Narrative P.O.V.
"You can't do this to me."
Daniel had Zak by the back of his neck, guiding him up the staircase as Jai led the way.
"I can do whatever the fuck I want to," Cain growled as he strolled behind them.
Jai opened the door that led up to the rooftop as Daniel pulled Zak into the early morning air.
He stumbled forward and fell, his legs too weak to walk any further.
It had been several days since Zak had fed and he knew Cain wouldn't be generous enough to share.
It didn't matter, though.
Zak knew his time was running short and he didn't expect to come off that roof.
The flat section of the roof was small, but it was spacious enough to serve its intended purpose.
Staked into the roof was a tall, steel pole. During a time when Vampires were actively sought out and killed by Lycanthropes, this was a spot in the palace used regularly to interrogate and torture those infected by the disease.
Daniel pushed Zak against the steel structure while Jai walked around them and began to lock the shackles around Zak's feet. Once this was done and there was no way for Zak to escape, Daniel let go of him and pulled the handcuffs from his pocket.
He went around the stake and pulled Zak in closer so his hands could be locked behind his back.
"Vulnerability doesn't feel good, does it?" Cain asked, watching the task at hand.
Zak refused to answer the question.
He kept his eyes on the horizon, staring intently at what would soon be his demise.
There were only a few more hours in his future, and they would be painful ones.
"What would your mate say about you killing her brother?" He asked.
Cain smiled.
"She gave me permission, don't worry."
"Keep in mind that she did so before you tried to poison her," Daniel chimed in. "I wouldn't say her answer has changed since then."
"You're making a mistake," Zak told them. "I'm the only person who can help you. I have information that would be vital to your survival."
Cain raised an eyebrow.
"Information that you're not readily giving up," he clarified. "I don't have time beg you, nor do I have the patience."
"You'll wish you had."
Jai looked at Cain warily and Cain pretended not to notice.
While he was looking forward to watching Zak die, Cain knew he wouldn't take as much pleasure in doing so as he wanted to.
Zak was the only person who knew what lie ahead and uncertainty was something Cain didn't handle well.
But Zak had endured hours of torture at the hands of Jai without so much as letting a time or place slip, a feat not accomplished by anyone that Cain was aware of.
They had nothing to go on.
But Cain didn't have the patience to deal with someone who was as committed to their own cause as Cain was his.
Zak, absent of the information he held with an iron grip, was a distraction that Cain didn't need and a dangerous one at that.
"Answer one question," Cain said, standing in front of Zak.
Zak narrowed his eyes.
"Why try to kill your own sister? She's your flesh and blood, it must not have been easy."
"Speaking from experience?" Zak asked.
Cain's hardened expression didn't show the shock he felt on the inside. Instead, he waited for an answer to his question rather than answering Zak's.
"I wasn't the one who decided she had to die. I just followed orders."
"Whose orders?" Cain asked for the millionth time.
When Zak didn't answer, Cain shrugged.
"Is he done?" He asked Jai and Daniel, who were now just observing the conversation.
The two of them nodded and Cain jerked his head towards the door, gesturing for them to leave.
"Enjoy the sunrise," he told Zak.
As Cain turned to leave the roof, Zak spoke.
"Let me talk to my sister."
Cain looked out to the horizon and saw the sun start to peak over the mountains in the distance.
"She won't make it up in time," he said.
He saw Zak shift nervously.
"You turned her then?" Zak asked.
Cain didn't answer.
"Did you mark her too?"
"Yes."
Zak swallowed the knot in the back of his throat.
"I'm interested to know why you would use your last few moments to concern yourself with such things," Cain said honestly.
"You should have let her die," Zak told him, ignoring the probing comment.
"Why?"
Cain's tone hardened as he began to get angry. There was something Zak was hinting at that Cain couldn't quite wrap his mind around.
"She'll wish she was dead soon enough. What you did was selfish. I was protecting her from what is coming."
"Then why wouldn't you tell me so I can protect her further?"
Zak hesitated.
"I will give you one piece of information in return for something."
Cain's eyebrow rose.
"There is a tracking unit in her left bicep. Do with that information what you want to."
Cain looked at Daniel, who nodded and hurried off the roof.
"What do you want?" He asked Zak.
"Get her out of this."
Cain's arms crossed.
