Merlin nodded to me and smiled. I smiled back, he didn't make my stomach twist into knots and make me want to curl in on myself like Luna did, so I didn't mind him. Unlike most legends say, he's not some old man with white hair and a long beard and he doesn't wear a pointy hat. He's lived for over 1500 years and he still looks as young as me. He has pure black hair and sharp blue eyes, but at that moment wore the ceremonial robes of an elder in court. Usually he could be found in jeans and a light top. 

        He was very kind, but very old and knowledgeable. I went to him for guidance on multiple occasions. Andy looked up at him in shock, and then Merlin's gaze zeroed in on Xavier. "Why have you brought me this lost child?" 

        Merlin's soft voice echoed around the room. His voice had a commanding tone to it, but it was also nice and sweet. I brought Xavier closer and looked up at Merlin. 

        "He has broken your laws, attempting to change an innocent without her consent, as well as performing magic in public. Humans were seen terrified in neighbouring houses." 

        Merlin sighed and stood up, walking down to us. He knelt in front of Xavier and raised his head to look into his eyes. 

        "Is this true?" Xavier tried to look away and Merlin smiled softly before taking his wrist and lifting him up. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention Victoria, I'm giving you safe passage through the warlock sector so you can return home, I hope you're back in school tomorrow." I bowed and smiled, then quickly left with Andy.

        When we got home I checked the clock. We had an hour. "I'll get your school stuff, come with me." 

       He followed me with caution through the hallways, most of the others stared at him then looked away when I glared at them. I groaned once we got to the store room and no one else was in sight. I hated being judged by everyone else, but I knew I just had to ignore it. 

        "Here," I handed his bag to him and grabbed my own, "let's go. Matthew and Judith should meet us there." We met up with only Matthew at the front door. 

        "Judith?" He shook his head, glancing at Andy. 

        "Will he be okay?" I nodded, pulling out a bag of blood packets. 

        "And he'll be under my strictest watch." I muttered, pulling out notes allowing me to leave my classes early. He nodded, and I turned to Andy.

        "Okay, here. Phone with mine and Matthew's numbers. If you feel like you're losing control, call. Blood packets, again if you need to. Go to the hallway and drink two. Sunglasses, bag, oh and just stick with me before school, and I'll be there in between classes to escort you."

       He nodded, understanding everything I told him. I opened the door and Matthew walked out, followed by Andy. I slipped out, locking the door behind me. Then Matthew sprinted off down the street, Andy and I kept up as we quickly ran through side streets and alleys. Once we reached the human sector we picked up our pace, no longer in entirely friendly territory.

        When we got to school we separated from Matthew, who hugged me tightly before we went our different ways. "Be careful." 

        I nodded and walked off with Andy to his locker. Then, after going to my locker, we spent some time just walking around the school. I got to explain more of our laws and school rules. I also gave him a lot of tips to survive school. 

        "We're probably going to pull you out quite quickly, then I'll leave and we'll be done." He nodded and pulled out the cellphone I'd given him earlier. "I'll text you during class, keep your spirits up." 

        I chuckled and looked at the floor. I could feel a blush creep up my cheeks and I pushed it down. I heard girls muttering in disbelief as they walked past. 

        "Them...together?" 

        "Maybe....nah, nothing there." I looked up again at Andy and looked at the clock in the hallway. 

        "Should we get to class?" He glanced up and nodded. 

        "Yeah, why not?"

        After I escorted Andy to his first class and made sure he would be okay, I hurried to my first class and sat next to Matthew. "So what's up with Judith?" He shrugged, looking at his hands. "Matthew..." I said, my warning clear in my voice. 

        "She didn't know Andy was coming! She thought he would stay back, she stayed to try and kill him!" He hissed, seeing as human teenagers were coming in. I groaned and gently hit my head off the wall behind me. 

        "Why? Why is everyone going after Andy? I've got him under control, there's a whole plan set out." Matthew shrugged. I paused for a moment, thinking very carefully. "Wait a minute, whose side are you on?" He looked up at me, hurt clear in his eyes.

