Unknown P.O.V.

"This wasn't part of the deal," he snarled.

The woman's eyebrow rose as she looked on at the two men arguing.

"My demands have changed," the second man said, crossing his arms. "If I get what I want, I will give you access to the castle. If you can't make that work, you can find someone else."

The first man growled.

"Do you realize what this means we have to do? What we'll have to risk to get you what you want?"

"Of course I do."

The woman stood to her feet as she saw patience running thin between the two men.

"We'll do it. But we want inside that castle sooner than next month, or no deal," she bargained.

A smirk rose on the face of the second man.

"Done."

- - -

Evelyn's P.O.V.

"I don't want to look at them."

I sat on the bed, pulling my knees in tight against my chest.

Liu took the vase of flowers and put them in the bathroom, closing the door as she left them on top of the vanity.

I could see outside the open bedroom door as five burly men picked up the lifeless body of the guard. They began to clean the blood from the floor and the smell of bleach burned the inside of my nostrils.

It was the second time in my entire life that I had seen a dead body and it happened to be the second time in one week as well.

Although one of the men had affirmed that the guard was dead and had been for a few minutes before I opened the door, he told me that only Dr. Zusak would be able to confirm exactly how he had died. Until then, I was left wondering if it had been a Vampire's bite, although I didn't see any wounds on his body. The only source of blood had been from his mouth.

Vega rubbed a hand on my back assuringly as she sat beside me on the bed.

Liu went over to the door and closed it so I could no longer see the clean-up.

It was late, almost midnight to be exact. After Adam was able to calm me down and call someone, several people arrived up at the room to see what had happened. They had taken pictures, tried to pull fingerprints off the flower vase, even going as far as to interview people who had been on the hall that evening.

No one had seen anything, but someone was able to confirm that Diedrick had been eating by himself in the dining room when the guard was killed.

Knowing this made my stomach churn. I couldn't imagine who would have killed the guard, but Diedrick would have been at the top of my list of suspects if I thought about it hard enough.

The thought of some unknown person killing another merely feet away from where I stood made me sick.

"I feel terrible," I said to them both. "I'm so sorry for waking you two up, but I just couldn't stay by myself."

Liu shrugged.

"It's fine, don't worry about it."

Vega nodded her head in agreement.

"We wouldn't want you to be by yourself anyways."

"Thank you," I said sighing.

It was quiet for a few moments as I thought of a way to change the subject. I knew Adam would want to talk about it when he returned and I wasn't sure how much more I could take.

"So..." I said to Vega. "How is Nwabueze?"

Realizing I was trying to distract myself, she smiled and nodded.

"He's good. I spoke to him this morning."

"So are you two officially dating?" Liu asked curiously.

Vega shrugged shyly.

"Maybe... he asked me to come visit him in Lagos, but I told him I didn't want to leave while Dad was still sick."

I smiled.

"Hopefully you'll be able to go soon."

Vega turned her attention to Liu.

"How are things with you and Jace?"

I gulped nervously at the awkward turn of the conversation.

I wasn't sure that Vega knew Jace and Liu were mates, and I didn't want to be standing there when she accidentally let it slip that she had slept with him.

Liu was sweet, but I didn't want to know what would happen when she finally snapped. I feared for Vega's life if she was ever on the receiving end of Liu's hidden wrath.

A jealous mate was nothing to be trifled with.

"Jace and I are fine," she said.

Vega wiggled her eyebrows.

"I saw you leaving his bedroom last weekend," she said.

My eyes widened as Liu blushed. I was suddenly reminded of the last night of the Centennial when Jace had invited her to stay the night.

"How many times have you done it?" Vega asked her, mischief dancing in her eyes.

Liu's blush deepened.

"Well... it's been over three years since we found out, so quite a few times," Liu said bashfully.

I saw Vega's eyebrows knit together.

"Found out what?"

Oh no...

"Jace and I are mates."

I saw the look of confusion, shock, and guilt flash across Vega's face all at once and I gulped.

"Oh..." she said.

