Not edited.

Lana's POV

  It had been a while since the attack. Whenever I was in the woods, I told myself that I had my senses sharpened.. I wasn't so sure about that anymore. Those werewolves.. They attacked us. And I would say that it was for a good reason.. See, it was different when werewolves defend their territory. They leave a warning first, and then if it doesn't work is when the attack becomes a priority.. However, tonight.. Tonight was something different.

  They attacked me as well. And I was one of them. Perhaps it was because Amelia did that spell on me so they couldn't sense if I was one of theirs or not.. Or they just had their own reasons why they would want to harm us. Well, Christian was a vampire. It wasn't really a surprise. The thing was.. The thing was that no one could be so precised. These woods were larger than mine. There was no way the only caught a scent of a vampire.. They knew we were there. Or I was losing my mind.

  "Christian?" I heard myself ask, after about five minutes of silence. The last thing he told me was that I should try and stay quiet, cause.. Well, he was right, I was starting to pick really stupid subjects for a plain conversation, but I never really liked the silence, so..

  "Yea?" He answered quickly, continuing to walk with me still on his back.

  I released a sharp breath. I wanted to hear his opinion. "Those guys.. That you killed."

  Once again he was quick to catch up with me.. "Mhm?"

  "They were werewolves." I heard myself continue. It was one of those moments where I wasn't exactly sure where this was leading, but all I knew was that I was bringing it up again, and I was just curious about his opinion. It wasn't very, well me, to keep quiet. I asked, I talked, and I got answers. Two brains was better than one.

  "Yea. You already said that, Lana. A couple of times.." I rolled my eyes. He was being arrogant again.

  Silently clearing my throat, I tightened my arms around his shoulders. "Well, yea, but I was thinking.." I noticed how he tried to look at me, but no matter how many times he did that, there was no way he could turn his head that much. Or my hair was in his face again. "How big are these woods?"

  "Big enough for them not to be able to catch our scent." That cold, monotone voice seemed to slightly buzz in my ears. I was paying too much attention on him and it was starting to bother me. We weer getting closer with each minute that passed, but I still liked my distance. I didn't trust him yet. Not completely at least.

  I frowned at his words. He was good at this. "How did you know what I was going to say?"

  "I was thinking the same thing." I didn't know what to say to that.. He didn't give me an answer either way. Perhaps he didn't know either. But I would love it if we were quick enough to find out. Was this the reason why my father didn't want me to roam around these woods when I was younger? Whenever we visited the lake house, the outside was forbidden for us.. Maybe my father had enemies other that vampires? Was that even possible?

  "Christian?" I could hear him puff in annoyance.

  "Yes, Lana?"

  Oh, I wasn't that annoying.. He wanted me to be honest and opened.. There I was doing that exact thing. He could at least fake having a little fun. "What if they were my father's enemies? I mean, they did attack me first."

  Silence fell over for a few seconds.. "I don't think they knew you were one of theirs." Right. Again, I thought the same thing. "Besides, you would know that better than me." I looked on the side.. I was on the tip of my toes the whole time.. Trying to be careful.. Well, not literally on the tip of my toes, cause he was carrying me and everything, but I was trying my best to sense as much as possible. "Okay, Lana, you can hop off now."

  Well, that was a quick change of subject. "Why?"

  "Because it's been over a mile. You're getting heavy." Huh, could he find a worse fake excuse? He had strength to crack people's necks, to rip hearts out within seconds, and all that speed crap.. And he could carry me. 

  I made sure to get closer to his ear. "Really?" I heard him release a breath in annoyance. Good. I smiled.

  "No." Well, there you go. Not so hard to admit. "I'm just really tired of talking to your hair." A smile stretched my lips.

  "Okay." The second he stopped and let my legs go, I found myself hopping off. The funny thing was, talking to this cold arrogant vampire I met a short while ago was actually making me forget about things like.. For example that I was running away from hope.. Or that I was supposed to spy on him for Amelia.. Or mostly, I forgot about my leg.

  I closed my eyes when my feet hit the ground, but felt no pain whatsoever, so it was good as long as I let it heal properly. I took a step next to him, not wanting to be left behind again. If we were getting attacked again, I wasn't going to be the one taking the arrows again. He healed within minutes unlike me.

