"Hey guys" I tell Fabian and Amber as it's almost seven and I realize none of us have done our homework "let's take a day off, we've been really focused on Sibuna and we need to prioritize school still"

Nodding their heads "Yeah, she's right" Fabian says "plus we have our French exam coming up" he goes to leave as I put on some workout clothes. A black tank top, black marble leggings and sneakers with a sports bra.

"Where are you going?" Amber asks

"Out for a jog" I tell her "I normally go jogging at least once a week" grabbing my mp3 and earbuds I leave the house. As I run through the pathway near the woods, I stop when I get this off feeling. Looking around taking out an earbud I call out "Hello!" There is no reply, so I go to run again.

I run till I notice something, going through the woods I come upon this beautiful lake. I wish I had my phone, this is such a beautiful sight. Turning around I jump when that Zephyr guy is behind me but this time his eyes aren't purple but black like when I last saw him.

"Hi" taking out my earbuds, wrapping them around my mp3. Taking a couple steps back putting space between us, Zephyr and I stare at one another "Zephyr? Right?"

"Hello again" he greets me "Leralynn" his eyes run over me "descendant of Isis"

"I'm sorry?" I ask, how does he know that?

Gasping when he runs really fast pushing me up against the tree, his nose on the crook of my neck. This is really weird. This is really weird. I have a feeling that if I run it wouldn't end well "Your blood...it's scent is so delicious" I feel his teeth lightly over my skin like he's about to bite me "how fun it would be to take away this moment from him" Him? Who? Pulling away so that our eyes connect "but I won't do that, why?"

"What's going on?" I ask

He tilts his head "Your a shield"

"I'm a what?" I ask

Chuckling he looks away before looking back to me "There is so much about your bloodline Leralynn Swan and you that you don't know—tell me, has a man ever been inside you before?"

My heart races at that "That" stuttering "isn't any of your business" I'm alone in the woods with a guy who is clearly stronger and faster than me, oh my god.

"I'm not going to rape you" he assured me, well how we are standing next to one another I get a whole different story "no...where would the real fun be?"

"What are you talking about?" I ask

"To throw you a dogs bone as humans like to say" he says putting his finger over my lips to silent me "but it'll cost you" normally throwing a bone to a dog is a favor or being kind, this is an exchange of information.

"What?" I ask

"A kiss" he says he won't rape me but he wants a kiss, I mean he does have information so "don't over think it—do you want the information I have to offer?"

"Say yes" someone whispers to me

"Yes" nodding my head

"Close your eyes" he orders, after a moment of hesitation I close my eyes. I feel cold lips press against mine, like before when I first kissed Zephyr. Opening my mouth a bit, Zephyr slips his tongue into my mouth that out tongues soon tangle.

One of my hands wrap around his neck while I hear something break from behind us. As we kiss, Zephyr's tongue takes control and one of his hands wraps around my hair and pulls my hair back giving him a new angle to kiss me in.

My lungs begin to burn and I pull away for air, but the second I get some air Zephyr closes the gap between our mouths. I would object but damn he's an amazing kisser. Moaning against him, he pulls away chuckling "How enraged he'll be" who is he talking about? Wait! Is he gay for thinking of any other man while we kissed? I am slightly offended that he's thinking of someone else while we kissed.

"The" regaining my voice "the information"

"Yes" nodding his head "whatever you do, don't trust Rufus Zeno...if you hear the name or anything related to R Z, don't go near or prepare for the worst" what? Why would I do that? "For a taste of you I'll tell you more"

"A taste?" I ask, what does he mean a taste?

"I mean a taste from here" oh! I said that out loud, whoops. One of his hands moved down my body to between my legs, quickly closing my legs blushing as he smirks "not ready yet...in due time you'll give yourself over to me and when you do" his mind trails off that I don't like it "oh, I truly am playing a dangerous game but...he killed them on their orders and" shaking his head. What is he talking about? "I better get you back to Anubis House" he picks me up and runs me really fast to Anubis House "go" he pats me on the ass before running back into the woods.

Taking a moment, I run inside to see Victor coming downstairs "It's almost nine o clock" he informs me "you have one hour before lights out"

"Yes sir" nodding my head, I quickly jog upstairs. Once I'm in my room with Amber, she looks my way.

"Why" she asks "are your lips swollen?"

Taking off my clothes I grab my black silk robe, shower slippers and my shower caddy "I'll tell you after my shower" going into the bathroom where Patricia is brushing her teeth, I go into the shower before quickly showering and brushing my teeth. This is normal for me, in Phoenix you had to quickly take a shower since Bella hogs up the bathroom. She also liked to use the hot water for a very long time, so I'm use to cold showers.

Once I'm done, I leave the shower to quickly dry off before putting on my robe and leave. Going to my room, Amber is bursting with "Tell me everything"

"I saw Zephyr again" her eyes widen "and we kissed"

"Oh" she squeals covering her mouth "tell me all, now"

"I was jogging" I tell her as I put on my Harry Potter Ravenclaw pajama set. I have a set for all of the houses "I ran into him, he pushed me up against the tree and talks nonsense about someone before agreeing to give me information that we need. You know? Sibuna related?" Her eyes widen "and we kissed and he knows how to use his tongue"

"What did he say?" She asks "also that's coexisting I think" shaking my head making a face.

"Coercion I think" I tell her "then again it was an exchange of information so..."

"Either way" shaking her head "was it just kissing?"

"He wanted more but I said no" I tell her

"What did he say?" She asks

"Don't trust Rufus Zeno"

"Whose that?" She asks confused

Maybe the guy he was telling me about or more like himself "who knows? All I know is that he's a dangerous man this Rufus from the context"

"Wow" she mutters "I should start jogging"

All night long I've been having the same dream of red eyes, but I don't know what the red eyes mean. What do they mean? Unable to go back to bed, I head downstairs and make breakfast like I would back in Phoenix. Mom isn't a good cook and Phil eats a lot since he's a mini league pro player.

"Oh my!" Looking up I see Trudy in the doorway "sweetie, it seems you've cooked for an army" I look down and realize she's right. I made a lot of chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs, and lot of hash browns.

"Sorry Trudy" I tell her "I've had trouble sleeping and I did the cooking back home"

"It's alright" she tells me "trouble sleeping? Bad dreams?"

"Yeah" nodding my head "I guess you can say that...French test. I'm always nervous before tests"

"I'll make you a nice calming tea before any tests" she tells me "don't you worry, you'll do amazing—now, let's go feed the others this. This all looks amazing"

"Thanks" I say

"You do the cooking in your house?" She asks

"Yeah" nodding my head "my mom can't cook, my stepdad can he just doesn't have the time, and my sister Bella—she can cook but it's not as good"

"Well, get settled in darling" she says "and thank you for" the timer goes off "what's that?"

"The blue berry muffins" I go over to pull out the muffins before adding on top the brown sugar and also "I also made ham and egg cups"

"This all looks amazing" she tells me "now go eat, you've got nothing else cooking right?" Shaking my head "go eat"

As everyone comes downstairs, everyone takes some of the food and soon sing praises to Trudy "I can't take the credit" Trudy comes in "Lera here woke up early and made this"

"You" Jerome asks "made all of this?"

"My family can't cook if their lives depended on it" putting it in a much shorter and easier way than what I told Trudy "so I learned how to cook and bake and I love it"

"These are amazing" Alfie says "you should open up your own restaurant" mom says that all the time too.

"Oh!" Amber exclaims "Fabian" she whispers to him "Lera got more information"

"What?" He asks

"Don't trust a Rufus Zeno" I tell him "bad news"