Faline

That...did not come from him or anyone else in the room. Everyone now looks to have their tails between their legs, aside from the lion and me anyway. The Big Bad walks in from the doorway straight ahead. I raise my eyebrows, stick out a hip, and scoff.

"Not my fault that this seems to have become the party room. Besides, I'm usually minding my own beeswax when somebody else has to come in and start strutting around like they're the center of everyone else's universe. Seems to be my job lately to bring 'em down a peg or two."

Her face shows nothing, but her eyes do have a touch of amusement and hunger. Upon seeing it, my arms uncross and I take a step back, my face going from teasing troublemaker to just as stony as hers. I cover that retreat by going and checking on food and putting eggs in, but I'm sure no one's fooled.

Everyone who's come to know my rebelliousness, even in the face of the Mistress, looks between the two of us, wondering what's happened, I'm sure. Ignoring the looks as much as possible, I wave my hands at the animals around me to get back to work. Even Madaline sneaks off. Wimp.

Granted I took that step back, but I was also killed by this woman earlier, and it was a step, not a fleeing trek out of the room. Can feel the room empty as everyone goes about their work. Orion even retreats when she comes closer, but I don't blame him, his work here is more important.

Feeling the hand coming towards me, I slide out of it before it can land. The lion looks conflicted, but I shake my head and motion him to go. Assorted animals around me become very focused on what they're doing.

Their found backbones have fled once more. Again, can't blame them, I don't want them risking their lives for me anyway. Before I can pull away again, my upper arm is gripped hard.

I stop, but I don't look at her. The leopard scent hits me hard, so she must have shifted recently. I more or less get pushed or dragged to the small den we'd been in before.

Walking in, my arms cross and grip the opposite one as I get as far from her as I can, still avoiding her gaze. The door closes firmly while I wince. This is not looking good.

"Going to be hard to never see me again when you are in my home."

The silky voice plays over me, making my skin cold as if a winter breeze had preceded her words.

"Then let me go, not like I want to be here anyway."

My voice is low, almost whispered as my focus stays on the wall next to me. Head snaps up and around though when she steps closer, my gold eyes flaring in both defiance and my fear. Which I had never shown her before, so upon seeing it, she actually stops.

"You know I can't do that, still wouldn't even if I could."

Hunching, I back into the wall behind me. What I'd just done is the stupidest thing I could have ever done; letting her corner me. My mind can't decide if it wants to freeze or whirl like crazy.

My spine presses hard into the shelving behind me, books trying to imprint while my heart picks up with each step closer that she takes, fear skyrocketing.

"You've already killed me once today, can't you wait at least twelve more hours before you do so again?"

The terror in my tone causes it to shake, but I can't help it. I've been killed about three times now, each time it gets worse. Once more may be what breaks me.

"If you recall, you were the one to attack first."

I was. I had flown at her in my fury of her not telling me things that are need-to-know and her not letting me leave her room. Having not thought things through, as well as assuming things would be different.

Silly me.

"Well excuse me if I don't like feeling like a prisoner, especially from one who I'd grown fond of. Should have learned from my experience when Nicolaus had done it, but I guess I'm just that much of a dunce."

The news of my fondness has her expression changing to something I don't understand for a second, then it's gone. You would have thought I'd learned my lesson and stuck with actual reality, but I just had to slip back into a fantasy life.

"It will be easy enough to not see you if you would stop hunting me down. There's no reason for you to come down to the kitchen."

Actually, don't know that for sure, but there are other ways to go around the dining hall without having to go through it. Could have been going for someone who was in there, but from what I saw, she'd come straight for me, not anyone else. Her eyebrows rise as she mocks me, I have to keep a tight rein on my rage and not make it easy for her.

Lady's eyes travel over my frame, knowing the action will irk me. When her gaze comes back up to my face, I'm facing the wall once more, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of knowing she's getting to me. A sigh comes from her as she backs off, but I stay where I am. My nails dig hard into my arms from my controlling destructive emotions, staring very hard at the wallpaper as if it were the one to have wronged me.

"I did not mean for that to happen. How was I supposed to know you hadn't fed?"

"That's a cop-out and you know it. You could smell it on me, let alone see it."

Not sure what she's doing since I'm avoiding her, everything is silent. Can smell the blood I'm drawing from myself, but that doesn't seem very important. Stepping closer into the corner, I lower myself down, bringing my legs to my chest as I hold my face against my knees. Arms wrap around my legs, shaking with the knowledge that no matter what I do, I'm screwed.

