-Arabella-I can't believe we are on our way to Mercer House in the middle of the night. One phone call and Ronan got someone to open it for us, simply because I told him that's where I'd go if I had the chance.Even though I'm still angry that he made me spend three days alone and confined to that room, I feel my rage dissipating. He's at least trying to be nice, which is much more than I thought he would do for me. He has also overlooked the part of the contract that enables him to basically return me and put me in a position where I would owe him the money I would never have. We make it to the city in a few minutes, and Ronan steps out of the car first, extending a hand to help me out. For an outsider, we could be a normal couple given how attentive he's suddenly acting toward me.The red brick facade brings a smile to my face. It's been so long since I've been here, and the memory of my father threatens to bring tears to my eyes. "After you," Ronan says, gesturing
-Ronan-I text Blanca on the way home, asking her to clean up the mess in the library. I can't bring myself to ask Ara to do it now. The moments we shared in Mercer House are gone, and Ara sits in the car in silence, looking out the window. She blushes, gently shakes her head, then smiles and frowns again, like a movie is playing inside her head.A very dirty movie, if she's replaying what we've just done.When we arrive, the library looks like it had never witnessed me and Desmond fighting. Ara follows me in after cleaning herself up in the bathroom, and her stomach audibly growls."I forgot you haven't eaten," I say. "You can go make something for yourself. But first, let me show you something."She has a curious look on her face when I reach out to the secret latch on the bookshelf behind the couch, and a large portion of it slides into the secret room I added when I renovated the place.Her eyes widen and she pokes her head inside."What is this pla
-Arabella-I suddenly wake up in Ronan's bed, and the room is dark except for a slit under the door. There are voices coming from downstairs, and I assume that's what tore me away from my dream.I instantly forget what it was, but I think I was enjoying it because I somehow feel…lighter. Like the cloud that has been hanging above my head these past few days isn't as gloomy or dark.Nothing has really changed; I'm still here and I still have to figure out what to do about those men's threats to my family, but I suddenly feel a little more hopeful.Ronan has shown me so many facets of his personality that I can't really make up my mind about him. I can't change the fact that he'll always be a vampire, and by nature, the cause of so many problems for humans.But…he can also be kind. Other than locking me up or ordering me around, he's been nothing but attentive and surprisingly gentle.Part of me thinks my mind has been unintentionally glamored by him, because I ju
-Ronan-Ara's head pokes up from the other side of the counter, and all I can see is her apprehensive eyes staring back at me. Normally, I'd be able to dodge a bowl flying straight at me, but I'd been distracted by her, and now I'm covered in eggs.Her hair is covered in egg yolk, and I burst out laughing. She stands and looks like she's trying to hold it in, but then she bursts out laughing, too."I'm so sorry," she says, lifting a strand of her hair. "I didn't mean for that to happen.""I'm not so sure about that," I joke, taking my phone and wiping it off on the remaining dry parts of my suit. She starts to wipe the counter, still snickering. While I never thought I'd start my morning like this, I'm glad about her 'accident'. She's smiling again, and after that initial outburst, I was seriously thinking I'd have to punish her again.The thing is, punishing her would mean punishing myself, too. "Leave it," I tell her. "
-Arabella-I head downstairs and into the kitchen, intending to clean up the mess we left there, only to find Blanca had already done the work. A pan is sizzling with fresh eggs, filling the kitchen with its delicious smell."I was going to clean it," I say. "Thank you."Blanca only shrugs and resumes her work. She flips the omelet once and puts it in on a plate she set up for me on the counter.I wonder if Ronan texted her at some point after the egg incident."Thank you," I say again.I gobble it up in a few minutes and she finally smiles at me, though it's barely perceptible."How long have you worked for the Stewarts?" I ask, trying to make conversation. I don't know why, but I want Blanca to like me."Seventy years, give or take," she says with the faintest hint of an undistinguishable European accent in her voice, and I almost spit out the orange juice I'm drinking."Seventy? How…?"She looks at me quizzically. "What, you thought I was huma
-Ronan-I bolt out of the library to talk to Dan, and partly to get away from Ara. Every day she reveals more of the enigma she is to me, and I feel overwhelmingly unprepared for this.I never thought an attendant would make me question so many things, and for the millionth time, I think I may have made a mistake by giving her so much freedom.But I can't dwell on her now. What Dan is telling me takes up all my attention."I've been spending some time in this guy's establishments. The parties he puts together…they're really something.""Is that what you called to tell me?" I snap. It's not my intention to talk to Dan or anyone like this, but I'm not in the best of moods."No, sir. I'm sorry. I called because I found out that Gabriel Peterson's attendant is his partner. Romantically.""His partner is just unglamored. You must have misjudged their relationship," I say, slightly annoyed that this is what he considers shady. I start thinking about all the things
