SIX

DOMINIC POV

I walk down the stairs to the kitchen and listen to the exchange between Sebastian and Seraphina, I smile as I hear her say "Even with the surprise I woke up to"

Sebastian seemed confused when he replied "Surprise? What surprise?"

"That surprise would be me!" I laugh as I enter the kitchen

"Sir! Sorry sir, I didn't know you were back yet! Your highness!" Sebastian coughs as he gets off the stool and bows to me. I keep telling him he is a friend and does not need to be so formal all the time but he insists.

I shake my head at him still having that small smile on my face when I look up at Seraphina, she had a look of confusing on her face and then she went pale and started to fall. This time I moved quickly not Caleb so I could catch her. I picked her up bridle style and moved her into the sitting room, laying her on one of the sofas. Again with the warmth in the heart, I am seriously starting to think that maybe just maybe she might be my mate.

I then pale at the prospects that having a mate entails, what my mother and father went through but then one day when I asked them if it was worth the work they both did to get the mate bond to actually work they both said 'YES,' they said it was the best thing that they could have ever done.

I get pulled out of my thoughts of my parents by Seraphina waking up.

"What happened?"

"You fainted my lady!"

"Dam! Just my luck to embarrass myself even more." she blushes and turns over on the sofa to hide her face

"You don't need to hide from me, my lady!"

"Why do you keep calling me My lady?"

"It may seem strange to you but that's how it feels to me and my vampire, that you belong to us."

"So? am I your property now? Your highness!?!"

"No! I don't mean it like that! And please call me Dominic, your highness coming from your lips doesn't sound right."

Just as she was going to say something else her stomach growled again, reminding us that she still hadn't eaten anything. I helped her sit up and then we made our way back into the kitchen. Sebastian must have worked out what Seraphina was going to make because there was 2 plates of pancakes sitting on the counter when we walked in. He had also heated up some blood for me to. We sat down and it didn't take her long to finish the plate of pancakes and go and make herself some toast.

She looked at me shyly as says "Do you want to come out into the garden and do a little sparing with me?"

This surprised me, because when I saved her she looked like she didn't know how to fight. Why not I thought, I can see what she knows and work with her from there. "Sure, I'll just go change."

I gulped down the last of the blood in my cup, then ran upstairs to change into some sweatpants. By the time I came down and headed outside she was already stretching on the lawn.

"Okay my lady lets see what you can do." I smile a little

She just smirks at me. We start sparing and I must admit she is quite good and I recognise the style, Sebastian has been training her, I wonder for how long. Its like she has been doing it for years, and its not taking her long to adjust to the way I fight, which is slightly different to Sebastians. I must get Theodore to have a go with her too, she would be one unstoppable warrior. I'm so caught up in what I'm thinking that I don't see the next move she does and I end up on my back with her laying on my chest laughing. "You know you are suppose to keep your head in a fight because any distraction can get you killed."

"You have obviously been around Seb for too long, but he has taught you well."

"How did you know?"

"My lady I taught him and then he added his own style to it."

"Oh." she climbs off me and runs to the edge of the woods, disappearing behind a tree.

I get up a little worried that she is running away from me but the next thing I know is there is a big red wolf coming out of the woods towards me. I jump to my feet and I hiss a little with my fangs showing, the wolf stops and cowers down on the ground. It looks at me with confusion and then retreats back into the woods, I hear a low howl and then Seraphina comes back out of the woods. She lowers her eyes and her head as she walks past me, in a slight bow and says "Thank you for sparing the time to spar with me. Your highness!"

"My lady Seraphina?" she doesn't answer me, just keeps walking.

I do notice just before she goes inside, that she is wiping her hands over her eyes and cheeks. "Did I upset her and if I did how?" I just stand there dumbfounded as to what just happened.

Next thing I know, I'm knocked off my feet by Josephine. We land with a thud and start laughing. "Hey sweetheart, have you been behaving yourself?"

"Yes I have, besides I have had Sera here to keep me company."

"You know Seraphina?"

"Of course, don't you remember a couple of years ago I said I met this wonderful girl and we had the most amazing time together until she had to be on the move again."

"Oh yeah, that was Seraphina?"

"Yep. That reminds me why did she come inside just now with tears in her eyes?"

"I'm not sure, we just had a sparing session. She's good."

"Yeah Seb said that too, he said she was a quick study."

