FOUR

DOMINIC POV

Its been 2 weeks since I've been here, I have fixed he rogue problem and helped a couple of the other clans in the area with some different training techniques so they could stay on top of the rogues. The other matter well that is taking a lot longer to sort out, originally it was just a simple land expansion but now I'm not so sure. Phoenix is doing his best to keep everyone calm but I'm finding the longer I am away from my mystery woman the more agitated I am getting and it really doesn't make sense.

I can't allow anyone to know about her yet, if my enemies found out about any sort of weakness in me or my kingdom they would deferentially take advantage of it. I don't even know what she is to me yet Caleb still wont tell me anything, he says I must work it out for myself otherwise the outcome will not be by choice. Whatever that means.

I have been keeping in touch with Sebastian to make sure everything is running smoothly at home and to keep updated on how her condition is. The last time I spoke to him she was still sleeping with the IV still in her arm, keeping her alive. That was 3 days ago, since all I've done in that time is train and be in meetings and its all back to back, I'm surprised I've even had time to get any sleep.

I've been sitting in this makeshift office for about 3 hours going over the paperwork for the land expansion. It appears the 2 clans want the same land, both have the same amount of land each and both clam that they need more and they don't want to share. "Nix I think I finally have a solution to this land business, can you come to the office with a map of the area involved."

"Sure I was heading your way anyway, some more rogues have been reported in the nearby town."

"Great that's all I need."

Phoenix came into the makeshift office no more then 2 minutes later. He laid out the map on the table so we could see the area that these clans were wanting for their own. "How about we do this, take the full area cut it in half and make a 2 mile space through the middle, that way they both get more land but still have some neutral space to travel through. And if they don't like it too bad, that is my ruling."

"Okay I will have the papers for this drawn up ready for them to sign tomorrow. Now about these rogues."

"Lets go hunting! I need to get rid of some pent up energy."

"Just don't loose control."

"I know, I know."

We had some fun with those rogues, we killed all but one. I wanted to know why there was so many around at the moment, a vampire life was actually a very simple life, it was only complicated when we made it so. I left Phoenix to do the interrogating, while I tried to get a little sleep.

I actually had a reasonable amount of sleep, I put it down to hunting the rogues yesterday. The paperwork is finished for the land expansion and both clan leaders agreed and signed. The only thing left was the results of Phoenix's interrogation of the rogue vampire we caught in the town.

Its been a couple of hours and Phoenix won't tell me what he found out, I could make him but something is telling me that I should wait and he will tell me soon enough.

We are finally on our way home and Phoenix looks really worried, he still wont tell me what that rogue said. We have a fair way to travel so there is plenty of time for him to tell me.

SERAPHINA POV

We have been out in the back garden since about 5 this morning, it took me a little while but after seeing Sebastian sparing before our run the other day I finally convinced him to train me, even if it is only self defense, strength and endurance to start with, hence why we are out here so early.

I've been borrowing Josephine's clothes, until the ones she ordered for me gets here in a couple of days. Sebastian I one hell of a teacher, he says that I am a quick study, whatever he means by that. Josephine knows that I don't have much in schooling, so she has offered to teach me some of the basics. Reading and writing mainly to start and then we will see how we go to move onto something more. It also depends on how long I stay here too, I have already been in this city for longer then normal. Zachary and Whytt must be getting close to me again, they are always only 3 to 4 weeks behind me. I don't want to cause trouble for Josephine, Sebastian or even her brother, I still haven't met him yet but I have this need to protect him.

'Smack' 'Thump' "Come on Sera! You lost focus!" Sebastian holds out his hand to help me up after he put me on my ass again.

"Sorry Seb! I was just thinking"

"About What?" he asks as he starts attacking again.

"That I have been here too long and that I need to get on the move again."

"Why are you always on the move?" he gets a shot in and hits the side of my ribs, I gasp a little

"I have found that it is the only way to stay alive." I get him back with a kick to the back of the knee.

"You know you are safe here don't you?" he grabs my arm and pulls, turning me so my back ends up against his chest

"Maybe for now, but it never lasts. The last time I thought I was safe 4 people I was hanging with died. They were innocent, they were nothing like me or you, just human and the people following me killed them." I struggled but couldn't seem to loosen his grip, this made me panic just a little.

"Hey calm down. I did this to show you a new defense move. But if its too much it can wait." he says as he loosens his hold and allows me to struggle free.

I fall to my knees on the ground in front of him and put my hands over my face. He comes round and kneels in front of me, slowly pulling my hand off of my face. To revile that I am now crying

"Hey I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you, did you want to talk about it?"

"I had been in a small town for about a week, I had made friends with some of the homeless kids. They taught me a lot in that week, especially how to find food and survive without having very much money." I take a deep breath and continue "About a week later some people came by asking about me, I don't know what they wanted but when they wouldn't give me up so they killed them. I found them later that night when I came back from my scavenger patrol. I left that town 10 minutes later and I have never been back."

Sebastian didn't say anymore he just pulled me into a hug and allowed me to cry. No-one has shown me this much care since before I was 10 but then I didn't let anyone get close enough to actually show care. After a few minutes I pull myself together and made myself get to my feet, I held out my hand to Sebastian to help him up.

"Come on, show me that new move, I never want to be caught in that position again."

"Okay, here we go!"

We spent the whole day and most of the night sparing, either out in the garden or in the castles private sparing room. Only the higher ranked vampires could use it and since the other 3 higher ranks were out, we had it all to ourselves. By the time we were finished I was beyond exhausted, Sebastian told me I could go into the room I first woke up in. He told me to have a shower and have a good night sleep in the soft bed rather then on the hard floor of the theatre room. I didn't realise that he knew that was where I was sleeping.

I had just about fallen asleep when the door opened and someone quietly entered the room. From the smell it was my mystery savior, he didn't say anything just made his way quietly to the closet and then the bathroom. He didn't shut the door and I heard the shower start. I didn't hear him finish his shower as exhaustion over took me and I fell into a nice deep sleep.

DOMINIC POV

We just got home, the castle is quiet which means everyone has retired for the night or morning depending on how you want to look at it. I headed to my room and quietly made my way in, Sebastian hasn't told me if she has woken up yet. I look over at the bed and see that the IV is missing suggesting that she should wake up soon, she looked so cute curled up in my bed. I walked over to my closet, pulled out a pair of basketball shorts and headed to the bathroom for a shower. I noticed a couple of things had been moved so I guess she has woken up at some stage. Its strange but it feels good to know that she used some of my things, which means she would smell a little like me. Caleb likes this idea.

I finish my shower and head into the bedroom, close the curtains and then over to the bed. I turn off the side lamp and climb in next to her, as I get comfortable she moves closer and cuddles into my side. I put my arms around her and just relax, there is a warm pull on my heart again. If I didn't know better I would say my frozen heart is slowly melting each time I'm in this woman's presence but is that really possible. I take another deep breath and let myself fall into the darkness of sleep.