An overwhelming blackness surrounds my dreams and all I seem to be able to do is scream... Even if I tried, I could never remember the nightmare. The end was always blackness and it seemed to almost burn every time I woke up.

I give a short scream and instead of hugging the pillow, I squeeze the warm body next to me and all too quickly his hand is caressing my cheek and pulling me from my darkness.

“N…” I breathe as my eyes suddenly water.

This was too much for our first night together… There was no way he would stay now.

“Fiana, it’s okay… You’ll be fine,” he whispers as his lips press against my earlobe.

How did he know my sweet spot already…? It soothes me to the point where all I can do is hold him.

His thumb over my cheek bone, lulling me into a sleep more calm than ever… Although, my dream was one so vivid, and for a change it makes me smile, and it was only of N.

He was over top of me, his hands planted on the pillow below me yet it was one made out of silk rather than the cotton one I had fallen asleep on.

My fingers trace over the definitive muscles of his back while he stares down at me, his curious eyes holding nothing but love and sweetness.

For just a moment, my eyes drift away from him to take in the now large room with carved pillars in every corner. It was all so majestic, something unseen by my eyes. The bed is marvelous and made of a red oak, a curtain able to cloak the bodies that chose to lie in the bed.

My eyes connect with his as he says my name in a wispy way. I let my mouth turn upward and a joyous expression takes over my features as he leans down to press his lips against mine.

My hands move to his front to press my palms against his chest, my fingers dancing on the edges of his collarbones.

His lips move downward and all too suddenly I am awoken from my pleasurable dream with laughter.

My eyes flutter open as a muffled moan escapes my lips and I feel my mouth pressed against N’s cotton sweater. I flush in embarrassment when I feel his gaze on me.

“You went from screaming in terror to in the matter of thirty minutes.”

“I… The screaming I can’t remember, although the other part…”

I quiet myself as my hands ball the sweater he was still wearing, my gaze drifting downward to ignore his intrusive eyes.

He’s quick to move his fingers under my chin and lift it upward, although his movement is delicate. Why were his hands becoming so soft on me? It felt like he was touching something fragile now.

“Do tell,” He asks with a giggle.

He props his head on his free hand, making sure to keep our eyes locked as his eyes pleaded me to explain myself. Our bodies had melded themselves together somehow and both of my hands had found their way to his front to scrunch the fabric of his sweater in them.

“Well, you were in it,” I begin with as my cheeks redden, “and you were on top of me… in this really big marble room on a bed.”

The last part is rushed and the smile on his face is almost frozen in place.

Did I scare him? Didn’t guys normally like this sort of thing?

“What did the room look like?” N asks, his curious gaze not leaving my face.

“I thought you’d want to hear about the other part but… It was white marble, and each corner seemed to have this pillar with something carved in it. The bed was oak with white curtains, although the sheets were silk but I can’t remember their colour.”

I chuckle a bit and he blinks in surprise as a stoic look takes over his features. He seems to be entranced in some memory and all I can do is try to bring him out of it.

“N…?” I ask while my eyes squint in surprise.

He comes out of his apparent day dream and I can’t help myself as I let a small pout take over my mouth.

“Hey, don’t be like that… I was thinking of you,” He tells me.

I smirk and shove his chest a little before lying on my back, trying to pull him on top of me.

“Well, how about making another one of my dreams come true?” I ask cheekily.

“What other dream have I made come true?” He scoffs as he supports himself over me.

“Paying for my debt… I get to have what’s precious to me back, not that I’m sure what it is.”

He smiles melancholically at me before kissing my forehead in a kind manner.

“I hope you like it, my Princess,” he breathes against my heated skin before moving away from me and out of the bed.

I lean forward into a seated position and let my features take on a quizzical expression.

“So, where’d that nickname come from?” I ask.

Honestly, I’d never imagine someone calling me that considering I was living the life of a drifter for the past one hundred years.

He shrugs his shoulders before turning towards the drapes that covered his window. N pulls one of them open to let in the light of the grey sky.

“I think it suits you,” he tells me quietly as he moves towards a dresser opposite of the bed.

I scoff, “Have you seen what I wear?”

He pulls open the top drawer and soon he is sliding a large black key into his pocket. I wonder what that is for.

“It’s more than clothes… Your hair, your eyes and the way you carry yourself.”

My face makes a strange face and when he turns around N only laughs at me.

“I think so at least.”

I nod while making a strange sound and pull myself from the all too comfortable sheets.

I can’t help a nagging feeling inside of me as I think about the day… Was it right to be scared whilst also being excited?

