**Hey, Everybody Finally I have chapter 8 for you. I'm sorry it took me so long. I really don't have a good enough excuse. In my semi-defense, though, I've been very busy lately and inspiration was a long time in coming. Anyway, thanks for being so patient. This one isn't very long, but I promise to write more within the next couple of weeks.**
~ Chapter Eight ~
Thierry stared at the enigma who was slowly starting to unravel before him. Piper had spoken of her past with a stoic and indifferent expression. That is, until she mentioned Connor. Her face never changed its cold appearance, but her eyes were softly full of tears. The light from one of Hannah's desk lamps reflected only sorrow from Piper's green stare.
She swallowed and blinked once before continuing. "I told him everything. In ten minutes I exposed the one secret that had been ingrained in me for months as a surreptitious lifestyle. My very life depended on such silence. I knew, though, that I had to reveal everything to Connor. He was my soulmate and my first love. There could be no more secrets."
She connected her gaze with Thierry's compassionate eyes as if looking for consent. He nodded slightly and she sighed under her breath. "I gathered my things and left as quickly as possible. Connor was still shaken up and needed time to rest. That was not the reason for my hasty departure, however. I'd just realized that it was long past dawn, and Adrian had been expecting me home for hours. I prayed that Hunter hadn't reached the mansion yet. Do you suppose creatures like us are allowed to pray? I've often wondered that myself. In any case, if I arrived late, Adrian would appear as if he had no control over his own subject. Hunter would look down on him with distaste. Then Adrian would take out his displeasure on me later that night. It had happened too many times before.
"As I sped my Jaguar as much as you can speed on the streets of Manhattan, I considered my situation with Connor. I knew that Adrian could never find out about my soulmate's existence. It was time for one of the biggest challenges of my life – building up walls strong enough to keep out Adrian. He was far stronger than I, both physically and mentally. I decided to try and blank my mind instead. If Adrian encountered my mental shields he'd know that I had something to hide, but if I seemed forgetful instead of being otherwise engaged he might let me off with a small beating.
"This gave me only a little comfort as the mansion came into view. The black iris symbol on both of the iron gates seemed to warn visitors away, but the house itself was breathtaking. I'd always thought that it was more pleasant than the actual inhabitants. It was a deep brick red with white columns in front. Being located twenty minutes outside of the city allowed for a garden of sorts and an upper story balcony. I don't know how many nights after my changing I sat out on that stone terrace wishing for death and deliverance from the hell I'd been thrown into. I came down the drive with my head full of those memories, but the small calmness that the house always brought me quickly vanished. My plans for deceiving Adrian crumbled underneath the weight of my panic as I spotted a red Porsche in front of the garage. It was absolutely spotless and the license plate said "biteme". I was too late." Piper had been staring at her lap while recounting the drive home, but her gaze rose firmly to meet Thierry's own. "Hunter had arrived."