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"What is it?"

I glanced out the window. The sun had come up. There was no way of Tate leaving the library now. And I knew Kate and Sam were at their parents so they won't be interrupting. It's just the matter of starting the conversation or argument in our case. Because there is no way that this will not turn into an argument. Not with our track record.

I inhaled a shaky breath and shrugged off my coat and jacket. 

"Evangeline, what is it? You're beginning to worry me."

I glanced at the clock on the wall. Twelve-thirty. This will be long winded without a doubt.

"Do you trust me?" I started.

His green eyes looked relieved all of a sudden but the worry still resided there. "With my entire being."

I shut my eyes when I said, "So whatever I say, you'll understand that I know what I am doing. That I'd done this to help you. To help us."

There wasn't an answer and I was afraid to open my eyes. "I've been doing something that I know you won't like. So what I tell you is because the guilt has been eating me alive. I'm telling you because we made a deal at the beginning of our relationship that we had no secrets."

I heard the desk chair move but I didn't open my eyes to see whether he'd stood or came closer. 

It had to be said now. The order of how everything needed to be said without me sounding like a horrible human being was lined up in my head and ready. Although, the more I thought about, it wouldn't matter what order it went in.

I am still a horrible human being.

"That night at the party three weeks ago... I saw the vampire out in the woods. I went looking for him. I lied." I sighed. I just have to let everything roll off my tongue... "And then our date? After he took me? He didn't make me forget, I remember everything. He told me not to say anything but it was because he threatened Aaron. He threatened that someone would make him their snack. So I couldn't tell you. He said he'd know if I told you. So I lied again. When I went out to the bar last week with John and Sam, I saw him again. He said something like you couldn't stake me if you tried and I replied with... Want a bet. And then after John drove me to your house he was there waving me to go over to him. He asked me to meet him." 

I paused to take a breath. I still hadn't opened my eyes and the silence in his study had become horrible. I was afraid to look... So I carried on.

"That Saturday I spent the day with you. And then I said I was going to my parents. I didn't lie that time. I did. But I went after I saw him." 

For some reason, something in my mind stopped me from telling him what we did that night. I didn't know why but I couldn't get the words past my lips. Was it the fact that Tate trusted me now that me telling Michael all of this had me feeling slightly... guilty? This chain never ends...

"Tuesday after your lecture he was in the library. He couldn't go out in the sun so he waited in a dark area of the library until later on. I didn't know he was going to be there. He pulled me over and... I stayed with him while... Your lecture went on." As I said everything it felt like the weight of everything was getting heavier. That telling him had made everything a whole lot worse. "And... Today..." I clenched my hands at my side and squeezed my eyes tighter. "Again, he was there."

Once again nothing came out about what happened. Neither did the fact he'd asked me to meet him again on Monday which I decided I wouldn't. I couldn't.

As the silence wore on, I finally opened my eyes. 

Michael was situated a horrible distance away from me. The side of his face was visible. I couldn't see his eyes however his mouth was a thin line. And when I glanced down at his hands his knuckles were white from the way he was clenching his fists.

"Say something. Anything." I whispered.

Still he didn't move. 

If I held this in longer, what would it have been like? Would it be ten times worse? Would he hate me? Scratch that, would he hate me more than he does right now?

The silence and his abnormal stillness were getting to me. So I tried to say to him, "I'm so sorry, Michael. I didn't tell you the first time because I wanted to protect Aaron. And he said he'd know if I tried telling you--"

"So, why are you telling me now?"

I watched his eyes slowly lift from his feet to me. His eyes wouldn't meet mine however. They remained on my mouth. Growing blacker and blacker as his chest rose and fell fast.

"Because I couldn't keep this away from you. It was burning a hole inside me."

"And yet... You continued to do it."

I shook my head. "No, I didn't--"

"Is he a nice vampire, Evangeline?" His voice was like venom to my ears. Every one of his words stung. "Does he treat you right? Has your blood been to his liking?"

