I wanted nothing more than to moan out loud as my eyes parted. My head was pounding, my tongue felt swollen in my mouth, and I could barely stand the dryness under my lips. But, I had trained myself not to make noise. I knew that one wrong sigh, yawn, or groan, could reignite blood lust. If they thought I was dead, I might be safe until I could get my bearings again.

So, the only movement I would allow myself was small, slow blinks to clear my murky eyes. I knew where I would be. It would be cold, dark, and wet. There would be the smell of feces, vomit, and blood in the stale air. But this time there would be no screams because I was the only one left. I wouldn't have to watch my sisters have their life source sapped away. But I would have to curl up on the moldy mattress alone, with no one to give me false hope.

I had failed.

But as I stared upwards I saw white plaster or drywall. Not steel beams supporting earth and stone above my head.  the air didn't feel heavy, didn't reek.

I carefully flexed my fingers, still moving slowly. There was something soft under me, a mattress with a sheet and a few blankets it seemed. Far too hospitable for the compound I was used to.

Before I dared to move my head and give myself away, I shut my eyes and listened. I could hear my own heart beat, fast and panicked. I could hear my own breathing that I was controlling as well as I could to avoid detection. But there didn't seem to be anything else.

I opened my eyes again and slowly rolled my head to one side. A little bedside table came into view with a modern lamp propped on top and a desk pressed against the far wall. There was no one sitting in the office chair, sneering at me as I gave my conscious state away. No one loomed over me,  threatening me. It would seem that I was alone. At least for now.

As I sat up, my body ached and protested. I felt like I had run a marathon, though I was sure I had done no such thing. After using my siren abilities with only the energy stored in my blood, I would be out of commission for at least twenty four hours. And even after an extensive rest period, I wouldn't be the same until I was dehydrated. 

Twenty four hours was a long time for Nero's minion to drag me anywhere in the world. But I had sent him away and if he had managed to fight off my powers, why would he bring me here? 

The questions seemed trivial at this point. Now that I was awake and confirmed that I was alone, my next task was getting out of here. 

It took a fair amount of effort, but I was able to make it off the bed soundlessly. I identified the aged hardwood beneath my feet as the next issue, but I moved slow enough that I could sense squeaky floorboards and move off them before they became too loud. Once I found boards that could support my weight, I shuffled towards the window. I could only assume that the door was locked, keeping me in, this would be my best plan of escape. But I saw a two story drop. A drop that I surely couldn't handle in my fragile state. I could tie my bedding together, but that could be time consuming and I wasn't sure how much I had left.

I shuffled to the door and was utterly astonished when the knob turned.

I didn't think about anything else. I yanked the door open and sprinted down the hallway. My legs ached and tightened with every step, my whole body feeling the effects of the dehydration. I knew my body wouldn't carry me far, but with any luck, I was still in Scotland and if I could find somewhere to hide outside, rain would come sooner rather than later. 

But I would not make it outside. 

In fact, I only made it about five strides before I heard voices, the first sounds I had heard outside of myself since waking up. But I couldn't identify where it was coming from, clear and muffled all at once.

"This might not have been the best way to handle this situation," an unfamiliar woman murmured, her voice soft like she was hoping quiet words would prevent a volcano from erupting.

"Well, what the hell was I supposed to do? She fainted in the middle of the street! I wan't going to leave her there!" I knew that voice. Easton. And I could only assume he was the volcano.

"I don't know. But now you have roped me into this and-"

As I realized that I was racing right towards Easton and the woman I burst into an open concept kitchen and living room.

The waitress from the restaurant with the curly hair was sitting on a couch, no longer wearing her uniform and apron. And Easton was standing in the kitchen, holding onto the counter top of an island so hard I could see the veins in his arms. But the second his eyes landed on me, his grip eased and the frustration ceased.

My eyes flashed around the room, leaving him in search of a door or a set of stairs that would take me to ground level. With any luck, I could use surprise t carry me through the rest of this. 