"Of all the things you could ask for..."
Cain stared at Zak with a mixture of confusion and amusement for a moment longer.
He took one last glance at the coming dawn before turning to leave the roof, slamming the door behind him as he did.
As he descended the staircase behind Jai, he was more confused and angry than satisfied.
He told himself that Zak was only playing mind games, trying to distract him and make him overthink his next move.
But there was a small part of him that whispered from a dark place, telling him that while Zak was a disgusting bastard, he was not a liar.
Cain stopped in the middle of the staircase and Jai turned to look at him.
"Am I making a mistake by letting him die?"
Jai raised his eyebrows.
"Are you asking my opinion?"
"Yes."
Jai sighed.
"I don't think there's a good option," he said honestly. "Personally, I think the risk of keeping him alive outweighs his usefulness, and that's if he decided to be helpful and tell us what he knows."
"So he should die?" Cain asked.
Jai nodded slowly.
When Cain made no effort to move from his stationary position on the staircase, Jai sighed.
"That's not what's bothering you," he said.
Cain stared at him intently.
"He knew about Jacob."
Jai was at a loss for words. He had never heard Cain talk about his younger brother. While it was rumored that Cain had killed him, confirmation of such talk wasn't something that was afforded many people.
"Well that's a start," Jai said. "The list of people who would be privy to that information is a short one. It wouldn't be too difficult to find out who told him."
"Unless it was firsthand information."
Jai felt the air leave him.
"You are the only one who would be able to give a firsthand account of what happened and you certainly didn't tell him."
"I'm not talking about me."
"Dead men don't tell tales," Jai said nervously.
Cain's expression remained serious.
"Unless they aren't dead."
- - -
Ella's P.O.V.
Walking outside, I was glad to breathe the fresh air—no matter how cold it was.
I wrapped my arms around my thick winter coat as I stomped through the several inches of snow that coated the ground.
It had become overcast outside as the day progressed, meaning I wasn't in direct sunlight. Daniel told me this meant I wouldn't turn to ash but I was still cautious to stay in the extra shade of the trees that surrounded me.
As I walked closer towards him, I noticed Cain was wearing a t-shirt and no jacket or coat. This made me shiver even more.
He stood under a large, leafless tree.
The winding branches would have made it a perfect climbing tree, but something about it was eerie.
The way Cain was looking at the tree in reverence, I almost didn't want to continue walking towards it.
I stopped mid stride and contemplated turning around. It was when I did this, that Cain turned to meet my gaze.
"Daniel told me that you were out here," I said quickly, feeling as though I had intruded.
Cain looked at me in concern.
"Feeling okay?"
"I'm fine."
He raised an eyebrow as he began to walk closer towards me.
"Fine?"
"As fine as can be expected," I answered, giving him a grim smile.
I saw remorse flash across his features.
"I'm sorry, Ella."
I fought the sudden urge to punch him.
"You don't have to apologize for saving my life so make that the last time you do it," I said quickly.
My stern tone shocked both Cain and myself, proof of this evident on both of our faces.
"I'm not apologizing for saving your life," he said finally. "I'd do it again if I had to. I'm only sorry that you have to suffer because of it."
I sighed.
"I've cried my tears, I'm done mourning."
Cain looked at me apprehensively.
"You do realize what turning did to you, don't you?" he asked slowly.
"It took away my ability to conceive children, but it doesn't have to take away my happiness."
Cain drew in a deep breath and turned to look at the tree once again.
"We're leaving in an hour," he told me, shifting the conversation.
My eyebrows furrowed.
"Why?"
"It's not safe here anymore," he answered. "Daniel said the chip that was in your arm has been actively tracing you for the past few days."
I subconsciously raised my hand to rub the bandaged incision wound on my upper arm.
"Where are we going?"
"Morocco," he said. "Casablanca, specifically."
I raised an eyebrow.
"That seems somewhat of a random spot."
"Exactly. There's a meeting happening there in two days that all of the Betas will be attending."
"But we're going early?"
He nodded, turning to look at me.
"Problem with that?"
I shook my head, earning a look from Cain that I couldn't quite decipher.
"Well," he said, breaking his stare. "I think you had better pack quickly. We're leaving for the airport soon."
I let out a laugh.
"Pack what, exactly? All of my things are still in Washington at Zak's house."
