"You hate them, the vampires. And now you're with one?" Chase was shaking with anger in front of me. His hands were literally pulsating as he used them to emphasize each of his words. "Are you even listening to me?"

I blink at him. "Of course. Just trying to... everything you're accusing me of."

"Ohh, Alexis. C'mon at least be honest with me. I saw the two of you, and you're not going to tell me that what I saw was a 'just friends' encounter."

"Well Chase, sorry to have to really drive this home, but you and I are just friends... And that one time the two of us kissed di-"

"No. That's not the same thing. You pushed me away, but you weren't pushing him away."

When exactly did he see me with Tyler? Various excuses of how to come up with a reason for being with him ran through my head, but none of them would suffice. I blew out a breath, he was right. I had to be honest, and if I was truly honest with myself... I didn't even fully understand why I was with Tyler. "I'm sorry."

He closes his eyes and looks down, visibly trying to make himself calmer. "Just please help me understand Alexis. Why him?" His green eyes now bore into mine, causing me, once again, to wonder the same thing.

"I don't know." was all I could manage.

"That's all you can say?" He exploded again. "I am trying my best to stay calm here, but you are not helping. Just why, Alexis!"

"Chase. I will try to explain, I really will try my best, OK? But you have got to calm down," I use a gentle, yet firm tone.

"Fine. Help me then."

I swallow as I try to think of an explanation to his questions. Something to justify why I would 'sleep with the enemy.' And ironically even though I hadn't, Tyler had used the same thing against me this morning. Internally, I felt a single, overwhelming emotion, exhaustion. Utter and complete exhaustion from everything the past few months had brought on. Once more, I felt I was on the verge of tears. This simply was not supposed to be my life.

Shaking my head, I offered Chase something. "I'm learning, okay? I'm learning here that just because you are something doesn't make you someone. It's who you are, not what you are," and as I said it, I realized it was true. If Tyler were human I probably would've fallen for him all the same. "Ross is human, yet I think of him as an enemy. Why? Because of who he is. Tyler is a vampire, yes. But I think of him as friend because of who he is and how he treats me. Chase, I really hope you can understand this. I don't know if were 'together' anymore, but I do think of him more as an ally than I would have thought."

He gives me a quizzical look, clearly taking time to process my words. "So, what you're saying is that you're not together anymore?"

I throw my hands up in defeat, "Agh, Chase! Out of all that, that's all you got? Really?"

"Well?" He looks at me, un-phased.

"No. I don't know! I mean the whole reason I got into it with Ross was because of a fight with Tyler... One that I'm not entirely sure we can recover from. But I know he is still a good person."

"Well," he huffs, pulling his hand over his head awkwardly. "I guess that helps me a little. If you guys are fighting..."

"Chase? No. okay? I can't keep telling you that I don't feel that way for you, I just-"

"I don't care about that," he looked offended, almost angry. "But it does help to know that you're at least not currently with him. Just to understand it, for now."

"OK..." Silence. "Well," I shrug my shoulders and play with the weapon in my hands. "I think I'm going to get back to this now." I offer a small smile before turning back to the target, taking a breath, and releasing. Amazingly, I hit the target, having done so with barely any thought.

"Nice," Chase compliments behind me.

The rest of the day, and even through dinner I was consumed with my own thoughts. My fight with Tyler, my feelings for him, and how much his words had hurt. My literal fight with Ross, and how angry I got at him for mentioning my parents. Then my confrontation with Chase, and how upset he had been about Tyler. Which then all led back to the beginning of my mixed emotions, Tyler; it was a horrible cycle. And all the while, I could only confidently come up with one solution; that I had to get away.

Not from this place, that was near impossible. But from Tyler. I couldn't spend another night with him after the way he had acted to me this afternoon. And not with how Chase had reacted. In a way, I was grateful Chase had found out and reacted in such a way. It reminded me of why I was tentative with Tyler in the first place, but it also reminded me of why I was with him now. Needless to say, I needed space, and time, to think.

After dinner, I wait by Tyler's door until he comes back after dinner. I watch him as he turns the corner and surprise consumes his features before confusion, and then finally, anger.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to tell you that I am not spending the night. And that I am going to be fine on my own from now on." Wait, had I meant to say that too?

He winces, "Fine. I'm not even surprised. I know how much you hate this place. Why should I be any different." He doesn't even phrase it as a question, more as an admittance, or realization to himself. I say nothing more as he walks inside and closes the door.

I can't help the release of breathe that I had been holding on so tightly to before. It felt good. But it also felt kind of wrong. Whatever, I did this for a reason; space. After my unnecessary lingering by his door, I finally turn and leave.

It doesn't take long for me to get lost in the many twists and turns of the hallways inside the expansive castle. I hear voices and footsteps sounding below me. I jump to my right as I take cover just in time as the guards come into view in the foyer below.

Inching forward to get a better look, I immediately sense a feeling of déjà vu. Recognition, realization, memories. All from the woman I see in the middle of the guard procession. Her features seem so familiar to my memories, or dreams maybe? Unable to come up with a rational reason for knowing her, I decide to follow.

It proves difficult to do so, as they continue on and on, further away from the areas of the castle I was familiar with. After ascending several flights of stairs behind them, I realize they must have led her to a tower; one of the many places we are not allowed into. This, however, was the biggest one, the tallest one and that meant this is where Cecil was. But why would they be taking a prisoner to Cecil?

Curiosity continually taking over, I don't even turn around when they stop in front of the double wooden doors. Moments later, they are let inside and all of them, surprisingly, enter. Hmm...

With a sheer stroke of luck, I had managed to get a peek inside through one of the vents on the floor. Though my view was definitely tainted I was still able to see the woman standing alone in the center of the circular room. Stairs on the opposite corner showed feet descending painfully slow, and-

"Cecil?" a hoarse, feminine voice breaks the silence.

