I'm so tired of sleeping in this bed with Cane. I wish I could find any excuse to go into my room, but it doesn't matter what I say, he finds a reason for me to stay.

Last night, I had an asthma attack. Even after it passed, I kept coughing, and I tried to get up and leave so I wouldn't keep him awake. He grabbed me and pulled me back down, insisting that I stay in case something happened to me in the middle of the night.

As if I haven't lived with this disease for nearly my entire life. But he wouldn't be swayed. So here I am again...trying to sleep while he lays here beside me without a care in the fucking world.

Because he really thinks he's got me. He thinks I'm going to do what he's asked me to do. I've pulled him into a dream or two since the other day just to keep him satisfied, but I've managed to control our surroundings and keep us just here in the backyard.

And I don't know what in hell is going on, but I keep feeling this thrumming in my chest. Like our bond is, and this makes me want to throw up just thinking it, but like it's...getting stronger? I shudder at the thought. There's no way.

Downstairs, I swear I hear something creak. A floorboard maybe? My eyelids fly open and I sit up in bed, careful not to wake Cane. Holding my breath, I listen closer, but all is silent again.

Narrowing my eyes toward the hallway where I can't see a damn thing, I lay back in bed, and as much as I loathe the man, I snuggle into his side. At least if he's near me, he'll protect me from a burglar. He won't let his most important asset be harmed.

To my horror, he makes a low, contented sound in the back of his throat and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me back against his chest, burying his face in my hair.

Well, fuck. Should've seen that one coming.

I cling to the blankets, holding them to my chest as I eye the door. Something doesn't feel right, like the house isn't as quiet as it normally is at night. I strain to listen for any other sounds but everything seems normal. My eyes grow heavy as I wait, and I struggle to keep them open. They close and I give into the lull of sleep.

Until I hear the doorknob click. I grip Cane's arm, ready to shake him awake but for some reason I freeze up and watch in horror as someone enters the room.

I bite so hard on the inside of my cheek that I feel a sting when I break the skin, and I'm not sure why I'm not trying to move to hide, wake up Cane, do literally anything but just lay here waiting for the intruder to do whatever fucked up thing they're going to do.

When the door creaks open, I'm about to duck my head under the cover when a very familiar frame steps into view.

A tall, muscular frame, nearly identical to the one who has me wrapped in his arms at this very moment. The only difference is his arms are void of the tattoos of the sleeping man next to me.

And the man who just walked into this room, unannounced, in the middle of the night, is the Dagon twin I fell in love with.

"Oh my god," I breathe, still unable to move. "You came."

"I'll aways come for you," Cane says in a sleepy voice behind me.

I don't need to see Elias's face to know he is shooting daggers at his brother with his stare. The anger coming off him is thick in the air. If it weren't for me wrapped in Cane's arms, I think Elias might try to kill him.

His shoulders slump and he releases a long breath. He kicks his head to the side, motioning for me to follow him out of the room.

I roll my lips between my teeth and hold my breath as I slip out from Cane's hold. I'm turning to sit on the edge of the mattress to plant my feet on the floor, and I think I've made it scot-free when Cane stirs and grabs my wrist. My breath catches in my throat, and I shoot a panicked look over my shoulder.

Thankfully, his eyes are still closed as he murmurs, "Where you going, coelhinha?"

"Just have to pee, I'll be back," I lie, shooting Elias a look that screams give me two more seconds, please.

He turns from the door with his head hanging low and quietly walks down the hall.

"Don't take too long. I like holding you," Cane says, rolling onto his back.

I grit my teeth and fight back the confusing wave of emotion threatening to take me down. All I can manage is a quiet okay before slipping out the door after Elias, desperate to speak with him alone.

When I get into the hall, he's standing near my door, and I point to it, directing him inside. He steps in and I scurry after him, shutting the door as far as I can without letting it click.

