"RISE AND SHINE, CUTIES!"

I nearly leaped out of the bed at the sound of the shrilly voice as the door busted against the wall. "EEP!" I heard a screech from the right of me as I sat up against the headboard, wondering who had burst into the room.

"It's gonna be a good day today," I heard a voice and I looked at the door to see a woman standing there. "So get up and get your day started," One Leticia Greed stood there, walking over to open the blinds as the sun came in through blinding rays. Fear struck me as I watched the sun coat her skin, wondering if she was going to start burning into ashes.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Eli," I rubbed my eyes in confusion, pointing to the sun. "S-shouldn't you be, I don't know, turning into a crisp?" I had my fair share of Twilight movies, courtesy of Tatianna, but this was reality, so I couldn't be too dependent on that. "Oh!" Leticia grinned, shaking her head.

"Because I am a pureblood, I have immunity to the sun," She quickly explained as the lump next to me threw the blanket down from over his head. "Ever as spunky today, Miss Leticia?" Kenzo sat up with a rub to his eyes, not forgetting the formality greeting. "Eh??!" Leticia screeched in disgust, stomping over to Kenzo, and flicking him on the ear.

"Ow!" He moaned in pain as she pointed at him. I narrowed my eyes, feeling the hair on my body stand up in his defense, ready to move to protect him. "Ken! I told you to call me Lety!" She pouted and my eyes widened at how casual she was with us, the humans. Didn't Kenzo say that he was treated like a luxurious servant?

"Miss Leticia," Leticia mocked Kenzo with a hand on her hips, earning a chuckle from us both. "That makes me remember my age, and I don't want to remember my age!" We both let out a laugh, grateful that her personality was enough to render us comfortable in her presence. 

Kenzo slid out of the bed with a yawn, bowing to Leticia who narrowed her eyes and elongated in her fangs in response. She really didn't like the customs, it appeared. 

"Canoodling with a fellow human, huh?" She teased as she watched Kenzo exit the room to go clean himself up. He was only here because I had another nightmare about my family. This time, it was my mother stabbing me in the heart while I was sleeping.

I didn't want to bother Zander about something as trivial as these because we had just met. I didn't want to burden him enough for him to realize that I wasn't worth it. With Kenzo, it was easier because he understood.

"N-No, it's not like that, I promise!" I shot back and she waved a hand at me, skipping to the walk-in closet that was provided with the room. "We shall go for a nice walk today!"

Once she was done in my closet, she forced to me get dressed in a pair of black jeans with a blue shirt, claiming that 'I was just to die for' and that Zander would just eat me up.

"What's he like?"

I asked as we sauntered through the courtyard, other fellow vampires walking past us with a curtsy in our direction. I was sure that it was for Leticia because I didn't need that much honor. 

"Huh, Zando?" Leticia chewed on a piece of blood-infused fruit as I nodded. "He's a great man. I consider him to be my older brother because as annoying as I am, he always looks out for me," She started explaining and I listened intently. "He's someone to be feared though. You will never get to see that cruel and wicked side of him because he truly wants to impress you, Eli. As feared and scary as he is as the top reigning count of the last coven standing, he has his own demons too."

I got the feeling that there was something that was holding him back. He always wanted to talk about me and never him. "We all have our fears and our regrets as vampires. Living this life is never easy because you're ostracized from the entire world. Zander, however, seems to be harboring a tremendous amount of guilt," She hummed as she looked me dead in the eye, watching my reaction.

"I'm not going to go into all of the details as Zander should be the one to tell you. This is a new world for you to navigate as you have given up your old life. Going in and out of these four walls will never be the same, so I understand if you want to leave right here and right now. Zander himself will understand because he expects to you leave," I could almost hear the hidden words just slipping out from in between her fangs.

He isn't telling you about himself because he fears you will leave when you know the truth.

