Lord Eliade has kindly granted the family the use of a state house, close to the castle. I guess he is either genuine, which I don't for a second believe to be true, or he is pretending to be genuine. The king insisted that there are none of the lord's staff on the premises, opting to bring Gerald and Ingrid and his own personal security team to tend to the family's needs. He doesn't trust the Lord's staff either.

My parents and I are granted the use of the first floor of the east wing of the residence. It contains a few bedrooms and basic amenities such as bathroom, kitchenette and lounge area. Alex insists that the bird stays in the east wing of the house with me, the door to the cage is always open but the bird never ventures out of the area. Of a night I have my silver furred friend at first, once the door is shut he changes back, I think this is so my parents don't know he is in here. I lay in bed listening to the bird, who quietly sings as I drift off. Pleasant dreams of pretty birds and friendly cats, no more nightmares or naughty dreams.

While we wait for the girl, we pass the days with learning about the country. I am sure that my parents are itching to do some sightseeing but the king is anxious. He doesn't want any unnecessary trips; in case something happens. They seem a little annoyed, but this is the best option until after the wedding ceremony when everything will be ok, then they can do their sightseeing.

I grow curious about Alex's true nature and of course Finn. I want to question him about it but my parents are within earshot.

You have questions? Yes, how did you know? Uh, in your mind, sorry. I frown at him. I will forget that you said that only because I want to know these things. Ok. I can see him grin. So, tell me about the shape shifting. Well I can take form of any living creature. I gained full maturity at twenty-five. Oh, so what don't I know about the vampire thing? Maturity is at eighteen, until then a child is more human in terms of the level of blood needed, I could go for a couple of days without blood. Of course, that is not always a wise thing to do, because when the child does actually feed, they feed a lot. I did it once when I was fifteen, by the time I actually fed, I took out an entire family. I gasp.

"Everything ok darling?" my mother asks.

"Yes, just the book."

I dart my eyes to Alex who is grinning at me.

Sorry. It's ok. So, back to the vampires, at eighteen they begin to change, it can take anywhere up to a year for everything to change. In that year, they will have heightened blood lust, the heart will slow in its beating, they will have an aversion to the light and sound as you have noticed. How can we go out in the sunlight? That's just folklore. Our ancestors started little rumours and tales like that because the people were too scared, they hid in their homes. So they created the little lies about the sunlight burning us, the holy water, the crosses. So what gets us then? Wooden stake to the heart but the wood is to be from a specific tree, the yew tree and interesting side note on this tree, it is toxic to humans. And the werewolves? Pure silver stake to the heart. Shape shifters? Iridium stake to the heart. Witches? Nothing really, the only way you can get them is with a spell or like what the humans did to them, burn them at the stake. Of course with all cases there are exceptions to the rule, decapitation is pretty final but if someone like you was around you could help them. But not with the stakes? No, poisons the blood. What about what happened to Melody? She and Miranda go by a different set of rules, they can only die by removing their heart completely, that is why she was trying to remove it when you found them. Stephanie, we need to talk about. You know. Yes, you are right, we do need to talk, you are going to marry this girl, leaving me with no one, you take me away from Finn without an explanation as to why. You won't be with no one, I told you, I chose you. And yet you cheat on me. I don't know why I do it, something comes over me when I see them, but it is different with you, I see my future with you, with them it is just a moment in time. You know what Alex, if you really want a future with me, you cannot cheat on me, end of subject. Ok.

Lord Eliade visits the residence unexpectedly on the third day we are there. He walks into the library and Penny gestures for me to stand and curtsy as she does when he enters. He is tall, stocky frame, his pale brown hair thins at the top. He carries a dark blue velvet box under his arm.

"Lord Eliade, you remember my personal assistant Lady Penelope."

He nods at her with a snaky smile.

"Lady Penelope, how do you do?"

"Very well thank you Lord Eliade."

"And this is Miss Stephanie Collins, Alex's personal assistant."

"Miss Collins, a pleasure to meet you."

He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles, it sends a shiver up my spine. Creepy. Dropping my hand, he continues onto the desk the king is sitting at.

"I bring the ceremonial sash and crown and present it to you as dictated under the agreement."

He bows his head to the king and places the velvet box in the kings waiting hands.

"Thank you Lord Eliade. Now we just need to find the girl to put them on."

The lord sits down on the lounge.

"Ladies, you may leave us now." the king says to us.

I quickly scurry out after Penny. She closes the door and looks at me.

"I have never liked that man." she whispers, grabbing my elbow, rushing me up the corridor.

"What's the rush?"

"You know what he is right?"

"Yes."

"Well what do you think that you are to him?"

"Dinner?"

