I heard the clicking of shoes come near me, but I didn't look up. 

"Please Chloe, say something. I promise Trent isn't with me," Kally's voice rang throughout the room. 

I didn't say anything. 

"I talked to him, he is just angry at the moment. He thought you were going to leave him, he didn't mean to hurt you." She tried to explain. 

I responded with silence. 

"Trent is downstairs, I told him not to follow me. He feels bad about what he did. I know he would appreciate if you went back downstairs to talk to him..." She suggested. 

That comment made me lift up my head up off my knees and stare at her like she was crazy. She was basically telling me to walk back into a lion's den. Promising me that I wasn't going to get hurt this time, and blaming the reason I was injured the first time was because I made him angry, in a weird sense I made the lion angry. What if I made another bad move? Or said something out of line? What if I was too far gone to tell him he was hurting me?  

My body started to shake just thinking about it, and my mouth would let out silent sobs. I was never going to leave. 

Kally just continued to talk. "See you miss him already too. I think it would be good for both you and Trent if I took you downs-" 

"No!" I spoke up. "I don't want to see him, ever!" 

Her face looked shocked, but she quickly went back to her composed self. "You don't mean that." 

"Yes, I do! You want to take me back to the source that hurt me in the first place, and you are telling me that it will be good for the both of us! I think what you really mean is it will be good for him; do you really want him to harm me again?" They are brother and sister after all; they could want the same thing. 

"Beloveds don't hurt each other!" Kally yelled back, clearly trying to make me understand, but I just couldn't. I couldn't when all the facts point in the opposite direction of what she was saying. 

"Stop telling me that! I know it's not true!" My eyes started to tear up again. "Look at my shoulders and then tell me that beloveds don't hurt each other, because I don't know what you clarify 'being hurt' is, but these bluish marks on my skin- to me- show that I've been hurt." 

She cringed and looked away; she wasn't brave enough to say it. She just turned her head in the other direction. "That was just a slight misunderstanding. I know that Drew wouldn't do that to me on purpose." 

"Exactly, Drew wouldn't do that to you, but Trent did it to me. It's all because you chose who you wanted to be with! I don't! Trent doesn't feel that way about me because he was forced to be with me, by some unknown spirit, or whatever does all the matchmaking for vampires. We don't know each other that well. I'm not as important to him as Drew it to you, you love one another because of who they are. The only reason I like Trent is this stupid tug of my heart, and I know it's not me." 

"Chloe, you are not getting it. Your bond with Trent is stronger than the one I have with Drew. You are specially picked for each other. I'm sure with time that you-" 

I dropped my head down between my legs and put my hands in front of my face, showing her that I wanted the talking to stop. I was actually surprised when it worked that I lifted my head back up.  

Kally wasn't looking at my face now, but the pulse on my hand. "He marked you already? Trent didn't tell me he marked you... That's why he must have got more worked up then he usually is," she mumbled to herself. 

"Why?" 

She jumped a little bit, probably not realizing that I could hear her, "Why what?" 

"Why would he be more worked up then usual?" I asked. 

"He already told you what a mark means, right?" Her eyes were still staring in the direction of my hand. 

"Yea, he said it shows other vampires that I belong to him." I remembered him vividly talking about it. Replying it in my head over and over again. 

"Well that's not all it does, it also makes your connection stronger. Strong enough to the point where you can't stand to be away from one another." 

I looked at my wrist again and examined it, it looked the same way it did minutes ago, and there still wasn't blood everywhere. It was completely fine, just like Trent said. 

How could this bite cause so much trouble for me...? I sighed 

When I looked up a smile graced Kally's lips as she continued to look at the mark. I got to the point where I felt self conscious with the staring that I tried to hide my hand behind my back. She just gave a humorous laugh.  

"You don't need to hide it from me; it's nothing to be ashamed of. I have one too." 

Why would I be ashamed? She had one too? 

I stared at her curiously as she rolled up the sleeve of her jacket to show me the two fang marks. "Don't worry though Drew has one too, and Trent will get one eventually." 

