Greetings my lovely readers,

For a change I have added in a pov for Jonah. It's for this chapter only and it's marked as the sections switch between him and Ivy. 

xMishx

IVY'S POV

I had done as he had asked, I stayed inside the house. There was little choice, if I didn't he would have sent me to my parents and then I really would be under house arrest. That first night he had spent the majority of it outside with the guards, not returning until two am. By then he was far too tired to keep his promise but I didn't care. He was in our bed with me, he pulled me to his body and we rested for a few hours. The rogues had either been killed or had retreated. But they kept coming, we were now at the fifth night since that awful fight that Jonah and I had. Night after night the guards kept their advances to a good distance but the rogues persisted. Where they had come from we had no clue, somewhere in the depths of the nearby cities they had been hiding. Finn had brought in several teams of werewolves to search the surrounding towns, finding nothing. It was peculiar, how they could hide from the werewolves was a feat in itself. Finn was stumped and annoyed, they didn't take their failure too well. Somehow the humans hid from the very keen sense of smell the werewolves had. Maybe they hid in the sewers or underground tunnels. Maybe they had made their own tunnels. Alina had sent more security for us, the werewolves were still trying to track their hideouts. I had to give the guards their dues, they did their job unlike the last time the rogues attacked us. Clearly Jonah's ultimatum had sunk in. Problem was the rogues had a plan, for as stupid as they were by comparison to a normal human they had figured out one pretty cunning plan.

They had originally started to attack from all aspects of the compound, as if they were trying to find a weak spot. The guards were picking them off in large numbers but I had seen their efforts before, there would be more, they would be lying in wait. Waiting for one fatal move. They started to congregate around the southern end of compound, the guards never saw their next move coming. I was still restricted to the house; Jonah was being his usual over protecting self. He hadn't changed in the past five days, he was still a grump, he was still being overbearing. I had said nothing about the restrictions even though I wanted to. My hopes that he would ease up on me if I behaved myself were dashed away, he still made Muriel sit with me. So there I was, a fully grown adult vampire with a maid for a babysitter. I felt sorry for Muriel, she was so awkward and uncomfortable as we sat on the outdoor lounge looking out over the darkened land. The sounds of Molotov cocktails hitting the walls and the machine guns firing made her jump. I looked at the panic on her face, maybe she was the one being babysat. She was so freaked out. I poured the tea for her, hoping it would calm her. All it did was add the sound of shaking crockery to the sounds of the night.

I stared out over the land, it was so beautiful even if it was arid and in a bad way. The weather here was always odd; nature wasn't coping with the sudden changes to the earth. Water had disappeared too fast, many of the plants were withered to nothing. The poor old girl was suffering and those fools out there couldn't see what we were doing was for the greater good. We wanted humans to survive, we needed them. They however couldn't see that. All they could see in this place was one giant farm to breed our food. They thought that we were treating the humans like cattle but it wasn't the case. In the distance I could see movement, a blur of black among the thinned out scrub. I stood to the edge of the balcony, watching the movements. It wasn't animal, I sniffed the wind taking in the familiar scent, it was human. I moved quickly to the far wall, standing on the edge of the balcony. Around the wall I could see the miniature battle taking place, far away. This was their plan and the guards had fallen for it. I knew I couldn't get Jonah's attention, he would be in the midst of dealing with the guards, the noise was far too great. He would be very distracted. I jumped down and raided my box, thankfully and very strangely still here.

"Your highness, what are you doing?"

"Muriel you must find Jonah and tell him there are rogues out there."

I pointed into the darkness.

"Tell him it is a ruse and to send reinforcements at once."

"But you aren't going out there, are you?" she panics.

"I have to; they are within striking distance. Hurry to Jonah, please."

She nodded and ran through the bedroom doors with speed. I changed into my leathers and cape, strapping an assortment of knives to my body. And finally, my bow and arrows. I disappeared and stood by the pole trying to count numbers, the people out there would be their best. This would be their crack team to infiltrate our compound while the others directed our attention to them. I counted six but I knew not to trust the dark. Firing arrows into the dark, I heard the sound of one of targets being hit. I was too far away, I knew it but I had no choice, I had to leave the compound. Jonah would be cranky but I couldn't get them all from here. I took a running jump to the wall, at least the new wall hadn't gone up yet and I could still reach it. Plummeting into the darkness, I landed quietly and slipped to a nearby tree. Watching them as they plotted their next move. Moving out from the tree I fired the arrows off in quick succession, taking down the remaining five. I stood for a moment and listened to the land, closing my eyes and feeling the handle of the knife at my side. Knowing I wasn't alone. I took the knife and flicked it out, sending it hurtling through the air to the target. As the woman fell to her knees, dropping to the ground with death, I felt a stinging pain in my back. The world blurred as I turned to the darkened figure of a man and plunged a knife into his stomach. It was enough to wipe the malevolent grin off his face as he dropped to the ground, dead before he hit the earth. I coughed, blood dripping into my hand. Everything around me swayed as I tried to move, stumbling through the shrubs I finally collapsed. Feeling death slowly gripping its clammy grasp around my life. This was it, everything that Jonah feared about my antics was coming true. As the world slowly slipped away I stared across the dirt that I had collapsed onto. The only thing I could conclude about my life and what I had done tonight was that I had protected my love from the invasion he knew nothing about until it was too late.

