Indeed, we were in quite a predicament. Jersey, or that is what he called himself, this vampire had propositioned us. More like claimed that we needed his help.

I could only understand it, as he said, we were being hunted by all of the city's vampires. Could this have been true for Central as well? Were we wanted everywhere we walked?

I looked over to Lucious, who stood with his arms crossed. His eyes wary in deep concentration. I looked back to Jersey. He stood silent. His eyes wandering towards me then back to Lucious. Why the silence all of a sudden?

“Excuse us.” Lucious pulled me away into a corner.

We huddled there, speaking amongst ourselves.

“What's wrong?” I wondered.

His silver eyes peered at me with a discouraging notion. “We have to get out of here.” He whispered to me.

I looked back in shock. “What do you mean?”

“Go back to Central, that's what I mean,” he answered in a dreary tone.

I stepped back. What was he thinking?

“Mikael.” He caught my arm. “There's something I want to know.” He paused and looked down at the floor. “The connection between Chris and Serena...”

This was the first I had been noted such a situation. I spent time in Serena's mansion and never had I heard of the two having any sort of connection. There must have been some doubt in my eyes when I looked out at him.

“I know there's something there, Mikael,” Lucious demanded.

“Hold on, don't cha'll talk like I'm not here!” Jersey interrupted. “Na' I don't know no Serena. But ya'lls crazy if ya'll wanna go back out there.”

Lucious turned to look at him. I could clearly see his desperation as he stared at the vampire in front of him.

“And why put yourself at risk to help us?” Lucious spoke with trepidation in his voice. “How can we be sure you're not secretly walking us straight into Chris's hands?”

Jersey walked towards Lucious without hesitation. Anger sparked in his lips. This vampire, who was once nervous to be around us, was now showing no fear.

“You claiming me a liar?” He sounded off. “Look, I detest Chris the same as ya'll. If we work together, we'll get more accomplished.” Jersey looked out towards me. “Ain't that right, Mikael?”

I couldn't help but believe that Jersey was correct. We needed to stick together, though in my mind something told me that there was something erratic about this whole situation.

“Mikael.” Lucious looked back to me. “We're leaving.”

“Hey if ya'll get caught, don't say I didn't warn ya.” Jersey began.

He watched as Lucious began to walk back to the window in which we entered. I couldn't give it but a second thought. I followed him back out onto the rooftop. We hopped down to the ground, and I heard a thunderous crack in the sky as my feet landed on the sidewalk.

Lucious walked ahead of me just a few steps before stopping in his tracks.

“Mikael!” He called to me, yet I just stood with my eyes focused on the concrete below my feet.

He sighed and walked back to where I stood. “What is it?”

I understood what he wanted to know. He had lived quite awhile with Serena. As her servant, as her slave and lover, but never had any reason to believe she had a connection with Chris until recently. However, what I couldn't understand is why... why he would risk himself just to find that answer? If he wanted to be together with me, why would he put himself in such position?

“You risk yourself?” I fought a choking feeling in my throat. “Why can't we just leave? If they're after you here, why not go somewhere else where they will never find us?”

“But they'll always find us, Mikael.” He noted as he wrapped his cool arm around my neck pulling me closer. “We're not safe anywhere we go. So why not fight back?”

“And be caught? Separated?”

He held me closer, his cheek almost touching mine and I heard him swallow his anxieties down. “I couldn't go on without you. But this is something I must do. Trust me, Mikael, I'll never let you out of my sight again.”

I almost wanted to feel his lips on mine again but he unwrapped his arm from around my collar and stepped back. It was like I was getting the cold shoulder. Almost like it was more important for him to figure this out than to be with me.

But I was bound by him, not just with these eternal chains but almost by a magnetic energy wrapped around our own souls. Such as when you find your true partner. It's not the physical object that specifies your bond, but the secure attachment you feel in your core.

That same energy that makes you want to cry out during a stressful time such as I, now, wanted to cry out to him. To grab him by the arm, beg him not to go. Would I shed a tear?

“It will pass,” I heard him say and I snapped my head back to look at him.

“What do you mean?”