He's standing in front of the window at the back of my room, the one I'd looked out of so many nights, wondering when I'd see him again, what he was doing, thinking without me.

I can't believe he's here.

He looks worn down, exhausted. Relieved to see me, but sad at the same time.

Beautiful.

I want so badly to run to him, to throw myself into his arms and thank him for coming for me, to beg him to forgive me, to take me away from here, so we can figure out what the hell to do with Cane and then start over...be happy again.

But I don't do any of that because I can't imagine how betrayed he feels right now. I can't imagine how I'd feel if I'd walked in on him in the arms of another woman, no matter how "innocent" it was.

Let alone someone as close to me as my fucking twin.

I don't know what I would do in his shoes right now. I'd like to think I'd understand after everything, but fuck...I don't know.

But I can't just stand here. I have to do, say something.

"Elias, I—I'm so, so sorry," is all that comes out, all that I can say to start this conversation because I feel like I don't deserve to say anything else to him.

His voice is a soft rumble in the quiet of my room as he says, "Don't. You don't have to apologize, Cordelia. I understand to the best of my ability; I really do. All I need to know is do you want to leave?" He steps forward and slides his hand into his pocket. "And if you want to stay, I know what you have to do. I'll make it easy for you, because I don't stand a chance against you." He pulls out a dagger, one that I saw in the book Cane gave me weeks ago. It is enchanted and one of the only ways to kill a vampire. He holds it by the blade and extends the hilt toward me.

I gasp and barely contain the scream that crawls up my throat. "Elias! What the fuck? No, hell no, I don't want to stay! Put that shit away! I don't know where you got that, and I don't want to know. But I do know what it is and what it does." I step toward him, shoving his hand out of the way. "If you think for one fucking second that I could ever kill you, then you've lost your godsdamn mind, Elias Dagon."

"It's okay if you love him."

I vehemently shake my head. "I care about him, but I don't love him. And right now, I'm pissed at him. He has been using me to get to you. I don't understand why one of you has to kill the other, but I want nothing to do with it. I don't want either of you dead."

Elias laces his fingers behind his head and looks up at the ceiling. The shadows set into the deep lines of his face enhance both the worry and relief in his expression. It looks as if he is wading through the same internal turmoil as me.

"Lorelai is waiting for us downstairs. Grab some shoes and a jacket just in case, and let's get out of here."

I nod and slide my feet immediately into the snow boots sitting by my bed, thankful that I've started sleeping in leggings. I put on my puffy white coat and pat the pockets. "Oh shit."

"What is it?"

"My inhalers. They're all in Cane's room and bathroom. I might have one left downstairs but I'm not for—"

He pulls a familiar yellow device out of his pocket, places it in my palm and closes my fingers around it. "I've been carrying it with me since the day you left. Just in case I found you and you didn't have one. I didn't know if Cane would be that responsible with you or not."

My heart skips a beat and I'm suddenly afraid I might need it right now. "You did what? You—you've been carrying this around for months?"

"I always carried one with me. I was surprised to find the one I know I put in my pocket the night of the masquerade ball missing when you needed it. I have a gut feeling that the one Cane handed you, he got from me."

I tuck my lips between my teeth to stifle down my cringe. Cane having that inhaler was my first indication that I could trust him. A part of me believed that I had things mixed up, that it wasn't Elias who carried it all those times but his brother. Now I know it really was him.

I store that thought away to ponder at a different time and reach under my bed for the backpack I put together when I was trying to run away. I slide the inhaler into the side pocket and put my arms through the straps.

"Thank you, Elias," I say, not bothering to hide the embarrassment I feel for doubting him.

"There is no need to thank me. It is my pleasure to take care of you, belle rêveur."

Hope blooms in my chest at his use of my nickname. Maybe he will be able to forgive me for what I've done. I want nothing more than to ask him right now, but I know it's not the time or the place. We need to get out of here before Cane wakes up and finds me trying to escape.

I can beg his forgiveness tomorrow.