"We're not really a couple though," Liu admitted. "He and I have been trying to work things out for a while."

"Sounds complicated," Vega said slowly.

Liu nodded.

"We'll get it together eventually."

The look of utter shock was still on Vega's face as the room when awkwardly silent.

Just as I was about to end the awkward conversation, a knock sounded at the door and I froze.

"Do you want me to get it?" Liu asked.

"Evelyn, darling, it's Malcom."

I sighed in relief, hearing his voice. I got off the bed and walked over to the door, opening it to see him standing in his pajamas.

"I heard all the commotion and I wanted to ask if you were okay," he said.

I nodded, crossing my arms.

"Best be careful," he said lowering his voice. "The dead roam these halls late at night."

I felt my heart begin to palpitate.

"Have a lovely rest of your evening," he said, breaking his dark demeanor with a bright smile.

I was more confused than comforted as I watched Malcom walk back down the hallway and into his bedroom.

I turned around after closing the door and looked at Liu and Vega.

"Did you hear that?" I asked incredulously.

They both nodded, Liu rolling her eyes as she did so.

"He's just a crazy old man, don't let him fill your head with fairytales," she said.

I gulped, wanting desperately to tell her that they weren't fairytales anymore.

I was starving, but too scared to leave the room. I also couldn't bear the thought of making someone else walk on the hallway to bring me food that late at night. The last thing I needed was one more person's blood on my hands. So, I went to bed with an empty stomach.

When I woke up the next morning, Vega was curled up asleep beside me on the bed.

I rolled over and looked at the clock.

6:47 a.m.

I had only slept for five hours.

I sat up, sighing, and saw Liu sitting on the couch drinking a cup of steaming coffee whilst reading a book.

"How long have you been awake?" I asked her softly, trying not to wake up Vega.

"I never went to sleep," she said honestly.

I got out of the bed and walked over to her as she spoke.

"You need to get some rest," I said, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "I'm fine."

She sighed.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded.

"Jace's room is right next door. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you slept in there for a few hours," I suggested.

Liu smiled.

"I know where his bedroom is," she said smugly.

I laughed at the suggestive comment.

She stood up, finishing her coffee.

"You know where to find me if you need anything," she said.

"I'm a big girl," I assured her.

Liu smiled and left the room.

I turned around to see Vega sitting up in the bed, probably having been awake for a few minutes.

"Why didn't you tell me they were mates?" She asked me.

I shrugged.

"He rejected her. It wasn't my place to tell."

"I slept with him for Christ's sake," she said, getting off the bed.

"I wouldn't tell Liu that," I mumbled.

She groaned.

"I can't believe he didn't tell me."

I looked at her incredulously.

"I'm not sure he had the time in between kissing you and taking your shirt off to do so."

She glared at me but I didn't care.

Vega shouldn't have been so reckless. She broke the promise and didn't seem to care while I was struggling with my conscience even after just making out with Adam. On top of everything else, Jace was a pureblood; Vega had to have known he had a mate.

"You've got Nwabueze now," I said. "Just forget Jace and move on."

She sighed.

"I've already moved on," she said. "It was just a fling."

"Good."

She stared at me for a few moments before huffing.

"I'm going downstairs to check on Dad. I'll be there if you need anything else."

I nodded as she left the room, groaning as the door closed.

Vega was known for pouting when she didn't get her way and that was exactly what she was doing by leaving me there.

I knew she would be mad at me once I told her how I felt about her and Jace and I also knew she would be hurt by him not telling her about Liu. I didn't care though. She was reckless and I couldn't say with honesty that she would have made a different decision had she known about Liu in the first place.

With that thought playing through my mind, I went into the bathroom to shower.

My eyes were immediately drawn to the vase of seven red tulips that sat on the vanity. I sighed and walked over before grabbing them and putting them out in the bedroom on Adam's nightstand. It gave me chills to look at them and I thought about throwing them over the balcony as Adam had done with the first bunch, but I decided against it thinking that Adam might have wanted to see them when he returned.

I got into the shower and washed my hair and body quickly.

