Hey, sorry this took so long, I've been wrapped up with moving, writing my third book, and all around life stuff, but this chapter is by far my favorite. Some will love it, some will hate it, and some will just trust me and know I have a plan for everything. Chatper 19 is in the mix now, and it will show more of what's going on with the rescue front. But right now, Zach has thigns he want to show Nessie, or... Reenie. Depending on who youre routing for. Surprisingly there are some Team Zach fans out there.

Chapter 18: Geronimo

"You said you were going to show me where freedom starts," I repeated getting out of the car and eying the red-walled strong hold warily. "I'm pretty sure that Moscow isn't where it starts."

Zach smiled at me tolerantly, closing my door and extending his hand. "Patience my dear Reenie, we will get to it, but we have some time to kill. So until then I figured, why not show you everything that your new home has to offer?"

I should have told him that Russia wasn't going to be my home, because I had a home, in Jennah, but he just looked so happy I didn't want to hurt his feelings anymore. "Fine, show me the Kremlin," I surrendered, taking his hand.

His normal smirk brightened to a grin that flashed and he tugged me into the throng of people. "First up, Grand Kremlin Palace. This palace was the home of every Russian Tsar since it was built in the 19th century."

The red colored bricks connected several towers around the citadel, if I had to guess, there were at least 19 or 20. "Let me guess, you were a tsar at some point."

"No, never a tsar," He chuckled guiding me with the others through the main entrance pulling me out of the crowd so that I could take a look at a tower without getting trampled. "This is Spasskaya Tower, built in 1491, by an Italian architect. Don't really remember his name, but that's not important. What's important is this!" And before I knew it he was tugging me back into the crowd and onto a another stop of his personal tour.

He showed me the Cathedral of Dormition, Annunciation Cathedral, The Cathedral of the Archangel, Ivan the Great Bell Tower, The Tsar Bell, The Tsar Cannon, and a slew of other buildings and artifacts that he felt I needed to see. Each place was more beautiful than the next and the stories he told me—the ones that weren't in the tourists pamphlet— fascinated me beyond belief.

"Were you really a front runner during the Russian Revolution?" I asked skeptically. I knew my history, and apart from a few rulers in the medieval era, and a Coptic priest from Egypt during the Modern Era; the name Zachariah didn't really register.

He smiled and boasted all the same, "Yes, I was there for it all. June 27th, 1905, I was on the Potemkin. It was the biggest strike in the Russian Revolution, our mutiny helped the revolutionaries take over the city that day."

He told me about other strikes he helped organize, the things he saw and heard, I listened to him in awe as we left the bell, heading to our next destination. I listened in silence as we toured the Armoury Museum glad that my vampire mind could process multiple things at a time.

It wasn't until we were halfway into exploring the Diamond Fund, and he told me he was present for the assassination of the Romanov family themselves that I could even pull myself away from the a rose completely encrusted with diamonds to form words.

"But both parties were more wrong than right, and communism never works. Why choose one side over the other? Why get involved at all?" I asked questioning his obsession with this specific period of time. I didn't know much about him, but from what I could gather, he seemed impassive to the qualms of the mortal world; and that was putting it lightly.

Zach gave me a weak smile, giving me an honest answer that he tried to present as lighthearted as possible. "It was never about the parties, or the Revolution itself. It was about Nicholas Romanov II and destroying his life completely."

"But why?" I gaped questioning his obsession with the Tsar that was overthrown and later killed. I lowered my voice so that only he could hear me. " You're an immortal werewolf, a birthed one at that. Why would you care about ruining the life of some human?"

Zach didn't answer me, he just directed us to a massive diamond. "This is the Orlov Diamond. Many years ago, Count Grigory Orlov fell in love with a married woman."

"Sounds like the beginning of every tragic love story." I muttered blandly, realizing that he wasn't going to answer my question.

He snickered nudging me gently, " Not just any married woman, Catherine The Great, Empress and Consort of Russia; Married to Peter III."

As much as I wanted to, I didn't interrupt his story.