I stand before the mirror that stands beside the dresser and can feel N’s eyes follow me. He seems to be studying me as I stand before the mirror, my fingers combing through my hair to flatten some of its waves. I fiddle with the sweater to put it into perfect place and let my gaze avert to N who is still staring at me.

“Well, you’re in charge today, Tiger,” I tell him with a smirk, my hands falling to my sides to shrug at him.

“Most of my money is held at another place close to here, so why don’t we head that way?” He tells me, lightly pulling me forward as his hand takes the small of my back.

“They won’t mind if you don’t call first?”

He shakes his head in response, “No, they’re friends of mine.”

When he opens the door for me, he leans forward to scan the hallway and I laugh at his actions.

Why was he acting so protective of me in his own house? Maybe he was worried Ravi and Sera would see me… Did I have any right in feeling self-conscious suddenly?

As I’m about to step through the door, I hear the pitter-patter of small foot-steps and my movement ceases.

A red fox is moving past the door in a hurried way, its eyes scanning over me quickly before making its way down the steps.

“What the...” I wonder in surprise as N’s hand tightens on my back.

I hear the floor creak quietly and when I look over a young man other than Ravi is standing just outside an open door. He has a fond smile on his face as his arms cross over his chest, his muscular frame leaning backward against the door.

When the fox is out of our sights his face takes on a look of somberness while his shoulders fall. His eyes lift to my face and when I give him a smirk he throws N a wary look.

What was that for?

“Ken,” N breathes with sadness laced in his voice, “You’ll figure it out one day… That way you can spend every day with her. Make up for the years that have been missed.”

The now named man nods in response before raising his eyes brows at N, giving me a small smile as he turns away to return to his room. The door clicks closed and I turn to give him a puzzled look.

“It’s a long story that would be better explained another day,” N instructs as he guides me down the hall to the stairs.

“You sure like to explain things later… Is that a promise you won’t abandon me after all this?”

I laugh but he hisses a bit in response.

“I won’t abandon you.”

I blink in surprise and we quickly begin our ascendance of the stairs, wandering through the store front and all too quickly hitting the pavement to journey to N’s supposed friend’s house.

**

“N,” I hiss through gritted teeth, “this place is crawling with vampires and others alike.”

My brown eyes move over the various beings that walk past us, their pale skin accompanied by a familiar mark underneath one of their earlobes.

“Trust me; they won’t touch you if you’re with me… Plus, vampires aren’t so bad.”

N had guided me to a dark part of downtown that took about twenty minutes to walk to. Luckily the temperature had risen so we weren’t left to the freezing air from the night before.

He’s so casual around the groups that pass us by, some even taking the time to nod at him in greeting.

He leads me to a tall, skinny building with iron wrought windows. It seems incredibly gloomy but he smiles as he raps on the front door.

Within seconds it is creaking open and an almost perfect flower boy face is peeking from behind it. He has a dreamy smile and two well defined dimples to accompany it. His hair is a golden brown and sits in a parted manner. The only thing that throws me off is the black mark that peaks from part of his collar bones.

How could he be a vampire?

His eyes roam over me as an awed expression makes its way to his face.

“Wow,” he breathes.

I feel a bit frightened and find myself sliding behind N. He chuckles before he addresses the man we were currently in front of.

“Hongbin, this is Fiana.”

“Ah, of course,” the man nods, “Nice to meet you Fiana, I’m Hongbin. I hope I didn’t frighten you, you just look familiar.”

“You’re not the only one who’s said that,” I tell him as my orbs fall on N’s back.

Hongbin bows at a ninety-degree angle before opening his door to either of us and I follow N hesitantly inside.

It shuts behind us and Hongbin ushers us forward down the musky hallway.  I clutch N’s hand as we move forward, doors on either side of the hallway.

“Where’s Leo?” N asks Hongbin with a bit of a surprised tone.

“Ah, he’s with Luna,” Hongbin answers with as he tilts his head towards the door we pass by.

“She’s still around?”

What was that supposed to mean?

Hongbin chuckles and looks over his shoulder and reads my face.

“Ah, don’t worry Fiana, he doesn’t mean in the sense of still being alive. My brother is a bit different than me,” Hongbin says with a calming smile.

“Different in what way?” I ask… Was it appropriate to inquire about such things right now?

He laughs again, “He’s a cross between a vampire and an incubus… So he doesn’t need blood unless it’s a certain person, but that doesn’t need to be explained now.”

I nod in compliance as we find our way to the kitchen and N is fishing in his pocket and pulling the key from earlier out. He hands it to Hongbin who takes it and moves towards a metal cabinet.

“One or two?” Hongbin mumbles.

“Just one,” N tells him.

Was he talking in millions…? There was no way he was simply stating how much money he had like that.

