Sylus didn't initiate any further than that, but he rested his face in the crook of my neck. I could feel his cool breath on my skin, sending shivers down my spine. I waited for something, anything really, but he went no further. I glanced over at Griffin who glared at the young Vampire with such venom, I was scared for him. He caught my stare and offered an apologetic smile. 

"There is something about you," Sylus murmured against my skin. 

I almost didn't hear him and I think that was the point. 

What was I supposed to do in this situation? I didn't want to lead him on, or make any more mistakes. But, I couldn't just push him away. I was too comfortable. This felt too right to me. As much as he acted like he was capable and in control, what I saw was a man who needed someone. He was lost and needed that anchor. I saw myself in him and I think that's what attracted me in the first place. 

Just as I needed Ryker to be my foundation, Sylus needed someone and I'd be that rock for him. It may not be my place, but I couldn't help it.

I could be his release of stress, his ratification of dominance and power. I'd be anything he needed me to be because it will make him into the man he needs to be. The one he wants to be.

"I think that is the first time I've ever seen the prince look so peaceful," one of the guards I've come to know as Varik noted. He gazed at the prince with such an awestruck look. At first I was unsure of what he was talking about until I noticed that the prince had fallen asleep, curled around me like a child and their favorite toy.

Even Griffin was a little shocked. 

"He's never so comfortable around strangers. I was the only one he trusted to fall asleep in front of, let alone on. I use to hold him as a child until he fell asleep. Read him stories, chase all of the monsters away," Griffin said with an almost sorrowful look in his beautiful eyes. 

"He trusts you," Adel declared and there seemed to be a mutual agreement in the statement. I wasn't so sure of how I felt about that. Sure, the inside of me bubbled with happiness, but I knew that it shouldn't have. I had no right. 

"I'm sure that's not true. He is probably just exhausted."

Griffin shook his head once.

"The prince is many things. Paranoid and distrustful the most. He would never."

I couldn't argue anymore. I didn't know him as well as the people in the car did. It was only in my best interest to listen to what they said and believe it as the truth, in which it probably was. 

"Adel, where exactly should we be heading? The road splits and it's either fae land or Necropolis."

Necropolis?

"Doesn't that mean cemetery?" I asked uneasily.

"Necropolis is our best bet. The fae don't like outsiders on their lands. It might be dangerous to even approach the gates," Adel told the guard Sloan who was driving the vehicle. 

"Necropolis is dangerous," Wes cautioned.

"Why?" I asked.

"Full of Mers," Ezra sneered, "Disgusting creatures."

"Aren't Mers the cousins of Nymphs?" Griffin pointed out innocently. Ezra gave him a dry look.

"Yeah and so are the fae, but let's just say our families aren't so warm and welcome at the reunions."

"Mers are not creatures we want to mess with. They could devour all of us and still have room for more. Plus the deeper we drive into Necropolis, the closer the lakes get and the more susceptible to attack we become. Is it really that wise to bring the Prince and Lord to such a dangerous place?" 

Varik had a point. 

Sylus and Griffin's lives were not expendable. Not that anyone we brought were, it's just, it would bring a lot more strife if they were to die than if anyone else were.

"We could split up here," Eron suggested. There was an eager glint in his eyes that I did not like one bit. It was as if he were up to no good.

"We aren't going to let them go there by themselves. If we stick together we might prove too much of a hassle for any of them to bother with. The clans this far out from the core lakes are only few in number. They would not be able to overwhelm us so easily," Griffin stated. 

The others seemed to consider this.

"But it'd be foolish to assume that is the case," Eron insisted urgently. Griffin smacked him hard, knocking a tooth loose that would surely grow back in a few hours. 

"Remember your place, servant!" 

Eron looked down, ashamed of himself. 

"My apologies, my Lord. I am beneath you and will never be anything but."

Griffin didn't seem satisfied with the response but otherwise ignored his servant, waving Sloan on who continued to drive down an ominous path. It was dark as trees began to hover over, blocking out the once bright sky. 

I wanted to say that I felt uneasy at the sight and that my instinct was warning me against going any further into this mysterious place but instead it willed me to continue. As if this were the right path. I couldn't ignore this feeling.

"Adel, do you think you could try the spell again, and maybe this time I will tie my own essence in to it to counter whoever is blocking us?" I suggested.

Adel gave me an apprehensive look, "That's incredibly risky. If we tie your essence then you could get trapped in the spell and end up in a permanent comatose state. Do you know what you're getting yourself in to?"

While I knew she was just trying to help and make sure I understood, something just rubbed me wrong, being lectured about magic from a Vampire when I was the witch. Vampires wouldn't even be able to cast the minor spells they were granted if it weren't for us.

