Nicholae wiped his mouth once more, sure not to leave a single drop of evidence that might scare her. He'd sent Fauna to dispose of the bottle and to make up an excuse as to why he would be indisposed for the remainder of the banquet.
He had been deep in thought when Valentina suddenly opened the door.
The terrified look on her face had his heart clenching.
The look vanished from its place and was replaced by haughty expression.

She didn't say a word and went back to her bed.
Nicholae smiled at her back. She was still the Valentina he'd fallen in love with.

'Why are you still here, your Lordship?'
The door was locked behind him, secure and warded, only Fauna and himself could enter. He wasn't willing to take any risks after her story about the intruder.

At first, Valentina hesitantly bit into the pigeon drumstick she tore off. After thoroughly chewing the sample, she wolfishly smiled at the plate then commenced with stuffing her face.
She'd momentarily forgotten he was still in the room it seemed.

And to answer her previous question, he hadn't left her because he was scared of leaving her out of his sight. Especially when he heard he quiet plea beneath the covers.
How could he go then?
Her behavior now was content and she had a bright smile on her face.
He caught himself staring hard so he looked elsewhere.
But like a moth drawn to a flame, his eyes kept returning to her face, her hair- her neck.
No, he couldn't think about that now. He'd just- just drank an entire bottle.
Apparently he needed another one.

Hunger aside, there were other things that deeply troubled him. If Valentina was awake, did that mean her spirit was back into her body? What had happened to her spirit?

'You look scary when you scowl, my Lord?'
Nicholae felt whiplashed.
The knowing flint in her eyes were fleeting but unmistakable.
He stepped closer to her and lowered himself until they were eye to eye.
Then he smiled.

'What's wrong with you?' She said now scowling at his strange behavior.

'I'm looking for an old friend.'
He straightened and sat on her small bed.
He watched her till his heart's content. Yet he couldn't get enough because his heart has become selfish and his eyes refused to believe just what they were seeing.

Valentina was alive. By some miracle.

Nicholae recounted all the failed attempts of resurrecting his beloved.

He also remembered the first day he'd met Valentina. It was at a peace signing, exactly like this one only the Lynch's hosted it that time. Maybe it was a coincidence, or fate that she'd return to him today.

'This is really good. You should thank whoever made this.' She swallowed before speaking.
As she ate she pushed aside her vegetables. Just like she always did.

'I'll let them know. And I'll tell them you didn't eat your vegetables.' He chuckled.

She moved further up into the bed and leaned on the wall rubbing her stomach.
'They taste funny. And I don't like them. I just don't.'
She gave an unladylike belch and giggled. Then it was as if she remembered who was in the room with her. Then she blushed furiously.

'There must be something big happening out there.' She said in conversation.
'You sure looked dressed for it.'

Nicholae looked back at her .
He was unsure of how much to tell her.

'What do you remember at all?'

'About what?' 

'About anything at all.' Nicholae shifted so he didn't face her from a weird angle.
'You know what food is. And you know how to eat and speak.'

Valentina giggled.
'And I know how to breathe and swallow too. I don't remember anything doesn't mean I don't know how to function. These are all instinctual. Basically my body is guiding me.'

Nicholae bashfully smiled.

'My question didn't come out right.'

'Oddly, I know what you mean.' She said saving him.
'I know what a bed is and what's it's used for. I know that those things over there...' she pointed at the shelf. 'Are books. It's simple things like that returning to me. It's just not all there. It takes me a minute to recall.'
Then she sighed.

'I feel strange not knowing anything about myself, or about anyone.'
Nicholae could only imagine what she was experiencing.
'Did you know me before today?'

Nicholae nodded.
'Very well.'

'So tell me about me.' Excitement brought a light to her eyes and she sat up eager to hear what Nicholae thought of her.

'Well, you are-were wise, strong, kind and...'

'Ah. That's the kind of relationship we had.' Valentina said to herself, secretly rolling her eyes.

'And impatient.' He finished smirking.
'What do you want to hear?'

'What my life is like? Was like?'
She flipped her hair out of her face.
'I mean look very young I should have had something going for me right. Like a good life.'

Once upon a time.
'Yes. And no. You were a high ranking witch at North point. You grew up there.'

He saw her eyes go blank for a second.

'Why are there animals running around my head. Was I in a ... a....'
She snapped her fingers trying to catch the evasive word.
'Zoo?' Nicholae provided.
She nodded vigorously.

'No. But I bet it was close to it.'
Her natural reaction was to kick him in the waist.

'Oh my. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean...'
She stammered.

Nicholae grabbed his side and feigned pain.
'They are your family.'

Her gasp was comical. And she stood to her feet pacing around the room, feeling for any oddities on her body.
It took a Will power of steel to keep from laughing.