Hongbin pauses momentarily as the cabinet swings open, searching the many drawers that somehow sat in it. He finds one with the number seven and is quick to pull out a small leather green satchel.

“One dollar…?” I wonder aloud.

Hongbin chuckles as he hands both the key and the small bag to N who smiles in a thankful way.

“They have spells on them and each satchel can hold about one to two million dollars in it if need be… Connor is pretty good at her job,” Hongbin states.

The heavy doors of the cabinet close themselves and N is quickly sliding the satchel into his pocket along with his key.

“I’m sure we’d love to stay and visit, but we should finish this up,” N directs as he gives Hongbin a bit of a bow to which the other man returns.

They were so formal… almost like they were from the past. Just how old could N or Hongbin be?

“Don’t be afraid to come back and visit when this is over,” Hongbin mumbles at the both of us.

His bright brown eyes that hold flecks or gold scan me and before we start moving towards the door he is bowing lowly at me.

“What are you doing?” I blurt with a snort.

“Saying good-bye to a lady,” Hongbin laughs.

“You’re super old school,” I laugh.

Hongbin chuckles lightly at my words, giving us a wave as we make our way to the door.  When we move through it, it is quick to fasten itself shut when we make it to the sidewalk.

“Now, tell me where we must go,” N declares, waiting for my instructions.

“It’s a good twenty minutes from here, so let’s head straight and I’ll let you know when the turns come.”

He nods with a smile, extending his to silently ask me to take it.

I loop my arm through his with a bright smile as we begin to trek through the various sidewalks that would ultimately lead me to the thing I have been waiting for these past years.

**

I begin to tremble when the gaming hall comes into view and the familiar bodyguards are perched in their usual manner in between the revolving doors.

I let out a shaky breath as my feet begin to drag. N pauses for a moment to look me over with the similar stoic expression from this morning.

“Everything will be fine…” He remarks, his hand moving to mine to hold it.

I nod, squaring my shoulders as I let my fingers graze over the tall plants that decorated the outside of the building. I can’t help myself as I rip a leaf from one of the flowers and slide it into the pocket of the sweater I was wearing.

When we move through the doors, we weave amongst the games and tables of poker. I pull him to the stairs of a ‘fire exit’ which was guarded by another recognizable man. He only nods at the both of us, opening the door for us to enter.

N and I circle down the stairs for what seems like an eternity until we find the lone door which held the debtor I had known the entirety of my remembered life. I can feel tears welling behind my lids as we near the steel door.

I pause before pushing it open, letting my orbs fall on N.

“Thank-you,” I tell him with watery eyes.

“I don’t know how long you’ll be saying that… after I explain.” He breathes with slightly quivering lips.

I feel this overwhelming need to reassure him so I press my lips against his in a quick peck to make sure he could stay strong.

“I’m sure I will,” I retort with, facing the door.

He smiles at me weakly before opening the door, making sure I was behind him for some reason.

As per usual, my debtor is staring down at papers on his desk. His dark hair falls over his forehead as the strange necklace he normally wore swings hypnotizingly from his neck. He’s in his usual attire; a long black jacket and a dark leather button up shirt… Didn’t it get hot wearing that all the time?

He lifts his eyes from his desk and gives me a dark smile, standing to walk a few steps around his desk. He is in his regular khaki pants with matching leather shoes although at this moment in time he has a shining metal flask poking its way out of the top of his pocket.

“Gwydion, I’m here to pay-”

N growls suddenly, pulling me behind him to shield me from my debtors view.

“You… You’re the one who tried to kill Sera,” N spits at him, “And you’re responsible for this? Stealing from royalty?”

N nods his head back at me, addressing me with the latter half of his sentence.

“What the hell are you talking about?” I gasp loudly, trying to stare at Gwydion with a horrified look.

All the muscles in his body have become seemingly tense and Gwydion ignores me to look over N.

“The human shield, the knight in shining armour… protected by Connor all these years. And now you’ve finally found the one you were supposed to have protected all that time ago… She’s much different isn’t she?”

I can’t help it when I begin to hyperventilate, trying to understand just what was going on here.

“Are you both crazy?” I ask, my hand clutching N’s back in surprise.

“Oh, he didn’t say yet?” Gwydion laughs with a menacing flash in his eyes, “That he’s one of the precious things you get back at the end of this?”

“What…?” I mutter as my hand falls away from N’s back.

He doesn’t turn around nor do his muscles loosen, only trying to protect me from the other man in the room.

“N?” I ask, waiting for an answer.

Gwydion responds before N has a chance to.

“That all this time the precious things you’re supposed to get back are your memories? A throne? Him?”