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It was easier than I thought to stop them from talking about the trip. They'd asked me about my new friends and commented on how they saw some of my tagged photos on Facebook. Those were way at the beginning of college before all of the vampire stuff. I barely had time to use socials nowadays. The pictures on Facebook tagged by Lucas or Laura were of me either socialising at the few parties we'd attended, studying or with them in the house. They weren't great but they worked for great profile pictures. I promised to introduce Katherine, Laura and Lucas to them by Saturday evening if they were free.

For some reason, neither of them mentioned much about Michael. We'd talked about Aaron and how he was doing but nothing about Michael. I was pretty shocked actually. They'd probably interrogate me later.

I was sure my parents didn't discuss the trip because I'd watched them go to bed and glanced into their room five minutes later to see them asleep. So, the night was safe of any discussion of the trip.

In my mind, as my parents rounded the front of Pacific Lodge, thoughts about what would happen if Tate did find out. Because after tonight - I assume they'd look to tonight - Tate will wonder why I wasn't home or at the house... If they didn't find him. I shut my eyes and sighed. I felt terrible for what I said to him. But then I mentally scowled at myself. I shouldn't be feeling terrible; like I said the other night, he is the enemy. But I still couldn't help the guilt slowly eating away at my brain.

The lodge we were staying at was a twenty-five minute coach journey up the road from Cypress Mountain which wasn't too bad. The journey back and forth shouldn't be tiring because of the day lodge up there.

"I'm in heaven." Chels sighed out as we parked in front. My parents got out of their BMW hatchback and started talking to a man in a red blazer, white shirt and red tie hotel staff uniform. "You realise our parents are legendary for arranging this."

"Your parents." Amy corrected.

"Either way, this place must have cost a fortune. And the five day passes as well. Damn." She mumbled. "I really need to get a job."

Something must have clicked in both my and Chelsea's mind because we turned to each other with narrowed eyes. "They want us to get jobs." We both said at the same time and then fell back into our seats with a sigh. "Sneaky,"Chelsea grumbled.

"I'll get a job," I said before someone opened my door. I smiled at them and backed up so Amy could get out from the middle seat. "Just... Not right now." 

"Same." Chelsea interjected. "Only because, you know, I don't want to get one right now." She smirked.

Amy and I laughed at Chelsea and started to unload our bags from the back of the car. This lodge is amazing. I mean, it was more for all the wilderness stuff because it was surrounded by a forest and water.

But the place is still amazing. We walked into the brightly lit lobby that looked just like a cabin living room. There were three couches situated into a nice cosy square in front of a stone fireplace. The reception desk was behind one of the couches currently occupied by an older woman talking to my parents. A few people were lounging around the chairs smiling and laughing.

"Not too shabby," Chels mumbled.

"I think it's wonderful." Amy retorted while pushing her glasses up her nose.

My mother walked over with two room keys. She handed one to me and the other to Amy. Chelsea watched the exchange with a frown. "Why don't I get a key?"

We all just stared at her.

"Fine." She huffed. "Then I get a bed to myself."

Amy and I shrugged. "If I had to share a room with someone, I'd prefer it be Evie anyway. We all know you snore and take up half of the bed."Ames grinned. "I almost fell out of bed last night."

"I did." I whispered loud enough for her to hear. "She's like a bear."

Her hand swung out to hit me on the shoulder. "Look, Red--"

"Girls," Amy slung her arms over mine andChelsea's shoulders. "Let us go to our Waterfall Suite. They have Wi-Fi here too. And we have our own dining room. This will be paradise."

We carried our bags up to the second floor and looked for room 23. "There's a sofa bed and the main bedroom," My father explained as he unlocked the door with my key. "I hope its okay. From the pictures it looked great."

My father swung the door open and all women, including me, gasped.

The living room was similar to the lobby! The Persian rug covering the varnished wooden floor was large enough to cover the middle of the room. It didn't expand to the small dining room on the left hand corner by the large window. Double doors were situated beside the dining room leading out onto a beautiful deck that overlooked a view of the ocean. It was a spacious room I'll admit that. I placed my bag by one of the couches and walked under a wooden arch into a small kitchen with a granite island with four chairs surrounding it. Everything was wooden! The cupboards, the fridge door, the floors. It was excellent.

