. As I was reaching into my jacket pocket for the car keys, my cell rang. I was relieved to see Anthony's name and number.

"Sorry, I was upstairs making sure everything was ready in your room."

"Hi, Anthony. That's okay." I tried to sound calm and not show how relieved and happy I was it hadn't all been a complete bust. Thankfully, I was tired enough for the excitement to stay hidden.

"Where are you?"

"I stopped at a gas station that's about ten kilometers away."

"Great. Then you'll be here soon. Can't wait." He sounded genuinely cheerful and I got infected with it.

"Me, either. Right about now, I'd kill for a hot shower and a comfy bed."

"Oh, my..." he said as if the world had crumbled.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, here I was thinking right about now you'd kill to be in my arms again..." I felt the smile in his voice, but I thought the disappointment was partly real.

"And you're modest, too!"

"Never," he whispered and that voice went straight down my spine.

"Okay, then go admire yourself in the mirror till I get there. See you in a bit."

Laughing, he hung up, and I felt ten thousand times better. The initial plan was still on.

I drove to a deserted city. It was probably the late hour, but I was thankful, as it meant no traffic. Taking left and right turns and roundabout exits, as the sexy GPS lady was telling me, I made my way to a quiet street with very Dutch two-story houses. Most windows were dark and everybody seemed to be asleep already.

I had a hunch the only house with all its windows lit would be the one Anthony was in. I parked in front of it and looked for a house number, but I couldn't see one. The door burst open and I saw him rushing out. I turned the engine off and got out of the car. Anthony took me in his arms and kissed me intently, not letting go for several minutes.

That kiss was exactly how I imaged the big endings of romance movies. He was there, holding me tightly, taking my breath away with his kiss, smiling broadly and saying how much he had missed me. So why did it feel rehearsed? Nothing about Anthony seemed out of place or lacking a carefully thought out plan. Maybe he wasn't very spontaneous. Maybe he had issues expressing his feelings and was careful about showing everything that needed showing.

I was too tired to overanalyze things like I usually did so I just let go of my doubts and decided to enjoy the moment. When he suggested going inside, my eyes zeroed in on his thin black tie, complementing the light blue shirt. I leaned on the car door, reached for it and pulled him closer, initiating the kiss this time. I wanted to feel him hungry for me again, kissing my neck and desperately searching for a way under my top. Which he almost found, but stopped himself and whispered in my ear, "Let's go inside."

We took my bags out of the tiny trunk of my Peugeot 107 and walked in. We left everything in the hallway, as he took my hand and led me to a small, classically decorated dining room. It was lit by three very large, bright red candles.

"Dinner is served," he said, smiling, and held my chair to sit down. "It's nothing much, just some pasta, but it's the only edible thing I can cook." He shrugged and looked away, almost shyly.

"It smells delicious," I said, and I wasn't lying. I couldn't tell if I actually liked the taste much or if it seemed good because he'd made dinner for me, but I was too hungry to care.

After dinner, he took me to my room. Narrow, spiraled stairs led directly to the second floor, which held a couple of bedrooms, a little office, and a bathroom. He showed me into the larger of the two bedrooms, placed my bags on the floor, and ushered me to the bathroom.

"I thought you'd enjoy a hot bath so I ran one for you."

So that was what he had been doing when he had excused himself during the meal and disappeared upstairs. Nice touch. I couldn't believe our first evening together turned out perfect. No mistakes, no detail overlooked...exactly what I needed.

It wasn't just any bath that Anthony had prepared for me. It was a scented bubble bath that I couldn't help long for the moment I had spotted the large bathtub. I stripped quickly and got in.

A short while later, Anthony walked back in, making no sound. He looked everywhere but at me as he approached the bathtub. He leaned on the edge and knelt down, his eyes trained on the foamy water. He ran his hand through the hot liquid, slowly tracing my leg up and down without actually touching it. Still ignoring me, his attention followed the slow-paced glide of his hand, dipping lower with every pass, until his fingertips grazed my skin. As he moved up my thigh, his eyes locked on mine. Anthony reached for the plug and yanked it out, watching as the water drained, slowly revealing my body. My nipples hardened, both from the sudden kiss of cold air and the intimate yet almost tentative caress of moments before. Without a word, Anthony stood and turned to the sink, opening a large drawer just under it. He took out a white, fluffy towel and threw it over his shoulder as he walked back to the edge of the tub. He reached for me, his hands motioning for me to stand. I bit my lower lip, my breathing shallow and my head swimming. I took his hands and stood. _Please be graceful, not your usual clumsy mess._ I sighed as he wrapped the towel around me and leaned into his embrace. I took a sharp intake of breath as Anthony picked me up and carried me to my bedroom. 

# Chapter VI

I HAD NEVER PROMISED Anthony a month, but not once did I consider leaving earlier. Anthony had made my visit overwhelmingly about me, showering me in attention until I stopped listening to my instincts or fears or whatever they were. At times, I wondered if he was trying too hard, but it didn't seem like I should complain about it. Why couldn't I simply enjoy the company of a man who'd focus on making a relationship work right from the start, instead of postponing any efforts until later, when the whole thing turned from building something together into patch work and life support for a dying affair?

I'd spend my days hunting for little cafés to work from, visiting the museums and tourist attractions, meeting my friends, and giving directions to foreigners who almost always asked about the same spots. In the evening, I'd meet Anthony and we'd either go out or have a quiet night in, watching movies, playing games, or trapped in my bedroom, having sex until neither of us could move. Was it just sex? Or was it more? I avoided the question like the plague, but it snuck up on me now and then. I'd sometimes watch Anthony move or speak or analyze the way he looked at me and uneasiness would wash over me. I kept hitting this invisible wall whenever I tried to get closer to him, get to know him better, so if anyone asked, I'd avoid defining what I had with Anthony. My friends would call it a passionate affair, an adventure, or a rebound, something you did on your travels. I agreed with their assessment, but I cringed on the inside.

I lived for the evenings I spent with Anthony. I worked as usual, maybe more than in Malta, just to prevent myself from turning into a cliché of a woman pretending to be busy while waiting for her man. Was this truly a rebound? Probably not. I'd already had one of those back in Malta. On one of my first nights in Silema, I'd gone down to the hotel bar to enjoy a colorful cocktail. I'd met an Egyptian guy on a post-college gap year. He'd stopped in Silema on his round-the-world trip. Passionate, fun, and gorgeous, he'd stormed into my quiet retreat and I couldn't say no. Anthony pushed different buttons. My blood ran cold every time I thought I might be in love with him. It didn't count if I wasn't sure, right? If I refused to analyze it, it would go away.

On the thirtieth day of my stay in Amsterdam, I woke up to red rose petals dotting my pillows and cover. I reached out to a note left on my night stand and picked it up, a wide smile that shouldn't have been possible before coffee curving my lips. The note didn't say much. Just a time and place and a casual _See you there. Anthony_ thrown into the mix. I got out of bed and followed the trail of rose petals leading me all the way to the kitchen. Anthony had prepared breakfast for me, along with coffee, and a cute little basket full of fresh roses. I counted them. Exactly thirty.

Delight buzzed throughout my body and I cradled the basket in my arms as I twirled around the kitchen. I gently untangled one of the roses from the bouquet it was woven into and pressed it to my lips. I expected _I'd_ remember my 'one month in Amsterdam' anniversary, but men were never that thoughtful, were they? They forgot your birthday and your anniversary, and dumped you and betrayed you, subsequently or simultaneously. I'd experienced all that first hand. Anthony changed my mind or at least tried to. Shame gripped me and I held the basket closer to me. Anthony hadn't done anything to cause all this doubt I kept fighting off. Maybe the right one had always been out there. Maybe I could be the same again, put the baggage behind me and forget all the bullshit of past drama. Breakups changed you, if you let them. And I'd given too much power to my ex and my backstabbing excuse for a best friend.

I dashed in and out of the shower, threw some clothes on, and rushed outside. My mind was on fire with all the tasks I'd set out for the day: get hair and nails done, find something cute to wear, get ready for my big date. The small drizzle I ran into the moment I stepped out of the house failed to dampen my enthusiasm. I ran back inside to grab an umbrella and power-walked to the bus station, a huge grin plastered to my face.

After a couple of hours of fervent searching, I found a tight, navy blue dress that gave off a "naughty secretary" vibe but translated well into evening wear. I didn't need shoes but found a pair of hot red pumps that I couldn't resist and a matching purse and belt. I frowned as I roamed the jackets on display until I found a darker shade of blue that would work with my dress and dug into a huge bin until I pulled out a soft and translucent blue-and-red scarf to add a little more color to the outfit.

Getting a last-minute appointment at a beauty salon wasn't a walk in the park, but I got lucky. A quick wash and style and manicure later, I walked out of the salon with plenty of time to spare. I stopped at a tiny Chinese restaurant near the Red Light District for a late lunch, then strolled along the canals until I stumbled onto a cozy café where I pretended to do some work.

Despite all that activity, I got back home too early and riding the mother of a caffeine high. Maybe having coffee at the salon, with lunch, and then at the café hadn't been my brightest idea. I was twitchy and couldn't stand still for more than a few minutes. My mind kept running over scenarios of how our date would go. Maybe a fancy dinner, some dancing, a deep conversation about our relationship. Wild sex would be the _piece de resistance_ , of course.

I ran a bath but failed to soak in long enough to relax. As I put on makeup and my new outfit, I pictured Anthony playing dress up and switching between looks mimicking those of my favorite movie stars, but sexier. I pictured him in a dim lit restaurant, violins or a piano for our soundtrack, food that smelled delicious, but that we'd ignore, too busy staring into each other's eyes. There should be wine. And tango won the competition for perfect dances. We'd walk under the moonlight, of course. Wait, no, maybe the moonlight was too farfetched. This was Amsterdam in the end, and it had been raining for most of the day. Hell, it had been raining for most of the week. I frowned at myself in the mirror, then shrugged. Walking in the rain could be romantic too.

Half an hour before our date, I picked my car keys from the kitchen counter where I'd left them and made for the door. A honk broke the silence outside, startling me. A black limo hummed in Anthony's driveway, blocking my mushroom. Just as I opened my mouth to ask the driver to move, he held the door open to me. I blinked a few times, discomfort tingling in the back of my mind.

"Where to, Miss?" the driver asked, after helping me in and getting back behind the wheel.

I gave him the address, my eyes unfocused. I'd never been in a limo, yet the over the top luxury of the ride failed to grab my attention. I leaned back into my seat and took a few deep breaths. It would be okay, going the extra mile shouldn't unnerve me like this. I forced myself to smile, awkward as it might be for now. Every woman wanted this, right? Being treated like royalty, spoiled and delighted? The car pulled out of the driveway, the engine humming low, barely audible. I loved this ride. I'd rather drive it than stay there in the back though.

With every mile, my smile became more natural, powered by the sheer thrill of being in such a powerful beast. I'd thought the car Anthony had hired in Malta had been a little extra, but this... I giggled and relaxed, watching the city lights go by.

We arrived at our destination with a few minutes to spare. I arched a brow as I took in the empty street, a night club or a bar the only visible venue. We were in some sort of industrial neighborhood, but there were no flashing signs, no trendy restaurants or other night spots. Nothing of interest apart form that supposed club with a dim sign and unappealing entrance. I shuffled closer to the door and placed my hand on the handle but didn't open it.

The driver acted faster than me and came around the car. "Here we are," he said, holding the door for me. "This is the address you gave me."

"Are you sure this is the right place?"

His smile faltered but he nodded. "Definitely, Miss."

I scrunched my nose and looked down the street. Bright lights bathed the road and sidewalks, but I shivered at the emptiness of that entire area. I stood on unsteady feet and took a few small steps away from the car. My stomach twisted and my hands went cold when the car left. I clutched my purse closer to me and walked to the heavy wooden door of this date spot. I took a few deep breaths and pushed. The door didn't budge, so I pushed again. Still nothing. I looked up and saw a discrete PULL sign. I swore under my breath and did what the sign said with a little too much force.

I slid inside a large establishment with a long pub-like bar to the side, tall stools placed in front of it. The rest of the immense space housed large red-and-black couches and low tables, far enough apart to give a sense of privacy. I couldn't decide if the dim lights made it look smaller or creepier, especially since the place was pretty much empty. A few men sat at the bar, chatting among themselves and to the bartender. Further inside, three groups had claimed the tables in the back. Odd that they'd chosen to flock together like that when the rest of the place was deserted.

I rolled my shoulders, releasing my death grip on my purse and slinging it over my shoulder. No room for dancing, but the understated lounge music fitted this place like a glove.

I took a few steps inside, squinting my eyes at the people in the back. Anthony sat at one of those tables, surrounded by the biggest crowd. I suppressed a snarl and walked toward the half-naked women hanging on Anthony's every move. Everyone turned to look at me and I raised my chin. Cold shivers ran down my back as Anthony stared at me, a smirk marring his lips. As I approached him, it morphed into the warm smile I knew so well and I stopped in my tracks. Anthony took one more sip from his glass, then stood, giving me plenty of time to look around.

At the table next to his, three gorgeous women fought over the attention of some guy. I scrunched my nose at the pathetic display. The striking man causing the ruckus had his eyes trained on me. He shook his head and smirked, then turned to Anthony. They didn't say anything, just held that connection for a few beats. Anthony gave a subtle nod, then made his way to me.

"Gorgeous as ever," he said. Anthony wore a white button-down shirt and dark jeans, so no superspy outfit. I pushed down the touch of disappointment, along with the worries over being overdressed. Anthony looked gorgeous in anything he wore.

"Thank you. Interesting... bar."

"It's a private club, actually. Bar, lounge, restaurant, concert venue, and even dancing club when needed."

"Seems remote enough for a private hangout," I said, nodding.

"Come." Anthony took my hand as he waved to one of the bartenders, then led me to a table to the side. It stood farther apart from other tables and as we sat, I was forced to turn my back to the other people in the club. I wiggled around on the couch, unable to find a comfortable position. The fine hair on the back of my neck stood, the sensation of eyes fixed on me still there.

"Relax," Anthony said, running his hand up and down my back. "They are friends and extremely curious. I told them tonight you're all mine, so they have to wait to meet you."

"I see." I nodded and smiled, the twist of his lips familiar and foreign at the same time. Who on earth brings a date to a place where all their friends are and doesn't introduce said date to them? I opened my mouth to put that thought into words but closed it as the bartender arrived with a bottle of chilled champagne. The music changed to something softer, the pop of the champagne bottle making me jump a little.

Anthony chuckled as he handed me a glass. After a few sips of the dry and cool drink, I sighed and leaned into him, closing my eyes and hoping his heartbeat would drown the murmurs and laughter I heard in the back.

Anthony couldn't keep his hands off me and a few drinks in, I had forgotten everything about the awkwardness of being treated like a circus monkey by his "friends" and the numbingly cruel smile Anthony had greeted me with.

We laughed and drank more champagne and kissed for what felt like hours. My head was a little floaty from all the alcohol I had indulged in and I struggled to focus on Anthony's words. He took my hands in his, smile gone and a frown forming between his eyebrows. He inhaled, his chest expanding, then released the air, the warm breath washing over my neck.

"Alexa, this has been a wonderful month," he said, squeezing my hands. "But there is something I desperately need to know."

"What is it?"

"Do you love me?"

I twitched, eyes wide, and mouth hanging open, his words a cold splash of water, sobering me up. Did I? "I'm falling in love with you." The words burst out before I had time to analyze them. They sounded true, my voice steady as I spoke them. I was falling in love with him, I loved being around him, butterflies twisting in my stomach every time I laid eyes on him. But I wasn't all the way there to _I love you_ , was I?

Anthony's eyes glowed with childish delight. I shivered at the intensity of his pleasure, my heart beating so fast, he might have heard it over the music. Anthony pulled me in his arms, squeezing the air out of me, and whispered in my ear, "Come with me."

No "I love you" or "I feel the same way." I shook my head, the dubious invitation ringing in my ears. He pressed me closer and placed a soft kiss to my neck. His scent, the feel of his lips on my skin slowed my heartbeat, air returning to my lungs.

"Where to?" I asked, cringing at the sound of disappointment in my voice.

"Oh, just upstairs." He grinned, the sparkle in his eyes turning mischievous.

He dragged me to a "No Entrance" side door leading to dark stairs. I followed him up, flashes of a haunted house at an amusement park flooding my mind. The stairs led to an empty, unlit room just above the club. The only thing keeping it from being pitch black was the streetlight seeping in through the large windows, casting long shadows on the dusty floor. Anthony led me to the back of the room where dozens of chairs were thrown together, probably for storage. He spun me around and told me to stay. I bristled at the one word, dog-like command he murmured and took a step forward. He turned and winked, and I faltered. Maybe this would be worth it. Just another surprise like the limo and the roses. He glided across the floor, all the way to the door and turned to face me.

"You are in love with me," he said.

Silence settled in as I looked at him. Anthony didn't move, his head tilted and his body stiff.

"We had this conversation earlier." I shifted from one foot to another, scrambling for something else to say. It hadn't been a question, so what the hell was he waiting for?

"Right. Then look at me closely."

I squinted my eyes but could barely make out his shape in the dark. I was about to roll my eyes at him when my breath caught. His eyes... they were aglow. Not a little twinkle, but almost neon. Bright green neon! What the hell? Anthony had dark brown eyes. His eyes were alight though, shining bright, almost like a cat's would in the night. Predator. The word formed in the back of my mind and I clenched my fists, pressing them into my thighs.

A shiver rocked my body as I stared at those unnatural globes of green across the room. _Think of Vin Diesel as Riddick_. No, bad choice, the girl dies in _Pitch Black._ My ears were ringing and every cell in my body burned with the need to run. _It's Anthony, just Anthony. It will be all right_. I knew Anthony, there was no need for fear.

"That feeling you are experiencing right now, the need to run away or grab a weapon, it's only natural."

His voice sounded cold and foreign, as if coming from afar, filtered through some veil of darkness and fear. My breath came out in labored huffs, my entire body rocking with shiver after shiver. "What the hell is this?" My shaky voice, feeble and broken, barely carried through the room.

"A demonstration."

In a split second, Anthony towered over me, holding my left wrist up, close to his face. His glowing green eyes trained on me, he grinned. My throat closed off, my mouth dry. I tried to breathe in, but couldn't, my chest burning. His gaze paralyzed me. My eyes fell on his mouth and my heart went wild. Anthony had fangs! Freaking fangs, bright white and threatening. He yanked my hand up, biting into my wrist. I screamed, the sharp cut too much to bear. It hurt worse than anything I'd ever felt. I opened my mouth to scream again, but nothing came out. I watched in startled silence as he sucked, his Adam's apple moving with every gulp. _Run. Push him away and run._ I reached back for one of the chairs, putting my strength into dislodging it. Anthony caught my arm and pushed it behind me. I whined, dizziness making me unsteady, and I leaned into him.

Anthony released my wrist, his eyes fixed on me as a drop of blood dripped down his lower lip. He licked it, then ran his tongue over my wrist. "Now you know what I am," he whispered.

My legs gave out, but he held me up. He dipped his head and kissed me. His fangs grazed my lips, a strange mix of pain and pleasure. He pried my lips open, sliding his tongue inside my mouth. I tasted my own blood, the metallic flavor knotting my stomach. Anthony kept caressing my tongue with his, a slow and intimate glide. My head swam, lust and fear warring for dominance. Shaking and sobbing, I closed my eyes and surrendered to the kiss. 

# Chapter VII

I SQUEEZED MY KNEES in a desperate embrace, trying to shrink as much as I could and fold into myself. Anthony had left me naked on the floor, too weak to reach for my clothes, despite the sudden cold shivers that convulsed my body. In the dim light, the reddened bite marks looked messy as blood still oozed out of them. A tear fell on my arm, startling me. I reached up, feeling under my eyes to find tears running down my face.

I closed my eyes, trying to stop the memories from replaying the evening for me. I failed. Anthony had been wild tonight. One sexual encounter where nothing felt rehearsed, where he'd held nothing back. Rough, animalistic, punctuated by sudden bites, pleasure and pain in a heady mixed that I still couldn't process. Unreal. I'd made no sounds, my throat dry and silent from all the screaming over that first bite. I'd clung to him, silently begging for more. Raw, open, almost angry thrusts. Did I actually like that? I'd never asked him to stop. I'd told myself he wouldn't. I hadn't wanted to risk him actually listening. Did I truly liked it that rough? I should have asked him to stop. Maybe what followed would have never happened if I had.

Footsteps approaching rang too loud in the eerie stillness. I flinched, sliding away from the intruder as far as I could go. The stack of chairs at my beck prevented me from getting too far.

"You finally look like one of Anthony's girls."

I tried to focus on the man talking to me but couldn't see. I wiped my tears and looked up at him, his dark blond curls gleaming in the night. He ran his hand through his long hair, brushing it back. Recognition flared, the guy from earlier who was smirking at me, ignoring the three girls practically catfighting over him.

"Is that a sort of badge I should add to my collection?" I asked, tasting the bitterness of my words.

His eyes came alight, neon green. I whimpered at the now familiar wild glow of a nocturnal predator and pushed myself into the chairs, my heartbeats ringing in my ears. My eyes fell to his lips, but he had them tightly pressed together.

"Oh, for god's sake, relax. It's just a reaction to the blood on you that I don't feel like controlling. By the smell of it, if I did bite you, there would be nothing left of you afterwards. I am sure your taste was a welcome surprise to Anthony."

The sound of Anthony's moans, him praising the taste of my blood, the desperate way he'd undressed me, all the details I wanted to forget assaulted me.

"Oh, anger. That's good. Better than the fear I smell on you." He smiled, nodding at me.

I looked away. The conversation held no interest to me.

The vampire bent and picked up my clothes, throwing them closer to me. I didn't move a muscle. I couldn't. My face and chest burned with shame as this guy who's name I didn't know stood there, looming over my naked body. I closed my eyes, trying to extend a hand. It fell limply back on my thigh, trembling slightly.

"Why on earth are you crying?" He propped his hands on his hips and sighed. "I know Anthony can be a little rough, but girls are still in awe afterwards, for some twisted reason. And he always goes for the type who take at least some pleasure in pain."

He wasn't completely wrong. The rougher than usual sex and the frequent biting hadn't broken me. Nor the fact Anthony and his friends were vampires. Well, at least not after figuring out he did not intend to kill me. That heady mix of pleasure and pain, terror and excitement, that still lingered at the edges of my frayed mind. The conversation that had followed, a monologue really, had shattered my soul and my balance.

"At the risk of sounding obvious," Anthony had said, his voice cold as he got up and got dressed, "I am a vampire."

He'd looked at me as I sat on the floor, eyes unfocused. I wanted him to hold me as he usually did after sex, but he'd disengaged the moment he'd come.

"You taste really good. I hadn't expected that, to be honest. Well, the little gifts of life, I guess. Your blood is mine and mine alone. Try to remember that."

He looked at me expectantly, waiting for some words of acknowledgement to come out of my mouth, but I couldn't say anything. His coldness and matter-of-fact tone hurt and stunned me into a silent, almost catatonic state at the same time.

"I am not monogamous and I don't expect you to be, either. However, keep in mind that my ego needs its pound of flesh, and there will be massive pain and blood loss involved with any lover you venture on taking."

He actually thought I was somehow his. A pet or property, of sorts. Was he outlining the rules and expected me to follow them? If I weren't so numb, I would have scoffed at that.

"Needless to say, we'll have a long chat about that book of yours. Some things you'll never write about. Maybe we'll kill it entirely. It all depends on you," Anthony had said, shrugging.

I winced, pressing a weak hand over my chest. No, not my book. The idea of having it taken away from me made me shudder, my chest constricting in fresh pain. That book was my baby, I wasn't ever letting it go. I'd clung to it for so long, planning for the day when I finished it and shared it with the world. My beacon of hope through all that heartbreak and the harsh recovery I'd experienced in Silema, and Anthony wanted to kill it?

"Why the fuck would I do that?!" I'd yelled, the power of my own voice startling me.

"Alexa, don't be an idiot. I might not be able to kill you because too many people know where you are and with whom, and they'd ask questions. There are quite a few of us who value our privacy. But make no mistake...I can kill anyone in the blink of an eye. Unless you love no one in this world and are mad enough to think there actually is a place where you can hide, I suggest you start listening and do as I say."

His eyes flashed green, his fangs out and gleaming into the night. His body tensed as he towered over me and I closed my eyes under the scrutiny. "Fine! What don't you want in my book?"

"Another time."

"No! Right now," I said, pushing myself closer to him. Once again, my voice not breaking came out of nowhere.

"As you wish. I want no mention of the trueborn, the off-world vampires, as you call them. Us baseborn don't want any mention of them, ever."

Baseborn. I remembered the word from a fantasy series unfolding around an iron throne. So they were the bastard children of some highborn vampires then. I smiled to myself, delighted at having guessed right. Fascinating as they were, I'd never thought vampires to be real. Pleasure spread through me at knowing my imagination had been spot on.

"Stop smiling and thinking of how smart you are." He scowled at me, his lips twisted in a vicious snarl. He looked younger with that angry frown on his face. I'd seen that look before on snarky teenagers.

"Get out," I whispered, my smile twisting into a grimace of disgust.

My lungs screamed as Anthony's hand closed around my throat, squeezing. "You fucking need a lesson in humility, you crazy bitch!"

"Get out," I muttered, the words unclear and harsh. Bile rose in my mouth, his hand on my throat making me squirm. His touch felt wrong, like he shouldn't have the right to put his filthy hands on me ever again. I scowled, fixing my glare on him and whispering the command again. Anthony unclenched his tight hold on my neck and I fell in a lump to the floor. In a flash, he turned his back to me, disappearing, the door closing behind his shadow.

I wiped my tears and the memory of it along with them. I looked up at the man in front of me and asked, my words tinged in bitterness, "He's a twisted little bastard, isn't he?"

The man laughed, almost doubling over.

"What the fuck is so funny?" I scowled, hot sparks of anger coursing through me.

"My dear, it is hilarious. Anthony thinks he's got you all figured out and wrapped around his fingers."

His smile was beautiful. Warm, deceptively human. _He's a vampire. Don't forget that._

"Come, stand up," he said, extending a hand to me. I squeezed my knees harder in response. My body void of all energy, I knew better than trying to stand. Besides, the though of him seeing me fully naked sent a fresh wave of disgust and anger through me. He took a step closer, took my hands in his and pulled me up. He frowned as his eyes roamed over me, stopping on every bitemark marring my body. Blood still oozed form some of them, but it didn't hurt at this point.

"He has no control whatsoever." He frowned, tilting his head as he inspected the damage. "Listen closely. I need you to stay very, very still. This will be difficult to pull off without biting you myself, even if you don't make a fuss."

I took a step to the side, my legs wobbly. He groaned and glared at me, tightening his grip on my hands. "Don't move."

He crouched in front of me and bent to lick the bitemarks Anthony had left on my thighs. I whimpered at the intrusive touch, goosebumps forming all over my body. He squeezed my hands and his words came back to me. _Don't move._ He looked up at me, eyes a brilliant green, fangs sharp and menacing. I took a deep breath and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to control the shivers and wooziness swaying me all over the place.

"Our saliva helps the bleeding stop and the wound heal much faster. Just like your saliva, only much more effective."

He helped me get dressed, his touches soft but sure. The more his fingers ran over my skin, the less bile rose. He gave off a strange feeling a safety. The lack of fear scared me and I moved to the side, away from his support. My knees gave out and I almost fell to the floor again. He caught me and held me tightly in his arms. Whatever strand held me together broke and tears flooded my eyes. Anger, pain, fear, and betrayal powered them on, turning my silent crying into ugly, desperate sobs. They sounded harsh, jarring my nerves. I couldn't show such weakness in front of a stranger. Anthony's friend. Anthony's vampire friend. No matter how hard I tried, there was no stopping the outpour.

"It will be all right. Don't worry," he whispered, pulling me closer. I recoiled at the touch, but he pressed me to him, holding me in place. I relaxed, too weak to keep fighting, and let the tears flow.

"Can you walk?"

I ran the question through my mind, doing a quick assessment of my state. My head hurt from all the crying and breathing through my nose was a no go. _Damned crying!_ My thoughts had cleared up, though, my entire body less numb than it used to be. I nodded, my head moving against his chest, and he shifted me towards the door, walking me toward the exit.

The door to the club loomed at the end of the stairs. I shivered and clung to the man supporting me. I forced my feet to move, but they wouldn't. Nothing good waited for me on the other side.

"Hey, just breathe," he said, voice gentler than before. He turned me around, my back to that dreaded door, facing another exit. We stepped through it into an alley behind the club and he walked me to the back door of a Honda Civic.

He helped me inside and closed the door behind me. Just as he got into the front seat, Anthony appeared out of nowhere, right next to him. I shuffled further into the back seat, putting as much space between me and Anthony as I could.

"Leaving so soon?" he said, a cold smile twisting his face.

"Your fault, Anthony. You're never careful enough and leave girls in a state of shock. If you want to play longer, learn to abide by human limitations."

"What's the point if you can't go all wild and enjoy their helplessness? That just diminishes the pleasure," Anthony said and shrugged. Anger swelled inside me, but I crushed it down, to frightened of that deadly gaze Anthony unleashed upon me.

"The point is she _can_ stay out and play longer, but you have a horde more inside, so I get it. Now I need to take her to your place and clean up your mess. Again."

"Fine, have it your way. I won't be going there for a few days. I need to keep her alive and I am sure you can guess how tempting her blood is. Keep an eye on her. I don't want sweet Alexa getting any ideas and making me chase her around Europe."

He turned on his heels and left. Apparently, he had no need to wait for any form of consent.

I finally relaxed when the car drove off. It was warm inside and I allowed myself to lie down on the seat and close my eyes.

I woke up as I was being carried inside. I looked up at him and he smiled in return, the twist of his lips encouraging and seemingly genuine. My lips trembled as I tried to return the smile, but I couldn't form it, as if my muscles resisted it. He placed me on the big sofa in the living room and covered me with a soft blanket. He stepped into the kitchen, the sound of drawers and cabinets being opened and closed following in his path. The familiar sounds of a microwave oven signaled his preparing something. He returned a little later with a big bowl of steaming liquid.

"Here, drink this. All of it," he said, handing me the bowl

I sniffed the thick soup, frowning at it. It didn't look horrible or smell revolting, so I ventured and took a sip, praying I wouldn't gag.

"Easy, it's really hot."

I shrugged and took another sip. "Don't worry about it." I had this abnormal tolerance to hot liquids. The taste of his concoction filled my mouth. At first, it was good as it slid down, but then the aftertaste hit. Metallic, yet familiar, as if someone had poured some iron dust in it. "God, this is awful."

"Just drink it. You'll thank me in the morning." He winked and gave my shoulder a little squeeze. He watched me closely as I drank the deceitful goo, giving me an occasional nudge to make sure I finished it. His twitches and frowns got on my nerves, so I swallowed it down as quickly as I could and showed him the empty bowl. It didn't seem to matter.

"What's wrong?" I asked, annoyed by his hovering.

"You're very weak. You almost passed out three times while drinking this."

I gaped at him, blinking fast. "I didn't realize. I'm sorry." I didn't feel weird, neither light-headed nor sleepy.

"Well, you managed to drink it all. Now you'll get some sleep and you should be fine."

I frowned, eyeing him as he spoke. His look didn't match the lightness of his tone. "What's your name?" I asked. He'd never given it and I suddenly wanted to know.

"Louis," he said, taking the bowl from my hands and tucking me in.

"Thank you, Louis. And nice to meet you...sort of. Well, not really."

"Go to sleep, Alexa."

# Chapter VIII

WHEN I WOKE UP, sunshine inundated the room. Not a common occurrence in the Netherlands. I considered it a good omen, as I always did with anything good that happened in the morning. I took a moment to catalogue my ails. Pounding headache, soreness in every body part I could feel. I inhaled and tried to stand, hoping a shower might help. I looked down at my ripped and stained clothes and winced. Blood stains. From vampire bites. My stomach twisted, the taste of bile flooding my mouth as I took them off. I threw all items of clothing in the garbage bin under the sink and turned the hot water on. I scrubbed myself raw, trying to get the stench of the past night off me, but no amount of soap accomplished that. There were bite marks and bruises everywhere, and nothing could wash away the hurt and anger Anthony had caused.

After a few failed attempts, I convinced myself to stop scrubbing and get out of the shower. I towel dried myself and ventured a look in the mirror. When I saw myself, I couldn't move anymore. I looked absolutely terrible, all bruised up, dark circles around my eyes, no color on my skin, and dry lips. I was a specter of what I had last seen in the mirror, right before going to meet Anthony for our very romantic night out. Some night it turned out to be.

I heard a knock on the door and then Louis's voice. "May I come in?"

"Why?" I asked, covering myself in the towel I had dropped during the mirror inspection.

He cracked the door open, peaking inside. I deep frown knitted his eyebrows together, his lips pressed in a tight line. "I need to see your wounds. You've been asleep for nearly a day and a half."

"What?" I opened and closed my mouth, thoughts racing. That was impossible, wasn't it? I mean, people needed food and drinks and a few trips to the toilet in that amount of time, right?

"Did you not hear me, or did you not understand me?" he asked, resting his hands on my shoulders.

"I thought it was just the next morning, not two days later," I said, sighing deeply and shaking my head. I felt like the day had been stolen from me and I blamed Anthony for it.

"Sorry, it's not the next morning. Now let me see." He urged me to unclench my death grip on the towel and slid it off.

I scrambled for something to focus on, anything that wasn't my bruised and bitten body. I had an idea of how I looked from the shower and the recent self-inspection, so I didn't need to see it again. As Louis carefully examined every bite, most of them flaring on top of ugly bruises, I relieved the infliction of each one of them. Every little detail of it, the pain and pleasure of it, the fear and the longing, his lips on mine, demanding a response, him inside me and the sheer loathing I now felt for every positive reaction my body had shown to what he was doing. It could have remained an enjoyable albeit wild memory, if only it hadn't felt like so much of a betrayal in its aftermath.