  I noticed him looking at me, but I realized that behind the bush a few meters in front of us was a clearing, and the whole place was starting to become very, very familiar to me. I thought, well, maybe we were near, but I didn't realize how much that 'near' actually was.

  He was still standing in place when I took a few steps towards the bush and pushed the branches and leaves away.. And there it was. The lake. His footsteps took my attention, but I was too concentrated on locating the house from here. It was pretty dark, and since there was no one in the lake house, no light or whatever, it was harder to find. Especially when my point of view was usually from the inside out.

  "Is this it?" I heard him ask, but my eyes were searching for a house near the lake, and once I saw it, I was already walking towards it when I answered.

"Yea, I think so." It seemed like once again that heavy silence fell over, making me even more lost in the dark, only the little stars on the dark blue sky someone clearing out path.. Until we reached the house, and Christian decided that it was't such a good idea to walk in just like that.

  "Are you sure there's no one in there?" I heard him ask from beside me. That slightly raspy deep voice was so clear again, I was starting to get used to it. It was starting to feel like I was going to enjoy listening to him talk and talk and talk.. But no matte how soothing his voice was getting, he refused to make normal conversation, random really.. It was only fun if he was making fun of something, being sarcastic, or just being his arrogant self.

  I took out my phone from my back pocket. I've been saving it for this moment.. We needed the battery for inside. "No." I answered plainly, and even though he knew I was playing with him, he still hated me talking back.. I was getting to know him. And it really helped, cause I liked making him angry.

  "Lana." And there it was. The slight threat in his voice. The cold serious tone that would make someone shit their pants, but I really found it funny.. I mean, it wasn't like I tested him more.. I didn't know what was coming after that.

  A dry laugh escaped my throat as I stopped near the back door. "There's no one in there, Christian." Directing the battery towards his face, I brightly illuminated those sharp features of his, and the way I brightened his face from down where I was, the sharp lines underneath his cheekbones seemed deeper, more expressed then usual, making those dark eyes of his seem even more intimidating.

  He eyed me for a few seconds, and it seemed as if the smile was disappearing off my face. My thoughts were fading away, and mixing with the idea of him.. Well, his physics. He was really handsome. I mean, good genes.. He had nearly perfect features, and everything seemed to add up on his face. From plump lips, to dark messy hair, a straight nose and black eyes that always made you feel a bit confused with what it was going on behind them.. Even his slight beard added up to everything.

  "Okay. Stay here." I cleared my throat once his voice broke my thoughts, putting the light away. Wait. What did he mean stay here?

  I looked on the side before my brain registered his words, and instantly looked back at him. "Wha-? Hey, no!" He was already walking towards the door, and I had to raise my voice as I rushed to catch up to him. "Christian, stop!"

  The second he turned around, he almost bumped into me from how close I was getting, but was fast enough to cover my mouth with his hand. "Shush." Was he crazy? Shushing a werewolf? I could bite him right there.

  He was looking from side to side quickly, but I was only getting angrier. Pushing his hand off of my mouth, I took another step towards him, wanting to seem as intimidating as him, but only he could make that happen. "Don't you shush me!" My voice once again came out way louder than I intended, and I admit, he was right.. He still could shush me, though.

  "Lana!" And there it was again. That threat. That seriousness in his voice. Just this time, he was standing tall in front of me.. Nearly no space between the two of us.. And this time, his eyes were locked with mine. It was different. I mean, it did have an effect on me, just not what he intended to. It seemed like I was more focused on hos his eyes moved from a feature to feature on my face, scanning me, or just trying to read me.. Either way, instead of concentrating on his voice, on the anger in it, I was focused on his eyes searching my face.

  I blinked a few times, and looked on the side. Okay, he was right. I was being loud. But now, so was he.. I saw him take a small step backwards, and I could still feel his eyes on me for another few seconds before he started walking towards the door again. "You are kidding, right?" I said more calmly now, as quiet as I could be. "You will not be able to find that necklace without me." I started walking towards the door, climbing on the small steps of the back porch as well. "Besides, I'm curious on what else my dad is hiding from me. I'm going in."

  He was peeking from the small window before he looked back at me. Whenever we were close, he looked at me up and down, and that made me feel smaller that I was compared to him. I mean, I was normal, he was the one that was like super tall. Why was I even paying so much attention on him?

