Chapter Notes: I've never been to Thailand, so I apologize if I've seriously messed up the geography.

Also, if you want to know what Kiri's Watcher looks and sounds like, just imagine him as Sir Patrick (David Thewlis) from Wonder Woman.

You're gonna make it,

and the night can only last for so long…

~ The Sun is Rising by Britt Nicole

"Does Edmund have any other vampires I need to worry about?"

The little Slayer is one step behind, walking at a slightly faster pace to keep up with me. I don't understand why the Powers That Be don't make Slayers bigger. Their size doesn't put them at a good advantage against bigger demons, like Fyrals, even with their strength in consideration.

"Just Grayson. The one in the coat," I tell her. "But he's not much of a fighter, so you can handle him fine. Leave Edmund to me."

I sense her pause for a brief moment, before she keeps walking. "You know, I've been the Slayer for two years now. I've been trained to handle any demon I meet in battle."

"Is that why Axel threw you around like a rag doll?" I can't help but ask.

"I was about to get up again. Just because I get knocked down, that doesn't make me a bad fighter."

This conversation is going to either take us nowhere, or in a direction I don't want it to. I saw her fighting before I made my entrance; she's a good little Slayer, even if her form could use some work. And Axel was a powerful vampire. Getting knocked down by him isn't something to feel embarrassed about.

Unless you're me, of course.

Still, I don't want her to know what I think of her. I need to keep my distance.

But I can't walk in silence. "You speak good Thai." I'd been surprised when she'd spoken in my own language upon approaching me.

"I can speak ten languages," she says. "The others are English, Maori, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Russian. My Watcher taught them to me, since I was little. He used to say that if I ever became the Slayer, there would sometimes be a need to travel to different places, and speaking different languages would be useful. How many can you speak?"

"Many. I lost count," I reply. "All of the ones you can, and then some."

"Can you speak any demon languages?"

I turn and see a wide, excited smile on her face. And I didn't know smiling was contagious, because I almost smile in response before I manage to stop myself. "Yes. The more common ones."

Her smile widens, if that's even possible with how big it was before. "Can you teach me? I always wanted to learn one, but my Watcher said there wasn't a need. Why would I need to know what a demon was saying as I killed it? His words, not mine."

"But there are plenty of peaceful demons you can talk to, all with languages of their own," I say with a frown.

The little Slayer looks resigned. Almost defeated. That's a look a Slayer should never have. "I've found that the Council's teachings are…pretty flawed. And as much as I love my Watcher, he's a pretty firm believer in those teachings. 'All demons are evil, they can't be redeemed, kill them without question, blah-blah-blah'. When I patrol, I prefer to make my own judgements. My Watcher doesn't know about all the demons I've let go, not even the ones he's ordered me to kill specifically."

If that's the attitude of the Watchers Council, then it makes sense why this little Slayer hasn't heard of me. There's no room for me in their 'all demons are bad' mentality, so they wouldn't go around teaching their Slayers about a vampire who kills his own kind. At least my little Slayer knows better than that, and why am I calling her mine? She doesn't belong to anyone, least of all me.

"Why don't you talk to him about it?" I ask. If this Watcher cares about his Slayer as much as she cares about him, then maybe he could push his teachings aside and listen to her? She's far more experienced in the field than he is, if he's anything like the other Watchers I've encountered; always standing back and letting their Slayers do all the work.

She sighs. "I want to. One day. I just don't think he'll listen unless he sees the proof with his own eyes." Her eyes suddenly light up. "Maybe if he sees you fighting alongside me, helping me rescue him, then he'll finally understand."

I shrug. Seems plausible. "And I'm not helping you rescue him. You're helping me kill vampires. Rescuing your Watcher is just a bonus."

The little Slayer rolls her eyes, but she's smiling.

I hear a small rumbling sound, and I turn in a full circle with my staff at the ready. I've never heard a demon like that before.

"Sorry. Just my stomach," says the little Slayer. "I'm hungry. I haven't eaten since before I went to sleep."

I relax and try to cover my actions. "I know that was your stomach. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't anything trying to follow us. They're demons out here, and tigers, and all sorts of nasty creatures that could take a bite out of you. Not out of me, though. Of course."

I don't like the look on her face. She can see right through me. How does she do that?

"Is there anything around here I can eat?" she asks.

"There're some mangosteen trees in the area," I reply. I sweep my gaze to survey our surroundings; we're standing on the edge of another clearing. "We should stop and rest. Gather our strength. We'll need it to fight Edmund and his vampires. Go pick yourself some dinner, and I'll set up camp."

