LPOV

I was in the middle of dealing with one of the Strigoi as Valentin worked on the other two. He must have looked like the bigger threat, like usual. But I wasn't going to think about it, I couldn't afford to be distracted.

The Strigoi I was currently fighting was a guy, a teenager by the looks of it. Around my height, with shaggy brown hair and a long nose. Other than that I hadn't paid much attention to his appearance, as we'd jumped into action pretty fast.

"I'm gonna rip into your veins and drain you, Dhamp tramp." he snarled.

Dhamp tramp? How the hell am I a tramp? I don't know why, but that comment seemed to piss me off. My anger bubbled inside me, a heat growing unintentionally...

Grinning knowingly I continued to dodge the Strigoi's attacks, and land a few blows myself that didn't have much impact on him. All the while, I gathered the heat within me, moving it through my body, through my veins, until I felt my hand warm and buzz with energy.

I got on the ground, rolling to the side before jumping back to my feet, now a couple steps away from the Strigoi. As he took those couple steps towards me, I used that short time to push that little more...

Before the Strigoi knew what was happening I pushed my hand forward as flames covered my whole hand. My palm pressed against his chest, pushing him back, but that's all I needed. That little touch was enough. The flames jumped from my hand, grabbing on to the Strigoi as he staggered back. And just like that, a fire spread over him until he was screaming in pain as the flames engulfed him.

Not wasting anytime, I moved to Valentin as he and the other two Strigoi continued to fight, seeming to have not noticed the screaming Strigoi on fire...

Kicking out my foot landed on the back of one of the Strigoi, causing it to stagger a step or two before it spun around to snarl at me.

"Bitch!" it hissed. Suddenly it reached out a grabbed me, throwing me against the wall like had been done earlier.

This one was fast and stronger than the other two Strigoi I had fought earlier. But I wouldn't let that deter me from what had to be done.

By the time I was on my feet, this stronger Strigoi- another male on this one was not a teenager- was already standing by me, reaching to grab me again.

I didn't have much time to react, I quickly elbowed him in the face before kicking him in the shin which had him step back far enough for me to kick him again only this time in the chest. Moving fast I kicked yet again, in the face this time, and he was down.

But as I stepped forward, pulling my stake out at the same time, he recovered, getting to his feet and grabbing my arm before I could stake him. He twisted it, my hand opening reflexively as I hissed in pain before he had me pressed against his chest. He moved fast, going to bite me right there and then.

Eyes going wide with worry as I realised I couldn't get my arm out of his grasp.

His teeth pierced my skin, slicing through to my vein. I could feel him draw my blood from my body, his grasp on me tightening as he groaned with pleasure, pushing me against him harder. My eyes fluttered closed as the endorphins kicked in, my body going limp in the Strigoi's arms.

His teeth slid out of my neck as he inhaled the smell of my blood. "What are yo-" he was cut off, gasping in surprise and pain before letting go of my arm and dropping to the ground.

Feeling light headed I stumbled, but before I fell to the ground, a pair of strong arms grabbed me, gently placing me on the ground. Valentin quickly moved to kneel in front of me as he examined my neck.

His eyes were full of worry. "Tia." he sighed, his fingers brushing against my collarbone just below the bite.

He was so beautiful, the resemblance to Dimitri very apparent. But there were parts of him that differed from his uncle. Like his eyes. I never realised that they were actually darker than Dimitri's, by a shade or two. And he had a more slender face, longer with more distinguished cheekbones.

I didn't realise what I was doing until it was too late.

My lips pressed against his, sweet and soft...

There was a moment of pause where my mind seemed to race so fast no time passed. Suddenly all thoughts rushed forward, everything I had been avoiding and pushing back.

I was leaving again, in a matter of days. What was I doing? I couldn't kiss someone before leaving them... I shouldn't be kissing him anyway, Dylan and I only just broke up. And what about Sebastian? He's the one I really love. But would I even see him again? If I keep running probably not. And I'm going to keep running there's no mistake there.

Or was it a mistake? Would it have really been so bad to go back to Court? I'm sure Ivy and Dylan could have visited, and Andre and I would just go back to how it had been. I would have seen Sebastian too seeing as he's royal. But what about my magic? I'm sure I wouldn't have been allowed to use it. And Victor? Could he even get past the Court wards?

It wasn't until I felt Valentin kissing me back when my mind finally stopped, my head become a blank empty abyss as his lips pressed against mine.

It wasn't like it had been when I kissed Dylan. With him it had been about the excitement of something new, which had eventually became boring and routine. But now? With Valentin? I felt a sweetness flower inside me, like a light, floating energy filling me.