'You said I was a witch. Now I'm some kind beast.' She shrieked.
Luckily the room was sound proof.
'Is a tail going to pop out of my behind?'
When she started chasing her non-existent tail he nearly lost it.

'Sit down, Valentina.' She didn't listen.
'Sit down and I'll explain everything. Don't over react.'
She still didn't listen to him.
So he pulled her so she stood right in front of him.

'You are a witch. You lived with the Lynchs. A clan of shapeshifters. They raised you but you aren't one of them. Not outwardly anyways.'
Even she smiled.
'We don't have to talk about everything tonight. Fauna and I will help you regain your memories.'

He thought she'd be happy with the news. But like him, sh has reservations and it showed on her face.
'Before I woke up. I felt this... pain...'
Tears filled her eyes at just the thought of it.

'Then there was this cold feeling of nothingness. I felt so lonely.'

Nicholae clamped his jaws and grated his teeth. She'd really suffered.

'I don't think the memory potion works that way.' He confessed.
If she wanted to remember, she'd have to take it all or none at all.

Nicholae couldn't look at her face as his brain replayed his sins against her.
She'd remember all of that too. Then she'll never want to see him again.

It was his turn for the tears to fill his eyes.

'Why don't you get some rest.' He patted the empty space beside  him.

'I'll call Fauna to come then I'll leave.

He swiftly switched their positions, carefully placing her in the bed and standing.

He took out his phone and gave her a call.

'I'll be waiting.' He said at the end of the conversation.

'I guess, his Lordship is a very busy man.' She said settling into her bed.
He could tell from the age under her eyes that she was still so tired.
Death and sleep were not the same thing.
She might have been dead for a century, but she still needed sleep.

'I'll come down and visit you tomorrow. People will miss me in my absence.'
That was true. Sonya wouldn't forgive him if he missed the entire banquet. And neither would his mother. But the other truth was he couldn't sit by Valentina and tell her about her blissful life before she met him.
The memories still brought with them fresh pain and raw guilt.
He would accept the title of a coward tonight, because he just couldn't relive it all again tonight.

His entire mood was off, he couldn't keep the blood down and his body satisfied.
When Fauna arrived, he spared Valentina's sleeping frame one last glance before leaving.

His first stop was to a bathroom and then the party. There, he quickly located Osei and his pack and went to them.

'We need to talk.' He whispered to them.

He took them to a secluded room, warded of course and spoke freely.
Now he had much to lose and little time left.

'First off let me apologize for how tonight went.'

'That wasn't your fault .' Semi told him.

'But that's not why I called you here. I wish I had said this earlier on. And for my tardiness , I'm sorry.'
They all looked at him with anticipation.

'I went to Shepherd's Creek.'
What are you doing Nicholae?

'To gather information about you after I heard about your visit with Cornelius. That's how I stumbled onto information about Semi after I thought I reached a dead end.'
He paused. There was no time to think about what he was doing. He needed them to trust him fully. So he had to trust them fully.

'I met someone who told me everything.'
Semi was the first one to catch his meaning.

'I spoke to your first mate, Danielle. And she told me everything about what happened.'
Nicholae finally met Osei's quickly heating gaze.
'About what she'd done.'
He wasted no time with the reveal, it would do him no good to beat about the bush.

'The pieces finally fell into place after Fauna and the rest told me about your condition. Osei it was her blood that was used to fashion the bullet.'

Loki scoffed or sneezed one or the other. Malaki simply looked on, Cayden shared in that expression. Semi was sad and Osei... Well he was enraged.

'How poetic. She who damned me must be the one to save me.'

Nicholae nodded.
'I planned to tell you sooner but something came up.'

'There must be another way.' Osei said.

'Not one that we have the time to find.' Nicholae refuted.

'And who's clock have you been consulting?' Osei asked.

'Yours.' Nicholae returned with the same prickly tone he was using.
Their already shaky alliance was shaken even more.

'You shouldn't be alive right now. You've been cheating death this long but as you well know. The reapers are getting closer.'
His intent was to strike the fear and urgency of the situation into their hearts.

'We'll talk about this later.' Osei said.
'I'll call you.'

Semi stayed behind.

'If she told you everything, then you know she won't want to help us.'

Nicholae shook his head.
'She regrets what she did.'
There was more to Semi's expression. A dark secret she wasn't very willing to tell anyone just yet. And it was one she was scared would be revealed if Danielle returned.

Still she said.
'Find her and we'll talk to her as well.'

Nicholae would try his best. Because again what he hadn't told them was that someone also wanted Danielle dead.

A/N
Isn't Nicholae just doing too much now. He has too many secrets being kept from his allies.

And why is Semi so afraid Danielle's return? Could it be jealousy or something more sinister?

And finally Osei. Poor Osei. What is he going to do when Danielle returns?

Well we'll see. So until saturday .
UNTO THE NEXT CHAPTER!!!