That night I couldn’t sleep well, even though the bed covers were cool and welcoming.

I even tried to sleep in the bathtub sans water. I had done this as a kid if I was scared of something or if the room I was sleeping it gave me nightmares. Thankfully, the uneasiness of sleeping next to the window melted away and I relaxed into the coolness of the bathtub, sleeping peacefully.

I awoke around seven the next day. I brushed my teeth and washed my face. Someone knocked on the door and I asked, “Who is it?”

“Remus!” Came the muffled voice from the other side of the door.

“O-oh, come in!” I replied. Remus walked in with his usual smile. “Morning!” I said, flipping a page of the book I was reading, returning his smile.

Remus entered with an outfit covered in a clothes bag. He stopped in his tracks, taking in my clothes. I looked at them wondering what was wrong with my jeans and top. “Something wrong?”

He snapped out of his staring, muttering a ‘sorry’ and looked at me. “Uh, Ruella.... Kay asked me to deliver this to you.” He said, handing me the mystery outfit.

“Is there a family function I’m supposed to attend?” I asked eyeing the bag.

“Um, no he didn’t divulge on the details. He just told me to inform you that you’ve to be ready in half an hour for breakfast downstairs.”

“Okay.” I said, narrowing my eyes slightly at his words. “You can go, Remus.”

He nodded and closed the door behind him. I placed the outfit in the cupboard, not caring to see what Kay had gifted me. Then I closed the window which I’d left open last night and locked the door behind me.

There were hardly any guests at the dining table I dined last night. There were only servants who were eating breakfast on their own dining table, at the end of the dining room. Breakfast was already served on the table, so I took my seat and started plating. I honestly liked the warm breakfast I ate. It was so different and nutritious than the one they served i the university dormitory dining room.

After I was done with breakfast, I checked my watch and noticed that fifteen were left for Kay to meet me for the original breakfast time. So, I took the time to venture out of the mansion doors into the cool air. The sky was grey with a cool breeze coating the atmosphere. I rubbed my arms on instinct, wishing I’d brought my shawl with me. I walked around the gardens admiring the foliage. I smiled at the gardener who was looking at me curiously. “My Lady-”

I held my hand up. “I am just here to admire the beauty.” I said immediately, careful not to draw attention to what I was doing here. “I don’t want to trouble you for anything.” I smiled at her. She nodded and scurried away to continue her work.

“If you wanted company, you could’ve told me so.” Came a familiar voice. I whirled around and found Kay smiling down at me.

“Kay!” I gasped, clutching my chest. “You scared me!” My heart was hammering in my chest as I watched him shake his head at me, laughing to himself.

He walked towards me pulling me to him. “I’m assuming you had your breakfast.” He breathed, tucking a lock of my hair behind my ear.

I smiled. “Yes, sir.” I wiggled my eyebrows at him, glancing at his lips.

His grip on my hip tightened and after glancing at his surroundings, he pulled me to a quieter corner of the garden. “If you want me to kiss you, you should just ask.” His voice was a husky whisper.

I reached up to meet his lips and once my lips connected with his, a familiar smell hit me. I pulled away, meeting his eyes, disgusted. I then remembered the scenes from the edge of the forest- Kay’s mouth was smeared in red, his clothes red...

Kay looked at me bewildered. “What happened? What’s wrong, Ruella?” His hands didn’t leave my shoulders. He held me securely in them, looking at my face with worry.

“You...” I started, touching my lips and smelling the copper-metallic taste that I had seen been poured from the jug the night before. I kept more distance between us, my chest heaving. “What is this smell.... this taste?” I asked, examining the weird smell from his lips.

“Huh?” He looked at me as if I was speaking in Cantonese.

“Don’t play dumb...” I started, a newfound edge to my tone. I was shocked by my own voice. “I saw you... last night.” I said, observing Kay’s face. My voice increased an octave, shaking. “You and a few others had blood on their clothes... on their mouths. What are you?!” I spat looking him up and down, disgusted by him.

A different emotion had passed over Kay’s handsome features. I knew he was going to lie to me so I waited for him to give his side of the explanation. “We went hunting in the forest, Ruella.” He said aa if it were nothing.

I scoffed. “If your gang and you went hunting, why was there blood on your clothes... why was there blood on your mouth?” My breathing was ragged as I waited for him to continue. Sweat formed on my brow and bare back waiting for more lies from Kay.

“It’s nothing, Ruella.” I swear.

My anger flared. “Oh shut up! You have been lying about me since the day we met!!” Kay looked around, worriedly and clamped a hand on my mouth. My brows knotted as I fought to remove his hand from my mouth.

“Ruella, I’ll tell you everything you need to know. Come with me.” He pleaded. Once he was sure I wasn’t going to open my mouth, he grabbed my hand dragging me to the back of the mansion where his Mercedes was waiting.

“Sir-” His driver began but Kay held his hand up silencing him.

“Start the car David.” He said, opening the car and ushering me inside. I begrudgingly did. “And where is Stuart?” He asked, irritated

“He’ll be here in a few minutes. He got busy in some work.” David replied curtly.

I sat agitated in my seat as Kay sat next to me. He brought down the privacy screen. “Where are we going?” I asked, angrily.

He sighed, closing his eyes momentarily. “You remember me telling you that I’ll be funding your cancer treatment?”

I nodded.

“So I figured out this will the appropriate time to tell you about me. About my family.”

A man in a black suit and pants, white shirt came running towards the car door, opening it. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Sir. Gavin had requested me to deliver something from my previous trip early this morning.” He switched on the air-conditioning and Stuart took his place next to him, closing the door behind him. Kay knocked at the roof of the car, signaling him to drive.

The car wheeled out of the driveway and the interiors were dotted in a starry pink background. Kay eased into his seat, running his hand into his black hair.

“So, what you saw last night was real. You weren’t imagining it.”

I rolled my eyes. “No shit, Sherlock.”

I heard Kay sigh next to me when he began. “I want you to have an open mind Ruella.” He started. I glanced at him and saw that he had a pained expression on his face. “I am going to tell you something, which is only heard in stories and books, but it’s very much real.”

An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of my stomach.

“But it doesn’t change anything what we have between us.” He said, his tone serious. He reached out to grip my hand on the seat and I narrowed my eyes at him. “I want you to know that you can count on me on anything, for anything.” He squeezed my hand and I tore my eyes from the way his hand felt in mine- soft, gentle, caring.

I shook my head, staring at the back of the driver’s seat. I wasn’t going to let these feelings mess with my head. I needed answers. And I needed them now.