"They had an affair that lasted for years. Orlov even led the movement to overthrow her husband, eventually getting him dethroned and helping Catherine rise to power. Their relationship went on for a bit longer, leading to two children of their own. Eventually though, her eyes fell for Grigori Potemkin, ending their relationship." Zach's gray eyes gestured to the diamond case. "Orlov gave Catherine that diamond, hoping it would help rekindle their love— it didn't —but in turn she built him a palace."

"What a horrible story for such an extraordinary diamond." I frowned staring at the case.

Zach chuckled, "I'm pretty sure that's the nicest story this diamond as ever had. I'm willing to bet there has been more fighting in bloodshed in that diamonds past than you and I combined, just stories lost in history."

"Probably." I had to agree with him there, wars had been started over smaller things that the rock in front of me. It was beautiful, white, with a faint teal tint to it. My eyes could see the imperfection in the massive 189 carats, but a diamond that size could never completely be cloud free.

"Poor Orlov," I thought aloud. "Makes you wonder, if Catherine ever loved him at all?"

Zach shrugged, "Well she had several favorites after Potemkin, most of them advancing her power in some way, so probably not." He stared at the diamond, momentarily lost, "You can give a girl the world, and it still not be enough..."

Is that why he told me the story? Because he's fallen for a married woman? Is that why he brought me here? To guilt me into loving him back? I kept my voice impassive as I asked, " Sounds like you're telling me you're in love with me and comparing me to Catherine. Are you searching for parallels in your own life Zach?"

Zach smiled, still staring down a the diamond. "Of course not Reenie? I brought you to the diamond because it's no doubt one of the beauties of Moscow."

I couldn't explain it, but for some reason I felt better. I didn't like the idea of being compared to Catherine. "So I'm wrong, good."

"No, not wrong." He corrected looking down at me. "I am in love with you Reenie, but no, you're far from Catherine in my eyes. No, you're something else entirely."

I didn't know what to say, so I opted for nothing as we looked at another piece. I waited for him to tell me some gripping story that went along with it, but he didn't have one.

About two sets of crowned jewels later I couldn't bare the silence. "So I'm something else entirely huh, what am I then?"

"You're an extreme." He declared trying not to laugh for some reason.

I rolled my eyes, "That doesn't sound any better, I'd take complement over that."

"Well it's the truest word I can think of," He apologized as I followed him out of the museum. " Either loving you is going to be the greatest thing that ever happened to me, or it's going to be my downfall."

"Downfall?" I repeated skeptically. "I'm no one's downfall."

Zach continued to smile and lead me into the Tretyakov Gallery. "Then let's hope for the best. Come on, this museum holds Russian art at it's finest."

And once again he was right, he pulled me into a world of over 15000 paintings by Russian artist throughout history. Zach streamed me the time line of Russia in a way that only he could. Paintings where most just saw nature, Zach spun a tail of lovers and warmth. Where the people portrayed sorrow and poverty, he explained how they we're in fact rich beyond their comprehension; he told their stories, their bonds, their loyalty. He explained the parts of history that were long forgotten, overshadowed by the events that surrounded it. He explained the light, and beauty that in his eyes was always deep in the heart of Russia unable to be tainted.

When he guided me into one of the many icon rooms, I had to ask. "If you feel this way, why participate in the ugly? Why Nicholas Romanov?"

Zach saddened, but sat on one of the benches in the center of the room surrounded by biblical paintings and I joined without a second thought. "Because I was there at the beginning. St. Petersburg, The 22nd of January, 1905. The Massacre that left over 1000 unarmed petitioners killed and wounded one of them amongst the masses was my sister."

"Nina?" I breathed trying to understand. "Nina was with the protesters at Winter Palace? Why?"

Zach gave me a weak smile, and an eye roll. "Yes, Nina went through a mortal sympathizer phase towards the end of the 19th century; always donating, protesting, or fighting for some cause. She even sponsored a family every year — food, clothes, whatever she could.

"She sounds like quite the philanthropist," I listened, not really surprised.

