When Cole woke she knew instantly she was not alone. Her eyes snapped open and she looked to her right to find the strange guy she had knocked out earlier. He was reclined in a chair next to her bed. A quick glance around the room revealed she had no clue where she was other than a nice house. She reached out for her sisters, but there was no response. Panic started choking her until the man laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Deep slow breaths, your family is fine. Sarah and Maria are sleep in the room next door and your brother probably just fell asleep on the couch in the living room."

Cole glared at him. "Where are we?"

He smiled when her eyes widened at the sound of her own natural voice. He reached over to a small bedside table and picked up the voice modulator that had been jammed up against the roof of her mouth. Her youngest sister had taken it out early.

"My home, it was actually just finished a few months ago." He stared at her face as she studied the room. The floor was dark hard woods, the walls were painted in natural earthy tones, and the furniture was tasteful and reminded her of the furniture her father made. She wanted to find something to hate about the room, but she couldn't. Joseph chuckled, "What do you think?"

Cole looked him in the eyes and instantly regretted it. There was warmth in his eyes along with amusement that gave him a boyish look that melted her heart. Joseph glanced around the room.

"It's strange, normally I like very modern type things, but when I bought this place it was like my tastes swung in a whole new direction, and I hafta say, I love it."

Cole caught sight of a painting hanging beside her bed and snorted. It looked like it had been a painting an Italian palazzo. Sprawling gardens, huge stone work, and gargoyles completed the affect. Then someone had splashed red paint over the painting.

"You didn't pay money for it did you?" She asked nodding at the painting.

Joseph laughed. "I paid for the paint and canvas."

Cole knew her shock showed through. She gaped like a fish for a long time before she could find her voice. "You defiled that painting?"

Josef snorted. "I painted the Scarletti palazzo, but I wanted to add a flare to it." He grinned mischievously at her horrified look. Cole swiftly grabbed the pillow from behind her and started beating the grinning boy in front of her.

"What is wrong with you?" She demanded as the pillow collided with his face for the third or fourth time. He just sat there laughing at her, which only increased her temper. "You destroyed a beautiful painting!" She smacked the pillow across his chest "To give it a flare?"

He swiped the pillow from her grasp and sat on before answering.

"Yes, I see nothing wrong with artistic genius. Besides, I have a slight obsession with blood." He waved his hand and a stone goblet appeared filled with a crimson liquid.

Cole snorted she could smell the food coloring he had used to dyethe water red. She smirked,then flicked two fingers when Joseph went to drink. The pillow bucked up underneath him causing him to spill the red water all down his nice white shirt. Joseph jumped up and narrowed his eyes at Cole.

"That wasn't very nice."

Cole chuckled darkly. "I'm not a nice person."

Joseph seemed to think about this comment for a moment before replying, "Sarah disagrees."

Cole felt all her senses still at the mention of Sarah's name. Her instincts rose and she bared her teeth at Joseph.

"Leave my sister alone."

Joseph held his hands up in age old gesture of submission and surrender.

"I will not hurt your family. Nor will I allow any more harm to come to them or you as long as I live."

Cole noticed he glanced down at where her scar was when he said this. So he knew. She suddenly wanted to wrap the blankets around her and hide under them. Joseph stood up and went to go to the door.

"Do you want me to wake up your sisters?"

Cole shook her head no. They needed their rest. She could be strong for them, just like she always was.

Joseph seemed to read her thoughts, "You can rely on others you know."

Cole looked him in eyes and looked for something, but she wasn't certain what. After long moments of silence Joseph nodded his head at the door. "Come on, you need to eat. Your brother said you probably haven't eaten in two days."

Suddenly her stomach grumbled, but the thought of eating anything made her feel sick to her stomach.

"I think I'll pass on food."

"No, you see, there is no choice in you eating something. Your choice is either you walk on your own two feet to the kitchen and eat, or I carry you out and hold you while your brother force feeds you."

Cole narrowed her eyes at him. "What makes you think you can make me?"

"The fact that you're still recovering and therefore weakened enough that I can make you. Plus your whole family will back my side if I ask, in this case. You gave them a good scare that I don't think they want to repeat ever again."

Cole growled him but then sighed in defeat, she knew he was right about her family.

"Fine, but if I puke,know it's ending up on you."

Joseph laughed and bowed his head.

"As the lady wishes."

Cole threw back the sheets and almost yelped in surprise. "What am I wearing?"

Joseph's gaze skimmed down her body making her skin tingle. He took in the black silk boxer and lose cotton t-shirt.

"A t-shirt and boxers, if I'm not mistaken."

Cole glared at him. The amusement was lighting up his eyes again making her heart do odd things. He knew exactly what.

"They aren't mine." She hissed.

He smiled at her as if what she said was the most obvious thing in the world. "Nope, they're mine."

Outrage, shock, horror, all crossed her face and yet she couldn't find the words to express how wrong this was. She should not be wearing another person's underwear, that was just wrong. A little voice in the back of her mind whispered, that it was intimate. Cole batted that thought away and suppressed it ruthlessly. Then another very important question popped into her mind. Who had dressed her? Fear started clawing at her mind. She could not have a man, especially a Carpathian man touch her like that. Not when she had been vulnerable and helpless. Joseph had eased into her mind and could see the road she was heading down. If she didn't calm down she would have a panic attack. So he showed her. Long sweat pants suddenly covered her legs. Cole actually did yelp this time and she started shaking.

"I did not undress you Cole. You need to take a deep breath and steady your heart beat. This isn't healthy for you to work yourself into a panic attack."

Cole swallowed hard and took a deep breath, then another, then again. Finally she seemed to have regained a normal heart beat.

"Don't ever do that again without warning me first."