I met Amy back into the living room and started walking through a hall with three doors. One door was a small bathroom, a small closet and the master bedroom... Which was so wonderfully big and comfortable it almost made Amy collapse.

I laughed and took her hand in mine as we circled around it. The king-sized bed was definitely big enough for us both. This room was huge! There were three armchairs all situated around each other. The bathroom was en suite and practically the same size of the bedroom with a large hot tub looking bath and a separate shower.

Dear God I definitely need to get a job.

Amy and I met my parents in the living room. They sat us down for rules. They weren't huge rules: we just had to make sure we were back in the lodge before two in the morning if we decided to go out, no bringing men (aimed at Chelsea) to the lodge, we were here for four nights and five days, and mom wanted me to call Thursday night. Not big rules.

They handed us our ski passes, ski lift passes and all that jazz.

I said my goodbyes and gave them both hugs and kisses after walking them down to the car. And as soon as I walked back into the room Chelsea pounced on me.

"What do we do first?" She almost squealed. "Unpack? Go to the mountain? Oh, my gosh we should eat..."

Amy walked back in from the bedroom and said, "I've unpacked."

Chels and I glanced at each other. "But..."

"Get unpacked and we can go up there! I want to rent the equipment before it gets really busy. It's almost ten it's probably already packed with people. Evie, do you have ski equipment?"

I shrugged. "My mom gave me ski goggles, a waterproof coat, her thermal pants and waterproof pants that go over them. I said I'd rent the helmet and skis."

"Apparently, my mother decided to pack ski wear into Chelsea and my bags without our knowledge. The only thing they couldn't do was Chelsea's snowboard and my skis."

Chelsea was mumbling curses under her breath. 

"Anyway let's get you guys unpacked!" Amy clapped her hands and rushed off into the bedroom.

"This is why we love Amy. She keeps our lives organised." Chels said with a sigh.

Unpacking took less than half hour because Amy decided to help us both. I'd finished before Chelsea and was now sat on the bed staring down at my phone. I didn't know when I could call Michael. I hadn't been given a time. But my finger hesitated over his contact number.

I locked my phone and threw it to the bed. I'll call him later.

Chelsea and Amy suddenly piled into the room with mischievous smiles.

"What..." I asked cautiously.

"Well," Chels started. "We haven't had a chance to talk about Michael."

"And we couldn't help but notice those very peculiar bruises on your arm and neck last night before bed." Amy sat beside me.

My eye twitched.

"Kinky."Chelsea winked.

I sighed. "It wasn't like that-"

"So it was sex?" She said. "Come on, you know I want details."

"I don't," Amy muttered. "You're such a nympho..."

"I'm not telling you anything, Chelsea."

"Do you love him? And Ames, I am not a nymphomaniac!"

A smile curved my lips and I looked down at my hands.

"It's love!" Chels gasped. "Wow, we didn't think you could love that quickly." 

I rolled my eyes.

"She didn't." Amy corrected. "I just thought you needed the right man. Someone that could handle that Irish temper of yours."

"Thank you, Amy." I muttered sarcastically.

"Right." Chelsea looked at her watch. "Ten thirty. We have to find out what time the shuttles are and then we can ski!! Or snowboard in my case." She winked. "Come on girls! Get dressed and let's go!"

Amy and I dressed quickly and called reception to find out the times. A shuttle works every twenty minutes from eight o'clock until ten at night.

Chelsea was already running out of the place in a white woollen hat, white and pink waterproof coat, white waterproof pants and snow boots. Amy and I smiled at each other knowing exactly why Chelsea wasn't given a key.

Amy was wearing a dark blue coat, pants and a matching hat. We locked up quickly and made it outside to the shuttle where people were piling on. Chels wouldn't shut up the whole journey there but I didn't mind and neither did Amy because she kept us smiling and laughing. As soon as we saw the snow she started cheering. Soon enough a bunch of rowdy young men joined in. Amy and I only laughed at Chelsea's tomboyish ways.

"This place is great." I said as we stepped off the shuttle. "Where's the renting place...Chelsea!"

She spun around. "What?"

"Move yourself. You're in the way."

"Oh." She stepped out of the way of a family exiting the shuttle. "The shop is there. Are you getting an instructor, Evie?"