I flinched like he slapped me and blinked away the sudden sting to my eyes. "Don't be like that Michael, it wasn't--"

"What's he like?" He walked swiftly back to the chair and sat down. His eyes finally met mine however I wished they didn't. They were a cold, almost empty black. The veins on his face outlining telling me exactly how angry he was. "Because every time I wish to meet him he seems to... Disappear. Of course, what hadn't occurred to you was to tell us so we could intercept one of your meetings? Did that ever occur to you?"

"...No." It honestly hadn't. The idea of either John or Michael coming with me to stop Tate. But... It hadn't occurred to me because Tate wasn't the bad guy in this. So why should he die for being told what to do. "Because he doesn't deserve it."

"Why's that?"

"He's not a bad person--"

"And this theory came from what, the four times you've actually met him? Well done, Evie, I applaud you for that genius idea."

I let out a deep breath and narrowed my eyes at him. "Don't patronise me."

"What?" He swung his arms into the air and shot up from his seat. "What's wrong? Have I done something wrong?" He started walking toward me. "Have I said something that may have upset you?"

"You're being... unfair." I whispered.

"Oh, honey, I am being perfectly fair."

"You said—"

"I trust you? I do. It's him I do not trust." He half yelled.

"Look, I know you're angry. I accept whatever kind of punishment--"

"Punishment? I hope you're joking. Because I'm not your parents. I am the man that loves you no matter what stupid thing you've come up with or done. I'm not punishing you like a 10 year old. I'm storming out."

"W-what?"

"You can't possibly comprehend how angry I am, Evangeline." He stopped in front of me. "I can't think straight; I can't be around you right now."

"No, don't go." I started shaking me head. "I don't want you to storm off. I don't care if you say you're coming back you're still leaving. We haven't resolved this. I can't let you leave yet please."

"I'll be back when I'm calm." He turned to leave but I grabbed his arm.

"Michael," My voice cracked. "Let me explain."

"You have. And when I get back we can talk about it properly. Just right now... Let me go." He slid his hand down to mine and squeezed before walking to the back door and walking straight outside. 

I stood there trembling trying to let my mind comprehend what had just happened. But as soon as my mind caught up with reality I let out a sigh and practically crumbled to the ground. I wasn't crying, no. I was tempted to but what would be the use? I did all of this. I didn't tell him sooner because I was worried about his reaction. And now look. The longer I waited the worse it got and I knew that from the start. I was stupid for not saying anything sooner. I thought that maybe I could take initiative and have a go at this. Because Kate and Anastasia weren't getting anywhere because they couldn't see them. 

I sat up against the wall and lifted my knees to rest my arms along them. What if he didn't come back for days? What if he doesn't forgive me so easily? I buried my face in my arms.

I deserve it. I shouldn't have held the truth away from him. I loved Michael more than anything in this world and I hurt him. He trusted me. And I say trusted because it's probably going to be in the past tense now. 

Either I'm thinking too much about it or everything will change. 

My heart dropped into my stomach when a pair of hands touched my shoulders. I looked up and frowned deeper when she sat beside me. 

So now they know. Kate and Ana must have seen it happening. Must have seen the whole thing. Does that mean they knew way before? But that wouldn't have been possible. That argument lasted twenty minutes including the prolonged silences. So they must have seen it then.

Katherine sat beside me and pulled me into her arms. Nothing needed to be said. She saw what needed to be seen. I said what needed to be said. 

What else could there be?

***

I opened my eyes and looked directly toward the clock. 

10.59pm.

No. He hadn't returned for almost twelve hours. 

Katherine was downstairs still. I could hear the TV. She said she wouldn't leave until he came back. I said I wanted to be alone and she let me. I'd practically passed out after coming upstairs. My thoughts were too much. 

Tate would be outside wondering what was going on. He may probably just think it was me being 'watched.' That maybe I couldn't be trusted. He might not think anything about what's going on. 