  I mentally shook my head, before I looked back. Yes, when our eyes met, I felt that irritation, that intimidation again. But I had to live with it. "Do you even know where the key is?" Crossing my arm over my chest, I watched how he put his hands on his hips, moved his weight from on leg to another, looked up in annoyance and finally ran a hand down his face as he exhaled a deep breath. He had to live with my attitude as well..

  "Fine, Lana. You better be out of help this time." A slight smile stretched my lips as I watched how he followed it.. He was going to smile too, I knew it, but he looked away. He liked being intimidating. He was aware of it, and that was his method.

  I got on my tiptoes, and reached for the key on top of the door frame. He observed well, but I was going to change the secret place next time I was here.. Like I said, I didn't trust this guy. He was a vampire, a Le Boursier on top of everything, and even though I was doing plenty for him and with him already, I had him in my hands too.. I knew plenty of him too. So, I waved the key at him, and grinned, before opening the door, and letting him in.. This was going to be interesting.. God knew what else my father was hiding in here.

~

Christian's POV

It wasn't there.. That necklace.. It wasn't at the lake house. And I was completely aware that I were taking a random chance with Lana, but the girl was telling the truth. The strange thing was, she found something in her father's desk.. Minutes before we had to leave. I had to say her name a few times to make her snap out of whatever got her so glued to her spot. She just left the paper where she found it, and we ran out. I knew I heard voices, but I hope that we were fast enough to leave before they caught our scents.

"Why were you so sure that that's where your father kept the important stuff, Lana?" I asked, not even completely aware that I was talking, but once again my voice seemed to snap her out of whatever kept her so quiet after the lake house.

"My brother told me." I instantly looked at her. She had her head turned towards the window, leaning on the seat completely quiet and lost in her own world, but her words weren't what I wanted to hear that night.

"You told your brother about-"

"No, Christian. Don't worry.. I simply asked where my dad keeps the important stuff.. I just never thought that he kept so many secrets." The last part came out as if she was mumbling it mostly to herself, but it seemed like that was what took my attention. I glanced back at her from time to time as the silence filled the air, and in that quietness, I could hear every little skip her heart performed, and I could tell there was something on her mind.

Once again, I thought how big of a difference there was.. Women usually liked the silence. Amelia did, and she even once told me. Lana.. Lana was something else. She loved breaking the silence whenever she hot the chance, and you were supposed to be a fool not to realize that there was something going on with her.

"Everyone keeps secrets, Lana." I managed to tell her, watching how she looked at me, surprise in her eyes, but at the same time, a little frustration. I glued my eyes back on the road.

  "Family isn't supposed to have secrets." I heard her voice almost immediately.. She was always certain in her own words and had the effect to make you sound like you were the idiot for thinking otherwise.. But I had experience with family drama. "Especially not if it would cost someones life." She added the last part after a few seconds, her voice trailing off and getting lost with the silence that was dominating around us.. I still didn't have her figured out, and it was a damn rareness for me to have trouble reading someone. But again, this girl had too much in her eyes for me to focus on just one.

"Lana." He name tumbled out clearly, and my voice once again seemed to catch her attention. I glanced at her, watching how lazily she looked at me, mumbling a small 'Mm?"

"What?" She added with that slightly raspy tone, with that confusion in her voice that wasn't caused by me. Once again, the picture of her concentrated on that piece of paper took flashed in front of me, but I kept focused on the road.

"Talk to me." Perhaps my words surprised her, but I couldn't understand this girl if she didn't open up. I couldn't read her if she didn't tell me everything. I couldn't help her if she kept secrets. And then there was also that curiosity kicking in, making me feel like I had pressure down my chest with not knowing.

I heard a slight dry chuckle. "Why? It's not like you would care." A slight breath escaped her as she leaned back on her seat. She was way too quiet, and of course that had me doubting on what she read on that paper.. She talked non stop before that. "And right, since we're talking about secrets, I'm not going to keep this from you." Her voice once again took my attention, and after she mentioned the conversation with Amelia, many things crossed my mind. "Before, when you asked about what Amelia and I talked about.."

  "Something I didn't get an answer for.." I interrupted her, still keeping my eyes on the road..