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JONAH'S POV

The guards had lined the battlement, firing into the hordes of rogues that had been attacking us for about a half an hour now. Into the darkness dozens of rounds of ammo was fired, they returned with an assortment of things that was their pitiful effort to bring down our wall. I frowned as I thought I heard something, something like someone was calling me. Turning to the sound I saw one very frantic Muriel moving fast through the compound. I could feel the colour drain from me, knowing something was very wrong. Muriel would never leave Ivy unless something bad had happened. I rushed down to her as she drew closer, panting and struggling to speak.

"Rogues attacking, eastern side near house." she puffed "Ivy is going out to deal with them."

I turned to the guards calling for a group to move to her fast.

"Return to the house at once, call for Lucian just in case."

"Yes your highness."

I sped to the house, watching as the group of guards moved with stealth speed behind me. Jumping the garden brick wall, the formal garden hedges and finally reached the towering wall that separated us from the outside world. There was no sound other than the battle that was still raging. Ivy wasn't on the wall, Gaston exited the kitchen door.

"Is Ivy inside?"

"No your highness."

I took a deep breath and prayed she was ok, praying that damned card was wrong. The guards were readying to jump the wall, I cleared it in one jump. As I looked to the ground below, I saw about a dozen dead rogues and then one figure that made my world fall to pieces. I was by her side in seconds, lifting her limp body into my arms, the knife still deep in her back.

"Your highness." a guard calls out from the wall. "Muriel says that the prince is on his way."

I nodded as I looked down to her, she was so pale. Lifting her chest to my ear, I could hear a feint murmur, like it was her last.

"Don't you dare Ivy." I jiggled her limp body "You are not allowed to leave."

She was pale, a deathly white from the blood that had poured from her body. I pulled her chest to mine, holding her tight. I should have sent her to her parents, instead of listening to my mind I had listened to my heart, wanting her by my side always. Now she was paying the price for it.

"Don't you dare leave me." I whispered.

Wind curled up around me, through the tears I looked up to a frantic Lucian.

"Roll her over, put her on the ground."

I took the cape off her and put her on it, cringing as Lucian removed the knife. The guards now circled us, watching out for any movement. Ivy was laid out on her stomach, so close to death because she has lost so much blood. His hand hovered over the wound, his eyes closed tightly as he concentrated. I looked to the knife on the ground covered in her blood. It was a long blade; it was dug in pretty deep. This was taking it out of Lucian, the wound was bad. After five minutes of Lucian concentrating he sat back onto the dirt and sighed heavily. With a soft smile he gave me a nod, she was good again. I pulled the hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ear, she was resting now and would do for some time.

"Best get her inside before we are discovered."

I could see the lethargy in Lucian's face, this had drained him. The guards helped him to his feet, returning everyone to the safety of the compound.

*****************

Muriel fussed in the bedroom, pulling back the sheets and setting the fire going. She was more frantic about the situation than I was. Everyone adored Ivy and this was hell on them, not just me. I stood at the doorway with her in my arms, unsure of what to do.

"Your highness..." Muriel tilted her head to one side as she looked at me. "Would you like me to draw a bath for her?"

I nodded and watched as she disappeared around the corner. As I stood there I could hear a cacophony of sounds downstairs, the sound of two distressed parents looking for their child. I turned still very unsure of everything to see Patrick and Lilly staring at me. Their daughter still passed out in my arms.

"Your highness would you like me to help you with..." Muriel stopped as she entered the room.

The world had halted in those few seconds, everyone was silent. Tears trickled down Lilly's face as she walked over, running her hand over her head.

"Lucian says that she is fine." she whispered through the tears.

I nodded as she looked up at me.

"But are you?"

"I thought she was dead."

The pain crackled through my voice, struggling to maintain composure. Lilly gave me a sympathetic smile through her tears, we both knew Ivy was far too stubborn to give up on life this easily.

"Drama queens." she groaned in my arms.

Instantly she was pulled up against my chest as I hugged her hard, I could hear the muffled sounds of her complaining.