She doesn't argue, and wanders off to find a mangosteen tree. I wait until she's out of sight, before I shift into my demon face. I need to go and find my own dinner, and for reasons I can't explain (and don't want to think about), I don't want her to see me hunt it.

The deer are easy enough to track. I've been sensing them in the undergrowth as we've been walking, hiding from us, but not threatened enough to let out their signature barking sound. These creatures are used to being hunted by tigers and humans, but not vampires. I kill one with no effort.

I'm in the middle of draining its blood when I hear footsteps approach. I quickly jump away from the carcass, shift into my human face and wipe the blood away from my mouth. Again, I don't understand why I'm acting this way; she knows I'm a vampire, she knows I need to drink blood to survive. But I don't want her to see me doing it.

There's no time for me to hide the carcass. The little Slayer walks into the clearing; she's removed her scarf and is using it to carry the fruit she's picked. Her gaze is drawn to the dead animal on the ground before returning to me. I expect to see judgement in her eyes; I expect to see horror, disgust, anything that shows me she's not happy with my actions.

But instead I see…understanding. Like she's finally figured something out. "I hope that's not an endangered species."

"It's a muntjac; a barking deer," I explain, and for some reason I feel relieved. I don't like these new emotions. They feel funny. "They're all over the place. Very common. The people here hunt them, too."

"Well, don't let me stop you from enjoying your dinner." She sets herself down on a fallen tree and tucks into her own meal.

I wonder if she'll still be calm if I shift into my demon face. So I do, and I wait for her reaction. It doesn't come; she continues to eat her mangosteens like nothing's happened, like a creature she's supposed to kill isn't standing five feet away from her.

Maybe she really doesn't care.

I finally let myself relax and return to my kill.

The sun on my face wakes me up, and something tells me I should be worried about that, but I don't know why. I'm not a vampire; the sun won't kill me.

Vampire…

The events of the night before come rushing back to me, and I remember that my new travelling companion is a vampire. And unless he found cover under the trees…

I quickly sit upright. Even the densest of trees have little holes of sunlight breaking through their leaves and branches, unless he managed to hide in a large tree trunk's shadow. And Kamon said he'd take first watch last night. Why didn't he wake me up at sunrise?

"Sleep well, little Slayer?"

I turn and there he is, sat cross-legged by what remains of our fire with his staff resting in his lap…and in direct sunlight.

"How…? You… What the hell?" I don't mean for my question to come out quite so blunt, but I think I can be forgiven. There's a vampire sitting in direct sunlight, not even the slightest bit bothered by it. He's not bursting into flames, not even sizzling.

At first, he frowns in confusion. Then his eyebrows go up when he realizes why I'm reacting in shock. "Oh, yes. The sunlight thing. I meant to tell you sooner." He taps the golden band on his head. "This protects me. So long as I'm wearing this – not that I can take it off anyway – I can walk in the sunlight."

"What? Where did you get it?" I've never heard of anything that can magically protect vampires from their weaknesses. "Just sunlight?"

"Just sunlight. I'm still vulnerable to holy relics, stakes, fire, beheadings…" He shrugs. "And it's stuck on my head, so other vampires can't steal it. Not even if they kill me; it'll be destroyed as if it's just an item of clothing I'm wearing. It was given to me as a gift, after I rescued some monks in China from a demon. It's one of the Treasures of the Solar Palace. There were other relics like it, but they were destroyed along with the palace four centuries ago. Oh, except for this."

From out of the small pouch on his belt, he pulls a golden necklace. Its charm is a symbol of a similar design to the one at the front of his gold headband.

"It has the same properties?" I ask.

"Yes. I couldn't decide which one I liked more, so the monks gave me both. I decided on this in the end," He gestures again to the band on his head, "mostly because it helps keep my hair out of my eyes when I fight." He puts the necklace away.

The possibility of a vampire able to walk in sunlight should feel momentous, but when my initial shock fades, I find myself shrugging off the revelation. It's not like I've seen stranger things while patrolling Auckland at night.

"How long have I been asleep?" I ask.

"Several hours." Before I can ask why he let me sleep for so long, he continues, "I thought it'd be best if we attacked during the day, when the vampires will be at a disadvantage."

That actually makes sense. "We should probably get moving then, if we want to reach the ruins before sundown." I get to my feet and brush off the dirt.