Zach nodded, "Nina couldn't beat the idea of watching people suffer for eternity. She figured, if we were going to live forever, we might as well leave our mark. Not just in the supernatural world like my father intended, but in the mortal world too."

He paused, getting lost in a painting.

"So that started your fixation with Nicholas, Nina got hurt." I gathered waiting for him to continue the story.

He got the hint, his morose expression returning. "Reenie, you've never felt pain, until you've seen your little sister gunned down."

I could understand his initial worry for his sister, but the result was kind of extreme to me. They were strong, fast, and immortal. Why put a normal human through so much when Nina was barely inconvenienced?

"But, you're a werewolf." I whispered as delicate as possible.

"I could have lost her." He argued in a hiss, "If she were human, I would have."

I sucked with words sometimes, I didn't mean to offend him. "I'm sorry, it's just. Nina is fine, and I can't imagine something as simple a bullet hurting me, let alone you."

"It doesn't mean that we're invincible,"He answered roughly, then calmed himself down a bit to tracing his finger down my arm. He didn't look up from the spot he was tracing as he spoke. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't have a stone shell."

Pulling my arm away, unable to control the shiver he caused, I let out an embarrassed smile, "You are soft."

"Soft isn't the word I'd use," he denied with a wry smile, "but we are vulnerable, especially when we walk around like everyone else. We have weaknesses."

It still didn't make sense, "So, where was she shot? To make you scared for her life?"

"Does it matter?" He asked roughly causing a few other patrons to turn and shush us.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out, he wasn't going to elaborate on what they were. "No, it doesn't. Your sister was hurt right in front of you, of course it doesn't. But I still don't think your vendetta was justified. The Tsar didn't give the order to shoot the protestors, he wasn't even there, the imperial guard acted on their own. It's not his fault."

"It was his fault," Zach rebutted, " the fear he instilled into those people made them desperate. His actions lead to that shoot out, so he had to pay."

So vengeful, "Okay, so he hurt your sister, why didn't you just kill him, why stalk?"

"You don't just kill a man like that, Reenie. When monarchs die, they're honored heroes. No, he had to lose everything first, then come to his end, as nobody." He answered like it were obvious, like I could understand the working in the dark side of his mind. I didn't want to know that side of Zach, that side scared me.

And he picked up on it, "Don't worry, Reenie, I didn't personally cause his end—history did that, I just made an effort to be present in every event."

"You really love your sister." I declared.

" Family is everything to me, I'll do anything for Nina." He answered truthfully. "I probably would have killed him myself if it wouldn't have made Nina mad at me. For such a tiny woman, she sure can hold a grudge."

I perked up. "So even after getting shot she was still protective of humans?"

We must have been sitting to long, because Zach stood and guided me into a different room. "Yeah, for another year or so, but eventually, she grew out of that phase."

Just when I thought I could relate to her. "Grew out of it? Why would she grow out of helping others?"

"I really shouldn't tell you, it's not my story." He hesitated as I followed him out of the gallery, he had my curiosity peaked.

Zach looked around the plaza, wondering where to go next. I stopped in my tracks giving him the biggest doe eyed expression I could muster. "Please? I can keep a secret."

My parents couldn't even refuse that look, "Fine, but walk and talk."

"Agreed." I smiled keeping up with no problem.

He watched me amused for a while, before he started. "Okay, so you remember when I told you that Nina went through a Mother Theresa phase? Well 1920s were no different."

"What did she do?" I pressed almost tripping over the curb trying to keep my eyes on him.

Zach chuckled at my eagerness, but didn't torture me with a long pause. "There was this colony in the Ukraine called Molotschna. Horrible place stuck in the middle of a war, riddled with disease, famine, and all out poverty. Needless to say it was the perfect place for Nina to settle temporarily."

"Go on," I urged crossing the street with him.

Zach rolled his eyes, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you could use some patience Reenie." I didn't respond, because I knew it would turn into a discussion, and only deviate from the story. When he realized I wasn't going to argue, he went on. "So she did her normal routine, comforting the sick, assisting the poor, and what not— even made some friends."

