I walked up the path towards the gardens wondering about what lady Beatrice wants to speak to me about. I have a feeling that it's pretty serious and I couldn't help but think of the time in her room before she said that everything that happened was an accident, a mistake.

I winced and rubbed my chest at that memory. I felt so sad when she told me that it wasn't meant to happen, I felt a wound appear deep inside me at her words. All I want to do is to help her. I still remember all her fears and I still want to help her with all of them while at the same time as helping her use pure mana like I can.

And then their's a fool hardy thought that is making a spark of hope appear inside me that she'd realised that we had a connection. A connection much like Anon and I but an a much deeper level that we could share and feel everything about one another.

I felt it whenever we're in the same room, in the same proximity. There's an attraction between us that both scares me while making me want to do everything in my power to bring us together in the way I know we're meant to be. But once again, I'm afraid and it hurts when I think about this attraction, because I know it's how Sylvia felt whenever she was around me... and yet I never realised it.

I sighed softly at my thoughts, not sure if they were making me depressed or hopeful.

"Vaden." A soft voice spoke gaining my attention away from my thoughts. I looked up and my breath hitched in my throat. There was a light breeze making its way through the trees of the garden. It felt amazing against my skin but made lady Beatrice look stunning where it was playing with her hair. Picking it up and running its invisible fingers through the soft strands. I was embarrassed by the jealousy I suddenly felt against the wind, or was it envy? Either way, I wanted to touch the fine strands that floated around and framed lady Beatrice's ethereal features making it even harder for me to believe she belonged on this realm.

"Lady Beatrice." I breathed back not thinking my voice could go any louder before bowing low in respect.

"I see you bathed as well." She smiled softly once I straightened up.

"Yes, I told Athena she needed one and then realised that I haven't actually bathed for a few days either." I shrugged feeling embarrassed about not cleaning for so long.

"I understand." Lady Beatrice smiles before she turns and walks to the benches and sits down on her usual one. "Come, please."

I walked over to the bench opposite her while worrying about what was about to be said. I sat down in the middle of the bench and couldn't help myself but to lean my elbows on my knees and look at lady Beatrice intently needing to know what was about to be said, and quickly.

"First, I want to sincerely apologise for everything you had to go through this weekend." She started off in a whisper and I saw the sympathy in her beautiful silver eyes. "I know what it's like to watch someone you love die before your eyes, and know that it was by your own hands... I also know how terrible it is to watch your own parents die, though mine lived till old age for a human, I can't imagine how you must feel to have seen them forcefully ripped from your life."

I smiled softly, thankful to know and see that this beautiful woman truly did know how I was feeling, even if the circumstances aren't exactly the same. I think it should be me telling her now how much I understand about what she's feeling. The guilt, the regret, the self-hate of knowing that it was you who was the one to take a life that shouldn't have been taken so soon.

I stood up and walked around the small stone table and sat beside lady Beatrice. I couldn't help myself and grabbed both of her slim pale hands into my own. Sparks fired through the connection and I felt a calmness come over me at the touch of lady Beatrice's smooth hands.

"I understand how you feel now." I told her in a whisper, for now ignoring the fire that was beginning to burn between us. "The regret of taking a life that wasn't ours to take. Without knowing, without meaning to, unable to control it. My lady, it should be I to say how sorry I am to know that you have had to deal with these feelings for two-hundred years on your own."

I stared into her eyes showing her my sincerity and desperation for her to believe me. "We don't have to deal with this alone any more. I promised you that I would help you with your fears and now I promise you that I will help you get over your feeling of regret and guilt for what has happened." I told her squeezing her hands and caressing the backs of them unconsciously with my thumbs.

Lady Beatrice took a deep breath in and let it out in a shaky sigh before she started to nod. "Thank you... I want you to know that I will also help you in any way I can. Vaden... I also want to apologise for pushing you away all this time. I... I am afraid of hurting you again and I can feel... feel this connection to you whenever we're together and I don't know if you feel the same thing but... it scares me to think I could possibly hurt you if I continue to try and gain access to pure mana. I don't want to lose control again; I don't want to hurt people again."

I was shocked by the sight of a tear spilling over to drip over her smooth cheek as she looked away from me. "My lady..." I breathed softly as pain at the sight of the strong woman actually crying in front of me had my heart hurting. I moved closer to her, if that was even possible, and lifted my left hand out of the grip to softly touched her cheek so that I could turn her face towards me.

I was mesmerised by the wet shine of her silver eyes and saddened by the fear that spoke to me through them. "My lady, you have to believe me. I will never allow you to harm yourself or others again if you ever lose control. I will always be here for you and so will lady Aviva. I will do everything in my power to keep you safe." I smoothed my thumb over her cheek brushing away the dribbling tears. "And you're definitely not the only one that feels that connection. Just your skin against mine is sending these burning sensation through my body that I don't ever want to stop. It's hurting me knowing that you're upset and afraid of yourself. Please believe me my lady."

