"You guys think you're funny?" Mr. Schwertz said to us, a crowd of bored adolescents who sat in front of him while he and the other teachers ranted.

Our giggles eventually hit him like the gradual formation of an ocean wave, knocking him off the invisible pedestal he stood upon.

"I'll have you know this lodge has cameras and we will find out who it was!"

We had already wasted thirty minutes of our morning being lectured by the teachers. It all started when they woke up to the slew of duct tape on the ground outside of each hotel room door. I regretted nothing.

"The snow is going to melt if you don't let us leave already," Antonio yelled, hidden somewhere deep within the herd of humans, as he would call them.

This was the one time I would actually coincide with the cold-hearted vamp. Shouts of our agreement grew louder as we became restless.

"Just go get your ski suits on and get out of here," Mr. Schwertz said, defeated. "But this isn't over!"

He tried to add the last sentence on, but it was too late as the students dispersed and headed for the doors.

"Come on," Zane said, grabbing my arm to drag me away.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"There's a party tonight, and I volunteered to stay back while everyone else skied."

He discovered yet another method to prevent me from being exposed to the cold. I observed the back of his head while he grasped my wrist, pulling me along through the dimly lit hallway. I did not know our destination, and truthfully, I questioned whether it truly mattered.

Two metal doors stood in front of us, and I knew right away this was the kitchen. I pushed the double doors open. The room emitted a welcoming scent of freshly baked cookies and cinnamon apple pies, evoking nostalgic memories of being enveloped in the comforting embrace of a grandmother's warm hug. If I had ever had one.

"Grab an apron!" Lucy shouted at me. She had flour painted across her face, making it look like a snowball had smacked her, leaving a trace of unmeltable flakes in its place.

I looked back at Zane while he just shrugged his shoulders. It was obvious he had planned this reunion. I'm not sure what he had said to them, but I was grateful.

"Gladly," I said.

I saw a white apron that hung from a silver hook beside the door and grabbed it. I was no stranger to the kitchen from working at the cafe. Besides coffee, we also had to prepare an assortment of pastries.

"Here," Zane whispered from behind me. "Let me."

"I can do it."

"But it's more fun this way."

He took the two long strings of my apron and gently tied them together behind my back, letting his fingers slowly caress the edges of my waist when he did. I would never get used to the minor earthquakes that rolled up my spine as his fingertips glided smoothly across my body. And maybe I would never want to.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"For what," Zane said.

"I don't know what you said or did and maybe I'm not supposed to know, but whatever it was," I said and turned to face him. "I'm glad you did."

I placed my hands on his shoulders and stood on my tiptoes to plant a soft kiss on his cheek.

The warm water ran over my hands as I washed them before I ran to join Lucy, digging them into the soft dough.

"You know we don't think any of this was your fault, right?" Elfred said.

He was grabbing a warm pie out of the oven to set on the table.

"Any of what?" I asked, while keeping focus on the dough I was kneading. I was playing dumb, and they all knew it.

"The curse, Ember," Elfred said, reminding me of the memories I stuffed in the boxes deep within my mind. He pulled them out as I tried to yank them back in. I just wanted to have a good time. Was that too much to ask for?

"Yeah, they know you didn't cause it," Lucy said.

"Kathryn just wanted to blame someone, and you were the only one that has been different in years," Elfred said.

This talk was going to be inevitable, rather I liked it or not.

"I understand and I swear I would never hurt you all."

"Of course not, but we will find out who it is," Elfred said.

I wanted to find out as much as they did, but a piece of me was terrified. Maybe I was to blame for everything.

Elfred patted Zane's back as they laughed, placing more cookies in the oven.

"It's nice watching them get along," Lucy said.

"Yeah, it is."

She must have seen the emotions I was feeling on my face. When I was around my friends, my mask unraveled little by little. They disarmed me. Lucy, being a human, knew exactly how to read them.

"Don't worry, the others will know what we know soon enough, and they will understand what he does for you."

I could only nod. The thing was, I didn't know what they knew. I only hoped it was the truth.

"By the way, you looked awfully cozy in that fluffy coat last night," Lucy said.

"How did you know?"

"You think you were the only ones that snuck out?" Lucy said.

I looked between Lucy and Elfred.

"You left too Luce?"

I must have had said that question a little louder than I had intended as Elfred and Zane whipped their heads in our direction.

"You already ripped the tape off, so why not?" she said with a shrug.

"Yeah, let Ember do the work for you," Zane said as he and Elfred laughed.

Out of nowhere, an egg flew across the room, hitting Zane across the face.

"You deserved that," Lucy said, not able to hide her mischievous smile.

I watched his hand reach into the flour bag, grab a hand full and throw it toward her. White powder flew across the kitchen, hitting all of us like a spontaneous blizzard.

This was the start of an epic food fight. Flour, eggs, sprinkles, milk. It didn't matter. If it was edible and within reach, we were tossing it.

I grabbed a bottle of chocolate syrup and squeezed it as if it were a garden hose drenching anyone who stood in front of me. I thought I was in the clear, but Zane had other plans as he walked up behind me and wiped icing all down my cheeks.

Though it only lasted ten minutes before we called it, those ten minutes turned my life around. I had forgotten everything and could just have fun.

They were the reasons I would keep fighting until I reached my end.

Ten minutes of fun, hours of cleanup. But it was all worth it. I had some of my friends back and that was all that mattered.

"We'll see you later, boys," Lucy said, linking her arm with mine as we walked back to the room.

Our room was empty when we entered, another reason I was grateful. It's not that their presence bothered me, it was more that I didn't have the courage to face them at that current moment.

