• 𝓜𝓪𝓮 •

After I woke up for the second time, I allowed myself to just relax in bed. I ended up moving the dresser in front of the door to keep any more visitors from coming in throughout the night. It was a bit disconcerting to wake up and have someone standing in your room.

I rolled out of bed and went to the bathroom. I blinked when the light turned on, looking around.

The walls were painted a deep gray with black accents near the ceiling. There was a giant jacuzzi tub seated in front of a window looking out into the city. Wooden blinds were open, allowing me to see the people milling about below. Next to the tub was a glass-enclosed shower with not one, but two shower heads.

Turning, I saw a double sink with a mirror lined with white lights. The white and black marble of the sink was cleaned to a shine, and seated on top was a stack of towels, soaps, and other toiletry supplies.

I shook my head, looking down at the dark tile flooring.

Why did Kite give me such a nice room? I genuinely thought he'd put me in something akin to a servant's room. This room was bigger and fancier than I ever expected from him.

I glanced back at my room's door, making sure the dresser was still in place. I didn't think it would keep them out if they really wanted in, but at least I'd have a warning. They were too quiet when they moved. At least with the dresser I'd hear the door hit it.

I shut the bathroom door and locked it, then shut the blinds before pulling off my clothes. I turned on the faucet in the tub and held my hand under the water, waiting for it to get hot before I plugged the drain and allowed the water to begin rising.

I brushed my teeth, cringing at the dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep the past week. Though I enjoyed the outdoors, every little crack of a tree limb or crunch of leaves made me wake up. I was always on alert, and obviously that hadn't been the best for my eyes.

When the tub was full, I stepped in and pressed the button for the jets. I let out a sigh and closed my eyes, resting back and allowing the pressure to massage my body.

I had to come to terms with Noah being a vampire. I wasn't sure if I could allow myself to trust him fully, but he'd been my friend for years before he was turned. And if what he said had any truth to it, he didn't ask to be a vampire. That had to count for something.

A knot of nerves twisted in my stomach and a little voice in the back of my head reminded me that I was friends with a vampire once.

But Noah wasn't like Zero. Noah had plenty of time to show me his true colors if he was going to turn out to be a psychopath.

I kept replaying the look in his eye when he said he was the same Noah. He'd been genuine.

It was so hard for me to trust any vampire. I'd seen and been through too much with them that my first reaction to any and all vampires is distaste.

I opened my eyes and stared at the wall, my mind at war with itself. On one hand, my distaste for vampires told me that I needed to steer clear of Noah. On the other hand, my friendship with him told me that maybe he didn't change all that much. He hadn't been a vampire that long, and maybe remaining friends with me would keep him the same old Noah. At least until I finally died off. Who cared what he did after I was gone?

I finally got out of the tub and dried off, wrapping a towel around me and hoping that there were clothes in the dresser.

Stepping out into my room carefully - I wasn't sure if anyone would be there whether I heard the bedroom door open or not - I eyed my room before walking over to the dresser. It was still in front of the door, unbothered.

I didn't want to have to put the dresser there every night but I would. At least until they got the hint.

It was more surprising to me that I wasn't surprised at all that there were clothes neatly folded in the drawers - bras and panties included.

I changed into a loose gray t-shirt and black shorts, then pushed the dresser back into its place before going and opening the curtains.

It was light out, and I stood there for a moment, watching as people walked around the city. The children following behind a guardian, going to classes. The world never changing, even after I ran. Even after I was dragged back.

I heard my door unlock, then there was a knock.

"Come in." I turned in time to see Kite walk in.

He shut the door. "We need to talk."

I kept my mouth closed, waiting for him to say what he needed to.

"I wasn't aware Zero killed your kids." He glanced at the bed, then over to me like he knew about my nightmare. Maybe he did. "I knew they died, but I didn't know the specifics. I'm sorry."

"What do you want," I asked, immediately on alert.

He sighed. "I don't want anything, Mae. I thought I had a handle on Zero, but it's become apparent that I don't."

Was he on drugs? What the hell was this all about?

"How the hell did you not know," I asked. "I know enough about you to know that you have eyes everywhere."

His eyebrows drew together as his eyes moved to the window behind me. He stared outside like the answer would somehow come to him by watching the city. It dawned on me then that he had no clue why he wasn't informed. And I was sure that bothered the absolute hell out of him.

Kite was the face of the city. His father ran it, but Kite was the one who carried out the orders. He knew everything that went on, when it went on, where it went on, and who was involved. I found it hard to believe that there was someone - or multiple people - lying for Zero.

Then again, I found most everything hard to believe since they took over. Their existence alone was like a punch to the gut at first. No one believed in vampires. They only existed in books and movies.

"Yes," he finally said. "I thought I did too."