Kamon stands as well, staff in hand. "After you."

We start walking. The novelty of a vampire walking in sunlight wears off, and I talk to him like nothing's changed. The topics of discussion aren't important; just random things that come to mind. I notice quickly that he closes up whenever things get too personal, so talking about everyday things is the best way to pass the time.

But somehow, I find myself telling him about my life.

"Demons killed my parents when I was very young," I tell him. "The Watchers Council tracked me down and saved me. They identified me as a Potential, and gave me to Gregory. He raised me. Sometimes I wonder if the demons that killed my parents knew what I was; what I was going to become. And if they wanted me dead, why? Even if they killed me, another Slayer would have been chosen in my place."

"Some demons can see the future," says Kamon. "Maybe you're meant to do something important? And they wanted to stop you from doing it."

"But isn't being the Slayer already important enough?"

"There have been thousands of Slayers, destined for the same purpose. But what they accomplish in their lifetimes is what really matters, and their lives are all very different. Some merely stake a few vampires before they die, others manage to wipe out entire clans. And then there are some who have stopped apocalypses, all on their own." He gestures to the world around us. "Without those few Slayers, we wouldn't be here."

Whenever I thought about how I'd be remembered, I always imagined that my name would be lost in a sea of thousands of other girls who had died in the line of duty. Some names have already been lost to history. Becoming the Slayer makes a girl special compared to others in the normal world, but alongside fellow Slayers, I'm just another girl chosen to fight and eventually die. But to be special even among Slayers…

I shake my head. "There's nothing special about me. I'm just another Slayer. Maybe they saw me kill their cousin, or something, and they wanted to kill me before I could."

"Maybe. Who knows? You'll just have to wait and see."

For a moment there's a smile on his face; an actual, genuine smile. I go to smile back, but his disappears and he draws to a halt. I stop alongside him.

We've reached the city ruins.

What's left of the old City of Ayutthaya is gradually crumbling away, destroyed both by time and the plants taking back what was once theirs. It always makes me sad, seeing ruins of a once great civilization. Even the mightiest can fall, and part of me dreads that it'll happen again one day on a worldwide scale.

"This is a World Heritage Site," I realize. "A National Park. There should be tourists here."

"Edmund and his vampires must have scared them away." Kamon starts walking again, and I follow him until he reaches the building closest to us. He stops and stares up at the structure, before taking a seat on the steps leading up to it.

I remain standing. It suddenly occurs to me that Kamon may be old enough to remember when this city was at the height of its power.

"Did you know this place?" I ask, as I take a seat next to him. Since he's avoided personal questions during our journey, it's unlikely that he'll answer me. But I ask anyway.

He's silent for what feels like hours, but in reality, was probably only minutes. Eventually, he sighs. Using his staff, he begins making a small hole in the ground, and keeps his gaze on his work as he starts talking. "I lived here my entire human life. I was born here. I can't remember what year exactly; it was sometime in the fifteenth century, somewhere in between 1450 and 1460. I stopped counting birthdays a long time ago."

This vampire is over five hundred years old. I can't even imagine all the historical events he might have witnessed.

"When the city was first built, there was a big demon problem," he continues. "My people welcomed all races, human and demon alike, so long as they were peaceful. But the demons who caused trouble nearly brought this city to ruin. So, the first King of the Suphannaphum dynasty recruited the best soldiers from the Palace Guard and the City Guard, and formed an elite force of demon hunters. They were named the Warriors of Vishnu, and it was their sacred duty to protect the city and its people from demon threats. Each member was given a staff that contained great magic," He tapped his own, "created by a great family of sorcerers, who served the King for as long as the city stood. Growing up, I looked up to the Warriors. I wanted to be one. And when I came of age, I signed up for the City Guard, proved my worth, and was chosen."

He stabs at the ground extra hard. "I was young and arrogant. I held the record for the highest kill count, and I let it get to my head. I thought my superiors were holding me back from my true potential, and I got reckless. One night I was patrolling when my…friend came running up to me. Clovis. He was a French trader who lived in the lower levels of the city; he always supported me, always agreed that the other Warriors weren't treating me fairly. He said that a girl had been captured by a vampire and dragged outside the city. Whenever something like this occurred, I was supposed to fetch some other Warriors to help me, in case there was more than one vampire. But that afternoon, I'd had an argument with my superior. I wanted to prove to him that I could do these things myself, that I didn't need any help from the other Warriors. I ran outside the city alone…and it was the last mistake I ever made as a human."

