"Solaris vice, Eve," Gideon whispers, his warm lips pressed against my ear.

My heart leaps into my throat as my self-defense kicking in for once. I whip my arm out trying to backhand his face but my arm falls back onto the bed, missing him completely. I sit up blearily as I give him a bewildered expression. He simply grins, sitting on the edge of the bed. "That means good morning. You should be happy," Gideon chuckles, "after all, you survived another night here."

I lean away from him as my head begins to fill with heavy sleep. I don't remember going to sleep... I have to be more alert. I rub my eyes and suppress my growl. "Why do you keep waking me up like that?"

His crooked grin widens, "Why shouldn't I? You're so cute, Eve."

"You're so weird," I mumble, eyeing him from under my hand. You're dangerous. You're a psychopath. You're a sadist. There's a lot of things you are but I can't say them out loud. I glance around the room finding that it looks the same as always. Nothing to indicate what time it is outside either, if they truly have a daytime. I still don't know where I am... or how to get back home. Can I even ask that now? Would they answer or freak out?

"Shy and Addy are already downstairs eating-" he pauses for a moment, then looks to the side thinking hard about something. "Ehhhh... Ray kinlie es...?" He mumbles quickly moving his hands aimlessly in front of him. "Food... early meal..."

"Breakfast?" I offer realizing he's struggling for the right word.

He lights up clapping his hands together, "Yes! That!"

I stretch my legs out under the covers feeling oddly comfortable in Gideon's bed now. I brush my messy hair back realizing I must look like a mess. I doubt they care and I don't want to look nice for them but still. Oh shoot... when was the last time I brushed my teeth? I cringe and cover my mouth with my hand hoping it isn't too bad.

"Uh, Gideon?"

Gideon stands up sharply and looks down at me with a curious look. "What?"

"How many days have I been here?" I ask feeling a bit unsure about my answer. I don't know how long I've slept or was knocked out for. A brief shot of anger rushes through me as I remember Shiloh drugging me. Then the flood of horrible memories come crashing back into my skull reminding me of all the terrible things I've seen. I take a shaky breath forcing them away. I can't dwell on those right now. I have to focus on now. I can't keep looking back. Even so... I keep seeing Gideon's cruel smile. Then my decision... can I try helping them? Would it do anyone any good? Or am I dooming myself to an eternity here?

"Technically you have been here three days since we returned home before midnight. You've just been asleep or knocked out for most of it," he shrugs, "it's too bad. You miss out all the fun."

I run my hand through my tangled hair as a fleeting panic rushes through me. Does Mom still believe I'm alive? Is she alive? I really have to get home... I sigh loudly closing my eyes for a moment trying to gather my thoughts. "So, what's the plan then?"

"Plan?"

I open my eyes to find his sparkling with humor. I nod seriously, not wanting to play games again. "Yeah, are you keeping me here? You know I have a family back home, I have to go back at some point-"

"Why do you want to go home so badly?" Gideon asks confusedly, "Aren't we fun?"

My eyes darken. "You murdered someone in front of me, you have threatened to kill me, you admitted you wanted to kill me, and all you boys can come up with is that I can stare a Masser in the face which is a monster you never really encounter unless you're near 'the border'. Tell me, why should I stay here with you? Other than hope to God that you find an ounce of mercy in your heart and change?"

Gideon raises an eyebrow, "So you caught that."

I narrow my eyes, "Answer me."

He shrugs and flops back on the bed. His arms fly out hitting my lap before he settles on the bed. "I thought you wanted to help us."

"I do," my voice falters for a moment, "but I need hope of going home. A set time. Maybe the fact that we have a time limit will help you guys start talking instead of depending on forever to change."

"Interesting argument." Gideon bobs his head before laughing, "But I don't think that will work. We want you to stay here with us." Then he sits up with a sly smile, "Or take us back with you."

My eyes widen for a moment trying to understand why I feel so uneasy about that. Then it hits me. If they go back home with me... that means murderers from another place are running free with no one to stop them. They have no idea what it's like over there. It could be helpful or it could be just as disastrous as releasing a Masser to roam free and wild through the town. They are unpredictable monsters I have no way of controlling, nor should I want to. But still... even though they are trapped in a cage that still means they are monsters. I can't ignore that fact. Even if it isn't their fault.

