Danika stood at the door rather stunned. She could see that Olive was a beautiful woman, but she had gone all out in the dress for dinner. Olive was in a black baby doll dress that sat halfway down her legs, the deep boat neck was low enough to show her generous cleavage and the very pretty necklace that adorned her pale skin.

'Uh, you good to go?'

Olive nodded as she put on her shoes, warily looking at the buff men standing behind Danika. Her security followed her everywhere when she was outside of the castle grounds. These were the same two guys that always followed her around, she noted with caution that they were vampires too. Olive was trying her damnedest to get over her fears of them, Danika was a good person, these fellows behind her seemed like they were too. But a run in with a vampire when she was twelve had caused her to hold serious fear with them. She had been walking home from school and somehow knew she was being followed. Trembling with fear she ran to the nearest shop which happened to be a bakery. With no money to make any purchases the nasty old man booted her out of the shop, ignoring her fears about the vampire that was stalking her. His words were of little sympathy, telling her that vampires don't hunt the protected and that she was imagining things. Olive had darted from shop to shop, watching her surroundings. The last portion of her journey was the most terrifying, there were no shops to idly dwell in nor any safe places. This was a dirt road lined by trees that were thick in their numbers. Normally she held no fear of them, as a child she had played in them with the other children from the neighbourhood. But now it was a place where terrible things could happen, somewhere she could be dragged and defiled or drained of her life. Olive had sprinted the distance, her house was in sight, she thought that she was fine. But life never worked out that way, she knew that all too well. He tackled her into the grassed edge, fangs barred at her as he readied to feed. Olive did all that she could to be free from him, kicking, screaming and trying to free her arms to punch him. Her efforts were not in vain, a man that she knew as the old crank at the end of the road started hitting the vampire with a straw broom. He continued until the vampire gave up and took off into the dark forest beside them. The old crank helped her to her feet, his gnarled hands were soft even though they had seen better days. Olive was grateful that he walked with her until she got home, stopping to tell her mother what had happened.

Olive shivered as she remembered the attack, it had left her a trembling mess for several weeks, sleepless nights from nightmares. She held fear of the dark, of new people, of being alone and of anyone with skin that was too pale. In the days before her mother died, her father used to walk her to and from school, ensuring her safety. There hadn't been another incident, she had spent her days relatively vampire free. But the fear still remained, causing her grief in this world. This was a world where the two species had to live side by side in peace and harmony. She had to find some kind of ease with them, after all, this world was ruled by a vampire. Thoughts would slip through her mind, that one day the vampires might just forget about the peace treaty and start hunting the humans.

Danika looked at her with an odd smile, hearing her worried thoughts loud and clear.

'What's wrong?'

Her eyes darted to Danika.

'Nothing.' she murmured. 

Danika nodded watching as she closed the door and locked it. She pulled a stray lock of hair behind her ear, looking at Danika with worry. It was obvious that Olive had serious reservations about vampires, she didn't even need to enter her mind to see it. She thought it was time to make her see her as a person, not as some feared creature that would kill her given the opportunity.

'Nice dress.'

'Thanks.' Olive blushed 'I made it.'

'Really? It's quite good, like the other one was. Why are you wanting to be a teacher when you can make clothing like this?'

'I would really love this to be my future but I don't have the income for it. I can barely afford to buy the material to make these things. If it wasn't for some foresight, I would have lost my sewing machine to the landlord when he took all of our things.'

Danika looked at her with a frown, wondering why someone would take their things.

'My father hadn't paid rent in a very long time, when he died the landlord took the furniture as payment. I had hidden some things that meant a lot to me when my father started selling things for booze money. So I got away with keeping it and a trinket box but no trinkets.' Olive sighed sadly 'I need a job, something better than making coffees. When I applied to the education fund to further my education they asked me what I wanted to be.' Olive shrugged as they descended the few steps to the waiting car 'I didn't really know so the course advisor suggested selecting something that would be necessary in this world. They said to be eligible for the partial funding I had to pick something that was needed, a proper trade. I'm not smart enough to be a doctor or anything like that. I think I barely scrape in to be a teacher.'

The car pulled away from the kerb, Olive hadn't been in a car in years. She found it a little unnerving at first, gripping the seat belt as tight as she could. Danika watched her, the white knuckle grip she had was curious, she wondered if she had been in a car accident. There were no unsavoury memories in Olive's mind, Danika figured it was just Olive being the way that she always was, timid.

'I met the requirements so this is where I find myself. Hopefully it will lead to a better life.'

'What do you want with your life?'

One hand let go of the iron grip on the seat belt and toyed with the necklace as she looked out the window morosely. Danika could hear her thoughts loud and clear. There was only one thing that dominated her mind, or rather, one person.

'A comfortable life would be more than enough for me, teaching will earn me a wage sufficient to sustain my life.'

'And companionship?'

'There is no one that I want.'

Danika said nothing to the comment, knowing it wasn't what was going through her mind. The pendant dropped to her chest as her hand rested on her lap. She had never seen such a pretty necklace.

'Where did you get that necklace?'

'It was a gift.'

'Boyfriend?'

Olive shook her head sadly, whispering as she gazed out the window.

'Just a liar.'

Olive stared at the castle as the car drove up the long driveway. It dominated the horizon, nestled among trees and beautiful gardens.

'You live here?'

'Did you imagine the king of Rostonin would live in a standard house?'

'No.' she frowned.

'This is the maternal family home, it has been in his family for a very long time.'

Danika cringed when she saw a familiar car sitting in the driveway, Phabel had arrived early. This was going to be interesting. The car slowed beside the stairs, a man rushed down the stairs and opened the back door.

'Welcome home your highness.'

'Thank you Theodore, this is Olive Matheson, a friend from university.'

