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  "Are you okay?" he asks, looking around my room for danger.

  "Sorry, yeah. Just a bad dream," I say trying to calm myself down. He comes over and gives me a look then kisses my forehead.

  "Oh, honey, they have never been this bad before," Alex says, coming over to give me a little hug.

  "I know, but I'm really okay," I whisper to her, and she gives me a nod.

  A ringing noise beeps in the background, sounding worrying like the fire alarm, as Alex runs out the room shouting, "Shoot, I forgot the pancakes!"

  I shake my head at the thought of my best friend attempting to cook anything edible. She and I are the reason takeaways make so much money. I suddenly remember Wyatt is here in my apartment, and I smile at him.

  "So, what are you doing here? I have class in," I check my clock on the wall, "two hours." I cringe at the fact I’m wearing an old, tatty shirt that is stuck to me with sweat. I pull my covers closer around me, and Wyatt just smirks like he can read my mind. Wyatt looks good today in black shorts and a black shirt, his sunglasses slipped in the top.

  "I was invited to breakfast, but I think I might pass now." He laughs and I enjoy the sound. I get out of my bed and flinch at the pain of my ribs, from where I was thrown yesterday. Wyatt, never missing anything about me, strides over with a worried face.

  "Lift your top," he demands. I raise an eyebrow at his demand, not sure how to take this serious Wyatt. I am way too aware I don’t have any bottoms on, and if I did what he asked, I would be showing him my terrible, yellow knickers.

  "Just so I can see where you’re in pain," he chuckles.

  "I fell in self-defence class last night, it's nothing," I mutter.

  “I’m not leaving until I see how bad it is.” Wyatt crosses his arms.

  “I’m not showing you my knickers.” I glare at him. I suppose I could just put some trousers on, but I really don’t want to be moving right now.

  “I won’t look at those until you invite me to take them off, trust me,” he says, moving closer and gently running a hand down my arm. The thought of him taking my knickers off has me blushing redder than a tomato.

  I sigh watching his stubborn face before pulling my shirt up, and he takes a long intake of breath.

  "Winter, fuck, you look like you've broken a rib," he says. I don’t look up at him as I pull my top down.

  "I'm fine." I wave him off, as he looks at me with a slightly angry expression.

  “You’re not, I have some cream that works wonders on bruises. I'll bring you some from home,” he tells me, and I nod.

  "Your phone has been ringing like mad, some people called Jackass and Harris. I picked it up to bring it to you before you screamed." He offers me the phone. I don’t answer his unsaid question about the “Jackass” number. I can’t tell him I put that in there for Jaxson, before I got to know him. I should really change it back before he sees it. I'll end up having to buy him more than a couple of brownies for forgiveness. Then, my heart contracts as I remember that I can’t see him anymore. I honestly forgot about everything that happened. These dreams are doing a number on me. And intensely hot guys coming into my room first thing in the morning. That doesn’t help.

  "Thanks, Wyatt,” I say.

  I accept my phone from him to see there are a ton of missed calls and voice messages from both Harris and Jaxson. I don’t want to listen to them because I can’t hear his voice, no matter what he has to say.

  "They are some guys from my class, it's likely they haven't done the paper due tomorrow," I say, trying to keep my eyes on the floor. When I look up, Wyatt’s eyes narrow at my lie, but he just groans shaking his head.

  "I'm going to help your friend." He walks away looking dejected.

  "Are you okay?" I ask reaching out to stop him leaving.

  "I don't do relationships, but I'm incredibly jealous at the moment. I've only felt this way once, and I don't know how to be around you, Winter." He pulls me gently into his arms and places a kiss on my head.

  "Who was the other person?" I ask, being nosy, but at the same time, I don't know what to say to him about feeling jealous. We aren't in a relationship, and he hasn't asked me for anything other than a few kisses yet. It was he who suggested we take things slow.

  "My childhood friend turned girlfriend for a short while. She passed away a while ago," he says, looking so sad that I go to him. Wrapping my arms around his waist, Irest my head on his chest. His arms tighten around me.

  "I'm sorry," I say, squeezing him tightly.

  "I put her in danger. Hell, being near me is dangerous for you, but I don't know how to push you away," he says with a frown.

