I was stirred awake by the sound of someone crying over me and bit back a small groan of tiredness while I became aware of my surroundings but not able to move or open my eyes.

My hand was in someone else's hand, and their grasp was warm, comforting and familiar, bringing me a bit of joy and love in my dim and dark life.

"I am so, so sorry," someone said above me and moved a hand through my hair, and I closed my eyes tighter and bit the inside of my lip. "I am so sorry that I wasn't there to protect you."

What the fuck? I silently asked and furrowed my brows, biting the inside of my lip. What's going on? Why is someone crying over me?

"Please, wake up, Caroline," the person said and moved a hand through my hair some more. "Open your eyes, and give me that amazing smile of yours."

I tried to do what I was told to do and opened my eyes, but for some reason I couldn't. It felt as if my eyes were glued shut with something that I didn't like nor understood.

I bit back an annoyed groan but squeezed the person's hand as if to say that I was there and was awake even if I couldn't do what they told me to do.

The person grew still and bit back a small gasp. Their heart skipped a beat before it started to pound hard and fast in their chest, sounding like a runaway train, even though I had no idea what that sounded like. "Caroline?" the person asked, their voice barely above a whisper. "Can you hear me?"

I squeezed their hand to indicate that I could, and they breathed a small sigh of relief before they cleared their throat to hold back tears.

"Can you open your eyes?"

I didn't squeeze their hand but tried to open my eyes, biting back another groan of annoyance.

The person chuckled softly and relaxed their grasp on my hand. "I take that as a no, huh?" they asked, and I had a feeling they raised an eyebrow in question.

I held back an eye roll and squeezed their hand, silently agreeing with them and earning another chuckle from the person above me.

"Here, I have a bowl of water near me, Caroline. Do you mind if I use it to clean out your eyes?" they asked, their voice barely above a whisper as if they were scared of what I would say.

I didn't, so I squeezed their hand, silently indicating that I didn't mind and would appreciate it, especially since I had no idea who was standing above me.

They breathed a small sigh of relief as if they knew that I didn't mind and nodded. "Ok."

They let go of my hand and shifted away from me, leaving me feeling alone and sad because I enjoyed having their hand in mine.

The sound of a washcloth being wrung out filled my ears before someone started to wipe my eyes and then the rest of my face for some reason, and I couldn't help but groan in annoyance because I had no idea why they did that when they didn't have to.

The person above me chuckled and set the washcloth back into the bowl. "Now, try to open your eyes, Lina," they said, and I instantly knew it was Andrei because he was the only one that called me Lina.

I did what I was told to do and opened my eyes to reveal a Vampire staring at me with an unknown emotion in his eyes, and my heart skipped a beat before it started to pound in my chest.

Oh Goddess...

He smiled and dipped his head closer to his chest. "Hello, Lina," he said softly. "Had a nice nap?" He raised an eyebrow in question, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes and scowl because it wasn't that nice.

The Vampire Prince chuckled and wiped his eyes as if to remove any traces of him crying before I could ask him about it. He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat while he raised an eyebrow in question. "I take that as a no. Huh?"

I rolled my eyes again but didn't say a word, especially since my mouth felt as if it was as dry as the desert.

The Vampire Prince chuckled again and dipped his head closer to his chest. "Thirsty?" he asked and raised an eyebrow higher, and I nodded in confirmation.

Please...

Andrei smiled and nodded. "Ok," he said and cleared his throat, growing serious. He stood from where he was seated and helped me sit up. "Let's get you seated up first and then I will help get you something to drink," he said gently.

I breathed a small sigh of relief and nodded, my whole body relaxing.

Thank, Goddess...

Andrei chuckled and made sure that I was stable before he went to get me something to drink.

"Is water fine?" he asked while he went to get it, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes and scowl, feeling very annoyed.

It was the only thing to drink...

Juice was a luxury that we couldn't get often, no matter how many times we tried to find fruit or something of that nature.

I wasn't sure when the last time that I had some juice, and I couldn't help but wonder if there would be a chance I could have some soon.

Andrei chuckled as if he knew that I rolled my eyes and nodded. "Water it is," he said. He poured me a cup of water from a pitcher that I had in my tent before he walked it over to me. "Here you go, Your Highness," he teased.

I rolled my eyes but didn't say a word while I took it from him, earning another chuckle from the Vampire Prince.

Andrei sat down next to me on my bed and cleared his throat, growing serious. He didn't say a word while he watched me drink the water, his stormy gray eyes turning a darker shade of gray.