Anthony had been playing a part, scheming to pull a web around me, get me hooked and clutch me in his claws to then dictate my life. Unfortunately, like a lot of other men before him, Anthony had rushed the final blow. He'd lacked the patience to make sure he'd put me under his spell. So, instead of experiencing my ultimate thrill, I ended up feeling betrayed, let down, deceived.

Louis turned me around to inspect the rest of the damage. Through the resentment and bile, thoughts of my burst of strength at the end soothed me. I'd stood up to Anthony when he'd threatened my book. It had been stupid and dangerous but, right then, I'd been determined to get up and fight him. Misguided and potentially deadly? Yes, I had a penchant for those reactions. Years before, in an elevator in Bucharest, a knife to my throat, I had surrendered my new cell phone. When the thug had tried to snatch my gold necklace, a gift from my mother that I had been wearing since I was ten, I switched from flight to fight in the blink of an eye. I mustered my courage and said, "This one, you don't get!" and meant it. Sure, my voice had shaken like crazy, but I'd said it. Luckily for me, the guy had walked away, like Anthony did, for different reasons than their finding my determination threatening. Anthony had gotten bored. The mugger had heard people in the stairwell.

"You need more soup," Louis said, pulling me back from my reverie.

"I'm not hungry. I don't even think I can swallow anything." I scrunched my nose, the thought of any sustenance making my stomach turn.

"You will eat just the same." His voice steady, his eyes boring into me, Louis stared me down until all fight left me. It was pointless to object. I hadn't eaten anything since before falling asleep. Besides, his steady care and clam demeanor eased something within me and I didn't want to piss him off to the point where he gave up and left me to my own devices.

I abandoned the towel on the floor where it had fallen and stepped back into my room to get dressed. What did one wear after such an ordeal? Nothing seemed appropriate, so I threw on some gym clothes and a pair of well-worn sneakers. The sleeveless top made me a bit uncomfortable as all the bite marks on my arms were exposed. I covered them with the first cardigan I found and went downstairs.

A bowl of hot soup was already waiting for me on the coffee table near the couch. I picked it up and forced myself sip from it. The metallic taste was even stronger so I placed it back on the table. "This is horrible." I scowled and gagged.

"Drink it all. Now," Louis said, pushing the bowl back into my hands. I opened my mouth to say something, but then stopped. What and how much of it I should eat seemed a pointless battle. I had much worse problems to worry about. I drank it down all at once. Better to get it all down quickly rather than experience the awful taste for longer than absolutely necessary. Dizziness took over the moment I finished the soup and lay down on the couch.

It felt like I'd dozed off for a few minutes, but when I opened my eyes, the room was shrouded in darkness. I looked around and saw shiny green eyes staring back at me. I don't know when I jumped off the couch and got behind it, but I felt my heart in my ears and I couldn't breathe.

"It's only me." Louis said, his voice a warm whisper. "I'm sorry. I should have turned the lights on earlier, but I was afraid I'd wake you up. You really needed the rest."

He slowly came closer to me and put his arm around my shoulders, motioning me back to the couch. He turned the lights on and sat next to me, letting me rest my head on his shoulder.

"Sorry about that. I could have turned the feral side off, but I needed to sense if and when Anthony came back."

"Why is that?" I asked as my fear subsided. Louis's voice was soothing in a surprising way for someone I'd known for about a second. It felt as if his calm, collected energy seeped into me, relaxing me and driving the fear away.

"Take your cardigan off and you will understand."

I gasped when I noticed all my wounds were gone. The metallic, iron-like taste of the soup finally made sense, and I screeched at the realization. "Holy shit, _True Blood_ got it right! Vampire blood _does_ cure people," I said, smiling broadly at him.

"Put that back on and shut up," he said, shaking his head. "They got nothing right. We don't cry blood, and not all vampires can cure you. Other than my maker, I haven't met anyone who could."

"Your maker?"

"A trueborn, the name is unimportant. Needless to say, if anyone ever finds out about this, I'll just kill you for sport." He smiled and shrugged. Something in the twinkle of his eyes told me I shouldn't take his threat seriously, but fear still sent icy shivers down my spine.

"Fuck you and your threats. I'm tired of those," I snapped, ignoring my gut feeling. What was it with these vicious creatures, always spouting threats?

"If you fucked me, I assure you that it would be something to remember," he said with a wry smile. "As for threats, I am not Anthony. Mine are not the empty threats of an angry child who refuses to grow up."

"For being so close to him, you sure loathe him a lot," I said, wondering what their relationship was.

"He needs me, and I need to keep an eye on him. That's all."

"Whatever you say. I need some fresh air, so I am going out for a bit."

"Not on your own, you're not." He grabbed my arm and pulled me back on the couch. I got up again and went out the front door. He could follow me if he wanted to.

The night was excessively warm for spring in Amsterdam. The moment I felt the fresh air, all I wanted to do was run, to feel the mild breeze on my face and my body straining. I took whatever direction seemed more appealing in the moment and off I went, running at a light pace. It felt good to focus on something so simple, to watch the road and control my breathing and push harder. It kept my mind busy and away from all the crap that was currently going on.

Louis ran next to me and seemed tireless. So exceptional physical strength was the one thing all the books and movies had gotten right, apart from the fangs and general thirst for blood.

At a certain point, the canal started to feel different, like I knew it, or I'd been here before at some point. Turned out I had, on my first trip to Amsterdam. I realized it when I got to a statue of two lovers who seemed Spanish to me. I stopped there and leaned over to see the lights reflected in the water.

"I'm not his," I said between pants. "I simply am not."

"He feels differently," Louis said, no trace of ever having run in his voice. That seemed like a cool trick, if you were okay with craving blood on a daily basis.

"I don't give a shit, honestly. I will find a way to make it clear to him that I don't belong to anyone."

"You're playing with your life, you know?" He smiled and brushed a strand of hair away from my face, tucking it behind my ear.

"No life to speak of if I am someone's little toy." I shrugged, slowly kicking the ground as I leaned over the bridge, staring into the water.

"Your choice." He turned and looked up at the statue. His words were as neutral as they could be, but the wicked smile he was sporting caught my attention.

"Why are you enjoying this so much? I don't get it."

"How could I not enjoy it? I'm generally bored to death, and Anthony never seems to do anything that's remotely interesting. I'm stuck with him and can't do anything about that. Now he chose to play with you and had no idea who you were or how to go about it."

"He did have a plan, and it could have worked," I admitted. It hurt to accept it, the fact Anthony had gotten himself a pretty good chance of succeeding. A little more time and he would have had me right where he wanted me. A little more tenderness and he would have probably gotten me to change the book. Well, he would have needed to word his request differently, but I'd been taken with him enough to want to please him and keep him safe.

"Yes, of course it could have, if he took the time to get to know you before acting. A website that's not really about you, but your book, and a few tweets and Facebook updates, I suspect most of them at really low points, are never enough to get to know a person."

"Facebook updates?! What the fuck.." A passerby turned to look at me and I felt bad for yelling.

"He did do his research, and he spent a month with you, but I think _I_ know you better. He's way too self-centered to think things through."

"Well, Louis, I need to find a way out of this. And you will help me," I said, patting him on the back.

"Why on earth would I do that?" He raised an eyebrow and moved away from me.

"To keep the boredom away?" I shrugged and smiled sheepishly. We both started laughing, my amusement caused by the fact that someone's need for excitement was enough to save my life as I knew it. I didn't care why he was laughing, as long as he was going to help me. It felt as if we were feeding off each other's amusement, like it kept expanding between us. This was really not a funny moment in my life. But hey, I could laugh about it. Burn some calories or something by engaging my abs. Beat crying over things I couldn't change.

"You're so lucky those three girls I left at the club were boring and uninteresting," Louis said and winced.

"Oh, come on, Louis. You cannot tell me having sex with three girls -- probably at once, judging from their behavior -- was not entertaining enough for you."

"If you live long enough, a lot of things become extremely boring, especially silly girls." He winked and bumped his shoulder into mine.

"I don't know. Sometimes I wish I got the chance to get bored. Haven't done that in... well, forever."

"If that's your wish, then I think you have quite some waiting to do before you get it," he said, sighing.

"I believe you're right. Let's go back. I want to get some sleep and then you have _so_ many stories to share with me." I smiled and batted my eyelashes. Louis shook his head and pushed away from the rusty metal bar he had been leaning against.

We walked back in silence, him alert and analyzing everything around us, me trying very hard to ignore current events and just enjoy the night breeze, the quiet, and the beautiful city of Amsterdam. I was failing miserably and hoping Louis was doing a better job than me. It seemed so. Otherwise, the heart racing I endured because of his glow-in-the-dark tiger eyes was wasted effort on my part.

"Everything you have ever read about vampires is only partly true." Louis said as I inhaled my first morning coffee. "Humans have discovered some of the details over time, but most information was fed to them by our kind with the clear intent of deceiving them. Myth or not, if they ever found out we were real, it was better for them not to know which our true weaknesses were. Then there are some details people just guessed, like your theory about vampires coming from a different world than ours."

"The trueborn." I nodded, taking another sip from my mug.

"Exactly. And, between you and me, there are also details some of us whispered in writers' and filmmakers' ears to protect our own skins."

"What do you mean?" I felt my eyes widening and hoped I controlled my curiosity enough not to gape.

"Nothing odd about my name?" Louis asked, cocking his head and squinting.

"Don't tell me you're the Louis in Anne Rice's novels!"

"No, I am not, but everyone believes I am. I made sure of that. They don't even stop to question the very non-French pronunciation of my name. They overlook it as a twist someone added to keep me safe."

As I opened my mouth to ask more questions, he put his hand up to stop me. "Please, let me tell you everything before you interrupt." He smiled broadly at my pouting. "Otherwise, we'll still be here by this time tomorrow." He hid his face in his own coffee mug, but I could see the budding smile despite his deception.

He was right, though. I could grill him forever. I guessed I could tone down the questions to get a good story.

"My real name is Louis, and I was one of them many children of a trueborn called Magnus. Some have called him Magnus the Mad, but I never liked that moniker. He was the first trueborn to make it to Earth. For some reason, the passage to our realm had been closed centuries before and was kept that way for as long as possible. Magnus did not care much about others' attempts to keep things covert. He wanted to know everything there was about his world and those it connected to. He managed to unseal the passage, went through it, and started documenting the effect our planet had on him and the handful of trueborns that accompanied him.

"Bloodlust was what troubled him the most. They were unnaturally strong, showing stunning abilities, in all the worlds they traveled to. But this was the only place where they became predatory monsters. For a long time, Magnus thought that the bloodlust was unbeatable. As the blood fueled their powers, he became convinced he could only survive if he drank it. To some extent, he was right."

"So he could survive without it?"

Louis nodded. "Magnus experienced tremendous guilt after every kill and one day, remorse fueled his decision of trying to revive a mortal. He thought, rightly so, that blood was the key. He needed blood to survive so maybe his blood would rekindle life. He drained a man and then fed him his own blood, and the first baseborn was created.

"Over several centuries, Magnus discovered he could stay alive without using blood as his sole nourishment. He could eat whatever he wanted and survive, but in a weaker state. His thirst would be greater, but not threatening to his well-being. It was different for the baseborn. They needed constant blood intake. Otherwise, they were too weak to function long-term.

"He kept a close watch on how many baseborn vampires were created but, for some reason, every trueborn who came here wanted this type of surrogate child."

"So what, this became the preferred vacation spot for trendy trueborns?"

"Yes and no. Most of those who came here never went back even though, if you listened closely to them, their miraculous world of Ankhsis was better than any other place in the universe. Somehow, human blood and our very existence would supercharge their feelings, their emotions. They felt more alive than ever before, like our world put them under a spell, so they refused to go back. When they were forced to go back, all they wanted was to return here, which they did, most times bringing others, as well.

"While Magnus was busy keeping them in check, the baseborn wanted their own children. So they created second-, third-, and fourth-generation baseborn vampires. Starting with the fourth-generation baseborns, more serious problems emerged. Sun would become hard to bear, making them sick and killing those beyond fourth-generation. Fourth-generation themselves barely survived for more than a few hours in the sun."

"So no supernatural sunblock to keep them alive? Like magic rings or anything?"

He shook his head. "No cure to that weakness yet. But baseborns had a different, more serious problem. First- and second-generation vampires would grow weary of their immortality after a while. They would either go mad or just kill themselves, as hard to achieve as that was."

"So what's your story? How did you avoid being committed to a vamp asylum or something?"

Louis rolled his eyes. "I was the tenth son of Magnus. He created me in the late 1700s and we were together every day until I made the man who later inspired Lestat. He was so hard to manage that Magnus wanted to kill him several times a day. I refused to be blinded by my creation's cruel streaks and his rebellious nature, which were quite a lot worse than anything you could imagine reading any book about him. I later managed to cross his path with a certain young man who forever enthralled him. As vampires, they traveled the world together, never spending a moment apart. It was beautiful to watch.

"Magnus wasn't convinced by my child's redemption. He began hating the baseborn. He regarded them as failed experiments, creatures so low they deserved to die. They were less than trueborn vampires, certainly less than humans. Blood-bound creatures unworthy of this world."

"Kind of a hypocrite, your Magnus. I mean, he needed blood and he started all this mess."

"He was not entirely wrong. Power corrupts, and many baseborns thought of humans as nothing more than animals meant to be bred and killed to make them stronger.

"At a certain point, the guilt and responsibility of so many human lives ended too soon made him break. Magnus went mad and killed all the children he had created, and all those that had spun out of them. It was extremely easy, especially after discovering baseborn blood made him the greatest force on earth and practically unstoppable. They were all gone in a few days while I was locked up in a dungeon in Paris. He then killed all first- and second-generation vampires the others had created, and most of the third-generation ones.

"Anthony was freshly turned so Magnus had no knowledge of him. That is why he is one of the very few third-generation baseborns alive. There are five, at best, and most of them keep an extremely low profile."

"I would, too, if someone tried to kill me," I said, shrugging, but my comment fell on deaf years. Louis stared right at the wall, a deep frown marring his face.

"Magnus established a High Council of trueborns whose mission was to monitor the activity of baseborn vampires. We were condemned to the shadows, our creation of new vampires closely monitored. We continue to live under the strict watch of the trueborn High Council. The punishment is death for most things, from exposing ourselves to humans, which includes whatever killings are suspicious, to doing any harm to the trueborns.

"Apart from members of the council, some came and went back over the years. About half a century ago, the rulers on Ankhsis sealed the portal between their world and ours, and most of them never visit earth. They sometimes come on official business or allow the council members short visits back home."

"Why did he spare your life? Did Magnus ever tell you?"

"When it was all over, he came for me. I knew what was happening because he had told me of his plan, and I was there when he'd drained and killed his first son. I thought he had just saved me for last. Instead, he said his goodbye and asked me to keep my heritage to myself. Then he went back to Ankhsis."

"Have you seen him since?"

"He never came back so no," he answered, bitterness thick in his voice, but there was also a bit of nostalgia in his eyes. Or maybe I just wanted it to be there.

"Why didn't you go to him?"

"Oh, I forgot that detail. No one but trueborn vampires can travel through their portals."

"Why do you think he spared you?" I asked again. It seemed to me there had to be a reason for Magnus sparing one particular spawn of his.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because I rarely killed. I disapproved of unnecessary waste of human life, and never, ever tried to deny my humanity. I was the opposite of what angered him in the other baseborns."

"Why so bitter then?"

"Because he never tried to change anything," Louis said, his voice so loud, I felt the room vibrate. "The stupid fool just bitched and moaned about what his offspring were doing, but never, ever tried to reason with them. He killed them all! His and mine, alike."

"Ah, the vampire you turned," I whispered.

"Yes, him," he said in a hushed tone. "He was different by the time Magnus went insane. I take some comfort in knowing he'd at least experienced true love before being squashed by Magnus. I guess that was worth my saving his life by turning him."

"Save his life? Wait a minute. The guy who inspired Lestat was gay?" I later blamed my second question on being too shocked by the revelation to think of his feelings. Lestat had been my favorite bad boy in vampire novels for years. Finding out the real-life inspiration was gay was bittersweet. I'd always thought of him as bisexual because a girl could dream of getting it on with fictional characters. I regretted blurting out the question when I noticed the tears in Louis's eyes.

"Yeah, he was gay. And on the verge of death when I met him. That was why I chose to turn him," he answered, after taking a few moments to collect his thoughts. "I had met him in Paris. He was funny, smart, and a brilliant musician, so I decided to prolong his life. There is no other reason good enough to turn a human into what we are."

"So what do the others know of you?"

"When the council started keeping records of all of us, I claimed I was third generation. I switched things up and made it to look like I was created by my child and claimed not to know who his maker was. I made sure that some official documents of lineage went missing and that certain names made it to vampire stories. The council knew I had fed her the information, but that was my job back then. Control the vampire lore humans created."

"Which you did brilliantly. The origin of vampires is thought to be elsewhere."

"Yes. I was good at my job, but I can't take credit for that part."

"What about Anthony?" I hoped he'd share something useful so I could shield myself from Anthony.

"Well, he believes what the High Council records state. That I am one of the very few remaining third-generation vampires, the only other one in our circle who can take the sun for more than a couple of hours."

"Is that the reason you work with him?"

"On his side, yes. On my side... Let's just say the High Council needs to know what he does, when he does it, and with whom."

"Why?" This was starting to sound promising.

"Because he's quite loud when professing his hate for trueborns. He and many others hate them for the power they hold over us."

"And because of the precedent Magnus created, I am sure."

He nodded, his frown deepening. "They all fear that, one day, the trueborn will attack and kill us all so the High Council fears they are trying to build their own weapons."

"Yeah, I would want some insurance if some all-powerful race would be able to kill me in a split second." I shrugged.

A slight smile dispelled Louis's gloomy state. "Now, why do I believe you think of vampires in general, and Anthony in particular when you say that?"

"Because it's obvious. So is there anything I can use?"

"Not really, not against Anthony. Sun against others and anything containing UVs... Other than that, everything you could do requires too much force and speed, unless you're into building bombs."

"Bombs?" I considered it for a minute. I remembered movies going on and on about how you could find sketches on the internet to build them.

"They might work if, and only if, the vampire in question is somehow impaired and cannot move. Otherwise, you're pretty much dead," Louis said matter-of-factly, shattering all my hopes.

"I don't really like the sound of that."

"Don't worry. There is an easier way to keep Anthony in check," he said, getting up and coming to sit on the arm of my chair.

"Do share."

"You have me and the High Council," he said with a huge grin.

"Okay, I'm going to need more of an explanation than that."

"You have me for information and to defend you if you can't come up with anything else, and you have the High Council to threaten him with if he decides it's easier to just kill you. You need to find a way to make it obvious to him that, should anything happen to you, the world would know he is responsible. That, in turn, would expose him to the council. He might hate the trueborn, but Anthony is not mad enough to take them all on. Not yet, anyway."

"Got it," I said, trying my best to sound confident. This solution seemed somewhat promising, but not nearly as easy as his casual words made it seem.

"Oh, stop pouting. I'll help you."

I raised my eyes and looked at him, taking in his dark blond curls and beautiful green eyes. His lips were mesmerizing, the kind you think of in terms of passionate kissing. Louis was breathtakingly beautiful, not only because of his looks, but because of the openness and genuine kindness he seemed to be emanating. Yes, I remembered what he was so one question nagged me, almost overpowering. "Why?"

"Why what?" he asked, frowning and looking at me intently.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because it's fun and I just love sticking it to Anthony, I guess." I probably didn't look convinced so he tried to explain it better. "Look, if you were the typical girl Anthony picks up, I wouldn't bother. When he started talking of this plan of his, he portrayed you as a pathetic weakling, running away from problems and hiding behind a book. You don't seem to be anything like that."

"So that's what he thought of me," I said and looked away to hide the sadness and disappointment. "Figures. I guess my conversations with him didn't clarify much, either. But I didn't run away, not entirely. I just did something nice for myself, took off on a long trip, allowing myself the time and space to write. And to heal."

"He thought you were closer to what your character appeared to be."

"Well, appearances are deceiving. My character's story is that of a girl discovering strength and courage. It's not _my_ story."

"It may have been. Running away from home after being confronted with a cheating boyfriend and leaving everything behind did not really speak in your favor," he said, a weak smile softening the words. They still stung. I hated to be reminded of what had happened.

"He told you about that?" I mumbled, staring at my fingers.

"Oh, he detailed every conversation you ever had."

"I had no reason to stay to begin with. I have never felt deep roots for particular places. I felt connections with people, and all those happened to be severed in Bucharest. My other friends...well, they travel the world or live abroad. So there was no compelling reason to stay. Plus, I would have had to look for an apartment and I just hated the very thought of that."

"What's so wrong with a new apartment?"

" _You_ tell _me_ after moving around at least ten times in the same city. All in the span of five years. Oh, and the first four moves where the highlights of my first year in Bucharest. I also happened to have no car back then and moving all your shit using the underground is no joke."

His laughter caught my attention and made me realize I was frowning. Louis's good mood was infectious, as it had been before. I'd never felt amused or relaxed when talking of my disastrous romantic life.

"I admit it was easier to just pack up and go do my thing than running into my ex and his girlfriend, who just happened to be my former best friend, everywhere I went. But, in a way, it wasn't such a walk in the park. Most people fear doing what they want to do on their own. They need someone to hold their hand while doing it."

"That's true. But then...why did you come here to stay with Anthony?"

I shrugged, my earlier amusement dissipating like it had never been there. "Well, why not? He was hot and interesting and wanted to see where things would go between us. Why not give it a chance?"

"I can think of a few reasons," he said, the corners of his mouth moving upwards in a smile that his eyes didn't mirror.

"Yeah, well, the only one I could think of was fear of getting hurt again, which happened anyway. Other than that, I had no reason not to explore my possibilities with him."

"So are you ready to write men off right now?"

"I haven't met the woman to make me fall in love with her yet. I prefer men. So, no, I am not ready to stop trying just yet. Some specific men are dead to me, though." I said boldly, slashing the air with my hand.

"Your ex?"

"No, just Anthony."

"Why is that?"

"Louis, relationships don't always work out and people hurt each other all the time. Most of it can be forgiven if enough time passes. But threatening to kill me and acting like I was his property put Anthony in a whole different class. Him, I'd enjoy torturing."

It sounded so utterly ridiculous, me torturing a vampire. I giggled at my crazy imagination, which was already picturing Anthony in some medieval torture devices, and I leaned into Louis, resting my head on his upper arm. I could feel the shift of his muscles, his scent, and I swear I could sense relaxation traveling from him to me.

"Love, you say the craziest things. He could kill you in an instant, but you'd enjoy torturing him? Fine, let's go with that."

"Well, I never said I _planned_ to. Just that I'd enjoy it. I have to know _how_ before doing anything."

# Chapter IX

THE VERY NEXT DAY, I went out and did not come back home before finding a good gym and a _dojo_ with a nice _sensei_. It was time to pick up karate again and start working out more than ever before. I had no illusion of outplaying a vampire, especially not one as strong as Anthony. But I somehow felt the need to make some sort of physical difference. I might never have a fighting chance, but if it all went wrong, I wanted those finding my body to know I did not sit back let it happen.

I could easily imagine the collective cast of all the CSI series gathered together in the coroner's lab and someone saying, "She put up one hell of a fight! There are defensive wounds everywhere." That would be enough for me. Well, not enough, but better than just let Anthony kill me without at least trying to stop him. Plus, working out was a great way to deal with anger and fear. I wanted something to keep me still and stop me from shaking the next time I saw Anthony.

While I was doing all the heavy training, I also tried to find a way to protect myself and have some bargaining chip for my next confrontation with him. The first thing I did was hang out with all my friends who were in Amsterdam and nearby towns as often as possible. Going out for coffee in the morning, lunches and dinners, going clubbing, and whatever else they could manage. It was hard to keep up with work while having such a busy social life, but it was necessary.

Louis had masterfully managed to keep Anthony away for longer than he'd initially stated he'd allow. I knew for a fact the bastard wanted to see me, but Louis had fed him some bullshit about me fighting the shock of it all and not feeling well. As it had happened before, and not every girl was lucky enough to get Louis's soup of veggies with a huge serving of vamp blood, Anthony bought it. He even asked Louis to watch over me, which meant that I could freely strategize with him and plan my next move.

I knew there was no way out of the world I had been brutally dragged into, but I had no plan of being someone's piece of meat to freely use and abuse, nor was I a specialty dish to be enjoyed whenever a vampire pleased. I had to find a way to make my life bearable.

I woke up one morning a couple of weeks later, feeling energized and empowered. Working out, keeping busy with my projects, spending time with friends, and having Louis around for backup gave me an illusion of normalcy, as much as that was possible in a world of vampires originating from another dimension, or realm, or whatever Ankhsis was.

While I was in the shower, Louis had gone out to get coffee and some croissants. He either was tired of making coffee himself but still wanted to be nice to me, or he feared my trying to make it. The character in my book was a disaster in the kitchen, and people often thought she was a true portrayal of my own skills. I decided to let it slide and do something normal and shallow that morning. The one thing I could think of was to check out Facebook updates from my friends. I set up my computer in the kitchen and launched my browser. The first thing I saw posted on that damned feed of mine was extremely popular. Dozens of likes, many comments, a lot of action for a one-liner...

Your ex-boyfriend is in a relationship with your former best friend.

That was what it stated. I knew it, a lot of people knew it, but now it was public, and seeing my friends liking it was not nice at all. Why the fuck had I not removed them from my Facebook friend list? Because I'd been stupid enough to believe we would all move on and still be amicable in the future. I stared at my monitor, aware of how much their betrayal still hurt.

I remembered a conversation we'd had in my car, me crying and driving like a wild woman, him looking grim and determined. He had explained to me how we could not be together then. It was impossible. He couldn't really give it a try and keep hurting me. He hated to see me in that devastated state. Why was she still in his life if all he needed was to figure out who he was and what he needed? Because it was casual and easy. He did not have to commit or take any responsibility. He just took what he wanted. They were far from being truly together. They hadn't had sex in weeks, and he just wanted to relax and enjoy his life. Of course, he couldn't say there was no future for us. When he felt a bit better, a bit more stable, we would revisit our plans for the future. He still believed I'd make a great partner, mother, and wife.

I'd thought it was all crap back then. Spending that much time with someone else would never help him figure out how to have a healthy relationship with me. It would just make it easier for him to replace me. That was why I'd finally decided to stop wasting my time and move on.

I felt I should cry, but I couldn't. I was too angry. With him, with her, with everyone who'd liked the status, with Anthony and how he'd changed my world. I couldn't even see straight for a few minutes. When my vision cleared, I noticed a few messages in my inbox. The newest one was from him, apologizing for the public display and saying he never thought our common friends would be stupid enough to like their relationship update. It was so his style, minimizing his part in it and trying to find new targets for me to blame. There were other messages from some of the people who had liked their new relationship status saying they hadn't realized what they were doing at first, then they could not unlike it without hurting them. Bullshit. They were all assholes. The two of them for publicly posting the update. My so-called friends for not thinking carefully about it. Me for having believed whatever he had said in the car, even if hope of it being the truth had been lying dormant somewhere deep down.

I took my car keys from the counter. The keycard from his building was still there on the ring. He had made that especially for me a few weeks before the conversation in the car. He'd said it was over with her and had given it to me one morning, after a passionate night together, telling me he expected me to come over and spend the night a lot more often. It had meant the world to me and he had never asked me to give it back. An accompanying key to his place, that he'd never given me.

I removed the keycard from its ring and broke the plastic bar with my bare hands. I hadn't thought I'd actually have the strength, but I managed it and it cut my hand in the process. I kept looking at my blood as it dripped on the counter and hoped the pain I could no longer cry out would pour through that fresh wound.

That was when Louis walked in with a big, toothy grin on his face. "Hey, I'm back and I bring delicious treats." He noticed my hand and the look on my face, and quickly dropped everything next to my computer.

"What's wrong?" he asked, worry in his voice.

I opened my mouth to say something, but I just couldn't.

"Alexa, was Anthony here? You have to tell me." He grabbed my shoulders and shook me a little. I pushed him away and walked to the other side of the counter to lean against it. He came closer and took my hand.

"You cut yourself." He turned my hand and examined the wound.

I really wanted to say it was nothing. Instead, I put my other hand around his neck, pulled him close, and kissed him. I expected nothing, in all honesty, other than flat-out rejection. I wasn't really thinking, just acting on impulse. But, for some reason, he kissed me back. When our tongues met, my knees gave out so I grabbed his shoulders with both my hands, bloodying his shirt.

He caught me in his arms and pulled me close, pressing me tightly against him. I was used to powerful reactions to kisses, but this was still off the charts. _Vampire thing,_ I told myself. _First line of baseborns._ The one thought that was clear in my head was that I did not want that kiss to ever end. All the anger, hurt, and pain were gone, and this new situation with Louis seemed so raw, so pure. I felt his hand gliding down my thigh, then his fingers on the back of my knee. He used the slightest touch for me to respond as he wanted. I put my leg around his hip, never breaking the kiss. I wrapped my hands around his neck and he lifted me in his strong arms, placing me on the kitchen counter and stepping closer.

I felt enthralled and all I wanted was to keep feeling him. His tongue, his lips, his hands, his entire body. The moment I left all thought behind and let my instinct take over, he brutally moved away.

"What the hell are you doing?" he yelled, pacing around the kitchen and rubbing his forehead.

It took me a little while to try and gather my thoughts. But before I could say anything, a sudden rage got the better of me. What the hell did he mean by asking me what I had done? Wasn't he doing it _with_ me?

"Holding a vampire down and forcing my tongue down his throat," I yelled back. "Oh, wait, that's impossible!"

I could see the anger oozing through all his pores. His eyes were glassy and fear-inducing, his fangs were out and his body language spoke of a predator ready to jump on their pray. He started to say something, but I was faster. "Whatever it is, keep it to yourself, asshole."

I jumped from the counter, pushed him away, and stormed out of the kitchen. I ran up the stairs, grabbed my gym bag, then got out of the house as fast as I could. I threw my bag in the car and started driving, fast and reckless, as if my life depended on getting to that gym.

I got there in no time, changed in an instant, and started running on the treadmill. When it did not tire me enough, I moved to the elliptical bike and finally decided throwing punches at a big round bag filled with sand was way more refreshing.

I had been working out my anger for close to an hour, but it hadn't subsided one bit. It boiled through my veins, making me grit my teeth and hit that damned bag with everything I had. Sure, I had good reason. Louis had been acting like a little prude, ashamed of showing any kind of sexual interest for the big bad threatening girl trying to trick him out of his well-guarded virginity.

When I saw Louis walking into the gym, my anger blew up to a whole different level. It felt like fire spreading through my body and the need to replace my punching bag with Louis made me almost dizzy. What the hell did he want now? Another go at the fight from earlier? I noticed him stopping a few meters away from me. He smiled, but his eyes were still burning with anger and his aggressive posture had not changed much. "Please come with me," he whispered. He was trying to control or hide his own anger and I imagined it couldn't be easy. It wasn't really working, either.

"Why on earth would I do that?" I snapped and punched the bag with all the force I could still scare up.

"Because we have to go see Anthony and there is something seriously wrong going on between us right now. We don't have much time to settle this."

"I need ten minutes."

"Fine. I'll wait by your car."

I felt like punching him, but what I did instead was go take a quick shower and change into the jeans and t-shirt I had on when I'd left the house. When I got to the car, he was leaning on my door. I unlocked it and wanted to get in, but he wouldn't move and I felt uncomfortable standing so close to him.

"Move, will you?" What I thought would sound angry and demanding came out as a weak, shaky plea for him to step aside.

He grabbed me by my shoulders and spun me around, pushing my upper body against the car. He looked angry, but he was pressing his groin against me, making it hard to figure out if he wanted to kill me or tear my clothes off.

"Give me the hand you cut earlier and don't move," he said, his voice shaky.

I wanted to try a smart comeback but thought it might be better to just listen to him for once. He used one of his fangs to open up my cut and licked the few drops of blood seeping out of it. He then moved so quickly away from me, I could barely see him. He was ten meters away, rubbing his forehead and huffing. He came closer, slowly, making sure he stopped far enough from me.

"My blood should have been out of your system a while ago. Unfortunately, it is not."

"What does your blood have to do with anything?"

"I didn't pick up on it until today because you were still quite numb and healing. Don't you feel it? How whatever you feel is more powerful when I am close to you?"

I hadn't realized it before, but I felt angry and aroused at the same time, and the closer he got to me, the more powerful those feelings were. I was also sure all those times where I suddenly felt calm around him had been caused by this.

"Let me guess. Another vampire blood side effect?"

"Yes and no. A chemical side effect, nonetheless. It is rare and powerful, and as we're not both vampires, it is so much more unbelievable it's happening. I didn't even know it was possible."

"How rare?" I asked, wondering how much more unlucky I could get.

"Saw it once, heard of it a few times before."

Awesome! Well, at least it was not a one-in-a-million rare disease. "So what do we do now?" I muttered, walking around, opening and closing my fists.

"Hope to god either Anthony speaks with you in private, or he does not stir any powerful feelings in you. They will bounce back and forth between us and it will get quite explosive."

"Let me guess. I have to somehow keep this from him, right?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He must not know, ever, that you had any of my blood. No one knows of its effects. So do your best to prevent him from drinking your blood for a while."

"How about he never gets to do it again? That is closer to my plan," I spat.

"I truly hope you get what you want," he said, sighing.

"So, separate cars? To wherever Anthony is?"

He laughed at that. I had no idea what was so funny, but I felt like laughing, too. Damn vamp blood!

"Oh, I'm an idiot. I never thought us going in your car was something to avoid," he confessed.

"We'll think happy thoughts," I suggested, feeling the need to join him in his continuous amusement over our predicament. He looked gorgeous when he was laughing. Warm, genuine, and ravishingly beautiful.

"Please don't," he begged in a low voice.

"Don't what?" I let slip before realizing how he was looking at me. "Damn fucking chemistry and vampire blood!" I said through gritted teeth. "Why can't I be so irresistible on my own?"

"Who said you weren't?" He teased and managed a non-lusty smile before getting in the car. He typed an address in my GPS and I drove off, following the directions of the gadget lady.

"I'm sorry for earlier," he said after a long stretch of driving in uncomfortable silence.