"How long has he been training her?"

"About 24 hours."

"Really, its like she has been fighting for years."

"So getting back to it, why was she crying?"

"I really don't know, like I said we were sparring. She managed to get me on the ground, she then ran into the woods but this big red wolf came out. I reacted like I normally do to werewolves, I hissed and showed my fangs. The wolf then backed away and went back into the woods. Seraphina came back a minute or so later and just went straight past me heading inside.

"Oh my god Dominic! Don't you know?"

"Know what? Josephine what aren't you telling me?" I'm getting annoyed now

"Dominic did that wolf look familiar in any way?"

"Not really. Why does that matter?"

"Dominic you idiot, that wolf was Seraphina!" I looked at her as if she has grown 2 heads still not getting what she was trying to say.

"Dominic! Seraphina is a werewolf!! That red wolf was her!!"

"What??"

"Lilith must have wanted to meet you or she wouldn't have done it, she's very cautious with who sees her in wolf form, she's found that a lot of people just want to kill her when she does."

"Dominic Oh! no! SERAPHINA! SEBASTIAN!" Josephine jumps up off me yells and runs back inside.

"You idiot, what if you have scared her away?? We need her..." Caleb hissed in my head.

I get up off the ground and follow Josephine inside.

SERAPHINA POV

I got off Dominic's chest because Lilith was hounding me and wanted to meet him, she thought maybe, he'll play with her a little, since I got to spar with him. So I ran to the edge of the woods ducked behind a tree quickly striped and shifted. I walked out slowly heading back towards where Dominic was lying on the ground, he jumps to his feet and hisses low at us showing his fangs. Lilith whimpers and we cower to the ground and back away from him. I knew it was too good to be true, he is just another vampire that will now kill us because of what I am. I back up into the woods, Lilith lets out a low pained howl and then I shift back. I get dressed again and walk back out of the woods. I lower my eyes and bow my head in respect for a king, as I pass him I whisper not trusting my voice not to break "Thank you for sparing the time to spar with me. Your highness!"

I hear him call to me but now the tears I'm trying to keep in my eyes are falling down my cheeks, I don't want to show him any weakness. I manage to keep it together until I'm nearly inside then I wipe my eyes and cheeks, hoping he doesn't see me do it. I step to the side just as Josephine runs out the door and into Dominic's arms knocking him to the ground again, I let a small smile lift the corners of my mouth before it drops again. I don't stick around to find out what they are talking about.

I run up stairs and grab my backpack, I still don't have many clothes we were still waiting on my delivery. I guess it doesn't matter anymore, its time to move on before he decides to kill me. Lilith is whimpering in my head but she doesn't argue. I make my way back down stairs, I really hope I don't bump into Sebastian because I just know he will try and talk me into staying but I can't now that the vampire king knows I'm a werewolf it wont be long before he gives the order to kill me.

I make it outside just as I hear Josephine yell for me and then for Sebastian. I run, I tell myself that my friends are in danger with me here, so it makes me run faster and faster. I can't let anyone else die, even if running this time is somehow killing me.

I make it to the town and head to the bus station, I'm too upset to run and I have a feeling if I allow Lilith to take over we will somehow end up back at the castle. I had just enough for a ticket, I didn't know where it went and I didn't care I just had to leave. I'm sitting on the bus hiding in my hoody when a girl sits next to me.

"You know running isn't always the answer?"

"For me it is." I sigh and continue "It is the only way I have been able to stay alive and by not staying too long and making friends I don't get anyone else killed as well."

"You are safer with us then anywhere you could run"

"That maybe true but he's not just any vampire Josephine, he is the king, just one word from him and no-one can save me. I've heard the rumors, I know he doesn't like werewolves and he just proved he doesn't like me or should I say he doesn't like Lilith my wolf. I'm sorry Josephine I can't stay."

"Look he's sorry, he didn't know you were a werewolf. He would never hurt you!"

"You might say that but that don't mean he does..." more tears slip from my eyes

"My lady! I ment what I said, I will never hurt you."

"Dominic?" my voice came out as a whispered squeak

"Yes my lady, please come back so we can sort this out."

"Are you sure, I'm a werewolf! I'm too dangerous to have around." I make sure no-one else can hear or is listening.

"Yes my lady Seraphina! Please!"

"Okay." we all get up, get off the bus and make our way back to the castle.