CHAPTER 2

I couldn't remember where I was or how I got here. All I know was that I ran all night and ended up in an abandoned building. Something snapped behind me. I touched my daggers handle. I sensed vampires. A lot of them, in fact. This was going to be tricky. I was still in my beast form. I pounced at the person standing quietly behind me. Thought I hadn't heard you didn't you pretty boy. I growled as I pinned him to the ground. Now that his face was just inches away from my jaws 'pretty' was an understatement. The guy was in his twenties. He had a marvelous shade of auburn hair and his eyes were ice blue, a little on the silver and white side. I would say it was magnificent if the calm and cold glare he was giving me wasn't creeping the shit out of me. Even so, those strong jaws and perfect cheekbones made him look very handsome. Too handsome,perhaps.Did that thought just cross my mind? Oh shit, somebody kill me, please!

"Calm down kitty, I could bring those twelve vampires on your throat in one go." He calmly said with his melodious voice.

A navigator, just my luck. As if this couldn't get any worse.

"I won't kill you." He said. I cautiously slid of him. He sat up and dusted his cloak. He was wearing jeans and a black shirt that fit him like second skin.

"Come with me. I offer you protection from the 'People'. Believe me when I say that I'm your only chance for survival."

There was sincerity in his voice that made me trust him. I eyed him suspiciously as he walked on. How the hell does the guy trust me enough to turn his back on me while I can pounce at him and tear his neck off? Oh, right. He had twelve vamps to tear me to shreds if I do anything stupid. But then again, I could tear his head off first before he tries anything.

"Are you coming or not? I can't wait for you forever you know. There's catnip and milk in my mansion if you come with me, kitty." He said with a laugh. Who the hell did he think he was? Doesn't he know better than to irritate the shit out of the pack princess? Oh, right. He didn't know that either. I growled and followed him.

It took us approximately one and a half hours to reach his so called mansion. It was more like a palace than a mansion. There were vampire guards everywhere. How many did he pilot anyway? No matter, he wasn't a normal navigator at all. Navigators could pilot a vampire at a time. Some could pilot up to three. Special one's like Roland, Erra, and my mom could pilot many. My mother, for one, could pilot at least fifty at a time, given that those vamps that she pilots would do nothing but stay still or ram their heads to the wall. And yet, this man was piloting about a hundred or so, and they weren't standing still. Some were guarding the mansion, some were trimming the yard, others were doing various of things, in fact, twelve of them were zeroing on me if I ever do anything fishy. Who the hell was this guy? Some kind of a god or something?

"You look confused." He said with an amused smile.

I growled. Damn right I am.

"Come, follow me, little kitty." This guy is sounding more and more like Saiman. If he goes and changes his face into Adonis I'm gonna go and slit my wrist. I followed him into the front doors, which were very extravagant by the way, complete with intricate hand carved designs on the door frame. He went straight to the winding stairs that led through a series of corridors. It looked like a labyrinth. I quietly followed behind him. We reached what was called the 'East Wing' as the sign above the arc says and turned left to a huge double door room. It was obviously filled with magical wards. You could almost hear the crackling sound from it. He opened the door and went in. I stayed behind. I wouldn't want those wards to fry me.

"The wards would let you through." He said. Okay, mind reader much?

I went into the room and as soon as I stepped in the doors slammed closed and I shifted. Dammit!The wards made me shift. I should've known. Exhaustion took over me as I fell face first into the thick carpeted floor. I felt strong hands carry me and set me in a soft place. It was probably the huge bed that I saw. I felt someone tuck me in the covers and I fell asleep.

Something was warm beside me, something warm and comfortable. I snuggled against it, looking for more warmth.

"So this is what our little kitty looks like." I snapped my eyes open and saw the not-so-normal navigator lying beside me. Oh shit.I quickly sat up and realized that I wasn't wearing anything. Double shit. I pulled the covers quickly. Thank the universe for my long hair. I stared at him with a stare that every other shifter in the keep would've run from. Oh, he didn't run. He didn't even flinch. He simply gave me an amused smile. Dammit,so much for threats.

"Why don't we start off with introductions?"

"Why don't you give me my daggers and some clothing?"

"Why don't you stop acting like a predator when you're obviously the prey and start trusting me?"

"And so the spider tells the fly."

"You would be already dead if I wanted to kill you."

"So tell me why you didn't let your pets drink me dry while I slept like a baby in your bed."

"Because you're not my enemy and I want Roland dead." He said with an air of authority that stopped my witty comebacks.

"Why would someone like you want to kill their so called king?" I asked him with a glare.

"Because he isn't my king and I don't answer to anyone."

"A navigator obeys Roland."

"Oh yeah, like hell they do. Which bring us to, I don't know, why the hell do you think I'm a navigator?"

"Does piloting a herd of undead ring a bell?"

"Does that automatically rank me as a navigator?"

"What else could you be?"

He stared at me for a long while. Ran out of words didn't we Mr.all so powerful and annoying navigator.

"What's your name?" He asked. Whoa, slow down with topic changing. Should I tell him? Oh, what do I have to lose? I needed someone as strong as he was to defeat Roland. If he was telling the truth about wanting to kill Roland, then I hit jackpot. If he was lying, well I wouldn't think of that. I was using all my luck and betting my everything at the moment.

"Ceraphina Celeste." He nodded and sighed.

"Cepheus Clyde Cleo." He gave me his name, which gave me the power over his name. Why did he trust me so much? There must be a catch in there somewhere.

"What are you?" I asked cautiously. He might say that he was a three headed monster for all I care.

"Ever heard of King Cepheus in Greek mythologies?"

"Last time I checked, he was the father of Hector and Paris. What does that have to do with anything?"

"A lot."

"Care to elaborate?"

"In time."

"I mean now."

"Not now." He said and tossed a tunic dress at me that reached mid-thigh.

"What is this?"

"Clothes. Or would you rather walk around stark naked in my mansion?"

I groaned.

He rolled his eyes and said. "The bathrooms through those doors, take a bath. I'll be waiting here. Then we shall have our supper at the dining hall."

"Gonna poison me so soon. King weirdo?"

"Not if you look lovely enough."

"I rather eat a plate of poison."

"Touché."

I walked towards the bathroom and slammed the door hard. What have I gotten myself into?