All night I was plagued with nightmares of Dimitri. He was in every dream, round every corner and all the time he was baring his teeth. I must have woken up 5 times throughout the night gasping for breath; I dreamt I was suffocating. I eventually woke up screaming because someone was grabbing me and shaking me violently.

“Evain! Wake up right now!”

I opened my eyes to see Damon up close to me shaking me. I immediately checked for cuts. Nothing. I relaxed a little.

“Do not relax, you need to be awake. We have to move. Now!” The urgency in his voice made me start to panic.

“What’s wrong? Why are you making me move in the middle of the night… Or whatever the time is.”

“Someone found out. I don’t know who it is, but I have to hide you and I need to do it right now!” He was pulling me to my feet now. I still couldn’t comprehend, I was half asleep.

“Hide me? Where?” He looked at me and smiled sympathetically.

“No! Not the dungeon!” I begged whilst he continued to pull me towards the grand staircase.

“I have no other choice. Do you want to be found?” That shut me up.

He said no more to me all the way down the stairs, and when we got to the door leading to the dungeon, he didn’t stop.

“Uh, where are you going? Isn’t that the door to the dungeon?” I tugged on his iron grip, trying to get free.

He laughed at me. “Do you honestly think that I only have one?”

It felt ice cold chills go down my spine. Just what exactly happened in this place? Nothing is what it seems.

“I need you to wear this.” He passed me the leather jacket that he was wearing. I got an eyeful of his strong arms and I raised my eyebrows at him. He paid no attention and let go of the jacket causing me to catch it or risk letting it fall to the floor.

“Why?”

“Because it smells of me.”

“Right, and why do I have to smell like you?” I asked sceptically.

“Because if you smell of me and you’re in the dungeon no one else knows about, then you won’t be found. Simple.” How could he act so nonchalant about this?

“How long do I have to be down there? Who’s coming after me?! How do you know someone even is?!” There was no way I was going in there without reassurance that I was coming out again soon.

“Because, whilst you slept for hours and hours, I was busy investigating what had happened. I won’t bore you with the details.” He sneered at me. “But just know that you do not want to be found, not by this guy. Dimitri was relatively pleasant towards you.”

“Pleasant?! You call him scaring me and biting me, pleasant?”

“You are lucky that that’s all he did to you!” Damon shouted at me. “I need to bite you again too.”

“What?!” I stopped walking and stood my ground. He’s had too much recently, way too much.

“Not as much as you think. This time I will take a very, very small amount. It’s just to give the illusion that I have killed you.”

My mouth dropped. “Why do you need to give the impression I’m dead?” I dared to ask him.

“Whoever it is that is coming, they cannot find you. They just can’t! If they think you’re dead, we’ll be left alone again. Just how we were before.” He sidled up to me and stroked my cheek, trying to comfort me.

“We need to move quickly. Please, Evain.” I stared up at him, fear pulsing through my body, as he opened the door to stairs that lead down once more. I guess I didn’t really have a choice, so I followed him through the door.

I stood in one place as Damon lit two candles so I could see where I was going. I found there was some food on a table in the corner, and a few blankets in another corner. I sniffed and wrapped my arms round me. I didn’t think I would end up in a place like this again.

“I will be back once they’re gone.” He whispered from behind me as his hands rested on my arms. “I need to ensure your safety, do not hate me.”

“You make it hard not to.”

He let go of me and I felt a small breeze behind me. I assumed he’d moved away from me, quickly.

“I will be communicating with you the whole time.” He said over from the door. “Be patient, this won’t take long.”

I was confused. “What do you mean you will be communicating with me?” I turned to look at him but he was gone. I felt like hitting something.

“I wouldn’t do that if I was you.”

I looked back at the door; he must have come back in again. There was no one there. I froze. Where was he? How could I hear him?

“I should have mentioned before that since I have tasted so much of your blood, we can now communicate easily, without having to be next to each other.”

Great, now I’ll never escape him. I sulked and looked round the room. I spotted a mirror on one of the walls and I debated whether I dare look at my reflection. When was the last time I held a hairbrush? My curiosity got the better of me and I grabbed a candle and walked gingerly towards the mirror.

I almost dropped the candle I was holding. I looked… Worse, but different at the same time. I took in my appearance. I still had long brown hair, but it was messy and looked in desperate need of a wash. I frowned, gross. My blue eyes looked ethereal and shiny. I could barely see the freckles on my face, without sunlight they would eventually disappear. It was a sad thought, I liked them. My skin was getting paler, another consequence of having no sun. I had a peek at my neck which felt stiff after Damon attacking me so often. All I could see were two faint marks and some dried blood. I needed a shower badly.

“If we make it through tonight, I’ll shower you myself.”

I shivered, but I wasn’t sure if it was fear or delight. I can handle myself, thanks. I rolled my eyes and looked at the food. I wasn’t hungry, I was terrified. What if they found me?

“They won’t. I think he believes me, we should be in the clear.”

Comforting. Suddenly there was a loud crash from somewhere above me and I jumped. My heartbeat increased dramatically, practically jumping out of my chest.

“Damon?” Please hear me, I thought. What’s happening up there? Am I still safe…?

A few more crashes and I was on edge. I didn’t even want to breathe in case something bad happened.

The door flew open behind me and Damon stood there, shirt torn and out of breath. He glared at me, hunger in his eyes.

“Damon?”

Before I knew what was happening, the door was closed and Damon was behind me. One hand over my mouth and the other holding me to him, tightly.

What’s happening?

“He suspected me of hiding someone somewhere. This room… He doesn’t know it exists, he will never find it.”

Well I hope not. How did he find out?

“I was distracted.”

