Chapter 24

I practically inhale the rest of breakfast and rush into the closet to find something that i can wear for the run, excitement bubbling through my skin like a shock of electricity. It has been weeks since i was last able to go out for a run, and whilst i have to do it with Mihai by my side, i couldn’t be happier.

I know I'm a prisoner, and i know that he could change his mind at any moment and decide to keep me locked up in this room, but i also know that he won’t. He is testing me. He's going to see if i run or not given the chance, and i am not going to, not whilst he is watching me. I need to build up his trust first.

If i blow this, i blow all further chances of getting out of this room, and i am not willing to do it, especially when i know that i will fail.

Mihai has a plan, he will have something in place, or someone to make sure that the skies come down on me should i try to escape.

But i am not stupid, i used surprise the last time that i tried, and i failed, now it has gone, i need to be more careful. I need to choose my moment of escape more cautiously if i actually want to succeed. I can’t just decide to run at a moment's notice with no actual plan of how i am going to get home. They will be watching me, all of them. Every single Nati that lives in this godforsaken place.

I grab a green sweater and some thick wool leggings, when i finally mustered up enough courage to look out of the window i realised that we were at the other side of the mountains that i saw, and the ground had been covered with snow. It was laid across the ground like a blanket of death, the Nati might not feel the cold, but i certainly do. And i do not want to find myself frozen to death in the middle of nowhere.

I used to love the snow when i was a little girl, but as i got older it just became more and more of an inconvenience. It's harder to track someone in three or four feet of fresh snow, especially in a city where people walk over each other's steps.

And don’t even get me started about fighting in it, I've ended up on my ass more times than i can count because i tried the wrong move on a sheet of ice. That shit hurts, a lot.

I pull on some thick winter socks and some running shoes, deciding to put on a hat and scarf, as well as some gloves to keep my hands warm. I've said it once, and I'll say it again, i hate the snow.

But no matter the weather, and my particular dislike of it, i am not passing up this opportunity to go outside.

I walk back into the bedroom, shocked to see that Mihai had changed, i hadn’t even heard him leave, let alone come back. He was wearing a black buttoned shirt with black trousers and a suit jacket to match, not exactly to type of clothes to go running in.

Then again, he is a Nati, and he does not feel the cold, nor does he break a sweat running the way that i would.

I suppose being undead comes with its perks.

“You look like you are dressed to climb the mountain pass.” he says, walking around me as he inspects my clothes, rather rudely. “It is a warmer day today, you shouldn’t need all those layers.”

“That’s easy for you to say.” I snap, crossing my arms, “You don’t feel the cold the way that i do, i could have hypothermia and you’d not even know it.”

“I would.” He says, pressing his broad chest into my back, “I’d know the difference in your temperature before you do.”

Of course he would, is there nothing this guy can’t do?

“That’s great.” i say, rolling my eyes.

“Did you just roll your eyes at me?” he asks, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look up at him.

“I did.” I murmur, getting lost in the darkness of his eyes.