He hummed.
"I suppose we better go shopping when we get where we're going then."
"You didn't hear me? All of my things are in Washington, namely my wallet."
Cain rolled his eyes as he began to walk away.
"What?" I asked incredulously. "I'm being serious."
"I think we'll find a way to make it work," he said sarcastically.
I watched as he walked towards the castle.
"Cain," I said, earning his attention.
He heard the serious tone to my voice and turned.
I felt the air around me thicken as I fought to ask a question that I didn't want to know the answer to.
"Where is Zak?"
When he neglected to answer, I let in a shaky breath.
"He's dead, isn't he?"
The look on his face was the only answer I needed.
My arms went weak and fell to my side. I fought hard against tears as I tried to digest the information.
Zak killed our grandfather and he lied to our parents. He kidnapped and poisoned me.
He was a bad guy.
But he was my brother.
I tried to tell myself that Zak was no longer the guy that I exchanged Christmas gifts with for twenty-three years. He wasn't the guy who taught me how to ride a bike anymore.
The man who died was not the Zak I knew.
My brother had long been gone.
"Ella."
"I'm okay," I said, barely choking the words out past the knot of emotion in the back of my throat.
Cain watched me closely, trying his hardest to measure to what degree I was lying.
"We should go," he said.
I nodded and walked by him quickly.
Cain caught my hand as I passed him and he spun me around to fall into his chest.
I felt my body relax against him as he kissed me.
The feeling of his lips on mine sent my mind blank and my knees weak.
I couldn't understand how my body seemed to respond to his touch with such intensity. It didn't make sense.
But, in that moment, I didn't need it to make sense.
When he pulled away, his nose brushed against mine gently, prompting my eyes to open and peer into his lavender ones.
Neither one of us could say a word as we backed away from one another and began to walk back towards the castle.
The kiss, no matter how dreamy it was, had brought me crashing down to the reality of what was to happen that night.
While Cain and I had not explicitly decided to have sex before I would transition into Heat, it wasn't something we had decided against either.
Up until that point, any intimate moment I had shared with Cain came naturally and seemed occur on its own.
But this felt weird, almost as if I was being forced to.
I didn't like the thought that my first time with Cain was going to be somewhat awkwardly staged and expected.
These were the thoughts that filled my head, haunting me for the next hour as Cain packed his things and we left the castle in the train.
Daniel and Jai were tagging along until we reached the airport terminal, both of them speaking silently with Cain about something in a separate car.
Normally I would have felt left out, but I had more on my plate in that moment than I ever wanted. I couldn't imagine taking on the responsibility of knowing anything else important.
The awkward tension followed Cain and I from the train to the tarmac where a jet was waiting.
I waved goodbye to Jai and Daniel, who both wore uncharacteristically grim expressions and neglected to return the farewell with as much enthusiasm as I had given it.
For the next three or so hours, Cain and I sat on the plane in silence.
I pretended to read a book I had found in his room while he worked through a file folder of some type.
By the way we kept making eye contact, I knew Cain's mind was elsewhere and I had a feeling he would leave the plane as unproductive as he was before he got on it.
I went nearly thirty minutes without turning a page.
We couldn't get off the jet quick enough as it landed and pulled into a hangar where a car was waiting.
Stepping off the plane, I noticed that a red sports car was waiting for us instead of Cain's usual preference of a black SUV.
He stepped out after I did, carrying his single dufflebag in one hand and paperwork in the other.
"Is that all you packed?" I asked.
"I travel light."
The brief, curt statement took me back slightly as he walked past me and towards the man who stood waiting for us.
The two exchanged words for a moment in a language I didn't recognize before Cain was handed the keys to the car.
"You've never struck me as the Ferrari-type," I said as he walked over.
"And you don't strike me as someone who would be into cars," he replied.
I raised an eyebrow.
"I'm not a car girl," I said. "But I also don't live under a rock. I know a Ferrari Spider when I see it."
"Well let's see if you can recognize the interior," he said, opening my door for me. "We need to leave."
I drew in a deep breath as I walked over to the car and took my seat, placing my unread book in my lap after buckling up.
Cain threw his dufflebag into the cargo hold that was in the front of the car before walking around to sit in the driver's seat.
I said nothing as he started the car and drove out of the terminal at a speed that led me to believe he was very comfortable behind the wheel of a sports car.