*****************

IVY'S POV

It was like I was underwater, breaking through the surface and taking my first breath. I was awake, I had one very bad headache and the pain in my back was much worse. There was no sound, the rogues were no longer attacking. I was in the warmth of our bedroom, under many sheets. The fire crackled with the first of the sounds, then something sounded like clinking glass. I opened my eyes to the daylight beyond the glass windows, it was bright and blue. Clouds hung delicately in the sky, the deep red dirt laid below. The glass clinked again, I frowned wondering if something was hitting the windows. Then there was the sound of something ruffling, like material rubbing against itself. I turned my head to the other side of the room, my arm was connected to a long intravenous line returning blood to my body. Jonah was the one making the noise, he sat on a chair by the bed and he looked like shit. He had been drinking, by the empty bottle on the night stand, I'd say he's been here for a while. His face was pale, the purple under his eyes was the darkest I had ever seen them. Those beautiful eyes were blood shot and filled with a lot of emotions. There were many things I could tell about him from his eyes. Like now, he was worried and upset. Anger seeped in around the edges but the dominant emotion was fear.

"Hey."

Jonah crinkled his face with a frown then let out a half-hearted laugh. There was no amusement in it, this was sarcasm.

"Yeah, hey."

I sighed and pulled the line out, I was done with his constant need to protect me.

"Go on, say what you've got to say."

"Why bother Ivy, you don't care. I ask and you do as you please."

"You don't ask Jonah; you order me around. I am not an employee you can't order me around constantly."

He watched me as I got up from the bed and moved to the robe. I gulped hard, it was painful. As the tears welled in my eyes I knew this was make or break for us. Opening the draw, I began to stuff my clothes into a bag, intermittently wiping the tears from my face.

"What are you doing?"

"Leaving. This isn't our house; this is your house. This isn't our compound, it's yours and this isn't our life."

I continued to pack the bag, waiting for him to say something.

"You don't need to protect me anymore."

"But that's the thing Ivy, I do."

His words were a whisper on my shoulder as he drew my hair back. I could feel how close he was behind me, his breath warm on my shoulder and neck.

"I do need to protect you because you seem to have some kind of death wish, even though you promised you wouldn't go out there, you did."

The warmth of his body left mine, I turned slightly to see he was pacing. He was stressed, I had done this to him.

"Do you know what it was like to see Muriel tearing across the compound?"

His voice was loud, mount doom was ready to burst.

"Do you know what it was like to see you on the ground with a knife in your back? I thought you were dead Ivy. You are so damned lucky we have the gates otherwise you would be. You are so damned lucky we have Lucian, who I might add is in a guest room resting because it drained him so much to save you."

I turned and leaned on the cabinets, letting the tears roll freely, letting Jonah get his anger out.

"I think your poor parents have aged a thousand years in one damned night and me, what have you done to me?"

His voice turned soft as he turned to me, slowly stalking closer.

"Sure I might be overprotective but it's out of love that I do it. I had good reason, didn't I? You proved my point last night. You brought all my fears to the surface, seeing you on the ground, thinking you were dead and there wasn't a single thing I could do to save you. Everything I had done to keep you safe was gone and what was left was a nagging voice in my head that I had not done enough. You were limp in my arms as I brought you back to our house. Our house Ivy. I bathed you and dressed you, stayed by your side as the blood was returned to your body. Never leaving you for a second. I died a thousand deaths last night and I will never be able to get that image out of my head, you almost dead on the ground." he leaned in closer "What I do, I do out of love. If you can't accept that then maybe you should leave."

He turned to leave the room and in angered tears I threw the bag at him. Jonah stopped and turned back, the fury on his face was like nothing I had ever seen.

"How dare you!" I yelled at him "You talk of love yet you treat me like a child. I protected this place because they found fault in your defences. Not one of you knew they were out there, did you?"

I was so angry at him; I couldn't stop yelling at him. My own personal mount doom had exploded.

"If I had sat there and done nothing they would have scaled the wall; they would have been here. Here Jonah, in your precious house. They would have killed all of your staff and me. What would you have me do Jonah? Sit back and accept it? Wait for the cavalry to come in? How long would it have taken before you realised they were here?"

He said nothing which was worse than him biting back.

"I'm right, aren't I? You had no clue they were out there and you can't handle the fact that you and your men slipped up. That your fantastic defences were flawed. You can't handle the fact that I proved my worth here and protected this place. What about my needs? What about my need to protect you? I am strong enough to protect myself and those I love but that doesn't mean that I don't need you."

It was like a light bulb went on in my head, realisation dawned on me. I settled down and spoke quietly, hoping to alleviate the tension.

"I do need you to protect me, just not so intensely. I need you to accept that I can do this. Can you do that?"

Solemnly he nodded, moving back to me to crush me in one very needy hug.

"Please don't leave." he whispered.

"I'm not going anywhere."