I licked my lips and shifted just a little until my leg was touching his side, and he didn't move away from me, much to my relief. "Are you ok, Rei?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper while I cocked my head and studied him, pressing my lips into a thin line. "Why were you crying?"

Andrei bit back a small smile and shook his head, unshed tears filling his eyes. "I wasn't crying," he said while he narrowed his eyes and playfully scowled. He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. "And I am supposed to be asking you that not the other way around, Lina."

"Hmph." I rolled my eyes and took another sip of water before I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat. "Well, I asked you first," I said, "so answer my question and do not lie to me. I know that you were crying, Andrei."

Andrei bit back a small sigh and shook his head, growing serious. He moved a hand across his mouth and pressed his lips into a thin line before he cleared his throat. "I am ok, Lina," he said softly. "Don't worry about it."

I scoffed a small laugh and shook my head while I rolled my eyes and scowled. "Very funny, Rei," I said. "I know that you are not ok and will worry about it and you."

Andrei sighed and shook his head. He cleared his throat and shifted before he moved a hand through his hair, shaking his head again while he looked away but me.

Pain flashed through his eyes while he stared at me, and he bit the inside of his lips before he looked down and cleared his throat, shifting in his seat. "Uh... Tată (Father) visited while you were passed out," he said softly.

I shifted closer to him and stared at him. My mouth went dry, and my heart ached while worry filled my body. "Your mother?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "Is she ok?"

Andrei bit back a small chuckle and slowly nodded while he rubbed his eyes. He patted my leg and cleared his throat while he shifted on my bed, conflict filling his eyes as if he did not know if he wanted to tell me or not.

I stayed silent while I watched him, my heart lodged in my throat. I waited while he debated with himself, praying that he would tell me what was going on with his mother and if she was actually ok.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity but was only a couple of minutes, he opened his mouth to say something before he shook his head, dismissing whatever thought entered his head and closing his mouth without saying a word.

I bit back a small groan and moved a hand through my hair while I shook my head and pursed my lips in annoyance. "Andrei," I said, biting back a small groan. "Why are you acting like this?"

He raised an eyebrow in question while he cocked his head and studied me. "Acting like what?" he asked innocently while he continued to study me with wide eyes. "What am I doing?"

"Why are you dismissing your thoughts and acting like your feelings don't matter, Rei?" I hesitated before I moved closer to him and grabbed his hand, my heart thundering in my chest because I was afraid he would pull away from me.

But thankfully he didn't...

Instead he looked at our intertwined hands before he looked at me with an unknown look in his eyes. He didn't say a word while he stared at me, waiting for me to say something.

I licked my lips and cleared my throat, shifting closer to him. "What is it, Andrei?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I cocked my head and studied him, praying that he would tell me. "What's wrong? What happened to your mother? Are you sure that she is going to be ok?"

Andrei sighed in defeat and slowly nodded. He cleared his throat again and shifted in his seat. "Uh... yes, yes," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, before he moved a hand through his hair. "She is going to be ok."

"But?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question.

Andrei sighed and patted my hand with his, shaking his head and pursing his lips. "But she won't be able to leave until later than what was last told to me," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Whatever thing that was supposed to happen didn't happen, so now she has to wait for something else to happen."

His answers were vague, but I had an inkling of what he was trying to say.

His mom was still under control of those that did this to us and didn't have any hope of getting out of it...

No one was able to help her so that she could be with her Beloved and son or help us with the revolt against Andrei's uncle as well as her captors.

"Oh, Andrei," I said, biting back a small sigh and squeezing his hand, reassuringly. "I'm so, so sorry," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I wish I could do something to help, but..." I shrugged and grimaced.

Andrei gave me a bitter smile and shook his head before he cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. "Even if you were able to do anything, I wouldn't allow you to," he said and moved a strand of hair behind my ear, leaning super close to me that my heart couldn't take it and started to pound hard and fast in my chest because I couldn't help but think he was going to kiss me.

Oh, Goddess...

"You are too valuable for us to lose, Lina, and one day, I pray that you will be able to realize that," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

And with that, he kissed my forehead before he released my hand and moved an inch away from me, leaving a gap as always.

"Now," he said and cleared his throat before he patted my leg again. He forced a smile on his face that I didn't like, and my heart stung.

Oh... Goddess.

"How are you feeling?" he asked and raised an eyebrow in question. "Fernos told me that you had passed out twice, so what happened and are you ok?"

He flashed me a small smirk and a wink, and my heart broke again. "Because I still need my buddy alive and well for whatever we have to face in the future."

Oh...