The terminal was left in the sand that flew off of the road behind the car as we drove towards the city.
The sun had begun to set behind the buildings we passed, which I was thankful for. The shade had become my new best friend seeing as direct sunlight would burn me to a crisp.
The silent car ride came to a halt as Cain pulled off the side road in front of tall stone wall. He got out of the car and walked over to the wooden gate that had a pin pad imbedded in the stone beside it.
He entered in a combination that signaled the gate to open automatically, sliding backwards to reveal a modern, angular house with huge glass windows in the front and a second level that overhung the first.
Cain returned to the car and drove it into the courtyard as the gate closed behind us.
Private was the only word I could think of to describe the property.
The stone wall, while not completely out of place as the neighboring homes were also concealed by privacy walls, was nearly fifteen feet high. It wrapped around the entire front of the house, except for the sliding gate, and disappeared along the side of the home as well, leading me to believe it also stretched into the backyard.
Wordlessly, we walked inside and Cain flipped on a light switch that illuminated the entire first floor. It was an open floor plan with the kitchen, dining and living room area on the first level.
The staircase that led up to the second level was nothing more than thick, wooden boards jutting out from stone that ascended up the wall.
I followed Cain as he walked upstairs with his bag, opening a door to reveal a bedroom with an en suite.
The entire back wall was a window that peered out into the backyard.
I was correct in assuming that the wall circled the entire property. There were two palm trees in one corner along with various types of foliage that ran against the backside of the wall, beside the underground pool that took up most of the space in the yard.
A deck with cushioned chairs and a daybed sat next to the water with steps that led down into the pool.
"Is this place yours?" I asked.
I couldn't believe anyone owned anything so luxurious, much less as a secondary home.
To my surprise, he nodded.
"I never come, though. I'm always too busy to leave Germany."
"This is your vacation home, then?"
"One of them," he answered.
The serious look on his face led me to believe that he wasn't kidding.
How does someone have more than one vacation home? Never mind the fact that they were scattered across various countries.
I looked down to the pool again and felt the sudden urge to dunk myself under the water, despite not having a swim suit.
During the time we'd been inside, I had began to sweat. I told myself it was just because the weather was humid.
Without saying a word, I left the bedroom and went downstairs to find the door that led out into the backyard.
At this point, I was uncomfortably hot and prayed that the pool water was cold.
Taking off my shirt and pants, I didn't even take the time to test the water temperature before I dove in.
The water was deep and I swam the whole length of the pool submerged before I finally came up for air.
I was disappointed to find that it wasn't as cool and refreshing as I wanted it to be.
I heard the sliding backdoor open as the lights in the pool came on, making the water glow a soft blue.
Cain walked out onto the deck, eyeing my clothes that I had slung haphazardly onto a nearby chair.
"The sun's starting to set," he said, sitting down.
I nodded, taking notice of how the night sky had begun to settle in, a few stars becoming visible.
I turned my gaze back to Cain who was watching me from where he sat on the edge of the pool.
"Care to join?"
He hesitated.
"I'm not a huge fan being in the water."
"It's not that deep," I told him, swimming over to where he sat. "I'm sure you'll be able to touch the bottom."
Once he made no effort to say anything else, I dipped my head below the surface of the water to swim down to the bottom.
I reached up and grabbed his foot which was dangling over the edge of the pool and began to tug him forward.
When he didn't budge, I came up to the surface and was met by an unamused gaze.
"C'mon, get in," I said. "Don't be a party pooper."
When he didn't move, I gently splashed his legs.
This earned a hard look which I found myself amused by.
I splashed him again, harder this time, wetting his shirt.
"Stop it," he said as if scolding a child.
I smiled as though I was the child.
I splashed him a final time, completely soaking him.
The expression he wore was priceless as he wiped away the beads of water rolling down his face with his hand.
I began to laugh and he shook his head.
"I'm soaked," he said looking at his shirt.
I looked down to see that the wet t-shirt was gripping his body so tight that his protruding muscles were clearly defined under the thin material.
I nearly drowned as I forgot how to tread water for those few distracted moments.
"Get in," I pleaded again. "The water feels great."
"Are you kidding?" He asked incredulously. "It's freezing."
My eyebrows furrowed.