"Why do you want to go back with me?" is all I can come up with.

Gideon frowns, "I'm guessing you missed our previous conversation last night. You should know, Shiloh isn't happy here. Lately, he's been upset and pretty depressed since you came. You remind him of a home he left and now he wants to go back. Besides, why stay in a world without time and constant danger?" He sits up again with his knee popped up and his arm hanging loosely over it. His golden eyes flicker in the low lighting as his voice drops an octave. "Why should we stay here, Eve? What do we have to lose?"

I swallow nervously, leaning back against the wall to put as much space between us as possible. I can feel myself begin to sweat only reminding myself that I haven't showered in three days. I know that look. That hungry look in his eyes. The monster I fear he is. "I'm not sure if you'll like it there. You can't-, well," I pause before forcing out, "you can't murder people. That's extremely illegal. A-And if you... if you enjoy killing then maybe you won't be happy there."

Gideon's eyes narrow further almost turning to slits. "What if I'm bored now?"

"I-I don't know," I stammer struggling to remain calm. I glance around the room nervously hoping Shiloh walks in the door to distract Gideon. Someone. Anyone. "But what do you hope to gain by coming back with me? What do you want, Gideon?"

A frustrated growl erupts from his throat as he begins to lean forward, slowly crawling towards me. I gasp and immediately bring my legs to my chest, leaning to the right to try escaping and jump off the bed. With a loud slap, his hands are on the wall, caging me between his arms. I jump back only to slam my head back into the wall. His face nearing mine with a terrifying intensity. I struggle not to breathe as I stare into his eyes, pleading internally that he moves away. Shoot, shoot, shoot!

"Why should I tell you anything, Eve?" Gideon snorts, tilting his head to the side.

I begin to sit up straighter to move my head away from his lips. "Because you started the story and I want to know its ending," I answer as bravely and as smartly as I can. "You can't keep me in the dark forever, Gideon."

He chuckles softly though mocking is clear in his voice. "So cute... she thinks that she's in control," he purrs as he leans closer. His breath hot on my face causing me to blush fiercely as embarrassment and anger rises up inside me. "Sorry to disappoint you, little Eve... but you don't get to ask the questions here. It's time you stop looking for answers and just accept the way things are. Nothing will change."

"If you truly believed that then why do you want to leave so badly?" I shoot back without thinking. The words flew out of my mouth with no filter and I can't take them back. I gasp softly realizing what I've done. I stiffen as I stare back into his eyes, terrified of what he'll do. That was a nerve. That was definitely a nerve. I shouldn't have said that. I shouldn't have-

His lips suddenly crash against mine, slamming me back against the wall. I let out a muffled scream from surprise and fear. Paralyzed, I stare at his closed eyes for a moment. My brain shutting down as my senses numb for a fleeting second. His lips soft but his kiss is rough. His arms barring me in and unable to move or escape.

Oh my God.

OH MY GOD.

I suck in a sharp breath as my body goes rigid. My lips stealing away his breath in the process making me shudder. My hands whip out and shove his chest back trying to push him away, no longer caring if he's a trained killer. But he leans further and traps me between his arms and his lips. Sirens echoing in my head as panic shoots through me. I turn my head sharply only to have him copy his movement. I begin to beat my fists against his chest trying to kick him but I keep missing because the way he is positioned.

I try to smash my head against his to break his nose but he follows my movements again. My heart racing, I jerk my head side to side trying to escape his trap. His kiss tasting of powdered sugar and heavy syrup, oh, and sin. Like poison that fills my veins like the Plague. I never wanted this. I never wanted any of this! What did I do to deserve this!? My first kiss... stolen by a murderer. Whose lips have probably touched other girls as he sliced open their chest to rip out their hearts? It isn't hard to guess that he would do something like that.

I want no part in that.

An idea strikes just as his hands start to slide against the wall towards my face. Just as his fingers brush over my cheekbones, I snap my teeth and bite his lip as hard as I can trying to draw blood.

