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" Whatever you two are up too, my mate isn't stupid." Jerry said once he, Giselle, and Nickolas were in the den. Winter was in their kitchen, grabbing glasses and a bottle of wine.

" What are you talking about? I believe Winter and I will become great friends. We do have something in common, you know." Giselle said as she walked past Jerry.

" You have nothing in common with her, trust me." Jerry said with a bitter laugh.

" Yes we do." Giselle said sweetly. " We both have had you between our legs and since we know you aren't a one female type of vampire, I am sure I will have you again."

" Giselle, Darling, why don't you go and see if our lovely host needs any help." Nickolas spoke up quickly. Giselle smiled and blew both boys a kiss before she walked out.

" What are you doing here? Really? What is this game?" Jerry asked. " And don't tell me it's nothing because you and I both know it's something." Nickolas sat down on the couch and put his arms across the back of it as he started to grin.

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" There is something I can help you with?" Giselle asked as she walked into the kitchen. Winter smiled as she started to set things out on a tray.

" No, I actually have it all set. Thanks though." She said. The tray was sterling silver. Winter had set out a bottle of wine, four glasses and a bowl filled with grapes.

" Are those grapes?" Giselle asked in surprise.

" Yeah." Winter said with a small laugh. " Jay loves fruit and I still like to eat food."

" Can I have one?" The other vampire asked.

" Help yourself." Giselle sat down at their island and leaned forward. She plucked a small grape from the bunch and popped it into her mouth. She closed her eyes as she bit down into it. " I used to love grapes." She said.

" I always keep fruit around." Winter said. Giselle opened her eyes and smiled.

" That was wonderful. Thank you for that." She said.

" No problem." Winter said. She turned her attention back to the apples she had started to cut up.

" You know, you remind me a human lover, Jerry used to keep." Giselle said, grabbing another grape. Winter's head snapped up.

" What?" She asked.

" In the 1800's he took a human to his bed." Giselle said before she stuck the grape in her mouth.

" He did?" Winter frowned and looked back at the apple she had been working on.

" He kept her chained in basement of his house for weeks, drinking and fucking her until she died. But would you believe she didn't like the sex." Giselle waved her hand in air as if she was dismissing something as she shook her head. " Stupid, pathetic little thing used to beg him to leave her alone, to let her go but you know our man."

" Enough!" Jerry said as he rushed into the kitchen.

" What's the matter? Does your mate not know about Gwendolyn?" Giselle asked in fake surprise.

" I thought you told her everything." Nickolas said as he followed behind Jerry. Winter tighten her mouth as she looked at Jerry who came around the island to her.

" I did not have sex with her." He said.

" What? Come, come now, Jerry. Lies do not become you." Nickolas said. He slipped his arm around Giselle's shoulders.

" Look, she has grapes!" Giselle said. She grabbed another one and brought it to Nickolas' mouth.

" I am not lying." Jerry hissed to Giselle. Nickolas opened his mouth for Giselle. When she put the grape inside, Nickolas clamped his mouth shut and and sucked against her fingers. Giselle made a show of moaning. Jerry grabbed Winter's hand. " Love, look to our bond." He brought her hand to his chest. He pushed her hand so it was flat against him then he covered it with his own. " You know I can not lie." Giselle's head wiped around suddenly.

" What are you talking about?" She asked. Winter pulled her eyes from Jerry's face to look at Giselle.

" Because we are a mated couple and bonded, we can't lie to each other." Winter said. Giselle and Nickolas started to laugh, making her frown. Jerry came forward and put his arm around Winter's waist.

" Well that's just not true." Giselle said. Jerry's hand tighten on Winter's shirt at her lower back.

" What?" Winter asked. Jerry put his mouth to the side of Winter's head as he came into her space.

" Because he is your maker he is able to hide things. He is able to shut off memories and feelings from you." Nickolas said. Winter frowned and looked at him quickly.

" Is that true?" Winter asked. Jerry frowned hard at her.

' You know I love you. Don't let them do this to us.' His voice echoed through her mind but Winter shook her head sharply.

" Don't." She said. She took a step away from him quickly. " Talk to me out loud. Is that true?" She asked.

" Come, my Darling," Nickolas started as he took a hold of Giselle's elbow. " I believe they are to have a lover's quarrel." Giselle reached forward and patted Winter's arm.

" Call me tomorrow night, Sweets." She said. She stood up and the vampire couple left quickly.

" Is that true?" Winter asked.

" It's not like that with us." Jerry said.

" So it's true. You can hide things from me." She said. Jerry sighed and faced the island. He placed both hands on it and closed his eyes.

" Yes, it's true. Being your maker, I have certain powers over you." He admitted.

" Like what?" Winter asked. He opened his eyes and stared on the counter.

" I can hide things from you like they said. If I want, I could make you go into the sun. I could glamour you as I did when you were a human. If I call to you, no matter where you are, you would have to come to me." Jerry looked at her quickly. " But you have to know that I would never do any of that to you." Winter frowned and shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. Jerry turned towards her and took her arms. " I never keep things from you. I would never send you to the sun or glamour you."

" Why didn't you tell me you could do all that?" She asked as he started to rub her.

" Because it didn't matter, it doesn't matter. I wouldn't do it." Jerry said.

" Did you have a human lover?" Winter asked.

" No." He said.

" Did you keep a girl chained up in a basement?" She asked. Jerry sighed and stood up straight, dropping his arms.

" I did." He nodded. " I fed from her for days, until her body gave out." Winter took a deep breath.

" How old was she?" She asked.

" 17." He said. Winter swallowed hard. " You knew I was a monster. You knew I was ruthless."

" She was a child."

" Not then. Back then a girl of that age was often married with children." He said.

" Was she?" Winter asked.

" No." Jerry said. Winter's mouth tighten.

" I didn't expect to hear this." She said. " I didn't expect this at all."

" Winter," He reached for her again but Winter backed up, shaking her head.

" No, I need some time to myself right now. I'm sorry, Jay, but I do. I don't know how I feel about all this. It's a lot to take in."

" This is why I do not want you to be friends with her. Nothing good comes from Giselle." Jerry said.

" Giselle didn't do this. You did." Winter said. " You chose what to tell me and not tell me. This whole time I thought how amazing it was that we couldn't keep things from each other. I thought how amazing our relationship would be because we can't lie or anything but now I am learning that you can. I can't but you can. Then I find out about this young girl." Again she shook her head. " I can't image how scared she must have been. I remember how scared I was just to talk to you that night but her...you kidnapped her and kept her chained up."

" Love, please." Jerry said but Winter just continued to back away from him.

" I need some time to process things." Then she turned and walked out of the kitchen. Jerry frowned hard. He picked up the bottle of wine and flung it against the wall. He slammed his hands on the counter as his fangs descended. He reached down the line to his mate but Winter had shut the bond off.