"It was an ambush," I say.

He nods. "Clovis wasn't a trader. He was a vampire. He used me; he turned me and wanted me to help him take over the city. But I refused to let the demon consume me. I killed him, along with his entire clan – and since he was the one who turned me, that made them my clan, too. My vampire family. And I killed every single one of them."

"That's why you're the Kinslayer." It's as I suspected.

"I was ready to let the Warriors kill me," he continues. "But there was a girl… Clovis wanted me to kill her, and instead, I protected her. In return, she stood up for me. She told the Warriors what I had done; told them I'd conquered my demon nature and saved her life. And when I refused to fight them, they realized that I was still one of them. But they feared what would happen if they let me stay. Every vampire we had ever encountered was ruled by its bloodlust. The Warriors were afraid that one day, the bloodlust would be too strong and I would end up killing everyone. So, it was agreed that I would be banished from the city. I was allowed to keep my staff, so I could continue to perform my duty and kill demons, but I could never return home."

I gesture around us. "Until now."

"I've come back here long before now," he says. "I watched from a distance…even when I didn't want to. When the city fell, so did the Warriors. And it had been so long that no one remembered me anymore, so when I tried to help, they thought I was an enemy and drove me away. I could only watch helplessly as my home was destroyed."

I don't know what to say. What can I say in response to a story like that? So, I don't say anything at all. Instead I reach out and take his hand in mine, squeezing it gently to show him that I'm here, and I want to help him in any way I can. He doesn't respond to me, but he doesn't pull away from me, either.

We sit together, two natural enemies at peace in the ruins of a once great city.

I'm not sure how long we sit like that, but eventually Kamon pulls himself out of his memories. He looks down at our joined hands and frowns, before letting go. His eyes meet mine for a moment, and then he turns away, jumping to his feet and tucking his staff under his arm.

"I don't know about you, little Slayer, but I'm ready to kill something."

I guess we're pretending that we didn't just share a moment. It's probably for the best. I already don't know how I'm going to explain working with a vampire to my Watcher – trying to explain that said vampire is also my friend would be way too much for his brain to handle.

"I have a name, you know," I tell him as I stand up, as well. "And it's Kiri. In case you forgot."

He just smirks over his shoulder as he walks away. I can't keep myself from smiling as I hurry to catch up.

We wander through the ruins, looking for any sign of the vampires. Coming to a halt in the middle of a grassy patch, I close my eyes and expand my senses. I ignore the vampire standing beside me and search for any other demon signatures in the area – and it doesn't take me long to find what I'm looking for.

"Over there." I point towards the largest of the ruined buildings. "My Slayer senses are going haywire. There're a lot of vampires in there."

Kamon's grip tightens on his staff. I can tell that he's itching for a fight. "Let's do this." He goes to leap forwards, but I hold my arm out and stop him. He frowns down at me. "What?"

"We can't just go running in there without a plan," I tell him.

"I do that all the time," he says. "Always works for me."

I roll my eyes.

Flashing lights from inside draw our attention back to the ruins. Dark clouds begin to gather overhead, and a sound similar to thunder and lightning echoes throughout the area, but it's not coming from the sky; it's coming from inside. A sudden drop in temperature sends shivers down my spine. In the trees nearby, I see a herd of small deer – the same species as the one Kamon ate last night – scatter in all directions, barking like dogs.

"What's he doing?" It has to be Edmund.

"Whatever it is, it's bad," says Kamon. "Look, we don't have time to make a plan. We need to put a stop to this now."

Reluctantly, I nod. "OK."

Together, we run across the grass and hurry up the steps. The moment we step inside and out of direct sunlight, we're swarmed by vampires. Kamon cuts through them like a hot knife through butter, and as I watch him out of the corner of my eyes, I think that maybe I should get some kind of staff with a stake on the end. Or a spear. It would save me from getting too close to the vampires I kill.

He disappears deeper into the ruins, and I push down the urge to take off running after him. There're still some vampires left to kill, and I know that if I leave them, they'll chase after me a become a problem later down the line. It's better to stake them now and give chase after; the last thing I need is one coming up behind me.

It takes longer than I'm comfortable with to kill them all, but in the end I'm the only one standing. I look down at the stake clasped in my hand; I know I should've carved another one earlier. I would've killed the vampires a lot faster with a stake in each hand. Hindsight is 20/20.

