AN: Hey there awesome people just wanted to inform you that I will hopefully be updating more in the future. I have been dealing with school and trying to juggle everything at once. I have finals coming up next week so if the next update isn't that good I am sorry. I tried my best on this chapter and I hope you will give me some feedback.

Love, Sierra.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Freedom is not something that can be easily described. It can be as simple as getting your license or becoming an adult. Freedom can be when a person finally steps over the threshold of childhood and moves on to their own lives. Her mother had once told her that a woman was only free when her soul was light. She would only feel free when she could take in a deep breath and not let it weigh her down. And in that moment on the back of Paul's bike, Nina had never felt freer in her life.

She had spent so many years shuttered away from the world by Malcolm and his pathetic reasoning but no more. She was tired of being everyone's lap dog. She was tired of when they said jump she would. So many years she had wasted on people that had never deserved a moment of her time anyway. Nina had always thought that she could make it work with her "family" but it seems like all that was just a twisted dream.

Now with the wind whispering through her hair and the laugher of the boys in her ears, Nina felt more content that she had her entire life. She tightened her arms around Paul's waist as he went at an even faster impossible speed. She buried her face in between his shoulder blades and breathed him in.

He smelled like pure spices and the salt of the ocean. Nina let the scent surround her as relaxed more into Paul's body. The warmth radiating off of him plus his addicting scent had Nina slowly but surely drifting off to sleep. The last thing she heard was the distant chatter of the boys along with the howling wind before she let darkness take her.

The sweet smell of cinnamon and spices lured Nina awake. As she slowly came into consciousness, she realized that she was enveloped within a silky soft embrace. Burrowing herself deeper into the warm embrace, Nina found herself realizing that she was not in her own bed like she had assumed before. Slowly lifting her lids, Nina was greeted with the soft candle light of a warm yet worn looking room. Blinking faster, she tried to rid her eyes of the blurriness that was plaguing them so she could see the room clearly.

When the blurriness was gone, she found her gaze stretching over the mass of the unknown territory, charting every inch of it into her brain for future reference. The walls were a light tan color, the paint seeming to fade as though from very old age. The bed that she was laying on was large, spanning almost half of the room alone. It was covered with black silk blankets and furs. Across the way there was another room that to her resembled a bathroom. There were records and posters thrown about the room as well as wrinkled clothes. Slowly rising from the bed, Nina bent down to look at the clothes that were definitely not hers. A pair of what appeared to be jeans and a mesh tank top were on the ground as well a pair of biker boots.

Steadily, the memories from last night came back to Nina and she gasped. She had actually done it. She had freed herself from Malcolm and his bitter imprisonment. And she had met Paul.

Paul. Even his name sent shivers down her spine. Nina did not understand this quick fascination trust with him nor the trust she had put in him to keep her safe. It may be due to the fact that he was one of Max's boys. That made another thought hit her. Paul and the boys were vampires just like Max. But for some odd reason that did not bother her in the slightest. Even though she had only known them for a short while, Nina felt like she belonged with them.

She felt like for once she was a part of something. A family even.

Riding away with them was the last thing that she remembered from the night before. Guess I must have fallen asleep. That means that Paul probably carried her in last night. And judging from the clothes lying on the floor of the room it was not ard to gather that this was and still is Paul's bedroom. He carried me to his bedroom. That little thought seemed to warm her heart. She had never really had any dating experience growing up, Malcolm putting a stop to it before there was even a chance for her to be happy with someone.

She had not even known Paul an entire day yet she knew that they had a connection of some sort. I wonder where he is? Getting up off of the soft bed, Nina made her way to the beaded doorway. So Paul. Parting the curtain of beads, she followed a dark hallway until she began to hear the echoes of laughter. Smiling to herself, Nina continued down the hallway until she made it to what appeared to be a tarnished lobby. All of the boys were there minus Max. They were all doing their own thing. David was reclined back in an old wheelchair, Marko was sitting by the fountain petting a dove, Dwayne appeared to be reading while on one of the sofas, and finally Paul was dancing around while jamming from what appeared to be a radio perhaps. Looking back over Marko and his pure white bird, Nina held out her hand and whistled out a light tune that immediately got the birds attention. It flew out of Marko' s hand before he even realized it, landing on her outstretched forefinger. Nina very carefully stroked its soft feathers as it nuzzled further into the warmth of her palm.

Looking up from the sweet creature, Nina found herself being watched by four sets of eyes, five if you included the little bird. David was the first one to break the silence that had come over them," Well, well, what do you know. We have ourselves a born again Snow White."

Later on after the bird drama had passed, Nina was sitting at the fountain with Marko discussing their fascination with the small birds.

"How did you learn to do that? It looked like you had the little thing underneath your spell."

Letting out a sigh, Nina murmured," Animals were always kind to me. On the rare occasions I was let out of the house, I would try to visit a park if I could. I like the feeling of nature and its creatures."

Marko smiled down on her," Well, I guess that makes you our little bird."

A small smile crept onto her face at the nickname. She had never had a nickname before. Malcolm usually only called her freak or slave among other things that Nina wished to forget. A new name meant a new person and a better future.

Her voice a small whisper, she breathed out," I'm your girl."

Their little moment of calm was shattered when hands grabbed Nina from behind and pulled her away from Marko. At first Nina stiffened at the touch until she recognized the hands on her waist. The hands were large yet cool, and despite their size they held her with the utmost care. Yeah she would know that touch from anywhere.

Paul.

His thumbs rubbing small circles on her waist, Nina tried to ignore the electricity running though her at the simple touch. Turning around in the sheltered embrace, Nina found herself looking into two intense liquid pools, their fire burning just for her.

Slowly, a wicked smile came onto his face and Paul leaned down and whispered in her ear," I think that you need a fun night out. Are you ready for a night that you won't forget?"

Her voice a breathy whisper, Nina rasped out," Yeah."

AN: Hey lovelies. I hope you all are having really nice day and enjoying your holiday. I know that I have not updated in awhile and I am sorry for that. Think of this as an early Christmas gift to all of my awesome readers. Thank you for the people who offer me feedback. Without you I probably would have abandoned this story ages ago. Please read/review and tell me what you think. Stay safe…

Love,

Sierra.