"It's okay. Sort of. But, trust me, acting like a violated damsel in distress does not suit you."

"Oh, is that how I acted?" he asked, tempting me with a lustful yet warm smile.

"Eyes up front, Louis. Stop looking so damn hot for a minute, okay?" I tried to sound determined, but the giggling might have given me away.

"Oh, no. I, a male, have more self-control than you do?" He wiggled his eyebrows and laughed.

"Yeah, well, I haven't had hundreds of years of experience with abstinence."

"So are you going to tell me what triggered whatever happened in the kitchen?"

"Not now. If this shit with exponentially growing emotions is true, I can't risk us both making it to this meeting in tears. I probably shouldn't encourage Anthony to see me as a pathetic weakling."

# Chapter X

WE ARRIVED AT THE same club where my initiation into the vampire world had taken place. Although not particularly homey or welcoming, the street did not seem as threatening during the day. Daylight didn't reach inside, so I started to feel uneasy the moment we walked in. Some of the girls from that night were still there. They were staring at me and I could tell they were judging every inch of me. _Yeah, bitches. I am wearing jeans and a red t-shirt and sport shoes, and I could beat the crap out of all of you!_

"Easy," Louis whispered. I tried my best to heed his warning and took a few calming breaths.

Anthony sat at a table off to the side, smiling at me from the middle of his group of women worshipers. They all lay at his feet and adored him, which explained his annoyingly self-confident smirk. I took a close look, trying to understand. Yes, he was handsome, the type of guy you just have to get into bed with as soon as possible. But so was Louis, and so were so many other guys without having vampire mojo to boost their attractiveness. Other than that, we had never really connected. No deep talks, just fun time spent with each other, and tons of sex. I had been falling for him. I hadn't lied when I'd told him that, but I needed a deeper connection to fully love him and truly care for him. He'd never given me something remotely resembling such a bond and that was why, right now, the attraction was gone and all I saw was his spoiled kid smile and smug look.

I frowned, trying to make it the most unimpressed and bored frown I could muster and, for some reason, Anthony picked up on that. I watched him as he got up and slowly walked toward us.

One of the girls got there faster. She practically threw herself at Louis, laughing and playing with his hair. He was a bit harsh in removing her as he went to meet Anthony. She turned to me, her smile gone. "He's mine. Don't touch," she said with a Spanish accent, her eyes drifting off to Anthony. Or Louis, I couldn't tell. She pushed her chest forward in an attempt to look threatening. Her night club outfit, her high heels, and the fact she seemed drunk so early in the day were not helping much.

"Right, okay, let's go with that," I said, trying to focus on the two men who were whispering to each other.

"Bitch, I'm not kidding!"

I took a closer look at her. Claws out, ready to fight. I'd never known how to cat fight. I knew how to throw punches and kick people.

"Fuck off and walk away, now." Unlike hers, my voice actually sounded threatening, but she failed to notice. I saw the slap coming my way, caught her hand and swiftly blocked her attempt to use her other one to strike. I pushed her a little, but it was enough for her to go a few steps back and almost fall.

"Stay away from me and we'll be fine. Try to touch me again and I'll break that arm." She muttered something that clearly showed me she was still not getting it, but I couldn't be bothered to care anymore. Anthony and Louis were staring at me, fangs out. They probably had different reasons for the primal reaction, but my attempt at keeping my physical shape hidden was over and done with anyway. I walked up to them, barely controlling my anger, pain, sadness, fear, and every other feeling and emotion that kept spiraling inside of me.

"Let's just fucking go upstairs and talk before all these girls get their bitch slap from me," I said, throwing daggers at Anthony.

"Louis, what have you done to her? She's a different person," Anthony said mockingly, laughing in my face.

"Oh, lover boy. Too bad you know nothing about me. You could have, but never took a real interest."

"Don't talk to me like that," Anthony hissed.

"Just get over yourself. Let's get this done so I can get out of this damned place."

I left them both standing there and went up the stairs. I heard Louis laughing, a forced laugh he probably had a hard time pulling off but, based on what I felt, it was a good way to manage the waves of anger coming from me. I started pacing around the room and waited for them to come up. They took their sweet time. Anthony probably had questions and I hated the fact that I couldn't hear what they were saying. I kept walking as I waited, remembering the past events that room had been the scene for.

When they arrived, I jumped in and interrupted whatever Anthony was getting ready to say. "Here's how this will go down."

"You don't get to tell me what to do, you poor pathetic creature." Anthony's eyes were enflamed. I was supposed to be afraid, but due to Louis's blood and what my ex had just done, I had no fear left, just pain and anger.

"Oh, yes, I will. See, I made sure all my friends knew I was somewhat scared of you. I told them we had a huge fight, that you hurt me, and I do still have bruises to prove it. I also mentioned I was going to talk it over with you. I'm supposed to check in with them every day. If not, they call the cops and point them in your direction."

"You really think you're smart, don't you?" He frowned, his eyes boring into me.

"Oh, Anthony, no. If I were smart, I wouldn't be caught dead next to garbage like you. I hate that you tricked me and I couldn't see what a freaking idiot you'd turn out to be."

"You were so easy to fool. So needy and open and stricken by me. It was child's play." He smirked, murderous eyes trained on me. I felt the taste of bile in my mouth and a deep need to punch him, hard and repeatedly.

"Yeah, true. It was. Too bad you fucked it up and pulled the plug long before I was completely committed to you."

"Who cares? You'll do as I say." Anthony shrugged and turned his back on me. Louis's eyes were darting from me to him and back, as if he was keeping track of a tennis ball in a game.

"No, actually, I won't." _Fear should kick in any minute now_. Anthony stiffened, his fists clenched, and he slowly turned, wild green replacing his normal dark brown irises. He was probably more than ready to put me in my place, but all I felt was disgust. I just needed to manage this one conversation so that I could get out of there.

"There will be no more touching me, no more of my blood, no more anything between us. I am not yours in any way. Not your lover, not your property, nothing of yours! You want me to keep your secret and live under your control? Fine. It's a service I will gladly provide for a monthly fee that you will pay. That, or take the risk of letting me go home and never think of me again. Oh, and my book? You won't touch that. I'll discuss changes with you, but I get to decide."

I never saw him coming so I stood no chance. The defensive wounds were an unattainable dream. I was down on the floor in an instant, Anthony sitting on top of me, his hands around my throat, squeezing tightly. Louis was shouting something, but I couldn't make out the words.

"I could snap your throat in a second, you fool. Who do you think you are, telling me what to do? I should kill you right now." His voice sounded hoarse and his fangs were quite visible as he kept squeezing my neck.

Still no fear. No more rage, just pain. "I'd rather you kill me now than ever have you making me feel like you own me. It's my way or fuck off and you can do whatever you want." I mouthed the words more than actually making sounds, but other than taking the brunt of his squeezing, my voice was still as determined.

He let go of my neck, but he remained on top of me. It hurt where he had touched me, breathing was difficult, my entire mid-section in pain from him putting his full weight on me. My heart hurt because of a stupid Facebook update and because of what a disappointment Anthony was. Also because of Louis's rejection, justified or not. I could never really figure out how, but I gathered all my strength and punched Anthony in the face, then pushed him to free myself. I realized I managed it just because he was too surprised to resist it, but I jumped to my feet and tried to clean my clothes a bit. The floors were dusty and I was probably the first thing used to clean them in months.

"I need a place to live, which you will provide. I don't want to be stuck in your house anymore. Or I go home tomorrow. Your choice," I whispered.

"You will stay in that house. You are a danger to us. I will make the arrangements," Anthony agreed, his voice surprisingly calm.

"Fine."

"You should thank the Council for this. If they did not exist, you would be scattered on the floor right now, broken in such fine pieces, it would take them months to put you back together. I'm still considering tearing you apart, bite by bite." He sounded a little angry and upset, but I had this eerie feeling he did not mean one word of that death threat.

"Fuck you, Anthony."

"I thought you said that was not going to happen anymore. You should decide what you want, Alexa." The smug grin was back, plastered all over his stupid face.

"Oh, shut up, you moron. What can I say? If you knew Romanian, I could have used more creative ways to swear. It's all a lot more... vivid and descriptive in my mother tongue."

I felt Louis's hands on my shoulders and instantly relaxed. I let him take me out of the room and walk me to my car. I gave him the keys and let him drive. I pulled my seat back and let myself fall as far as my Peugeot would allow. It was all gone--rage, fear, disappointment. All that remained was sorrow, the tears on my cheeks burning as they made their way down my face and neck. I needed to go into a fetal position, but I was too worn out for that. So I just lay there and cried while Louis drove.

When we stopped, I realized we were in a parking lot. He got out of the car and came to my side to open the door. He held up some wet tissues and used then to wipe my eyes and face. "Come on. Step out of the car," he said.

"Where are we?"

"Amsterdam city center," he said, a warm smile playing on his lips.

"Where are we going?" I cringed at the thought of being anywhere public.

"We're going to find a terrace, drink insane quantities of Dutch beer, and you'll tell me what happened this morning."

"I wish I could, but I really don't want to," I said, taking the tissue from him and finishing the cleanup myself.

"Cut it out with the sitcom references and let's go." He mock-frowned and forced me out of the car.

I was impressed. I did not expect Louis to know of _Friends_ , much less to catch on to a Phoebe quote that fast.

We walked along the canals for a while and finally stopped at a terrace. I had been here before, although it had been for breakfast. It'd been a few years back, on my first trip to the capital city of the Netherlands, back when buying marijuana was still legal for tourists. That was when I'd first seen and photographed the statue nearby: two lovers, him holding her by the shoulders, leaning over and kissing her cheek. It was the same statue I'd run across on that first jog after Anthony revealed his true nature. Chopped from black stone, telling a story of love. Somehow, it seemed appropriate for this conversation.

I waited for the first round of beers to come, drank half of mine, then looked Louis straight in the eyes. "So what do you want to know?"

"Why did you kiss me?"

I looked away, trying to think of what to say.

"Look, I know it wasn't about me," he said when I didn't volunteer an answer. "That's why I got so mad. The more I got sucked into the passion of the moment, the more prominent that thought was. You didn't kiss me for any reason that was about me, not even remotely. It was a reaction to something else."

"Hence, the brutal rejection," I murmured.

"Yes, that," Louis said, laughing nervously and scratching the top of his head. "I am sorry for that. It was really not appropriate, no matter the reason."

"No kidding." I smirked and gulped down more beer.

"Although you did pay me back for that." His smile did little to lighten the atmosphere.

"What do you mean?"

"You are quite good at mocking people, you know? The statement about having held me down and forced your tongue down my throat was priceless. Never felt so..."

"So what?" I asked, hoping I was managing to keep the irritation out of my voice.

"Like such a moron."

"You are right, though. I did not make a conscious decision to kiss you. I just reacted to something that happened, which was wrong. But you were still an asshole for your reaction."

"Already admitted to that, love."

"I know, and I will eventually forgive you. Let's just say it was not the best time for a rejection." He reached out to touch my face but stopped and gently placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Because of Anthony? He never rejected you, as far as I know. Did he call this morning?"

"This is not about Anthony. God!" I felt the rage coming back so I stopped to breathe and calm down. "Anthony was never that important or that close to me to manage to hurt me this deeply."

"Your ex then. What did he do?" That hadn't been hard to guess, but I still cringed at the mere mention of him. I thought him far away and disconnected from my current life but talking about him with Louis showed me how wrong I had been.

"Well, it all started with a Facebook relationship status update. He and my former best friend decided to make their relationship public and people who claimed to be my friends flocked to like said update and to congratulate them, which was enough to make it the most popular Facebook story of the day so there was virtually no chance for me to miss it."

He looked puzzled, so I went on and told him about the messages that followed the update, along with the sordid not-so-little story of my double betrayal by my ex, my best friend, and the dreadful aftermath that followed.

"I'm sorry. I am not sure I follow or understand this at all. I had the impression your relationship had ended a while ago. Maybe Anthony got the story wrong?" Louis tilted his head and looked at me intently, tracing the shape of his beer bottle in a lazy movement. I wished he'd move his hand back to my shoulder. I needed and would have welcomed the reassurance.

"He never got the full story, never cared to ask and I wasn't about to volunteer to talk about a really heartbreaking experience in my life."

"Will you tell me if I ask?"

I wanted to tell him not to go there, but I saw warmth and openness in his eyes. Someone was genuinely interested in being there for me as I shared my story. _Why not_ , I thought.

"See, people think I left because I didn't want to run into my ex and his new girlfriend. True, her having been my best friend was hard. Even some of my closest friends think I just took the easy way out. The truth is it took all my strength to walk away and try to focus on turning my dreams into reality instead."

"Why is that? Why was it so hard to leave?" Louis frowned, focusing on his almost empty beer bottle.

"Because my ex never let go. He never really broke it off with me. We were not together, but we saw each other every week or every two weeks. We couldn't go for more than two days without talking to each other. And he kept hinting at a future together, how he loved me in spite of being... temporarily damaged. And otherwise engaged."

"And you believed that?" His voice took on a high-pitched tone that amused me.

"I wanted to. He'd go away with her for a long weekend and text me in the evenings. He'd go out with her and need to talk to me the moment he got home. He'd buy small gifts full of meaning and somehow managed to keep me hooked."

"Sounds like he was keeping his options open." He sighed and let his head fall back. I could feel a surge of rage rippling through me and I knew it was coming from him. Well, at least Louis felt protective of me, that had to be a win of sorts.

"I helped." I laughed, mostly at my own stupidity. "I refused to walk away on the possibility of us. I loved him like I had never loved anyone else."

"Do you still love him?" he asked in a weak voice.

"I honestly don't know. Anthony, the guy before him, my walking away...it was all a sort of a rebound. But today broke my heart. Or my ego. I don't know anymore."

"How did you feel?"

"Angry. Lied to. Betrayed. Disappointed. I felt I was right to leave and stop that nonsense with him. He never actually proved me wrong."

"You hoped he would." A statement, not a question, wrapped in Louis's warm and understanding manner.

"Deep down, on some level, I did. It never happened, though." I shook my head and smiled. I felt foolish confessing it.

"This sounds very different from what you told Anthony. You know, the whole part about you running away like a strong, independent woman," he said, a relaxed smile twisting his lips.

"Anthony really did give you all the details. Well, it felt like that at times. It felt like I ran and gave up, and I, of course, felt guilty for it. If I had stayed a while longer, maybe we could have worked it out."

"Did you really believe that?" His frown and sharp tone pointed me in the direction of the answer he expected. I was so going to disappoint him.

"For a long time, I did. It was what kept me hooked on him for so long. It's just so hard to give up on people when you can clearly see their potential. The more time passed, the less I believed. When I finally left and cut off most of my contact with him, nothing ever happened. He did not come running, or call more, or anything."

Louis snorted, shaking his head. I suddenly felt like explaining more because it was paramount that he understood. Stupid, I knew that much, but what Louis thought of me mattered more than I'd realized. "I have a big ego, you know. I expect people to realize what a rare treasure I am and do their best to keep me in their life. It was next to impossible to admit I was not that precious to him."

He cleared his throat. "And the kiss?" So he hadn't forgotten about his initial question. I didn't really want to get into that part of the conversation, but it felt like a must if I wanted things to go back to normal between us.

"I don't know. Maybe revenge. It actually felt more like I was testing myself."

"And how did the experiment go?" he asked, smiling, but it seemed less genuine than earlier, his eyes ice-cold.

"Not how I expected it to, that's a fact." I frowned, plucking at the branding slapped on the beer bottle.

"Care to explain?"

"I think I expected to still long for him, to feel somewhat guilty for kissing you, to feel some loyalty and commitment that I was betraying, to think of him and wish it had been him instead of you."

He just stared at me, waiting for me to keep going. I couldn't read anything on his face. No minor details to give away how he really felt.

"I didn't. Kissing you was a powerful experience. I was so aware of your presence. I wanted you and needed nothing else. But then you told me about the blood thing, and..."

"And you have no idea what is real and what is not," he said. It seemed as if he was describing his train of thought more than mine, but I refrained from trying to get into any more detail.

"I guess time will tell." I gave a non-committal shrug and ordered two more beers. "You'll carry me home, by the way. This is my second and I usually get drunk on the first." 

# Chapter XI

I LAUGHED FOR THE entire car ride from the pub to the house. I was thoroughly drunk and, after rage, having happiness and fun get the same treatment where everything exploded between us was refreshing. We were both still chuckling long after getting home but, luckily, I did need to sleep and went to bed so no more complications caused by my alcohol-induced state arose that evening. I didn't change, I didn't wash up, I just crashed on the bed and fell asleep. Or pass out, whatever.

I woke up under the covers and knew I had Louis to thank for that. I reached for my cell and checked the time. 7:30am, way too early after the two beers the night before. I shoved the phone under the pillow and tried my best to sleep some more. I soon gave up trying and I dragged myself to the bathroom and took a long shower. When I finally emerged from under the hot water stream, I got dressed and went downstairs. Louis was either still asleep, out, or locked up in his room with a dire need to be spending time alone. Whichever it was, it meant I could finally make my own coffee.

I searched through the cupboards and counters and, stuck behind the rest of the kitchen supplies, I found something that put a huge smile on my face: Turkish coffee and a small kettle to make it in. I hadn't had a cup of good Turkish coffee in ages. I had learned how to properly make it in Istanbul from an old boyfriend's sister. I sighed at the memory. Story of my life. Their families liked me way more than the men I was with did. Well, there was this one instance where the family hated my guts, but that was my very first relationship, one that was best left forgotten. At the very least, I had gotten some interesting music, a few words in Turkish, and the secret to strong, tasty coffee from that failed relationship. More than I could show for others.

When my small cup of steaming dark delight was done and poured, Louis came out of his room. "Good morning." He stopped in his tracks and stared at the cup I was holding. "You made coffee and did not burn the kitchen down? That makes for a great start to the day," he said, faking cheer.

"Riiight. Thank you for that. You do grasp the extremely complicated concept of characters not necessarily being the same as the person who writes them, don't you?"

"Yeah. I wouldn't risk it, honestly." He shrugged, his smile morphing into something playful.

"Now the puzzle of you going to such lengths to prevent me from making coffee has finally been solved. And here I was, thinking you were sweet and all gentleman-like. I won't make that mistake again."

That got him laughing, which was better than seeing him watch my every move so closely.

"Seriously, want some?"

He sniffed my cup first, then looked up, full of surprise. "You actually made _Turkish_ coffee? I would love some."

"Okay, take that cup then. I will make more for myself."

"That's ok. I can wait," he said, a little too fast.

"Want to see if I poison myself? Get real. It might be bad coffee, but it won't kill you."

Smiling, he took the cup and sipped a little. "Wow, this is actually quite good."

I tried not to take too much offense at the surprise in his voice. "Of course it is. It's not rocket science and I am all-around awesome so there you go." I smirked. This was shaping up to be a great morning. Quiet, cozy, and in good company. Then the door was pushed open and Anthony walked in.

"That smells good. Pour me a cup," Anthony said.

"When hell freezes over, sure." I shrugged and smiled at him. "Ask me nicely and maybe, just maybe, I'll make some for you instead of pouring this hot one all over your face."

Judging by the shimmer in his eyes and the way he shifted, Anthony was pissed and Louis's mocking smile wasn't helping much. I thought of provoking him some more, just to test his limits, but I changed my mind, which meant I still had some of my sanity about me. "Anthony, sit down and ask nicely for some coffee. Drink it and say what you came here to say," I said in a tone as close as possible to something that would be, in a world full of gullibility, borderline diplomacy.

Anthony waited for a few seconds, then apparently decided my idea was not that bad. When everybody was sipping from their cups, he finally put an end to my misery and shared the reason for his visit with the class. "So I thought about your request and I am moving someplace else."

"Great!" It probably sounded a bit too happy, but I just couldn't help it. He seemed to get angry and feral again, but I hoped it would pass quickly. I promised myself to be more careful next time.

"Louis, and someone else, will move in here," he said, looking at me over the edge of his tiny cup.

"Who?" I hoped it wouldn't be someone from his entourage. If they were in his crowd, vampires and humans alike, I did not want them near me.

"A trueborn is coming to visit us. Some mission she's on," he said sounding all bored. He even rolled his eyes.

"Who's coming, Anthony?" Louis said, frowning and twitching, probably hoping to glare the answer out of him.

"Some girl. They did not give me the name. The council sent word. She will require you, as a liaison from our side, and a human companion around the clock."

Great, that did not sound as if I were her human pet at all. "Why me? Don't you have other humans that actually know shit about this twisted little world of yours to act as travel guides?" I asked, not happy with my new position as human entertainment.

"Well, I do have to pay you, so I might as well put you to good use. And, yes, the others actually know shit and I don't want this trueborn meddling in my business," Anthony said, his usual smug, mocking smile replacing the boredom from before.

"I still don't like this," I grumbled.

"Tough luck. You are getting more than I was willing to give you after our last conversation."

I regretted not burning him with the coffee earlier. I might not have pulled it off, but I wished I would have at least tried.

"Louis, no questions from you?" Anthony asked, facing him and putting on his most mocking smile.

"Why bother? You clearly know nothing and it's a council directive. Nothing to discuss, we all need to comply."

Louis sounded cool and all-knowing, which made Anthony fuss like a child in a chair that was too large for his frail body. I loved to see that.

"When is she coming?" I needed to know how much time I had to prepare.

"Tonight. She will cross after sunset and then be taken to the club. We'll have a meeting, which I hope will be brief, and then I'll have her delivered here. Make sure you are home when she arrives."

He got up and left. No goodbyes, no other instructions. I thought that had been very rude but seeing him out the door made it matter a lot less.

"I have to go see the council." Louis frowned and sent me all his worried vibes, making me restless.

"What's wrong?"

"No trueborn has come here for anything other than council matters in at least fifty years. This is all very troubling. I cannot put the pieces of this puzzle together with so little information, so I hope one of them will tell me what the hell is going on."

"Fine, go. You're making me feel on edge and I hate it. I have enough to worry about as it is."

"Do I look completely stupid to you?" he yelled. His worries had quickly developed into anxiety and then anger. I felt it taking over my body. I wanted to say something to hurt him, but walked away instead and focused on my breathing, trying to calm down.

"Sorry," he said. "I have to hide my comings and goings when it comes to the High Council. The baseborn don't know how much access I have."

It then struck me he might be worried about Anthony finding out. "What? Is Anthony following you?" I asked, feeling a deep frown taking over.

"I wouldn't put it past him. Just hurry up and get dressed. Let's pretend we're going shopping or something. We'll get some lunch later and after that, I might be able to arrange a brief meeting."

I had other plans for the day, but I'd always loved shopping in the Netherlands. For some reason, I always found a lot of things I loved and spent way too much money on them. So I figured instead of pretending to shop, I might actually do it and get something out of it. Plus, all the questions in my head were not going to get answers if Louis did not make it to the council meeting without being detected. Most of all, I badly needed to know whose pet Anthony wanted me to be.

Louis fell into the excitement of shopping right along with me. My excitement had probably infected him and we were soon walking the streets of Amsterdam, going from one store to the next, trying on stuff and having a blast. While hidden in one of the changing rooms, he used my cell to call someone on the council and arrange a meeting for later that day at a nearby Starbucks. His choice of location delighted my ears.

We took a quick lunch break at a pizza place that we stumbled across, then continued to shop and laugh our way through the day. We made it to the coffee shop just in time and it only then hit me that maybe I wasn't supposed to be there.

"Should I go take a walk or something?" I asked Louis, hoping I had time to grab a coffee to go before having to make myself scarce.

"No, of course not. You will be our guest's companion, so they want to get to know you. But try to speak as little as possible, think shopping the whole time and just don't let them find out how much you know."

"Got it." I nodded, already caught up in deciding what goodies to order.

A few minutes later, while we were enjoying our hot drinks at one of the tables, a tall, slender man with long, dark hair entered the small coffee shop. He had a certain charisma that drew attention and demanded respect. He seemed to be gliding, not walking, in his impeccable dark, perfectly cut suit and light green shirt. It was a beautiful color, but nothing quite like his emerald eyes. He appeared to be in his late forties, but he was a trueborn, so, who knew?

I was definitely in awe. He was impressive and hard to look away from. The smallest hint of a smile curved his lips. I guessed he wasn't entirely displeased with making the time to see Louis.

"Anukh, hello. A pleasure to see you, as always." Louis said in a voice and tone I almost didn't recognize, as if addressing his own father, someone who he wanted to impress, whose approval he needed. "This is Alexa," he added, with no other explanation.

"Ah, the girl who guessed our origin" The reply came in a low and soft voice, the warmest I'd ever heard in my entire existence. "Delighted to see you both."

I might have mumbled a hello, but I couldn't tell. His magnetic presence was too powerful for me to think coherently. And if that didn't distract me, my curiosity definitely did. A trueborn! An original vampire who had come here from Ankhsis. Meeting him was _the_ event of the day, so I used the occasion to shut up, listen closely, and investigate every inch of his body, trying to take note of as much as I could and hoping I'd remember it all later.

"Anthony said someone from Ankhsis was coming tonight. Alexa and I are supposed to accompany her. What's this about?"

"We received the message today, directly from the Circle of Social Issues," Anukh replied in a hushed voice that made me think of honey.

"The Circle of Social Issues? Should I be worried?" Louis asked, but I could feel he was already worried.

"Yes, you should. She is young, but she is Inner Sanctum and a protégé of the High Council leader."

"The Inner Sanctum? What do they have to do with us?"

Louis seemed extremely agitated and the feeling was sinking in, making me shift uncomfortably in my seat. The only _Inner Sanctum_ I remembered had to do with _World of Warcraft_ and the Blood Elves. I didn't think that particular piece of knowledge would help me much, though.

"Louis, there is something you need to know. There have been a few trueborn disappearances, old ones that have been on earth for millennia vanished without a trace," Anukh said, a stern look on his face.

"Trueborns have been disappearing and this is when you decide to tell me? Does that mean you no longer trust me? Has the council's standing toward me changed?" Louis frowned and looked away from Anukh, his hurt and anger mirrored within me. There was some edginess and worrying, too, but the rush of pain and fury was more prominent. While his feelings were running through me, I considered myself somewhat lucky. The two men were doing their best to mask any facial expression or revealing inflexions in their voices. The blood bond seemed pretty effective at keeping me in the loop, at least as far as Louis was concerned.

"No, we haven't lost trust in you. How can you think that?"

"Is that a failed attempt at sarcasm?" I heard the words coming out of my mouth and instantly regretted it. The thundering eyes of Anukh turned to me. "Sorry, I did not mean to say that out loud." Okay, I was definitely making it worse. Suddenly, he seemed to relax. Maybe he was even slightly amused, but I couldn't really tell.

"You're sorry... you said it out loud," he repeated, slowly, as if weighing every word.

"I could say sorry I thought it, but that would be a big fat lie." Wow, I was on a spree!

The slight amusement was gone from his lips. "Why would you think I was being sarcastic?" Anukh asked, his voice sounding calmer than I had expected it to.

"I might be new to this world of vampires, but come on! Several disappearances which you don't tell him about and you ask how he could think you've lost faith in him? You either are no friend of logic, or you are a fan of sarcasm." That particular part I did not regret _after_ saying it. I was already regretting it _while_ saying it, but I simply couldn't stop myself.

"We wanted to know what we were dealing with first," Anukh explained.

"Yeah, right. 'Cause there are so many scenarios where unexplained disappearances of powerful beings are a good thing." _Note to self, get a lock on that big fat mouth! And do so while you're still alive_.

"So what do you think it was?" Anukh's hushed tone was gone. He sounded demanding and he looked at me as if he was going to turn me into a main course. Or side dish, I didn't think I was that big.

"I think you waited it out, trying to determine whether Louis was involved in any way, and then decided to tell him, pretty much because you had to."

Anukh looked away.

"Oh, I am right!" I grinned, trying to lock eyes with the trueborn. And then figured this was not the best time to boast.

Anukh must have grown tired of me because he turned to Louis. "She is right. The council was divided and those on your side were not able to prevail. I am sorry."

__ I could feel the disappointment in Louis. I guess he thought his standing with the council was based on a unanimous feeling. Now he had to deal with the fact those on his side, or those who trusted him, were a minority.

"All right, Anukh, what can you tell me now?" Louis asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"The disappearances started about six months ago. Three of us were taken so far, two of them typical recluses. It would have been rather difficult for someone young to even know they were around. The other one was working with the council, but he was not a member of it."

"Have any of them resurfaced?" I could have answered that question for Louis. No one from the mother world would have come to investigate if any of them had returned safely.

"As of yet, we still cannot locate them or find out who has taken them. Other than you and Anthony, very few baseborn can be responsible for all of this."

"How exactly did you clear me of the accusations?" Louis asked, staring deeply into Anukh's eyes.

"You have the brains to mastermind this, but bring it to completion on your own? Hardly possible. I eventually managed to convince everyone you had no team to lead for such a mission. Luckily for me, you have always been quite the loner." Anukh chuckled.

"What are we supposed to do?" Louis's question rekindled my interest in the conversation.

"You are required to assist her in her investigation. Also, help her understand trueborn - baseborn dynamics over here. The human companion was my special request."

"Why?" I jumped in and asked before Louis ever got a chance.

"I have known Hesrah all her life. She clearly does not understand earth or its effect on us. I also have this inkling she is no friend of humans and even less of one when it comes to baseborns. Having a human show her the world might be our best option to diminish her bias."

"You're out of luck then," I blurted out, not trying to sound smart at all, barely controlling the sadness in my voice.

"My dear, I think you are a great choice," Anukh said, but he failed to reassure me.

"I don't. I am the wrong person to root for humans and paint the 'wonderful world' picture"

Anukh smiled, his emerald, glowing eyes roaming over my face. "You fought back when Anthony tried to break you. I think you have enough life and spark in you to succeed in showing her how amazing human nature is, despite your being borderline depressive."

"I'm not borderline depressive," I said, a bit louder than I should have in a public place. One more word from him and I'd punch him. He happened to be a trueborn, but he'd do nothing to me in a crowded Starbucks.

"Your anger hides it. And your friendship with Louis probably helps you more than you realize, but I sense a great deal of pain and sadness within you. You either face your demons, or there will soon be a much worse emotional state for you to tackle."

I felt Louis's hand squeezing my knee at the perfect time. His comforting touch stopped my anger. Maybe in a few months, I'd be forced into admitting Anukh was right. But not now. Right now, he sounded like a freaking fortune cookie. I frowned and made a displeased face, then ignored them and focused on sipping my drink.

I could feel Anukh's amusement somehow. Or maybe I was imagining it. Either way, I continued to ignore him. They weren't discussing anything important anyway. They were at the part of the conversation where they exchanged pleasantries, asking what was new and those sorts of platitudes. I paid more attention at some point when Anukh inquired about a girl, but Louis avoided the question. I wondered why I cared. I had enough on my mind without the extra issue of Louis's love life to obsess about. 

# Chapter XII

LOUIS AND I SAT quietly in the living room, waiting for our super-vampire guest to arrive. The sun had set about two hours earlier so Hesrah could arrive at any moment. We tried to keep ourselves occupied. I went with answering emails, Louis zapped from one channel to another, pretending to pay attention to the TV. I wondered what she'd look like, what kind of clothes she'd wear, if she'd look as stunning as Anukh. Would I start blabbing like I had earlier? So many questions, so many answers I was pretty sure we would get soon enough.

When Anthony burst in, I jumped from the couch and almost ran to the door. I thought it childish but felt better about it when I noticed Louis had pretty much acted the same way.

Anthony said nothing, just showed Hesrah in, leaving the three men accompanying him outside. She was a very pale and very thin young woman, although her true age was debatable. She seemed cold, or maybe just restrained, I wasn't sure.

"Hello, I am Hesrah. Nice to meet you."

Polite and stiff, no facial expression, no smile, no unnecessary movement, only her dark brown eyes showed some life, some slow fire that kept her going.

"Hello, I'm Louis and this is Alexa. We will be your hosts during your stay on Earth." Louis smiled and extended his hand, which she shook after a few awkward moments.

"I look forward to it. May I be shown to my room now?" Sher once again spoke with no inflexion in her tone.

It took me a second to react as I was analyzing her outfit, jeans and a plain t-shirt, sport shoes and denim jacket. It seemed completely wrong for her attitude and behavior.

"Sure, I'll take you to your room," I said. "It's right next to mine."

"Lovely."

She did not sound like she'd meant it. She sounded more like the cyborgs from sci-fi movies. She wasn't as captivating as Anukh or Louis, or even Anthony. She was formal and uptight. _Oh, brother_ , I said to myself. _This will definitely be tons of fun._

When she entered the room, I finally noticed her backpack. She took some more clothes out of it, all plain and very functional. She asked where she could put them and I pointed to the closet.

"What is it?" she asked. "Why are you frowning like that?"

I hadn't realized I was. I had been warned before that my face and eyes gave away what I struggled to hide but, apparently, I never learned.

"Umm, dunno, you are just not what I expected."

"And what did you expect?" She cocked her head and waited.

"I guess someone similar to Anukh, but more impressive and graceful?"

"Are you asking me?"

"No, just turning it into a question till I figure out how offensive my statement is." I shrugged.

"You are very blunt, aren't you?"

It did _not_ sound like a compliment.

"Yeah, maybe. Anyway, I can atone for that by kindly inviting you to use any of my makeup and raid my closet whenever you feel like wearing something less..."

"Less what?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Less plain."

"I am on a mission and I have comfortable clothes for it," she said, her words a little rushed. She stared at me and I thought I should put an end to kicking the hornet's nest.

"I should go now. Catch you later."

I finally allowed myself to enjoy a refreshing sigh the moment I got on the other side of the door. I also added yet another note to self _. Whenever I find myself talking to a deadly creature who can kill me in under five seconds, maybe, just maybe, watching my tongue would be smart_.

"You look like you've just dodged a bullet," Louis said, giving me an encouraging smile, when I got back to the kitchen. Anthony and his minions were gone, which was the silver lining of the evening.

"Yeah. I should definitely practice keeping my mouth shut and making sure I am not thinking out loud. I just called her wardrobe plain. That was as smart as yelling at Anukh earlier. If I keep it up, I'll damn well make sure I die young."