I swung my legs off over the bed and made my way downstairs into the living room. The lights were off in the house and the only source being the fire opposite the couch. Kate looked up from her seat on the couch and opened her blanket. I sat inside the blanket and wrapped it around me as I snuggled into her side. 

"How do you feel?"

I shut my eyes. "Broken."

"He has a temper. You both do. That's why when you two argue it's like hell on earth."

"Will he come back tonight?" I asked her not feeling at all hopeful.

The silence said it all. And that was all I needed.

"Do you watch us all the time?" I asked changing the subject.

Katherine shook her head. "I can't pick what I see most of the time. If I pick you to concentrate on, I don't see measly things I see what's relevant. Like your argument. I can't see everything however. Ana saw it too."

"So, now you know."

"Yes." She mumbled. "Sam wasn't too happy about... Well, I don't think I should say it right now."

She was right. Talking about it now was dangerous because he'd be listening. He'd be able to hear us talk about it and they weren't supposed to know. 

"Yeah." I muttered. "Figured." I inhaled suddenly and then sneezed.

"Bless you."

"Thanks." 

It was silent for a moment before she said, "So... You know..."

"Tomorrow, Katherine." I said before she asked anything about Tate.

"Alright. Answer your phone."

I raised a brow at her and patted my empty pockets. 

"Study."

I stood up and walked into the study for my phone. No missed call. "Kate, what were you talking--"

It started buzzing. The area code was different which means... "Hello?"

"Miss Evie O'Shea where have you been all of my life?" An old and familiar silky voice said over the phone.

I wanted to smile and be somewhat happy that my old and loving friend, Chelsea was calling me but I couldn't. Not even a little bit. "Chels, hi."

There was silence over the line and I wondered if we'd been cut off. I was about to pull the phone away from my ear when she said, "What's wrong with you, Red." I could imagine her putting her long blonde hair into a huge bun ready to talk me down.

Red. Oh, the nickname she'd made up about by hair back in the 8th grade with Amy. I haven't heard that in a long, long time. "Nothing... Nothing." 

"...Okay, I'll let it slide. That is, until I get there on the 12th. Your mom's picking me up at the airport right?"

"Yeah. I need to talk to her about that." I replied. "You're not planning anything are you?" I asked cautiously. "Because I know what you're like."

She was silent. And then, "Of course not." 

Yes, she was. "If I find out you're bringing five people--"

"Oh, hush. I'm not bringing over five people that'd be so rude of me."

I was about to say it better not be four when she yawned. "Anyhow, my dear old friend it's late here. So I'll see you in a few weeks! Love you, hon, kiss kiss."

"Wait, Chelsea--"

She hung up. 

I inhaled and exhaled sharply before walking back into the living room and sitting beside Kate. 

"Colourful friend you have," Kate said with a smile.

"Yeah, she is. She and my friend Amy got me through high school."

"Amy being the brunette?"

I lifted my head to look at her. "Yes. How did you know?"

"Facebook pictures." She smirked. "As soon as I met you and added you, I stalked your Facebook. It's a thing I do."

"That's... Reassuring."

"What? Oh come, when you got my friend request, couldn't you guess I was going to check out all of your pictures."

I sighed. "Yes."

"Atta girl."

She turned the TV over to the film channels and settled on The Notebook. She grabbed my hand and squeezed before saying, "Have you cried?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Want me to tell you why?"

"I'm sure I can figure it out." I murmured.

"Try me."

"Guilt. I deserve this. I shouldn't have... Held it in for so long."

Her thumb brushed over my palm. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Evie." She said softly. "You did what you had to do because you love your family. And if Michael doesn't understand that then he's an asshole."

I slowly shook my head. "He was angry."

"He was harsh."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You're hurt, you're upset all because Michael--"

"Katherine, please stop." I whispered.

She let out a deep breath and wrapped her arms around me. "I'm sorry."

"You do what you do best." I replied as I rested my head on her shoulder. "You tell it like it is and that's one reason why I love you."

"Good. Because I'm not changing for shit." She laughed.

We sat together all night.