Leticia shrugged with a beam in her eyes. "Of course, I'm not telling you this so you can use it against him because I don't think you would," The vampiress howled with laughter, licking her bloody lips. "And I'm not telling you this because I think you'll leave. Actually, I think you'll stay. I'm telling you this because you are our last hope in getting Zander to accept himself," I wondered why she was pushing all of this on me now when I was just coming to terms with everything.

"Huh?" I mumbled in confusion, letting her words wash over him like a calm shower. "This world is scary for a human, but you aren't on your own!" She threw her arm around my shoulder, nuzzling my cheek. "Please make that overly strong vampire king smile," She said it in a cheerful manner, but I could make out the pleading in her eyes.

She was placing all her hope in me after I had only been here for all four days. 

I went to speak with a nervous blush to her, but a cough from the front of us stopped me in my trek. I looked up to see one of the other executive vampires, Ruby, dressed in a simple black dress with red heels.

"Uh, hello, Miss Ruby," I waved to her nicely and she stopped in front of me, her lips set in a grim line. The blonde didn't say a word and I could feel the anticipation rising inside of me as she clicked her teeth, shaking her head.

"Hmph, what does this human think will happen between him and His Excellency, huh?" She sneered, looking me up and down in disgust and I fought the urge to jolt. "You are nothing but a human, and he is someone of nobility. You could never stand in the same league as him, Eli," She spat my name coldly and I hitched a brow, narrowing my eyes.

"Hey, Drabek! Hop off!" Leticia hissed, her eyes turned a ruby red. "Don't be mad because he's Zando's fated and you aren't. You're way too many centuries old to be catty like you're in high school," She rolled her eyes, pulling me to walk around Ruby. "Be upset all you want, but if Zando hears you badmouthing his cutie pie, he will end you and you know that." She growled lowly and for a moment there, I could see a flash of fear making its home in her eyes.

I could hear her let out a hiss as we got farther and farther away. "That fucking bitch!" I heard Leticia curse as her fangs dug into her lips. "Hey, please calm down," I put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a comforting smile.

"Huh?" Leticia gave me a confused stare. "Why aren't you upset about it? Shouldn't you be wanting to rip her hair or something for disrespecting your honor like that?" I shook my head no, having heard far worse than that. "Shouldn't you be upset because that implied that she has an interest in your little boy toy?" While it did bother me that she acted as if she was more involved with him than I originally thought, there was nothing I could do about it.

"Ugh!" Leticia groaned. "We got to do something about that passive attitude of yours. People will walk all over you like that, you know?" I gave her a small grin, knowing that it already been done several times. "Lucky for you, that vile bitch hasn't done a thing with Zander. He always said things like that," She cleared her throat as we turned the corner, heading to a big pair of wooden doors. 

"I'm going to wait for my fated as they are the only one who can complete me," She said it in a deep and droll voice, enticing a laugh from me. "Such a sap is what he is. Come on," She motioned for me to push through the doors and I did, seeing such a large library, stacks of tall bookcases inside with beanbags and tables with chairs governing the floor. It was dark, the black curtains hiding the light, but it didn't deter from its sheer glory.

"Zando! I brought you your beautiful fated!" She screeched as soon as she entered the grand and vast library. "A-are you sure you can just yell like that?" Zander seemed like the kind of person to get upset about unnecessary noises. "Yes," She giggled in a tone that suggested otherwise.

"Please keep your loud noises to yourself, Leticia."

I gulped as a very, very deep voice spoke from my right, the intense body heart swarming around me as an arm engulfed my waist, pulling back into a hard chest. I looked up with a red face to see a tanned and beautifully sculpted face set in a stern manner with glasses framing those silvery-blue eyes.

He smelled so good and I could feel the muscles bristling underneath my back. What was this feeling fluttering in my stomach? Why did I feel so shy?

"Make yourself scarce, Leticia," He demanded in a short tone, walking in the direction of where a large desk sat in the middle of the library, pulling me along gently. "I'd like to spend some quality time with my fated," His voice was so relaxing to listen to as he sat down in the big chair, placing me in the chair next to him.