"At least you'll look good in the casket." He wiggled his eyebrows and winked.

"Ha, ha, very funny. I doubt it, though. Angry vampires translate to either excessive paleness or having all the bones in my body skillfully crushed. I don't know any mortician that can make the second option look pretty."

"Relax. I am sure a member of the Inner Sanctum can take your sharp tongue and brutal honesty."

"What is this Inner Sanctum anyway? Other than a place you need to discover as a Blood Elf of Azeroth, I mean."

"A what? What the hell is a blood elf? Bows and long ears and stuff?"

"Jeez, you've been on earth for how long and you stayed clear of gaming? There is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game called _World of Warcraft_ and there is a place called the Inner Sanctum in the land of the Blood Elves."

"Programmer and a gamer, too. Just when I was starting to believe you were not much of a geek," he said, shaking his head.

"And _that's_ where you went wrong. I am all kinds of geeky. I just don't look like the stereotypical portrayals of one, unless you think sexy geekette."

"Geekette? Is that even a word?"

"Yes, my friend, it is."

I was starting to feel better and the evening was finally resembling our usual nice and fun evenings. Of course it couldn't last. "Hello." Hesrah said from the bottom of the stairs.

I reminded myself you were never supposed to think things were going great because that was when everything went wrong.

"May I sit with you? I'd gladly explain the Inner Sanctum. I am sure that will buy me some answers from you two."

"Asking us would also grant you a few answers," Louis said, smiling cheerfully, but I could feel his annoyance.

"Oh, that is funny! A human and a baseborn think I'd trust them to tell me the truth." She smirked and that was the only tell in her otherwise matter-of-fact speech.

"Wow, you are out of luck then because you're stuck with us, and none of your trueborn friends is willing to chaperone you in our stead." Clearly, I had already forgotten the many notes to myself. I just couldn't stand anyone acting all superior around me. Plus, she was also doing it to Louis and I surely wouldn't accept that.

"Does this human understand who I am?"

"This human can pretty much answer for herself, Hesrah," Louis growled.

"Oh, you're getting angry, Louis. How interesting."

"What is interesting is that it's been a while since I have been around a trueborn that was so closed-minded to actually talk down to humans. And, to be honest, I never thought someone in the Circle of Social Issues would make that mistake."

"I am Inner Sanctum. I am not here to hold mortals' hands and tell them how special they are."

The spite in her voice was undeniable which, beyond the potential threat she posed, was a welcome change to her robotic statements.

"So, human, do you understand who and what I am? I guess not since you don't know what the Inner Sanctum is."

"Like that makes any difference."

"How dare you! I should explain faster. If you have no respect, maybe fear will finally make you act properly," she said.

"Girl, just take a chill pill. So you are trueborn, and a member of some hot shot group. Why the fuck would you believe there is a difference between a being who can kill me in two seconds and one that can kill me in a second-and-a-half? I'd still end up dead. Besides, Anthony came close often enough for the fear factor to be significantly lower by now."

She turned and stared at me, her eyes wide. Well, I guessed she had given up her plan of scaring me into respecting her. "Cool. You finally got it that you're not God's prototype for intelligence. You aren't currently talking to slow people either. So you can stop acting like an almighty force of nature. You are, but it just does not matter much at this point. Not to me anyway."

"I am afraid I do not understand you at all," she muttered.

"Hello?!? Did you bother figuring out where you were going? I am mortal, feeble, and a female of the species. So on average weaker than the typical male. Sooner or later, we kind of learn to live through the fear and act like we feel regardless of the horrors this planet, even without taking vampires into account, has lined up for us. Besides, I haven't met anyone more vicious than humans. Stronger and faster beings, sure. Not more vicious though."

She actually smiled! The lady of ice was capable of smiling. "This is starting to become interesting. You're all Anukh promised you'd be."

Right, tests and hoops to jump through. Brilliant, but not really surprising. "Now that the reading comprehension part of the evening is done, I want something to drink. Anyone else?"

"Are you offering yourself?" Another smile.

'Umm, no. First visit on earth, no control whatsoever. My blood being really tasty, I guess you understand it is also in limited supply and I don't just go about offering it to any vampire."

"So just Louis then? Anthony maybe?" She wasn't smiling anymore, but there was a playful sparkle in her eyes.

"Anthony stole some. And that's that," I spat through clenched teeth.

Testing the waters or not, she still seemed uptight and superior. She could keep the uptight attitude, but the whole superiority act? If anyone pulled it off, that would be me.

"Ladies, your drinks." Louis handed out glasses half-filled with a light brown, thick liquid, and broke up our little conversation.

Bailey's, decent choice. I had been so caught up in my peeing contest with Hesrah that I'd never even noticed he had taken the glasses out and poured the whiskey cream for us. He had gotten a beer for himself.

"Uh oh, Bailey's. I so craved it. Glad you guessed right." I clinked my glass to his beer bottle and smiled.

"What is this?" Heshra asked, sniffing her glass.

"Alcohol, Hesrah. It makes you all crazy and loose, and it's probably responsible for many a human offspring and a lot of trouble across the world. But, damn, it's tasty! And much needed in nice little awkward moments like this one." There, I'd enlightened her.

"So this is a sort of drug?"

"Yes, but legal if you're over eighteen or twenty-one, depending on the country or state you're in."

"Just have a taste," Louis said. "You're a vampire so it takes a while to affect you. It works faster on humans."

That seemed to convince her. She sipped carefully and judging by her smile and the fact she finished her drink in no time, I gathered she liked it. She asked for more and eventually stopped after another three glasses.

"Oh, I am so dizzy," she struggled to say. "Louis, I thought you said alcohol did not affect vampires."

"It doesn't affect them that easily. But that's only after having drunk human blood. Right now, you are positively inebriated, Hesrah. Welcome to Earth."

She started laughing uncontrollably. She was funny when she was drunk. But if a hangover would follow this experience, I gathered she wouldn't be as thrilled in the morning. Still, it seemed like a good payback for her shitty attitude. I smiled broadly at Louis. I could have kissed him for it. I walked up to him, but the memory of our previous kiss wasn't blurry enough for me to risk it. I internally blamed my lapse on the alcohol, said my good nights, and slowly went up to my room.

I was woken up in the middle of the night by someone knocking on my door.

"Alexa, wake up, please." Hesrah said, sounding distressed.

"For fuck's sake, what is it?" I mumbled, struggling to stand up.

"I am not feeling very well."

"Call Louis and let me sleep."

"I struggled to get to _your_ room, can't go further. I am so dizzy and my stomach is in a constant rumble."

I stumbled to the door and let her in. She looked even paler than when she'd arrived, and she could barely walk.

"I feel so sick, so sick! I will never, ever touch alcohol again."

"Yeah, you will. We all say that. Some of us learn how to drink in moderation, others become alcoholics."

"What is an alcoholic?" She looked at me through hazy eyes and gagged.

"Never mind. You look like you're about to throw up." I dragged her to the bathroom, motioned for her to kneel near the toilet seat, and held her dark and surprisingly soft hair just in time.

"We got drunk together and I held your hair while you were puking. Yay, BFFs," I said, pretending to cheer when she was feeling a little better.

"BFFs?" she whispered between heaves.

"It means best friends forever. And it was a joke."

"Because we're different species?"

"No, because a. it takes more than that to create a friendship, b. we don't seem to like each other, and c. my friendships with women... let's just say I have a bad track record."

"I don't dislike you, you know? I just... You see, when it comes to Earth, I don't have an impressive track record, either." She smiled softly and let her head rest on my hip.

"Well, I don't treat all women like crap just because I ran across some bitches. Come on. You should try that approach some time. Let's get you to bed."

# Chapter XIII

I WOKE UP TO THE smell of coffee and breakfast luring me out of bed and into the kitchen. While I was still yawning and trying to convince myself to get up and go in search of the goodies downstairs, I noticed Hesrah's messy hair on the pillow next to me. Right, as she was reassuring me she was only staying till the nausea went away, she'd passed out on my bed. Getting her drunk felt like a well-deserved payback for her attitude the night before. Test or not, she had still annoyed me. But what was worse, she had annoyed Louis. And the hangover she would wake up to, I hoped, would be priceless.

I snuck out of bed and quietly went to take a quick shower and change. Ten minutes later, I was tip-toeing down the stairs and into the kitchen. Just as I walked in, Louis turned around with a big smile and an even bigger cup of coffee, sweetened and with milk. I could tell by the aroma teasing my nostrils.

"Oh, you wonderful, wonderful man. Hesrah drunk, then coffee just as I love it, and breakfast. Almost too good to be true."

He handed me the cup with his cutest smile ever. He took his own and we stood on opposite sides of the tall, bar-like kitchen table, with its chairs that were too high for me to get on without putting down my coffee. That was painful. The smell, the color, the texture, it was all calling to me and I had a hard time letting it go, even for a second.

"Tired?" he asked, smirking at me. He'd probably heard her in my room. He was a vampire, after all, with the heightened senses and all those predator traits.

"Tell me she will wake up with a hangover and it will all have been worth it."

"Unless she has a particularly adaptable metabolism, she will," he confirmed with a wicked smile.

On a different day, in a different world, one in which people being jerks to me and feeling the need to prove they were somehow better than me came in lower numbers, I would have felt a little worse than I did. But I figured I could always feel bad about it later, if Hesrah ever turned out to be worth it. So I went on sipping my coffee and had a bite of everything Louis had made. And those were a lot of bites as he'd made three kinds of eggs, waffles, pancakes, perfect squares of various cheeses, cherry tomatoes, and white grapes.

Half way through our breakfast, we heard moaning and complaining coming from upstairs. Hesrah was awake. The moment of truth had arrived. We heard her stumbling across the bedroom, bumping into the door as she made her exit, and waited patiently while she climbed down the stairs. She dragged her feet to the first chair she ran across, sat down, and rested her head on the table.

"Sweet mother, what have you done? Is this poison? But you also drank it," she said, her voice distorted by the arm she'd rested her head on.

"Oh, relax," I said, patting her back in an attempt to console her. "It's just a hangover."

" _Just_ a hangover? My head is pounding, I am still nauseated, I can barely keep my eyes open, and my feet weigh a ton. There is no _just_ in there."

"Here, have an aspirin," Louis said, pushing the blister to her, along with a glass of water. "Then drink this." He slid a cup of strong, black coffee closer to her.

She made all the faces she could muster without aggravating her headache when she felt the taste of the aspirin, but she instantly fell in love with coffee. Great, one more reason to hate her gone out the window.

"I will never believe a word you say to me," she told Louis in an accusing tone. Then she put her head on the table again and went back to moaning and bitching about how awful it was.

"Well, welcome to Earth," I said. "You were introduced to one of the methods people use to cope with life here."

"Do they need to cope a lot?" she asked.

"Pretty much. Simply put, life sucks and then you die. Well, we die. You guys don't do it that often. So there's more bitchiness and sucking for you to take." I grinned, happy to have found the downside of immortality.

"That does not sound very reassuring. Why the hell does Earth attract our kind so much? Why do they come and refuse to return? It does not seem like much to me."

I smiled at her simplicity in judging the matter. She had no idea of the drama, twists, and complicated situations that make life so uniquely thrilling, when it's not downright depressing and turning people suicidal. __

"Just because life sucks, it doesn't mean it's not addictive. And, either way, I am exaggerating. Basically, most of us love life because of its qualities and despite its being a bitch every so often."

"Yes, life might be hard, but it's almost never boring and always, always surprising," Louis said. "Not all surprises are the kind you'd actually wish for, but you just have got to love the drama of it all."

I raised my brows at Louis. Hadn't he been complaining about boredom when we'd first met? Maybe the jaded vampire was an act.

"Sounds exhausting," Hesrah said, wincing.

I totally agreed with her. Life was exhausting. That was why we slept at night, went out to party, and ate food we loved. It was all a ploy to get all the energy, patience, positivity, and hope we'd need to face the dreaded tomorrow.

"Don't you worry your pretty little head, Hesrah," I said, the need to reassure her overpowering my common sense. "Louis will help you find out whatever it is you need to, and I will show you what's what around here. Fun, numbing pain, desperation, love, craziness, and blissful solitude. You will get to experience it all." I cringed a little, thinking I was starting to sound like an ad for a bad reality show.

She didn't seem too thrilled about it, but I was sure I could help change her mind. In the end, how hard could it be? There were so many trueborn vampires that came here and avoided leaving for centuries. If I failed, her embedded features that triggered some sort of Terra addiction would kick in. Before I actually showed her everything, I thought it would be best for her to experience the wonders of a long, scented hot bath, which I was sure she was very well acquainted with, but not after a hangover. Then I started her education like any bad parent would do--mind numbing TV and a great assortment of movies from action, to thriller, to romantic comedies. Plus all the popcorn, coke, ice cream, and chocolate that made life so wonderful.

Later in the afternoon, she started feeling better. I could tell from her tone, her laughter, and her general ease in moving from one room to another.

"I'm so darn hungry. I could eat this entire house," she said at one point and her growling stomach seconded her statement.

"Okay, let's eat then." I picked up the phone and ordered some Chinese from a nearby place.

As it was so close, the food got to us fast. I called Louis and he joined us. We all shared the enormous number of dishes I'd ordered, but Hesrah kept getting paler.

"Louis, is she okay?" I asked when she kept complaining about hunger even after twenty minutes of eating without even chewing properly.

"Yes, she is," he said, but I wasn't buying it. I leaned in to touch her forehead and check for a fever. She froze for a few seconds, her forkful in midair. She suddenly dropped the bowl and fork and grabbed my arm.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," I hurriedly apologized.

Blurry movement followed, and without realizing, I ended up being dessert. The sharp pain in my upper back helped me piece the image together. I'd been thrown on the table, Hesrah straddling my hips and sucking on my wrist. It hurt like hell and brought memories of my last night with Anthony rushing back. I yelled at her to stop, closing my eyes to prevent my tears from falling. When the pain subsided, I raised my head to see what was going on. Louis kept pushing her back, repelling her furious charges. She seemed faster and stronger, but I could tell she lacked his fighting skills. She had plenty, but he was better at it because he wasn't acting like a crazed animal trying to get to their favorite chew toy.

"Fucking control yourself," he shouted as she kept trying to get past him to reach me.

Louis looked over his shoulder and motioned to the door. "Get out of here. I can't calm her down. Get in the car and go to the Starbucks from yesterday."

There was no time to argue and I had no intention to stay, so I grabbed the car keys and my wallet from the hallway and rushed out the door. I ran to the car, started it, and screeched out of the driveway.

When I calmed down a bit, I realized I had no idea how to get to that specific Starbucks. We'd walked to it the previous day. With the one-way streets and other traffic restrictions, I decided not to risk it. I could park somewhere convenient, then walk the rest of the way. My hands were trembling furiously on the wheel and stick, but I managed to get there in one piece. The walk calmed me down somewhat but judging by the face of the barista handing me the Frappuccino, I looked like hell. I crashed at the most secluded table, still breathing heavily. When I lifted my cup, I noticed my bloody sleeve. I had forgotten about that. I stared at it, trying to figure out how I felt about the mess I was in.

Vampires had always been fascinating creatures to me, ever since I'd been first introduced to the movie _Interview with a Vampire_. The Anne Rice books had followed shortly after. It wasn't the first or the last time an American movie would start selling the book it was based on in Romania. Although I never pretended to know the absolute truth about their existence, I'd never actually believed in these fantasy creatures or wished to meet a vampire in real life. When I'd started writing my book, I thought I was creating a fascinating twist on vampire lore, not that I was actually guessing their origin.

Now I was neck deep in this mess. Any of them could kill me in a split second and I couldn't understand why I wasn't completely paralyzed with fear. Louis had made it easier for me to feel comfortable, to trust him and to feel somewhat protected. But I had just learned I should revise my theory about putting too much trust in vampires. I had never managed to be less trusting with humans, but maybe the high probability of violent death associated with blood suckers would turn the tides in my favor this time.

I failed to notice Louis's arrival in the coffee shop. I felt his arms around me as he sat next to me, smelled his cologne, and knew it was him. I didn't flinch, as if my body had somehow known it was him long before I'd realized it.

"Are you okay?"

"That's a stupid question. Do I look okay to you?" I said, a little too loudly, shoving my wrist in his face. He pretended to take my arm and kiss it, but he actually licked the bitemarks and the blood stopped flowing. He then held me tight, saying nothing.

I felt like this was the time to cry, let the pain and anger out, complain about how vampires had twisted my life and made it all worse, but that would have made me a hypocrite. I had to face reality. After a long, long time being stuck between my ex and trying to move on, I had run to Malta and focused on work. Yes, I cried less, I was getting through my depression, I had stopped missing him so much, but I was barely living. Anthony had been a royal class jerk, but I had discovered a world I had no idea existed. I had met new people, none of them human, but who was I to judge? I had proven to myself that I could allow someone else to come into my life. And even after a new disappointment, the world hadn't ended.

The world never ends when you think it should. When you _feel_ it should. Your pain or misfortune might seem the direst of them all, but in the great scheme of the universe, you, your troubles, your entire life, no matter how bright you shine, you are still insignificant. What you have is what you experience, what you share with others. And I had been experiencing and sharing a lot more since this twisted adventure had started.

So I didn't cry. I lay back and enjoyed the warmth of his embrace, the touch of his curly, dark blond hair on my face, and the rhythm of his breath. Who knew, in a sea of so much drama, so little was enough to make me feel happy and safe?

"I really am fine," I mumbled, fearing the spell of the moment would fade away.

Louis kissed the top of my head. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. It's not like you attacked me or provoked her to jump on me like that."

"Yeah, but I should have made sure she knew what bloodlust felt like and how to control it."

"I gather she didn't."

"She knew it would happen, but no one close to her had experienced it so their explanation was incomplete, to say the least."

"Oh, god. I guess I expected better from a race like theirs. They have pompous names like the Inner Sanctum, but they are just like a lot of us: all theory, no practice."

"Stupid soldiers." He snarled, tightening his hold on me. "They think they're ready for anything, then realize they have absolutely no clue."

Okay, so even Ankhsis had an army. I bet it was more like a Special Forces group, which included Hesrah.

"How am I supposed to show her around if I am, obviously, the main course?"

"She's supposed to control it, that's how."

I felt his anger ripple through me so I did the first thing that crossed my mind. I hugged him and whispered in his ear, "It will be okay. It always is somehow."

He hugged me back, tighter than before, tight enough that it hurt a little, but I didn't mind. It felt good to be so close to someone. Not just someone, close to Louis.

Eventually, he let go and moved away. He reached out and touched my cheek, then let a finger trace the shape of my lips. I knew it would happen, yet the kiss still caught me by surprise. Gentle at first, then passionate and somewhat furious. One hand on my leg, one on the back of my neck. So impetuous, so irresistible. But why would I ever want to resist?

He stopped abruptly and pushed me away. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I guess it's still that silly blood bond." He said, rushing through the explanation.

"Yeah, it's all right," I said, my voice breaking at the knowledge Louis was lying. For the blood bond to be the cause of his actions, he would have had to reflect my own desire, and I had been too freaked out to even think of that.

"I have to go home, try to train Hesrah or something. Otherwise, this will get ugly."

He got up and left. He walked slowly, apparently in deep thought. But I knew running when I saw it. There was no magical force urging him to kiss me. For a second there, I had really been in danger. After the threat had been neutralized, he'd wanted to kiss me, and it scared him, more than my life being threatened had.

"Coward," I whispered, not sure if I cared whether he was far enough away to miss that.

I took my drink and walked out of the coffee shop. I wandered around until I could barely feel my legs. It was dark, but I still didn't feel like going home. I knew had to. I had a mission, apparently. And I had to carry it out. It was my duty as Anthony's employee, or pet, or whatever. It didn't matter anymore. It just had to be done, and then I had to find a way to slowly distance myself from all of them. I could go home. In all honesty, it still wasn't that easy to track down someone in Romania. Not impossible, but not easy either. I could move around. I could try to get my life back. Forget the book, forget Anthony, and stay away from Louis. Too many men in too little time only meant a disaster waiting to happen.

I finally convinced myself to take the car from the parking lot and drive back to Anthony's place. Louis and Hesrah were gone, and it was all shrouded in thick darkness. I went upstairs and crawled into my bed. Hours later, when I heard them coming in, I ran and locked myself in the bathroom.

I heard knocking on the door a few minutes later. "Hey, Alexa. I am so sorry about earlier," Hesrah said.

"It's all good, as long as you promise to stop trying to have me for breakfast. Or any meal, for that matter."

"I'll do my best. It just took me by surprise. It's like nothing I've ever experienced or heard of."

"Feeling better now?"

"No. I had some more blood in a controlled environment, but it never goes away. Louis said it will get easier to handle in time, but I find that hard to believe right now."

"It will, though," I said, coming out of the bathroom.

"What's wrong with your makeup? Have you been crying?" She stood there, her eyes fixed on the mess that was my face.

"No, I... I just fell asleep," I replied, giving her all the desperate body language clues I could think of to stop her from asking any more questions about my deplorable state.

"I understand," she said, staring down at me with raised eyebrows.

"You know what? Give me a minute to freshen up and then you and I will go out for a drink."

"Oh, no! No more alcohol," she said, cringing and shaking her head.

"Relax, you had blood. You'll handle it much better. Besides, you owe me." I held my hand out, showing off my bruised and still messy wrist.

"All right then. I will wait downstairs."

"Wait, no. I have to find you something to wear first."

"I have my own clothes," she said, frowning.

"Hesrah, I've seen what you brought. Nothing in that tiny backpack of yours works for where we're going," I said, already rummaging through my closet.

In no time at all, we walked out the door, all sexy and excited. Louis was nowhere to be seen. I knew he was in his room and that he'd peek through his window to watch us leaving. Let him. His loss, this city's win.

# Chapter XIV

THE CAB DROVE US to a little club my friends had taken me to before. They played all kinds of music and they had great cocktails. I introduced Hesrah to all my favorite songs, we danced (she was unnaturally good at it) and drank. Apparently, she could take alcohol now, while I was pretty much wasted by glass number three. Well, at least my blood had helped with keeping one of us sober.

A little after midnight, we left the club and found a quiet little bar where we could hear each other talk. I ordered coffee, she continued her quest of sampling every cocktail and new type of alcohol she discovered.

"Most of these taste like crap." She scrunched her nose and glared at the vodka-based cocktail. It looked too sweet and smelled like it. "Why do people drink so much around here?"

"It is part of partying for some, it helps others relax, loosen up and lose their shyness, it helps some forget, and it makes it easier for some to remember. More often than not, it's just an excuse or something to hide behind."

"So why are you drinking tonight? And why were you crying earlier?" she asked, a deep frown replacing her smile.

"Sorry, Hesrah. I am not drunk enough," I said, waving her question away.

"All right then, I accept your challenge. Bartender, a Mojito over here," she shouted, taking my coffee away.

"Fine, I'll tell you. But only if you tell me who Tali is first," I said, squinting at her.

She choked on her drink and spilled some on both of our dresses. "What do you know of Tali?" she asked, a green sparkle to her eyes. _Oh shit!_ I remembered those vicious eyes well. Anthony had taught me how they worked so marvelously along with a crash course for the fangs and the biting.

I took a big breath and answered her question. "You kept calling that name last night. And you were crying."

"Oh." Her shoulders sunk, and she drained her drink. She kept quiet, appearing to have lost herself in her glass. "Why didn't you ask earlier?" she whispered.

"Why would I? It seemed private. I thought it was better not to discuss it at home."

She smiled, one of the saddest I had ever seen. Then she looked up and I could see the tears in her eyes. "I haven't cried in years. Two days here and I act like a pathetic little girl." She laughed a little, then choked on a sob.

"Yes, Earth is very emotional, I hear. Up to the point where we can't be bothered to give a crap about anything. But up to that point, we are extremely emotional."

She rewarded my earthling-bashing with a little chuckle. "Tali used to be everything to me. We grew up together, then fell in love as teens. We were always joined at the hip. She came here about five years ago and I haven't seen her since. She sent a message at one point, telling me she was sorry and that Earth had changed her. She also wished me the very best." She took a deep breath and hurriedly grabbed the fresh drink brought to her.

She looked angry and disgusted, and I could get it on some level. But it just seemed... so stupid. "Oh, boo-hoo. And that's reason enough to hate my world, and blame it all on Earth and humans?"

"Yes. Yes, it is. This world took everything I had from me," she said, pointing a feisty finger at me.

"Really? It seems to me it just got rid of someone who didn't love you much in the first place."

The moment she tightened her grip around my neck, I regretted ever having an opinion on Hesrah's love life. The poor light and our sitting so close to each other concealed her actions, but I had a feeling that it would become obvious as soon as I passed out.

"I could snap your neck in a second, you pathetic little fool," she said calmly, a lopsided grin daring me to disagree. Her fangs were out and her glassy eyes had no mercy to offer.

But, even then, I just couldn't bite my tongue. "Y...yes...but...how does that...make me wrong?"

"You _are_ wrong," she spat back, pouting. "You don't know me or Tali." She sounded sure of herself, but she had let go of my neck.

"I'm sorry, Hesrah, but I don't really need to. I think I know what true love means. And nothing is too much or too hard. You are always willing to find a middle ground, meet the person you love half-way--"

"I've already lived more than you. What do you know of love and life?" She smirked and looked away.

"Well, I know more because I don't have an eternity to look forward to. First loves rarely last. Some do, the really great ones. Relationships don't always work out. But in most cases, people fall out of love first, or fall in love with someone new, then they leave."

"Is that what you did?"

"Oh, no. I'm usually the idiot left behind. I always stop loving someone long after they're gone. So tell me, who did you rebound with after Tali?" I asked, struggling to change the topic.

"Rebound?"

Her wide-eyed stare and raised eyebrows encouraged me to explain. "You know, the healing, shallow hookup that follows a painful breakup."

"Oh, that's not me. I am done with those things."

"So you're basically a coward," I said, nodding.

"How dare you?" She was leaning closer to me and her look was intense, but I noticed the glossy green nuance failed to appear.

"Oh, I seem to attract cowards so I should know. You tried once and it hurt, then you gave up. Please tell me you had a different reason than trying to prevent yourself from getting hurt again."

She smiled and shook her head, then relaxed back into her seat. "You are quite insightful. And wise beyond your years, I imagine."

"Eh, it's not a question of wisdom. It's easy with other people. When it comes to me and _my_ relationships... well, even then, I know how things stand, what I should do, who's worth what. I just choose to ignore everything I know." We burst into laughter and ordered another round of drinks. Stronger drinks.

"So how many times have you tried? Relationships, I mean," Hesrah asked.

"Oh, a few times. I've had several serious relationships. The last one ended about... Wow, about a year-and-a-half ago. Well, that was the official split up. It got dragged out long after that. It was something like a comatose relationship. We eventually put it out of its misery about six months ago."

"What exactly do you mean by calling it comatose?"

"Well, to make a long story short, my ex cheated on me with my best friend. He dumped me to be with her but didn't fully commit to that choice, so we were still sort of together. I eventually found out about his cheating being the true reason to leave me and almost instantly forgave him. I kept hoping he'd choose me in the end. Instead, he chose her a few more times. I finally stopped reading into his hints and promises that one day, when he finally believed we could make it, he'd come back to me."

She was silent for a long time. So long I felt the awkwardness surround us. "How... how did you survive it?" she finally asked but avoided looking at me.

"I don't know. I guess there is very little we can't survive."

"And you rebounded?"

"Eventually, somewhat. While I was in Malta, I had a brief affair. Then Anthony found me." A sudden shudder rocked me when I mentioned his name.

"Anthony? The guy who I met when I arrived? That Anthony?" She wrinkled her nose and her mouth twisted in disgust.

"Yes, that's the one," I confirmed and raised my glass to my stupidity.

"Why?!" she shrieked.

"Why what?" I asked, avoiding her gaze and pretending not to understand.

"Why did you become involved with him? I mean, he does not seem... easy to swallow."

I appreciated her attempt at softening it. I thought to make a swallow joke to avoid the topic but decided against it. Time to own up. "He can be quite the opposite when he wants to. With me, it was a means to an end. He lacked the patience he'd needed, so he failed to get what he wanted from me. The truth is, when I met him, I decided to take a chance on a new relationship, to put my trust in him. I even fell for him a bit."

"Are you still together?"

"Oh, god, no! The man you met is the real Anthony. No, I got to feel betrayed, disappointed, and misused all over again." I saw relief wash over her and couldn't stifle my chuckles. Anthony was doing a fine job of making friends with the trueborns.

"That's why you were crying last night?" she asked, moving closer to me and almost whispering.

"Not really, no. I was crying because Louis is a motherfucking coward," I said, then finished my drink and ordering two more.

"I think I'm getting dizzy," she said, covering her face with her hands.

"Oh, we can go home. Maybe you had too much to drink." I looked at her closely, trying to spot signs of nausea. She looked all kind of fuzzy, but I did try to examine her carefully.

"No, I am getting dizzy from all of these relationships," she said, dismissing my concern for her well-being. "So you're with Louis now?"

"No. Louis and I ended up spending a lot of time together after the whole fall out with Anthony. He's my only friend that's not 100% human. We went through some things together... I don't know. I like him a lot. Maybe too much."

"So what? He likes you. I don't get what the problem is."

"He might like me, but that's apparently irrelevant. Oh, god, the men I choose." I sighed and carried on drinking.

"I am completely lost," Hesrah said and gave me a blank stare. She cocked her head and knitted her brows.

I decided I should try to explain the situation better, although I wasn't sure I understood the details myself. "Well, earlier, after your... attack, he came to Starbucks, kissed me, then lied about his reasons for it. And, to top it off, he ran away. Coward, like I said."

"Well, maybe he'll change his mind?" She patted my hand, giving me a hopeful smile that managed to make me feel a little better.

"Oh, no, thank you. I've spent close to two years stuck on 'maybes'. That relationship ended, several times, regardless of my stubborn faith in crazy 'what if' scenarios. And it almost ended me in the process. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to live through. I am not going to do that again."

"I agree you should not keep waiting around, but what if he _does_ act on what he feels?"

"If he ever decides to, I am sure he has been around long enough to know how to romance a woman. Don't worry about him." I patted her shoulder, hoping that would end the conversation on my love life. Luckily, she understood she'd be better off not pushing that particular button. It had already brought me down and I didn't want to go home sad. We switched to lighter conversation topics and, soon after, we were back to giggling and having a great time.

"May I ask you something?" she said later in the evening, averting her gaze and playing with the straw in her drink.

"Sure." I took a deep breath.

"I've been thinking..."

"Never a good idea," I chuckled and snorted a little.

"Yeah, probably." She smiled broadly. "Seems like there's been a lot of crazy, scary, and hurtful things happening to you in, well, quite a while. How can you laugh so freely? Enjoy dancing so much? Share a drink with me? Still try?"

I gave her the biggest smile I could offer and gently caressed her face. I felt tears stinging my eyes, but I knew I just had to put it into words.

"When my ex told me we were over, it felt like my whole world fell apart. I had lost him, I had to move, it was hard to be around our shared friends. The pain was unbearable and, sometimes, it was hard to get out of bed. I lost a few clients. There was nothing I could have done to prevent it, but it just piled up. I felt I was stuck at the bottom of an abyss. The moment I started clawing my way back up, bad things kept happening, like an ongoing avalanche. I found out about the cheating, then the on again/off again game started. Some more business issues, and I was spiraling down into depression. But I kept pulling myself out of the hole I had been thrown into." I wiped my tears and downed the rest of my cocktail. "I managed to grab the edge and haven't let go since. It was my hope, my remaining strength, my love for myself that I was holding onto, I guess. Whatever else happened, I never let go of that edge and I never will. Someday, I might even be able to crawl out of that dark hole and step away from the edge of the abyss, crawl my way far enough to feel safe." I shrugged and slammed the glass on the table. By some miracle, it didn't break into a million pieces.

We stumbled home in the wee hours of the morning, a little before sunrise, and crashed in my bed again. I woke up, unwillingly, a little after noon and dragged myself up. I took the longest shower ever simply because I found it hard to move my hands to wash myself. My head hurt, and I felt like throwing up. I did just that, a couple of times, and then returned to the shower. I remembered, the hard way, that there was a good reason I hardly ever drank and almost never got so sloshed. Back in high school, I'd realized that hangovers were not for me but, apparently, I needed a painful reminder every once in a while. I eventually got out of the bathroom and spent long minutes trying to find some clothes. For some reason, I could only find t-shirts. No pants, no skirts, no underwear. I only ended up pulling out tees. I told myself that hangovers and being messy did not go well together. When this difficult task was finally completed, I remembered to check on Hesrah. She was still sound asleep, so I left her in the comfort of my bed. For creatures that didn't _need_ to sleep (when they had enough blood), they sure spent a lot of time doing just that.

Louis was waiting in the kitchen. He'd put steaming hot coffee, a glass of water, and some aspirin on the table. I took the pills and sipped some of the coffee. It was black so I made a disgusted face.

"Just drink it," he said, sounding pissed off.

I didn't know why he'd be angry, but I was beyond caring anyway. I drank my coffee and said nothing.

"Are you crazy?" he asked, way too loudly for the pounding in my head.

"Stop screaming at me," I whispered, rubbing my temples.

"Was it only yesterday that she attacked you? And then you go out like that with her? Do you know how worried I was?" He was gesturing too much and was too close to my face. For some reason, all I could think of was how hot he looked and I wanted to lick him all over. Clearly, the blood bond had faded; otherwise, we would have both been two unstable volcanoes, just waiting to erupt.

"Oh, just shut up." I looked past him and tried hard not to lick my lips or allow my eyes to scan every bit of his body.

"I won't. You're mad and suicidal."

I looked up at him to find genuine worry in his eyes, and not anger, as I had expected after that silly accusation. "Fuck you, Louis. What's it to you if something happens to me?"

He froze where he stood, staring at me, his features darkening. His eyes got a fleeting glassy touch, but he took a breath and it was all gone. "Oh, yes, poor Alexa. No one cares," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"No, some people care. I am not talking about people in general, Louis. I am talking about you."

"And now you're also psychic and know what I think or feel, right? I forgot you know it all."