“Twenty years... you suffered denial for twenty years. It's only natural you still experience some uneasiness. Give it time, it will pass.”

How did he know? Did it show in my eyes by the way I stared to the ground? Or in the way I stood, searching out his hand, and when it disappeared from my reach, my body slumped immediately?

I wanted it to pass, this misery... this vulnerability. I just wanted to feel alive.

“You will help me recover?” I sighed.

Just then I felt his hand receive mine. He pulled me close to him, our lips coming together in haste for a brief moment before pulling away once more.

A cold drop of rain fell to my hair, soaking through. It was relieving though freezing. It was winter here in Northern after all. I could almost imagine a storm was brewing overhead.

“I'll never let you go,” he whispered as he pulled away from me, still clutching on to my shivering hand.

He pulled at me, my legs unbuckling and following him. I was still hesitant to go. I didn't know where we were going nor how he was to go about finding his answer. 

The rain began falling harder now as we picked up pace. I gripped his hand tight as we dashed past building after building.

Running out of the downtown area down the highway, we finally found shelter under an awning hanging over a closed mini market.

Lucious left my side as he stepped to peek out from under our shelter. “Damn!” He cursed as he looked out to the downpour. “We'll have to wait until the rain has stopped.”

I wiped the mist from my arms and noticed the cold air causing the rain to freeze as it hit the sidewalk in front of us. It was a slippery mess. If we took to the skies now and traveled to Central, we would be fighting the ice the entire way.

I hadn't a word to speak. I only stood and watched him as he peered out from the shade of the awning. I examined his silver white hair as it flowed down the mid of his back. The shower had soaked through the strands creating a sapphire blue tint that became more visible in the light of the city lamps.

He was always beautiful in my eyes, wealthy in his appeal, and I could quite understand why Serena or Chris would want such creature to walk beside them.

As I stood appraising his figure, I suddenly felt a cold hand fold over my mouth. Another hand came from behind me, spiraling around my chest and soon I was pulled from the safety of the awning out into the rain.

I kicked as I was yanked to an alleyway just around the corner. I screamed for a brief second until I was turned around and made to look at my capturer.

“Shh,” he said placing his forefinger to his lips.

It was Sebastian who stood face to face with me now. His eyes showing concern as he looked to each side of us.

“What are you doing?” I spouted, raising my voice in hopes that Lucious could hear me.

Sebastian covered my mouth quickly and told me to hush again.

“She's here,” he warned and pointed back to the street where I once stood. “Serena!”

I stepped back from him and turned to glance at the street. Serena stood, her back visible to me as she walked to approach Lucious who still sought shelter under the awning. I heard her voice echo off the building walls. Misery rippled through me as I realized she would surely capture him and force him back with her.

I looked back at Sebastian, a glimmer of distress sparkling through his red vampyre eyes.

“He's a wanted man, Mikael,” he whispered to me. “You should leave him to his sorrows.”

I couldn't believe what he was saying to me. I would never leave Lucious to battle his despair alone. Instead of speaking my thoughts, I listened closely to the discussion between Serena and Lucious that was happening just feet away from me.

“I knew Sebastian was lying through his damn teeth,” Serena chuckled as she approached Lucious. “You were here all along.”

“Where's Mikael?” Lucious asked in surprise to my disappearance.

“I'm sure Sebastian has him cornered.” She continued to giggle under her breath “Unless he left you to suffer alone. That sure would be interesting, wouldn't it?”

“He would never leave me.”

“Are you so sure of yourself that he would stay by your side knowing that you're bound to me?” Serena wondered. “If you want him so badly, I could keep you both in my possession. In any case, for my slave to have one of his own... I cannot allow that!”

There was silence for a brief time. I closed my eyes and tried to picture them. I didn't hear rustling, I imagined that Serena hadn't tried to grab him just yet. Maybe they stood there in a face off to each other.

I felt his presence like a radar. His discomfort radiating through my own limbs. This must have been the power of our connection. It was the same intense feeling as when he was caught by Chris right in front of my eyes.

Only this time, I couldn't see him no matter how hard I tried to concentrate nor could I read his thoughts. If only our bond could empower me with these capabilities.