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Miaka It was three hours after Erick and his new bride teleported out that I heard it— the distinctive noise of an unknown footstep in the hallway. My senses were growing more acute with each passing day. Soon enough, I would be able to blend into the shadows so perfectly that I won't cause any sound. Soon, I would be as still as the darkness itself. I was beginning to grow faster than anyone had expected. Today, it was that underdeveloped ability that caused me to slow down several times as I followed the intruder. Almost everyone had gone to bed, except for a few who stayed behind at the bar or were simply strolling around the castle grounds. Their footsteps were continuous enough that I'd made out their pattern. Well, it was that or counting imaginary sheep jumping over my bed. But this one was new. It sounded like whoever it was had a purpose, but I couldn't really tell. So I followed behind as silently as I could, trying not to stir the air currents around me. Vampires were, after all, good at hearing. The person in front of me kept moving forward through the dark halls and up the staircases that led to the roof where several guards patrolled to look out for stubborn intruders. Sure that I would have backup if necessary, I climbed the stairs after the intruder and through the open door onto an empty roof. Shit! An arrow hit the spot I had been standing a millisecond ago. It was clearly intended for my head. Looking around, I saw several black shadows creep out of the darkness to stand in a semicircle around the intruder. They were silhouettes with glowing red eyes. Double shit! It looked like I've been played. Whoever it was that set this trap must know a great deal about me. I kept to the darkness myself, willing it to blend into me and not giving the intruders the satisfaction that they had someone in their trap. But they knew I was here. Vampire eyesight was just as sharp as their hearing. They may not know who they had, but it was clear that I was to be leveraged to the king in exchange for Erick or Alina. That was when I knew what he had been planning all along. I couldn't hurt him or any of the guards. They were vampires, and harming them would mean breaching a contract so old, its origins were lost in time. So I did the only thing I could. ERICK! Erick I wrapped a towel around Alina's limp body, covering her before she caught a cold. Our lovemaking might have dulled the razor edge of the hunger that I felt for her, but I was far from being sated. Baby steps. I had to remind myself not to rush. I couldn't afford to break this fragile bond of trust we've built by coming on too strong. Getting out of the water with her in my arms, I walked up the steps to the gazebo and laid her down on the soft silk sheets, wet hair and all. Since I couldn't help myself, I ran my hands down her front, where the skin between her breasts was exposed from the towel having shifted as I laid her down. Alina gave a tiny shudder, but her eyes remained closed. She'd fallen asleep after our coupling in the pool. And as tempting as the desire was to explore her, I pulled the covers over her instead. Rose petals scattered over her body as I pulled the sheets up to her chest. ERICK! Miaka's mental call almost threw me off balance at its intensity. Something was very, very wrong. Miaka didn't call me for help unless she had no other choice. Miaka didn't call for help, period. Ken! He went to drop Alan off at the hospital, but he should be back by now and would be outside the house guarding. I'd fed him some of my blood earlier in case of any emergencies. Look after the house but don't come inside. Warn me if you sense something. Yes, sire, came his curt reply. With that, I pulled on a pair of loose-fitting pants to allow free movement and tugged on the shirt I'd been wearing. I teleported out, holding onto Kendrick's promise that he would keep Alina safe. Locking on to the memory of the great hallway, I imagined myself standing next to a pillar, and when I opened my eyes, I was standing in that exact location. I was the only vampire with the ability to teleport in all of history, but it also meant I didn't have any bedrock to learn from. I had to teach myself to be very precise, or I might end up trapped between walls or fall off a cliff. Where are you? I'm here. Although it had been only a few seconds after she had contacted me, a lot could have happened in those few seconds. Her mental voice sounded in my head instantly. It was clear and without hesitation. I'm on the roof. Ten guards are down. They've brought their own and are keeping to the shadows. Alerting the backup guards, I picked up a sword from a fixture on the wall and sped up the staircase. The door was open, but I didn't cross the threshold. I lie low. Thank God the lights were out on this side of the castle. I peeked through the side of the door and saw a single shadow surrounded by ten other shadows in a semi-circle. Their eyes were glowing with an eerie red hue. Shit. They were possessed. The next few incidents happened within the span of a few seconds. The shadow in the middle raised his hand up in the air. The fighters attacked all at once, lunging for the spot where I presumed Miaka was standing. I swung my sword at lightning speed. Several guards came out from the shadows and attacked the other guards. Two severed heads rolled away from my legs. "Erick!" I held up my sword instinctively over my head, and a clash sounded not a second later. Reminding myself to thank Miaka later for the warning, I threw back the person whose sword was locked with mine. He flew back with a wave of sparks as his sword slid down mine, shedding enough light on his face to make it visible.