"She would always come home once a month— I'm sure you can guess when— we had to be more careful back then. The world wasn't as ignorant to monsters as it is now, it was an easy excuse for things people couldn't understand. One month, she didn't make it back in time, and one of her friends discovered what she was."

"Oh," was all I could say, because it didn't take a genius to know the result.

Zach grimaced in disgust, "Everything she'd done to help them was forgotten, she didn't even hurt anyone."

"They're rejection hurt her." I concluded, feeling sorry for her, in a lot of ways she reminded me of Alice.

Zach scoffed, "That was an understatement, people that once opened their home to her wielded weapons and torches, chasing her out of town."

People feared what they couldn't understand, and that fear always turned into hate. I could understand that perspective, but it also didn't make it right. I couldn't imagine the people I cared about, and protected wanting to see me dead because they didn't accept who I was. "So now she hates humans."

"No, she doesn't hate them exactly, she just realizes that humans are no better than us. In the end we're all animals only caring about ourselves." His normal velvet voice was bitter and rough, his face contorted in hate.

"Hey," I crooned making him look up at me. "I don't like that face on you, you're too handsome. What do you say we just keep this day a happy day. I'm having so much fun."

Zach's eyes burned, running a hand through my hair to grab the back of my neck to pull me closer to him, I pulled away to keep his lips from touching mine. He gave me a sideways smirk, "You're giving me whiplash, Reenie."

"Zach..." I sighed, I was just trying to cheer him up.

He wasn't hearing it, but set me free from this influence all the same, "No—no. Let's keep this day a happy one, remember? What do you say we get something to eat?"

I was torn standing in front of the Russian bakery, on one hand— I could eat something— on the other, I didn't want to ruin the day by telling him how picky my food appetite actually was. I couldn't eat this stuff, too many ingredients. "Um... Zach, I don't really eat—"

Zach just smiled gesturing to the building next to it. "I'm aware of your tricky pallet, Reenie. We're going next door. From what I hear Le Bouchon makes the best french toast in Moscow."

"Is there anything you don't know?" I muttered as I followed him inside, he was obviously pleased with himself.

Zach gave me another smug grin, "Not when it comes to you." The host lead us to a seat in the back at Zach's request, and for a few seconds, we just stood there. "Uh, Reenie..."

"What?" I asked trying to ignore the host staring between us.

"You're going to have to let go of my hand if you want to sit down." He chuckled looking pointedly at my fingers locked with is.

I yanked my hand back feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry." I mumbled to the host and then to Zach, I didn't even notice I was holding it.

Zach just dismissed my apology, pulling out the chair for me to sit before taking his own. Once the host had disappeared he turned his attention back to me. "Why did you apologize to me?"

"Because I didn't notice I was holding you hand." I answered honestly.

Zach nodded in thought. "So... if you had noticed..."

He was interrupted by the waiter coming to take our drink order. I asked for water, and Zach ordered a bottle of wine before the waiter hurried. "Then I wouldn't have done it, obviously." I answered before he could start up again.

"I see." Zach nodded in thought—his lips locked—like he was fighting a smile.

"What?" I didn't like being the butt of a joke, especially when I didn't know what the joke was.

Zach put a finger to his lips as the waiter returned with our drinks, pouring two glasses of wine with an unnecessary flourish before taking our food orders and leaving the bottle behind. I rolled my eyes as I waited and apparently Zach couldn't contain his amusement a moment longer. "I'm sorry, but you really are quite adorable when you're impatient."

"Tell me." I insisted trying to use frustration as a fuel to keep from blushing.

It worked, "Oh alright." Zach surrendered taking a sip of his wine first. "What if I were to tell you, you've been holding my hand since we've arrived in Moscow?"

I scoffed in denial, "No I haven't."

Zach raised an eyebrow and I had to second guess myself. I thought back from the very start of the day. I recalled him taking my hand to pull me through the crowd so I wouldn't get trampled while he told me the history of the bell, but after that I let it go. Didn't I? The museums, the gallery, the diamond exchange?

