"It's all my fault," she sobbed, and I fought against the urge to agree. 

If it hadn't been for this fragile little girl, Dominic would never have had to become a vampire. But then again, I'd never have had the chance to hold him in my arms, I reminded myself, torn by conflicting emotions. Fate or just damn bad luck? Did it even matter? I let out a heavy sigh, studying the shivering little thing curled up on my sofa, legs crossed, her hands clutching a large teacup. Something about this situation felt all too familiar. 

 "What's done is done." I mumbled, trying to sound positive. But inside, my heart screamed. No matter how much I told myself that Dominic would come back, the months had passed, and he was still out there. 

Occasionally, he'd send a message, but it had been a while since the last one—which, honestly, might be for the best. Those messages usually raised more questions than answers. It didn't take me long to sense he was hiding something from me, just a feeling, a slight tremor in his voice over the phone. But I never said anything; I thought it'd be easier that way. For too long, I'd tried to ignore the feeling. I was the one who had told him to leave when I should've begged him to stay. And now? If he came back and found his first love sitting here, waiting for him—how would he react? I sighed again, pouring myself a large cup of coffee. Did it even matter? Who knew where he was now or who he was with. 

The milk turned the black coffee a lovely golden hue as I made a valiant attempt to push away the ungrounded jealousy gripping my heart. 

 "Easy for a big guy like you," she muttered. "You're probably not afraid of anything." 

 "Afraid? I thought this was about guilt?"

 "And fear," she murmured quietly, staring into her cup. 

 "Fear of what, if I may ask?" 

 She looked up at me from beneath her thick blonde bangs and shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Fear of being alone." 

 On my way back to the couch, I grabbed the checkered quilt from the armchair and draped it over her bare legs before sitting down at the other end, propping my feet up on the coffee table. They joined the mess of old newspapers and remote controls. 

 "Want to know a secret?" Her eyes lit up with anticipation as she waited for me to continue. "I think everyone is afraid of being alone sometimes." 

 "Even you?" I nodded, taking a sip of coffee. "I've been alone for a long time." 

 "Then you should be used to it by now."

"I was," I laughed, "until someone moved in here, and I realized how much better my life became." 

 She glanced around so abruptly that tea spilled over the rim of her cup, dripping down her frostbitten fingers. Amused, I watched as her wide eyes filled with panic. "So, where's that person now?" 

 "Somewhere else," I said with a sigh, leaning forward to grab the remote. Soon, the voice of a news anchor filled the room. 

 "But you wish they were here?" she asked cautiously. 

 "Every day," I murmured quietly, resting my arm behind my neck for support but keeping my eyes on the TV. 

 "Then you should tell them, so they know," she suggested. 

 I nodded a few times. "I have." We sat in silence for a while, and soon, I felt the ache of exhaustion settling into my body. "Take the couch tonight," I said, standing up. "There are more blankets if you need them." 

 She gave me a small smile and nodded. "Thanks for the tea. It was good." 

 "Hope you can sleep," I mumbled, switching off a few lamps as I shuffled toward the bedroom.  

"What's your name, by the way?" I paused and let out a laugh—how could I have forgotten to introduce myself? "Magnus." 

 "Goodnight, Magnus!" 

 "Goodnight, Lexie," I replied, closing the door behind me. I collapsed onto the bed, squeezing my eyes shut. The urge to grab my phone and send a message was almost overwhelming. What could go wrong? I thought, picking up my phone and scrolling through our old conversation. The old messages sent warm waves of love coursing through me. God, I missed him so much. 

 I stared at the screen for a long moment before mustering the courage to type three words and hit send. 

I miss you. 

Tired, I placed the phone on the nightstand and sat up to pull off my shoes and jeans. I wrinkled my nose at the damp socks, regretting not taking off my shoes the moment I got home. I'll take a hot shower tomorrow morning, I thought, reaching to turn off the bedside lamp when the phone screen suddenly lit up.

I miss you too.

"If you're so lonely, I don't understand why you insist on sending me home," she muttered sulkily, her lower lip jutting out as she crossed her arms over her chest. She quickly fell behind, doing everything she could to make the walk take longer. 

 "Because humans don't belong here," I answered simply, feeling her intense gaze on my back.

 "Then what are you?" I turned my head to look down at her. 