  "Well, she wanted me to see if I knew what was up with you."

  "And you told her."

  "I didn't." She said almost immediately. I was glad she wasn't impulsive. She opened up. But there was still a reason for me to doubt her, and not trust her completely. We had use from each other. Nothing more, nothing less.. "Christian, you didn't tell me there was a kid involved in this."

When she said those words, I realized she was talking about Annabelle, and that Amelia was pretty honest in order to get something. "There isn't. Annabelle has nothing to do with this. If anything, I'm doing this for her protection. And Amelia's.. And everyone else's." I kept adding, focusing on the road, but I was truthful with her. She was honest with me, and I thought that I should've told her why we needed the necklace so badly, but I couldn't involve her in this. Not her.

"Well, she was worried that you were doing something behind their backs.. Which you are." I glanced at her, but she just talked, completely focused on the woods we passed beside the road. "She asked me to give her a call if I find something out.. And in return, she cast the anti-track spell on me."

Amelia obviously had a plan too. "You told her about your little secret getaway plan?"

"I didn't have to. She already knew."

When I looked at her, she glanced back. I searched her face to find somewhat an emotion, but she just looked to distracted to talk about anything else.. "I didn't tell her." I assured her, looking back in front of me.

"It doesn't matter really.." It took her a second to answer, her voice full seriousness, coldness at some part, worry even.. But it had that truth in it, the soothing effect on me that had me desperate to know why.. I got used to her talking, even being needy and sarcastic.. Even her little arguments from time to time. I was getting used to her. And it wasn't something I usually did. Not something I let myself do.

"Why did  you run away?" And there it was.. That question. That question that perhaps had a simple one answer that she refused to give me.. I wasn't sure why I felt so damn desperate to know, but I knew that the more she told me about herself, the more I had control. It's the way it worked. She had a use from me, and I needed to have enough use from her as well..

"And we're back to that?" I felt her looking at me, I heard that slight surprise in her voice, but at least it was honest. I got her back, snapped her back from whatever was getting into her since the lake house, and I was glad my words had her attention.

I glanced at her. "Yes, Lana, we're back to that." She seemed to be hesitating in something. I knew I got what I wanted. When I wanted.. I was going to get the truth out of her as well. But at that point, I was starting to doubt whether I was doing that for my own benefit, or was it to make her say something that would mean a relief for her.

She took in a slight breath, and I heard her hear skip quickly before she started talking. "My parents wanted me to marry this guy.. Which meant giving up all the power.." She added slowly. So much hesitation was heard in her voice, so much dilemma.. It obviously meant so much to her, and it was all in her voice. Something was building inside her, and the way her voice trailed, then cleared out.. It let me hear the truth from her. "I couldn't let that happen."

"Arranged marriages.. Nothing new for the werewolves." She looked at me. I could hear the way she breathed, heavier than before, and I could tell that this subject had an effect on her. She was being pushed into something she didn't want and I understood. I just don't think I could say anything to her that would make her feel better. She was already frustrated with the facts.

"I don't know." Her voice started coming out sharper, more clear, and I could tell she was seconds from letting everything out. I could hear the relief and fury mixing together, and she was starting to get lost in her own emotions. "I don't know anymore, Christian." She repeated like she had no clue where this was leading. I was parking the car, and I'm not sure if she even realized we had arrived. "I just know that it's not going to happen. My father has gone crazy, and I'm going to get him out of that trance." Her voice was becoming louder and louder, and there was nothing but honesty when she talked about this situation.

But she was so certain about her abilities on changing people's minds.. It was interesting to watch such spark of confidence in someone. However, I had experience with stuff like this. My father was even worse than this.. Maybe the confidence and certainty she had would help her. "I like how confident you are in yourself." A smile stretched my lips, and I finally looked at her, but she just frowned, and I knew I should've stayed quiet. She was already frustrated.

She instantly looked at me. "What?" It wasn't exactly a question, but it was obvious she was already angry with the subject. With how her father betrayed her. "Am I not supposed to?" I took out the keys, trying to hide the laugh that was about to escape. There was nothing funny with the subject, but she stressed out too much. It was cute seeing her so worried. The music muted completely, and I looked at her the same moment she furrowed her eyebrows and crossed her arms over her chest. "Tell me Christian."