  "What do you mean?" I ask, looking up at him in confusion.

  "Hey, guys, we are going to the café in town for breakfast. I'm not trying to cook again," Alex shouts down the hallway before she gets to my door. She smiles fondly at me from the doorway. I try not to chuckle at the black ash on her cheek. Her hair is all over the place, and she looks flustered.

  "Babe, you could have let me help," Drake says, coming behind her and wrapping her in his arms. She melts against him, reminding me how I'm in Wyatt’s arms, and I somehow forgot because it feels right.

  "Shush, you," she mutters to him. I watch as he wipes her cheek clean, and she looks up at him in adoration. They both seem to have forgotten we are here. I read about this kind of love, a love that makes you forget anything else in the world. A love that can stop time for you and them. I feel lucky just to be able to see it.

  "Sounds good, we can meet you there. I'm sure Winter needs to get ready," Wyatt says, his warm breath moving my hair. I look up at Wyatt as he talks, everything about him draws me in. I know I’m falling for him, even if I don’t want to, I don’t want to be vulnerable. I finally pull my gaze from Wyatt to Alex and Drake.

  "I won't be long," I say, narrowing my eyes at her wagging eyebrows. I know she loves finding me hugging Wyatt, it’s like her grand scheming has finally panned out.

  I quickly shower before drying my hair and dressing in three-quarter length jeans and a Batman top. I am a huge fan of the muscular, deep-speaking man; I don’t care who judges me for it. I find Wyatt sitting on my sofa, typing on his phone, looking like a hot model in a photo shoot. His blond hair is a little longer than when we first met and falls down his forehead. Wyatt looks up, reminding me so much of how my feelings for him are as strong as they are for Jaxson. Should I tell Wyatt I let someone else kiss me?

  His dark eyes lift, taking me in, a slight lift of his lips at the Batman symbol.

  "Beautiful as always, Winter. I believe I’ve seen Atti in a terrible shirt like yours," he says, looking away from me as a shimmer of pain hits his handsome face.

  "What was she like?" I ask, calmly going to sit next to him. I can’t explain it, but I feel like he needs to talk to me about her. To be honest, I feel like he is hiding so much of himself from me. I want him to let me in, I need him too.

  "She was a wild cat. I can’t explain her, no one could really, but she didn't deserve her ending, and I would do anything to change it." He drops his head as he speaks.

  "It's not your fault," I remind him as I take his hand, wanting to comfort him.

  "Let’s go." Wyatt stands, his whole body tense. He pushes my hand away.

  "Sorry, I didn't mean to–"

  He cuts me off, "You don't know a thing, Winter." He walks out, expecting me to follow. I take my time getting my stuff and locking the door, so he has time to calm down. How did she die, and what was her name?

  Why do I have a bad feeling that Wyatt feels responsible for her death?

  Wyatt is sitting inside his car when I come out, and I go to the passenger side to open the door.

  Sliding into the seat, I do up my seatbelt as he drives, his hands grip the steering wheel so hard I'm worried he will break it. The tension is strong as he drives us to the café.

  I go to get out of the car, and Wyatt finally says, "I'm sorry, I just feel guilty for the way I'm lookin
g at you the way I looked at Demi," he speaks her name softly. A brief glimmer of jealousy ripples through me before I realise I’m getting jealous of a dead woman.

  "She wouldn't want that if she loved you," I say. I let myself out of the car not waiting for him. Honestly, I’m not sure what I’m doing. There are too many secrets between us, and I can’t be like the girl he is clearly remembering.

  "Winter, please wait," Wyatt shouts behind me, and I jump when he is suddenly in front of me. A brief whoosh of wind is the only sound that I heard in my ears.

  "How did you?" I ask, backing away from him, a little worried now. I know Harris told me about other supernaturals, but could I have been dating one the entire time? Is that why I feel like he is different. I look at Wyatt, seeing him with new eyes as everything comes together. I’m so stupid; of course he is a supernatural, and I know which one. It’s clear he’s a vampire. The coldness of him, the fast speed, and how he seems to struggle to be close to me, I imagine it’s hard to date your food source. Although, I could imagine dating chocolate, yep, that sounds good.