I run in the same direction as Kamon, following the flashing lights. The room I enter is large, with a reasonably-sized hole in the roof, but the sky has grown so dark that there's no sunlight sneaking in. I pause to observe what's happening; Kamon is fighting several vampires and making short work of them, and I notice that he's wearing his demon face.

In the far corner I see my Watcher, alive if a little ruffled. His hair and moustache – brown with a hint of ginger – are a mess, while his own monk robes are torn in places with specks of blood on them. I smile in his direction, but my heart sinks a little when I see the captured monk laying on the floor, dead. There are two puncture wounds in his neck.

Finally, I see the vampire who must be Edmund. He's standing before an alter at the other end of the room, his black robes covering his entire body all the way down to his feet, allowing his pale face to stand out. His brown hair is slicked back, and his eyes are closed as he chants words I can't make out. On the alter I see a sheet of paper, and that's where the magic is coming from.

I'm suddenly grabbed from behind, and my attacker holds me in a tight grasp. He squeezes my hand until I drop my stake.

"Don't move, Slayer." It's Grayson, his breath cold against my neck as he talks.

Edmund opens his eyes. Kamon kills the last vampire and stalks towards him.

"I wouldn't, Kinslayer," says Edmund, his English accent smooth and chilling. He points towards me.

Kamon turns, and his demon face disappears. He snarls in anger at the sight of me in Grayson's clutches, and his grip on his staff tightens. He doesn't dare take a step forwards, and I know why; Grayson is inches away from my neck.

I close my eyes and take a breath.

Then I bite down hard on Grayson's hand.

He lets go of me with a cry of shock, and I strike him in the face with my elbow before turning and striking his head again with a kick. When he stumbles off-balance, I retrieve my stake from the floor and stab it directly into Grayson's heart. I remove it and watch the vampire turn to dust with wide eyes.

With me out of danger, Kamon is free to go after Edmund.

The vampire shoots a ball of magic at him, but Kamon uses his staff to hit it away. Edmund shoots a second, then a third, but Kamon deflects them, too. I see the desperation grow on the vampire's face as he shoots more and more magic without any of it having an effect on his opponent. Then the magic fizzles out; Edmund has used it all up, and the battle is over.

Kamon reaches him and rams his staff into the vampire's chest. With a startled yell, the former Watcher turns to dust.

"Burn it!" my Watcher cries out. "The scripture must be burnt! We need to stop the ritual!"

I race forwards and grab the piece of paper. "Your lighter!"

Gregory reaches into his pocket and takes out his lighter, before tossing it to me. I flick it open and hold it against the paper, which catches alight immediately. I let go of the paper and watch it drift to the floor, and it's nothing but ash by the time it lands. The rumbling thunder and crackling electricity disappears, and the sky outside returns to normal.

My Watcher climbs to his feet and stumbles towards me. "Excellent work, Kiri."

"What was he trying to do?" I ask.

"Bring back a powerful vampire who had died just outside the walls of this city," he replies. "Clovis, I believe his name was."

"My sire," says Kamon.

Watcher and vampire meet gazes, and Gregory's blue eyes narrow. "Kiri Alatini, I hope you have a good explanation as to why there is still a vampire left standing."

I sigh. "This is Kamon. He was helping me. I know that sounds hard to believe, but he's had many chances to kill me, and he hasn't taken them. Kamon, this is my Watcher, Gregory Whitehall."

"I would have thought you'd notice me fighting against the other vampires," Kamon points out. "I am the Kinslayer."

"You are?" A strange look crosses my Watcher's face. "I thought you were a myth."

"Not so much," says Kamon. "Your little Slayer asked for my help in rescuing you. I tried to come alone, but she's as stubborn as a giant."

"Yes, well…" My Watcher clears his throat. "I thank you for your help. Now, if you excuse us, my Slayer and I must be on our way. We need to return to the monastery and inform the monks what has happened here." His gaze turns to the monk lying dead.

Kamon nods. "I understand. If you're unable to return the body, I can burn it for you."

Gregory's eyes narrow even more. "The body has been drained. It is of no use to you."

"I'm aware." Kamon matches my Watcher's stare. "I offered because the body doesn't deserve to be left here unattended."

So much for changing my Watcher's views on good demons. "We should go now," I tell him. I don't want things to get ugly, because I honestly don't know who's side I'd take. "If we walk fast, we can get back to the monastery by nightfall."

"Walking won't be necessary, Kiri," says Gregory. "Now that the threat has been eliminated, we can contact the park rangers and have them drive us back. Come along." He walks away and disappears out the door without a backwards glance.