I thought it was a mate mark no one else could be his mate, but if he could find someone else that would be perfect. Maybe Trent was wrong about the whole Beloved thing. You could get rid of the connection, and if he was wrong about that then maybe there was a way to get rid of the mark on my wrist? If he found someone else to mark him... mine would go away, right? 

I got excited at the thought. "So, how would he get one? 

"Well when you are a vampire all you have to do i-"  

"But I'm not a vampire," I clarified 

"I know that's why I said 'when,' because all though you aren't a vampire yet, you will be. That mark on your wrist confirms that you will spend eternity with him, and the only way to do that is if you become a vampire." 

So that's why Trent didn't want to say "death" or "dead" because he knew that's exactly what I would be. I will become a dead being, but still walking on my own two feet. Just like him, exactly how he wanted it to be. Why he got so angry when I asked him If I could get rid of the mark. It didn't just show other people that I was his. It also showed him that I was his to keep. I was a possession that would never go away. 

Again it felt like I didn't have a choice in anything, until I re-winded her words over in my head and realized she said "if." There was still hope that I didn't have to turn into one of them. 

Maybe, just maybe I had a choice this time. And I was going to make the best of it. 

I pushed myself off the ground in one swift motion, and started to exit the bathroom, until Kally blocked it, "Where are you going?" 

"I think I'm going to take a shower, I want to freshen up and put on some comfy clothes before I go downstairs to talk things out with Trent," I said. I was going to take a shower, but the other part was only half way true. Yes, I was going to talk to him, just not in the way she thought. 

Kally seemed to believe me as she gave me a huge smile, "I'm glad to hear it." 

I walked by her, careful of not to bump shoulders. I headed to the closet in the corner of the room and went through the clothes till I found a clean pair of underclothes, sweatpants, and a baggy shirt. I stacked the materials in my arms and walked back up to the bathroom. 

I was surprised to see Kally still standing in her same position. "Are you good if I leave you here? She asked. I told Trent that you would be down shortly. And Drew keeps mind linking me to go back to the bedroom." 

I nodded my head in encouragement, "yea, I will be fine." She smiled in gratitude before she left. 

I almost felt bad for lying because most of the time Kally was nice to me. I'm sure that if she wasn't a vampire we could be actual friends, but I just couldn't look past that. I couldn't look past that or all the broken promises. 

When I finally got the water temperature to my liking I stripped and got in, cleaning myself with the closest body wash, then using the shampoo and conditioner on my hair. When I was done I dried off and quickly threw on the clothes I brought in. 

I didn't want to take too long just in case Trent came up stairs for me. I know Kally told him I was going downstairs, which screwed up my plans. But there are still other options to get out of this place, and none of them involved Trent coming upstairs. 

Of course, there was still the option of going out of the window, but I wasn't dumb enough to do it. There are still guards everywhere. And from the height the window is at I would most likely break something. 

Instead I decided on a more reasonable way to leave. I didn't grab a bag of items or anything I just took myself downstairs. A load on my back would only hold me down. My hair was still wet, but I didn't care, didn't need to waste more time with a hairdryer.  

Before my foot made contact with the first step of the stairs Trent was already at the bottom looking up at me with sorrow in his eyes. Kally was right; I could feel the connection between us doubling already. This was worse than I thought. 

When I was finally standing in front of him he wrapped his arms around my waist, not even close to my shoulders. I didn't feel the need to push him away this time. He brought his nose to my hair and sniffed, "You used my shampoo?" I could tell he wanted it to sound like a question, but it sounded like a statement. And the corner of his lips rose into a full blown smile. So it was his shampoo I used...

His smile was so contagious that I smiled back. Ugh, I didn't think telling him I was leaving was going to be this hard. I was stuck thinking that I didn't notice he started sniffing my neck. This had to stop now; I was starting to get distracted. And the more I got distracted, the more I wouldn't want to go through with my plan. And the opportunity would be lost. 

I felt courage rise in me as I pushed him away, "please, can we just talk?" 

"Yea, sorry, um, that would be great." He kept the smile on his face as we walked to the couches. They were both a dark navy color, and facing each other with a small coffee table in between 

He took a seat on one of them, and to his dismay I took a seat on the opposite one. 