"I am a Witch. I am very capable of handling your spells or any for that matter. It's in my nature." There was an edge to my voice that I hadn't meant to reveal but it was obvious from the shocked looks on everyone's faces that it came out anyway. "Sorry," I amended. "I'm just a bit anxious. I really appreciate all of the trouble you all are going through for me. Please, I am aware of the risks."

Adel gave a nod. "We'd have to stop somewhere to initiate it. It won't take as long due to the fact that we already successfully created the spell. Maybe just an hour or two."

"Should we stop somewhere along the road?" Sloan asked.

"No, too dangerous. We don't want to be caught up in these lands where the lakes are close by. We'll wait until we are out of Necropolis."

"It only gets worse though. After Necropolis is the Land of Forbidden Spells," Wes pointed out.

"We need to find somewhere safe to stay then."

And almost like fate, there was a house that appeared farther up the road. We should have been suspicious, life was never that convenient, but after all of the driving we were doing, it seemed like a blessing in disguise. The house was pretty big but obviously run down and abandoned. It could use some work but it proved to be a nice base. Far away enough from the lakes where we wouldn't have to worry too much about the Mers. 

Sloan pulled in behind the house. We were careful when exited the car, examining our surroundings. I had to slightly jostle Sylus awake. He was so adorable, blinking his eyes open in childlike wonder before he shut down and became that stony ice prince I first met. 

Wes stayed close behind me, guarding me faithfully. Ezra tagged along my side while Griffin took my other. The others led the way.

We inspected the house and it was indeed uninhabited. Way too convenient. 

The guards took their posts while we tidied up the house enough where we could use it as our base until we figured out what we should do. I was able to cast a spell enabling us to use the necessities like water and electricity, but for how long, I do not know. 

As Adel was preparing for the spell, I found myself venturing outside, exploring the woods around the house. If I was thinking straight then I would've brought someone with me, or not even left at all, but I did. I wandered so far that I couldn't even remember my way back. It didn't concern me until I found myself at the edge of a lake. A heavy fog danced along the surface, enticing all that came to view it.

Noah, you are officially an idiot.

How did I get myself into situations like this? This was more of Ryker's thing. He'd get himself in a rut because of his impulsive behavior and I'd devise a plan to get him out of it. It was just the way things were, how they always went. So no, why am I the one in the rut with no Ryker to bail me out? Man, things have changed. 

"You look a little lost, stranger," a musical voice hummed from somewhere behind the trees. I snapped around, looking for the source, but could see nothing but fog. What was once hovering over the lake now twirled all around the trees like a deadly ballet.

"I'm not lost, just on my way out actually," I called out to the trees, slowly trying to edge myself out of the fog, but it was thick and I had no idea if I was actually going the right way. Hell, I could be heading straight for the lake and probably drown.

The voice laughed, the sound too melodious for my ears. 

"Is that so? I'm a little lonely though. Think you could keep me company?"

I gave a short chuckle, trying to hide my panic and think of a way out of this problem I found myself in. 

"I'm sorry. As wonderful as that sounds, my friends are in dire need of my services. Maybe another time, yeah?"

The voice laughed again.

"If that were true, you wouldn't be stepping into my home, now would you?" The voice whispered in my ear. I could feel the warm breath along my neck and the heat of a body so close to me. I glanced down at my feet and I was just a small hair away from stepping right into the lake. I backed up quickly, but in the process, bumping into the stranger. 

The fog cleared suddenly and I found myself looking into a pair of glowing teal eyes.

"Hello there," he grinned, showing a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. 

This stranger, obviously a Mer, was incredibly beautiful. Ethereal in a way. His hair was long in neat waves of greens, blues, and violets. It blended together so beautifully I was lost in them. His body was beautiful, muscular and firm but lean. They looked as if they were capable of holding the world just as it would cut across an ocean. Powerful, built not only for speed but for strength. 

I was awestruck.

"And who might you be?"

"Noah. Noah Kismet," I stammered, still entranced by his beauty.

Sure Noah, tell him your name, your age, might as well throw in your social security number too.

"Noah. What a pretty sight you are, Noah."

I didn't say anything to that.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay with me, just for a little?" The Mer grinned wider and while it should've scared me shitless with the countless rows of fangs, I was bewitched by his beauty. 

"I was told never to talk to strangers."

"We're not strangers, are we? We're friends. Really good friends, right?" The Mer leaned down closer until those sharp teeth were inches from my face.

"How can we be friends? I don't even know your name?"

"Well that's easily solved. It's Cosmo."

Cosmo?

Why did that sound so familiar? 

Cosmo, Griffin, Ezra, Wesley...Sylus, Nolan, Ryker, or Gentry.

Oh you have got to be kidding me.