They informed the London Sanctuary about what happened, and received a prompt reply saying that someone will come over as soon as possible to accompany Annabelle (and possibly Helen, pending her health condition) to England.

And Helen was indeed recovering quickly. Some days Nikola would leave her in Annabelle's care and venture out, mostly to the library. He would bring back books not only for himself, but for his companions as well, so that Annabelle could read to Helen while he was gone.

They did that, or talked for hours, laughing over anecdotes they shared; finding they both had a rather cheerful disposition if there was space enough for it to manifest – and then they would be unstoppable. They also found a similar trait in Nikola when he joined them in late afternoons or evenings, and then they would entertain themselves with stories from their pasts, each having accumulated hundreds of them over years.

It was one morning after Nikola had left that Annabelle discovered his notebook with the poems he had written about Helen.

"Well, well, what have we here?" she smiled mischievously and delved into the lines, her face lighting up like a chandelier.

"What is it?" Helen asked, all curious as she saw Annabelle's playfully evil expression. "Oh, not much, just some poetry I've just found."

"I love poetry!" Helen lit up. "May I read it?"

"Of course," Annabelle nodded and handed her the notebook.

"My love, the light is fading from your eyes

And I, swallowed by fear, can barely move

My Juliet, bleeding, asleep you lie

If I lose you, there's nothing left to lose

Your hair, from whence the sun once rose at dawn

Now dead around your face as pale as moon

And I over your midnight pose will watch

Not to miss a moment if you leave for good

I crave the sunshine dwelling in your smile

Still dreaming of the kiss we never had

Sweet ecstasy of your lips touching mine

Brings me to verge of tears, and drives me mad," Helen read, and her mind began to sense there was something awfully familiar about the situation described in the stanzas. But it wasn't just the story behind the rhymes themselves, it was also something else – the handwriting. Helen looked up abruptly.

"He wrote this?"

Annabelle nodded mutely. "I thought it was quite beautiful, didn't you?"

"Oh, dear God. I had no idea…"

"That he loves you? How did you manage that? Just the way he looks at you says it all."

"I never thought… He flirts with me all the time, but I never… thought he was serious! Oh, God, what do I do now?"

"First of all, you start hating me for making it awkward between you. Then you decide how you feel about him, and give him a firm answer, whatever it is. He's in pain, Helen, and he's scared. And I know I have just done a terrible thing, but I meant well. You should work it out, rather sooner than later."

"But that's none of your concern, Annabelle!"

"Like I said, hate me now, fall in love later," Annabelle shrugged. She had been vulnerable for a few minutes, expecting Helen's judgment to hurt her; however, she was past that point now. Thousands of years seeing how people could be stupid when it came to love, and now she was over it. How she would be judged did not matter anymore.

"We can't be together."

"Yes, he expressed that view the other night. What's your reason?"

"You don't understand, Annabelle. Every time I see him, every time he looks at me, I want to lose myself in him, I want to kiss him into oblivion, but at the same time it's just… too impossible. He's… you just never know what he's up to. He's so engrossed in his world of science, and he doesn't care one bit about the consequences, about the moral implications of his actions. And I cannot deal with that. I stand for something in my life, Annabelle, I have my principles and make no compromises about them, whereas he steps over the line all the time. And I can't read him, I can't really trust him, and I don't want to be betrayed."

Annabelle mused over it for a minute before deciding she had it up to here with this world's relationships, and then stretched out her hand, asking for the notebook back. Helen handed it to her immediately and Annabelle put it in its original place on the table.

"You're wrong about him, you know," she said to Helen. "He's a good man."

"Yes, who plots for world domination every time you turn your back," Helen pointed out sourly.

"Why? What does he want to rule the world for?"

"Oh, he wants it to be like it used to be when vampires had it under control. He seems to think it was a golden age."

"So he wants that back…? And you are scared that it would bring back slavery, am I right?"

"Yes – something like that."

"Very well, so you both want the world to be a better place, but each have a different view on what said 'better' is?"

"I guess so," Helen shrugged, and suddenly noticed a strange glow in Annabelle's eyes.

"You pesky little humans!" she spat out. "You are just so full of yourselves! What gives you the right to decide what the world should be? There are way too many creatures living in it to make it your choice! Just listen to yourselves – you act like it's all about the two of you, like either of you is the one with the noblest idea and should be listened to! Well, wake up. Neither of you has the power to take over the world. No one has that kind of power. And you can have your Sanctuaries and everyone finding shelters there will be grateful, as they should be, but don't pretend it's anything more than that. You're a guardian for the weak, but you don't get to decide which way the world will turn."

"Thanks for the lesson," Helen replied slowly. "I'm not sure why you think I want to rule the world…"

"Helen, please, you're a control freak. You're used to things going your way. Maybe you don't realise it yet, but I can feel it in you. You can make a lot of difference, and I believe you will. Nik, on the other hand, has no such power. You can make people follow you and even die for you. But he, I'm sure you'll find, is much shier than you in that respect."

"And you are sure you're not saying that just because you have a weakness for him, are you?"

"Seriously? You're jealous of me?"

"No, I just don't understand why you would think I am evil, that's all."

"I never said you were evil. Neither is he. Just somewhat delusional."

"I don't want to take over the world!" Helen protested.

"You don't think like it that way. But the tentacles of your power are already stretched across the world. You move in the highest circles, cooperate with governments…"

"Which means I could theoretically change the world to my liking, isn't that so?"

"No, it isn't. You might have acquired some influence, but that's just politics. You would have to change all creatures' mindsets; you would have to harness the universal power of the planet."

"Why don't you tell Nikola that, then?" Helen frowned bitterly.

"Because he's harmless."

"Now that has to be the joke of the century," Helen snorted.

"Come on. He's somewhat delusional and very impractical and can't fathom the true consequences of his actions, but he is a good person. Maybe what he needs is someone to keep him in line? Someone to question his moves and tell him 'this won't work because…'?" Annabelle suggested. The golden rule for when one overreacts – change the focus to something else. It will be less awkward and you will probably get off without having to apologise.

"And you think it should be me," Helen assumed.

"No. You're obviously not ready for each other and I'm tired of trying to change it."

"Why would you want to…?"

"Because it's so painfully obvious that it really bothers me. Anyway, I guess I am offering you to keep an eye on him until you're ready, how's that?"

"Wait, this keeping an eye on him would mean…?"

"Right. Still jealous. Look, if it makes in any easier for you, I don't see him that way. And I don't really stand up for romantic relationships – when it comes to myself, of course. Mainly because there's no one left I could spend the rest of my eternal life with."

"But he could."

"Good point. But no, I still don't see him that way. Besides, you're the only woman for him and that won't change."

"Very well, then. If you really want to do it…"

"Oh, I love being the neck that moves the head."

"He'll kill us both if he ever finds out, plotting against him like that."

"He'll love me for that, dear Helen," Annabelle replied in her thoughts, and on the outside just shrugged it off.