Chapter 6 –

I sat next to Selene's unconscious body, my attention focused entirely on the man in front of me. How was this possible? He looked like he hadn't aged a day in the time since we parted. He was bigger, muscular wise, and his hair was longer but his eyes were still the same deep blue. I watch as he reaches up and grips his shoulder wincing at the pain. "Are you okay?" I ask as I reach out to him.

"Yeah, I just had a disagreement with the guy from before." Bucky replies instantly trying to hide his pain.

"Guy form before... you mean the long haired Lycan?" I ask and he nods. Without hesitating my hands shoot up and grasping his forearm and neck bare the wound for me to see. My fangs bare themselves as the anger shoots throughout my body. Lucian had bitten Bucky. I hear Bucky wince and I look down to see that I was digging my nails into his arm and neck out of anger. I quickly release him and taking a couple steps back reach up to rub my forehead. "What happened? Did he say anything to you?"

"Just that he remembers my scent, and that I was still searching for her; And by her I'm guessing he meant you." Bucky answers and I feel my stomach churn. Why would Lucian bite him? Did he forget his promise to not harm him? "What did he mean by that Night?" Bucky asks pulling me from my thoughts.

"I don't know." I answer honestly furrowing my brow.

"Night, what happened to you all those years ago? I waited for you, or Angel to come back, but neither of you did."

"What do you mean? I was told you were gone before Victor's lackeys arrived."

"That's because Hydra found me."

"What?!"

"Right after you left, they showed up. They replaced my arm with this." He pauses as he lifts up his sleeve to show his arm to reveal the metal and my heart clenches. "I was brainwashed to work for them. I killed so many people."

"How have you remained the same all these years?" I ask wanting to reach out to comfort him but thinking against it.

"I was placed in a Cryogenic chamber. They only brought me out when they needed me to kill someone." He answers his eyes filling with regret.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know. I thought Angel got you out." I answer softly regret filling my voice. "I should have stayed with you."

"If you would have they would have killed you." Bucky says and I narrow my eyes at him. "Hydra might not have, but Victor surely would have." Bucky says inching closer to me. I watch him with worry filled eyes as he reaches out to take my hand. I let his hand rest upon mine before I look up to meet his eyes. "I never stopped thinking about you." He reaches his metal hand up and gently placing it on my cheek smiles softly. "I missed you."

"Bucky, I-"

"What are you doing?" I hear Selene say and I instantly pull away from him.

"Nothing," I reply looking from him to her. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," She reaches up to check her arm to see that it had healed. "What happened?"

"We crashed in the water." I answer before pointing to Michael and adding, "He saved your life."

"And him?" She asks pointing to Bucky.

"He saved mine." I answer honestly. "We need to get you back before the sun comes up." I look from Bucky to Michael as I add, "We'll have to bring them with us."

"Michael, I understand, but what about him?" Selene asks looking at Bucky.

"He was there when the Lycans attacked. He's in danger." I say trying anything I can to get her to let me bring him along.

"Fine, he can carry Michael." Selene says and I look over at Bucky who says nothing but nods. I help Selene to her feet and then turn back to help Bucky but he just shrugs me off. I stand there for a moment while he bends down to lift Michael onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "I'm holding you responsible for him."

"I understand." I reply as she starts to head for the stairs. I follow behind her followed by Bucky. As we walked back to the mansion I matched Bucky step for step. Selene was a good few paces ahead of us. "You got bigger." I say making him chuckle.

"That's what being a super soldier does to you." He replies a smirk filling his lips.

"What do you mean super soldier?" I ask glancing at his metal arm.

"Remember when I told you I was experimented on?" He asks and I nod. "Well they used a variation of a super soldier serum that was created by a Dr. Erskine. The original was used on my best friend, Steve, who volunteered so he could fight for our country. Since Erskine was assassinated before he could reveal the ingredients, another scientist by the name of Arnim Zola used what he could remember and made a version what was injected into my body. That's how I was able to survive the fall from the train."

"That's why your blood smelled so sweet." I say remembering the past.

"You never told me I smelled sweet. I'll take that as a complement." Bucky says a hint of playfulness in his voice making me smirk.

"When we arrive at my coven, I want you to remain silent. I will do whatever I can to keep you safe. Also, do not mention the bite on your neck, don't even show it, keep your shirt over it until I can find you a replacement shirt."