I fell asleep around two-thirty not being able to stay awake any longer. 

And by the time I woke up the spot beside me was empty, the TV was off and the fire was only a dim light. I sat up from the couch and glanced out the window.

I took a deep breath before looking at the small clock on the side table.

6.30am...

And... He still wasn't back...

But where was Katherine? She said she'd stay with me until...

He got here.

I stood up after rubbing the sleep from my eyes and walked straight to the study. I don't know why I walked into the study, I just did. It was light outside now. Tate wouldn't be out there. The sun was just peering in through the trees as I stepped into the study. I glanced around the empty room briefly before turning to walk back out; my heart broke a little more than earlier.

Yes, I was an idiot for keeping this away from him. I didn't think he'd--

"I'm here."

I whipped around to squint into the corner for my eyes to adjust and watched him walk out of the shadow. 

But it wasn't what I wanted to see. When he left, he was wearing a crisp black t-shirt and grey track pants. Now, his black shirt was wrinkled and his track pants were muddied.

And his face...

"Oh, my gosh. What did you do?" I didn't stop myself from rushing towards him and holding his chin in my hand to keep him from looking away. I moved his head to get a better look at his split open eyebrow, and bruised jaw. Was that possible? They could get bruises? And cuts?

"I..." His green eyes looked sad all of a sudden. "I went out looking for that vampire."

I looked into his eyes for a moment before taking his hand and pulling him through to the living room. I sat him down and went into the bathroom to grab a slightly damp flannel. I sat beside him and cleaned the blood off his eyebrow. 

"And?" I finally answered.

His jaw clenched and he flinched probably from the bruise. "I didn't find him."

I frowned. "How is that..." 

"He wasn't in the library."

"That can't be right." I mumbled to myself. How could he not be there... "What happened to your face?" I asked changing the subject.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips but it was a humourless one. "You know there are other vampires around the world."

"John informed me, yes." I placed the bloodied flannel on the table and turned his head to the side. I could feel his eyes on me as I examined every inch of his face in silence. I turned his head to the other side and said, "You'll live."

"I guessed."

I let go of his face and finally looked him in the eye. His eyes were back to their original green now. Thank goodness. "Why would you get into a fight?"

He frowned. "It wasn't a fight. It was more of a misunderstanding. I was in the wrong area at the wrong time. The bruise will be gone in an hour tops and so will the cut."

I closed my eyes for a moment before staring down at my hand resting beside his. I wanted to hold his hand. I wanted to touch him again. But would that be appropriate?

But I didn't need to. His hand moved across the couch to touch the side of mine.

"Evie, can you look at me?"

I did as he said.

"You were protecting your brother. And I was a fool not to see it when you told me. He threatened you that night and I have absolutely no reason to be upset with you."

I let out a sigh of relief.

"However,"

Of course.

"You still decided of your own accord to meet him."

I glanced behind him and then back at him. "I was curious."

"What is the one thing you said to me back at that cafe before we got cosy?"

I thought back to the day and cursed myself when I remembered. "Curiosity killed the cat."

"And in your case, your cat does not have nine lives. You have this life and that's it. What if something happened to you?"

"I took a chance. And I'm glad I took it. Because I've learnt that this vampire isn't bad or evil."

"He drinks human blood."

"That doesn't make him evil. He needs to live somehow. You did at one point. And he said he doesn't kill."

"You believe him?" He wondered curiously. There wasn't any resentment. None at all.

"Yes." I answered honestly. "I told him to try animal blood."

Michael laughed and thankfully, there was humour in it. "Really? He's going to do it?"

"He'd try." I replied. 

"Animal blood isn't an easy thing to get into."

"The craving, the taste, I know." 

His warm hand landed softly onto my thigh and I let out a sigh of relief from the contact. "You don't know. It's a hard thing to do."

"...What if I wanted to know?" I suggested quietly.

The silence after that and the small amount of tension at the back of my head said that another argument could occur. But instead he said, "Let's not get into that right now, if you don't mind? I'm only just getting over the last one."

