My body was stiff with pain, but it wasn't a physical type of pain. It was deep, deeper than the flesh. It went down through my entire being and cut long, sorrowful lines into my soul. When this wound bled, it spilled ice into my veins.

I made it through the halls blindly, finding a random study before hot tears brimmed over my eyelids and down my cheeks in rivulets. I collapsed onto my knees beside a table, unable to breathe properly anymore. I held my hands up, hiding my face behind them, and began to sob mournfully.

I was heartbroken. That was the only way I could describe it. I was in love and I considered those I loved to be everything to me. I couldn't live without them. It was a fact, as proven when deprived of their touch too long in Theo's company. But it wasn't their mystical touch that mattered to me. Even without such magic, I wouldn't want to live without them.

And yet, I'd been scolded for disobedience. I'd been put in my place. And not a single one of them said a word against the insinuations. I was just a pet; one that would only be tolerated for as long as I obeyed. I felt betrayed.

I wept for my broken heart and for the future pain I'd put it through. There was only one option for me. I couldn't condemn Theo to kill me. It was as clear as the anger on his face that he'd prefer not to. I'd have to agree to continue being a pet. And maybe, I could pretend... I could pretend...

Another sob tore through me, renewed continuously by my rapid thoughts. My mind caught on darker thoughts, imagining a life without the others and recalling Sebastian's harsh words repeatedly. Grievous cries only deepened, until I thought I might melt into a puddle of mournful agony.

I was abruptly pulled from the floor and into a pair of strong, warm arms. My cries were strangled as soft hands held me against a familiar chest. My body hardened with initial distrust, the tears only streaming with renewed vigor.

"Shhh, don't be so upset, little angel," Oliver called to me soothingly. He ran his fingers through my hair adoringly, grasping me almost desperately against him. I tried to fight against his intoxicating aura, but I gasped in deep, shuddering breaths before finding myself relaxing into his chest on instinct.

"You... you didn't say anything," I struggled a muffled whimper before another wave of pain bled more tears from me. I reached up to grasped at him, the feel of his flesh under my fingers more soothing than anything else. "None of you." Oliver grasped a handful of my hair lightly, hugging me to him before lowering his lips over my ear.

"I'm sorry, Katia. I'm sorry," He whispered, his voice pained. "Please, don't cry. I'll do anything. I can't stand to listen to such a sad sound." Despite his pleas, I could only damper my pain to minor cries instead of completely halt them. I remained trembling in his arms as I wept quietly, my breath catching between tears.

"I told Seb she wasn't ready," Levi stated quietly from nearby.

"Always with his damn lectures," Miles added suddenly, his tone bitter. He heightened his voice mockingly, "I do not take disobedience lightly, hardy har har."

"Watch what you say. He's listening," Theo snapped sharply. I tensed when his cool hand brushed against my cheek, running his thumb over my wet, reddened cheek. "If you pick death, I'll make you regret it." His warning was angry, but when I blinked away my tears to look at him, his face was softened with concern.

"I don't understand," I choked before allowing another wave of tears to shake me. How could they be so cold in one moment and then so warm in another? If their concern for me stopped at being a pet, why would my tears matter so much?

"You weren't listening-" Oliver began before Jax abruptly cleared his voice, having entered the area in complete silence.

"Oliver, his orders were clear," Jax warned, "You weren't supposed to assist her."

"Then why are you here?" Oliver looked over at Jax from above me, waiting for an answer that Jax wouldn't let himself provide. He looked back down to me, continuing to run his fingers through my hair to sooth me. "I'm used to Seb's punishments, what's another rule broken to me?"

My sobs had quieted to the occasional sharp intake of breath, but otherwise I felt a deep exhaustion as I tried to understand what the others were talking about. I lifted my head reluctantly from Oliver's chest to look at him with wide, saddened eyes. He grasped my face lightly, tracing the tear streaks that burned my cheeks.

"He's only testing you, Katia," Oliver told me in a hushed voice, "You have more options than it seems, okay? Just think about what he said. Read between the lines." I frowned before burying my face into his neck. A test? What was Sebastian testing?

I remained in Oliver's arms, a quiet calm taking over my previous weeping. The others spoke above me, irritated and otherwise tense. Their words didn't reach me. I only thought about what Sebastian had demanded of me; to make a choice. And what Oliver advised me; to read beyond his demands. The warm glow of Oliver's skin against mine soothed me until I felt entirely safe and relaxed. And when the exhaustion took over, I drifted into a light sleep before I could even realize it.

~...~

I paced within the space of Miles' room in deep thought. I would have to approach Sebastian soon, but my decision only proved to make me nervous. There was a strong chance I'd be rejected and I wasn't sure what to do after that. But I had taken Oliver's advice and I had read between the lines.

The only thing Sebastian had truly said was simple. I had to make a choice and in that choice, I had to decide what I wanted to be from this point on. I could choose to continue as a pet, but beyond that Sebastian hadn't specified any other options. I had made assumptions. They were possibly correct assumptions. I had asked who would kill me if I chose death, but I hadn't asked if the only other option was in fact death. Still, if I refused to be a pet then I could be committing a form of suicide. But it was a risk I felt I needed to take.

I abruptly exited the room. As I walked along the walls, I trailed my fingers over the material absently. My eyes fluttered shut briefly and I listened to that magic within me. My connection with the vampires was only proving to become stronger. I found that I could taste them, as if each had their own scent.

Sebastian was like chocolate and mint, sweet but sharp. I followed that taste until I was once again in front of his double-doored office. As it turned out, all of the others had their own office as well, but a few such as Theo preferred their bedroom. And when I was there, they all preferred whatever room I was in.