"Oh, and here I was, thinking there still was a blood bond cluing me in to what you feel. I guess that's gone. Still, it's not that hard to read you, Louis. You make it quite obvious." I couldn't help smiling. The whole conversation was beyond ridiculous.

"Oh, spare me."

"Fine." It was time for me to walk out of the kitchen and go someplace else, but he stopped me and turned me to face him.

"Look, Alexa, about yesterday..."

"Save it, please," I whispered.

"But I want to explain. Please allow me to."

"No. Just stop." I covered his mouth with a shaky hand. He nodded and let me go.

"Look, Louis, whatever carefully thought out explanation you came up with, I doubt it says anything different from the blatant lie you threw at me yesterday."

Louis looked worn out and tired. It was the first time he had looked anything but impeccable, sharp and fresh. "I just wish I'd met you at a different time, that's all." He sighed and turned away.

"Oh no. No, you did _not_ just say that!" I laughed, although I felt no humor. It was more of a hysterical laughter, but I couldn't stop it.

"What's so funny?" he asked, turning to face me again.

"Oh, god, I am so tired of all the assholes in my life who use timing as an excuse. When people feel the same way and want to turn those budding emotions into something lasting, there is no right or wrong time, the consequences don't matter, fears are forgotten, other people are not that important anymore, and they just... make it happen. 'Not the right time' just means at least one of them does not want it bad enough or doesn't really feel it."

"Alexa, please." He reached out to touch me, but I pushed his hand away.

"Look, just drop it. Let's just pretend it never happened and go back to how things were. Please?"

"As you wish." He did not sound convinced, but he didn't try too hard to get a different outcome, either.

I went upstairs and crawled back to bed. Hesrah, who I was sure had heard everything, took my hand in hers and squeezed it a little. It was all the support I needed. And I was grateful I was too tired and buzzed to cry. That simple touch allowed me to shut down my brain and heart and fall asleep. 

# Chapter XV

THE FOLLOWING WEEKS turned into an ever-growing pain, no matter how hard I tried to fight my disappointment and sadness. I kept taking Hesrah places when she was free, showing her things I loved, and introducing her to interesting people I knew. We drove to Germany a few times, saw several cities, spent a weekend in Paris. But mostly, we spent our time walking around Amsterdam, Alkmaar, Hague, or some other Dutch urban area we'd take the train to and talked about everything.

When Hesrah wasn't with me, she was out with Louis, trying to find out more about the missing trueborns. They talked to vampires he knew, other sources he could scare up, and even Anthony. From what Hesrah had shared with me, it wasn't leading anywhere promising.

Louis and I were civil, but cold to each other. There was enough tension between us to fuel a dozen other awkward relationships for years. We exchanged daily pleasantries, but never really talked or had fun together anymore. He even avoided sharing a simple meal with me and Hesrah as often as he could. It stung, and I got angrier and sadder with each of his poorly masked attempts to put more space between us. I chose to never mention it to him, and I sure as hell never tried to change it. No matter what I thought about the situation, it made more sense to let him deal with it on his own. It was his choice to make, his problem, and I could always try to adapt to how he acted.

Of course, I'd endlessly complain about it to Hesrah, and she'd listen and try to give advice, but she never interfered. In a weird way, she became my closest friend. Not because I didn't have others around me, but she was the only one who actually knew the truth about how things were in my life.

I often wondered if there was anything more than convenience to my friendship with Hesrah. We'd happened to have been pushed together by circumstances beyond our control, but we didn't have much in common. She was the quiet type, while I'd talk anyone's ear off. She was lean, tall, and dark. She could give all brooding male vampires in books and movies a run for their money. I was shorter, curvier, and colorful. During our trips and lazy afternoons together, I'd eventually realized we were only different on the surface. Deep down, we shared loyalty, strength, and a passion for music and dancing. The one thing that annoyed me to no end, however, was working out with her. She was a robot. She'd just go on and on, while I'd be almost dead after the first hour of training with her. Yet I'd feel empowered, stronger, even if it was nothing more than an illusion. Hesrah and Louis were my only defense against Anthony and his minions. Without them, I'd be dead in a second. Or so they insisted on lecturing me.

Since her arrival on Earth, I had been texting more than I ever had before. I preferred calling. I found it efficient. A couple of minutes to solve everything, rather than going back and forth with incomplete messages. But her traveling with Louis and having a very irregular schedule made texting more convenient. I felt like a teenager texting away with her BFF.

On a lazy Sunday morning, while I was busy wallowing in my own misery and a mountain of chocolate, ice-cream, and Coke bottles, Anthony walked in. As Hesrah and Louis had been in Vienna that weekend, trying to track down a trueborn that had been relatively close to all those who were missing, I had made the best of my alone time and decided to act exactly how I felt. So it had been movies, catching up with TV series, and sobbing at dramas and romantic comedies alike.

"You look like crap," Anthony said, wrinkling his nose.

"Good morning to you, too, Anthony."

"Right. Well, I'm on time then. You will have to dust yourself off and come to the club tonight. Hesrah and Anthony will drive there straight from the airport, and Anukh will also be joining us. We are all supposed to give him and the council a progress report. Get there by tonight at seven. I need to talk to you before they come."

"See you there. Now get out," I said, continuing to watch the TV screen and barely acknowledging his presence.

"Are you stupid or is there something severely wrong with you? There is no Louis here, Alexa. Stop acting like that with me. I won't tolerate it," he shouted, pointing a finger at me. I looked at him towering over the couch and saw his nostrils flaring with what I guessed was anger. He had a deep frown line and his eyes were starting to get the familiar green touch of my nightmares.

"It would be a lot easier to tolerate it if you were not here, you know."

He moved so fast, I'd have missed it if I'd blinked. In an instant, he'd stepped to the front of the couch, grabbed my hand, and yanked up. I screamed, the pain coursing through my arm. The unnecessary movement annoyed me, as I didn't want to be up, not if I could help it. I slapped Anthony with all the force the sharp sting in my shoulder helped me muster and plopped back on the couch, turning the TV louder. He stood there staring at me, gaping. He rubbed the side of his face I'd hit but didn't make another move. He moved his lips, trying to form words, but nothing came out. All trace of the feral beast faded, his eyes a safe black now.

"See you there," I said, pointing to the door. I knew I had acted completely suicidal. I'd waged too much on Anthony's ability not to kill me right before a council meeting. The truth was I hadn't been thinking at all. I just needed to feel like I was calling the shots, even if only for five minutes.

Another visit to the club was one of those things I wouldn't have agreed to even if the world had ended if I wasn't there. I hated the place and the memories associated with it, but I had to go. I knew Anthony expected some sort of loyalty from me and had told me to be there before anyone else. As ludicrous as the idea might have been to anyone with an ounce of sense, after everything he had done to me, I had to give Anthony props for his unyielding self-confidence. Maybe I could exploit that weakness and help Hesrah with some information. I was so over contemplating my own misfortunes when I was still young, healthy, and smart enough to take action. Doing something, anything, seemed worth pushing myself beyond what felt safe and comfortable.

I chose a green and black striped dress that always made me feel good, then matched it with pumps and a bulky necklace. I took my time getting ready. I did full glam makeup and struggled with my hair until it looked acceptable. When I finally got the look I wanted, I stared at myself in the mirror. All my earlier confidence had vanished at the thought of actually stepping inside that club. I had a bad habit of provoking Anthony and I feared that, one day, I'd push him beyond all his limits and get myself killed. I walked to the car and drove there, taking the longest route possible. Somehow, I still failed to be late. I'd kind of hoped for a bout of Bucharest traffic right about then, but I was in the wrong city for it.

I stopped in front of the entrance and took a few deep breaths, steadying myself before pushing the door open. The moment it closed behind me, the Spanish chick who seemed to have developed a morbid attraction to me, flanked by two other kitty cats, came to greet me.

"What are you doing back here?" She squinted as she invaded my personal space.

"I've got some business to attend to, but if you need to, I can keep my promise and break that arm," I hissed.

"She's not alone now," one of her friends said in a freakishly high voice.

"Oh, so you also want to be roughed up a bit? Sure, I would love to accommodate you." I smiled broadly and batted my eyelashes.

The fearless defender tried to slap me but didn't move fast enough. I blocked her attack with ease, then punched-pushed her, aiming for her stomach but keeping it light. She still shrieked in pain. The Spanish girl looked away, rubbing her arm, probably remembering our previous encounter, and the third one stepped aside, making room for me to pass through.

I walked straight to Anthony's table, noticing his broad, wicked smile. I threw my bag on one of the chairs and then sat across from him. "Wipe that smirk off your face, dude."

"Dude? Really." He shook his head, leaning back in his chair. "Why would I wipe if off? This is getting thoroughly entertaining." I caught a glimpse of his fangs while he talked. The predator in him just loved a good fight, it seemed.

"Go watch a movie or something. I am not here to entertain you," I said before turning to wave to one of the waitresses.

"You seem keen on disproving my first impression of you. Or did you change since your first time at the club?" He licked his tongue, showing more of those threatening sharp teeth.

"Oh, man, all these years you were alive, they were wasted on you. People don't change so drastically, Anthony. You were too self-absorbed to notice much about me."

"Are you trying to tell me this strong, determined person is who you really are? Hard to believe."

His snickering made my skin crawl. I couldn't believe how close he'd gotten, how deeply I'd cared about him. "Anthony, I know I'm repeating myself, but you're too thick to get it. You have no idea who I am because you never took the time to find out. You just formed an opinion based on fleeting conversations and whatever it was you'd assumed about me."

"Maybe so. I had no interest in trying harder, honestly. You seemed like such a cliché."

I winced but couldn't contradict him. I'd been such a mess when we'd met. Not that I was doing so much better these days. I'd just sort of ran out of fucks to give and had had it with the men in my life treating me like crap. "I probably was. I might still be a walking, talking cliché. There are billions and billions of people on earth. And if you count all those who've already lived and died, being all unique and special is an illusion."

"That's not what I meant. You turned out to be a lot more interesting than I gave you credit for. I almost regret I didn't realize it sooner. The more I get to know you, the more attractive you become," he said, his voice sweet and his grin spreading all over his face.

"See, the more I get to know you, the more despicable you seem to me." I shrugged and gave him a small smile, hoping he wouldn't rip my head off for that statement. For some reason, he didn't seem offended. He picked up his glass and sipped, watching me over its rim.

We switched topics to Hesrah's time on Earth, what we'd done and where I'd taken her since her arrival. I tried to be as detailed as I could, sharing trivial stories, but kept Tali and other aspects to myself. I didn't want to give him anything that he might use against her later. We switched to much lighter conversation, laughing a lot more than we had laughed in all the time we'd known each other. He seemed almost nice. Thanks to my nightmare, which was still making a weekly appearance, about the night he had revealed his true nature to me, I knew better.

I never noticed Louis walking in. I was laughing at one of the comments Anthony made about the incident with the Spanish girl when Hesrah sat next to me. I saw Louis indulging with a few shots at the bar. He only came to our table when Anukh made his appearance and his presence was actually required.

Louis glared at me when I looked his way. He squirmed in his chair, a permanent frown plastered on his face, his words clipped, biting. He didn't even bother hiding his bitterness from Anthony, to whom he usually didn't show such resentment. He only mellowed his tone and words when he addressed Anukh, but other than that, I sat through a very uncomfortable conversation.

"The weekend journey has definitely put you in a foul mood," Anthony said, pressing his lips together.

"Yes, that's right. The trip...among _other things_." Louis turned to me, his eyes piercing through mine and making me squirm for a change.

Anukh thanked everyone for attending and updating him, although Hesrah had been the one doing most of the talking. He then stood and turned to face me. "Alexa, please join me for a drink at the bar. If you don't mind, of course."

"Not at all. It would give me great pleasure," I replied, smiling, and went straight to the bar, thankful for a way out of that tense situation.

"What is happening to Louis? Do you know?" Anukh asked when we were sat at the bar, fresh drinks in front of us. He could have asked at the table because he knew they could hear us anyway. Maybe it was more about me feeling comfortable than preventing others from overhearing. Either way, I was painfully aware Anthony would not miss a word.

"I really have no idea, Anukh. I'm sorry." I shrugged and prayed he believed me.

"There is nothing to apologize for. Just try to convince him to relax a little and rest. Vampire or not, we all need our rest at some point, wouldn't you say?" He gave me a bright smile and I gasped a little when I noticed the spark in his eye, along with the coldness that didn't match the soft curl of his lips. Maybe he'd had guessed I'd been lying.

"I'll try my best," I promised and involuntarily turned to look for Louis.

Anukh thanked me for my time--brief, and of no real use, if you asked me, then waved goodbye to the others and left. Anthony got up the very next moment, called for the Spanish girl and one of her friends, and left to enjoy to the far more pleasurable part of his evening. I couldn't blame him. I would have taken anything over the waves of aggression coming from Louis.

Hesrah went to talk to some of the other vampires present in the club and left Louis to brood on his own. I turned my back on it all and ordered another orange juice, wondering what had possessed me to take my car and not a cab. I should have known such an evening would require stronger drinks to survive.

When he'd had enough of sulking alone, Louis moved to the bar and sat next to me, ordering a few more shots of tequila. The smell of the dreaded drink reached me and made my stomach twist and turn. I vividly remembered a particularly wild night from about four years ago, when I'd gotten drunk on two or three shots of tequila and some vermouth. I ended up feeling sick for hours and kept changing my mind every five minutes about whether or not I was in love with my now ex. Apparently, all my relationships were full of drama right from the start, with humans and vampires alike.

"You know, he might make you laugh, but he's still the jerk from that night I found you bloodied on the floor," Louis muttered and downed one of the shots.

I breathed deeply, graced him with a mocking smile, and focused on drinking my juice.

"Don't give me that attitude. I saw you. You were enjoying yourself." He twisted his lips in disgust.

"So what?" I shrugged, thankful my voice hadn't cracked.

"So what? Are you truly mad?" His voice got a couple of octaves higher.

"At times. I showed signs of madness earlier when I was alone with Anthony and couldn't resist pushing his buttons. But I am no fool, nor do I ever forget who Anthony is just because we can have a polite conversation and share a few laughs," I said through clenched teeth, both my hands holding on to that juice glass for dear life.

"I have a hard time believing you can keep that in mind. I know he is charming and you had a weakness for him to begin with." Louis let out a deep sigh. What the hell? Was he actually jealous?

"Oh, god, Louis! Just stop right there. Acting all possessive now is just plain pathetic." I covered my mouth with my hand, trying to stifle my laughter. It felt surreal, Louis being jealous of Anthony of all people...well, vampires. The man had treated me with extreme cruelty after revealing his supernatural status without any preamble or finesse. Thinking about it made me sick, and not because of the threatening, the biting, the constant attempts at bossing me around. No, the worst of it was that Anthony had betrayed my trust, and Louis had seen it all.

"I am not being possessive," he spat after a few minutes of silence. "Excuse me for watching your back."

"Yeah, I am sure that's what it is. Good night, Louis."

I swiftly jumped from the tall bar stool, grabbed my purse as I was sliding down, and headed for the door. I just wanted to go home and lock myself in my bedroom. I was tired of Louis and his indecision. I'd had plenty of that from the men in my life, enough to last me a lifetime. But at least those other relationships had come with sex and other positives. At the time, I'd also been under the illusion I was one half of a relationship to last a lifetime. Without any of that, taking the same crap from a guy seemed a bit too much, even for me.

I drove home listening to loud music and trying not to think, but it was impossible. Just as I arrived, a bike, a beautiful Harley, showed up out of nowhere and pulled over next to me. I leaned against my car and prepared myself for an attack.

When the biker took his helmet off, I realized it was Louis. I didn't even know he had a bike or that he had ridden it to the bar, but I finally let out the breath I'd been holding, hoping the dread would seep out right along with it.

Louis threw the helmet to the grass and unzipped his jacket in a swift move. He took it off, flexing his muscles, all beautifully contoured by the tight button-down shirt he was wearing, and threw it at the bike. It missed and rolled on the ground. He walked right up to me, furrowing his brow and breathing heavily. "You are fucking impossible," he shouted, throwing his arms up in the air.

"Am I? Am I really impossible? And why is that?" I asked, cocking my head and searching his face for the answer. He looked gorgeous, as always, with his shimmering golden-green eyes, the glitter of his fangs, the curls blown over his face by the night wind, his full lips. Louis enthralled me, despite my best efforts not to allow it, and although I doubted I had anything that special to turn his head, I still couldn't tell what made me so hard to deal with.

"You're impatient, annoying, and reckless. And that's just off the top of my head," he said, his voice booming in the quiet night. He'd moved closer and now towered over me, making me feel the need to slide down the side of my car.

"You're an arrogant coward who has to lie to justify his actions. And the jealousy tonight was just out of this world. So what on earth makes you think you're so easy to deal with?" I steeled myself and forced my body to stand strong, show no fear. I hoped my words cut as sharply as his had.

"Why does it have to be either/or with you? It's either everything you want, or you act cold."

"You mean since our so-called 'talk'? The very next day I tried to be myself, act normally around you. It was you who gave me the cold shoulder, but this is somehow _my_ fault? God, take some responsibility, will you?" I shook my head and pushed him away. Shivers travelled down my spine when my palm touched his chest, but I ignored the sensation. I went inside and straight into the kitchen. I threw my purse and car keys on the table and leaned on it, trying to calm down. Yeah, I could throw things and I could pull off better tantrums than his, but the contest seemed so childish and useless.

I jumped when I felt his arms on my shoulders, but I quickly relaxed under his touch and gave in to the closeness. I had missed it terribly, more than I'd realized.

"I'm sorry, Alexa. I really am," he whispered close to my ear, bringing the shivers and tingling back.

"I know. It's okay," I hurried to answer, hoping my forgiveness would make him break the contact.

"It's not but, hopefully, it will be," he said in a muffled voice, brushing his lips against the side of my neck. He put one arm across my stomach and pulled me closer to him. I didn't resist in any way because it would have been fake and useless. He brushed my hair out of the way and kissed my neck, the touch of lips so soft, I feared I was imagining it.

"Good night, Alexa," he whispered, then vanished.

When I finally snapped out of the trance I'd fallen into, I smiled and shook my head. Of course, some more twisted and mixed messages, then leave and let me deal with the aftermath on my own. Why not give me more reasons to keep my mind busy with scenarios and suppositions? It wasn't like I had much on my mind, other than vampires of all kinds, kidnappings or mysterious disappearances, my life being in danger, and a horde of other minor issues.

The next morning, I woke up feeling afraid of what the new day would bring. I knew it wouldn't have all been mysteriously solved overnight, but I also didn't want to go back to the stiff distance between Louis and me. It was hard and quite exhausting to deal with that. I didn't hear any movement downstairs so I went to Hesrah's room. I knocked, but there was no answer. I gently pushed the door open and walked in. She wasn't in her bed. My breath hitched, a strange feeling that something was terribly wrong taking over.

Since we'd grown closer, Hesrah had loosened up a bit and allowed herself to enjoy life more. She'd had a few encounters with girls and boys alike, humans, for the most part, but she'd never spent an entire night out. This felt all wrong. Hesrah wasn't one to change patters unless she had to. She stuck to her rules with fierce determination.

I tried to focus and think of what to do, but I failed. I ran towards Louis's room, frantically calling his name.

"What's going on?" he said, rubbing his eyes and resting against his open door.

It took me a few seconds to collect my thoughts. Nothing had prepared me for the sight of that body covered in nothing more than a pair of black boxer briefs. I shook my head, reminding myself of the seriousness of the situation, and used all my strength to look into his eyes and nowhere else. "Hesrah's not here," I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

"So what?" He shrugged and leaned further into the door frame. "Maybe she finally decided to hook up with someone other than Tali." Hesrah had eventually shared that story with him, after reaching a point where she felt she could trust him.

"She's already done that. A few times," I replied hurriedly, annoyed by his reluctance. "She never stays out the whole night. I tell you, something's wrong."

"Oh, come on. Maybe she just met someone more interesting. She's a trueborn, Alexa. It's not that easy to get into trouble when you're a trueborn," he said, laughing. He reached out to push back a few strands of hair that had fallen on my face.

"Please, please, humor me this time," I begged, grabbing his hand with both of mine. "I have a really bad feeling about this and I'm rarely wrong."

"All right, calm down. You're shaking. Go get changed and I'll call Anthony." He stepped back into his room and I saw him searching through his jeans for his phone.

It took a few more encouragements thrown over his shoulder, but I returned to my room and changed, then went downstairs and started pacing around the living room. For a vampire, he sure took a long time to make a phone call and get dressed. When he finally came downstairs, he looked more pissed than worried.

"Anything?" I asked, clenching my hands.

"Anthony is not picking up on any of his phones. We'll have to go to his place and wake him up, apparently," Louis hissed, throwing his phone on the kitchen counter.

"I didn't know vampires were able to sleep through phones ringing. That's a waste of wickedly good hearing."

"We aren't able to sleep through them. If we don't pick up, it's because we don't want to." Louis pinched the bridge of his nose. My stomach sunk, dread flooding me. I prayed my instincts would be wrong for once. Sadly, I knew the chances of my being mistaken were slim to none. 

# Chapter XVI

LOUIS GOT ANOTHER helmet out of his car trunk and handed it to me. "Come on. We're taking the bike. It's faster."

"I can't," I said, frowning at the helmet.

"Why not? Are you afraid or something?" he asked and graced me with an inquisitive smile.

"I don't have any protective gear. Are you crazy?" My ex had taught me a good lesson, one of the few favors he'd done me. Wear the proper gear when riding a bike, even as a passenger, and do not stick around to see how the ride ends for reckless drivers.

"God damn it! I'm a vampire." He looked up at the sky and rubbed his forehead. "It's virtually impossible for me to fall or be in any type accident. And if I _do_ get in an accident, I'll jump off the bike and take you with me. I will keep you safer than any gear ever could. Okay? Now let's go. We're wasting time."

I didn't feel particularly comfortable with the arrangement, but it was an emergency and Hesrah was more important than my fears. During the ride, I tried hard to stay focused on the issue at hand, but I loved the bike ride too much not to enjoy it, at least a little bit. My ex had a sports bike, and those were never kind to the passengers. This was comfortable, but extremely fast. And I could actually hold on to Louis, not just the gas tank. He was so close and his scent filled my nostrils, accompanied by the fresh morning air the bike cut through.

Louis took us to some residential area I had never been to. All the buildings were extremely luxurious, with doormen and big-time security, glass and steel, and the latest technology. I liked the other house a lot better. It had more of a homey feel with its traditionally Dutch architecture. The doorman in Anthony's building greeted Louis warmly as he opened the door for us.

"Welcome home, sir," he said, smiling.

"Thank you, Theo." Louis shook his hand and gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"Home?" I couldn't help asking when we got to the elevator.

"Yeah. Anthony and I switched after the incident with you."

The building and the whole area didn't really feel like Louis's style, but I thought I should wait to see the apartment to confirm that opinion. We reached a massive wooden door and Louis rang the doorbell over and over until an angry, cursing Anthony finally opened it.

"What? What the fuck do you two want? Isn't me not picking up the phone clear enough?" he said and groggily stumbled back in.

Louis ignored his complaints and dragged me inside. "Get dressed now," he ordered and went into a room at the end of the hallway. I stayed back and took in the huge living room, trying to assess this place. It was stunning. Minimal, clean, very functional, but still warm. There were books on every shelf, and dozens of CDs spread around.

A minute later, Louis came out of what I could now see was the bedroom, pushing out the Spanish girl and one of her friends. They clutched most of their clothes as they push-walked and he wasn't planning on allowing them time to get dressed before kicking them out. Louis closed the door behind them, unaffected by their unladylike complaints.

"What do you think you're doing? Did you forget who I am?" Anthony asked when he'd shrugged off his initial shock.

"I'd never dream of that, Anthony. Where's Hesrah?" Louis asked, grabbing Anthony's arm.

"Who cares?"

"We do, asshole," I shouted. "And so should you. If she's missing, the council won't be very happy."

"You imbeciles! Hesrah's missing?" His stance changed completely. The sleepy haze was gone from his eyes as he moved with purpose, gathering his clothes and making quick work of getting dressed.

"Yes. She was still at the club when I left," Louis said. "She was talking to two of your group and said she wanted to stay longer."

"Oh, right, Armand and Victor. They were drooling all over her like the pair of idiots they are. I left before you anyway. And I haven't talked to those two."

"Okay, maybe she's at their place," I said, looking at Louis with all the hope in the world.

"Let's go," he urged me and then turned to Anthony. "Text me the address."

"Of course. Make sure you let me know if she's there with them."

Louis didn't answer. He took my hand in his and walked to the elevators.

"Anthony didn't seem too worried. I don't like this," Louis said when we got to the bike. His frown and restlessness had given it away, but the words made his distress all too real.

"What do you mean?" I asked, biting my lip.

"Knowing who she is, he should be acting differently, genuinely worried, at least until we get to those losers' place. Anthony seemed annoyed more than anything."

"Maybe the attention Hesrah got from them was no accident?"

"I hope so. I hope Anthony was just trying to get someone in his group closer to her."

He drove like a maniac. Armand and Victor's place was on the other side of the city. We arrived at another apartment building, but far less luxurious. Louis ran to their floor and started banging on the door. When there was no answer, he kicked it open and rushed inside. Everything was upside down, the furniture broken into pieces, shards of glass everywhere, some of the walls had huge cracks in them.

"Oh, my god," I whispered, my eyes wide with fear.

We found the two vampires in the bedroom, drained of blood and trapped under heavy chains. Louis broke them with a simple yank, then went to the bathroom, filled a bucket with water, and came back to throw it on the passed-out vampires.

The two screamed and hissed as they jumped up, ready to attack. I sighed in relief when they eventually recognized Louis and stood down. They looked like hell--walking and talking open wounds. I knew they'd heal fast, but I still cringed at the sight.

"What happened here?" Louis asked.

"Dude, let us have some blood first and then we can talk," Victor said, laughing and stalking towards me. Louis grabbed him by his neck and threw him against the wall.

"What happened?" he asked again, glaring at Armand.

"I don't really know. We came here with that trueborn chick. The moment we stepped inside, we were attacked. Vampires, strong ones, more powerful than I'd ever seen," he said while inspecting his wounds.

"Did you recognize them?" Louis asked, his voice sounding calmer, if only by a fraction.

"Nah, man, we were wasted. That girl can drink. Hot like hell, too." His sleazy grin got on my nerves. The idiot looked as if he had a sex dream playing in his head.

"How the hell did they manage to get her? She is a trueborn," Louis said, running his hands through his hair.

"They had the numbers, dude. She's not invincible, you know? Stop seeing trueborns as gods or something." Victor huffed, puffing his chest.

"Dude? Listen to me, _dude_! You are a sixth-generation retard, get it? A trueborn can snap your neck faster than you can say your name." Louis growled. He took my hand and moved toward the door.

"Dude, what do we do now?" Armand asked while as we walked out of the apartment.

"Go to hell and stay there, maybe?" Louis spat over his shoulder. He was not even trying to hide his foul mood so I thought it better to walk as fast as I could and keep my mouth shut. When we got to the bike, he suddenly stopped.

"There had to be a lot of them," he whispered.

"Louis, what's wrong?" I took both of his hands in mine and forced him to face me.

"That was a small apartment. You need large numbers to take on a trueborn and they couldn't easily fit in in that shoebox. Besides, an army walking in? It would be too obvious," he said, frowning, the line between his eyebrows so deep, I was sure there would be permanent damage.

"Then how did this happen?"

"Third- and fourth-generation baseborn vampires, that's how," he answered, shaking his head.

"Anthony?" I asked, knowing he was the only third-generation in close proximity.

"No, he wasn't here. I would have picked up his scent. I really don't know who it was, but I don't like this one bit."

"Because you have no idea who's behind it?"

"That, too. But mostly because of Anthony's calm state this morning. You know him. He's hyper when someone messes with his plans. He hates being crossed. I am afraid he had something to do with this."

"Really? You think he would try something like this when he knows the council might hold him responsible?"

"I don't know. Let's just go to the club and see what he says. I'll text him to meet us there."

We got back on the bike, and I expected another hectic ride across Amsterdam and back to Anthony's club. Instead, he took the scenic route, riding for over an hour along the canals. I couldn't fathom why Louis was taking his time. Maybe he needed to collect his thoughts. Or maybe he was giving Anthony time to get there before we arrived.

When Louis finally pushed through the club's door, with me trailing behind, we found the club empty except for Anthony and a few other vampires, including Armand and Victor. The two idiots were looking a lot better by now.

"Where the hell have you been? You were ten minutes away. Victor and Armand got here ages ago," Anthony said, grabbing Louis by the collar of his biker jacket.

"I had other things to take care of," Louis answered calmly, shrugging for emphasis.

"Now?! Right now? The fucking trueborn bitch is missing! We have to tell the council, but _now_ is the time you go take care of other things?"

I could see the veins on Anthony's neck throbbing as he spat his words, his grip on the collar tightening.

"Yes. What are your thoughts on this?" Louis asked, gently removing Anthony's hand.

"I don't know, Louis. I haven't had time to think. But it's quite obvious a bunch of our kind kidnapped a trueborn."

"Not just any bunch, Anthony." Louis gave him a half-smile and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What do you mean?" Anthony stared back at Louis, raising both eyebrows and placing his hands on his hips.

"It was a rather small group. That means powerful baseborn vampires. Do you understand now?"

"Another third-generation one. At least." Anthony's words trailed off and he finally seemed worried.

There was something off about this situation. I could feel it, despite Anthony's more skillful display of worry. The other vampires were all looking at Louis. None of them seemed too concerned. They were sitting around, waiting.

"Exactly. They are the angriest with trueborns," Louis said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"That they are. We have to find her fast. And inform the council. This has to be connected with the other disappearances."

'Yes, but this was messy. The others... almost no one found out about the disappearances this fast."

"Well, those were secluded old vampires." Anthony shrugged and released a steadying breath. "She was new here, and Alexa successfully introduced her to having a great time."

"That's irrelevant, Anthony," I said. What did my so-called introduction have to do with this? I resented his implication, even if I wasn't sure where exactly he was trying to get.

Anthony looked at Louis, then turned his eyes on me, the green glare making me tremble slightly.

"She's right. It's completely irrelevant," Louis said.

"One day, Louis... one day your standing with the council won't matter anymore," he hissed, his eyes green slits glaring from under his furrowed brows. It sounded more like a promise of violence than a simple threat.

"Until then, my friend, stay here and call everyone in. Make sure no one of your entourage, human or vampire, is missing. Alexa and I are going to see the council." Louis placed a protective hand around my shoulders and pulled me closer.

"Why is she going? I should go with you," Anthony said, giving me another angry look.

"Because she was Hesrah's companion. She knows everything the trueborn knows of this world, and the council will want a word with her."

"All right," Anthony said as we were almost out of the club. His short reply dripped with anger, probably because Louis hadn't waited for his approval.

Once again on the bike, we headed straight for the council. I expected a sort of dungeon, but they lived in a secluded villa outside Amsterdam, pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Five of the most powerful vampires on earth enjoying a rural retreat sounded surreal and quite odd.

To my surprise, Anukh was the only one to meet us. I wondered where the others were, but then realized I was an idiot. This wasn't the council's headquarters. It was Anukh's house. It looked fancy and rich, but this place was hardly large enough to house an entire council with all their underlings.

Without greeting us, he said, "So what we feared most happened. Of all the trueborns still on earth, they took her." His face might still be unreadable to me, but his choice of forgoing his perfect manners was enough of a tell.

"We are prepared for this. We'll find her," Louis reassured him.

"Wait, what?" I couldn't believe my ears. "You expected Hesrah to be taken and you never told me?!"

"We didn't expect her to be kidnapped," Louis said, still holding Anukh's gaze. "But we didn't ignore the possibility either, so we made sure we were ready if it happened."

"I never expected it to happen so soon, though." Anukh sighed and brushed off a wild strand of his long, silky hair. "Whoever is doing this is getting restless."

"Yes, they are. Alexa, what did you think of Anthony's reaction at the club?"

"I don't know," I said in a barely audible voice. "He just seemed very angry with you for being late."

"Yeah, I did that on purpose. He cannot easily control or hide his reactions when he's angry. I provoked him to better read him."

"Louis, something's off. I don't know what, but it is," I said, looking down at a stone I kept kicking.

"I know. I thought I was the only one who noticed it."

"Come on, you two. We cannot wait for too long," Anukh complained. "Come, Louis. Check out your tech toys and find me the girl. Otherwise, her mother will kill us all."

"Her mother?" I asked. "What does she have to do with all this?"

"Other than putting her child in danger? She is, among other things, Commander of the Inner Sanctum. I don't want her and her hordes coming here to search for Hesrah. It could get messy." Anukh sighed and tucked away the same wild strand of hair. The little signs of distress from the usually unreadable vampire fed my restlessness and worry. All I could imagine was the bloody aftermath of a war between trueborn and baseborn vampires, humans trampled in this supernatural hurricane and paying the price, as if their millennia-long tribute of blood and life hadn't been enough.

"So what do we do?" I asked anxiously. "Does the council have some sort of intelligence network? How will we track those who took her?"

"Oh, I have something a lot more advanced and effective than that," Louis said with a wicked smile. "We are going to get to the bottom of this messy affair."

"Louis, enough with the riddles," I said.

He nodded, resting a heavy hand on my shoulder. "Hesrah and I prepared for a potential abduction. I attached a small tracking device to her bracelet."

"The silver one she always wears?" I felt strange excitement surging through me. Nothing beat GPS tracking... unless someone discovered her device and destroyed it.

"Why the frown, Alexa?" Louis asked. "Wasn't she wearing it?"

"No, no, she was wearing it, but what if they discover it and jam the signal or something?"

"I very much doubt that," Louis said, his words clipped. Judging by how he narrowed his eyes, Anukh wasn't as confident. Neither did I feel remotely assured this was going to be easy.

"Anukh, do you have a computer here I could use?" Louis asked, turning to face the trueborn.

"None, just my cell phone. I read in my spare time. I do not watch TV or waste my time playing video games. Or worse, browsing that god-awful interweb madness!" He curled his lips in distaste, and I couldn't help rolling my eyes.