"Okay. But I have something I owe you."

"And what's that?"

I stared into his bright green eyes before saying, "I am truly sorry."

"And what I owe you is an explanation. I was stupid to rush off like that and the only reason I did was because I was unbelievably mad. I didn't want to lose myself in front of you so I left. It wasn't actually because I didn't want to be around you it was because I couldn't." He leaned forward and I shut my eyes when his soft lips missed the corner of mine. I melted beside him and watched him lean back. "Do you want to know one of the things l about why I love you?"

I nodded. 

"You're adventurous and brave. The first few days I knew you, you followed a girl you just about knew into a forest not knowing what the hell could have been in there. I love and admire you for that."

I let myself smile for the first time in twelve hours. 

"I trust you. And I love you."

"I'm not asking for your forgiveness in this, Michael."

"You don't have to ask because I already have. That's the thing with being in love and trusting the woman I know I'll be with for a very long time."

I smirked and gasped. "Long time? Wait a minute are we in a committed relationship? Oh, damn I'll have to cut my ties with my men on the side."

I started laughing along with him and could practically feel the weight lifting from my heart. 

He stood up and held out his hand to me. I gladly took it and let him pull me upstairs with him. "I have to say something else." He said as we got into the room. He shrugged off his shirt and walked into the wardrobe before I could reply. After a few moments, he walked out in shorts and nothing else. "I admit, I thought about... Not forgiving you."

My heart jumped as I sat down on the edge of the bed. 

"I don't want you seeing him again."

Something inside of me challenged that. The proud and independent side. So I found myself saying, "And if I did? If it wasn't my choice to see him? If he was at the same place as me at the same time?"

"Then I'll know about it."

It was a conversation ender. He was still upset, of course. Yes, he said he forgives me but I know him well enough now to know that sometimes his eyes can betray his emotions. Not all the time but in this case definitely. 

I lay down on my side and waited for him to lie beside me. It was around seven o'clock now. And I felt even more tired than before.

We lay on opposite sides of the bed for no more than ten seconds before I rolled over toward him and rested my head beside his. He wrapped his warm arms around me and squeezed me to him. 

He was already asleep before I had the chance to settle properly. He was a fast sleeper. I looked up to his perfect face and kissed the side of his jaw.

I accept that he hasn't fully forgiven me despite saying he has. Because I know he hasn't. If I were him, I wouldn't. Not straight away. And it's fine. In time I hoped he would. 

For all I know, this argument might not even be over.

What happened between Michael and I could have been the minor blow to the whole thing. Knowing him, he'd want details. Details I wasn't sure I was ready or wanting to give. My mind was screaming for me not to tell him anything else in fear he'd lose it completely but my heart was saying... wait...

My heart was agreeing with my head. My head was saying I'd told Michael the truth. I'd told him what he needed to know. So now I wasn't lying to him anymore. But I still had secrets.

One of them being a big one.

Because this vampire stopped Katherine and the rest of the witches from seeing them.

I groaned quietly.

This damn chain of lies seems to be getting longer and longer.

"Everything okay?"

I jumped a little at the sound of Michael's voice and hadn't realised I'd closed my eyes until I opened them to look directly into his. It was a look of concern.

I nodded. "Yes. Just a bad dream. I'm fine. Go back to sleep. I'm sorry I woke you."

His lips pressed to mine and for a moment I got lost. My mind completely blanked as I slid my hands over his bare chest happy to feel the heat beneath my fingers. He deepened the kiss after a moment and I gladly gave in. I was glad he was kissing me and touching me like nothing had changed. Like I hadn't just told him I'd been sneaking around.

He slid his hand back and forth along my waist before squeezing and hovering his lips over mine. "Wake me if you have a problem."

"I'll be fine." I whispered.

I watched him fall back asleep and finally closed mine. I had a dreamless sleep.

His kiss had helped with that. Otherwise, my mind would have been swimming with unanswered questions.

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