"A shifter." 

 "And what's so special about you?" 

 I shrugged and kept walking. "I'm... different." 

 "So mysterious," she sighed, kicking a rock that flew past my feet. "Can I become one too?"

 "No." 

 "Why not?"

 "Because that's not how it works," I replied patiently. 

 She stopped abruptly, like a child, planting her hands on her hips. "Then how does it work?!" 

 I halted and rolled my eyes, asking myself for the hundredth time what Dominic saw in this brat. "Why do you want to know?" I eyed her from head to toe, watching as she bit her lower lip, her expression thoughtful. 

 "I want to be strong like you," she finally admitted. "So I can help others too." 

 More like help yourself, I thought, seeing through her bluff. "Sorry, kiddo, it doesn't work like that," I said coldly and took a few steps forward. "You'd be better off heading to the vampire district and asking someone to bite your neck instead." 

 "Never!" she gasped, rushing up to me with quick steps, her pulse racing. At last, she was walking beside me again, though her short legs had to take extra steps to match my pace.

 "Smart choice," I said with a grin, winking at her. 

 "You're handsome when you smile," she said so suddenly that I flinched a little. "I can see why he likes you."  I frowned and looked away. What was I supposed to say to that? "You don't have to explain," she continued. "I saw his stuff at your place." 

 "So now you're a little detective?" I muttered, surprisingly irritated, shoving my hands deeper into my pockets and gripping my phone as I thought about last night's text. 

 "You really don't know where he is?" she asked cautiously, but I only shook my head in response. "But if you two are...?" 

 "Were," I interrupted before regretting it. "Or, I don't know. But it's not something I want to talk about."

 "But..." With a swift motion, I grabbed her upper arm and stopped her small frame. She barely reached my shoulder, so I bent down to meet her gaze in those massive eyes. "Listen, girl, he's left Paris, and I'm not sure if he's coming back. He said he would, but I'm starting to doubt it." 

 I caught a small wrinkle forming between her eyebrows as she looked defiantly into my eyes. "If he said he's coming back, then he will," she said firmly. "Nickie never lies, and he hates breaking promises." 

 "Everyone changes," I muttered, letting go of her arm. 

 "Maybe, but I know him, and I know what he's been missing in his life." 

 "Oh yeah?" I sighed, bracing for a long lecture in psychology. 

 "Someone who sees him for who he really is," she mumbled, a little embarrassed. "Not like me, who just took him for granted." She gave me a quick smile. "But someone like you, who makes tea when he's cold." 

 "Thanks, that's kind of you to say," I mumbled, a little flustered. Her words genuinely warmed me, but I couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't being entirely honest with me. 

 "So can I stay now?" she asked with a pleading voice and puppy-dog eyes. 

 I burst out laughing. "One compliment, and you think I'll do whatever you want?" 

 She raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Um... yes?" 

 "Life doesn't work that way, kid," I laughed harder. "If you want my help, you'll need to be nice and explain why you're here." I stopped again, meeting her steady gaze. "And tell the truth this time." 

The rain continued to patter against the asphalt, and I could see her mood sinking further as she got wetter and wetter. "Well? I'm waiting," I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest, pretending not to care about the icy droplets running down my neck. 

 "I've told you everything," she hissed. I raised an eyebrow and shook my head. 

"I suspect you don't know much about people like me," I said coolly. "So let me inform you—I can hear your heartbeat from here." 

 "And?" she asked, throwing her arms out. "Why does that matter?" 

 "I can hear that you're lying," I replied calmly. 

 "Seriously?" she sighed, but I didn't bother responding. I could wait here all night if I had to. 

She stood still, shifting from one foot to the other for a moment. "Okay, fine, I'll tell you. But can we go somewhere else first?" 

 I nodded briefly and turned around, leaving her quickly behind me. I deliberately took long strides, wanting a head start. I needed to think and decide what to do with her. I knew she probably couldn't be trusted, but at the same time, I was sure she was here for a reason, and I needed to take that seriously. If not for my sake, then for Dominic's. 

 When we reached the shared watchtower, I stopped and held the door open for her. "You'll be safe in here," I said when I saw her hesitant look. "The others are out on patrol, so we'll be alone." 

 "How many of you are there?" 

 "Three." 