I watched as her eyes widened and I saw amazement in them before she closed them and turned her face into my hands that was now cupping her cheek. I sudden feeling of closeness on a level different from the physical, warmed me inside.

I watched her closely as she opened her eyes once again, only a tinge of red rimming them showing the tears that she had shed a moment before. I couldn't get over how beautiful they were. A stunning inhuman silver that sparkled in the morning sun showing off a tinge of blue I've never noticed before.

"Will you help me Vaden?" Lady Beatrice asked softly placing her free hand over my own on her cheek. "Will you help me to learn how to control pure mana?"

"I would be honoured to." I smiled at her lightly. Something inside me was going crazy with her proximity. I think it started messing with my mind because the next moment I find myself nose to nose with lady Beatrice completely entranced by her eyes as my thumb continued to stroke her cheek. A giddiness had fire boiling inside me and it wasn't helped by the skin contact I was having with her.

I barely heard lady Beatrice suck in a trembling breath before a warning flag flew up in my mind that something was terribly wrong. I pulled back and looked towards the path that leads back down towards the estate.

"Something's not right." I murmured trying to find out what was making my insides crawl with unease. It was something obviously strong enough to distract me away from what was just about to happen.

"What? What's wrong?" Lady Beatrice asked and I thought it seemed almost a little dazed.

"I'm not sure but..." Mana was flying around in a frenzy making me become dizzy.

Alpha! We need your help down here! Anon's voice suddenly cut through my mind once again gaining my attention away from lady Beatrice.

What's happening? I can feel it but I don't know what's wrong? I asked back quickly but started running back towards the estate.

Come to the stables... it's Mercy!

"Oh no." I whispered and started to sprint towards the stables.

"What's happening?" Lady Beatrice asked and I was surprised to see her running beside me.

"I thought you would have felt it too. Something's wrong with Mercy. They're at the stables." I told her just as we made it to the stables.

I was shocked into skidding to a stop when Anon shot through the wooden wall of the stables. I quickly went to him.

"Are you alright?" I asked quickly kneeling beside him.

He placed a hand to his chest and groaned, he wasn't completely healed yet. "She's gone crazy and I don't understand why." He groaned loudly as an unnatural growl echoed from the stables followed by a familiar scream. My heart stopped in my chest but I was quick to get up and head inside the stables. What I found scared me incredibly.

Athena was on the ground, stuck in a corner as Mercy stood slightly swaying in front of her.

"Mercy!" I shouted heart in my throat.

Her head flicked up and another growl grumbled from her. I couldn't see anything wrong with her, but I could feel something dark and the mana inside her was slowly being taken over by the same dark mana that surrounded Enrique and his castle.

"Mercy please! Calm down!" Lady Beatrice shouted appearing beside me. I saw the worry and fear on her face.

My heart beat quickened as Mercy turned around and I gasped at the sight of her clouded black eyes. Her fangs were out and a deep scratch bled over her left cheek bone. Anon must have tried to hold her down and somehow scratched her.

"Mercy, you need to gain back control. This isn't you!" I tried to get through the blood haze.

"Talking won't help. We need to knock her out." Lady Beatrice sighed sadly.

I gritted my teeth disliking what has to be done. "Fine. Anon get Athena out of here." I ordered him knowing that he could hear me though he was still outside.

Yes, Alpha. He replied and a second later a wolf bounded through the window behind Mercy and picked Athena up with his jaws before disappearing back out.

Mercy let out a growl and I just managed to jump in front of the window before Mercy could go after them. I choked on my breath when I was slammed back into the wall with Mercy's hand around my throat. I stared into her black eyes and was scared, I could see no sign of Mercy within them.

With a move Galen taught me I managed to break Mercy's hold and spin us around till I had her trapped against the wall. "Mercy, god damn it, I know you're in there just listen to me!" I growled low hesitant to hurt yet another friend.

I cried out in unsuspected pain when her head lurched forward and connected with my nose sending me reeling backwards before a hard weight connected with my midsection sending me into an empty horse's stall. Damn that hurt. Good thing I seemed to be basically healed thanks to Victoria's blood.

I quickly stood up and shook out my limbs before stepping out if the rubble to find lady Beatrice get thrown into a beam that was holding up the roof. I growled low as an anger filled me atvthe sight of lady Beatrice becoming hurt. Before I before I could think properly, my fist connected with side Mercy's head sending her through the stable wall.

I jumped through the new hole, slightly angry still, and stalked towards Mercy. I was glad she wasn't trained in combat because I would have had my head knocked off my shoulders if her punch wasn't so sloppy. I ducked under the swing and landed my own hits to her mid section feeling bone crack under my hands, though I was barely even using half of my strength.