"Exactly."

Shit.

"But I'm a vampire." I frown.

"You aren't fully there yet; your heart still beats loudly."

"What about you?"

"I am of no interest to him." She grins at me.

Her canine teeth look like they get longer as her grin deepens.

"Are you?"

She nods.

"But you don't?"

"No. You and your parents have been put under protection by orders of the king and I respect that. Lord Eliade on the other hand, may not."

"What about the rules?"

"Oh no one ever follows those." she scoffs.

She opens the door to the central area of our wing.

"Lock the door when I shut it, do not allow anyone in or out until I tell you, yes?"

I nod.

"Inform your parents they are not to leave this area."

"Of course."

She shuts the door and I lock it, hoping it will be enough. I find my parents in the lounge room. My mother engrossed in a book, my father is trying to watch the local news, although I wonder why, it is in another language, so he wouldn't be able to understand it.

"We are restricted to this area, they have business that they have to conduct, so we can't leave ok?"

"Of course darling." my mother says.

"No letting anyone in either."

"Why?" my father grumps.

"Because this country is full of weirdos." I mutter.

I hear the bird singing as I enter the bedroom. The cold wintry light shines through the room. At least the snow has stopped falling, now it sits on the land like a thick white carpet. I would give anything to go out there and make a snowman or an angel but Gavril hanging around, Penny's mad dash to get me in here and her worrying words, it fills me with anxiety.

"Hey pretty birdie."

It flies over and sits on my shoulder.

"No leaving presents on my shoulder, ok?"

The fire doesn't provide enough heat; it is still cold in this room. I wander over to the window to draw the curtains, looking out at the forest that borders the property. The icicles glistens on the trees, the thick layer of snow seems to sparkle in the feint light. I see a blur in the shadows of the trees.

"Did you see that birdie?"

Tsar scares the life out of me as he rubs against the window frame. I open the window.

"What on earth are you doing out there Alex? You must be freezing."

The wind bellows through the room, knocking me off my feet, putting out the fire. The bird flies off my shoulder and lands on the mantle. I quickly get up and close the windows, the wind is ice cold. A shadow slipped across the room, I watch on the wall as the shadow reaches mine, long limbs reach out and grip my neck. I gasp for air as I am lifted off the ground. Tsar hisses, his back arched, his fur on end.

Hello Alina my mind whispers. He steps from the shadows, Lord Eliade. His hands are ice cold; I can feel them around my neck even through the leather gloves.

"Lord Eliade." I manage as he chokes me.

"Alina my dear, how good it is to see you again."

"My name is Stephanie."

He throws me down onto the bed, laughing, ignoring me.

"Sadly, it won't be for too long. Time for you to join your parents in hell where I sent them."

I hear a snarl as he pulls out a long thin wooden pole, pointed at one end. As he holds it over my torso something jumps over the bed from behind me, pushing him out of the window, through the glass. There is an almighty roar, sounding much like a tiger. I look around the room, Tsar is gone. No! I run to the window, trying to look out at the snow covered grounds. The bedroom door flies open, my parents standing there, looking frightened.

"What was that noise?"

"An animal, go to your room, lock the door, do not open it."

"Stephanie?" my mother panics.

"Just do it!" I snap. "Hurry."

I watch as they rush away from the doorway. I turn back to the window, the shadow has risen behind me it grabs me, pulling me out of the window and to the snow below. My body aches as it hits the ground. I slowly sit up, looking around, nothing. My clothes begin to dampen from the snow. The shadow creeps along the bricks of the building, slowly moving closer to me. I hear another snarl, I spin around, a huge white tiger is snarling at me.

"Oh shit." I gasp.

It begins to stalk closer, it bares its teeth at me as it readies to pounce. It leaps past me and dives onto Lord Eliade who had been almost upon me.

"Stephanie!"

I look up at the window and see Penny and the king.

"It's Lord Eliade he's trying to kill me." I cry out, tears beginning to flow.

They jump out of the window, the tiger is thrown off the lord. The king moves so fast it looks like he is flying at the lord. It is a blur of black rushing past me. Penny rushes to me, kneeling in the snow beside me.

"Are you ok?"

I nod.

"He thinks that I am..." I frown. "He called me Alina."

"There is time for that later." she whispers.

The bird lands on her shoulder and chirps quietly.

"Of course."

She looks at me.

"Follow the bird." she whispers.

The bird flies off towards the woods.

"My parents?"

"Will be safe, Gerald and Ingrid are with them. Go! I will stay here with the king. We will find you."

I run across the land, struggling in the thick snow. Reaching the woods, I take one last look back, the tiger snarling at the lord as it circles them, Penny and the king struggling with the lord.