Cecil comes into view now as I study the look of a broken man, watching as his countenance twists over, catapulting himself back years into the past. His next words, however, send chills down my spine as something behind me sounds. "Evelyn?" he almost cries.

But my attention to my surroundings soon prove to be deficient as a hard blow to my head has me seeing stars then nothingness.

~*~

My senses slowly reawaken as a second wave of déjà vu hits me. The same disgusting yet familiar smell, the same cold chair, and the same rough ropes bound on my wrists. My eyes snap open, this time in attention, ready to brave whatever was now threatening me. Instead my heart takes over when it recognizes the deep blue eyes staring back at me, showing a mix of anger and worry.

"What were you doing, Alexis?" He fervently, yet quietly asks me, with a condescending tone as if I was the dumbest person in the world.

"Never mind that," Cecil steps around Tyler, shoving him aside roughly by the shoulders. "You were caught snooping. And there WILL be consequences for your actions, child."

I stare defiantly back at the vampire in front of me as it begins to dawn on me how much I've grown. I was no longer afraid of him. Squinting my eyes at him, I lower my head slightly and begin to laugh humorlessly. "You call me a child? You think you can take a child from their homes and see them be able to fight within 6 months? I deny you any right to call me a child."

Surprisingly, Cecil takes no action to hurt me after my outburst. Instead, he cocks his head to the side studying me, appraising me. "Hmm, yes. You have made many improvements considering how little you have been here." Then it happens. A sting across my cheek done so quickly and forcefully I was sure my neck could have broken. "But you are not the authority here. I am! You will obey me and you will not talk back to me. And don't deny me any privileges, when you have none here yourself."

While my face was still suffering from the blow, I slowly turn to fully face him. I notice the blood veins strained around his neck after having shouted at me with such commanding resolve. "Tell me, Cecil. Is that supposed to make me give a shit?" My tone screams sarcasm as I rebelliously speak back to him. Somewhere though, my subconscious recalls where I had heard similar phrases spoken to Cecil, from Derek's mouth. But I ignore it even as I see a glint of recognition in Cecil's eyes. "I'm not afraid of you anymore."

Tyler steps in front of his dad, placing a hand on his chest. "Back off dad. I can deal with her elsewhere. I am sure you don't have time for this." He says respectfully as he turns his threatening glare to me.

"Ahh, no son. That's perfectly fine. This one happened to see something she should have never seen. And for that, I will gladly punish her myself."

Frowning, Tyler steps aside. I watch him though as he continues to send fleeting glances at me, almost trying to warn me from something.

Out of my peripherals, I see Cecil step closer towards me, this time holding something in his hands. I face him without looking down, refusing to let myself get scared over whatever he was about to use against me.

I feel it before I know what's happening as piercing, pure white hot agony emanates from my left thigh. A painful gasp escapes me as my eyes settle upon the long blade sticking out of my leg. I watch as Cecil twists it, causing the spot to continue to throb mercilessly. Tears sting the corners of my eyes as I grit my teeth, grunting from the pain. My hands strain against the ropes as I can no longer bear it, instinctively wanting to use my hands to take it out.

Through blurry eyes I am able to see Cecil's sick smile and Tyler's anxious expression. I open and close my mouth, wanting to scream profanities at my torturer in front of me. But of course it gets worse before it gets better as the same spot lights in a fiery pain once more. I feel a warm, wet liquid oozing over my right leg, looking to see the blood pooling there. Cecil had ripped the piece out.

Before I even have time to rejoice about the slight reprieve in having it taken out, a second fire lights up in my shoulder. My eyes snap open to see Cecil hovering inches from my face. I clench my jaw in pain, angling my head to see the blade protruding, sure enough from my left shoulder. He jerks it out much quicker this time, laughing at my misery. My head slumps forward as I feel more warm liquid running down my stomach and back.

"Hah. You laughing now? Still have that ridiculous tongue of yours to speak back to me with?" He grabs my jaw, forcing me to pay attention to him even amidst all of the pain clouding my senses. "That'll teach you," pushing my jaw aside.

"I'll take her back now," I hear Tyler's voice and feel his hands working to undo the ropes on my legs before falling into complete darkness.

~*~

I watch as my father holds her face, threatening her into submission to him. Somehow she still has the same fire in her blue eyes as she stares boldly back at him. Fed up, he throws her out of his grasp. Now's my chance.

Closing the distance between us in three large strides, I bend down beside her. "I'll take her back now," I state as I begin to untie her legs. Knowing my father, I had only a small window of time to get her out. It had to be done now. I don't know what had been worse. Watching Alexis as she defied him, knowing what he would do to her, or watching it actually happen. I felt like I had been in physical pain seeing Alexis have to endure my father's wrath.

"Ah ah ah," Cecil says behind me. I begrudgingly stop working at the rope. "I'm not nearly close to being done with her, boy!" I throw the rope down at my hands, standing to turn and face my father. I knew he was pissed when he called me boy.

"What else could you possibly do to her? She gets it now, really father. Please." I resolve to begging, having to clench my hands into fists at my side to hide my anger.

"Absolutely not," my father barely even blinks as he steps towards me, anger seeping off of him as he studies me. "Since when have you become so weak? So weak as to feel pity for the humans... Anyways, she knows too much, saw too much." What could she have even seen? "Never mind. I have made my decision. She'll die."

"What?" I refused to believe what I had heard.

"She cannot live." He says simply.

"Well she can't die," I feel myself whisper in disbelief. Realizing I had said it out loud, my eyes dart up to my fathers, immediately sensing his suspicion. But in the same moment we both turn our heads to the sound of the opening door as we watch her enter. Then it all made sense, as I almost felt the gears clicking in to place in my head.