"You stood outside in the snow today in nothing but your t-shirt," I said pointedly. "Besides, it's not cold at all. It feels like bath water."
Cain looked at me as if I were crazy.
"You must take really cold baths then."
This confused me, seeing as I thought the water easily could have qualified as warm.
I let out a frustrated groan as I realized Cain wasn't budging from his place on the deck.
An idea hit me as I began to back away.
"Oh well," I said, faking sorrow. "I guess I'll just have to skinny dip alone then."
I turned to look at Cain who shook his head in disbelief.
"I'm not falling for that," he said.
"Falling for what?" I asked, faking confusion.
"I know what you're doing," he said, leveling my gaze. "It's not going to work."
Only one way to find out.
I shrugged as I reached behind me to unclasp my bra.
Pulling it loose, I reached up and threw it so that it landed on the deck next to Cain, who still looked less than amused.
I reached under the water and tugged my underwear from my hips and slid them down my legs, a feat that proved somewhat difficult in water that was just barely over my head.
I managed to remove them somewhat gracefully and threw them to land next to my bra.
At this point, Cain stared at me with an amusing combination of lust and annoyance.
I turned around and pulled my upper body out of the water and crossed my arms to rest on the other side of the pool deck.
I laid my chin on my arms as I kicked my feet gently, pretending not to notice that Cain was watching.
I began a silent countdown in my head.
Five.
He's totally buying it.
Four.
He'll get in any second now.
Three.
There's no way he'll be able to just sit there while I'm naked less than ten feet away.
Two.
I still haven't heard a splash...
One.
I turned around to see that Cain was gone from his spot on the deck.
I let out a scoff just before seeing the shadow pass beneath me in the water.
The next thing I knew, Cain broke the surface of the water, scaring the daylights out of me.
I drew in a shallow breath seeing him standing in front of me with an intense look on his face.
"Change your mind?" I asked.
Foregoing a response, his lips found mine as he lifted me up into his arms.
I found myself pressing into the kiss, wrapping my arms around his broad shoulders.
I let out a frustrated sigh as my hands touched the wet fabric of his t-shirt and not his bare skin.
I struggled to gather enough of it in my hands to lift over his head. It was then that he let go of me for a moment and pulled the shirt apart at the collar, ripping it down the back.
He pulled the torn fabric away from his body and threw it over my head to land somewhere behind me as he resumed the kiss.
Completely turned on by his actions, I had no objections when his tongue slipped between my lips.
The taste of his mouth made me let out a moan that turned my cheeks pink upon hearing it.
His body pushed against me, pinning me to the side of the pool. As he did so, I felt the bulge in his pants press against my hips.
It was encouraging to know I wasn't the only one of us completely blinded by the heat of the moment.
Cain pulled away from me for a slight moment so he could pick me up in his arms.
I reached around his neck and found his lips with mine, once again savoring the taste of his kiss.
I could hear the splash of the water as he used the steps to emerge from the pool, still carrying me in his arms.
The cool, night air blew against us, making goosebumps shoot across my bare skin.
The next thing I knew, I was laying down; my back against the cushioned day bed and Cain was standing above me.
I watched as he took off his pants and boxer briefs before crawling over me, his naked body completely encompassing mine.
His lips pressed against my skin, leaving a trail of kisses along my collarbone.
My breathing completely erratic, I watched the full moon and twinkling stars above us as his hands traveled further and further down my body.
It was the last thing I saw before my eyes rolled back and I gasped, unable to concentrate on anything else in that moment than where Cain's hands were and the way his touch elicited a feeling that made my toes curl.
Just before I felt myself completely unravel before him, his touch was gone.
I opened my eyes to see him crawl over me, his eyes dark and haunting.
He leaned down and kissed me roughly, allowing me to feel the poke of his fangs against my lips as he did so.
I wrapped my legs around his waist as he pulled away from the kiss. I could feel his hot breath moving down my neck, prompting me to lean my head back farther.
He planted wet kisses along my jaw as I felt his hips roll into alignment with mine.
My hands wrapped around his neck, my fingers entangling themselves in his hair as he pushed himself inside me. I couldn't help the moan that tumbled from my lips as he did so.
The next thing I knew, Cain's teeth sank deep into my neck.
It was a move that left me with nothing else to do but scream.
- - -