        "What do you think? I'm loyal to you and your family, including Andy. I told Judith not to but she insisted." I nodded, reaching over and patting him on the shoulder. "Thank you Matthew, you know we trust you." I muttered, and he smiled. I pulled away and smiled. Then I sat there and tried to pay attention to what was being taught. Unfortunately I couldn't, so finally I pulled out my phone and texted Andy. 

        You okay? 

        I waited for a minute and was ready to text again when he quickly replied. 

       Yeah, why? 

        I sighed in relief, texting back. 

       Judith didn't come to school today, she stayed because she wanted to hurt you to get at me. 

        Nothing from him. I tried to relax, but my mind was everywhere.

        Do you trust Matthew? Why would Judith do this? Is Andy managing? What about you, your inner feelings which shouldn't exist? Only a month until then....you need to convince your father. 

        Finally I just gave up and lay my head on the cool desk in front of me. I looked at my phone, two minutes before class ended. I grabbed my note and showed my teacher who let me go and I rushed over to Andy's class. The moment the bell rang Andy stepped out the door and I grabbed his arm. 

        "What's your next class?" He checked his schedule. 

        "Um, history with you." I nodded to myself and we went to our next class.

        Once we got inside I nodded to our teacher and showed him my note saying I could leave early. I wanted to find a discreet spot where we could eat. My teacher nodded to me and smiled as I took my seat next to Andy. I liked him as a teacher, even though everything he taught could be disproven by me. 

        After a long lesson, he was walking up and down the aisles of students and tapped on my desk. I nodded and quickly left. I wandered through multiple hallways until I found a small entryway that only fairies used. They were all away today, so I quickly ran back to class, grabbing Andy and running with him to the small spot. 

        "Here," I pulled out multiple packets of blood, handing them to him. He quickly ripped them open, draining them. I opened a few and gulped them down. Then I quickly disposed of the packets, and we left the hallway.

        Once we stepped back into the flow of students, a group of girls saw us and the head girl gasped. Okay, technically I shouldn't have been able to hear it but, hey vampire. I sighed and we walked off in the other direction. I heard others muttering our names as we walked along. And then I ran straight into John Silver. 

        "Watch where you're going, bloodsucker." I chuckled and straightened my posture. 

        "Watch who's with me, wolf." He gazed at Andy who was preparing for a fight. He looked from me to him and chuckled. 

        "Fine. But next time, I'll be there with backup." I nodded and left quickly with Andy. 

        "Okay, you need to stay away from wolves. And fairies. Probably warlocks too, even though Merlin likes you." I muttered as we walked. He nodded, looking at the ground. "It looks like we might have to speed up your disappearance." We turned a corner and I stopped.

        Listening for a moment, I heard a very gossip-type girl coming with a small group of girls down the hallway. I waited for a moment until they were very close, then I pulled Andy forward, kissing him. They turned the corner and a gasp escaped from half of them. I spun around and they ran away, frantically pulling out their phones to spread the word. 

        "What was that?" I spun around.

        "Speeding up your disappearance. We need a reason for me to be so upset that I leave this school, this is it." He nodded in understanding and we slowly made our way back through the halls. After the last two classes of the day, we met outside and he kissed me on the cheek. 

        "Hey, how was the rest of your day?" I shrugged and smiled, I liked this pretending business.

        Once we got on the bus, everyone stared at us. I ignored them all as the bus left the school and we drove off towards home, and sleep. Matthew was there, but he wouldn't look at us. He obviously felt guilty for betraying Judith's trust, and for trying to lie to me. I sighed as we got off and quickly went into the shade. I pinned Matthew against the wall when we entered the alleyway. 

        "What?" He just looked at the ground. 

        "I'm just, sorry...." I groaned and let him down. But as I observed his behaviour I noticed something. He was trying to regain my trust. That only happened when- 

        "Andy move!" I yelled and he quickly jumped to the side as Judith sprang down at him, bow in hand with arrow notched. "No!" I yelled as I jumped in front of her. She immediately loosened her grip on the string, but she still held it in place. 

