“You're alive,” I say holding my father.

“It takes a lot more than a stake to kill your old man,” Jackson tells me.

He holds me close. I know this is weird for JB who is looking on right now. Hell right now I'm pretty ing sure that it's weird for me as well. JB seems to be speechless. Right now I have to admit that I'm beyond speechless as well.

JB's silence is loud though. It speaks volumes. All these secrets have been thrown on him at once. I've inherited all my father's secrets and right now I'm wondering what the he thinks about me hugging this incredibly y guy who looks my age and calling him my father.

Just at that moment a familiar face approaches. It's Countess Livia. She is joined by other King's guard. There have to be dozens of them. This was a full out attack.

“The rogues have scattered. The majority of them have been killed,” the Countess explains, “The main threat is gone sir. Victory!”

She's calling my father sir. My father is still in charge of the King's guard. It's clear right now. The other guards gather around my father. They are celebrating. Idiots. They don't know what's coming. They don't know what the is coming.

“She's awake.”

“Who?” the Countess asks me.

I look towards the tomb...the hidden wall. My voice is a slow...slight whisper, “Lilith...”

The silence that has made JB stand there like a statue spreads to the rest of the King's guard. The moment of victory that they had is gone. None of them probably ever saw her in person but the stories that they know must be enough that they are shaking in fear. They are frozen in place not sure how to react.

“Si—si---sir....” Countess Livia looks at my father.

She's lost and confused. The brave men and women who would follow my father anywhere were now stuck on stupid. And they had every right to be. It would mean nothing for my mother Lilith to kill every single man and woman in this room. She wouldn't even break a sweat. Deep inside they must know that too. Deep inside I think they can all feel it in the same way that I can. It's not the same connection. My connection is much stronger. My connection is much deeper but it's still there.

My father seems mesmerized for a moment but lets out his ordres, “Livia retreat. It's not safe. Take the Prince and Jr back to Eden immediately. Don't wait. Don't stop for anything. Keep moving...”

The feeling was getting stronger. Stronger and stronger. Just at that moment I see Jackson making his way towards the room.

“Where the do you think you're going?”

“Watch your mouth,” he tells me.

“Jackson. I understand you're trying to play father right now but I'm going to have to get used to that. And you walking in that room is not going to help.”

“I just have to see her. I have to confirm...”

The look in Jackson's eyes is clear. He was enchanted. It's the real reason he turned down Nelly so many times. He was in love. He was still in love with my mother and right now there is a spark in his eyes. There is a spark that I can't understand.

“She'll kill you.”

“She wouldn't hurt me...”

I grab my father's wrist hard, “I'm not going to take that risk. I'm still in shock that you're alive. I'm not going to just let you risk it. So you decide. It's me or it's her.”

I knew it wasn't fair to ask. I knew that I was playing the lost son game and acting like an injured bird. I didn't care. The King's Guard was already starting to leave. We needed to be doing the same thing. I didn't need my father going back into that room after I just found out that he was alive.

Jackson grabs my hand, “I spoil you...”

***

The way back to Eden is long. It's silent. JB doesn't leave me alone with my father. Maybe he doesn't really believe that Jackson is my father. Maybe he does believe it but he just wants to be nosy. He isn't talking to me either. I'm a little concerned about JB to be honest with you. No one really says anything until we get to the old building in Harlem that leads to the white gates of Eden.

By the time we get past the gates my father relaxes a little bit.

“We can pace ourselves now,” he explains, “Livia run on ahead and tell the king what happened with the mission. Tell him that I was successful but that Lilith is alive.”

Livia nods at the order and leaves. The other king's guards are also walking on ahead. My father clearly wants to talk to me alone but it becomes even more clear that JB is not going to leave us at the edge of the forest alone. JB's eyes are glaring at Jackson and I.

“My father knows you're alive?”

Jackson nods, “It was his idea. All of it.”

JB is shaken up at that moment, “What...idea...”

“He made you challenge me. I let you stab me so that everyone thought you won...including you. We faked my death shortly after. Only members of the King's guard are aware.”

“Why? WHY the would my father do some like that?” JB asks, “Making me look like I won in front of the entire city.”

“If I didn't know better I would assume that you hoped I was dead...prince...” Jackson spits the title at that moment.

I swear to god I think Jackson and JB are going to break out in a fight right now. I feel for JB in way. I don't think he really wishes my father was really dead. I believed him when he said he regretted stabbing my father. What I do believe however is that JB was made to believe that he was more powerful than he was. For the first time in JB's life he had proven to the people that he had what it took to be king and in a matter of seconds it is revealed to him that this is all some type of plot by his father.

The tension is growing so high between the two and this time I'm not going to miss the opportunity to lessen it a little bit.

“JB is just surprised. That's all,” I defend him.

JB doesn't seem to be wanting to completely play along. He is glaring at Jackson and he offers up a hard, “Everyone is going to find out you're alive and my father is going to make me look like a fool in front of the whole city because Jackson, the great had to fake his death. Yes. I'm surprised. So can I at least get an explanation?”

Jackson shakes his head, “Because someone was infiltrating Class O. We had to figure out who it was. The only way they'd make their move was if they felt like I was dead. So I faked my death and sure enough...Nelly made her move leading Jr to the other rogues.”

“I followed Jr. I protected him.”

“You hid in a tomb...” Jackson responds, “And I assume you know a little bit more than I wanted you to know from following him. And here is the official story you are going to tell your father. You'll tell him Nelly kidnapped you and Jr followed you to rescue you.”

I'm confused by this, “Why?”