"I won't argue. I read up on everything I could about the war and I know how Vampires feel about Lycans." Bucky replies resituating his grip on Michael. "How long do I have till I change?"

"I don't know James, I wish I could tell you there was a way to stop it, but there's not." I answer honestly as I stare forward at Selene's back. It was possible she was hearing our conversation, her hearing was amazing for a vampire anyway, if she had she was keeping it to herself.

"I guess I should have listened to Natasha." Bucky says making my breathing hitch. I glance over at him as if to ask for a little more information and he clears his throat before he says, "She's an old girlfriend of mine. I'll admit the feelings are still there; but we both know now's not the time. She told me she had a bad feeling about me coming, but I didn't listen."

"Because you needed to find me." I state looking from him to Selene's back. He should have stayed away. I should have stayed hidden. "I think you should have listened to her."

"I needed to find you Night." Bucky says stopping dead in his tracks causing me to follow suit.

"No, you didn't need too; you wanted too. Now look where we are." I pause anger seething through my body. "You're in this predicament because of me. This is all my fault."

"Will you stop blaming yourself for my choices?" Bucky retorts his brow furrowing in anger.

"You too need to put this conversation off until later." I hear Selene say and I look from Bucky's anger filled blue eyes to her icy ones. "The sun will be up soon and with it comes our demise if we are caught outside."

"You're right." I answer not looking at Bucky as I start to follow Selene again. "Safety first."

When we arrived at the Mansion Selene and I stealthily snuck both Bucky and Michael inside. Selene has Bucky lie Michael down on the Daybed before she turns to me and says, "Be careful sneaking him down the hall. There are eyes everywhere."

"I understand, if you need anything call me." I reply causing her to nod before she moves over to her closet to change. Motioning to Bucky to follow me I turn and head to the door and after a brief peek out into the hall I sneak Bucky to my room. Once we are alone inside I close the door behind us and instantly make my way over to my closet to change my clothes and look for something he could wear. Thankfully I was a fan of giant sleeping shirts. They were black, along with almost everything in this god forsaken mansion, but I had a feeling he wouldn't look half bad in black.

Grabbing the shirt, I toss it to him and say, "This is all I have. You'll have to make due until I can sneak something from one of the other rooms, or buy something."

"This works, thanks." He replies as he starts to remove his ripped shirt bearing his scared chest, back, stomach, and arms for all to see. I stare at his arm and where it had been connected. A feeling of anger and rage washed over me causing me to grit my teeth and I quickly look away. I return to my closet finding a dress that I knew Erika hung out for me to wear to the party and groan. I knew I had to put it on and that alone annoyed me.

"Stay over there and do not look at me." I say to Bucky causing him to turn his back to me to give me privacy. When I am sure he isn't peeking, I slip out of my semi wet clothes and tossing them onto the floor reach up to grab the dress only to spot a simpler one behind it. It was still beautiful, if I had any say it was better than the gaudy one Erika had left for me. I decide instantly to wear this one instead. I toss the gaudy one over the top of the divider and then reach for the other one.

It was a simple black evening dress with an A-line cut and raven lace on the half-sleeves. It would be more comfortable than the other one. Slipping the dress on I groan out in annoyance as I realize I cannot zip up the dress alone. Reluctantly I move over to Bucky and tapping him on the shoulder ask, "Can you zip up the back?" I turn my back to him before he turns around. I hear him clear his throat before one hand rests on the bottom of the zipper holding it in place so he could zip up the back. I feel his fleshy hand gently graze the skin of my back as he slowly pulls the zipper up and I feel a heat fill my stomach. The only ones who had ever helped me get dressed like this before were my mother and Selene. I had never felt the touch of a man on my skin other than that one time Bucky had gently caressed my cheek.

I feel myself tremble slightly at the touch making him clear his throat again and take a step back away from me. "Thank you," I reply moving to the other side of the room to find some bandages and disinfectant to take care of the bite Lucian had left on Bucky. "Don't put the shirt on yet. I need to treat your wound." I say finding what I need.

"Every time we meet it seems you end up bandaging me up." Bucky replies a smirk on his lips as I reach him.

"You need to stop getting injured." I reply pushing him over to my bed until his legs hit the edge causing him to sit down atop it.

"It's an occupational hazard." He replies making me shake my head at him.