'Welcome Miss Matheson.' he bowed 'His highness is in the formal lounge with...'

'Uh, yes, I see the car, thank you Theodore.'

He tilted his head to one side, unsure of Danika's sudden interruption. She quickly slipped into his mind, giving him a quick run down. Theodore smiled wryly and gestured to the open door.

Danika took a deep breath as she held the handle of the door to the formal lounge, she turned to Olive with a soft smile.

'Olive there are many things that humans do not know about vampires, one of them is that we have the ability to enter minds. Forgive me but I have done that with you. I know of things that have happened, in particular what you remember about the person that gave you that necklace.'

Olive touched the pendant, wondering how much she had found out.

'I have entered his mind too, he truly does not remember that night and I can not understand why.'

Danika opened the door to the room, the glow of the fire lit up the room, revealing two men sitting on the lounge chatting.

'I wanted to know why, as I am sure you do.'

Olive stood rather stunned as she saw Phabel sitting on the seat having a pleasant conversation with Lucian. She took a tentative step in, wary of what was about to unfold. Phabel looked at the two women a little unsure of what was going on, wondering why Danika had dragged Miss Matheson to her residence. Was this some sort of ploy to avoid punishment for being late? His mind taunted him, whispering that it was likely that Danika had been in his mind and found all of his lurid thoughts about Olive.

'Olive, this is my husband Lucian.'

'Uh, hi, do I have to curtsy or something?' she squinted.

Lucian laughed. 'No, this is casual, sit down and take a load off.'

Lucian gestured to the only free seat now that Danika had sat down beside him. Olive had to sit beside Phabel. She squirmed awkwardly as she sat there, wondering what was going to happen.

'Phabe, you're probably wondering why she's here, right?'

Olive widened her eyes at Danika, at the way that she addressed their professor.

'Oh my god Danika, are you trying to get yourself into trouble?'

Danika grinned at her, one that made Olive think there was a whole lot more to this than she thought.

'I might elaborate on that one.' Lucian interrupted 'Phabel and I are related. He and my father are cousins.'

Olive turned back to Danika, still wide eyed.

'You said he wasn't a vampire.'

'I'm not. I am a shape shifter.'

'A what?' she frowned as she turned to him.

Phabel looked at her, in particular the necklace.

'Where did you get that?'

'It was a gift.'

'From who?' he frowned.

'Someone that pretended to love me.'

'Who?' Phabel frowned harder.

'No one.' she whispered sadly.

'You are protecting a thief Olive, tell me who gave it to you?'

'Are you sure about the person being a thief Phabel?' Danika casually interrupted them.

She could see the anger mounting in him, Olive was wilting under the pressure.

'That stone...' he pointed to the stone within the pendant 'Is the Star of Morai, there are only a few of them among our kind. Whoever gave it to her stole it from my family.'

Phabel turned back to Olive with anger in his eyes.

'I will ask you again, who gave it to you?'

'You did.'

Olive stood from the lounge and walked out of the lounge room.

Phabel was shocked as he watched Olive flee from the room, on the verge of tears. He had been his usual self, rude and impatient. He should have known there was more to it but instead he accused her of protecting a thief instead of asking for a simple explanation. Danika stood from the lounge and looked at Phabel.

'It's the truth Phabe, I've checked her mind, I can see the memories clear as day. Stay put, I will go and get her.'

Phabel was still shocked as he watched Danika leave, turned to Lucian.

'Is it true, have you entered her mind?'

He nodded with a solemn and sincere look upon his face.

'You called her aui leabu many times, ring any bells?'

Phabel shook his head.

'How can I not remember her or any of it?'

'I have no idea, maybe you should ask your father but from what I've seen in her mind, I'd be pissed at you too. You promised her the world in one night, telling her you would return the next night to consummate your love when she turned eighteen and you never showed. She also woke to the police knocking on her door telling her that her alcoholic and abusive father fell off a bridge and drowned on his way back from the local drinking establishment.'

'He hurt her?' Phabel looked at him with serious worry.

'Very much so, his death was a blessing in disguise. He pulled her out of school to look after the house. He only ever let her eat the scraps of his meals. If it wasn't for a nearby farm that she would steal fruit from she probably would have starved to death.'

Lucian let out a pained laugh as he remembered someone stealing vegetables. Phabel looked at him like he was crazy.

'Would you like to know how you two met? To understand what I found funny?'

'Sure.'

'She was fishing in a stream, not overly successful with the attempts either. You appeared out of nowhere and suggested she needed help. When you realised that she was only allowed to eat the fathers scraps, you returned after her father left to go drinking. You had brought a fish from the stream and a lot of stolen vegetables. Who is the thief now, Phabe?' Lucian smirked at him.

'Yeah great.' he rolled his eyes 'So we never... you know.'

'No you didn't screw her but you did get very kissy with her.' the smirk got bigger as he made smoochy noises at him.

'What am I going to do?'

'What on Elm'nyth do you mean?'

'If what you are saying is true, that I gave her that necklace...' he groaned as he put his head into his hands leaning over.

'What does it mean Phabe?'

'The Star of Morai is something that the men of my family give to the one that they have chosen. I can not take it back, I can not ask for it back. She will never be able to part with it, it will always be bound to her soul. It is what binds two lovers together.'

'So you have to be together?'

'There is nothing to say that we can not venture elsewhere but any entanglement will be fleeting and very lacklustre. This is not good, she's my student, I can't be fraternising with her.'

'If I were you, I'd be worried about the missing chunk of your memory. The fact that you can not remember her at all. Would you like for me to call your father, ask him to come here?'

'Please.'

Lucian nodded and rose from the lounge, wandering out toward his study. He noted that the doors to the parlour were closed, it was likely that was where his lovely wife would be comforting one upset human.