"Anukh, I wish you'd get over your personal war with technology...the more advanced kinds, anyway," Louis said, sighing.

"I might be anti-technology, but even I know most phones work as well as any computer," Anukh said. "Can't you check to see if the device is working? Why haven't you done so already?"

"I can't do it on a phone Anthony knows of." Louis said, with a slight shake of his head.

"Oh," I whispered, realization hitting me at the mention of Anthony's name.

"Yeah," Louis said, giving me a slight shrug.

"You two are driving me crazy with your cryptic exchanges and I don't have the time or patience for it. I have to send my report to Ankhsis in two hours, and I can't keep this a secret," Anukh shouted, throwing his arms in the air.

"He needs a safe network to check the tracker's signal. If Anthony or anyone in his group is involved, they might be monitoring Louis's moves and yours, and tracking your phones would be step one," I said.

"Smart girl. You're not a programmer for nothing," Louis said, moving his hand from my shoulder to around my back and pulling me to him. I tried to ignore the shiver traveling down my spine.

"We should go to the council's headquarters right away then," Anukh suggested.

Louis shook his head. "No. They might have infiltrated that network as well."

"Are they so advanced in this field?" Anukh asked, his voice cracking a little. Vampire hackers. That thought was scary. Little sleep required, all the time in the world to perfect their skills. If they took on hacking, they'd be unmatched.

"They are not, but they know people who are. Anthony has made it his job to get acquainted to plenty of humans that might turn useful at some point or another. For a price or out of simple adoration of him, he always gets what he needs," Louis said, and I thought I heard a little admiration in his voice.

I couldn't help raising an eyebrow. It felt surreal to imagine Anthony mesmerizing hackers and other types of techies. I still had my literary misconception of vampires and how out of tune with the world they were supposed to be. Anthony was nothing like that. He'd faked his way into a popular online magazine, he ran a club, I could accept he'd know who to get on the job if he needed some hacking. I knew he had the financial resources yet imagining a bunch of tech savvy people kneeling at his altar was a bit too much.

"He can achieve his goals when he wants to," Louis said when he saw my expression. In a way, I understood his reaction from the other night. I might have been smart, but if Anthony could get geniuses and influential people to worship him, why not me? Hence, the worrying and jealousy. Too bad it was not the time or place to discuss it.

"What now?" Anukh asked, making me snap out of my train of thought.

"We're going back to the club to see who's missing. If anyone is, Anthony will tell us. Involved or not, he's smart enough to try his best to ward off any suspicion. Then I am going to find a safe network and try to locate Hesrah."

"Keep me posted?" Anukh said, placing a hand on his shoulder. It might have been phrased as a question, but there was no doubt about his expectations to be kept in the loop.

"I will buy a new phone and text you the number. Go buy one yourself and we'll use those."

Louis didn't wait for a confirmation. He turned and left, and I ran after him. I guessed he assumed I could read his mind or something. I really couldn't and I wished he'd share more of his plan with me. Or at least that the blood bond was still in full swing. 

# Chapter XVII

THE CLUB WAS FULL when we got there, dozens of people crammed together, whispering to each other. I had no idea there were so many vampires in and around Amsterdam. I always imagined them scattered around the world. They either had been travelling together, following Anthony around, or this had been their headquarters for a long time. The Amsterdam vampire covenant? It sounded a bit flaky. You'd think they'd choose Paris or Rome... something grand, luxurious, and old.

I heard the sparkly laugh of my would-be-foe, the Spanish girl, and figured they weren't all vampires. Usually, I had trouble telling humans and vampires apart. Not tonight though. At a closer inspection, I noticed the vampires weren't drinking, or laughing, or going out of their way to catch anyone's eye. They were not running around carrying drinks or phones or computers. They were the ones paying attention to every move in the room, glancing back at Anthony every now and then. Now that I'd figured them out, I also noticed they all kept a close eye on us, tracking our moves within the club.

Louis went straight to Anthony's table and stopped in front of him, standing tall over Armand, who was sitting across the table from his leader. I stood next to Louis, closer than usual. Being surrounded by such a large group of vicious predators was making me a little nervous. Terrified, really. Was that a form of racism? Thinking they were all nothing but predators, dead set on draining my blood and stuff my body in the garbage bins out back? Was it irrational fear though? Either of them could snap my neck faster than I could blink. Maybe I would think better of them once I got to know them all, if that ever happened. Right now, I had to focus on staying alive. Feeling Louis's arm pressed against my shoulders helped make this situation bearable. The idea they could smell fear on me or hear it in my erratic heartbeat made me even more anxious.

There was just something in the atmosphere of the club, something strong and extremely focused and deadly. It might have not been directed at me, but at those who had taken Hesrah, or at Louis, or the trueborn vampires. Still, it was hard not to pick up on it and shiver. Was that how a deer felt when surrounded by wolves? At least a deer could outrun the wolves...

Anthony glared at Louis, tapping his fingers on the table. When Louis remained silent, Anthony sighed. "Everyone is accounted for, except for two fourth-generation and three of the fifth. They were dispatched to set up a club in Scotland and live there until it took off. I caught word of a third-generation who's been living in the Highlands for centuries, and I wanted them to use the club as a front to track him. Their last report was yesterday morning. I couldn't reach them today."

"What third-generation were you tracking?" Louis asked, narrowing his eyes and leaning a little on me. The small gesture distracted me from the tension rocking my body.

"Philippe, a French vampire, if I am not mistaken. He was created centuries before me and, for some reason, he was not killed in Magnus the Mad's massacre."

"Haven't heard of him." Louis shrugged, tucking a strand of golden hair behind his ear.

"Well, maybe you should go to Scotland and try to find him. He might be the one behind this, and he might be keeping Hesrah there. The Highlands are not the friendliest of terrains, but I am sure you can handle it."

Anthony got up and turned to leave. He stopped a few steps from us, then turned around, a deadly smirk twisting his mouth. "It would be too rough on Alexa. Leave her here. I am sure I can find the time to entertain her!"

Dread coursed through me at the idea of being trapped here, with Anthony and all these vampires who were loyal to him. "No," I said, the word a little more than a whisper.

Louis stepped in front of me, shielding me with his body. Thankful for the show of support, I leaned against him. I couldn't breathe easy despite knowing Louis would protect me, as I had a feeling Anthony could still make me stay with him. I cringed at the thought and felt a little nauseated. I shivered and rested my head against Louis' back, the one and only vampire in this room who was on my side.

"No?" Anthony shouted, his face twisted in a scowl, his eyes on fire. I stared at him, waiting for the moment his dark eyes would turn bright green, his fangs catching the faint light of the club. If this would escalate into a physical conflict between them, Anthony sure had the strength and numbers to win the argument.

"No. Was I not clear in any way? The council tasked us with finding Hesrah." Louis asked in a steady voice. "They expect a report from us, delivered in person. I'll ask what they know of this Philippe you say your men were tracking."

"Why waste time with the council? I'm sure Philippe has Hesrah. Don't you trust me on this?" Anthony said, his fists clenched tight at his sides.

"Because if he has been off the grid for so long, I am sure he wasn't dumb enough to take Hesrah where your friends were already looking for him. Don't you think?"

"Or maybe that's exactly where he'd take her, especially if everyone thinks like you," Anthony said, tilting his head to the side.

"That is certainly a possibility, yet I still need more information and the council might have it. They required Alexa's presence. Do you think with the daughter of the Inner Sanctum Commander gone they'll put up with much more disobedience from us?"

"Fine, then. Go and take her with you. But Alexa, my dear, you should know, I would have been a lot more fun than chasing dangerous vampires." Anthony licked his lips, then gave a little wave. He still had that grin that spoke of nothing good plastered on his stupid face.

"Yeah, well," I said, angry at how badly my voice was shaking. "I'll take a rain check on that. I'll let you know when I'm free. Probably never?"

"Still upset with me, then? And we had such a blast last night. Shame, really." He leaned in, close enough I could feel his breath on the shell of my ear. "I like a challenge," he whispered, then kissed my cheek. It felt like ice biting my skin and I flinched. Anthony stepped away, chuckling.

A subtle move from Louis drew my attention to my hands. I was squeezing his arm, hard enough to hurt, I imagined. Or maybe not, he was a vampire. Louis smiled reassuringly when our eyes met. He motioned to the door with a quick jerk of his head and we left.

We got on the bike and I hugged him tightly, getting as close as I possibly could, finally allowing myself to shake and tremble. He leaned back into my embrace before putting his helmet on, his free hand squeezing my knee. "We're fine. You did great," he said, then started the engine.

We drove in circles around the city center until he spotted a small café with a "Free Wi-Fi" sign in the window. We found a parking lot nearby and, before going in, he led me to a small electronics shop where he got a cheap laptop and a disposable phone.

The café Louis had chosen was small, cozy, and nearly empty. Soothing music played in the background and I felt its slow rhythm seeping in, calming and freeing me of the fear I was still reeling from. This warm, comfortable café was a welcome change after the club experience earlier.

Louis turned on the laptop and ordered warm drinks for us while waiting for the Windows installation to complete. Thank god new laptops no longer took forever to install an operating system. It was still annoying, and I found it hard to not fidget while we waited.

Louis asked the waitress for the wi-fi password and she wrote it on a piece of paper, handing it to him with the brightest of smiles. She made sure to bend over the table and give him a good look at her cleavage. Great, I had to add beating women off Louis with a stick to how bad the day had been! To my relief, he completely ignored her and started Internet Explorer, took a few minutes to download and install Mozilla Firefox (I would have gone with Chrome, but to each their own), then typed in a web address. He was greeted by a login screen and keyed in a very complicated username and a long and twisted password. After confirming his credentials, the website displayed a map and a glowing red dot. Hesrah was in Prague. I could tell by the street names and the tourist objectives marked on the map.

"Oh, my god," I shrieked and quickly used both my hands to cover my mouth. "She's under Charles Bridge? In the water..." I mumbled.

"Yes, she is," Louis said, his eyes glued to the flickering dot.

"Do you think she's okay?" I whispered, afraid of his answer.

"Don't worry. They wouldn't have drowned her. If they wanted her dead, they wouldn't have abducted her. There either is a glitch and she's somewhere nearby, or there is something under that bridge."

Louis sounded confident, and that should have helped. It failed. "You mean other than the Vltava River?" I asked, not sure if his serene face and steady voice were anything more than acting. "That's the only thing under that bridge."

"Alexa, old European cities have even older secrets. Or new developments."

"I hope you're right." I let my head fall back onto the oversized chair.

"Don't worry. We'll find her and she'll be okay." Louis reached out to me and slowly caressed my cheek. It felt warm and settled me. I would much rather trust him than worry. My fretting over Hesrah's safety wasn't helping anyway.

Louis turned the new cell phone on and sent a text to Anukh with the number.

"Do you think this Philippe guy is involved?" I asked while we were waiting for Anukh to call.

"He might be, but even if he is, he's not where Anthony said they were looking for him."

"You know him?"

"I've briefly met him." Louis shrugged and took a quick look around the café. "He's not as old as Anthony has hinted. And he's not French. He's Moroccan. He hates the cold and the rain so the Highlands of Scotland wouldn't be his first choice for a long term hideout."

"Yeah, maybe so, but how did he escape? How come he's alive?" I asked, deciding my natural curiosity was so much better than going crazy over Hesrah's well-being.

"Philippe has a habit of going into long voyages into the heart of some wilderness or another. And, by voyages, I mean years spent in the middle of nowhere. That's how he survived. Anger fueled Magnus when he wiped out his progenies. He ran amok and killed everyone in his path. The ones that were hard to reach or those he had no knowledge of at the time, like Anthony, escaped his wrath. Once his rage wore off, shame and remorse overtook him, driving him away to Ankhsis."

"So he stopped being an immediate threat to them?"

"Yes, but many still fear a repeat of the massacre. Not from Magnus, but from the council. The trueborns are far stronger than us, especially on baseborn blood. A first- or second-generation vampire can handle them, one at a time and with great effort, but third-generation ones can barely put a fight and trueborns cut through more diluted generations like a hot knife through butter. The Inner Sanctum is the greatest threat. _I_ can barely deal with a trueborn raised as a warrior. If it's two of them attacking, I'd drop like a fly," Louis said and shrugged.

Louis seemed calm, where I'd be shitting my pants at the thought. I could, on some level, understand Anthony's and the other baseborns' hate for the vampires from Ankhsis. Then I remembered my time with Louis and Hesrah, and the way I always challenged Anthony when I shouldn't have. If I had already gotten used with the idea of extreme danger in my everyday life, Louis must have perfected it by now. If they were exposed to enough of it, anyone would become desensitized to terror.

"If they are so scared of trueborns, then why attack and provoke them like this? Why abduct them?" I asked.

"It's not impossible to fight trueborns. There is strength in numbers. Plus, they are easier to handle with no blood at all or on a human blood diet. But I can't tell you why anyone would want to do something so reckless."

"To start a war maybe?"

"If the Inner Sanctum comes storming to Earth, they will wipe this planet clean of our kind. No, there must be a different reason. I just can't think of anything," he said, releasing a deep sigh.

"We'll figure it out."

When Anukh called, Louis updated him on Hesrah's location. He then convinced Anukh not to send trueborn vampires to investigate because they could be under heavy watch and would tip off whoever had taken her. He asked about Philippe, but the council had no knowledge of his whereabouts, hadn't had any information for decades, and the last time they'd crossed paths with him, he was in Morocco.

"Okay, so there's a chance Philippe is not involved. That's good news," Louis said, his shoulders relaxing.

"What's so special about Philippe? Why are you afraid of him?"

"He has... special powers."

"Special powers? Like you with the healing?"

Louis nodded. "Something like that. He can... he can put a special hold on other vampires."

"A special hold? Like mind control?"

"Something like that. For a brief period, he can make vampires bend to his will, to some extent. That's the best way to explain it."

"To what extent?" I asked, annoyed at how hard I had to work for the answers. This was not the time to keep me in the fucking dark.

"I don't know for sure," he said, frowning. "I heard he once kept a vampire from blurting out information for close to half an hour. He kept talking about something else to the council member asking the questions. Philippe managed to protect himself from the council's reach at that time, but no one knows what else he can do. And if I've learned something, it's that we get stronger with age. We perfect our skills."

An ominous feeling came over me, reawakening my fear. Not only were vampires super humans, strong, fast, and deadly. Now Louis was telling me some of them also exhibited non-physical powers. Hopefully, very few of them, but it was still enough to keep weaker minds awake at night. Oh, yeah, and the powers just kept getting better and better. I shrugged and shook my shoulders a bit, trying to break free from the sudden bout of terror making my heart beat faster "Well, hopefully this Philippe dude played no part in it. If he has, at least I'm human. He cannot control me, right?"

"I don't think he can. But it's of no consequence. Once Anthony believes we're headed to Scotland, I am taking you to a safe house. I am going alone. It will make it harder for anyone to detect me."

"Not on your life you're not!" I stood up, pointing a hopefully threatening finger in his direction.

"Alexa, I made up my mind. There will be no debate over this," he said and closed his eyes.

"No fucking way. You need someone there. I won't join in any of the fighting. I am too weak for it anyway. But I can certainly call for help if I need to."

"Alexa, no," Louis insisted, raising his voice.

"You're not going alone. I will come there even if you don't take me. I am not standing around hoping you don't get yourself killed." I crossed my arms over my chest and tapped my foot on the wooden floor of the cafe.

"Alexa..." He rubbed his forehead, head bowed in what I hoped was defeat.

"You can't ditch me. I either go with you, or I go on my own. Either way, I _am_ coming to Prague to scuba dive under that bridge till I find the both of you." I sat back in my seat and glared at him.

My determination surprised me. I should be relieved at the thought of staying put. Why would I run toward imminent danger like that? I closed my eyes, trying to slow down my body and my mind. I had lost so many people I loved. Sure, they were alive, but still out of my life. I couldn't stand by and let harm come to those I loved anymore. Almost without me noticing, Louis and Hesrah had become two of the most important people in my world. Weak as I was, I still intended to do my best to protect them.

Louis gave up and agreed to take me with him to Prague. I knew he could have found a way to restrain me if he wanted to. Maybe he knew I'd follow anyway and he'd wanted one less thing to worry about. Or maybe he took some comfort in the knowledge he wouldn't be throwing himself into a deadly situation all on his own. 

# Chapter XVIII

WE WENT BY THE house to pack for our trip to Prague. I changed and packed some clothes, feeling a little silly when I saw what Louis had put in his bag: an arsenal of swords and knives. I had no idea when and how he'd gotten the weapons into the house, but they gave me this feeling we stood a chance. We took his car as it was bigger and much faster than mine. It would also draw less attention than my bright red mushroom.

When we buckled up, Louis set the GPS to lead us to London and off we were. After a couple of hours that had barely taken us a few miles from Amsterdam, we stopped at a gas station. To my surprise, Anukh was there, filling the tank of a similar car to Louis's. Louis fueled up as well and we went inside to pay. When we exited, I made for Louis's car.

"No, this way," he said, grabbing my hand and directing me to Anukh's car. I blinked a few times, my jaw dropping. When had they exchanged keys? Damned supernatural speed! We headed back the way we came, going around Amsterdam, our GPS guiding us toward Germany.

Despite knowing I wasn't in any danger, Louis's fast driving made me anxious. I tried to focus on something other than our current speed, so I laid back in my seat and tried to think. This situation seemed so crazy and pointless. Why try so hard to abduct members of a species that could end your entire kind? Why risk dire repercussions? What for? Hate? Fear? All those reasons seemed stupid to me, but the inhabitants of Earth were well-known for acting recklessly because of these two primal emotions.

Unfortunately, Magnus had created a precedent. Nothing had truly threatened baseborns in a long time, but it could always happen again, no matter what the council promised. Another trueborn might lose their mind to rage, disappointed with the creations of his brethren, and travel through the portal to kill all baseborns.

Of course, trying to find a way to beat trueborns was easier than trying to diffuse all potential conflicts and dismiss all fears. On some level, I could get it. I would have loved my very own magical weapon to keep me safe from vampires. True, I wouldn't have kidnapped a few to get it, but there were people who definitely would if they thought it could keep them safe.

As my thoughts raced, I didn't even notice I was about to fall asleep. My mind drifted off, giving up on the idea of figuring out this fanger mess.

I woke up at dawn, sore and confused, to see Louis driving as fast as before. Judging by the signs on the road, we were somewhere in Germany.

"Morning," I mumbled when I realized I couldn't fall asleep again. I stretched as best I could and moaned at the stiffness in my muscles.

"Someone was exhausted."

Given the seriousness of the situation we were in and the ungodly hour, Louis was a bit too chirpy for my taste. He sported a broad smile that seemed kind of annoying this early in the morning. "Yeah. I guess it was all the worrying."

"I'd say it's because all the partying with Hesrah you've done lately. Weekends in Paris, nights out dancing, movie marathons." He kept his smile firmly on, but his eyes grew cold.

"Louis, it's really too early to be condescending. Just pull over at a gas station. I need to drink my weight in coffee."

"Okay, I'll pull over at the next one. But maybe you should cut down on the partying a little in the future."

"Why the hell would I?" I asked and turned to face him.

"Well, if something like this happens, I'd like to not be bored to death all the way to the destination."

To my utter shock, Louis was actually pouting. It looked strange on him. The only weirder thing was my suspicion he was jealous of Hesrah.

"Oooh, I see! So I should give up the most fun I've had in...well, years just to prevent you from getting bored?"

"Something like that," Louis said, nodding enthusiastically.

"Right, that's a 'no' to the less partying proposal but tell you what. When we find her, after we kick the asses of whoever took her, you could come party with us."

"Okay, that could work. But it should be a wild night out to compensate for this boring drive and any following ones."

"I'm sure it will be awesome. It will blow your mind, I promise." I thought I managed to sound confident enough, but I had a hard time believing it was easy to have enough fun in one night to blow the mind of a vampire who had been around for as long as Louis had been. I could most certainly try.

We stopped at the next gas station which, to my delight, showed up soon enough. I headed straight to the restroom. I desperately needed it after drinking way too much coffee and water the night before. Plus, I wanted to clean myself up a little. We weren't all vampires and couldn't look fresh, rested, and all-around breathtakingly handsome at any time of the day. Or night.

We stuffed a bag with sandwiches and energy drinks, then got a sufficiently satisfactory supply of hot coffee and kept on driving. I could barely see the cars we drove past. It was too fast, and I kept expecting the police to stop us at some point. When I finally voiced my concerns to Louis, he smirked. "You did not see the plates, did you?"

"No. What's so special about the plates?"

"Anukh called in a few favors and we're driving an embassy car. No one will stop us. Diplomatic immunity is all the rage, I hear." He winked at me and smiled.

Yeah, that made sense. They had it all covered. Nothing left for me to do, except lay back and relax. I felt a little useless, wondering why exactly I'd insisted Louis needed me on this trip.

A couple of hours later, we were on the outskirts of Prague. We drove as close to the city center as we could, left the car in a private parking lot, and set out to search the city on foot.

"Are we going to the bridge now?" It seemed like a bad idea to go there in the middle of the day, but Louis might know better.

"Not exactly. We're going to check in at a hotel I once stayed in. It's right next to the bridge," he said.

I imagined it wouldn't be a cheap hotel, but I didn't think he'd take a luxury suite in the Mamaison Suite Hotel Pachtuv Palace. The name was as grand as the hotel, albeit hard to pronounce or remember, and I thought, under different circumstances, it would have been wonderful to share that suite with Louis.

We dropped our luggage in the room and then went to stroll around Old Prague. We couldn't stand still anyway, and the views were exquisite. Not that I could truly enjoy myself with all this worry gnawing at me.

As we walked along the ancient streets, I remembered the last time I'd been in Prague. I was thirteen at the time and was travelling with my mom and step-dad. I was so sick on my first day in Prague, it was all a giant blur. My head hurt so badly, I thought it would explode. The sun and warmth were making it worse and I finally threw up in a garbage bin, right after climbing down the never-ending stairs of the Prague Castle, and surrounded by a disgusted audience. I then had to waste more of my precious travel time laying down in the back of our car and dozing off. Only after going through that ordeal did I get to enjoy Prague. I went all the way across Charles Bridge, a grin so wide on my face, my cheeks hurt. I stopped to admire each statue, then had the best ice cream I had ever eaten while watching the passage of figurines when the Astronomical Clock hit 7 pm.

While we were wandering aimlessly with no map and no clear direction, Louis took my hand in his, as if it was nothing, and kept walking and telling me stories of his many trips to Prague. The gesture had been so casual and genuine, as if he had been doing it for ages. It felt safe, except for the part where my whole left arm was tingling, and the sensation was slowly expanding and taking over the rest of my body. I felt like a teenage girl, head full of dreams, stomach full of butterflies, the handsome guy she had been fantasizing about finally noticing her. Unlike those young girl feelings, what I felt now was more intense. I knew this man, as much of him as I had been allowed to anyway. I knew he was kind and funny and all-around fantastic. I knew how passionate he could be, and I knew how easily I could melt under his touch. I was also aware I could turn into his breakfast at any point during our casual conversation. But, somehow, that did not matter. He wasn't more dangerous than other men. They could all hurt me, some in a more physical manner. But fear was not new. It had been part of any relationship I'd had over the years, ever since I could remember. Ever since my dad, the first man who taught me about hurt, had left.

I let Louis lead me through this beautiful city, listening to his stories and sharing some of mine, while casually holding hands. We apparently did that now. I raked my mind to remember his last few rejections in a failing effort to not turn this minor gesture into something bigger. Something meaningful.

We ate lunch, huge portions just like the Czechs loved them, in what seemed like a chain restaurant and, as we were leaving, Louis took my hand hurriedly, walking a little faster and saying he really needed to take me somewhere. He seemed excited and could barely contain his need to make a run for it, so I laughed at his enthusiasm but went along with it.

When I could hardly breathe anymore, we entered this sophisticated-looking place, Café Louvre. He took me to a table near the window and ordered two strong coffees.

"What's so special about this place?" I asked when his _I know something you don't know_ smile got the better of me.

"Can't you picture it?" he asked in a soft voice, smiling warmly and playing with a strand of my hair.

"Picture what?"

"Well, you, of course. You here, every morning, with your laptop, writing your novel."

I wanted to say something, but I couldn't. I opened my mouth, hoping I could articulate words, but I seemed to have lost that particular ability. "My novel?" I eventually mumbled.

"Yes. I know you've stopped writing these past months, but I saw you typing one morning, a few days after that night with Anthony. You went to take a bath and left the document open."

"You read it?" I asked, squinting at him and squeezing my hands into painful fists as my nails cut into my palms.

"Yes, I did. I know it was wrong, but I couldn't help it." He looked away and shrugged.

I wanted to stay mad, be upset with him for not even bothering to ask for my permission, but I was too terrified by his reaction. What if he hated it?

"I see," I whispered, letting my head hang and focusing on my fists.

"After seeing you fight for it with Anthony, I kept picturing you in a place like this, typing with that crazy speed and rhythm of yours," he said, a faint smile curving the corners of his mouth.

"Yeah, I don't know about that." I dismissed his words, not wanting to think about writing. My idea for a vampire book had started all of this. When Anthony had demanded I stopped writing, I'd gone mad and fought him for it. Now... I just didn't know what I wanted anymore. This world I'd been dragged into, real and unforgiving, and so not a myth... I wasn't sure I wanted to think about it more than I had to.

"What do you mean? You're not going to give up on it, are you?" he asked, moving closer and taking both of my hands in his.

I shied away from the contact and moved a little further from him. "I really don't know, Louis. I hope I won't. Right now, my life is a mess and the only thing I can think of is how to get through each day and still be somewhat sane at the end of it."

"Sorry," he whispered.

"It's not your fault. There's just been so much happening. Everything's upside-down and before I go back to writing, I need to figure out what's next for me, not just for a book I once tried to write."

"Maybe when things calm down, we can find a place like this in Amsterdam. Or come here for a while." Louis pulled me close, holding me against his chest. I wanted to push him away, but I caught his scent and leaned into him instead. I inhaled deeply and relished the closeness of the moment.

I looked up at him, wondering why he'd go to so much trouble to accommodate my writing. Then I started wondering why he'd speak of traveling to Prague again when he had gotten scared by a simple kiss.

I smiled and thanked him. I decided that dreaming of a trip to Prague, even if the chance of it happening was slim, was just what the doctor ordered before nightfall, when the real danger that lurked in the shadows closed in on us. Well, we'd go looking for it, but there was danger involved nonetheless.

After a few hours of tasty coffee and light conversation, we left the café. Darkness had fallen on the streets outside and we decided it was time to make our way to the bridge. Once outside, Louis didn't reach for my hand, and that cut deeper than I could've ever imagined. A few steps from the cafe, he put his arm around my shoulders and I felt stupid for feeling hurt earlier. I couldn't tell whether I doubted him or myself, my worth as a woman in the eyes of a man like Louis. I mentally kicked myself. I had promised to never look down on myself like that again.

We got to the bridge and walked across. The signal we'd picked up had come from the other side, right under the tower adorning its foot. We went down the stairs and walked slowly on the street in front of us. A little further down the road, we stopped. Louis took his phone out and started typing.

"To the left. Three baseborns guarding the door."

I hadn't seen anything. I wondered how he knew they were vampires. Was it their scent or did he see something I didn't?

I took his phone and typed fast. _"Think they spotted you?"_

"Yes. Maybe they thought I was out hunting."

"Okay. What now?"

"Walk behind me."

He slid the phone back into his pocket and started back. Now that I was actually looking for them, I noticed the three men talking in front of a door leading... right under Charles Bridge!

In the blink of an eye, Louis disappeared from right in front of me. One more blink and there he was, right in the middle of the three vampires, twisting and breaking the neck of one of them. The other two attacked and I could barely tell what was going on. They were all moving so fast that it looked like I was watching a blurred-out, high-speed video.

At one point, Louis fell down on the ground and the other two held him there. I watched in horror as they pushed a knife through his gut, his scream piercing the night. He struggled to push them off and failed.

I clearly wasn't thinking, as I started running towards them. I took my backpack off my shoulder and hit one of them hard in the head. It couldn't have really hurt him, but it distracted him, and he turned on me.

He laughed in my face, a truly evil sound, all fangs and glassy eyes. He grabbed me under my armpits and I sent me flying. I stopped when I slammed into the cold rocks at the foot of Charles Bridge. The impact was so strong, I bounced off the cold stone wall and crumbled down onto the pavement. Pain shot through my left side and I would have screamed like the scared little girl that I was, if only I could breathe. I forced myself to turn and see what was going on, but all I could distinguish were three shapes moving quickly. Then there were two, then one, then two again when the first vampire recovered. A silver blade was flying here and there and, at one point, I felt warm drops falling on my face. The long coat Louis had been wearing had not been a random fashion choice, I realized. I wondered what he would have done if it hadn't been a chilly day. It seemed stupid to think about that, but I couldn't help it. That and the whole Duncan MacCloud moment when he'd pulled a sword out of his trench coat. Seemed all immortals were good at hiding sharp blades in their clothing.

I closed my eyes, pain making me dizzy. When I opened them again, Louis crouched in front of me.

"Are you ok?" he asked. Even through my daze, I noticed the way he shook, wincing as he pressed his hand over his stomach.

"No, but I'll survive," I said, then started coughing.

"What the hell was that?" He sounded angry over the stunt I had pulled, but I could barely hear him. The smell was the first sign, then I saw it: blood pouring out of the wound in his gut, painting his hand red. There were a few more cuts on his legs and arms. Deep cuts, all of them. I forced myself to sit up, ignoring the pain and the sudden pressure in my lungs. I rested my back against the wall I'd crashed into earlier and sighed. My side still hurt, but I could move without blinding pain, which meant nothing broken.

"Let me help." I took my jacket off and pressed it over his wound. "How long will it take you to heal?"

"The whole night. We have to go, then come back later." I brushed away a few strands of hair, hoping it would ease the deep frown on Louis's face.

"The whole night? What kind of vampire are you?" I winced at my poor attempt at a joke.

"I need blood to heal faster." He shrugged, letting his head fall and rest on the wall behind him.

"So take mine." My heart surged, beating a wild rhythm at the idea of Louis's fangs piercing through my skin. A strange mix of excitement and fear flooded me, dizzying and thrilling.

"Not enough..."

"What do you mean not enough? You have to take it, heal, and go get her. Now!" I knew we couldn't wait, not for an entire night, and still expect her to be here.

"I don't know how many more are waiting inside. Even if I did, I'd have to almost drain you to heal fast enough to attack before they sound the alarm."

"So what? You'll heal me afterward. You did it before."

"You won't be able to speak or move. You'd be completely exposed until I return"

"Please, Louis," I begged. "Just do it and then try your best to save Hesrah. If we leave now, they'll move her. They'll find the tracking device and she'll be lost."

"I'll find her again," he said, but he didn't sound like he believed it.

"Oh, stop being such a pain. We'll be fine."

"I said no!" Him shouting was not about to stop me. I zeroed in on the sword in his hand and reached out to it. I took a few breaths and hastily cut my right palm by swiping it along the sharpened blade as fast as I could. It hurt a lot worse than the papercut I'd imagined, but it was too late to change my mind now. I placed my bleeding hand in front of his mouth and nose and waited for his thirst to do the rest. How much self-control could he have when he was badly wounded?

"No, please." He whimpered, turning his face to the side.

"C'mon, drink. Save the day and make it worth it. If not, you can always blame me for our failure," I said and gave him a weak smile while brushing my palm along his lips.

He started drinking slowly. I saw his eyes turn into something vicious, but his hand gently stroking my leg calmed me down. I lost all confidence when he pulled me close to him and bit my neck. I could feel the blood flowing out of me, and the pain was sharp and unyielding. He was breathing heavily and moaning while gulping down my blood, yet even in the midst of that blood-frenzied feeding, one of his hands was still caressing my hair. It failed to soothe my panic this time around, but it all got blurry soon enough. I felt cold to the point of freezing and completely drained of energy.

He placed me close to the stone wall, trying to make me as comfortable as possible, but it was wasted effort. I couldn't feel much, and everything was a thick haze. All I saw was a shadow going in. Later, a shadow coming out. I wanted to call out, thinking it was Louis coming back, but the shadow walked past me. I closed my eyes, thinking it was all right to sleep for a few minutes. Just a little while, until I got better...

# Chapter XIX

I OPENED MY EYES to hazy light. I felt cold, and my own shivering was what had awakened me. I couldn't tell where I was, but it felt comfortable and safe. A cold hand covered my forehead, and I heard a distant, but unmistakable voice. Louis. Then a second one, crying and talking at the same time. Loud. Although my head was pounding, I couldn't help but smile. Hesrah. She was okay.

"Glad to see you, too... but keep it down," I whispered. I tried to wave away the dizziness and to sit up.

"Oh, no. Stay right there," Louis said, holding me down on the bed.

"Please... I want to sit up."

He arranged my pillows and helped me up. Hesrah came on the other side of the bed with a steaming bowl of soup. I could feel the iron scent, overpowering and twisting my stomach. I frowned and looked up at Louis.

"Were you daydreaming when you made that and added too much blood?"

"No." He chuckled and that sound did great things to my general well-being, probably more than the actual soup would. "Just drink it all and be quick about it."

"It's all right, Alexa," Hesrah reassured me, her voice cracking. "You won't taste it much. He put tons of pepper in it."

So he had told her. Or she'd guessed from the smell of blood. I took a few sips and then made what I imagined was a very disgusted face. "Jeez! I can taste it all right. And the only thing the pepper does is to make my eyes water." I took a few more sips and struggled to keep it down. "God, how can you guys drink this? And without the soup?"

"Please, you have to. You need to heal fast. They are surely looking for us and we need to get out of Prague yesterday," Louis said, helping me raise the bowl to my lips.

I couldn't take the worry in his voice so I made an effort and downed the soup as fast as I could. I coughed, the taste and too much spice making me gag, but I held it in. I immediately felt invigorated, like I hadn't been sent flying into a wall by a superhuman bastard. I slid out of bed and went into the bathroom. I could hear them fretting on the other side of the door, but all I wanted was a hot shower and fresh clothes.