"You're human Bucky, you need to be more careful." I reply setting the bandages on the bed beside him before I grab the disinfectant and twisting the cap off gingerly pour some of it onto the wound. He groans in pain at first causing me to pull the disinfectant away and setting it aside reach for the bandages. "You're supposed to warn me that it's gonna hurt." Bucky says and I shake my head.

"I have a feeling you know how it feels, why should I warn you of the pain you are aware of?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"It's called common curtesy."

"Then this is really going to hurt." I reply right as I place the bandages on the bite putting just enough pressure to stop the bleeding, but enough to cause him discomfort. He unconsciously reaches out and grips tightly to my hips as if to keep himself from breaking something. The movement startled me causing me to stumble forward into his chest where I place my hands out to prop myself up. His eyes instantly open to meet mine. I take a deep breath only to breath in the scent of his blood and instantly push myself away before I end up biting him. His blood was special, yes; but because of the serum he mentioned earlier I had no idea how the bite Lucien had given him would react.

"Blood, right." Bucky says taking the bandage from me and reaching up places it on the bite and making sure it's secure reaches for the shirt I had given him. "I noticed something else when I was doing research." Bucky started to say as he slipped the shirt over his shoulders.

"Oh, and what is that?" I ask as I move as far away from him as possible.

"There was no mention of you." He says and I slowly turn toward him. "No mention of your mother, or your father, it was like whoever gave us the information wanted to keep you and your family a secret."

"That's not surprising," I say as I walk to my bathroom to wash his blood off my hands.

"Why are they trying so hard to keep you a secret Night? If it wasn't for Natasha, I never would have found you." Bucky asks as he follows closely behind me.

"I don't know," I answer letting out a heavy sigh. "I don't know anything about my father. My mother, on the other hand was a pureblood from Var Dohr and eldest daughter of Vidar leader of the northern coven. As a show of good faith, after my mother was about seven or eight, she was sent to Castle Corvinus to be raised as Victor's daughter's companion."

"I read that his daughter fell in love with a Lycan, so he killed her." Bucky asks and I nod.

"But he wasn't just any Lycan," I pause a smile filling my face as I recalled his memory. "He was Lucian, leader of the Lycans and the first trueborn Lycan."

"That wasn't in the reports." Bucky says leaning against the doorframe.

"And it won't ever be." I answer quickly my smile disappearing. "Not if Victor has anything to say about it."

"I have a question, it's been on my mind since I watched the CCTV footage of the subway fight." He asks and I freeze.

"What is it?" I ask trying to make myself void of all emotions.

"When you looked at Michael, why did you freeze?" He asks and I furrow my brow.

"I-" Before I can answer I hear a knock on my door. I groan out in annoyance as I push past him on my way to the door.

"He was bitten as well," Bucky says making me stop in my footsteps. "They Lycan form before, he bit him, then spit his blood into a vial." I quickly ignore the knocking and turn back to him with a look of curiosity filling my face.

"Why would he want Michael's blood?"

"I don't know. He knew Michael by name too."

"Guess I should ask the man in question." I say as I turn from him and walk over to the door where the person who had been knocking was gone. I furrow my brow in confusion for a moment before I turn back to Bucky and say, "No matter what happens, do not open this door, and do not leave this room." Before he has a chance to argue I close the door behind me and head down the hall to Selene's room right as a loud hiss is heard. I throw the door open to see Erika on the roof hissing at Michael and him heading for the window. "Michael wait!" I yell out but it's too late.

I watch as he jumps out the window out into the front yard. I growl as I hear the dogs bark as they make their way toward him; but they are too late. He's already over the fence. I hear the doors swing open behind me and I turn to see Kraven stomping in rage in his eyes with Selene behind him. He watches Michael disappear into the night before he turns to Erika and me and yells, "Leave us!" Erika quickly flees but I stand my ground. He stares at me for a moment before he turns back to Selene. I watch him carefully as he walks towards her.

He lifts his hand up and I instantly place myself between them my hand shooting up to grab his wrist. "Release me!" He orders and I narrow my eyes.

"You may be in charge for now; but that doesn't give you the right to place your hands on her." I growl out, my teeth unconsciously baring themselves.

"Just because your Marcus's favorite doesn't give you any immunity." Kraven replies his eyes narrowing at me as he jerks his arm back.

"What are you talking about? I've never even met Marcus." I reply anger filling my words.

"Let's just say Victor's not the only one with secrets."