“He's trying to keep the secret of who your mother is,” JB responds at that moment answering the question for Jackson, “You should know Jackson is pretty good at secrets by now. What would my father do if he knew his beloved king's guard ed the first ever vampire...”?

Tension.

It's thick---as .

Jackson nods, “I'm going to give you a word of advice. Prince. We both want to protect Jr so I'll say this nicely. You know that law that keeps someone from touching you?”

“I'm well aware of it...”

“If you let out a single word about Jr being my son or Lilith being his mother. I'll will be breaking that law...over and over...and over until there is nothing left of you.”

I gulp. JB turns at that moment. He walks off at that moment.

“JB! JB!” I scream after him.

JB doesn't listen. He's pissed. The way he walks off dramatically seems to prove it. The others are well on their way to the big stone city of Eden. I am so pissed when I turn to Jackson.

“Really?” I ask him, “You knew damn well JB wasn't going to say anything. Why would you threaten him like that?”

Jackson shakes his head, “I don't know anything. I told you from the beginning. I don't trust any of these people with you. And I was right. Nelly was a snake in the grass and you trusted her.”

“JB's different.”

“I could care less,” Jackson explains to me, “I would fake my death a million times. I would fight every rogue. I would kill the king himself if he threatened you. So yeah...threatening a prince for good measure means nothing to me. And honestly he should mean nothing to you either. I know you think you love this boy---”

“I do love him.”

Jackson rolls his eyes, “My job is to keep you safe. You talked to the rogues. You know what they expect from you?”

I nod.

“Yes.”

Jackson shakes his head, “Your mother will stop at nothing to make sure you follow her path. I have to stop her. Eden is the only place you’re safe. If these people find out who you are they'll think you're a threat and they'll remove that threat.”

“Maybe I am a threat.”

He raises his eyebrow at me, moves to my side and grunts, cold and stern like always, “Mino?”

“You know about him?”

Jackson sighs, “Of course I know about him.”

“Then you now that I can't go back to Eden. I killed Mino.”

“They don't know.”

I'm confused. I look at Jackson at that moment.

“What?”

“Roman didn't know what to do when you killed Mino. He called his brother for help. And Mark did what Mark had to do.”

I'm confused.

“What are you talking about?”

“He took Roman's place and he blamed the death on Nelly.”

As if Nelly was capable of ripping someone to shreds like that. I can't believe that Mark covered it up. I should be grateful but right now I don't feel like I'm worth it. The men in my life were going out of their way to protect me and all I was doing was giving them more work.

“Roman would never agree to that,” I explain, “I saw how he was reacting. He hated me. He's going to run and tell people the first chance he gets what I did to his boyfriend.”

“Exactly...”

My father starts walking away.

“Jackson...Jackson...” I call out, “Dad!”

Jackson finally stops, “Yes?”

“Where is Roman?”

Jackson explains, “From now on they won't be switching out. Mark will be at the school with you. He'll be taking care of you. Now that's the kind of guy I can see you with. Someone who will do anything to protect you...anything...”

***

“I knew it was her...” Bambam tells me, “I didn't trust Nelly. Not one bit. The way she ripped up poor Mino.”

Satyr doesn't hesitate to join in, “I know. God---look at Roman. Could you imagine? He looks so heart broken.”

School is back as though it never left. I'm sitting in homeroom with Bambam and Satyr. They've been non-stop gossiping about the events that took place. Everything was so skewed. Facts were mixed with fairytales. Nelly was the traitor. Everyone knew about that. Her parents were arrested and it was big news all over the vampire network. They also just assumed Nelly killed Mino because that's what “Roman” told the authorities when they came.

I look over at Mark right now pretending to be his twin brother. He's trying to act all sad but truth is he's not that good of an actor. He's not sad and I'm so confused on what he did to Roman.

“You should go say something to him Jr,” Bambam suggests, “You were the next closest one to him.”

“I'll pass,” I let Bambam know rolling my eyes.

“Roman is the city's love story right now. Everyone's talking about him,” Satyr responds, “If I were you I'd use that little spotlight. The last thing you want to do is be associated with the prince who can't even win a real fight.”

That was the other thing. Just at that moment Jackson walks in. Everyone knew he was back. He'd gone on the media and told them all about him faking his death so that Nelly could drop her guard and make a move. Within the day JB became the target of media jokes, internet memes and just straight up slander for the fact that the Combat Sanglant was a fake.

“It's not like he knew Jackson was throwing the fight. JB still fought well,” I argue.

I'm attempting to stick up for JB as much as I can. It hasn't worked and I can't argue with everyone. It's not hard to hear the other classes in the school whispering about him. They always talk about Class O but JB has literally went from a hero to a zero over night because of this stupid thing.

He's acting like it doesn't bother him when he sees Jackson walk into class but I know it does. I hate that JB is going through this and as much as I love the fact that my father is back I just know that my father doesn't want me to end up with JB.

He seems to be getting his wish. JB hardly talks to me.

“Well if he fights so well how the did Nelly just kidnap him?” Satyr asks laughing.

What's worse was the fact that my father also told the media that JB was kidnapped. JB isn't even fighting against this completely false accusation. I'm sure he's not fighting it because he wants to protect me. But maybe that's why the resentment is also there.

The entire class I stare at JB and realize that I had to make things right with him. He was going out on a limb to protect me and he had all of Eden feeding into this stupid assumption that he was this weak prince he wasn't worth .

I knew what JB could do. JB deserved to be king. JB went into enemy territory to rescue me. JB trained day and night to beat Jackson. JB was strong.

“Are you two officially over?” Bambam asks me.

I don't know the answer to that. I didn't know where JB and I stood. Luckily I don't have to answer my friends because the bell rings.

As I