My eyes widened when I realized, "You've been holding my hand since we walked into the Kremlin." He nodded a cosign, "But I didn't even feel it, didn't even notice. I felt—"

"Natural?" He finished looking over his ziti before starting to dig in. "Eat, and I'll explain."

Hunger was the furthest thing from my mind at the moment, I wanted to know what was going on with me. Any other time, when Zach and I touched, I felt something. His interactions weren't the same as my family's. The comfort that came from my parents, the love and warmth that radiated from Jacob's. As much as I'd hate to admit it, his touch had an influence that was unlike anyone I had ever met.

When he and I touched I felt something strong, some carnal passion from deep within me burning to fight its way out, and I avoided contact with him because of it. "Normally... if we touch..."

"It's electric, right?" He grinned waiting for me to take a few bites before he continued. "I know, I feel it too."

"Maybe, I'm just getting used to you." I shrugged, somewhat liking the idea. If my mind didn't muddle every time we made contact, maybe I could slowly but surely resist his connection all together.

Zach shook his head, "Yes and no. More like, you're accepting me as a complement. I'm not just connected to you, but you're starting to become aware of your connection to me. Being close to me doesn't even take thought anymore, you just do. The ropes of inhibition are being untied one by one setting you free."

I frowned putting my fork down wanting to find the best way to phrase my question. One side of me didn't like the idea of bringing up the women in his past—like it made me jealous— but the other side of me —the smart side— pushed me on. I needed to ask, it would make all of this more real to me, a reminder that this isn't where I belonged. So I fought my grimace and sucked it up.,"Is this normal? Did it happen with your paramours in the past."

He laughed at my choice of word, "Paramour?! Oh Reenie, you don't have to be jealous." He soothed reaching across the table to take my hand. "I am yours."

My eyes narrowed and he pulled his hand away, and there it was; the fire that used to burn whenever we touched appeared, but this time in the absence of contact, urging for me to touch him again. I ignored it, "Can you please answer the question?"

"Alright, if you really wish to know. Yes, it's happened with the others but usually not until after..."

He let his sentence trail off, and it frustrated me to no end. "Until after what?" I insisted squaring my shoulders.

His expression was pained, like he didn't want to finish. "Not until after, things were official."

"Oh." I managed, putting my head down to hide my eyes. "Until after you've slept together."

He didn't need to confirm what he was saying, choosing to stress the part that he viewed as important. "But you're so different, no one has ever been able to resist me before; and our connection has already been established, I'm anxious to see what happens once we've—" My eyes shot from the table to his, daring him to finish. "My apologies. I'm willing to wait as I've said before. Today has been a real eye opener so far, not just for you but for me. In all honesty, I'm somewhat hesitant myself; anything beyond that point will be completely new to me."

I picked up my fork, continuing my meal; he was telling the truth, I couldn't explain how, I could just feel it. "How many..."

Zach almost choked on his wine, but he recovered quickly. "Reenie, why ask questions that will only upset you. You don't want a lie, but you don't want the truth either."

It was stupid, I know. He's lived for over a century, of course I realistically knew that he had companions, and if werewolves were as sexual as Nina said, I didn't even want to guess the number. The thought alone made me retract the statement, "I'm sorry, you're right. You've lived a long time, it's just a different mindset I suppose. I've only had the one—"

"I'm aware and trust me, the thought of Jack makes me seethe. I would rather you have had several." He admitted pouring himself another glass.

My eyes widened in surprise not even bothering to correct him on his mistake, I was sure he was doing it on purpose. "Why?"

"Because it means more." He explained bitterly, "Getting you to let that part go will be a lot harder."

"You're upset." I frowned trying to ease the burn in my throat with water.

"I don't like talking about past acquaintances," he admitted roughly. "You're my present, and my future and that's what I would like to focus on."

"Okay, then let's talk about something else..." I suggested recalling something he mentioned earlier. He encouraged me on as he continued eating. "You being upset that way about Nina getting hurt, it kinda makes me feel like her getting shot was more than just an act on principle. I'm guessing that just maybe she did come dangerously close to dying."