"Okay, cutie, I'll see you later!" Leticia threw a wave at me as she exited, leaving Zander and I alone. I watched as he began signing through various paperwork, a small bout of curiosity rising within me. "I missed you last night, you know? It seems Leticia is insistent on consuming all of your time," He grumbled, pushing up the glasses on his nose as he searched through paper.

I had to admit, it was nice sitting here with him, talking about absolutely nothing as I gazed at him with those sinful glasses on his face.

Was it possible to be so deeply attracted to someone without knowing them fully? 

Before I lost myself in him, I remembered something. "Oh, yes! I remember seeing two pale bodies with stakes driven through their hearts on the news," I curtly mumbled as he hummed in recognition. "You know who they are?" He nodded, turning to look at me.

"Those two were part of Cecilia's coven. They were freshly turned, and that is what cost them their lives," He shook his head as if he was reliving a traumatic memory. "Do not worry. My coven is smart enough to deal with things like that," A chuckle rumbled out of his chest and I found myself leaning closer to him.

"Oh yes," He hummed as if he just recalled something like I did. "I got you a new phone with everything restored," He reached into his back pocket effortlessly, producing me a shiny new iPhone. I grabbed it from him, taping on the screen.

Part of me hoped that there were tons of notifications filling up because then that would mean that that day was just one big mistake. Part of me hoped that my family had reached out and were worried because then, it'd be all okay. Part of me hoped that my best friend and my girlfriend had some sort of explanation to prove that they still cared about me.

But I found that as I gazed at the screen, the only notification was from Marissa Steele questioning if I got home alright from a few earlier.

Wow.

I couldn't deny how much it stung. Just when I thought that everything was going to be okay and that I could finally be happy again, this large and dark hand had to come and push that hope down, hiding me from the light. 

I wanted to cry, if I was being honest. I wanted to have someone hold me because it hurt more than I could put into words. 

"Do you miss your family?" Zander quietly asked, sensing my change in me as he put his gloved hand over mine. "I do, a lot. I mean, how could I not? They gave me so much to remember," I whispered, putting my phone down. "It just sucks that I'm not good enough for them to care about." I confessed, refusing to cry at this point. 

"Why do you think so badly of yourself?"

I blinked in surprise at his words, watching him grimace in my direction. "From what I know about you thus far, you aren't a bad person. In fact," He reached out to rub my cheek, the corners of his lips quirking up into a smile. It wasn't a smile, but it was as good as I was gonna get. "You might be the purest person I will ever come to know. You have such a kind heart, and yet, you let other people tell you otherwise." My eyes widened as I listened to this man, who had his own story to tell, scold me for thinking like this.

"I mean, I know nothing because I haven't spent your entire life with you," Zander gave me a gentle caress to soothe the ache in my heart. "So I can't really say anything. But what I will not do is sit by and let you degrade yourself because you have no clue how much you're worth." I bit my lip, whimpering softly as this vampire lord drilled bit by bit into my head.

"As scary as it is, we have a journey to live through together, lubirea mea, so please," He looked absolutely pained as he grasped my chin in hand, turning me to look at him. "You are the most precious thing to ever walk this Earth, and you are worth so more than what you think."

Then his voice got darker, sending chills all over my body as he leaned in closer, staring straight into my eyes. "If you know what's good for you, you'll do well to never talk bad about my beloved ever again." He wanted it to sound threatening, but all it did was draw heat to my body, a flush to my cheeks, and a sweet ball of air sliding down my throat. His voice was low and demanding, doing such things to me as his lips connected with my forehead in the softest and warmest touch, lingering there for a while.

"Understand me?"

I nodded slowly, smiling softly under his kiss. "Then please grant me the honor of telling me about yourself. I have my own demons, but so do you," He stared at me with narrowed eyes, unconsciously closing off.

"We have a journey together, right?" I smiled at him and sooner or later, he grunted, pulling back from me. 

"Indeed."