        "No! He's a threat to all of us. He's human!"

        Andy spun around at that and ran at her. I turned and held him in place. "Andy stop!" He bared his fangs as Judith stepped back. 

        "You changed him?" I nodded, and she froze. I quickly grabbed and pinned Andy to the ground, then I held him there until he stopped struggling. By then I had sent Matthew and Judith back home to tell my father everything that had happened. I rolled off of him and waited for a moment. 

        "How do you feel?" He groaned as he got up and I nodded. "Right, come on." We made our way through the streets towards home when Andy stopped suddenly. 

        "What are my parent's going to think of my disappearance?" I spun around and walked back over to him. 

        "We've been sending them texts saying you're staying over at this place or another. You'll have to go back soon to visit once. Then it's goodbye." He nodded, looking at the ground.

        He quickly regained his composure and then we ran back home, tired and ready to sleep. Surprisingly we actually did. Once we were inside we hung up our coats then went immediately upstairs and crashed once our heads hit our pillows.

        Unfortunately, I was woken after only three hours of sleep and was not very happy when someone knocked on my door. Andy moved, so I rushed to get up before he was woken up. He would need the sleep. I opened the door to Samuel looking down at me and I sighed. 

        "What do you want?" I moaned. He sighed and led me into the hallway, slowly guiding me down the hallway. "Go back and leave a note for Andy, please." I muttered as we stopped in front of a huge set of double doors. Samuel nodded, giving me a reassuring smile. I smiled back, then opened the doors.

        I walked into the large room, the ceiling arched up and was a huge stained glass window. The moonlight cast through made shapes appear across the rows upon rows of seats. This was our court, the place where we decreed sentences and made laws for the race. I knew every working of the place, seeing as it was likely I would have to sit at that head seat that my father usually occupied. 

        I moved towards it, brushing the armrest with my fingertips. Instead I sat in my seat, next to him on his left. My mother would occupy the right, and if I ever married and had to take over my spouse would sit on my right, my child on my left. Suddenly I spun around, a small sound attracting my attention.

        My mother stepped out of the shadows and I stood up. "Mother, I can explain..." She cut me off with a look and I stopped. 

        "I called you here, I know why you're here. I just want to ask you something." She paused and I gestured for her to continue. "Are you safe with that new one? Andy?" I paused for a moment, thinking about Andy's outbreak earlier. 

        "He's my responsibility, my safety isn't a concern." 

        Mother sighed and walked towards me. "It is to me. I heard about Judith today, and I'm worried about you." I looked at the floor, then back up at my mother. 

         "You don't need to be, he won't hurt me." Her face still showed her concern, so I decided to try and end it. "He won't hurt me, I imprinted on him. I just have to hope he feels the same way." She took a step back and looked me over. 

        "No one's imprinted in centuries, how do you know?"

        "I actually care about him, I feel something towards him that I've never felt in my whole life. In all my 400 years, I feel....love. Proper love." Mother continued to gaze at me. 

        "It was said no vampire would ever imprint again. But I know what it feels like, and I can do something for you if you promise me your safety." I didn't know what to do so I nodded my head. "Very well, go to your room and bring Andy here to me, then leave us and wait until I call you back." 

         I nodded again, internally sighing. I could only assume what might happen. As I opened the doors I found Andy standing next to Samuel. 

        "He woke up as I was leaving, he demanded to see you." I suppressed a groan and motioned for Samuel to lead Andy inside. He pushed him through the doors and then slammed them shut. I sighed and Samuel followed me back to my room. 

        "Thanks Sammy." I muttered as he left me to sleep a while longer.

        When I woke up I found my mother sitting at the end of my bed. I slowly sat up and brushed the blonde strands from my eyes. I didn't know who I got my blonde hair from seeing as my father's was pure black and my mother's a dark crimson. Maybe it was from one of my long dead aunts. 