I hesitated before knocking quietly. My nerves were thudding in the pace of my heart.

After a moment of silence, his voice called out, "Come in, Katia." The words didn't sound pleasant or angry. Sebastian held a tone of neutrality, something far too difficult to read. I took a deep breath and entered the room.

Sebastian didn't look up as I entered. He sat behind his desk, reading over paperwork for a job I'd know nothing about. He looked uninterested, but this time I forced back my nerve and truly observed him. His shoulders were tense, just barely enough that I wouldn't typically notice. His eyes scanned the paperwork fleetingly, without focus. He was a master mimic, but now I could see it was still a mimic.

"I've made my choice," I announced to him firmly, though my body betrayed me with small tremors of fear. I was afraid I'd made the wrong choice. I feared rejection and in turn I feared losing any of the ones I loved. But I didn't change my mind.

Sebastian lowered the paper he'd been so mildly eyeing and finally raised his gaze to me. I felt my body tighten under his attention. Even his blank face could do nothing to deter the sudden desire I had for him; to touch him and to feel his touch in return. I could blame it on the mystical luminance that came with said touch, but it did nothing to change the fact.

"I would think you'd want to spend more time deciding your fate," Sebastian responded finally. He frowned momentarily before clearing his expression once again. "I haven't called for you, so you don't need to answer yet." I could suddenly understand the words he wasn't saying. He was afraid as well. He feared I hadn't thought about my choices long enough and that I might just choose death. I stepped forward abruptly before halting.

"I want to work for you," I told him quickly. I hesitated, scolding myself for not beginning my speech the way I had rehearsed in my head many times. I continued despite my mistake. "You said you put your family above all else. I want to be a part of your family. I want to have my own room. I want to help you with the artifacts. I don't want to be a pet or a tool to just be passed around as seen fit. I want to be one of you... forever."

It was a happy thought, one that filled me with hopeful joy just speaking of it, but Sebastian didn't respond. He watched me with neutral eyes, taking in my offer carefully as if mulling over each word individually. My nerves only increased under his gaze, but I didn't waver.

"How exactly do you think you can help with the artifacts?" He asked quietly.

I hesitated. "I'm a witch in some way, am I not? I can learn to help you find them. If not that, I can probably do something, anything else."

Sebastian leaned back suddenly, raising his hands to fold them behind his head easily. There was a pleased expression gracing his face as if my answers were exactly what he hoped for. Or perhaps more than he hoped for.

"This could be a possibility. Except that it would be greatly unfair to a certain vampire in our family, excluding me. Can you think who, Katia?"

I thought about my choice for a moment. And then I whispered, "Jax."

"He's been waiting patiently for his turn to have you as his pet," Sebastian confirmed carefully before leaning forward. "However, if he agrees to give up his turn, I will accept your choice. You will no longer be a pet. You will be a part of us." I noticed that this meant Sebastian had already agreed to give up his own turn. I wasn't sure what to say. I felt a delightful hope blossom over the fact that my decision was being considered, but there seemed to be more to just Sebastian asking Jax to give me up.

"Go on," Sebastian told me, humor suddenly alight in his eyes. His mood seemed much more lifted now that I had made my decision. "You'll need to ask Jax to pass on his turn yourself." And suddenly I felt my hope faltered.

"Me?" I asked uncertainly. Jax intimidated me. I had hoped Sebastian would be the one to ask him to give up his turn, so that it sounded more of an order than a request. For me, it would be a favor and I hadn't given Jax any reason to give me favors. I was nervous just at the thought. What if he felt cheated? Or angry? What if he refused?

"It's your choice," Sebastian replied simply. He went back to inspecting his paperwork easily. I turned to leave before hesitating.

"You weren't just testing me to see what I would choose," I said quietly, voicing a thought that had bothered me since Oliver had suggested that this was a test. Sebastian paused again, waiting. "You were seeing what I would do... if you upset me. You told the others not to aid me because you were seeing if I would turn on you all."

The thought pained me. I wasn't completely sure that these statements were true, but Sebastian's silence only answered that question for me. He still wasn't certain of my loyalty. Perhaps it was because I was a type of witch and they were vampires. It was only natural for our kind to fight one another. But I loved them, no matter what they were.

"I won't turn on you. Not on any of you," I stated firmly.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Katia," Sebastian replied, his tone ominous. "You may have a forgiving heart, but not all things can be forgiven. You may awaken one day and find you don't love us; you never did. It was all just a spell in a touch." His words hurt me, but they were false. I couldn't believe it to be true, no matter what he said.

"And Theo? Is what I feel for him a lie as well?"

"Possibly. Your power is potent enough; it affects vampires outside of the Genesis clan as well. You've given him humanity, so it's possible he's under an effect of a bewitchment." Sebastian frowned. Again, I didn't believe him, possibly even less than before. It was uncertainty that moved him; distrust.

"You're wrong. You're just as wrong as Theo is when he denies feeling anything for me. You're as wrong as Levi when he says he'll destroy me. You're all afraid of yourselves, afraid of me, afraid of things that could happen, but you're wrong. I won't hurt you. I love you. I love all of you," My voice caught in my throat and I turned away. "I'd rather die."

I didn't wait for a response. I quickly left Sebastian's presence, hoping my words were enough to convince him. And if they weren't, I hoped Jax would approve of my decision so that I'd have all the time in the world to prove to Sebastian just how wrong he was.

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Music: Lies by Jane XØ

Thanks to mooshkipum for the cover! I love it. ^^

Some of you were under the impression that the last chapter insinuated this story was just about done. Ya'll cray cray, we still got a bit to go. Like maybe another 10, 15, or 20 chapters left. Not 100% sure. We're getting there though. :)