But I already knew that Easton was fast with his longer legs and muscled body. Yet, he chose to use another tactic against me instead.

"Hey, it's alright," Easton soothed. He must've seen my frantic searching or read my thoughts because he moved out of the kitchen and stepped in front of the only route that seemed to lead downstairs. "How are you feeling?"

"Fuck you!" I hissed. "You kidnap me then act like you give a shit about my well being."

"I do care about your well being. You ordered me away then fainted. I wouldn't have made my sister bring you here if I wasn't concerned about you," Easton reasoned. "You shouldn't be running around like this. You need rest."

"Let me go," I hissed through clenched teeth.

"Not yet," Easton dismissed.

"When?"

He ignored my question and came closer. I automatically stepped back, trying to put distance between us, but he just followed every move until he was able to wrap a hand around my elbow again, just like he had done in the alley. Something pulsed up my arm, making me grunt and jerk away from him. But even when his fingers were gone the sensation lingered.

"Sit, please," he whispered.

I wanted to resist him. I wanted to spit in his face and tell him to go fuck himself. But between his alarming touch and my weakened body, it only took a guiding hand on my shoulder to push me down into an armchair.

I was right across from the waitress. She looked even more nervous now than she had in the restaurant. Still, she forced a smile that made her full cheeks lift and the gap between her two front teeth was revealed. 

"Right, and you're the adopted sister," I said glaring at her. "I imagine that you are the one who grabbed me from the back alley while he skittered on home."

"He told me, yes. I got you in my car and brought you here." There was no anger in her tone, just as there was no regret. She had done what had been asked of her and that was that.

Easton returned to me, holding a glass of water in his hand. "Here, drink."

For a second, I only stared up at him. Did he not know that this is what provided me with power? A glass of water wasn't much and I was already so weakened, but this would give me my strength back and another glass would be enough for me to push my powers on one of them.

"It's not like I drugged it, I poured it straight from the tap," he sighed, misreading my hesitation.

At that admission, I snagged the glass out of his hands and gulped it down. The second the water hit my tongue the nausea eased and the pounding in my head lessened. When the water was gone, I seriously deliberated licking the sides for stray drops.

Before I could do that, Easton snatched the glass away from me and went back to the kitchen. I was stunned all over again when he handed me the glass, full of water again. Either this guy really didn't understand what I was or the power he was so willing to hand over.

The innocent gesture peeked my curiosity. I guzzled down that water the same, fully aware that I could have used that water to make my escape. 

Easton watched me for a moment, then decided that I wasn't going to do anything reckless. He teetered on the edge of the couch beside his sister, looking like he would lunge for me if I even considered standing up. But with the water back in my system and surprise on my side I was almost certain that I could make it to the faucet in the kitchen before he could catch me.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked. "Why are you giving me water and acting like you're so worried about me?"

Rose bit her lower lip, peering at the man beside her who folded his hands in his lap and leaned back.

"I'm giving you water and making sure you're okay because I'd like to think I'm a decent person. You fainted in the middle of Glasgow. I'd like to think that any other person who saw you would have done the same."

"A decent person would have taken me to the hospital," I retorted.

"A normal person might have," he reasoned. "But I'm not normal. Well, I'm not human. And I know that you aren't either."

My chest tightened and my throat constricted. "You are crazy."

"Tell me what you are," he pressed.

"I'm human."

"You're a bloody liar," he stated, rolling his eyes. "So few humans know about werewolves. I know you aren't a werewolf. But you made me do something against my will. You sent me away twice and each time my feet carried me and my mind did as you ordered, but it wasn't my own thoughts that made me do."

"You're insane. You werewolves are just like oversized dogs, you're always looking for someone to be your owner, to command you around."

"It's okay if you don't want to be straight forward with me. I'm going to be very honest with you. I am a werewolf, but you already knew that. And the world is going to keep bringing us together, even if you hate the idea of it. It's just our reality. You can try and resist this, but I don't know anyone who has successfully resist."

"Resisted what?" I pressed.

"The mate pull. The bond that the moon goddess has put between us."