 "Are they like you too?" she asked nervously, glancing around. 

 "Yes." 

 "How does someone even become a watcher?" she continued curiously as she walked past me through the door. 

 I didn't answer immediately, taking my time to close the door behind us and walk over to my desk. I hung my wet jacket over the back of the chair, noticing her growing irritation as I fished a hair tie from my jeans pocket and tied my dripping curls into a bun. "You're born into it, you could say." 

 She tilted her head, studying me for a long moment. "You're really good at avoiding my questions." 

 I nodded slightly. "Because you don't need to know everything."

 "So you're not allowed to share your secrets with me? Because I'm human?" 

 With an amused grin, I perched on the edge of the desk and shook my head. "No, sweetheart, that's not the reason." 

 "Then why are you so annoying?!" she muttered. 

 "Because I don't trust you," I replied honestly—there was no point in hiding that truth from her.

 Her snort was followed by her shrugging off her jacket. She wrung out her scarf and hung her gloves on a nearby radiator. "When I came home from school before the last term, I noticed something was different," she began as she distractedly fussed with her wet clothes, her back turned to me. 

 "Different how?"

She shrugged. "He was more irritable, tired, and anxious." Finally, she turned to face me, meeting my questioning gaze. "He acted like he was seeing things that weren't there, and when I asked him, he brushed it off, but I knew he was scared."

"Did it last long?" 

 "For several weeks, at least." 

 I sat quietly, pondering what she'd said before asking more. "But you never saw anything?"

 "No." With a sigh, she dropped into the visitor's chair and pulled off her wet boots, then tucked her feet onto the seat and drew her knees under her chin. "Then I went back to school." 

 "And something happened there?" She nodded, lowering her gaze. "I started seeing something in the shadows too, but I wasn't scared. I was curious and wanted to know more." 

 "Did you feel different? Have trouble focusing on other things?" I asked, studying her seriously, and my concerns were confirmed when she nodded. 

 "I became completely obsessed," she admitted quietly. 

 With a sigh, I got up and walked over to the grimy old coffee maker sitting in the tiny kitchenette. Dirty lunchboxes and unwashed coffee mugs were piled in the overflowing sink, mixed with scraps of food and coffee grounds. 

 "The vampires in this town have hunters. It's how they lure humans in without violence. If you go willingly, no one reports you as missing," I muttered, waiting for a response that never came. Still, from across the room, I could hear her pulse quicken. She was scared, and rightly so. "Dominic said he saved you from a blood farm," I continued, casting a quick glance her way. 

She gave a brief nod. Lexie's eyes dropped to her hands, her thumb brushing over her wrist. "I don't remember much," she mumbled softly. 

 "Good," I sighed. "It's probably for the best." 

 "If that's true, then why aren't you doing anything about it?!" she suddenly snapped. 

I couldn't blame her; I'd often asked myself the same question. All I could do was try to stop as many as I could before they crossed the line—before they left my district. "I'm trying," I sighed, rubbing my forehead in frustration. "But something doesn't add up in your story, Lexie." 

 "How long are you going to doubt me?!" she barked, "I've told you everything! I swear!" 

 I met her frustration with my usual calm. There was no point in getting worked up in situations like this. "I believe you," I assured her. 

 "Then what do you mean?" 

 "Why would they pursue Dominic for so long, then give up and choose you instead?" 

 She bit her lip and shrugged. "Maybe their tricks didn't work on him?" 

 "Maybe," I sighed, switching on the loaded coffee maker, "but there's something more to this." 

 "Alright, so what do we do now?" she sighed, rubbing her cold thighs with her palms. 

 I scratched my head and watched her so intensely that she began to squirm in her chair. "You can stay here, upstairs at the office for now. The place is protected; no one can find you here." 

 For the first time, I saw her flash a genuine smile—a glimpse of the real person she seemed to be hiding under her played facade. "Thank you," she said, standing up. She seemed to hesitate for a moment before looking up at me with a faint smile. "Just so you know, I'm not here to try and get him back." 

 "It doesn't matter; that's up to him," I replied tiredly but felt a small sense of relief. 

 "Maybe," she said, shrugging. "But now you know."

 "Then why are you here?"

She hugged her small frame and glanced nervously around the room before whispering softly, "Because the shadows are back."