-Arabella-After I pour hours into essentially stalking Grace's social media, the computer runs out of battery and it's gone dark in the library. Only the automatic garden lights shine through, and I stay there in the dark for a while, obsessing over her pictures.I have to believe that she's doing okay. Since I left, she posted a picture of us together at my high school graduation with a caption that says 'missing you,' and not much else. I don't recall if she had privacy settings before, or if she opened up her social media to everyone on the offhand chance I got access to the internet like today.I wish I could somehow tell her to close it back up. Those men knew too much about her and my mother, and until I figure out what to do about their threats, I have no way of knowing how much truth there was in what they said.The front door opens, and soon enough, Ronan walks into the library and switches on the light."What are you doing in here like that?" he says once
-Ronan-I now understand the real reason that most vampires probably prefer their attendants to be glamored.When I came back to the house, I grabbed Ara's stone, the companion to the chip she has in her tattoo. The device connects to a person's neurotransmitters and it can be felt by the companion remotely, allowing vampires to 'sense' their attendant—and tell a master if their attendant is in proximity or in physical pain.That is, if an attendant is glamored. Because the glamor strips away their feelings, the companion stone doesn't transmit anything more than a possible discomfort or annoyance.Tonight, though, Ara's stone broke me.Her emotions already felt intense when I grabbed her stone and placed it in my watch, where it comes into contact with my skin. And when I told her about what happened to her grandmother, it almost made me want to chuck my watch out the window, or even cut my arm off.The pain was unlike anything I'd ever felt. It was an incessan
-Ronan-I don't rest at all on the flight from London. I am taken directly to her safe house, hungry to lay eyes on her again, to smell her scent again, to feel her warmth again. The door to the house is open and a man's voice is trailing from inside. I tune my ears and listen to every word of Tommy's declaration. My first impulse is to enter and rip his head off, but I calm myself trying to wait for Ara's response. I want Ara for myself but know that us being together as a real couple is impossible. I let out a breath of relief when I don't hear the same feeling reciprocated. A bit of hope springs in my chest. I enter the house and round the corner, then I see her in his arms. Heat rushes through my body. Jealousy burns every cell of mine, especially when I realize, despite how much I want to deny it, that they look perfect together.I don't want to admit it, but my rational mind reminds me once again that she would be better off living her remaining days with him in the human wor
-Arabella-Three days later I am settled in a safehouse in Savannah. I am not able to leave or contact anyone until the head security guard gets a message from Ronan that it is okay for me to see my sister. I am enjoying the little bit of fresh air that Ronan's security team allows me at the safehouse. When I was on the flight back to the States, this is not at all what I imagined my situation would be. It's not ideal losing my freedom, but for the time being, at least I know that my baby and I are safe. Trying to stay positive, I take in the beauty that surrounds me. The sky is a deep, vibrant blue, and the sun radiates with a warmth that promises a beautiful day ahead. The trees rustle slightly in the breeze, and I feel a sense of peace that I haven't felt in a long time. I look out further and can see the Savannah River, which glimmers in the sunlight. Despite the uncertainty of my current situation, I'm grateful for the beauty that Mother Nature has given me. "Ara!"Suddenly,
-Arabella-It is a red eye flight from London to Savannah. I am the only passenger, of course; the private aircraft feels way too big than when we all flew to London together, even though it's the same plane. The city lights below me start to get farther away. I lean back against the plush comfort of one of the seats, or the spacious beds to be precious, and finally get the chance to process everything that has occurred.I was abducted by one of the Stewart brothers, and saved and freed by another. Too many things have happened. The past few months of my life feels longer than the twenty some years I lived before. Fate seems to like to play tricks on me. Growing up, I've been taught that vampires are worthless, they are nothing but lazy, filthy leeches. Yet, when no one else in the human society spared me or my family a single drop of pity, it was vampires who offered me a contract that paid off our debt.I spent the better part of my life looking down upon the blood monsters until