He eyed me warily, "What's your question?"

"Can you be killed?" I finished biting my lip, waiting for his reaction.

His answer was careful, "Everything can be killed, Reenie."

"We don't die by something as simple as a bullet. You know what I mean—" I had to cut my sentence off when the waiter came back to take our dessert orders.

I took the momentary distraction to actually survey my surroundings. The restaurant was beautiful in its own way. It had a genuine Parisian feel to it, the fake 'plaster falling off the ceiling' look gave it a shabby look that brought character to the place.

"We're not discussing this." He dictated snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Don't you trust me?" I asked sincerely, "Aren't complements supposed to trust each other?"

His eyebrows raised, he didn't like me using his own words against him, but he didn't waver. "You aren't a normal complement. When I'm sure you are one hundred percent mine, and you're over your old life, there won't be anything I won't tell you, but until then—"

"Only happiness today." I reminded not liking the idea that he didn't trust me, despite the fact that it made us even.

He dropped the subject with a nod. "I see you haven't touched your wine."

"Trying to get me drunk?" I accused pushing it closer to him. "I don't drink."

A hint of a smile played on his lips, "What are you a light weight or something? Don't tell me the precious Cullen's don't let you drink."

I scowled, but it didn't last long, "No, I've tried alcohol before. Unfortunately, it's one human experience I don't get to have. My vampire parts won't let me get drunk. What's the point in drinking if you don't get the feel good effects?"

"To keep your boyfriend from looking like an alcoholic." He insisted pushing the glass back my way. "Humor me? I dare you, live a little."

My eyes danced between the glass and him, eventually giving up and swapping my water for the glass. I took a few gulps of the bitter beverage managing to keep a straight face. He was obviously impressed. "You're not my boyfriend." I corrected boldly.

"Would you prefer the term sancho?" He asked, in no way bothered by my correction.

Ha! The fact that he would even know that word was hilarious. rI couldn't control that laugh if I wanted to, I had to suppress it to giggles when the waiter came back with the check. "Okay... where to next? You're suppose to be showing me the secrets to living."

"Not yet, it's still early." He denied pulling my chair from the table. "There's more to see."

"Can I get a hint?" Zach just shook his head, one of the only things he'd denied me all day. "You're leaving me completely at your mercy it seems."

"I like you that way," He winked opening the door for me to exit the bistro.

—

"Can I open my eyes yet?" I begged, trying my best not to be irritated with the lack of sight the blindfold caused.

Zach was having the time of his life, "Not yet." He denied holding my hand tighter as he lead me blindly.

We had just as much fun on the second half of my day as the first half. Zach took me to Victory park, where we walked every path available as well as made one of our own. He showed me the lakes, rented us a boat, and on the water he told me the parks history. How the very spot was created to celebrate Russia defeat of the Nazis. The sculptures that commemorated that battles were breathtaking.

Then it was off to the botanical garden despite the fact it was closed. He showed me every single flower and plant, letting me take my time and we talked under the skylights about everything and nothing until he said it was time to head to our final destination for the night.

When he said that I could choose where we wanted to spend the next two hours I immediately pointed in the direction of City Space Bar. It was the only place I got to choose the entire day and I could hear the music and laughter from five blocks over. He was surprised by my choice but was more than willing to oblige.

I hit the dance floor the minute security let us through and Zach headed straight to a table, holding my purse and ordering drinks. I danced a full forty five minutes and Zach just watched me with fascination. It had been close to a decade since I had been in a dance club, and even then was my first time. It was for Asima's bachelorette party, Alice had thought it would be a great idea to club hop, and she was as right as always. Even Rosalie didn't want the night to end, and all of us promised each other we would have at least one night a year where we'd party but somewhere between getting married and becoming a mom that changed.