I sigh and turn to Kamon. "I'm sorry. He doesn't understand, and maybe he never will. But I'm really grateful for your help, so… Thank you."

Kamon nods, and there's that genuine smile on his face again. "You're welcome, little Slayer."

I smile back – and then, before I can stop myself or tell myself it's a bad idea, I leap forwards and hug him.

His entire body goes stiff like he doesn't know how to react, and I don't expect him to return it. He does give me a couple of gentle pats in response, though, which may as well be his equivalent of a show of affection. I'll count that as a win.

I pull back and give him a small wave. "Goodbye, Kamon. Maybe sometime you can visit me in Auckland?" He doesn't say anything to that; he still looks a little surprised by my hug. So, I turn and hurry away to catch up with my Watcher.

And while I suspect I'll never get the chance to see him again, in my heart, I hope I do.

The monks hold a small funeral for their fallen comrade. When they do, I see smoke rising in the distance, and I'm almost certain it's Kamon burning the monk's body.

My Watcher explains both to me and the other monks what happened; the monk that was taken possessed the original scripture, untranslated. Gregory had been with him, reading through it, when Edmund's vampires attacked the monastery. Grayson took them both, figuring that if one refused to translate, the other could be persuaded. The monk refused, and was killed for his troubles.

Gregory caved and translated. I don't hate him for it; the first rule of being the Slayer is 'don't die'. He knew I was coming for him; he knew I could defeat the vampires before the ritual was complete. And I didn't let him down, even though I had a little help.

He doesn't want to talk about it. We leave the monastery right after the funeral, and a friend of the Council drives us to a hotel right next to the airport. Our flight is tomorrow morning. I change out of my monk robes, putting on my normal clothes and bathing in their familiarity. The robes were really itchy.

I wish he'd talk to me. His silence is putting me on edge, and I hate that I might have disappointed him. But I don't regret my decision; I needed help to find and rescue him, and Kamon was my only option. And there are worse vampires I could have teamed up with; at least Kamon doesn't eat people and hunts other demons. It's not like I'm condemning innocent people to die by letting this vampire walk free.

We're in adjoining rooms, and right when the sun is starting to set, there's a knock at my door. I sigh. I'm both relieved that he's finally going to come and talk to me, and worried about what he might say to me.

"Come in."

Gregory enters my room and shuts the door behind him. Instead of taking a seat next to me on my bed, he remains standing.

When he doesn't talk right away, I start. "I'm sorry, Gregory, but… If you want me to apologize for what I did, I'm not going to. I did what I thought was right."

"You were stupid and reckless, to allow that creature to… You're lucky you're still alive," he says. "After everything I've taught you, you should know better than to trust a vampire. Demons are our enemies, not allies."

"A lot of them are enemies, yes," I tell him, rising to my feet. "But not all of them. The Council says that the world is black and white, but it's not. Things aren't that simple; I've seen it. There are bad humans in this world, and on the flip side, good demons. Kamon is one of them."

"Kamon was deceiving you," my Watcher insists. "Good heavens, Kiri, you only knew him for a day! Be thankful I got you away from him when I did, because had you spent any longer in his company… I cannot even imagine what he would have done to you. He is a vampire, and he is evil."

I clench my fists. "Maybe I haven't known him for very long, but my gut tells me he's good. He told me his story; he fought his demon nature and killed his clan."

"And did he tell you what happened after?" I don't think I've ever seen my Watcher this close to losing his temper; this on edge. "I thought he was only a myth, but I have heard his story; a cautionary tale, warning us to never forget what vampires truly are. Because of his act, the Warriors of Vishnu chose not to kill him, and instead they banished him from the city. It was a foolish mistake. Angered that they weren't hailing him as a hero, Kamon returned to the city and slaughtered every last Warrior. And had I not saved you from him, he would have slaughtered you, too. Never forget who the real enemy is, Kiri."

He walks into his own room and slams the door shut behind him. I fall backwards onto my bed, his words ringing in my ears.

Gregory is my Watcher; the man who raised me. I should trust what he says and understand that he wants what's best for me, but I've always known that his trust in the Council and their teachings is blind.

And yes, I've only known Kamon for a day – but actions speak louder than words, and I've always been able to trust my gut. Kamon told me the truth, while my Watcher lied to me. I won't follow what he says, and I hope one day he'll understand why.

End Notes: I don't know when the next update will be. It'll either be on Friday or Sunday.