Mercy stumbled back groaning and holding her stomach. "Mercy, I don't want to hurt you. Please calm down and think." I pleaded with her.

I just barely jumped out of the way when with a burst of speed I wasn't suspecting had Mercy in front of my within seconds. I blocked her neck hit and felt my forearm bones crack under the weight making me hit. I growled from the pain and quickly kicked Mercy in the stomach sending her away and doubled over. I breathed in and felt the mana around us fill me before I sent it back out to place weight over Mercy keeping her in place.

She groaned low at the weight I placed upon her and tried to fight against it, but I just kept the pressure down onto her. I shook out my nearly mended arm and walked to her.

"Mercy, you *need* to listen to me." I told her trying to get through the haze in her mind.

I felt the dark mana seep off of her as her black eyes glared at me while her fangs were at their full length.

"You haven't hurt anyone, but you will if you continue howbyou are. Mercy, you nearly hurt Athena and you've hurt lady Beatrice. Please listen to me Melisandre, I know you're in there." I pleaded while placing my hands on either side of her face.

I felt the dark mana try to seep into me and corrupt my mind as well but the pure mana inside me wouldn't let it. An echo of the fight within me came from Mercy making me realise that Mercy's personal mana was trying to fight off the dark mana and gain back control. I pulled the mana back inside me that was holding Mercy down and quickly hugged her to me so that my arms were holding her own at her sides.

I hissed as her fingers dug into me anywhere they could reach. "Bite me Mercy." I ordered her while filling myself with pure mana as much as possible.

And she did. It bloody well hurt but it was nothing I couldn't handle. I felt her drinking my blood so with her distracted I was able to seep the mana inside her and help fight off the dark mana pushing it out of her system. I was suddenly yanked away from Mercy making me yelp from the pain of her fangs forcefully leaving my neck. Thank god I was able to finish taking the dark mana out of Mercy before we were forced apart.

"What were you thinking Vaden!" Lady Beatrice's voice snapped at me from where she was holding me against her chest, arms around my waist. I felt like purring at the feel of her body up against mine, and I know this really isn't the time, but I can't help it. The connection was making me feel bubbly and aroused.

"Sorry." I mumbled tilting my head back to look at her with a sloppy smile. I felt weak from the the sudden blood loss and how much was taken. I started to slip down because my legs couldn't hold me up anymore, which made me lean onto lady Beatrice more. Not that I'm complaining.

"You're still bleeding." I heard her grumble so I tilted my head to the side to show her the wound. I smiled at the sound of her quick intake of breath while I was starting to feel burned. Showing my neck to her as weak as I was, I'm sure, showed how much trust I had in her and I know that our connection would get even stronger if she took in my blood.

I gasped at the feel of suction on my neck before I felt the swipe of her tongue, which made me moan. Her grip around me tightened. "There, it's all healed now." She whispered into my ear breathlessly. Bloody hell... My body was thrumming. Literally, I felt myself trembling. Or maybe that was from lack of blood?

I looked over towards Mercy and found her unconscious on the ground looking much better than when she was in the blood haze. "We need to get her inside." I told lady Beatrice in a soft voice. I'm starting to feel really tired.

"Alpha! Are you alright?" Anon asked suddenly appearing in his human form, and dressed.

"I'll be fine if I sleep." I smiled at him.

"Is Mercy alright?" He asked looking down atvthe unconscious woman.

"She will be." I replied before sighing and leaning head back against lady Beatrice's shoulder and I felt her body shiver, which had me smiling.

"I'm going to take Vaden to her room. Can you please take Mercy to her's and keep an eye on her?" Lady Beatrice asked while she wrapped one of my arms over her shoulders and I leant into her, loving being pressed up against her.

"Sure, I left Athena in your room Alpha with Victoria and Ashwini." Anon informed me, which had me sighing in relief.

"Thank you." I barely whispered as my vision started to fluctuated. I need to sleep.

"Come on Vaden, I've got you." Lady Beatrice breathed into my ear making me shiver even in my weakened state. Damn, my ear really is sensitive.

I was basically carried by lady Beatrice to my room where Ashwini, Victoria and Athena were waiting.

"Vaden!" Athena exclaimed worriedly as she jumped from the bed and rushed to me.

"I'm alright, are you okay?" I asked the girl as she hugged me tightly.

"I'm okay now." She mumbled into my stomach and I can feel the worry still coming off of her.

"Good, you're not afraid of Mercy now are you?" I asked her worriedly as I was helped onto the bed.

"No. I've seen Nightwalker's in the blood haze before and I know it's not them when they are in such a haze." Athena smile reassuringly to me.

"Good, Mercy's a friend. I don't want you to be afraid of her." I sighed relaxing into my bed and the next second I found myself asleep and in a dream of memories from my past.

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