But I was determined to make up for nine years in one night. I didn't have a group of girlfriends with me, but I think I danced with every group having a girls night out, turning down any male that would ask not wanting to ruin the night by upsetting Zach. Occasionally I would run over to the table and down whatever drink he would offer and he'd tease me and quote my 'there's no point' line from earlier and I'd roll my eyes and run back out and dance. He couldn't understand, how could you not drink in this atmosphere. Even though it wouldn't physically effect me, the euphoria was in the air, and I felt amazing being a part of it. It wasn't until the last forty minutes that Zach finally let me drag him on to the floor with me and I had to keep a safe distance from him, in fear of how this type of setting would effect us.

"We're almost there Reenie," He promised laughing at my impatience again. "Did you have fun today?"

I laughed, fun was an understatement, "I had an amazing day. It's hard to imagine how you're going to top it."

"Oh don't worry, I never build up to disappoint. It'll be amazing, and then some." He chuckled leading up steep stairs. My foot caught on something and he held me for a minute, making sure I was alright. My heart raced faster than normal, and I looked up at him as best I could with a blindfold on. And just when I was a hundred percent sure that he could feel it too, he let me go. "I think that can't get drunk theory is out the window."

"I'm high on life right now." I muttered still feeling on cloud nine.

I could hear a steel door swing open and a rush of cold air rushed on my face, "Good, because it'll only get better from here."

We were outside, I could feel the cool Moscow air on my skin. I could hear cars commuting to various parts of the city, despite the fact that it was almost two in the morning. He took the blindfold off, and I could see the city below me. The lights lit the sky and the world below me looked like fireflies in a night sky. "It's beautiful."

"These four buildings are the City of Capitals, the four tallest points in Moscow. The Moscow Tower is over 76 stories high, and the Towers of St. Petersburg is 65 stories. We're almost a thousand feet about the rest of the world." He answered bringing me to the edge.

"You come up here to think." I gathered holding his hand, feeling safer. "This is your secret to life. You see how small the world really is or something?"

He laughed wrapping his arm around my waist from behind, "No Reenie, I jump." He confided.

"What?" I wowed looking at the streets below us, there was no way he fell from here.

He shook his head taking the hand that was linked to mine, and pointed to a roof top about a hundred feet apart and about the same distance down. "Not straight down, over there. I jump the roof tops. It's quite liberating."

"And that's what you brought me here to do? You're taking me jumping?" I hissed separating us so that I whirl around and get a good look at him.

He nodded, without shame. "Life doesn't start until you learn to live outside of your comfort zone. That's the secret, live it on the edge, completely free, unafraid of the jump."

"I'm not a vampire Zach, if I miss shoot, if I fall, it's high enough to kill me." I stress, because he had obviously lost it. Hell he wasn't stone either, it would spatter him too.

His eyes were piercing, his expression offended, " I'd never let you get hurt, Reenie. How could you think that?"

"Because I've been hurt when it come to you." I reminded and he flinched at my words.

It took him a minute to recover, but he cupped my hand in his. "Reenie, if you don't to jump, I'll accept it, but you can trust me when I tell you I'd die before I let anything else happen to you. Ginny was a fluke, and if I had known—"

"Ginny isn't the point. I'm afraid." I admitted not wanting to look over the edge anymore.

Zach took my hand, and brought me to the edge anyway, my body willingly following without thought. "You don't need to be afraid of dying here. I'll never let that happen. We'll do it together— I'll help you."

I shook my head, "I'm not just afraid of dying. I'm afraid of liking it —if I jump. I've always been protected, and controlled because I was always taught that was how it should be. I am careful, I don't hurt people, I set an example. And now, I meet you and you're telling me I don't have to be that way. I'm afraid that if I let loose, I'll lose myself and I won't be good anymore."

Zach ran his fingers through my hair pulling me closer buy the nape of my neck before securing me with with his other arm. I couldn't pull away from him and I was forced to let his eyes explore the very depths of me. "Reenie, there is no such thing as good or bad, it's thinking it that makes it so. Things like morality vary so much from person to person that it is practically nonexistent. Society would view what we are as bad, but you have your friends, family, and all of those people in Jennah that view you as good correct?"