I nodded and sighed. "Sucks that I've only been skiing once."

"Yeah but you were great that week in Austria." Amy patted my shoulder. "So getting back on the wagon shouldn't be hard."

"This is me we're talking about." I replied.

"Come on you two," Chelsea grabbed out gloves hands. "Let's get our stuff."

Renting skis was quick and easy. Chels rented a blue and white Burton snowboard while I got black and white skis and Amy black and dark green.

The girls had bounded off to one of the runs up the ski lift and I met my ski instructor.

My instructor, Pamela, was a twenty-eight years old..

Vampire. Yep.

She was a vampire. I knew straight away and she knew I was involved with them straight away too. Her silky blond hair was pulled into a tight bun and her chocolate brown eyes were sparkling with interest. She was beautiful. I only knew she was a vampire from the way she looked. I'd seen female vampires only once and she looked just as beautiful.

Plus her voice was like listening to an orchestra produce its most perfect symphony. "It's not everyday I meet a human involved with vampires. Living human's at least." And she was British.

I laughed a little nervously. "Yeah, haha..."

She raised a perfect brow. "Don't be frightened, honey. I wouldn't be here if I couldn't control myself. I've had five hundred years of experience."

"Wow." I mumbled as I clicked my boots on and clicked them onto the bindings of the skis. 

"Evie, is it?" I nodded. "How did that happen, if you don't mind me asking?"

My cheeks were already pink from the cold in the mountains but I knew she could tell the blood was rushing up to my cheeks. "Um... Well..."

"Ah. I see." She said with a slight smile. "I have nothing against it, love is love. You can't help who you fall for. I fell for a human too."

She held her hands out to help me up and I took them. "Really?"

"Yes. In 1832. I love him with my entire existence and will do anything for him. I'll give him my life."

I raised a brow. "You're talking about him in present tense."

"Yes, because I changed him."

My hand paused as I reached for my poles. "You did?" 

"Mmhm." She hummed. "It was his choice. I had nothing to do with the decision. Although I refused for a few years. I am a stubborn soul. But after a while, Nicholas said that as he grew older I stayed the same. And that soon enough he would die," She placed my helmet on my head and clipped it on. "I figured that living without him wasn't an option. I loved him to a point that I would find a way to kill myself if he was killed or if he died. Our love for each other is eternal. A vampire's love and trust is hard to gain." She patted my head with a smile. "Men harder than women." She winked.

I inhaled the sharp icy air deeply. "So you just turned him?"

"Yes. And I'm glad I did. I wouldn't know where I'd be if I didn't." She checked my boots. "You're... Eighteen? Nineteen?"

"Almost nineteen."

She made a thoughtful noise as she checked my skis."Has the subject come up with you and your partner?"

"I tried a few times but he becomes awfully silent."

"He has control that's for sure." She stood up and gave a pointed look to my neck. Oh yeah. I forgot they could see it. "Wait a while. You're at a good stage in your relationship if he's already bitten you. Now," She smiled a dazzling smile. "Call me Pam. I'll be your instructor for three days. Two if you need it, or just today if you're a natural. Let's get started."

It took a few hours but I was getting the hang of it. She stayed along side of me as I moved down the beginner slope. I would need another day, according to Pam, but I didn't mind. She was nice. We spent another few hours riding up and down the ski lift to try the next level slopes... Yeah, I fell. But I'm okay! Pam only laughed.

I followed her to the day lodge at around three-thirty after receiving a text from Amy saying they were in there. She was going through names of vampires in the area that I may know and stopped on an obviously popular one. "Jonathan Harris?" She asked with a grin.

I smiled and nodded. "He's a good friend of mine. You know him?"

"Of course! That young man and I used to be good friends back in the 1890's. The man got in enough bloody trouble as it was." She rolled her eyes. "How is he now?"

"Still a trouble maker." I said before walking inside the warm lodge. "But he's good nonetheless."

I caught Chelsea's eye from her seat on one of the couches. Amy was leaning against Chelsea obviously tired, bless her.

"Thank you for today, Pam. I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Of course. Make sure to ask for me though, otherwise you'll get someone else." She winked one of her brown eyes and walked away.

"Who was that stunner?" Chels said as I sat beside her.