He was delicate, kissing lightly and gently as if he was scared he'd break or scare me.

I leaned forward, deepening the kiss enough so he knew not to treat me like a fragile doll. That's all he needed before the light floating energy seemed to burst from my core, sending vibrations through my body as my skin tingled contently.

He pulled back, looking deep in my eyes as we sat in silence for a moment longer, his lips slightly swollen and red from the kiss.

But reality came crashing back as he looked down at my bleeding neck. "We need to get you back." he stood before helping me to my feet, an arm wrapped around my waist as we walked back towards the hotel, keeping to the back roads to make sure no one sure my bleeding neck.

The kiss had left my stomach filled with butterflies, which covered the light nausea I would have felt if my mind had been focused instead of foggy from Valentin and the blood loss.

SPOV

I sat in the library waiting for Ivy. Tonight was the last time we'd have to work on her bond before I headed off to Vegas with Dimitri and Abe. I wasn't sure how I should tell her, whether explain the truth or give a lie.

If I told her we were going to go see if Lily was infact in Vegas, it might get her hopes up. And if we come back empty handed it'll crush her even more than she already has been. But if I lie, what would I say? And if we do come back wih Lily how would I explain that?

"Hi." Ivy yawned, taking a seat across from me.

Frowning I looked her up and down seeing how tired and disheveled she looked. "What's wrong?"

She shrugged, putting her elbow on the desk and resting her head on her hand. "Andre has been sleeping well and it's taking a toll on me." she sighed closing her eyes. "He's up most of the day."

"Is he ill? Is something wrong?"

She opened her eyes, looking straight at me. "Yeah, Lily's gone. That's what's wrong."

Of course. Sometimes I forgot I wasn't the only person who struggled with her absence... Looking at Ivy now, seeing how Lily's disappearance was affecting her and Lily's other friends, I knew then that I had to tell her the truth even if things didn't work out in Vegas.

"I'm leaving tomorrow. I'll be going to Las Vegas with a group in hope of finding Lily and Dylan." I explained. "We believe they're hiding there with the help of one of Dylan's relatives."

Her eyes widened as she sat up. "Really? You think you'll find her?"

I shrugged, speaking the complete truth. "I have no idea what we'll find." reaching for one of the books, ready to get to work, I sighed. "So, last time we were reading about shadow kissed Anna..."

LPOV

Much to my protest, Valentin took me to the infirmary where he had the nurses work on me immediately as he called Terrance and the security office to inform them of my injury and how I got it. Before long I had both Terrance and Valentin in the room with me as I lay on the bed, the nurses once again having trouble giving me blood...

Terrance to charge immediately, shooing the nurses out before looking at Valentin and then turning to me. "Yes or no?" he gestured to Valentin.

I pondered the idea of having Valentin stay. I mean, he already knew I could do magic, and not even Terrance knew that. Plus we had kissed... maybe he should know what goes in my mouth before he kisses me again...

"He can stay." I gave a short nod.

Without asking anymore questions, Terrance left to go get what I really needed...

"What's going on?" Valentin asked, standing by my bed looking worried and slightly panicked.

I shrugged, giving him a reassuring smile. "Trust me. Can you do that?"

"Of course." he grabbed my hand, looking at me as if it was stupid of me to even ask.

Terrance walked back in, a mug of perfectly warm blood in hand. Moving to the other side of my bed he gave Valentin one last unsure glance before passing me the mug.

"What are you doing?" Valentin asked just as I pressed the mug to my lips, the smell of the blood filling my lungs as my body yearned for me to drink.

Moving the mug away so I could talk I nodded up at him. "Trust me." I said before turning back to the mug, drinking the blood. At first taking sips before I felt myself loose control before I greedily skuled the liquid back.

Licking my lips I handed the mug back to Terrance, my skin vibrating. The pain in my neck lessened immensely as I started to heal right there and then. All the while I avoided Valentin's gaze...

"Oh, my God." he gasped. I could feel him stare intently at my neck, watching as it slowly and gradually healed in front of him.

Taking a deep breath I turned to Terrance. "Could you excuse us please?"

He looked to Valentin for a moment, before finally nodding. "I'll be right outside." he patted my arms comfortingly before walking out.

I could still feel him staring, and I was sure he was freaked out beyond hope by now. But I couldn't lie to him anymore. I knew telling him the truth, telling him everything, was risky... but I had kissed him, and as much as I tried to deny it I actually had feelings for him...

So, with a heavy sigh, I lifted my hands to the back of my neck, unclasping one of the two necklaces around my neck. And just like that, my features would shimmer and change in front of him until he'd finally see what I really look like.

BaMbY