Gideon gasps and suddenly pulls back, his bottom lip caught by my teeth still and struggles to back up. I immediately let go and fly from the bed when he was distracted. I bolt across the room towards the door, my freedom. Suddenly, his hand catches mine and yanks me back violently. I shriek as I slam back into his chest bracing for some kind of hit or stab. He grabs my wrists and whips me around to face him again.

I gasp for breath as I stare up at him in fear as I hate myself in every possible way. I hit a nerve. I provoked him. I bit him. And I'm giving him his favorite facial expression as his reward. Fear. His eyes filled with dark rage, turning the color of melted gold that burns in a coal-crusted oven. He holds my wrists tightly causing his fingers to turn paper white. He grits his teeth as his lip begins to bleed. I can still taste his blood in my mouth.

He stands frozen for a painfully long while. Staring down at me in rage. I feel myself struggling for breath as my lungs hitch realizing I'm on the verge of a panic attack. He's going to kill me. He is going to kill me. This time I'm sure. Do I pray? Fight? How can I fight against Gideon? A trained killer versus a girl whose only knife she's ever held was her kitchen knife. The girl who used to faint at the sight of blood when she was little. How can I fight someone who lusts for that?

To my horror, he begins to smile that crooked smile. His eyes still filled with rage. He licks his lips before cocking his head to the side. "That wasn't very smart, little Eve."

I say nothing.

He laughs darkly before rolling his eyes, to my surprise. "But it would seem that my little Eve has grown fangs. We all do at some point."

I feel myself shrinking down as the traumatic images of the way he killed that man flash through my head. I have seen what he can do. I never want to see it again. Nor do I want to be on the receiving end of it. What do I do? Gideon continues to smile down at me, "Sooner or later you'll be like us. Shiloh changed and so will you. You'll understand soon enough, little Eve. There's a reason why we no longer call ourselves human."

My gut twists as my heart begins to skip beats. What does that mean? Be like them? I can't! I can't! And the heck did he just kiss me?! Who does that!? What right does he have to do something like that!?

Gideon only shrugs, the anger fading from his eyes but replaced with a sympathy that I find worse. "Whatever happens, know one thing, little Eve." He locks eyes with me again, completely serious this time. "If you ever leave, you won't leave human."

〰✷〰

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU KISSED HER?! WILLVARIO DE CREY! GRENDS DE CREY! She isn't here for you to toy with!" Adrien screams from above, filled with a rage I didn't know was possible for him to express out of protection for me.

Shiloh who squats next to me holding a grey sponge and glass bowl of clear liquid. His hair pushed back from a black bandana with soap bubbles dotting his ink black hair. He looks up curiously before mumbling, "You idiot, big idiot," he translates.

"You can't tell me what to do! And don't call me an idiot! Willares de crey!" Gideon shoots back.

Shiloh snickers softly, "You are an idiot. Bow to the king of great comebacks, Gideon-nus."

I manage a weak smile at Shiloh realizing he's trying to keep the mood light. I take the sponge from his hand and begin to scrub the round table that has been cleared off. It's covered in crumbs and dust bearing long scratches. I cringe as they continue to yell at each other hoping they don't take it out on me in the end. They are friends with each other, but in my case, they'd have no problem hurting me. After all, I'm basically their "toy." Though I hate to admit it. They hold the knife to my throat and I never took any self-defense classes. I'm defenseless against them. So I have to outsmart them instead. Somehow.

"Why call him Gideon-nus?" I ask quietly, avoiding eye contact with him. Gideon is screaming that Adrien can't do anything to stop him and he'll kiss me again if he wants. I feel like this is my fault. I'm ashamed that I'm the reason they are arguing. Ashamed that I didn't pull back fast enough. But how could I have known he would kiss me? I still have no clue why he would do that...

"We have titles here," Shiloh answers simply beginning to rub his eyes. He reaches across the table and begins to push the crumbs to one side to collect them. His dark eyes flicking to my face. His gaze softens for a moment seeing my distress. "Nus means superior or ruler, nas is the female form. Technically, you should use the res ending since we are strangers but are the same age, or same status but that doesn't really matter as much."