Even though she insisted, and maybe I sounded rude, it seemed as if the calmness on my face angered her even more. "I said I love it, Lana. I wasn't being sarcastic." I assured her, but it took her another few seconds to make sure I wasn't playing her.

Then she simply untied the seat belt, opened the door and walked outside. The right term would be, storm out. I didn't even know why anything I said effected her. The girl didn't really enjoy my presence, and I had my own reasons why she frustrated me as well. But after a long night we could both admit that other than annoying each other, we were put of help. "It just.. It doesn't make any sense!" She nearly yelled as she took a few steps towards the door, but still stopped when she heard my voice.

The little clouds forming from her warm breath against the cold air showed how frequent and sharp her breathing really was. "You're safe, princess." I told her, watching her turn around slowly. I took a few steps towards her, and seeing her change her weight from one leg to another showed how frustrated this whole thing made her. "At least with me." I told her. It was true. If anything, no one could harm her in the house. Besides, I already killed those idiots that shot her.

  She looked on the side, exhaled a sharp breath and nervously ran a hand through her hair. "Yes, I am maybe safe now. But it doesn't work like that!" Her voice got louder as she spoke, her words echoing in my head with each second that passed. "I wanna know what's going on first. And you know what? I'm going to prove it! I'm going to prove that Alexander Vesnetsov is not clean. There is something going on, and I do not trust him. I just want to,-"

Her voice paused for me the second she said Alexander Vesnetsov. I knew that family, and how little did they know to arrange a marriage for a girl like Lara? "God, I want to stop this! How can I stop this?!" She kept talking, continuing, as she once again ran her hands through her hair. The girl didn't know what to do to stop something like that, and she was showing how lost her thoughts were with each second that passed, by each move she made. "I,-"

She was panicking, and going over the board. Someone had to stop her. "Lana!" I managed to interrupt her as I took a few steps closer. Her eyes moved quickly, and held anger and frustration she didn't know how to express. She was far away from those that she was angry with. In those moments, people wanted to scream just to get it off their chest.

"Why are you whining?" I asked, somewhat managing to keep a straight face. If she asked me, this situation was nothing that couldn't be handled. However, she still didn't have enough experience. "Hey, you can do it." I told her, hoping she would look at me, but all I saw was some rage behind her eyes, making that green look somewhat even more intense and defied that it already was.

"What?! With your help? You don't give a tiny rat's ass Christian! Why would you?!" She was quick to bark back, quick to say word after word in seconds, and that adrenaline pumping through her veins was clear. That anger in her eyes showed it all.. The little dimples on her cheeks showed from how fast she talked, and it was crazy how her dark pink lips could take your attention in seconds.. However, the only thing I focused on in that moment was her oh so colorful vocabulary. She thought I didn't give a fuck, but she chose quite the words to express that.

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my throat. I looked on the side, but it was already too late to hide it. I knew it only got her angrier. "And now you're laughing! Great. I don't even know why the fuck I'm telling you this." There it was. The princess said the f word. Not so hard.. But, yea, she was right.. I shouldn't have laughed. I knew she was sensitive and vulnerable at that point, and I was only topping it.

I saw her hair fly on the side as she turned to walk away, but something got into me in that moment. "Hey, wait, Lana."I managed to grab her by her arm before she had the chance to completely turn around, and I wasn't exactly sure why I cared if my reaction insulted her or now..

She flipped her hair again, the brown color having that goldish shin underneath the gray sky, and those eyes never seemed wider and more furious. She wiped the smile off my face as fast as she caused it. "No, let go." She protested for a second, but my grip was light and she managed to pull away. "You don't,- You don't get it Christian!" She made movements with her hands the whole time, clenched her fists, then released them.. It was quite interesting to watch her. "Why do you even ask, when,-" Her expressions changed, her eyes wide, her lashes fluttered, and her lips were enchanting to admire.. I didn't even realize she interrupted herself before I heard her speak again. "Stop!"

Her voice slightly cracked as she spoke, somewhat managing to snap me out of whatever was going through my head. "What?"

"Stop looking me like that!" My brain barely registered her words.. All I saw was her standing there in front of me, with her fists on her sides, and all I could think was, I had never seen someone so fearless stand in front of me.