I narrowed my eyes. There must be more to that. What do you mean you were distracted? By what?

He held me tighter. “By your talk of a shower.”

Delightful shivers flew through my body but I ignored them. I ruined something else; I put myself in danger again.

“This was purely my fault; I shouldn’t eavesdrop all the time.” His head dropped and I felt his lips against my neck. My body responded to his touch on its own accord. How could someone that puts so much fear into my heart, try to seduce me and start to succeed? The hand that was holding me to him moved ever so slightly and his hand brushed over my breast. I went weak in his arms and he laughed quietly.

“He’s gone.” He let go and moved to the door. I stood there in a daze, almost wishing he hadn’t let go of me.

“Are you coming, or do you want to stay down here longer?” I still couldn’t make myself move, my legs felt weak and I didn’t trust them.

“Perhaps if I carried you?” I blinked and he was holding me in his arms. I opened my mouth to speak, but I ended up just imitating a fish.

He smirked at me. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

We seemed to float up the stairs out of the dungeon, much quicker than when we made our way down before. When we approached the top of the stairs I looked around me and took in the damage. Windows were smashed, wood was destroyed and the carpet looked torn up.

“What happened? What was the loud crash that I heard before?”

We sped through the wreckage and we got to my room. “When he found out that I wasn’t being completely honest, he overturned obstacles and smashed things. Trying to exert his power and find you. It didn’t end well I’m guessing.” He laid me down on the bed gently.

“Did he not notice that you left?” I asked whilst trying to ignore the fact that he’d joined me on the bed and was closer than I was comfortable with.

“In his rage and desperation, I slipped out of the way. Straight to you, as you well know. Seeing as he didn’t see me leave, there was no way he could have followed me or found me. I mean it also helped that the room is so far down that he wouldn’t hear anything from where he was.” He gazed at me and my breath caught.

“Wait. You said he wouldn’t have heard anything?” Damon nodded at me and looked as me as if I was stupid. “So why did you hold onto me and cover my mouth so I couldn’t talk?” I demanded. I felt my face getting hotter.

“Precautions.” He replied casually.

Before I could open my mouth to shout at him, someone walked into the room and I started.

“Your bath is ready.” And he left.

“My bath?” I looked at Damon questioningly.

“Well you seemed unhappy that you were not clean. I took the liberty of arranging you to have a bath.” I looked wary, I don’t think this is such a good idea.

“Of course it is. I also had someone bring your clothes; I have had them hidden for a while now. I completely forgot to give them to you, my apologies.” I just sat there in disbelief.

“I thought you would be pleased to bathe.” Damon whispered into my ear.

“Uh yes I am.” I jumped off the bed. “So where do I go? Can I have a towel? Soap?” I had so many questions but I knew he wouldn’t answer all of them.

“It’s all waiting for you in the bathroom. I shall get your clothes and wait here for you.” He winked at me and ushered me out of the room.

Having a bath was amazing. I felt I could stay there for hours. Such hot water wiping the grime off of me. Finally being able to wash my hair! It was heavenly. After a while the water started getting cold so I thought I’d get out. The only towel that I could find was a rather small one that just about managed to cover my body. I stood there not knowing what to do. I didn’t particularly want to walk back to where Damon was with barely anything covering me. Yet that was the only thing I could do. I sighed and braced myself.

“Don’t say anything. I couldn’t find a bigger towel.” I said before I even saw him. There was no reply so I was hoping he wouldn’t be in there. I was wrong. I walked into to find him with his back to me and no shirt on. I nearly dropped my towel.

“Where’s your shirt? I hope you don’t have any ideas or assumptions just because I’m in a towel!” I said defensively.

He turned round and simply looked me over, but it felt like he was undressing me with his eyes and I blushed.

“Well that is a rather small towel. I could get you a bigger one, but I think I quite like this one.” He smirked at me whilst I glared at him.

“You still haven’t said why you have no top on.” I reminded him.

“Oh yes. Well I seemed to have caught my shirt on something as I was racing to you. There’s a hole in it now and I thought I’d find another one to wear whilst that gets repaired.” He said matter of factly.

“Oh.” I said whilst taking in his bare chest.

“Like what you see?” I looked up and saw him grinning.

“Uh no! Do you mind? I would like to get dressed.”

“I don’t mind at all, go right ahead.” He moved to my bed and lay down watching me.

“I … can’t. You’re watching me.” I felt like a child when I said that, but there was no way I was going to change in front of him.

“Well if you can’t do it yourself, I will have to help you.” Quick as lightening he appeared behind me and was holding onto my towel.

I held on to my towel tightly. “No! I’ll do it myself.” I wasn’t exactly the skinniest girl in the world, more average than anything, so I was slightly self conscious.

“Where are my clothes?” I asked whilst trying to keep my cool.

“Over there on the bed.” He whispered from behind me.

I saw that he had laid out a pair of jeans, a cute top that hung off my shoulder and my underwear. It made me blush to think of him handling them. I made a move to go and get them but he was holding on to my towel not letting me go anywhere.

“You do not need the towel anymore.” He spoke seductively into my ear.

I clenched my fists. I will not give him the satisfaction by giving into what he wants. I took a deep breath and dropped the towel and ran to try and grab my clothes. I thought I had been relatively fast, but he was standing in front of me just blocking me from getting my underwear.

“What do you want?” I demanded.

He said nothing and simply stood there staring at me. I started blushing again. It felt really awkward. Suddenly his face changed and he looked angry. Crap, I thought.

He moved away sharply. “Hurry and get changed. We need to discuss your future.” He left and slammed the door. What the hell is wrong with him? I looked down at my body and my skin seemed to be almost glowing. What’s he done to me?