Having just turned the water off, I dried myself off and wrapped my body in a towel. I stepped out from the glass-enclosed shower and walked across the bathroom floor.

I had just reached the door that led out into the bedroom when I froze, hearing someone shuffling around.

My heart began to race a hundred miles an hour as I listened closely.

Suddenly, the sound of glass shattering echoed in the bedroom and I yelped at the sudden noise.

The bathroom door opened and I tripped backwards trying to get away from the intruder.

I was more than pleasantly surprised to look up see Adam standing in the doorway.

"Are you alright?" He asked, walking over to me.

I nodded and stood up as he offered a hand on my back to steady me.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he said.

"It's okay," I said, eyeing the shattered vase of tulips on the ground behind him.

"Come here."

Adam pulled me into his arms and pressed his lips against mine.

I immediately melted into the kiss and my fingers tangled themselves in his wavy dark hair.

His hands reached up to cup my face a he pulled away and left a trail of kisses along my jaw and down my neck.

"I was worried," he admitted, mumbling against my skin.

"I'm alright," I assured him. "I'm just glad you're home."

"The door wasn't even locked, Evelyn," he said, pulling away to look into my eyes. "Someone could have come in while you were showering."

"Someone did come in while I was showering. I'm just glad it was you," I said cheekily.

He let out a breathy laugh and kissed my lips again.

Adam's lips left mine, causing me to whimper at the lost contact. His nose was barely touching mine as I looked up and locked eyes with him.

"Did he touch you?"

I had nearly forgotten about Diedrick.

I shook my head.

"No, but I slapped him and kneed him in the balls."

He smiled, nearly laughing.

"I'm surprised he had balls to knee."

I grinned, biting my lip as he said this.

Adam pecked my lips again.

"That doesn't get him off the hook," he warned me. "I'm still going to kill him."

I looked into his eyes and saw the sincerity that flooded them. He wasn't lying.

I sighed.

"I don't want to talk about Diedrick anymore," I said.

My hand went behind his neck and pulled him down to kiss me again.

This kiss deepened quickly as he reached down and picked me up.

I felt the towel slip from under my arms and I quickly pulled it back together. Feeling Adam smile at my bashfulness against my lips, I blushed.

He sat me down on the bathroom countertop as I felt his tongue slip between my lips. I opened my mouth, his hands now in my hair.

Adam's kiss was rougher this time. Whether it was intentional or not, I knew this was because of his possessiveness.

I could only imagine that knowing I had received uninvited advances from Diedrick angered him. Not only had Diedrick disrespected me in his brazen pursuit, he had disrespected Adam by refusing to acknowledge I was already mated.

What kind of man thought he could take away the mate of an Alpha Superior?

A stupid one, apparently.

Adam's lips left mine as they trailed down my neck, gingerly kissing the spot where his claim lay.

I felt his teeth nip the sensitive skin and I yelped.

"Sorry," he said, pulling away. "Too rough."

I raised my hand to rub the pain away in my neck.

Adam ran his hand across his jaw in frustration.

"I shouldn't touch you when I'm angry," he said.

I gulped and slid down off the countertop.

"Forget about Diedrick," I said. "We've got more important things to worry about."

He nodded in agreement.

I walked around him and stopped in the doorway, seeing the shattered glass from the vase spread out across the floor.

Adam came up behind me.

"Like I said, I'm not the gentlest when I'm angry."

I sighed, trying to figure out a way out of the bathroom while avoiding glass impaling the bottom of my feet.

"Here," he said, lifting me into his arms bridal style.

Adam walked across the glass causing it to crunch under his shoes as he did so.

"I'll get someone to clean that up later," he said, putting me down.

I walked over the wardrobe and pulled out my clothes for the day.

"I'm going down to the office to try and sort this mess," he said as he passed me. "Meet me for lunch?"

I nodded.

"I'll try to be in a better mood then," he assured me, walking towards the door.

"Adam," I said, getting his attention.

He turned around to look at me and I smiled, knowing the mischievous look on my face was killing him.

"I don't mind it rough."

- - -