"So when Adrien said my name with the end 'rac'..."

"It means you are lower than him." Shiloh rolls his eyes before looking up. Adrien is starting to angrily pace the kitchen balcony before screaming up at Gideon in his own language. His voice rising and falling in a fury-filled melody because not even anger can make their language sound harsh. Gideon leans dangerously over the railing glaring at him trying to argue but Adrien continues to yell at him.

Suddenly Shiloh stifles a laugh turning back to me. "Jeez Eve, you must have kissed like Anjealis because Gideon is really mad he can't do it again."

I watch him confusedly before connecting the word to "angel." I shake my head, blushing fiercely, "He forced me too." Anger beginning to rise in my voice, "It was sudden and he did it without my permission. I don't think that's fair and definitely not appropriate. Besides, I was trying to beat the crap out of him and bit his lip to make him stop. I don't think that's 'kissing like an angel.'"

Shiloh just shrugs as he pushes the crumbs into his cupped hand. He turns to his small parchment bag and brushes the crumbs inside of it. "Oh, grab those pillows. We're going to wash them today." He points to the piles of pillows scattered on the rounded couch pad before he flashes me a weird look. "And I never said 'angel.' Anjealis is a girl."

I begin to grab the pillows feeling sick all over again. "Who's Anjealis?" Another victim? Another Tressa?

"A psycho loust killer who passed through the border often to lure human men to the other side and kill them there. It was quite gruesome actually. They say her love is unlike anything." Shiloh makes a face, "They say she gives you Heaven before she sends you to Hell."

I stiffen at those words wanting nothing to do with her. Nor do I want to be compared to her. My mouth suddenly dry I manage to say, "Oh."

"Yeah, she was crazy. Or at least that's what the legend says. She died a long time ago when a group of our men went after her because they were annoyed with the messes she made. Maybe jealous she didn't chase after them. Anyway, her name is used as an expression now to describe girls with hypnotizing love. It kinda means goddess of love but not." Shiloh chuckles flashing me a humorous look, "Guess you've got Gideon under your spell now."

I violently shake my head. "No I don't," I tell him firmly, "I don't want him under my spell. In fact, I don't even have a spell. Gideon kissed me because he thinks he can control me that way. I think it was a distraction, to distract me from wanting to leave or do anything else." I set my jaw as I begin to glare at the pillow in my hand, pausing from my work. "I mean, it's not like I'm immune to that but still. I think that's pretty sick to try distracting me like that. I have a mission and I'm not going to lose sight of that."

Shiloh watches me seriously for a moment. Soap bubbles still popping in his hair. He slightly tilts his head to the side letting me see his dark scar better. His nimble body may be in the form of a young man but his expressions still are childlike. All of theirs are. As if they never truly grew up. "You're very determined, Eve. But you should be more careful."

"I'm trying," I mumble starting to lower my head. "But when he started talking about coming back with me... I panicked. I-I..."

Shiloh slowly blinks at me before looking up slowly. The two boys still screaming at each other. Then he slowly holds his small hand out with a serious look. "Come with me, we'll talk somewhere else."

I stiffen and watch his pale hand for a moment. My eyes caught by the scars slicing up his arms. His damp sleeves are pushed up to his elbows from washing dishes earlier, thus the bubbles in his hair from Gideon throwing them at him right before the fierce argument started. What happened to you, Shiloh? Gideon words terrified me. I have to get out of here before that happens to me. But I have to wonder... what do they mean by no longer human? What defines them from humans that they have to make a stern distinction? And if Shiloh was human... what's different now?

"You won't... hurt me, will you?" I ask tentatively, hoping his humanity is still there.

He shakes his head, "I won't hurt you. I'm not accustomed to enjoying pain like Gideon and Adrien."

Yet you attacked that man and gave him horrible scars of his own.

I take a breath before I put my hand in his. A far stretch of hope. Praying that he still has a human heart. Praying that he won't trick me. One last time, I'll trust them. One last time.

"Okay."

(Not my best chapter but still important. I am a little out of it because I've been away from my computer and unable to write for a while so it takes a while for me to snap back into pattern. Still, hope you enjoyed~ Also, go