        "So?" I made the word a question so she would be forced to speak. 

        "It would appear that Andy is an interesting individual." I swore under my breath as I got up and quickly walked to my closet to get changed. 

        "Please give me a straight answer mother!" I yelled as I pulled on a light t-shirt and faded jeans. I walked back into my room brushing my hair, pulling it back with an elastic. 

       "He says he doesn't know. I didn't tell him the full extent of everything, but I'm giving him time." I nodded and then quickly grabbed the breakfast that sat on a small table in my room.

        When I was finished my mother accompanied me to my father's study. When I walked in a small dart flew past my face, landing on the door next to my ear. I stepped to the side and continued walking in. 

        "What was that for?" I asked Alexander who stood just inside with another dart in hand. He pointed towards father's desk and I walked over. On it was a paper that read; "Speed up, take him to parents then get this over with. You both are exempt from school for four days, use this time wisely." 

        I grabbed the paper then quickly left, glaring at my brother once more as I did so. He snickered as I left and I grabbed the dart from the door, spun around and threw it just above his arm. He stopped and I ran out, hurrying off to find Andy. I found him in one of the hallways, lounging on a couch with Judith and Matthew. I walked up and showed him the page. 

        "Come on." I muttered as he read, and he quickly got up following me. Matthew and Judith followed in suit. I groaned, but continued to the armoury. We all put on gear and grabbed our weapons. "Why are you here?" I asked the others as I pulled on my boots and shoved knives in the hidden sheaths. 

        "Because we're your friends, and this is our way of apologizing. Let us help you out in finishing this." I nodded and we all made a hand signal that for us meant trust.

        We left the house when no one was watching, and quickly followed Andy to his old house. "Okay, remember act casual. And if you feel like you're losing control then just tell me." 

        He nodded, and knocked on the front door. Matthew, Judith and I climbed up the side of the house and slipped in through Andy's unlocked bedroom window. Then we waited at the top of the stairs and listened to the conversation downstairs. 

        "Mom, honestly I've been fine. I just need to stay with these guys....no I wasn't missing school. Check my record." I waited patiently, just in case. Andy walked past the stairs and nodded to me. I nodded back and we went back to his room. 

        Matthew and Judith started packing up some of his stuff, mostly clothes. I decided to stay at the stairs in case he lost control, or if one of his parents came upstairs.

        "Do you want something to eat? You must be hungry." I heard his mother ask. 

        "No, I'm fine. I ate at Mike's last night." There was a short pause, and then he said exasperatedly, "No mom, I'm actually not really hungry." 

        That was true, we'd all been sure to eat before we came, it would be harder for all of us to lose control that way. Slowly, Matthew and Judith finished packing up everything they could. When they were finished they came back into the hallway. 

        "Window good?" They both nodded and I looked back down the stairs. Andy's dad walked past the stairs and looked up at us. I quickly slunk back into the shadows, but he must've seen something because he slowly moved up the stairs. 

        "Go!" I hissed. Matthew and Judith ran through the room, grabbing the over-packed bags. They quickly jumped out the window, but I was too late. Instead I positioned myself on Andy's bed. His father stepped into the room and had to do a double take when he saw me.

        "What are you doing here?" I smiled innocently and stood up. 

        "I was looking for Andy, he left the window open so I climbed up. Is he here?" His father nodded mutely, and I walked a bit closer to him. "Can I see him?" He nodded again and led me downstairs. 

        Matthew could be seen just outside in the front window. I pulled out my phone and quickly texted him my plan, then was led into the living room of the house where Andy sat on the couch while his mother occupied a chair opposite. An empty chair sat on the other side of a small table with a lamp on it. Andy looked up at me and his facial expression immediately changed. I sat next to him and his father sat across from us in the unoccupied chair. 

        "Who is she?" His mother asked, confused. 

        "Found her in Andy's room." I smiled innocently at Andy's mother and leaned closer to Andy, resting my head on his shoulder. He linked his hand with mine subconsciously and it made me relax. 