For her words and her constant comments, she seemed too gentle, with soft lines on her face and neck, and wide green eyes that seemed to be dominating her whole face. Her lips seemed smaller but plump with a cherry pink color that made them seem like wild strawberries. Her cheekbones slightly glowed underneath the soft light, and even though her hair was unkempt, her soft wavy locks still shone with each move she made..

"Like what?" I managed to let out a word or two, but the confusion in her eyes had already disappeared and there was something else hiding there.. The anger softened, and the emerald color seemed to be dimmed with a darker forest green.. She was supposed to look ridiculous from how frustrated she got with me when she was angry at someone that wasn't even near, but the girl held such dignity even in those moments, and I seemed to be attracted to something so simple yet powerful.

Maybe it was the pain that lived in my bones, the broken pieces I saw that reminded me so much of.. Someone long ago. It was supposed to go away, but I kept seeing reflections, sometimes of myself, sometimes of her. There was no bigger difference with Lana, but she held something that made her look so foolish, beautiful, lost and fearless at the same time.. Perhaps the fact that she refused to show it.. Show anything that was going on with her. In her.

It made me want her like I had never wanted anything else in my life. That chaos of my emotions in that moment came rushing back so fast, it made me lost, confused, and it just deepened the agony of not having something I seemed to crave so strongly. I wanted to have her, cherish her, protect her, sooth her, all at once. All in that once fucking moment.

She seemed lost in her own thoughts, and looked at me in those few seconds like no one had ever looked at me before.. Wild, pure and raw. Enchanting. "Just,-" I heard her voice in a second, but it seemed muted along with the rest of my thoughts. And just like I was trying to mute some kind of a noise in my head, I pulled her closer.

I don't even remember moving, but in the next second when I came to some consciousness, she was in my arms and I could feel the lines of her waist underneath my hands, the softness of her lips against mine. It was a plain gesture I never exactly understood. Had no meaning whatsoever.. But it soothed something in me in that moment like nothing else could.

It was quick, and unfinished, and enough to somewhat stop something that burned inside me, fade it somehow.. It was only a second when I pulled away and had her quiet and staring back at me with confusion in her eyes. I thought that perhaps I should've just walked away, kept it to myself, but the pressure couldn't come to release. I thought that perhaps I scared her, and I caused confusion.. But she seemed to be feeling a different kind of confusion and shock.

A beat passed.. Two.. I wanted to move away, but I was glued to my spot, so close to her, yet never having enough from that picture of her face, her lips slightly parted, her eyes searching mine and furrowed eyebrows that confirmed nothing but surprise. A terribly strong attention and somewhat understanding.. But no matter how much I thought it would be a surprise to see a gesture from her even similar to mine, I was wrong.

When she moved towards me, desperately quick as she inhaled a sharp breath, I didn't feel shock at all.. I wasn't sure I felt anything other than that war of emotions in my chest, mixed thoughts in my brain. My senses were numb and when she pressed her lips back against mine, it felt nothing but relief. Like breathing air again after being under water..

She seemed desperate for some kind of answer, almost like she was checking or making somethings sure.. But it wasn't like before.. Nothing like that. Faster, deeper, hungrier.. Feeling her hands move up my chest made me feel as if there was something else flowing through my veins. Nothing new, but so unfamiliar, it felt as if something exploded in my chest. With her lips moving against mine, quick and unfinished, just like a simply plain gesture, but at the same time, that need was the crystal clearest.

First she looked at me with such light in her eyes, confusion and spark, then kissed me as if I were the air that filled her lungs. And I forgot my very existence.. Just a plain gesture.. A complete control of emotions, but hunger that brought us together that night. And feast that brought us back.

***

"You should've seen the way her was looking at you while you were out."

- "How?"

"Like you were the ocean and he was desperate to drown." -Michelle Hodkin

Just a little quote for ending the chapter ;) Well, guys, I hope you enjoyed :) And I hope I'll hear your thoughts on this chapter cause the activity on the last few chapters has been really low..

Also, tell me how I did? It's just that Christian is a really hard character to follow and write about, and the reason why it took a while was because I changed the last part into his POV, so it took some time..

See you soon ;) Kisses,