Clean and feeling somewhat human, I followed them out of the hotel and into a cab that took us to the parking lot where Louis had left the car. It was dark outside, which meant I'd slept through the whole night and the next day. But I felt great. Judging by the bruises on my body and the quantity of blood I'd lost, I shouldn't even be able to move much. Yet here I was, up and running, thanks to Louis's very special medicine.

We drove out of the city and the moment we were safely out of Prague, I made them stop and move me to the front seat. It wasn't very comfortable, but I was getting queasy in the back. Motion sickness was a bitch when you were already injured. Louis refused to stop until we made it to Germany, then found a small inn near the highway.

By the time we were checked in, my burst of energy had worn off and I could barely keep my eyes open. Apparently, there was an expiration date on the benefits of the significant dose of blood Louis had fed me. I leaned on him and slowly walked to one of the rooms he had booked. After unlocking the door, he carried me to the bed. I guessed it was faster that way. He kissed me on the cheek and wanted to leave, but I caught his hand and pulled him close to me.

"Please don't go," I whispered, tightening my grip on him.

"I'll be back in an instant," he said and I heard him whispering with Hesrah. Doors banged shut, locks twisted, and then I finally felt him stretch next to me, his arm reaching over my waist and taking my hand in his. He was so close, his scent soothing me.

"I am so, so tired," I complained.

"I know, don't fight it. If you rest, you'll heal faster."

I sighed, squirming on the bed to get closer to him, and closed my eyes.

"I am so sorry this happened to you," he said, pressing his face into my hair.

"Why on earth should you be sorry?"

"I put you in this state. I could have taken less, but your blood is so intoxicating. And I was badly hurt. It was painfully difficult to control myself." He pulled me closer and buried his nose in the crook of my neck.

"You saved her, and I am totally fine. There's nothing to apologize for."

I knew he wouldn't let go of his guilt so easily, but I was willing to try to convince him it hadn't been his fault. I'd chosen this. I knew the risks, and I thought it had been worth it. Maybe it was better for us to sleep first. Rested minds are always better at making valid points.

Waking up to an empty bed and breakfast set out in the room was more traumatic than I would have ever imagined. I panicked for a second and I couldn't move or breathe. I tried to calm down and think like a normal person. It was all fine. I was not alone in the middle of nowhere. Louis wouldn't do that. He was probably with Hesrah or something.

It wasn't working very well so I thought doing something might yield better results. I went to the small bathroom to clean up. The bruises were almost completely healed and once the panic and fear were gone, I noticed just how _good_ I felt. No pain, no tightness in my muscles, just this buzzing anxiety and budding panic. I could deal with those, but not here, locked in this room all by myself. I had no idea where Louis had gone, and I didn't want to add to his burden by taking off on my own.

I found my bag and got dressed. I took the remote control from the desk and turned the TV on. Everything was in German, so I zapped a bit until I found a music channel. If the music was good, it did not matter that I could only understand three words of each song.

A few minutes later, Louis walked in. "Hey," he said, a tentative smile on his lips. "You're up."

The smile was a good start, even if his eyes roamed over me, trying to assess my state.

"Yeah, I am. All clean, dressed and ready to go."

He started to say something, but I shushed him and turned the TV up. The first notes of the song had caught my attention and I just wanted to hear the words surround everything. I loved the song currently playing. I loved the meaning behind the lyrics. I closed my eyes, laid back, and listened. I only opened them again when a new song started and I turned the volume down.

Louis lay right next to me, and I hadn't even felt him. He was looking at me intently, and I wished I could read his mind, at least for a second. I couldn't, though. All I could do was stare back and hope that expressionless face was not going to bring me any bad news in the next few moments. Instead, he leaned over and kissed me slowly, almost too slow, again and again, his lips touching mine, then moving away a bit, then starting again, as if trying to get a feel of me, of how far we could go. I wanted to pull him closer and not let him go ever again, but I couldn't, too afraid he'd run away if I pushed. I indulged him in his game of discovery and he found his way closer on his own. When his tongue finally touched mine, I couldn't hold back a moan of pure pleasure. The normal me might have cringed at that sound, such a clear sign of how powerful an effect he had on me. But I was too distracted by the taste of his tongue, the way it slid along mine to care at this point.

I relaxed on the bed, pulling him with me and shuddering as he slowly rolled on top of me. I spread my legs, enough to make room for him to slide between them. He fit perfectly and felt right, the kiss deepening until it overwhelmed me. Kissing Louis came so naturally that I couldn't remember why we'd stopped before. His hand went up my leg, from my ankle to the back of my knee, lifting it slowly to place it around his waist.

All I wanted was for him to keep kissing me like that, tear all my clothes off, and get closer, until nothing stood between us. I wanted to feel him moving deep inside of me, get lost in him, and not care about any of the real-world problems waiting for us outside. A lingering thought about blood bonds and passion being ignited until it spiraled out of control between us made me question our kiss for a moment. I pushed it aside. It did not matter whose desire this was. We were touching each other, like we should have ever since the day we'd met.

He freed my mouth to kiss my neck. "Oh, god," I whispered, his hand burning my skin as it slid under my shirt, going up and reaching for my breast. He circled my hardened nipple, making me shudder. Every cell of my body ached with a deep need for him to touch me more, possess me.

He kissed me again and I could feel his fangs now and then. He tensed in my arms, and I guessed he was trying to keep his feral side under control. I pushed against his chest and he immediately stopped, hovering on top of me.

"Louis, why are you trying so hard to control yourself?" I asked in a hushed voice.

He tried to roll away from me, but I put my other leg around his waist and stopped him.

"I don't want to scare or hurt you," he said, resting his forehead on my shoulder.

"Do I seem scared to you?"

I could feel the corners of his mouth through my shirt, turning up into a smile. "No, but I still might hurt you. I really don't want that to happen."

"Stop worrying so much," I said, tired of the conversation. I cupped his face and pulled him in for a kiss. Briefly wondering where all that boldness had come from, I struggled with his belt. I needed to unbuckle it, to reach inside and feel him, to prove to myself he wanted me as much as I wanted him. The deep moan in my ear that he couldn't control when I started unbuttoning his jeans made us both wild with passion.

"Hey, come on, you guys. We gotta go," Hesrah shouted, her fist slamming into our door.

I couldn't care. My hand sliding inside his underwear and making him forget about her impatient knocking seemed to be the most important task in the world. Louis stopped me, though. He didn't stop the kiss or caressing my breast, but he took my hand and placed it safely away.

I knew he would move away and it physically hurt. I told myself I should remember to punch Hesrah for this sometime in the future. Louis stood and it wasn't just the cold and sudden end to a passionate moment that hurt, but the uncertainty of it all. What if we'd go back to playing hot and cold instead of getting back to this the moment we were safe and alone together?

"In a second," he yelled when Hesrah wouldn't stop banging on the door. He opened it and let her in.

"What's wrong?" she asked the moment she noticed our state. "You both look kind of angry. Is everything all right?"

I just couldn't help laughing. It was hilarious. She was so worried and wouldn't even dream we were actually annoyed with her.

"It's all good, Hesrah. Don't worry," I said, making an effort to get up from the bed.

"Come on, you guys. I want to go." She fidgeted and played with the zipper of her hoodie.

"Why so anxious?" Louis asked.

"I just can't relax. I keep listening to every noise outside and I expected someone to force their way in and attack us again," she said, her voice breaking.

"Wow, I never imagined a trueborn could be afraid," I said and immediately regretted it.

"I'm not afraid," Hesrah hissed. "At least I don't think I am. I feel this need to make sure I never get taken again."

"Don't worry. We're going to leave shortly and then stop somewhere on the way to buy some food," Louis reassured her.

"I'm sure I will be a lot better in a moving car." She shrugged and stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jeans.

"You will be," I said, giving her a hug in hopes it would help her. "Let's pack quickly and get out of here." I really didn't want to. I'd much rather have locked myself in the room with Louis and not go out for hours and hours, maybe even days. Who needed sunlight or food or anything when I could have him naked? But Hesrah showed signs of so much distress, I couldn't give in to my selfishness. Besides, there were a lot of people waiting for us and they all wanted explanations.

Hesrah nodded and went back to her room, Louis closing the door behind her. As I turned around to go pack, he caught my hand and pulled me close to him. Once I was in his arms, he pushed me against the door and devoured my mouth.

"I really don't want to go anywhere," he whispered in my ear, hugging me so tightly I could barely breathe.

"I am not a particularly big fan of leaving either, but it seems we have to."

"Yes, we do. I just wanted to...I don't know, enjoy a few moments alone with you." He continued to whisper against my neck and I hated that I couldn't see his face. I realized I didn't need to because I could feel everything he was feeling. The stringent need to stay close was radiating strongly from him.

"You sound as if we won't get another chance," I said, a wave of sadness washing over me.

He released me from the embrace and stared into my eyes. "Don't frown like that, please. I didn't mean to sound so dramatic. It's just that everyone will want detailed reports of everything and it will take some time to get it all sorted."

"Well, that should make you anxious and restless, not whiny and upset."

He looked at me, his playful smile brightening our mood, and kissed me again. "You are right. The world won't end and you will still be right next to me after all of this."

"Of course I will. Now, let's go before Hesrah comes knocking again. I'm afraid she'll break the door this time."

We made quick work of packing, as we hadn't taken much with us in the first place. We stopped to check out of the inn, then went to the car. Hesrah was already there and she had this huge, all-knowing grin on her face. She looked like it had been forced there. I had never seen such a bright smile from her.

"Hello, you two," she leered.

For a moment, I couldn't get what was up with her, until I realized Louis and I were holding hands. Then it hit me she'd probably heard our conversation after returning to her room. So busted!

"So that's why you were both so angry earlier," she said, dragging out the words and wiggling her eyebrows. "I get it now."

"Oh, shut up and get in the car," I said, trying to sound pissed and failing. It wasn't easy, looking mean when you couldn't stop smiling.

We stopped at the first gas station we found. We loaded up on coffee, some sandwiches, and sweets, then drove on. It took us a while to get back to Amsterdam so we put that time to good use and got our stories straight. My helping Louis and the blood infusion had to remain a secret from everyone. Apparently, other than Anukh and Hesrah, no one else knew of Louis's special ability.

While rehashing the events, the extent of how traumatic Hesrah's experience had been finally sunk in. Stun guns, hard drugs, all on top of a bunch of vampires attacking her sounded terrifying. She'd fought them as best as she could. Yet one of them had been particularly strong, and with his help, they'd managed to subdue her.

"I didn't know stun guns worked on vampires," I said, astonished that such a simple device would be enough to bring them down.

"If you get close enough, they work for a short while. As do some drugs," Louis said. "They wouldn't help a human, but vampires against other vampires? That's a different story."

"They kept asking me about Ankhsis and the portals," Hesrah said. "Each time they hurt me and poisoned my blood, they asked again and again how someone other than trueborns could go through the portal. After a while, I wished there was a different answer for me to give them." Her eyes darkened, her lips pressed into a narrow line. I noticed her fists shaking from the effort of clenching them so tightly.

"There is no way of going through the portals for anyone _but_ trueborns," Louis said, hitting the wheel in frustration.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Of course I am." He huffed and swore under his breath. "I was created by Magnus and have been part of all council meetings for centuries. Don't you think I'd know if there was a way?"

"Okay, Prince of Darkness, get a grip." I felt his anger invading me and tried my best to dampen it. "Do you think they're all idiots and have no reason to ask about the portals?"

"Sorry, portals are a sour subject for me." He shrugged and focused on the road ahead.

"Why is that?" I asked, sensing he wouldn't explain further unless I insisted.

"Another time, I promise," he said, his voice warm again. He took my hand in his and brought it to his mouth, kissing it. "Just some old wounds I don't particularly want to explore right now."

"Some other time, then. Still, they might suspect there is a way in. Or maybe they desperately need one."

"But what for?" Hesrah asked. "Even if there were a way to pass through, what could they do? Come fight us there?"

It sounded completely ludicrous to me. Why go attack someone on their own turf especially when they were so much stronger?

"If they could do that, they would most certainly try," Louis said.

"I don't get it," I confessed. "It sounds to me like a bunch of rabbits going to attack the wolves in their den."

"Things are different on Ankhsis," Louis said.

"He's right," Hesrah shouted, making me jump. "There is absolutely no way of knowing how things stand on Ankhsis."

"You're not making any sense. Either of you. What's so different about the vampire home world?"

"We know what we become in other worlds," Hesrah said. "But as our portals have always worked only for us, we have no idea what effect Ankhsis would have on people from other realms."

"So there is a possibility for them to come there and squash you like bugs?" I asked, frowning.

"Yes. Luckily, it's impossible. The portal simply does not work for those who are not trueborn. The baseborn cannot activate it to cross and if someone else opens it for them, they cannot walk through it. Humans are killed in the process, and the portal spits their ashes out."

"Sounds like the perfect defense," I mused. "You are superheroes wherever you go and no one can attack your home."

"I cannot understand where this search for a way through the portals came from," Louis said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I have no idea," Hesrah said. "I don't remember ever reading anything that hinted to people from other worlds ever traveling to Ankhsis."

"Still, there has to be some smoke hinting at that particular fire," I said, eyes trained on the road ahead.

"You might be right," Hesrah said after being lost in her thoughts for a while. "A lot of things are not covered by the records on Ankhsis. If it weren't for Magnus's book, there would be no document mentioning anything more than a few inaccurate details about Earth."

The moment Magnus was mentioned, Louis tensed. The reaction was so powerful, I immediately felt it in every cell of my body.

"Louis, careful," I whispered. "It's much stronger this time."

"What's wrong?" Hesrah asked, popping her head in between our seats.

"I didn't know this stupid bond was evolving," I said in a whiny voice.

"It took a while to sense its presence last time. This time it worked faster because of the more significant quantity," Louis said matter-of-factly.

"Will someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?" Hesrah muttered, punching our headrests.

"Just a side effect of my drinking his blood. Apparently, there's a rare connection going on between us. Basically, whatever one of us feels, the other one does, too, only it gets supercharged."

"Sounds like a bitch trying to control that," Hesrah said with a huge grin on her face. I somehow knew exactly what she was thinking of. Her mind was no stranger to the gutter, it seemed.

"It is quite difficult to control without others finding out," Louis tried to get her back on track. "No one knows about this. And no one can ever know."

"Okay, so then my role tonight will be to make sure you two don't stick too close to each other or other people's throats, and try to tone you down," Hesrah said and nodded.

"Sounds like a plan," Louis agreed, but I wasn't sure it would work. A few meters were not enough distance to dull the sensations.

# Chapter XX

ANUKH AND ANTHONY were waiting for us at the house when we arrived. Hesrah, who I discovered was surprisingly good at acting, pulled the weak and exhausted card, and I jumped in to help her upstairs. We left Louis with them to explain what had happened, but we could hear every word of their exchange.

They listened to Louis recounting what had happened at first, but then the questions started flowing. What happened to the vampires who were guarding Hesrah? They were no longer there when Louis returned after taking Hesrah to the hotel we were staying at. Did he recognize them? No, he did not know the three at the door. They were fourth- and fifth-generation. What about those inside? Two more fourth-generation vampires, both part of the team Anthony had sent to Scotland. Who was the third-generation ring leader? Louis had no clue. He was long gone when he'd gotten to Hesrah. Hearing Louis's reply, a faint memory of a shadowy figure disappearing into the night resurfaced. It could have been that asshole leader of theirs, but I had no clue how to describe him. Louis believed he'd vanished because he had no reason to stick around and try to recapture Hesrah. They'd already forced all the information she had out of her.

"He couldn't have tortured that sort of information out of anyone," Anukh said, and even from the top floor, I jumped at his loud, piercing words. "There is no known way for anyone other than those born in Ankhsis to go through the portal."

"True enough, but they seem pretty determined to keep asking," Louis said.

"At least you're all safe," Anthony said, sounding bored. I knew he couldn't care less whether we were safe or not, but I guessed he felt it would look good for him to say it. "I will send out everyone to search for my missing men. I will find them and get answers out of them."

"No," Anukh said in a sharp voice. "You will find them and bring them to the High Council. _We_ will do the questioning."

"As you wish," Anthony said, and it seemed to me he'd agreed too fast. "Come, Anukh. Let's give them a chance to rest."

"Yes, you are right, for once," the trueborn muttered.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot. This whole affair has created a lot of tension and worry," Anthony said. "I decided we all need to put it behind us so there will be a party at the club tonight in Hesrah's honor. She needs to relax a little."

It sounded like a nice thing to do but, coming from Anthony, it just felt wrong. "I don't think anyone is in a mood for a party, Anthony," Louis said.

"That's just it. Trueborns disappearing, mysterious and powerful baseborns... we all need a reprieve."

"I have to agree with Anthony," Anukh said. "Hesrah has been through a lot, and so have you and Alexa. Everyone needs to relax."

"So you will come to my party then?" I couldn't see Anthony, but I could hear the grin of pleasure in his voice.

"Yes, I will," Anukh said after a few moments of silence.

"Excellent. See you all there," Anthony said, the door opening and closing after that.

Anukh stayed a little longer, he and Louis trying to come to a conclusion on what the whole party idea was about. We'd all find out soon enough.

The idea of going to a party organized by Anthony didn't bode well with me, but Hesrah seemed strangely excited.

"You know, Anthony might still be behind your abduction. Why are you so happy about his stupid party?" I asked.

"Oh, I know that, but no one ever threw a party for me. Despite his devious scheming, this is still an event in my honor."

I remembered being as excited as she was as a kid, when I'd finally grown old enough to understand what a birthday party meant, how it was all about me. Seeing a similar display from an adult seemed odd. Ankhsis suddenly sounded like a cold, uninteresting place. No wonder they came here and never left.

"What do you mean you never had a party?" I asked, frowning. "Don't you celebrate birthdays over there?"

"We do. There are always special ceremonies for each year. There are also parties. I just... I took being part of the Inner Sanctum way too seriously. Ever since I can remember, I always wanted to be one of the warriors. Tali would always run off and go have fun with her friends, but I never joined her."

"Oh, god, why not?"

"Well, my mom had plenty to deal with. She was the High Commander of the Inner Sanctum. Even when my father was still alive, their responsibilities always weighed heavily on them and their relationship. I just didn't want to add to that." She shrugged and gave me a small smile.

"Wow, you completely skipped adolescence," I said, raising both my eyebrows.

"Is that a bad thing?"

I looked at Louis who had joined us and was leaning against the door frame and gave him a little smile before turning to Hesrah. "Somewhat. I skipped it, too, plus most of my childhood. I had to grow up fast, but I still did my best to have tons of fun." I hadn't ever had a rebellious phase, but I'd enjoyed my fair share of parties and crazy evenings.

I could feel Louis's gaze on me. He was intrigued, I guessed from the emotions passing between us. I had never mentioned my childhood before. And I didn't want to get into the details of it. It wasn't the best, not the worst, enough said.

"I think if I'd ever let Tali take me to one of their parties, I would have loved it. I did with you. The dancing, the music, I enjoyed every second of it," she said with a melancholic twist of her lips that slowly turned sour. "Maybe that's why she left. I was no fun."

"Like hell that's why! Hesrah, look at me. Look at me," I shouted. "That's not why she left. I can't imagine someone who truly wanted to have fun with you failing. I barely knew you and had no problem with it, so your Tali couldn't have tried very hard."

She lunged at me and hugged me so tightly, I couldn't breathe anymore. A fit of cough helped break her death grip on me. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you," Hesrah said, hanging her head.

"Oh, you didn't. Just cut off my air supply a little," I choked out, smiling. "Come on. We have a few hours until the party. Let's go shopping and get our hair done and all that jazz."

What followed was one of the most fun afternoons of my life. I am sure it was like that for all of us. Well, maybe Louis had less of a blast while we were getting our hair and nails and makeup done, but he never let it show. He passed the time in a quiet corner of the salon, reading a book and chatting with us from time to time. We then raided the shops and decided to go for coordinated black and red outfits. As we were a team now, we most definitely needed to dress like it. Hesrah picked a super short red dress and open-toe pumps. I went with a knee-length, sleeveless and body hugging black dress, adding a red belt and matching red lace-up sandals. Louis went for an all-black suit and shirt combination, but added a red rose to his jacket to match the color scheme. He wasn't wearing a tie, his shirt loosely unbuttoned. His perfect skin showing through, his lips, his hand holding mine, they did incredible things to me. Every few minutes, when things between us got too intense and I feared we'd jump each other, I had to take a moment to breathe and try to control my lustful thoughts.

We eventually arrived at the club, more than fashionably late, and made our entrance. Louis stood in the middle, Hesrah on his left arm, me on his right, all smiles and dressed in in our new fancy teamwear. There was a sudden halt in conversation that we picked up on despite the loud music. Anthony darted to greet us, frowning and snarling. "You're late!"

"Anthony, darling," I said, my voice more dramatic than I thought I could pull off, "we are the stars of your party. Of course we are late. We had to put so much effort into looking exquisite tonight. We couldn't disappoint you, could we?"

We all burst into a loud and uncontrollable fit of laughter. He didn't look pleased at all. So, on a hunch, I let go of Louis's arm and kissed Anthony on the cheek.

"Oh, relax, will you," I said. "It's all good. Disaster averted. The party seems lively, and we are here to make it even better. Try enjoying yourself for a moment, Anthony."

"You are right. Come, dance with me and I'll be fine," he said. I agreed, but when I caught the smug look he gave Louis, I regretted my actions. As I was walking with him to the dance floor they'd arranged in the middle of the club, I turned my head just for a few seconds to smile back at Louis, the smile I saved just for him. With that, the waves of anger and jealousy coming from him dissipated. He blew a kiss my way and turned to talk to Hesrah.

The moment we got to the dance floor, the music suddenly went from the latest club hit to a slower tune. Anthony pulled me close to him, closer than I was comfortable with, and led me through the steps. "When will you grow tired of wasting your time with Louis?" he whispered in my ear. "I'm a much better choice for you."

"How's that?" I said, batting my eyelashes at Anthony, acutely aware that Louis could hear every word we whispered.

"He's... uninteresting. I might be harder to handle, but I'm never boring."

"Boring you are not, Anthony. But, other than that, you're of no interest to me."

"I used to be, though," he said, his arms moving slowly down my back.

"The past tense being key here," I said out, catching his hand and stopping his descent just in time.

"I very much doubt I couldn't get you all hot for me again." He chuckled and held me even closer.

"I am sure you could...if you were the last man on earth."

"Ouch! That was mean."

"Yes, also an understatement. The reality of your chances is much harsher. Besides, it's not mean if it's true."

"Oh, come on. That night couldn't have been that bad. I remember the sound of your orgasms quite well."

I could feel Louis's fury cutting through the entire club and reaching me.

"If sexual satisfaction was the only reason to be with somebody, I would still be stuck in that weird, never-ending trio with my ex."

"Are you telling me your ex or Louis, for that matter, is just as good as I am?" he muttered in my ear.

"My ex was better than you, Anthony, simply because it's not just about skill. It's about actually taking an interest in the person you're with, figuring out they are more than an object that you can abuse as you like."

"And Louis?"

"I really couldn't tell. But, if you like, I'll let you the moment I find out."

He stopped and pushed me back a bit. I could see Louis over his shoulder, tense and ready to come to my rescue. Anthony laughed and resumed our dance. "See, you are harsh and cruel yourself. We would have made quite a pair. Why can't you see that?"

"Well, Anthony, maybe we would have. Think about that long and hard. The only person to blame for it failing is you. If you'd bothered to get to know me and not follow your crazy script, things might have been different."

"Do you really believe that?"

"Not really. I don't like the real you very much. And I don't think you would have changed for me. People don't change."

"The woman I am unable to make happy hasn't been born yet." He huffed and I could feel his hand pressed against my back turning into a fist.

"Oh, I am sure there are millions you can't make happy. Most of us don't appreciate sharing or being used as a blood bank."

"True enough. Your loss then," he said. "Thank you for the dance," he added, although the song was not yet over, then walked me to the table Hesrah and Louis were sitting at. I sat down next to Louis.

Thinking Anthony had left, I felt him next to me, whispering in my ear, "But I'll keep trying to show you the errors in your ways." He laughed as he walked away, waving at Louis.

I instantly reached out and took Louis's hand. He wouldn't look at me. His eyes followed Anthony as he walked away, anger and violence radiating off him. I could feel it taking me over and I knew I'd just amplify what he felt. I called his name, trying to distract him, but he wouldn't answer. "Louis, look at me," I said, squeezing his hand.

He finally turned and faced me with his burning green eyes. I had never seen that expression up close. He was ready to tear limbs apart and end lives. I should have been scared, but I felt an immense sadness taking over instead. That was not the feeling I wanted to cause in the man I loved.

It hit me then, like a freaking truck flattening me to the ground. It was more than sexual tension and friendship between us, at least where I stood. It was a lot more. This was a man who had gotten to know me, who'd allowed me in, behind his walls. Someone who made a strong, lasting impression on me that would be close to impossible to ever erase. Funny how life works. I had known him such a short time, and we hadn't even had a proper relationship, but he'd managed to do what Anthony had so intently planned to achieve and had failed: make me love him. This feeling, now overflowing, had taken me over so naturally, although, on some level, I'd feared I'd never love like this again. I thought I would have built insurmountable walls around my heart by now, to protect myself from getting hurt again. Yet Louis had managed to go through all my defenses so effortlessly.

"Alexa, are you all right?"

Louis's voice brought me back. I realized I was no longer looking at him. I was staring at into nothing, my eyes teary. "I'm sorry," I mumbled.

"What for? You haven't done anything to be sorry about."

"Yet, somehow, you were so angry just now."

"And how was that your fault? That was all Anthony," he said and turned to face me, taking both my hands in his.

"Louis, it's his fault for trying to get that reaction, but it's not his for succeeding." I wanted to add that it was mine because it was me who Louis believed would run back to Anthony if he kept pursuing me.

Louis squeezed my hands gently and I looked up. "You're right. It's my fault for acting like a beast defending its territory and allowing myself to forget for a second all I've learned about you."

He had to say the perfect thing at the perfect time, didn't he? No wonder I loved him. I wanted to tell him, but I kept quiet. This wasn't the place and I felt stupid for feeling so strongly for someone I wasn't even with. I doubted someone like Louis could feel the same way about me. I had a bad habit of under-appreciating myself and believing all men in my life would leave me because I didn't deserve any better. It was, in the end, what had happened to me ever since I could remember. When it's different men with different personalities doing the exact same thing, you start wondering. _Is it really them, or is it me?_

Louis kissed my hand, his broad smile making me forget my insecurities. Then Hesrah decided it was time we hit the dance floor, and we danced and danced for hours. Just when I was starting to forget where I was and who had thrown the party, a screen appeared out of nowhere and descended in the middle of the dance floor. Anthony announced that it was karaoke time.

"Oh, brother," I said, disappointment washing over me.

"What's wrong? And what exactly is karaoke?" Hesrah asked, still dancing to the now significantly lower volume of music.

"You just go up there and sing famous songs."

"It sounds like fun," she said, clapping excitedly. "Why don't you like it?"

"First of all, I can't really sing. Second, anyone can try it and not all who try it can sing. So you spend most of it having your ears assaulted by tone deaf wannabes."

"And doesn't making fun of them compensate?" Hesrah said, wiggling her eyebrows and grinning.

"Oh, you bet it does!" I loved how her mind worked. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as I feared.

The Spanish girl, who had at least learned not to aggravate me, turned out to be a great singer. So was one of Anthony's vampire friends and the two of them ended up doing most of the singing. Louis and Anukh were at the bar, drinking and talking, while I enjoyed the music and danced with Hesrah.

At a certain point, Anthony got the microphone from the Spanish girl. She leaned in to kiss him before leaving the stage, but he pushed her aside. For a moment, I could see the hurt and disappointment on her face. I felt bad for her, as I knew full well what harsh rejection from the man you cared for felt like.

The moment I heard the first notes of the song, anger raced through me. Anthony _had_ to sing that song. Yes, I'd posted it on my novel's website and it used to mean a lot to me. _Somebody_ by Depeche Mode. Anthony had no right to sing that, not to me. His voice was perfect for that tune, which didn't help diffuse my wrath, and he kept stealing glances at me with that smug grin of his. All I wanted was to march right there and punch him in the face. What was his end game? He knew he'd lost me. He had no interest in me, other than needing something to bolster his already overinflated ego. So what was he doing? I turned to leave, but my eyes fell on Louis and I finally understood why Anthony had chosen that song. He'd done it because Louis also knew where he had gotten the idea. It was an attempt to show he could still get to me, but he was apparently failing, as Louis was not angry or distressed in any way. He raised his glass to Anthony and then winked at me, smiling. It wasn't any of the smiles I'd seen before. Louis looked like the proverbial cat, right after having chomped the last morsel of canary. It confused and intrigued me at the same time. This entire evening was a mindfuck, so I plopped down on the nearest chair and proceeded to sip my cocktail.

When he finished singing, Anthony came and sat next to me.

"What the hell?" I asked.

"Oh, relax, Alexa. I'm just torturing Louis a bit. But if it's doing anything for you, I can go at it again."

"No, thank you."

"Anthony, that was amazing," Louis, who had stopped right behind me said. What the hell? It sounded like he'd meant it.

"I can be smooth and charming when I want to be. You should remember that the next time you make a move on my girl."

"In what universe am I your girl?" I asked, looking at my cocktail and wondering if I liked it enough to not throw it in Anthony's face.

"In every universe, love. And there's nothing Louis can say or do to change that. He knows it and he's just congratulating me on the win."

I couldn't believe my ears. This asshole sitting next to me still believed I was his. And all I wanted was to punch him in the face.

"Alexa," Louis said, his voice harsh. He smiled when I looked at him, confusing me. I had no idea what Louis was thinking, and my anger morphed into terror. What if Louis believed Anthony and gave me up, just like that?

Louis winked and then looked up at Anthony. "You never learn, do you? You should never challenge me when a person I care for is involved, much less when it's someone I feel so strongly about."

"You really think you can beat that performance in her eyes? I will always be the one who sang her special song to her," Anthony said, crossing his hands over his chest.

"Firstly, it's not only about the song. Secondly, sorry, mate, you picked the wrong song."

Louis got up, still laughing, and walked to the mic. He then ran back, leaned over to kiss me briefly, and said "You might already know this, but I just have to say it. It's not just for show and it's not about Anthony. And I promise you I mean every word."

"What's he doing?" Anthony asked, his eyes shifting from Louis to me.

I couldn't be bothered to explain this to Anthony. I knew what song Louis would sing. The one I'd listened to so intently that morning in Germany, his blood coursing through my veins and healing. This wonderful man that I loved had surely been paying attention, and the first notes of _Undisclosed Desires_ pierced through the murmurs of the club.

Louis was no Matthew Bellamy, but his take on the song was brilliant. I'd definitely pick him over the lead singer of Muse any day. Anthony was saying something to me, but I couldn't hear him, too focused on each word Louis sang. For as long as his performance lasted, I truly believed Louis was pouring his true feelings for me into the lyrics. It might take some time for my past hurts to heal, but there was one thing I had stopped fearing altogether: loving Louis. Consequences could fuck right off. 

# Chapter XXI

LOUIS SMILED ALL through the song, never taking his eyes off me. When the song died down, he gave the mic to someone else without even looking at them and made his way toward me. He moved like a big cat on the prowl, and I jumped off my seat. Brimming with excitement, I placed a shaky hand in Louis's extended one. We left the club holding hands, not stopping to say goodbye to anyone. He walked me to his car, opened the door for me, and then got behind the wheel. He said nothing, didn't even look at me while he drove us home. I felt high on the night's experiences, but lucid enough to tell he'd taken the fastest way back.

At home, he helped me out of the car, still silent. I did appreciate the chivalry because I knew I needed the support. The sexual energy bouncing between us had made me a little unsteady, along with the several drinks I'd indulged in during the night. Louis walked me to the door and unlocked it. He placed his hands on my waist and motioned me to step inside, guiding me up the stairs and into his room. I realized I'd spent very little time in his room. I shook off my curiosity as it was definitely not the time to go through his things.

The moment he closed the door behind him, he turned me around and kissed me, a heated, crushing, wanton dance of lips and tongues. He dropped his suit jacket to the floor without breaking the kiss. I busied myself with unbuttoning his shirt and yanking it out of his slacks. I desperately needed to feel his skin on mine. It had been haunting my dreams and some of my day time fantasies ever since that first kiss I'd stolen.

His fingers slid down my back as he unzipped my dress and I shuddered at the light caress. I swore he'd barely touched my bra in his descent down my spine, but it had been enough to unhook it. Somehow, Louis kissed me through it, until my knees started shaking. Who cared? I leaned awkwardly into him as I was doing my best to unbutton his pants, which turned out to be more of a challenge than his belt. Probably because my hands were shaking so badly, I couldn't get a grip on them.

Louis brushed his lips along my neck, pushing my dress down my arms and letting it slide and pool on the floor. At about the same time, his slacks fell off and he stepped out of them.

I ignored my crushing need that demanded more of Louis and pushed him back a little. He scowled playfully and tried to pull me closer, but I placed a firm hand on his smooth chest and pushed again. I needed a moment to take him in, enjoy the view of Louis clad in tight boxer briefs. I felt the stupid grin on my face, but there wasn't anything I could do about it. I let my eyes roam freely up and down his body, licking my lips and trying hard to swallow. "In case it wasn't obvious by how I'm ogling you, you're hot."

He lowered his head, his smile widening enough that I could spot the glint of his fags. Louis' eyes blazed bright green, his body bathed in the soft glow coming from outside. He looked mysterious and predatory at the same time. Louis's eyes were naturally green. When he vamped out, a feral sheen was the only sign of change, but those were the most hypnotizing eyes I'd ever seen. He made me think of a tiger or some other type of wild cat ready to pounce on its pray.

Somewhere along the way, his feral side had stopped sending me into sheer terror. My brain insisted that blind trust of mine might be sourly misplaced, but I had always felt safe with Louis. The one thing I'd doubted was whether he wanted me, but the ever-expanding bulge he was sporting, noticeable despite the poor light, along with the rush of pure passion and lust I felt coming off him, had clarified that bit for me.