I nodded listening, clutching the sides of his jacket for security. "And if no single person is better than another who are we to say what opinion is more correct?" I didn't have an answer for him. "My dear Reenie, you have got to let go of the hangups that come with the human condition. I don't want to hurt you when I say this, but you aren't human. No one will ever know the truth and view you as human, whether they like you or not. You're Reenie, that's the only thing in life that's constant and true."

His words were profound and I didn't know if it was the wolf bond, or really me feeling this way, but a part of me would follow him anywhere.

Almost like he knew what I was thinking he clutched me tighter, his eyes never leaving mine, "Now, I'm going to jump. Will you jump with me? I promise to not let you go."

I nodded burying my head in his chest. He let out a breath I didn't know he was holding and without warning he swooped my legs from beneath me and we were flying across the the gap and down to the building below.

I didn't scream—I couldn't if I wanted to—and I didn't' dare look down. When his feet hit the roof top and the world no longer blurred around us, he released me back to my feet. "So... how did it feel?"

My heard was fluttering a thousand miles a minute, adrenaline spiked my blood leaving me unable to find my voice for quite a while. "Reenie..." Zach called anxious, worried. "Do you want to leave?"

I shook my head, finding my voice, "It was amazing, can we do it again?"

Once again, I shocked him, but he laughed it off grabbing my hand, "We have the rest of the night." He pointed to another building about 50 yards away and slightly lower. "To there this time."

I nodded grabbing his hand and pulling him to the edge with me. "I don't want to be carried this time, but don't let go of my hand okay?"

"Never." He swore linking our fingers and giving me the ready before we were shooting across the buildings again.

The lights of the city below blurred closer as the wind rushed around us, and I couldn't help but let out a squeal of delight into the darkness. I landed a bit rougher than he did but he didn't let go of my hand. My need to roll and recover brought him down with me, but he just laughed and helped me up.

"Again." I demanded and he pointed to the last building we'd jump from.

"When we reach that roof, we'll go back to the top of St. Petersburg tower and go all over again. I want to save the Moscow tower until the end of the night since it's the highest." He explained. I nodded and jumped solo this time before he could catch up.

He laughed and we raced with inhuman speed down the flights of stairs and back to the beginning of the block to ascend all over again. We didn't care that we could have been seen, we just had fun. We jumped for over an hour before he decided that we were ready to take on Moscow Tower.

We took the stairs to this one at a normal pace Zach interrupting our laughing to tell me something. "We can be killed." He revealed about about floor twenty. "It isn't easy to do, but it can be done."

I didn't say anything, mainly because I didn't know what to say, but that didn't stop him from talking. "I think that might be why we have so many supernatural defenses. Vampires not being able to smell us or sense us. Our speed, strength, and human like appearance. We can be stabbed, shot, hell I've even had my neck broken and I've healed just fine. But despite our built in camo and healing abilities if our heads are separated from our bodies or our heart is damaged in anyway we won't come back from that."

"But what are the odds of someone doing that. You're lethal as a werewolf, and in human form no one can detect you." I consoled continuing to head up with him.

Zach nodded, "I admit it isn't very likely, especially since out hearts are smaller than the average humans and is on the right side as opposed to the left like normal people. That's why Nina scared me so badly, the soldier that shot her aimed for her heart, and if she were human, and it was on left side she would have been dead."

"Why are you telling me this now?" I asked once we made it to the top of Moscow tower.

He answered without difficulty. "You trusted me, and jumped. You didn't have to, but I figured I at least owed you the same thing. My life is literally in your hands now Reenie."

There was something so vulnerable about that statement, and it touched me. Zach always broadcasted strength and on that roof he was looking to me for it. He extended his hand for us to jump together, and I took it. The look on his face was priceless when I wrapped my other hand around his neck to crush my lips into his for the first kiss I ever initiated.

"Reenie..." He pulled away breathless, speechless, and seeking an explanation.

I just smiled linking my fingers behind his neck. "Geronimo." And pushed backwards off the tower, taking him with me our lips crushing together as we fell.