Abbey's POV

I open my eyes to bright sunlight streaming in through the window. I had fallen asleep again in Benny's arms. However, the bed was empty. He must've gone to work.

I steal a glance at the clock and it's nearly 10.

"Crap!" I jump out of bed. I was supposed to meet Sarah at 10:30 at Lotta Latté.

I rush into the bathroom and turn on the shower, waiting for the water to get warm.

When the water is finally suitable, I quickly get in and immediately start shampooing and conditioning. I had to get in and get out because I knew I was already going to be late.

The hot water felt good on my aching muscles. It was as if the water was unwinding the knots.

I finish rinsing and shut off the water, wrapping myself in a towel.

I walk into my room and go straight to the closet, opening the door and then trying to decide what I would wear.

Abbey's POV

About fifteen minutes later, I was walking hurriedly down the sidewalk of downtown Whitechapel, trying to get to Lotta Latté.

The wind was freezing, and it fought against my coat, looking for an opening to no avail. I tighten my coat around me and continue on, ducking my head, trying to fight the furious wind.

Not paying attention to what was in front of me, I accidentally bumped into someone on the street.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," I apologize. "I wasn't looking where I was going…" I trail off when I realize who it was I bumped into.

"Hello again, Abbey," Kai says, smirking.

He was the last person I wanted to see right now.

I ignore him and try to keep on walking, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him.

"Let me go!" I almost yell.

"I know you don't want to see me," he says. "But there is a reason I'm in Whitechapel."

"Really?" I ask, getting pissed. "What reason is that? Pissing me off?"

"No," Kai says seriously. "I know what you're going through."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I shake my head, playing dumb.

There was no way that he could know. The only person who knew was Ethan and I'd made him swear that he wouldn't tell anyone.

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't."

I try to pull away, but he still had my arm.

"I know about the Black Magic," Kai whispers. "I know what it's doing to you."

I was taken aback for a few seconds, but I still wasn't letting my guard down.

"You don't know anything about me," I was getting even more pissed. "At least not anymore."

"Abbey," his voice pleading now. "I can help you."

"You wanna help me?" I ask. "Then leave me alone."

His grip tightens on my arm.

"Always so stubborn," Kai laughs.

I wished that I was still a vampire. I could've broken his hand that he was holding my arm with.

"Let. Me. Go," I say distinctively.

"Not until you let me help you," he answers.

"Even if you did know what I was going through, you still couldn't help me. There's no way I would let you."

He looks into my eyes, pleadingly.

"Please," his voice took on a weird tone. "Let me help."

"No," I reply.

He was getting frustrated at something, but I wasn't sure what.

He looks around quickly and pulls me into one of the many deserted alleys.

"I'm meeting someone and I'm already late," I tell him. "So, if you plan on kidnapping me, I'll most likely be found."

"Shut up," Kai orders.

"Excuse me?" I ask, slightly offended.

"Be quiet so I can think, please," he rephrases.

"About what?" I ask. "How you'll be able to kidnap me without anyone being the wiser?"

"I'm not going to kidnap you, Abbey," Kai was getting annoyed. "I'm trying to figure out how I can make you believe me."

"Well," I answer. "Not dragging me into an alleyway would help."

"Abbey, I'm a warlock," he says seriously. "And I know you're a witch."

I just stare at him, shocked at what I was hearing.

"I know what you're going through because I went through the same thing," Kai explains. "There's a way to fight the Black Magic without it hurting you."

"What if I did believe you?" I ask, morbidly curious. "I've known you practically my whole life and why am I just now finding out about you being a warlock?"

"I moved away before my powers developed," he replies. "There's a simple spell that can get rid of the fighting all together."

Usually, when someone was lying, I could feel it, but my gut told me he was telling the truth. However, I was still wary about letting my guard down.

"We'll talk about this later," I sigh, turning to go, not wanting to deal with this anymore. "I have to get to Latta Latté before my friend starts wondering where I am."

"At least let me walk you," Kai says.

I turn around to look back at him.

"You've done quite enough already, Kai," I say with venom in my voice, and walk out of the alley without a backwards glance towards him.

Abbey's POV

"I'm sorry I'm so late," I apologize to Sarah as soon as I sit down. "I had some trouble getting here."

"It's fine," she assures me. "I just got here myself."

I give her a puzzled look.

"I had another meeting with the Vampire Council," she explains.

"Why do they keep bothering you?" I ask.

"Well, Jesse's been reinstated on the council…" Sarah trails off.

"And he keeps accusing you of things that you didn't do just to get back at you for breaking up with him," I finish.

"At least that's what it feels like," she sighs. "You're lucky. You don't have to worry about them anymore."

"Yeah," I agree. "Because I'm sure Jesse would do the same thing to me, and I already have my own problems to worry about."

"What's wrong?" she asks.

"Yesterday after me and Benny left your house, we went to the store to pick up a few things," I explain. "I ran into an old friend, Kai, who I hadn't seen since I was fourteen."

"That's great," she interjects, smiling.

"I guess," I answer. "But there's more."

"Okay," Sarah says. "Go on."

"I invited him over for dinner last night," I continue. "Everything seemed to be going great, we were talking about the past and stuff like that. Then, he blurts out, without warning, that we were each other's first kiss."

"Oh my gosh," she covers her mouth with her hand. "What a jerk!"

"I know," I sigh. "It pissed Benny off."

"Yeah," she agrees. "I'd get pissed too if Ethan's first kiss did that."

"You just don't blurt that out when someone you're telling it to is already jealous."

"Although, Ethan's first kiss was his cousin…" Sarah trails off. "So I guess that wouldn't technically count…"

"Sarah," I say. "You were Ethan's first real kiss."

"Yeah, but I was under some love spell, so it didn't really count."

"Whatever you say…"

She rolls her eyes at me.

"But the weird thing is," I say, getting back to the story. "Is that before he left, he said, 'time changes us all, Abbey.'"

"What does that even mean?" Sarah asks.

"I have no idea," I answer. "I mean, we all do change." I looked over at her and she gave me a look. "Okay, well, humans change over time, we grow. But I have a feeling that he meant something more sinister than that."

"Is he a weirdo?" she asks.

"No," I reply. "But he has changed so much since the last time I saw him, and I didn't like it. He was cold and cruel."

"I'm sorry, Abbey."

"Thanks," I sigh. "I've been waiting to get that off of my chest."

She smiles.

"Do you want me and Erica to go rough him up for you?" Sarah asks, slightly teasing.

"Maybe," I smile. "He could use a good vampire beating."

We both start busting out laughing at that.

"What's so funny?" a voice asks.

I look up and see Benny, and automatically smile.

"Sarah offered to go beat up Kai for me," I answer.

"I'm up for that," he smiles.

I move over in the booth to make room for Benny.

He slides in beside me and puts his arm around my waist.

"Aren't you supposed to be at work?" I ask.

"I'm on a coffee run," he explains.

"Oh," I nod my head. "In that case, will you go buy me a caramel macchiato?"

"I can't believe you still drink coffee after I told you that story," Benny says.

"The one about the coffee turning people into zombies?" I ask, skeptic.

"This is Whitechapel," Sarah agrees. "It could happen again."

"Honestly, I don't care," I reply, looking over at Benny. "Now go get me some coffee."

"Bossy, bossy," Benny mutters, but gets up anyway.

"You knew that before you married me," I tease.

"Yeah," he agrees, "But that was with blood before."

"True," I answer. "But you still love me anyway, right?"

"I'll always love you," he replies, and leans down to kiss me.

Do you think Abbey will let Kai help her?

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