My unsteadiness worsened, and I closed my eyes for a second to snap out of my dizzy state. Louis wrapped his arms around me and pushed me gently. I fell on the bed, a harsh gasp leaving my lips. I watched him crawl on top of me, feeling like I was drowning in his presence. He towered over me, making me feel small, yet safe. Protected. Wanted. He lowered his head and peppered kisses on my breasts. His lips closed on a nipple, sucking and gently grazing it. I threaded my fingers through his hair and squeezed, afraid he'd move away from me. He removed my underwear--I'd worn an intricate lace number, bright red, like my bra, but I doubted he'd cared much. They'd been in the way.

Louis settled between my legs, groaning at the contact of his cotton covered erection against me. I reached out to touch him. I needed to stroke him, feel the weight of him against my palm. I had to feel every little twitch of passion under my touch as I held him, had to hear the sounds he made, and make sure I wasn't imagining all of this.

Louis reached down and moved my hand away. As he pushed his underwear down his strong thighs, I touched everywhere I could reach, mapping his upper body, feeling his muscles swell and shift under his smooth skin.

I couldn't tell for the life of me what I liked more, his tongue playing with mine, him kissing every part of my body, or his hands somehow finding each spot that would send waves of pleasure throughout my body. It was all a blur, and I quickly lost track of which were my feelings and sensations and which were his experiences projected in my mind. It didn't matter who's pleasure or need it was. Together, feeding each other's need, it was explosive.

He slowly glided down my body, torturing me with his tongue, and I screamed his name when his lips finally reached the heat between my legs. His tongue licking my clit was almost too much, so much pleasure I could burst at the seams. Louis grabbed my thighs and held me down, sucking and moaning. "I love the way you taste," he said, his voice rough, his breath over my swollen nub driving me wild. Just when I thought I couldn't take another moment without him inside of me, he slid up with that dazzling speed of his. I only realized what was happening when I felt Louis playfully biting my ear and then kissing his way down my neck. When he finally pushed all the way inside of me, I gasped, almost ashamed of how loud that'd been. We moved together and I clung to him, my legs wrapped around his thighs. "Louis," I said, urgency vivid in my voice. He kissed me, muffling my moans.

My orgasm caught me by surprise, rocking my body and pulling a strangled cry from my chest. Louis drank it all in, staring down at me, lips slightly parted as he fucked me through the waves of pleasure.

He started thrusting faster and harder, reaching so deep inside me that it sent an intoxicating mix of pain and ecstasy through me. A fresh burst of exhilaration took over, then another, and another, and I feared I would faint from all that physical stimulation and raw emotion, but I didn't. I moved with him, following that frantic pace he set, longing for his taste when he'd free my mouth now and again to lick, suck, and torment a different part of my body.

I could feel a new orgasm building up and I worried I couldn't take any more of it. He lifted his upper body and stared into my eyes, his lips pressed tightly together, a slight frown shadowing his beautiful emerald eyes. I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong, but the distinct feeling of dire need, mixed with the fear of hurting me, reached me before I could say anything. In that moment, I was so grateful for the blood bond and for the intense sensations it fueled, but mostly for making it so much easier for me to understand him and what he needed. I placed my trembling hands on each side of his face and pulled him close to my neck, whispering between gasps and moans, "Don't hold back. Take everything you need."

Louis groaned, trying to resist his hunger, but I exposed my neck, pressing it to his lips. He relented, his sharp fangs penetrating my skin. The rhythm of his thrusts inside me changed, becoming wilder. It should have hurt, but it didn't. There was no pain. The pleasure kept building, tall waves carrying me up, followed by the sensation of falling into ecstasy. The room spun out and I closed my eyes. I pulled him closer to me as I tried to keep up with his rhythm. This hurricane of intense pleasure, devastating like I had never experienced, overwhelmed me. I closed my arms around his neck, fusing our moths together, and rode it with him until we both climaxed. Louis whispered things to me, sweet words, but I couldn't understand him. I could feel the intent behind them and that was enough.

He rolled on his back, pulling me with him, and holding me against his chest. I snuggled closer, kissing the side of his neck.

"Are you all right?" he asked in a breathless voice, lifting his head and searching my face.

"Mhm," I murmured and pressed my lips to his for a quick kiss.

"Are you sure?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" I forced myself to open at least one eye and look at him.

"This wasn't easy on your body, I imagine. And I really can't tell how much of your blood I drank," he said and gave me a sheepish smile.

"No, it wasn't easy. It was awesome!" I snuggled closer to him. He gently rolled me off him and got up on one elbow. His eyes inspected me as if he really feared having hurt me.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.

"You look absolutely exhausted, but I don't think you realize how long we've been at it."

"Not long enough?" I said with a half-shrug.

"You're crazy in an endearing way," he said and shook his head.

"Oh, well, I've heard that before. Nothing wrong with being crazy."

"I love you," he whispered and kissed my temple. So simple, so out of the blue. I looked at him, my mouth open, my eyes wide, wondering if I should pinch myself. I'd figured he liked me by now, obviously. It was hard to hide it with the blood bond but hearing him talk of love felt surreal.

I wanted to tell him I felt the same way, but something different came out of my mouth. "Say it again."

"I love you," he repeated, his smile broadening. He fell back on the pillow, pulling me into his arms.

It was starting to sound real, to feel real. Louis loved me. I wasn't alone in all of this. Somehow, all the restlessness from before; his going back and forth; the pain, fear, and betrayal that had led me here, to this moment, seemed worthwhile.

"I love you, too," I said and hid my face in his broad, silky smooth chest.

"Really? You're not just saying that under the pressure of my saying it to you?" I knew he was joking, or I hoped he was.

"Yeah, I'm just saying it," I teased, moving closer and kissing him slowly. As I licked his lower lip, I could feel a little of my blood on it, along with other mixed flavors of him and me. When the kiss deepened, making us pant and moan, he slowly pushed me away.

"Not now, love. You need a break," he whispered, a feather caress of his fingers failing to smooth my frown away. I was puzzled and a little upset; apparently, I still wasn't that good at taking rejection.

"Alexa, it's been hours. If you want me to, I will make love to you for days on end, but between the blood loss of the past few days and the physical effort of tonight, you really have to rest."

"What do you mean hours?" I asked, cringing at my own high-pitched voice. What the hell was that shriek just now? He seemed unfazed by it and turned me around to see the alarm clock next to his bed. I looked at it and blinked, taken aback by how late it was. Just a little before dusk.

"Oh, wow. I have never lost track of time like that."

"Our blood connection caused that." He ran his fingers through my tangled hair. "Come on. Turn around and let me hold you."

I didn't feel tired at all, but I thought I'd indulge him. He'd soon see that I needed no breaks from being with him. Yet his holding me in his arms and occasionally kissing my shoulder felt so safe and loving, I could enjoy that exquisite sensation for a while.

Bright light woke me the next day. I shivered, feeling dizzy. I looked around, panic at the unfamiliar surroundings causing me to fully awaken and to remember where I was. When had I fallen asleep? Louis might have been right after all. I'd been exhausted. And where was he now? I turned around and found a note on his pillow. _Coffee and breakfast waiting for you downstairs_. I smiled, holding the note to my chest, then went into the shower. _His_ shower, yet my shower gel, shampoo, and toothbrush were all there waiting for me. Bewildered by my own lucky draw this time around, I smiled and looked into the mirror, barely recognizing the glowing woman looking back at me. She sported a huge, satisfied grin and her eyes were all sparkly. I'd missed her so much!

When I was done showering, I wrapped myself in a huge white towel he had left there for me and went downstairs, my hair wet and curly. He wasn't in the kitchen, so I sat on one of the tall chairs and started drinking the coffee he'd left on the table. It was still hot.

"Good morning," he said, walking through the front door. I turned and was met by his brilliant smile as he stalked closer, holding the mail in one hand. He threw it on a small table in the hallway and walked up to me.

"Good morning." I said, cringing at how sugary sweet and cheerful I sounded.

The closer Louis got, the faster my heart beat. I knew I'd get exactly what I wanted...a fresh taste of his lips, a touch of his tongue on mine, his hands on my body. But it wasn't happening soon enough. I was already breathing heavily when he reached me. He tried to prolong the waiting, but I just couldn't bear it, so I pulled him close and kissed him, sighing into it as I finally got what I desperately needed. Louis tried to move away, but I wrapped my legs around his hips and held him close. He relented, pressing his body into mine.

I broke off the kiss and pushed him back. "Take your t-shirt off."

Silently, Louis did as I said. "Now your jeans. And the boxers."

Naked and aroused, he stood before me, unmoving and waiting for my next command. "Come closer," I whispered. He had been away for too long. He stopped a few inches from me and I tried to wrap my arms around his body and close the distance, but he wouldn't let me. He pushed my hands away and reached for my towel. With a simple move, it fell away, draped around the chair.

"That's much better," Louis said, his lips curling into a smile, his fangs shining against their fullness. He grabbed the chair and leaned in to kiss me. He took me right there, without much foreplay. Neither of us needed it. Feeling his need for me only made mine for him stronger. With the aftershocks of my orgasm still coursing through me, I almost missed his climax. He seemed aglow in the morning light, head fallen back, his broad chest glistening with sweat, his muscles flexed as he held himself up.

"God, I love making love to you," I said when we'd both recovered enough to talk.

"Good because I am planning to do this over and over and over again until you can't move anymore."

"I'll take you up on your offer."

To my delight, Louis had been serious about his plans. We spent the entire day making love. We took a couple of breaks to eat and for him to fuss about my being okay or not. I indulged him, whatever he needed in order to keep going just like this.

"Hey, Hesrah never made it home," I said.

"It's ok. She texted me that she'd spend the night at Anukh's. She hinted at us needing the space."

"Such a smart girl she is," I said, giggling and pulling him close for another kiss.

That nice gesture on her part was enough to erase the damage done by the interruption on the road back from Prague. Now that everything I had to worry about had been settled, we could go back to enjoying each other's presence. And that was exactly when Louis's phone rang. He switched it to silent, but it kept buzzing on the cupboard.

"Who is it?" I asked, murderous thoughts directed at whoever was interrupting us.

"It's Anthony," Louis said, his tone ice-cold.

"That bastard!"

"I'd better pick up. He won't stop until I do."

"Okay, but please keep it short. I am not ready to share you with the world just yet."

He pecked my lips and took the call. As he spoke to Anthony, he got up from the couch where we had been snuggling together and started pacing up and down the living room.

Right then, my phone buzzed with a text message.

You do anything except what I tell you to and Hesrah dies, and then it's your precious Louis's turn. You will agree to everything I say, no questions asked. The house is bugged so don't even dream of warning Louis. Delete the message right now.

I'd never before been so scared of Anthony. Not because of what he might do to me, but because of what he might do to the people I loved. My head was pounding and my heart was racing, but I deleted the text with trembling fingers. I sat on the couch, waiting for more instructions to come.

"No, she won't," Louis shouted, fury seeping through our bond. "What do you mean put her on the phone? You know what? Fine. She can tell you no herself."

After switching it to speaker, he handed me the phone.

"Hi, gorgeous. How are you?" Anthony said in a cheerful and cunning voice.

"Great, thank you. What do you want?"

"Oh, don't be so rude. I want you to go out with me and then spend the night. I miss you terribly."

His words felt like a knife forced through my heart. It was so obvious he didn't mean a word of it. Not about missing me, not about caring, not about wanting to spend the night with me, but I had to say yes. And I couldn't form the word.

"Alexa? Don't keep me waiting."

I felt tears running down my cheeks and I hoped he wouldn't be able to tell from my tone. I didn't want to give him that much satisfaction. "Sure, sounds like fun. What time to you want me to be there?"

"Are you insane?" Louis hissed.

I looked up to him, hoping he could feel how sorry I was. How frightened.

"I don't really think going out with Anthony qualifies as crazy. Look, don't be so dramatic. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Not too soon, though." Anthony was having the time of his life making Louis suffer. "Be at the club in an hour." He hung up. He could listen to our conversation without staying on the line, apparently.

"What is wrong with you? Why would you agree to go out with him?" Louis ran his hand through his hair, pulling at it.

"Why not?" I asked in a hushed voice. I went to him and tried to kiss him. I didn't care if they had a video feed or not, I couldn't tell him anything, but Anthony hadn't said anything about what I couldn't do.

"Are you serious? You're going to spend the night with that asshole and you want to kiss me?" Louis pushed me away and cursed under his breath.

Why couldn't he tell that I didn't want to? Why was he so angry with me? It should have been quite clear, even to a blind man, that I wasn't doing it because I desperately needed to be with Anthony.

"Louis, please," I said, my voice shaking.

"Please what? Wait around until you get back from your _date_?"

I should have felt his anger; instead, all I felt was pain. Overwhelming pain that Louis would never know what was really going on. I wanted to go back to the couch, but I couldn't. I plopped on the floor, struggling to breathe.

Apparently, my emotions were much stronger than his because Louis's face twisted in pain. He came closer and helped me up, then took me in his arms. I was shaking and he tried to calm me down, but couldn't.

"I love you, try not to forget that. I know you might not want to, but please try," I whispered and kissed him briefly.

I went upstairs to change. With no idea what to expect, I put on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Another text from Anthony advised me to wear something sexy so I put on a simple green dress and matching green flats. I knew it might not be what he wanted, but I couldn't care less.

When I went downstairs, Louis looked like crap. He was sad, angry, and worried all at once. He stepped closer to me and I started shaking uncontrollably. I hoped I could hide it, but I failed. He hugged me, whispering reassurances and rocking me gently. If felt so wrong, him comforting me when I was the one who'd hurt him.

"I will be here when you come back. I promise."

I knew he'd keep that promise, but I didn't think it would matter. I had this terrible feeling I wasn't coming back. The TV was on and Lykke Li's _Follow Rivers_ was on. I went to the remote and turned the volume up, just as the chorus came on. I hoped Louis would get the message: follow me, us being followed, whichever one he'd get was better than nothing. I kissed his lips one last time and went out the door. 

# Chapter XXII

AS I DROVE TO THE club, my anger got worse. The image of Louis's pain-stricken face, the sound of his defeated voice as he'd promised to be there when I returned, they haunted me, making me tremble with rage. Louis believed I would indeed spend the night with Anthony, yet he'd promised to wait for me to return and explain myself. I hated hurting him like that. I knew exactly how it felt to say goodbye to someone you loved and promising to see them later, knowing they were going out with someone else. I knew how it hurt, how draining and heart wrenching the waiting was, how much your imagination could hurt you. I'd never wanted to make anyone experience that, but Anthony had forced my hand. I had no idea what his plan was, but he no longer scared me. I burned with the need to pay him back for how he'd tormented us.

Three vampires waited for me at the club entrance. They ordered me to get into a black SUV. I tried to remember if I had ever seen them before, but I hadn't. They'd never been at the club and they were not the ones Louis had fought in Prague.

We were soon exiting Amsterdam and getting on the highway. I kept an eye on the signs and figured we were heading towards Hoorn. I tried to pay attention to the road and figure out exactly where we were going. It became clear that it was indeed Hoorn we were going to when we took the exit off the highway leading us into the small harbor.

A few minutes later, we parked outside Juliana Park. I knew it well, or so I thought. I had walked around that park for hours with my friends from Hoorn and I couldn't figure out what we were doing here.

The three vampires made me follow them to a rather isolated corner of the park. To keep my mind occupied and the renewed fear at bay, I congratulated myself on how smart I'd been to wear flats. I would have had a hard time navigating a park at night in high heels.

Voices and lights drew my attention and I spotted a larger group of people through the trees. They stood in a loose circle in a poorly lit clearing. When we got closer, I saw Hesrah surrounded by a dozen vampires, all pointing stun and tranquilizer guns at her. Anthony stood right in the center of this mess.

He turned when we got close enough for him to hear us. "Bring her to me," he said to the three who had escorted me this far. They grabbed me, and I struggled against their hold, fruitless as it was. "I am perfectly able to walk on my own, you assholes."

Anthony cackled and signaled them to let me go. "Too bad. I like it when I get a bit of resistance." He leered and squinted his eyes.

"What do you want? And why have you taken Hesrah? Are you out of your mind?"

"Just shut up," he said coldly.

"Fuck you, Anthony. I won't shut up."

I didn't see him doing it, but I felt the slap as Anthony moved at full speed. I nearly fell over, my face burning with pain, but one of his cronies held me up. When I had regained my footing, I punched Anthony in the face. I knew it hurt me more than him, but at least there was some blood in the corner of his mouth.

"Now that's much better. I told you I don't like it when people just volunteer what I want." He turned me around and locked his arms around me, preventing me from moving away. "This is what we are going to do. I am going to drain you of that sweet blood of yours, then Hesrah here will give you hers. After you drink that, we're going to push you through the portal and pray you survive."

"What portal?" I asked. He was crazy. There was no portal here.

"Hesrah, be a doll and show her," Anthony said, pointing to some undefined place to her right.

She moved a few steps in that direction and an oval-shaped doorway made of bright purple goo appeared out of nowhere. It was translucent, like a curtain flowing in the wind. I couldn't believe it had been there all along. It looked so beautiful that I wanted to walk up and touch it.

I felt Anthony's fangs slashing through my neck and shrieked. I twisted in his arms, trying to no avail to break free. My thrashing only made his bite more painful, but I couldn't just stand there as he killed me. My body slowed down, pitiful shivers the only sign of resistance, as exhaustion and nausea took over. When Anthony stopped drinking, I could no longer hold myself up. He let go of me and I fell to the ground.

"This could have been a lot easier on you if you hadn't been so adamant about choosing Louis. What good did that do you? He couldn't protect you from me!"

"Go to hell," I whispered, although even talking hurt. The pain was worth shutting him up and preventing those horrifying screeches from abusing my ears.

"I won't, but you probably will," he said, bending over to laugh in my face.

One of the vampires who had brought me there picked me up and took me to Hesrah. "I'm so sorry, Alexa," she said, holding me up.

"Give her your blood or she dies," Anthony told her. There was no threat in his voice, but he didn't need it. There was nothing she could do to stop him.

"Please don't do this," I begged her.

"I can't let you die. The portal might still kill you, but I can't stand by and watch you die," she said, hugging me and kissing the side of my head.

"I don't want him to win," I whispered.

"Whatever happens, I promise you he won't." She hugged me again, then bit her wrist and placed it in front of my mouth. I moved my head to the side, refusing to drink.

"Drink, goddamn it!"

I couldn't distinguish voices anymore, but I knew from the scowl twisting Anthony's face and his burning green eyes that he'd shouted the words.

I looked around, trying to find a way out, and there Louis was, a few feet behind Anthony. He had gotten my message. He'd made it here and he was going to save me. Maybe between him and Hesrah, they could do something other than turn me. Give me a blood transfusion or something. He was going to save me. I knew he was.

_Louis, stop them_ , I mouthed. I couldn't make sounds anymore.

Anthony turned around and saw him. Then he came closer to me, smirking. "He's not going to lift a finger for you so stop calling his name."

That wasn't true. It couldn't be. Louis had come there to save me. Otherwise, why all that bullshit about not telling him? Just for show? It seemed a bit like too much wasted effort. I looked at Anthony and smiled, waiting for my Louis to prove him wrong. But he didn't come to my rescue. He stood there, watching and doing nothing, deep shame and pain coming through our bond.

I couldn't take this anymore. Not another betrayal. I gave up the fight and took Hesrah's wrist in my trembling hand. I drank the vile blood. It tasted like crap. I gagged and almost threw up a few times, but she kept urging me to drink, begging me to keep going. She probably thought more blood might keep me alive, but I was no trueborn. The portal would kill me either way.

Impatient as always, Anthony grabbed me and pulled me away from her. Hesrah screamed, pleading with him to stop, but he didn't. He dragged me closer to the portal and pushed me through it.

THE END

# Meet Alina Popescu

**_Intricate worlds, sizzling romances, and action-packed adventures_**

Alina Popescu is an author, traveler, and coffee addict. She has published several paranormal, science fiction, urban fantasy, and contemporary series, many of them having reached the Amazon bestseller lists for their genres. Her stories often fall under the LGBTQ fiction and romance subgenres.

Born and raised in Romania, Alina has been writing for most of her life. She's an avid consumer of stories in all their forms. She's fascinated by myths, folk tales, and other creators' visions of the future. She finds her inspiration in books of all genres, movies, and the occasional TV shows or anime binges.

Alina is a proud geek and needs her fast internet connection and assortment of gadgets more than she needs air.

Enough talking about me in the third person! Thank you for reading _The Edge of Hope_ , the first book in the _Bad Blood_ series. If you have enjoyed the novel, I'd appreciate a review (please and thank you).

The second book in the _Bad Blood_ series will be released on May 20. For a first chapter preview of _The Breaking of Bonds,_ just flip through to the next section.

I welcome any comments or questions, so feel free to visit my website, email me, or connect with me on social media. To be the first to know of upcoming releases and other bookish treats, please subscribe to my newsletter (available on my website).

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# Book Two Preview--The Breaking of Bonds

The second book of the _Bad Blood_ series will be released on May 20. Here's the first chapter preview:

_Hesrah_

Hesrah emerged from the portal on the Earth's side in broad daylight. That part of Juliana Park was secluded enough, but it was a sunny day and there were plenty of people about, although most of them clustered around the small beach.

"You cannot keep coming and going with no ounce of caution, Hesrah. People will see the portal." Anukh grabbed her arm when she sidestepped and walked past him, trying to get to the car waiting for her.

"Hesrah," he yelled, his stony façade cracking.

Hesrah had never in her life heart Anukh raise his voice, but other than a minute flinch, she didn't react. She got into the car and calmly waited for him to follow.

"What does the council want and why couldn't they wait a little longer?" she asked when he started driving.

"They have been waiting for a week. They need to be heard."

"But she could show up on either end. I have to be there!"

"Hesrah, I don't think there is anything left of her to emerge on either side."

"That's not true,' she shouted, her eyes tearing up. "You have no idea anyway, I asked. The portal would either reject her on the spot or let her in, which it did. If it had rejected her after entry, it would have set her on fire. We would have seen her burn, there would be ashes."

"No one has ever been stuck within the portal. Maybe her death was too quick for you to see it. Maybe, because of her unstable state, there just aren't any traces," Anukh said, turning to watch her as she planted her legs firmly onto the car floor and crossed her arms. Her mouth was set in a tight line and she stubbornly glared the road ahead, refusing to look at him.

"Whatever you say. I believe, and my mother backs me on this, that we have to make sure someone is there when... _if_ she makes it to either side."

"The portal is well guarded. And you have been going back and forth every hour, on the hour. You can take the time to see the High Council."

She stopped protesting. She was already in the car taking her to see the trueborn High Council, the esteemed representatives of Ankhsis, which oversaw the actions of vampires on Earth. Trueborn of Ankhsis or baseborn of this realm, they the council oversaw all beings who fed on human blood. Great job they did at that, she thought. They'd let Anthony, well-known for his hate of trueborns, plot and abduct powerful vampires at will, including Hesrah. He'd forced Hesrah turn her human best friend, Alexa, then he'd thrown her into the portal. The part she could not come to terms with was her missing Louis' deceit entirely. The trueborns had trusted him and they'd shared all their secrets and knowledge with him. When the ultimate trial arose... Louis had taken the enemy's side. He'd fooled her. She'd been convinced he loved Alexa. Yet he casually watched as Anthony drained her. And when Hesrah had been forced to feed Alexa her own blood, hoping it would keep her safe from the portal, he again couldn't be asked to help, could he?

A week had passed with no sign of Alexa. With the exception of a very small group, they'd all decided she was dead and they'd best move on to more pressing matters, just like the members of the council, who only cared about their reports and dealing with Anthony and Louis. They were both long gone and, judging by who had won every round so far, they would stay hidden until they decided there was something else they wanted. The council was a sham, a useless administrative body to make trueborns, those on Earth and on Ankhsis alike, feel safe and in control.

They had no safety and no control to offer. They lacked basic knowledge about how things worked on Earth and on Ankhsis. They hid themselves behind a fictional safety given by the big lie that the portals would only open to the trueborn. Well, they could say whatever they liked, Alexa was not dead. Hesrah knew it, felt it in her soul. Alexa was trapped in that portal and she would emerge unharmed on one side or the other, sooner or later. And then they'd all see they lived in a fantasy world where their home was safe from all harm.

The car stopped on the driveway of an old mansion on the outskirts of Amsterdam. The council's headquarters... There would only be three of them present, they would never be caught in larger groups at the same location. Paranoid as they were, one wouldn't guess they'd be so easily fooled by some baseborns.

Anhubis, the head of the High Council, was there of course, with his smug look and his very human appearance. _Jerk,_ Hesrah thought.

"Welcome, Hesrah, thank you for taking the time to see us," he said in a honeyed voice.

"I didn't take the time, I had to come to stop you from pestering me with the urgency of your puny matters," she replied in an equally sweetened tone.

"Now, now, Hesrah. I know your friend is what matters most to you right now, but there are other pressing and far more important issues that we need to deal with." Anukh put his arm on her shoulder and gave it a little squeeze.

"You're all quite happy with your delusions, aren't you?" she grunted back, all sweetness gone. "There is nothing more important than what has happened to her."

"She's dead, get over it."

Hesrah smirked. Anhubis finally showed his true colors.

"One human is not as important as a horde of baseborns trying to undermine us," he said, sighing.

"You know, Anhubis, I can never understand how the least smart of you gets to be the head of the council. I guess stupidity is treasured here on Earth."

"Choose your words wisely, Hesrah, or I'll make sure you go back to Ankhsis and are never allowed back." His face hardened, his upper lip twitching.

It pleased her to see him upset. "Too bad the Inner Sanctum is not under your command. But, please, indulge me, what other word, apart from 'stupid', would you use for someone who cannot understand that the moment she emerges from the portal, our reality will be forever altered?"

"She won't. Now let's get inside, it's time for us to share what we know and for you to answer a few questions."

She could feel her fangs touching her tongue. She would have loved to slit his throat and see that all-knowing blood of his gush out and ruin his perfectly tailored suit. Unfortunately, it would have been pointless. He was close-minded, but not a threat, and she needed the information they had. When Alexa was finally safe, she would deal with Anthony and Louis and whoever else was responsible for Hesrah being forced to end her friend's human life. Dead or alive, Alexa was no longer human. And Hesrah knew Alexa had never asked to be anything other than a normal human being. The only thing that diminished Hesrah's guilt was the thought that, if Alexa was alive, she'd now be a first generation baseborn. On top of that, she'd have survived Ankhsis' portal. Other than Louis, no one on Earth could match her new power. And between the two of them, they'd crush their enemies.

Anhubis led Anukh and Hesrah to a dark conference room. He turned the lights on and asked them to sit down.

"I assume you know who Louis truly is," he said, looking at her intently.

"Yes, I do, he shared a lot about himself while we were investigating the abductions," Hesrah said, giving him a small nod.

"We believe that has a lot to do with him being involved with Anthony in this whole mess. They hate us all for what Magnus did," Anhubis said and shrugged.

"Yes, that's the most plausible motive."

Anukh kept fussing in his chair. He opened his mouth to say something but then changed his mind. He got up and started pacing up and down the room, a weary and troubled look on his face.

"I would like to talk to Louis when we find him. This is so unlike him," he eventually mumbled.

"Yet he did it just the same," she replied, a little edge to her voice, her hands closing into tight fists. Just the thought of Louis made her angry. Even angrier than thinking of Anthony. She had seen him drain Alexa, but she already knew Anthony was scum. Louis, she had trusted him, she had been fooled by him. Allowing all that to happen to the woman he supposedly loved with without trying to stop it was just as bad as doing it himself. If Alexa was indeed dead, they were both equally guilty.

"I know, dear. Don't you think I know? But I've also known Louis for centuries. I was there after Magnus left, torn up by his guilt. I watched over Louis as he mourned the loss of his friends and the loss of his maker. I observed him try to make sense of the new world vampires of all kinds had to face. We've been friends ever since, I'd like to think. I am sorry, something is not right. And until I hear it from Louis's own mouth, I won't believe he had any part in it!" His frown deepened as he crossed his arms over his chest and spread his legs, pushing his upper body forward.

A beautiful speech. His trust in Louis was commendable. Hesrah had however been there to see it play out. And there wasn't any explanation for what he had allowed to happen. She was growing impatient; she wanted to return to the portal, so she decided she needed to push them to finally share their information with her.

"What is it that you have discovered that needed my immediate attention?"

Anhubis took out an envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket and threw it on the table. She hurriedly opened it and found a few photos inside. Louis, strapped down to a chair, all bloody and beaten. _Good for him!_

"What is this?" she asked, looking at Anhubis from under knitted eyebrows.

"One of our baseborn friends--we still have a few of those--followed Anthony after the events in Juliana Park. He managed to send these over before being caught."

"Do you know where these were taken?"

"Yes, but they are long gone."

"Why would Anthony do this to his partner in crime?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Gods know," Anukh said. "Maybe they were never partners. Maybe he found out who about Louis's true history."

"Can you find them again? Or do I have to bring an Inner Sanctum squad over here?"

"Don't you dare," Anhubis said in a thundering voice, pointing a threatening finger at her. "The Inner Sanctum will not meddle on Earth. I will find them again."

"Make sure you let me know the moment you do," Hesrah said, her eyes boring into him.

"Won't you be too busy guarding the portals, waiting for your precious human friend?"

His mocking smirk, more so than his sarcastic words, got to her and in a blink of an eye her fist raced through the air, connecting with his face. As he fell to the ground, she lunged and got on top of him, her fangs piercing the skin of his neck. Her nostrils flared at the spicy cologne he was wearing and she managed to squeeze a few drops of his blood before Anhubis threw her off of him. The fight would have surely escalated if Anukh hadn't stepped in to stop them.

"Have you lost your minds?" he hissed, a deep frown line marring his forehead. "Anhubis, you are the head of the High Council. Surely you can tell how ill-advised being inconsiderate towards humans is. And you, Hesrah. You are a part of the Inner Sanctum and your mother's daughter. You should both be ashamed."

When they moved away from each other, Anukh, with a half-sad, half-disgusted smile, said a hurried goodbye and left the room.

"If you ever talk about her like that again, I will kill you with my bare hands," Hesrah said through clenched teeth. To her, that was not a threat, it was a promise, and she suspected Anhubis knew it, as he nodded quickly and took a step back.

"These are troubled times. We are all tired and angry. We'll reconvene later, if anything changes."

That was the cue she needed to turn her back on him and return to the portal. The driver was outside, waiting, and took her back to Hoorn. She got off at the park entrance and went straight to the trueborn left there to watch it.

"Anything?"

"No sign of anyone coming through."

"Any other vampires lurking around?" she asked, looking left and right and trying to pick up any suspicious activity.

"None so far, but there are humans everywhere. If you want to cross over, do so as fast as you can."

She stopped one step away from the point where she'd activate the portal. She closed her eyes and let her senses scout the area. When all humans walking through the park were at a safe distance, she ran through and almost stumbled over the guard on the other side. He apologized for being in the way, although he'd done nothing wrong. Hesrah's orders had been clear, if the portal was active, they were to step as close as possible without crossing over. Alexa might be weak and need support.

Clearly, no sign of her yet, if he still obeyed her command. She was just getting ready to make her way to the Inner Sanctum headquarters when she spotted him, up in one of the nearby trees, trying to stay hidden. But she had always managed to find her brother, no matter where he hid.

"What are you doing here, Seth?" she yelled. Instead of an answer, he silently disappeared in the forest.

He'd run back to Magnus on his gloomy island, most surely. If she didn't have other people to worry about, this would hurt more, as it had when he'd first walked away from the Inner Sanctum and moved into that sullen mansion of the Punisher, as some called him. Hesrah preferred Magnus the Mad.

The white marble rooms and courtyards of the Inner Sanctum's main building were buzzing with activity when she arrived: recruits training, soldiers practicing to maintain and sharpen their fighting skills, messengers running across the corridors.

Sekhmet stood front of her office, waiting. She waved at Hesrah when she spotted her. "Back so quickly?"

"Hello mother," Hesrah said, keeping a blank expression.

"How was it?"

"Anukh will tell you, I'm sure." She sighed and let her shoulders slouch. As she tried to walk away, Sekhmet caught her wrist.

"I know this is hard for you. But that is no reason to take it out on me. Come, let's go into my office and you can tell me all about it."

Sekhmet placed her hand to the small of Hesrah's back, startling her with the sudden touchy mood. Her mother was one of her very few allies. Alienating her was most certainly not her brightest approach. "I'm sorry, it has just been a stressful day."

"What did the Council have to say?"

"They found out Anthony is keeping Louis prisoner somewhere." She rubbed her forehead, trying to sort out her thoughts on the matter.

"That is strange," Sekhmet said, frowning and mirroring Hesrah's own assessment of the situation. "Maybe Anukh is right about Louis in the end."

"He's not," Hesrah hissed. "He was there and did nothing. That's a fact and no suffering through imprisonment can change that decision!"

"All right, dear." Sekhmet tried to touch her cheek in yet another outburst of intimacy, but Hesrah was not ready to acknowledge her need for it. She could not allow herself to get used to this behavior of her mother's, she'd grow to expect it and that would only lead to disappointment.

"I saw Seth, by the way."

"Oh." Sekhmet stared at something in front of her, her face once more devoid of all expression.

"Oh? That's it? Why are you not surprised?"

"I went to see Magnus after all that has happened. I wanted to know what his opinion was on Alexa's fate."

"And what did he say?" Hesrah asked, arching a brow.

"That if there are no ashes, there is still hope."

"OK, but what does that have to do with Seth lurking around?"

Sekhmet smiled slightly and tilted her head. "I imagine Magnus would want to know how this situation develops."

Hesrah had more questions, but somehow sensed the futility of asking them when there was no one who could give a satisfactory answer. Alexa was still lost between worlds, Seth was acting like a monk and responding to Magnus alone, the High Council was full of idiots, and she hated Anthony and Louis.

With a deep breath, she dismissed it all. She needed to train, she then should get some rest, then take her night watch at the portal. Alexa couldn't be alone when the portal allowed her passage.

**_To be continued..._**

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