I shrugged off my coat and lay it on the arm of the couch. "My ski instructor." I lay my head on her other shoulder. "Pam."

"She's gorgeous." Amy mumbled. "What is she, twenty?"

Five-hundred and twenty eight. "Twenty eight."

"Well, I'm impressed." Chels sighed. "How was your day?"

"Well, I can ski," I laughed. "I just need another day then I'll be joining you both on the slopes."

"That'll be a sight." She smirked.

"All have you know, I am actually great at skiing."

"Yeah. Right okay."

"I am!" I glared playfully at her.

"Wanna a bet?"

"Always."

"A race on Friday evening. The slopes start to get empty by then and we can catch the last shuttle home. Deal?"

"Deal."

"But right now, we'll settle for a fight."Chelsea ignored the fact Amy was leaning on her and pounced on me for the second time today. The awesome thing with having Amy and Chelsea as friend's was that it was like having sisters. We hit, play fought, actually fought - verbally - but we still forgave each other.

Chelsea pinned me to the couch and sat on my back. I glanced around the large hall and noticed a few curious eyes on us. "Chels." My voice was muffled against the pillows. "Chels--"

"Admit defeat!"

"You're such a--"

"Admit it!"

"Alright!" I rolled over and smiled when she fell to the carpeted floor.

Amy had migrated over to an empty arm chair away from us both. She adjusted her glasses on her nose and picked up a magazine. "Children." She scowled.

*** 

Later that evening, after a wonderful meal delivered up to our room from the menu, Chelsea and Amy settled onto the couch with the fire going. Unfortunately, the moment wasn't as picturesque as I'd hoped because they both had laptop's on their laps. 

But soon enough Amy got bored and whipped out a 'True Blood' series book.

Ironic.

I smiled at it right before walking out onto the deck.

I shut the door and settled onto one of the chairs overlooking the darkening sky. I dialled Katherine's number after Michael didn't answer suddenly aware of how still the night was.

"He's already left." Kate said when the call connected.

I ran a hand through my hair and tightened my hold on the blanket covering my body. "What time? When will he be back?"

"They left over an hour ago; around eight." She replied. "I don't know when they'll be back."

I groaned. "Come on Katherine. Give me something to work with."

"I'm sorry, Eve. Neither Ana nor my mother can see them."

I waited for the comment on whether she could see them but nothing came. "Can you?"

"Meh. Not really. Since my little hibernation, I've been seeing glimpses of the forest a lot lately. Always near your house. But sometimes it's like it's in first person. That's all I get."

"But you're getting somewhere?"

"Yeah. Hopefully John and Michael will find something more." I could hear the smile in her voice. "Now, what's this about you meeting Pamela?"

I smiled. "Do you know her?"

"Nope! John does, I found out this morning and went straight to him about it. He was practically jumping up and down with excitement at the news of you meeting his old friend. She's a nice woman, he said. If you're in any trouble while they're gone, then contact her."

"Okay, but I don't want anyone else involved in this Katherine."

"You don't have to involve anyone else in this. Pamela will be helpful if you get in trouble while you're there, that's all."

I shut my eyes and leaned back in the chair. "Okay fine, I'll speak to her about it. But that's it."

"Alright. Also, what's this about me meeting those friends of yours?"

"Please?" I stood up and paced across the deck. "I want you guys to meet them. Chelsea and you will get along great."

"Ha! I know we will." I could practically feel her knowing smile through the phone. "And your cute friend Amy? Well... John will definitely like her."

My nose flared. "What? Hell no, they will not-!" 

She hung up.

"Dammit!" I cursed and sat back down.

I didn't want Amy involved in any of this. Amy has a life in New York. She's looking forward to her career in the future. I didn't want her involved with a vampire.

Hypocrite, a part of me whispered.

I shook my head. She'll meet John but that'd be it because they leave Monday and are back at the house by Saturday. But uh, Amy was a romantic. And damn was she smart. I glanced in the room just as she shined her shy smile at the book as she turned the page to her vampire novel. Knowing her, she'd flash her chocolate eyes at the man, stretch the beauty spot above her lip in a small smile, not say a word and leave like meeting him was the most insignificant thing that could happen to her.

Chelsea and I knew her better than that. Being the eldest of us three - three months for me and six