"Huh? Wait, you're bleeding?!"

Knut jumps up from his armchair and approaches me. He's noticed my bleeding chest.

"Thank your vice-warden..." I reply.

"Ugh, Bob? What the hell did you do to drive him to scratch you so?"

He grows his claws and pours the plant medicine on my new wound. Then he bandages my chest again. 

"I was angry he made you wake the warden to kill a defenceless child."

Knut's eyes meet mine. They are scolding and prideful - he carries himself as higher than not just me but the entire population of this prison, be it the prisoners or the administration itself. It is driving me crazy.

"I guess you too, agreed upon such a code of conduct, though..." I avert my eyes from him. "You are no different than them."

"If that were so, Miss Blaire would've long been put to death indeed."

He retakes the seat in the armchair. Yet, he doesn't resume playing with his yarn. Instead, his eyes are set on me.

"It's funny that you talk about it without any emotions!" I glare at him. "I've been told by my inmates, that whenever the warden awakens, either the overseer who woke him or the prisoner who committed a crime, is going to die. So, I wonder what happened - why aren't you dead?"

A little smile flickers on his lips - he must've guessed I'm still talking out of spite. If I weren't, I'd have asked why Honorée didn't die. Instead, I'm wishing for his demise. 

"I won't die so easily, so don't bet on that. I will still pass judgment upon you and your werewolf friend. The warden respects my decisions. The way he didn't kill Honorée, was also because of me - I desired to preserve her life, so he did."

"Hmph, you want to tell me you're more important than the warden?"

"No. It's just that he and I get along very well."

I wish I could wipe that stupid smile off his face.

"Are you really going to punish Shon? I drove him into this. It's my fault. He's innocent."

"He's attacked the headwoman of his district - Clara. I cannot let him go unpunished after that." he shrugs. "You should've thought about it before you dragged him into your crimes."

"Ugh, that's unfair! I only wanted to thank you, and this is what I get? Give me a break!"

I turn around and cross my arms. I'm angry at his stuck-up and remorseless attitude. He is exactly like all the other deviants.

My bedsheet sinks - Knut's taken a seat on the edge of it.

"Theo Sinclaire, I am happy you've considered me worthy enough to thank, but even if I've told Miss Blaire to consider this place home, you can't walk around as you please, for whatever reason. This prison has its rules which must be followed. Neither we the administration nor you prisoners can break them. Law-breakers will be punished, to uphold the order. Otherwise, we will have chaos. One of the rules is that you prisoners cannot intrude into other districts than your own, without special permission granted by their respective administrators. You've violated that law, so you must be punished."

I glare at him for a while and turn around again - his eloquent explanation won't satisfy me. I want real help, not excuses.

"Leave me alone."

I feel his fingers rub my hair. I turn back to shove his hand off, but I halt - he's leaning over me with a smile:

"On the other hand, I cannot overlook the fact that the reason for your calamities was I. I guess I'll forgive you this one time. I'll tell Terry that you and your friend had my authorization to access the feline district, yet I was slow to provide the evidence in time, so you were caught in the mess. The penalty for your causing a ruckus will be a weekly lock-up in your respective cells. This also means you won't go on hunts for that entire week. That'll suffice, I guess. But you must promise me you won't betray my trust and defy the rules again. You understand?"

His blue feline eyes are piercing mine. Now I begin to see his gaze is not condescending like the ones of other deviants. It is rather majestic. He is not a stuck-up deviant but a noble soul who deeply considers others' feelings. Otherwise, why would he change his decision so suddenly? Why is he giving us a pardon? Why is he smiling at me and fondling my hair, as if I'm a child who's simply made a mistake? These are the same eyes that gazed at Honorée, the same smile bestowed upon her, the same hands fondling with her before. In them, I cannot see arrogance or condescension, but instead, pure magnanimity.

I don't know what's happening to me. Is it some sort of charm again, like back with Derek, at the merpeople party? Why do I feel Knut's way too different from everyone I've ever met? Only a minute ago, I thought he was the same as them. Yet now, it's all so different, so sweet...

"Miss Sinclaire?"

I hear my stomach grumble. Yeah, I guess I'm just hungry for his blood. But I can't deny he's indeed kinder than all the other inborn deviants I've met so far. 

He's been staring at me in a stupor, apparently wondering why I had such a lustful gaze. But now that my stomach's revealed the truth, he only chuckles:

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, I guess."

He proffers his muscled upper arm to me.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"You can bite."

"What?"

Did I just hear him right? He wants me to bite him? Is he insane?!

"No worries, I'll heal up. I've got no other blood to offer you, and the vampire district is too far to call for their aid."

"Goodness, I can just wait!" I say. "Call them and they'll bring me a bottle of blood. I don't have bloodlust outbursts anymore. I can wait."

"Come on, just do it!" he insists. "It is fine, I've told you. I have strong healing abilities. I don't sustain wounds for long."

"I can't! Not after you've helped us so much..."

I don't want to go on hurting him now when he's patched us up and has even promised to give us a pardon. I would be repaying him with evil for his kindness.

"Please, Miss Sinclaire. It's fine, trust me."

His repeating it is fine and holding that delicious arm before my nose, I fail to refuse again and bite him, sticking my fangs right into that big muscle of his. Surprisingly, not a flinch is shown on his countenance. He smiles as I go on drinking his blood. I wasn't wrong - he truly is the only weird one in this room.

His blood is sweet, with three different flavours in one. I've never tasted anything like it before. It is way too delightful to resist. Yet, reminding myself of all the kindness he's done for me and Shon today, I get off him right after I've had as much as I need. 

Just as my teeth are out, his arm begins to heal. In a second, not a single scratch remains on it.

"Thanks..." I mutter. "It was delicious."

"You're welcome." he chuckles. "Told you it was fine."

"Yeah, you do indeed heal up fast..."

"I can heal my own wounds even faster than others' ones. My entire body has the powers."

"Awesome."

Alright, I'll be honest - Knut really is amazing.