        "Plan G." I muttered in his ear, and he nodded.

        "Well Andy? Who is she?" He looked from me to his parents. 

        "This is Vicky, she's from school. She's....well she's my girlfriend if you really needed a definition of our relationship." His mother turned a bit pale, and his father's back went ramrod straight. 

        "When were you planning on telling us?" Andy shrugged. 

        "When the time was right." I traced my finger across his leg, spelling out; W-E--N-E-E-D--T-O--G-O. He nodded and slowly stood up. I followed in suit. 

        "Mom, Dad. I gotta go. I have stuff I need to do and I've gotta get to school." His mother shot to her feet, and I groaned inwardly. 

        "You are not going anywhere young man until you explain yourself! You disappear for a number of days, then suddenly show up out of the blue. Also, a strange girl that we've never met climbs into you bedroom and is suddenly your girlfriend?" Andy looked at me and I smiled softly. 

        "I'll go, it's okay. I need to get back home anyways. I was just hoping Andy would walk with me."

        Their expressions immediately softened, and Andy's father stood up. "What's your name anyways?" I held out a hand to him. 

        "Victoria Aiken, nice to meet you." I shook both of their hands and then linked my hand with Andy's again. "I really must be going, so can he come?" They nodded and quickly hugged him, then we left, running outside to meet up with Matthew and Judith. 

        "Sorry." Matthew muttered as we quickly regrouped. 

        "It's fine. Now, let's get back home and plan for later." Judith nodded and Andy looked at the bags they had with them. 

        "Everything we could take." He grinned and we made our way back home.

        "Technically you're not allowed off school." I told Matthew as we walked through the dark streets. He shrugged and looked up at the sky. 

        "I want to help you. It's the least I could do." 

        I nodded and we continued through our sector until we were home. After we got inside Matthew and Judith took the bags up to my room where Andy was staying for now. I was pulled aside by Peter who told me that my father wanted to see me. I slowly made my way upstairs and paused before knocking on the study door. 

        "Come in." I slowly opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind me and walking over to my father's desk. Instead, he pointed to one of the chairs behind him, so I went and sat down. "Do you want to tell me what's happening?" He asked, not looking at me.

        "What do you mean?" I asked, sincerely confused. 

        "You've been gone for two hours." I groaned and he turned around to look at me. 

        "We went to visit Andy's parents. We were following your instructions." I pulled out the page and handed it to him. 

        "Oh, I'd forgotten about this. Yes, well I suppose you can leave and get on with whatever you're doing." 

        I nodded stiffly and quickly left, taking back the note as I did so. Sometimes I wished my father would care about what I was doing so then I wouldn't have to see him always angry with me. 

        Andy sat on the bed in my room when I entered, gazing at all the different things that were on my walls. I sighed and smiled to myself, at least I had him with me. He always made me smile. The suitcases we had packed were sitting next to him on the bed.

        "Hey, I'll help you with your stuff if you want." He quickly looked at me and nodded. 

        "Yeah, sure. That'd be great." I walked into my closet and gazed around. Half was full, but the other half wasn't too bad. 

        "Your stuff is going to go over here." I pointed in a general area as I picked up a few of his tops and hung them up.

        After two hours everything we'd managed to take had found it's place in the room. I flopped down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. 

        "Do you think they'll miss me? Are they worried about me?" Andy asked from his side of the bed, and I nodded to myself.

        "Probably. They'll mourn you and eventually they'll forget about you." It wasn't the best answer, but I wanted to be honest with him. 

        "Tired?" I sat up and looked at Andy who was leaning against the wall. 

        "Yeah, you?" He nodded and I hopped up on my feet, quickly going to the closet and changing into my pajamas. When I walked out, I found Andy asleep on the bed. I chuckled and climbed in next to him, quickly falling asleep after the very long night. For once, it lasted. But the likelihood that we would have much peace for the next few days was low, so I cherished every moment.