  "Shit, sorry, I didn't mean to–" he stops talking suddenly, and grabs my arm, pushing me behind him.

  "Your father wants to see you," a gravelly dark voice says behind me. Wyatt tenses as he looks over my shoulder. He moves around me, a quiet warning in his eyes as he looks at me once.

  "Fine, let me take–" Wyatt starts talking, but the gravely speaking man speaks again.

  "Let’s see the pretty food you have there," another man interrupts Wyatt.

  "You will forget that you've ever seen her," Wyatt says, his voice dripping with power. The force of his words blasts against my mind, making me want to do what he says. I let out a strangled gasp as I push him out of my head. Wyatt turns to look at me, fear ripping through his expression before I shake my head, and he looks away.

  "The King has sent us for her, and we have your blood in us. Don’t bother with your tricks, little prince," the gravelly sounding man says. I move slightly around Wyatt to have a look at the man. The man is very tanned and huge, with a bald head that has a red crown tattooed on the side. He is wearing an all-black outfit that has a circle in red on the shirt pocket. I'm too far away to see what it is but it looks like a red crown, like his tattoo. His look is pure evil as he sneers at me and licks his lips.

  "She isn't going anywhere," Wyatt says, his words filled with a silent warning and crippling power.

  The man laughs at Wyatt’s dark words, and before I know what's happening, Wyatt has left me to punch the massive guy in the head. The force makes him slam back into a nearby car, sounding the alarm. The other man, who I now can see, is a smaller white guy with greasy, black hair. His beady eyes lock onto me and, with a speed I've not seen before, rushes at me. I hold in a very girly squeal as, just before he grabs me, he is pulled from behind and thrown in the same direction as the other guy by Wyatt.

  "Winter, trust me, alright?" Wyatt says, as he throws me over his shoulder and everything goes blurry. I must have blacked out, because the next thing I'm aware of is a soft hand stroking my hair and loud voices.

  "How on earth are we going to explain all of this to her? She will think we are all crazy," Alex says as I become aware it's she who is stroking my hair.

  "I can't stay away from her; I want to, but I can't now. He will send someone else, and I will have to take her to him. He must think I’ve found my mate or I’m going to turn her," Wyatt says from not far away.

  "Great," Alex says in a tense voice.

  "Who will?" I ask, opening my eyes and sitting up on my bed. Alex is sitting next to me, and Wyatt is standing by the door.

  My eyes lock with his as he says, "My father, he will know you mean something to me now, and he will want to know about you."

  "Why would he hurt me?" I ask, pulling my arm away from Alex when she tries to hold me back from getting off the bed.

  "Because you’re human, and humans are literal chew toys for him, sweetheart," he says with a cold gaze. I feel like I’m under some kind of test as he watches me.

  "And what are you?" I ask, wanting him to tell me. I know the answer, and I’m sure he knows I do.

  "A vampire," he answers bluntly and crosses his arms. He has a look like he expects me to start screaming, and I raise my eyebrows at him.

  "Hell, you don't even sparkle," I mutter, and Alex snorts in laughter behind me. I even see a small smile on Wyatt’s face.

  "No, I don't," he says with a slightly confused look at me.

  "Can you keep me safe?" I ask him. We watch each other for a while before he answers. In my head, I repeat all the warnings Harris gave me about vampires being dangerous, but I know Wyatt. I know he is dangerous, only a fool wouldn’t pick up on that, but not to me. I don’t think he is evil, and that’s all that matters. I might have to avoid the family dinners though.

  "You should be asking if you’re safe from me," he finally replies with a small smile on his lips.

  "I know I am," I say firmly. I trust him even if that makes me a fool.

  Wyatt tilts his head to the side before nodding at me. I stay still as he moves closer, his cold hand winding into my hair, and he pulls us together until our lips meet. We both sigh at the close contact before he moves away, stopping the kiss.

  "You are," he whispers. The words go through me, with the promise his voice holds.

  "It makes a lot of sense," I laugh to myself.

  "Sorry, why aren't you freaking out? I freaked out when Drake told me. You just believe him?" Alex questions me, standing off the bed to face me.

