*kendra* "What? What are you doing here," he said his eyes almost bulging out, he clearly wasn't expecting to see me. "Surprise??" I asked in an awkward way. I was standing by his desk goofily when he walked in. Seriously, now that I'm back, I'm starting to realize how weird and stupid my decision is. I mean, who in their right senses f**king runs back to prison after being released? But hey, in my own defense, the outside world is way worse than this prison. It's full of the bitter reality I have been trying my best to avoid. At least here, I can live life pretending that everything was normal. "what is wrong with you, I just freed you," he said, the normal subtle look replacing the shocked one he had earlier. "Well, I'm back! Deal with it" I snapped at him. "Smith, I thought I made your mission clear! You had just one little task, and you messed it up" he sounded pissed but acted composed. How can one let out such words in a calm manner? It just amuses me. "Do you really want to get rid of me that bad Nick?" I asked, dragging his attention from Smith. "Don't blame him, I literally forced him to bring me back, I swear. He didn't want to" hoping I wouldn't get Smith in trouble, he has already done so much for me. "You are dismissed," he said to Smith his eyes not leaving me for even a second. He scurried out of the room without a word, who would have thought the blank faced smith can be this scared? "Why did you decide to come back?" He asked raising a brow. His eyes were the normal greyish darkish indefinable color and it was as if it was piercing through me. "I felt like," I said, trying my best not to look intimidated. But with the way he was staring at me, I was pretty much sure that was fucking impossible. "Really? Did you feel like coming back to jail? That doesn't make much sense to me Kendra" the way he called my name had me feeling as if I was going to die at that moment. As if I have committed a crime and I'm supposed to be punished. He really has to be this intimidating. "you know how to read minds, don't you? Well, why don't you get your answer there!" I muttered. "I don't go around reading people's thoughts Kendra, that's just not right." "Oh yeah! Like you ever do anything right" "Oh Kendra, stop trying to change the subject" "I was just stating a fact" I was really hoping he wouldn't notice that I was trying to divert the discussion but it was futile. I just wish he will let this issue slide and allow me to stay in his not so homely castle. It will really mean a lot. "Don't you see, you aren't safe here" he said, this time his voice wasn't sounding cold, like the usual cold. "I might hurt you again, or maybe some of the people living here, you know they don't like you" Woah, nick, I'm glad you noticed. For a moment, I thought I was the only one noticing the death glares and hostility. "This isn't home for you, I don't think it will be, ever! This is a vampire place, you aren't used to the way we live or our surroundings. Just go back to where you belong. To your home, to where you'll fit" "To the humans? Because I'm one?" I asked not really needing an answer. "Oh come on! I'm a freaking half vampire for God's sake! I don't fit here, and with me coming of age or whatever, I won't be able to fit in there either. Not without my mom and sister" "Things aren't safe here, we are preparing for war, I don't want you getting involved…" "..but I'm already involved, Nick!" I barked angrily, I was losing my temper and it wasn't in any way good. "I got involved the moment my mom was murdered! The moment I got abducted! The moment my sister became the main target! Home isn't home! Everything is messed up and shitty right now. It's either I stay here or go to a foster home! I can't put up with that, not for a whole year! My life can't go back to the way it was before. I just have to move one! Trust me, this is the only option I could think of" By the te I was done with my little yelling, tears were rolling down my cheeks. I'm sure my eyes are red cause they hurt badly. Nick wasn't saying anything. not a word. He just stared at me in what looked like astonishment, although I couldn't tell exactly. He moved close to me and was surprisingly opening his hand widely for a hug. It felt weird that the vampire prince was offering me a hug. But I don't have the time to think about who and what. right now I really needed the hug and it didn't matter who it was coming from. Just when his hands got to me in an embrace, the doors swung open. before I could face it to see who it was, I felt someone hugging me from behind tightly. "Oh, God ken, you are back! You are really back! I'm glad to see you. I thought that was goodbye" "yeah, me too Zaid, me too," I said, I almost forgot how I was going to miss this soul badly. "But why did you come back? It's not safe here and you know it!" he said, turning me to face him and cupping my face in his hands I could see the worry in his eyes, but I wasn't ready to explain that shit to him, not the way I explained it to Nick! Not the way that'll make me cry again. "This place is all I've got left" I shrugged. Even though it didn't make any sense, he seemed to just go with it. "Now where is my cage, I need my beauty nap" looking around for my cage which seemed to not be in the room any longer, I prayed this chapter was over. "That won't be necessary" Nick whose existence we have seemed to forget reminded us of his presence. We both gave questioning looks at what he just said. "You heard me. You were locked there because you were a prisoner, you were forced to be here. But now, it's different, you are here because you chose to be here, hence, you are not going to be locked up. You are free to stay and leave whenever you feel like it." Then, he walked out, leaving me and Zaid by ourselves.