By the time we washed off the food and got dressed, the party was in full swing.

"You look great," Lucy said.

"We will be at the other lodge if you need anything," Elfred said, pulling me into a hug.

"She'll be fine," Zane said. The low rumble that resonated from within his chest was unmistakably possessive.

Elfred smiled at him and released me. Apparently, he had tested Zane for the last time. I hope he felt content with the results.

"See you later guys," Elfred said as they turned and walked out the doors.

Music blared through the lobby speakers when we pushed open the doors. Campfire smoke filled the air from the fireplaces. Stars and moons dangled from the ceiling while balloons and mist filled the floor. The dim lights flickered in the chandlers, resembling burning candles and black lights lit up the dark corners.

"The vampires sure know how to throw a party," I said.

"If there is one thing, we are good at," Zane said. "This is it."

I felt a slight tap on my left shoulder. That last thing I was expecting was someone to speak to me here. I slowly turned around, expecting the worst.

"Kathryn wants to talk to you," Ella said.

"Really?"

"I wouldn't say it to you otherwise," she continued. "She's over by the fireplace."

I looked to where she was pointing and saw Kathryn sitting on the couch in front of the fire, watching us. I guess she had sent Ella to me.

"Thanks," I said.

Ella nodded.

"I guess this is my chance to make up with her," I said.

"Just be honest," Zane said.

"I'll be right back."

"I'll be waiting."

I walked over to where Ella was pointing and took a seat across from Kathryn.

"You were looking for me?"

"You know you guys didn't have to lie to me," Kathryn said.

"About what?" There I go again, wanting to keep the boxes locked away as she handed me the box cutter.

"Don't start, Ember."

I let out a sigh before I let the truth flow out.

"I didn't want to," I said. "But Zane saw no choice when you kept accusing me of cursing everyone."

"I really shouldn't have done that."

"Though I feel it, I swear I'm cursing you all."

"I know."

"And I... I'm in love with Zane, though I haven't told him. "

"I know."

"He is also with me for more than what he said that night. He really likes me."

"I know that as well."

"You know?"

"Besides your confession," she said. "It's hard to miss the sweet exchanges between you two."

"I guess we really don't hide it."

"No, you don't," she said. "And the way he looks at you, it's not acting. That's something you can't pretend."

"You would know." I laughed and bumped my shoulder into hers.

"I'm really glad that you talked with Ella, and she told me that I should work it out with you as well." 

"Me, too," I said leaning over and giving her a hug.

As I let go of her, I watched as Kathryn look around the lobby as though she was looking for someone.

"Where is he, anyway?"

"Who, Travis?"

"No, Travis is over there," she said, pointing to a group of rowdy werewolves that were chugging drinks at a table.

"Then who are you talking about?"

"Zane." she said. "He was just standing by the speakers a few minutes ago but now he's gone."

"I'm not sure?" I said, searching through the crowd. "Maybe the vamps drug him off to some blood sucker meeting."

"Well, I would have thought that too, but they are all over there."

Kathryn pointed to a far corner lit by purple light and, sure enough, vampires infested the area, chatting away.

"I think I'll go look for him," I said. "I'll see you later."

"Okay, see you."

 Kathryn joined Travis as I headed down a lengthy hallway that led to the pool, the one area where there weren't many monsters. Perhaps he simply desired some solitude. I couldn't blame him for that.

As I found myself alone, the hallway took on an eerie aura, with its closed doors and the faint glow of dim lighting. 

Suddenly, I came to a halt halfway down the corridor, my breath knocked out of me as I received a punch to the stomach. A wave of nausea washed over me, intensified by the sharp, metallic scent that hit me square in the face.

My eyes searched the area for any sign of Zane when I saw one door slightly ajar. There was a faint giggle that came from that room and my body stiffened. I didn't want to know, to see what was on the other side.

"Now I see why there is such an appeal to your kind. This feels good."

My movements became automatic as my hand extended and effortlessly pushed the door open. Suddenly, I found myself frozen in place.

Zane's hands were on her waist as his fangs were deep within her neck. She dug her fingernails into the muscles of his back, dragging them down the length of his spine when her peridot eyes popped open and locked with mine.

"Hey, Ember."

Her voice, though raspy, radiated of nonchalant characteristics. I wished I could have said the same for mine.

"Did you find him?" Kathryn's voice echoed right outside the door.

"Yeah, I did," I replied, never once faltering my gaze from the scene that was presented in front of me. Ella's grin grew wider than the sun itself.

"Oh...Shit," Kathryn whispered.

Kathryn's hand was quick to wrap around my wrist, but not quick enough. His black, soulless eyes magnetically met mine. I watched his tongue dart out and lick the last remnants of Ella's blood that lingered on his lips. This wasn't him, and I just wanted to leave.

"Were you looking for us, Ember?" Ella asked. The question seductively slipped from her lips.

"Ember was looking for Zane," Kathryn said. "She did not expect to find you."

Perhaps the blood had finished its course. It could have been Kathryn's loud words, or maybe it was the constant repetition of my name. Regardless, Zane appeared to regain his composure.

"Ember?"

He squinted his fading black eyes as he faced me.

"Ember, I can explain."

His voice was hoarse, but it never stopped his pleads, his begs.

"She doesn't want to hear it, Zane!" Kathryn shouted and dragged me out the door.

I watched Kathryn's mouth open and close rapidly but, the words that came out sounded like nothing more than muffled gibberish. As if I stood on a remote island covered in dense fog.

I'm not sure why I didn't cry, scream, or just downright throw a fit. All I knew was that any beautiful moment could change in an instant, so it was best to cherish them while they lasted.