-Ronan-I am getting ready to put an end to a long day of work. All I want to do is relax and spend time with Ara. I put my watch on my wrist, feeling the reassuring presence of the gemstone inside. Human emotions are strange, I think as I feel the smooth surface of the watch.I feel the kaleidoscoping changes in Ara's emotions. She goes from feelings of sadness to excitement. I like the feeling her excitement gives me, and realize it is because she is coming to see me. A small smile crosses my face as I put a quick end to my workday and started to hurry to the restaurant.But then her emotions drastically change again, and this time they are filled with fear. I feel her panic, sending a horrible chill through my own system that I'm not there with her. Two faces come to mind. Only Desmond and Stella could be responsible. My cell phone rings. It's my driver."What happened?""I'm so sorry, Mr. Stewart. They blocked the road, there were two vans...""Where is Ara?" I interrupt him. "T
-Arabella-We lay in the dark, my head on the pillows, Grace's on my shoulder. I stare out the window looking at the twinkling stars of London as we reminisce about our hometown of Savannah, Georgia. Our conversation always centers around Dad and all the wonderful things he did for us even though he was a busy man, working hard to support the family and our mother's spending habits. From the corner of my eye, I can see Grace's face light up.Suddenly, something occurs to her. "You know, I always wondered how Daddy and Mother ever fell in love with each other."I laugh softly in the dark. "They must have been different people back then. People have a tendency to change over time."My thoughts ebb away, and I am taken back to a time when Dad was still with us. I remember the summers we spent in the garden, with him teaching us how to grow vegetables and herbs. I remember the days spent running around the woods, climbing trees, and building forts. I remember the
-Ronan-I was elated all throughout the flight, only to return to chaos unfolding at the manor. What the hell is Stella doing here, anyway? And why is she holding Ara like this? "Let her go," I say in a low voice, trying to contain the anger surging through me.Stella's hand is still pulling at Ara's hair, though the two are no longer struggling, as if my presence has frozen them in place."And please explain what the hell you're doing here, attacking my attendant." "Desmond texted to tell you we were coming," Stella says, slowly removing her hand from Ara's hair.Ara pulls away immediately and runs off in the direction of my room. I want to run after her so badly, but I have to deal with Stella first. I take it she hasn't seen Ara's sister yet, because that would have been the first thing she said once I barged in on them. "She was being insolent again," Stella says. She's still heaving, as if whatever had gone on between her and Ara before I arrive
-Arabella-"Mr. Stewart has given me clear instructions not to let anyone besides his attendant in his room. If you'd like, I can set you up in another bedroom," Julia says in a stoic voice. "He doesn't want to be disturbed." I can tell she's trying very hard not to snap, with her shoulders all tensed up. I've never seen Stella act so viciously toward another vampire, but I guess she's used to having servants and others scramble to please her all the time, and she's not happy with Julia's reticence to do as she wants. Stella's head snaps in Julia's direction, and she takes a few quick steps toward her.Without stopping, she slaps the woman's cheek so hard that Julia stumbles and almost falls over. If it weren't for the mahogany table in the center of the foyer, she would have landed on the floor.She stares at Stella with her mouth hanging open. "I am going to be your mistress, and the first thing I'm going to do once I run this manor is to fire you if you ca
-Ronan-"What do you mean?" I ask Carlota.She gestures for me to follow her to another courtyard, one that is slightly elevated and has an amazing view of the enormous forest surrounding her compound.I was planning on leaving, but it seems she's not done with the conversation yet. "I spend most of my time around humans lately, for obvious reasons," she continues, leaning on the balcony and looking out at the horizon. "As vampires, we've never taken love or feelings too seriously because we take life for granted. We know we have years, decades, ages. Humans don't have that luxury, so each moment shared with their loved ones is immensely more important and valuable."I'm not too sure where she's going with this, but it's making me feel…uncomfortable."If you love someone else, don't marry Stella," she says after a pause, point-blank. "I can't drop all the responsibilities I have toward my family," I counter. I came to ask her for help figuring out Ste
-Arabella-"I'm not a child," Grace says to Gabriel, crossing her arms. "I turn eighteen in two months.""I meant no disrespect." Gabriel bows his head and smiles at her.?Grace flinches slightly at the sight of his fangs, but keeps her composure and turns back to me.?"Did you really not know I was coming? I thought you asked your vampire to set this up. A travel agency called me, and they had first class tickets and everything set up," she says.?"No, I didn't. It must have been Ronan." Unexpectedly, her words make my heart ache.?Ronan isn't MY vampire. He can't be.?Moreover, those guys who have been threatening me wouldn't organize a trip for Grace, would they??The only thing that makes sense is that Ronan wanted to get her somewhere safe, and that meant bringing her to me.This is also an outright violation of the attendant agency rules, and it warms my heart to think that Ronan would go to such lengths to help my little sister.?"How is M