"Just go away. Every single Vamp here only seems to know how to hurt others. I want nothing to do with that."

I talk into my legs, but I know she hears me. The reply she gives makes me confused.

"That is exactly why you are needed."

My voice was low, yet hers competes with it. I glance up at her before my eyes drop down again.

"That doesn't make any sense."

I can see her nodding in my peripheral, leaning against the desk as she faces me, hands gripping the edges of it.

"It was not meant to come across as my keeping something from you out of spite. I do not know everything yet, I would not want to be wrong and put you in even more danger than you already are. Things have already started changing in our world, and many here want to stop it from happening further."

This is starting to sound familiar, so I raise my eyes to her. Her multicolored stare isn't directed at me, it's above me.

"What do you mean?"

That brings her eyes down, and I wince as if getting punched in the gut. My need to look away over-weighs my want of knowledge. The Mistress stands and moves to stand in front of me, which makes my heart beat so hard and loud there's no way she misses it.

Crouching in front of me causes a sound of distress to emerge. Lady only stops a moment before she finishes the motion, pulling my face to look at her. The sadness on her face is very obvious and has me holding my breath.

"Something that was written shortly after I was turned over two hundred years ago. It is two-sided; having a twin telling that goes with it. From what I have been able to glean about things going on now, I fear you and your sister may be those it speaks of."

I know fear lights my face. Fear and uncertainty. She knows of my sister? How? Lady looks at me earnestly and shakes my arms.

"Your calming effect on others was the first giveaway. Nicolaus not knowing who you are may be the only thing that has kept you alive. The more time I spent with you, the more certain I became of it. My attempts to keep you safe have only made others suspicious."

I'm still confused as hell. It's obvious she's trying to get something out, but isn't used to this kind of thing. Her head shakes before looking at me again.

"I know he has been having your sister hunted down. For you, I am sorry I cannot do anything to interfere. But that is hopefully something that will change in the future. You mustn't tell anyone about this, to do so will put your life in danger. I have a feeling Madaline and Max are part of a bigger group that wishes for things to stay as they are. Every time you fight with her, you put yourself in even more peril."

As if I don't already know that.

"If I am so important, why am I kept here?"

"Don't you see? Me keeping you here is what is keeping you safe. Here, no one dares to try and kill you. I believe Nicolaus has seen this, but has taken it as my claim over you. I don't know what he will do if he learns who you are, but with as damaged as he is, I don't see it being anything good."

She leans in closer, my backing up getting ignored as she talks damn near into my mouth.

"If he attempts to kill you, I will step forward, but until then I can do nothing. Your fondness and light have brought much to not only my home but me as well. That, I cannot let others see, for they will use you against me. Please believe that I honestly do not want any harm to come to you, that I want you to want to stay here."

The Mistress's lips fall to mine, but are ripped away when the door is opened. Her leap across the room has it look as if she's nowhere near me. Jumbled words play over in my head, tripping faster as Nicolaus comes in.

He looks from me to Lady, who's back to leaning against the desk. Her stone mask in place as she raises an eyebrow at him. I bury my eyes back into my knees, just wanting to be elsewhere where I don't have to worry about things wanting to kill me at every turn.

I can feel him as he kneels in front of me, large hand settling on my head where it starts petting down my hair. A kiss is pressed to me before he raises my face to his and places them over my eyes. When I open them again, the Mistress is gone and he's looking over my face.

"You've fed well recently, you are very warm."

Nodding slowly, I just watch him. If he knows that Lady has had me in her bed, would I get blamed? Would I be the one to suffer for it?

More than likely, but I don't understand that if he does know, why he isn't saying anything. My eyes settle on his lips, his intake of breath warning me before he leans closer. Taking his mouth almost greedily, I wrap my arms around his neck.

Not sure what I'm doing, but it feels essential that I do so. He's sitting on his legs when I get pulled up onto them, his strong hands at my rump under the skirt knead at my flesh. Tongues duel while our hearts accelerate and beat against the other's chest.

His lack of shirt has my hands exploring over the cool hard skin, the muscles in his belly clench as my fingertips brush over them. Vampire lips break from mine to travel down my neck where he inhales deeply. Darkening orange eyes fly to mine when I tilt my head to the side, inviting him to bite. My own eyes are guarded but also filling with heat, so he dives in readily. Sharp pricks have me gasping as I press closer to him.

Before my lids close I see the door is shut. Need to be careful how far I let this go since there's no quick escape. A small sigh escapes as his drawing has my center warming.