  "He's not the first supernatural I've met." I wink at her, and she frowns.

  "Who?" she asks, but I think she’s lying. I don’t know how I know that, but it’s a sister thing. I know Alex better than I know myself.

  "Yes, Winter, who? Or what?" Wyatt asks, a protective quality to his tone.

  "Would they be safe from you, if I told you?" I ask him.

  "I can't promise you that," he replies, a grim look on his face as he realises I won’t tell him.

  "Then I'm not saying a word. Why was I passed out by the way?" I quickly change the subject as his eyes darken.

  "Who, Winter?” he asks again, ignoring my question.

  "No," I say holding my chin up high as his eyes start glowing in a similar way that Jaxson’s does, but they’re so dark instead, almost black like the night. Jaxson’s glow like the earth, so bright that you wish you could walk into them. Wyatt’s are dark and almost like you could lose yourself in them if you attempted to get close.

  Wyatt moves so quickly, like a bullet, until he is standing right in front of me again. I take a deep breath to calm myself as his smell surrounds me. I get angry that he is pushing this out of me as his stubborn gaze meets mine.

  "I can't make you tell me, but I wish you would trust me. I need you to trust me because you’re mine." He strokes the side of my cheek.

  "I'm not yours, Wyatt," I whisper.

  "Not yet, but you won’t just belong to me, will you, sweetheart?" he whispers back. I have no idea what he is talking about, but he just smiles down at me.

  "They are gone, they will be back. I don’t think they got Winter’s scent. If they did, we would know. If your dad wants to meet her, you can’t fight him on this alone," Drake says as he comes in the room, stopping close to Alex but speaking directly to Wyatt.

  "Thanks, Drake," Wyatt says, finally looking away. I move back next to Alex, who is looking at me with wide eyes.

  "So, your boyfriend is a vampire," I try to joke and she laughs.

  "Actually, her mate is." Drake corrects, coming over to kiss her forehead.

  "You’re mated? Like married?" I ask, a little shocked.

  "Yes, I wanted to tell you, but how could I explain it?" she says, looking guilty.

  "I understand." I grab her hand, holding it tight. I do understand there would have been no way to explain this all to me unless I had seen it. I’m sad that I didn’t get to celebrate with her
, but I can’t change the past.

  "How does that work? I mean you’re not a vampire, are you?" I ask Alex. I mean I would have to be a fool not to notice some of her changes. She has always been beautiful, but now Alex looks unreal. Everything about her looks shinier, and her eyes are brighter. All the supernaturals I’ve met look different; better looking than normal humans. Even the two guys that just tried to attack me still had those unique qualities. I end up thinking about Dab and Atti. They never looked human, but I ignored it, they must be vampires too. It makes sense if they are friends of Wyatt.

  "Alex shares my abilities and lifespan, but is still human in some ways. She has to drink blood from me to survive, but only needs a little," Drake tells me as Alex leans onto his side.

  “But you all eat human food. I’ve seen you eat normal food,” I inquire to Wyatt, who smiles.

  “We can eat both, but we would die without a few bags of blood a week,” he tells me.

  "So, you'll live a long time," I say, looking back at Alex, feeling a little sad that she will outlive me.

  "You might, too," she whispers to me as she pulls me into a tight hug. I shake my head next to hers.

  "Too tight." I choke out as she squeezes me.

  “That’s what she said,” Wyatt says. I’m so shocked at his joke that I can’t laugh, but everyone else does.

  "Shoot, sorry." Alex lets go, blushing slightly.

  “You’ve been spending way too much time with Atti, if you’re coming out with that kind of joke,” Drake says, I can hear the smile in his voice.

  "So, do you drink blood from people?" I ask. I remember Harris saying something about a war, and if they are against each other, then what am I doing in the middle? The big fact is that they are all fighting, and I am human. Shit, this isn't good, I should really stay away from Jaxson. If I just tell him I can't be around him, hopefully then he will leave me alone, and no one has to get hurt. Except me. When I think of not seeing Jaxson again, I feel like being sick.

  "Yes," Wyatt answers, staring at me while trying to pick my thoughts apart.

  "Do you kill people?" I ask, and Wyatt goes tense.