I opened my mouth to start the conversation, but he beat me to it. "I'm so sorry, Chloe. You should know I didn't mean to hurt you, I promise it will never happen again." 

Kally most of the time didn't keep her promises and she would repeatedly tell me that beloveds never hurt each other. I still don't believe her about hurting your beloved, but if what she said is true then if the don't hurt each other I don't think they won't want anyone else hurting them either. But what if the reason one of the two people was getting hurt was because of the other person? Then wouldn't the reasonable explanation be just to let them go? Isn't that what beloveds wanted, for their partner to be happy? 

"I know that you won't hurt me..." 

"That's a relief, I thought you were going to be mad at me forever" Trent sighed. The word "forever caught me off guard. Forever, means turning into a vampire. That can't happen.  

"Are you okay, Chloe?" Trent started to get up, but I shook my head, so he sat back down. I gulped; I have to get my point across fast. I started to get more worried by just sitting still.  

"I a-actually have a way to p-prevent it," I continued, but stuttered at some parts. He sat up more straight at the sound of my words. 

"And how would you prevent it?" he asked curiously. 

"I think the best thing to prevent it is for us is to separate, in other words I think I should... leave." 

I was already out of my seat before I finished the last words. Trent sat up immediately after, "No, that would not prevent it! It would make it worse! Why don't you understand?" 

Those are the words Kally asked me. Why didn't I understand? Well, I wasn't a vampire; I don't get everything about them. And I don't plan on becoming one. 

For some strange reason I could feel his presence around me, and when he would make a grab for my arm I could only feel the slightest touch of his fingertips. The bond was probably so strong that I knew when he was around me, but I knew he wasn't trying his hardest, he could easily outrun me. My plan was that when he grabbed me I would just knee him in the family jewels so he would stop momentarily.  

This was too easy. 

When I reached the front door I knew better then to stop, I didn't want a recap of last time. So I flung it open and closed it behind me. To tell you the truth I didn't think this through, I didn't think this far ahead. I closed my eyes and pushed my back against the door and took deep breaths to calm myself down. 

"Why did you have to run, Chloe?" I looked up and screeched in surprise as Kally's face was right in front of mine. 

"I thought you went to the bedroom?" How did she get here so fast, even vampire speed couldn't have gone from the bedroom to outside that quickly? 

She sighed and leaned away from me, "I never went to bed," she started to explain. "When I mind linked Trent about you coming downstairs. He told me that you would just try and run away again. I didn't believe him, so he told me to wait outside. And here we are now; I guess my brother was right." 

When she finished I took in all the information. I should have thought this out more, but I was afraid that the longer I stayed here. The more I knew I wouldn't be able to leave, or wouldn't want to leave. And I still had to spread the word of the "Saving humans cause." And I couldn't do that locked up in a vampire castle, and I definitely couldn't do it if I was turned into one. 

I just couldn't risk that. 

"Yes, I was right." Trent's voice was heard behind me and made me stand completely still. "I know you better then you think, Chloe." He didn't touch me, but Kally gave me a push to go inside. I refused to move as I planted my feet firmly on the ground. 

"Chloe, please don't make me do it. Just walk back into the house." 

"Do what? And no I'm not moving." I was being stubborn, but I didn't make it this far for nothing. 

"Then I'm truly sorry for doing this," she whispered. In a flash arms were around my torso and Kally stabbed a needle in my arm, the same needle that Greg would use to make me fall asleep. 

I didn't have the strength to turn my head completely around to look at Trent. I knew he was the one holding me by the way my heart started to race, "How could you..." I breathlessly said, "Just let me go..."  

As my eyes started to close I felt Trent whisper softly in my ear for only me to hear, "Never."  

I felt my feet lift up off the ground and Trent cradle me to his chest. I tried to struggle out of his grip, but I could tell my energy was already gone. So without another word my eyes completely closed and I fell limp in his arms.

----------------------------------------------------

I was so shocked to see the number of reads I got on this story so far... and the new followers I have!! I'm so happy that people are actually reading it and ejoying it! I don't know why though, but there something about this chapter that I don't seem to like...So I hope its okay. And if you are wondering about camp nanowrimo... All I can say is "it's not going so well." THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING!!!