Once Virgil and Rowan passed me off to the servant girls, the pair was eager to learn everything about me they could. They circled me like I was a new doll to play with and it had taken all of my effort to not say anything to them. My wolf was annoyed with their attention, but I remained silent as they led me down the hall.

“Oh it’s been so long since we’ve had anyone new!” The shorter one complained, wrapping her arm around mine as she led me down to the bath. Apparently, the other one had gone to ensure the room was ready, and I swallowed the desire to shove her off me. It reminded me too much of how my younger sister would grab my arm, right before she would scream that I was trying to hurt her. To my relief, we reached the doors quickly, and the other girl smiled at me brightly as she motioned me in.

“We’ll see if we can find you some clothes, so just knock when you’re done, Kira,” the door then separated me from them, and I breathed a sigh of relief. This bath was more of a small pool, with the tub embedded into the floor as I walked up to it. Steam rose from the clean water and despite my worry about being held by vampires, the water called to me like a siren’s song.

‘We should leave now,’ my wolf insisted, and I shook my head as I started to strip out of my torn clothing. The warm water was calling my name and I carefully stepped into the large tub.

“I have to wait,” I pushed back, shivering as the chill was chased from my body. I had always been forced to bathe last with my family and I was lucky if there was any warm water left for me. To feel such warmth on my skin; I felt as if I could melt right there and then. “If I suddenly run off from the High Court, they’ll hunt and kill me. Besides, we haven’t shifted yet and I can’t risk them sending me back.”

‘Too much risk to shift here,’ he warned, but I shook my head.

“No, shifting here would be better than being forced to belong to the pack,” I stood my ground against my wolf, closing my eyes as I leaned against the edge of the tub. “As long as I am not in their territory when I shift for the first time, the pack will have no claim and will have to reject me. I might as well earn the court’s favor and shift once I get the chance. I never said I wasn’t a wolf; I just implied I wasn’t a member of the pack.”

My wolf said nothing to that, and I sighed, knowing that he still didn’t like my plan. It was true, I was taking a risk by staying among the vampires, but surely it was better than risking the hunters finding me. They were likely waiting in the woods, assuming I would flee at the first chance I found. It was clear that they were aware the pack lands bordered vampire lands and they would easily corner me and drag me back. Grandmother would then force me to shift, cementing my fate as a member of the pack, forced to endure her abuse until one of us died.

I sank into the water as my thoughts turned to the pack and I could still see Damien’s hurt expression in my mind. I couldn’t understand why he had looked at me like that, as if he somehow thought I would stay for him. I mean, he was a good friend, my only comfort in the horror that was my life, but I wasn’t willing to endure that for him. I wasn’t going to stay by choice when I could finally be free. Had he hoped I would? Did he care for me more than I did for him?

“Damien,” I whispered, guilt filling my chest. If he did, it wasn’t surprising and it was probably honest to say I cared about him a lot too, considering I was still thinking about it. I felt my wolf stir at my heavy thoughts, drawing a sigh from my lips.

‘Will you go back for him?’ He asked cautiously, and I didn’t even hesitate as I shook my head.

“No,” I whispered angrily to myself, finally reaching for the rag that had been left for me. I stood from the water as I bathed, angrily scrubbing at my skin. Cuts and burns covered every inch of my body, marks that would never go away, but I could make sure no more were added. I scrubbed at my body as if I was trying to erase the past and I was so lost in what I was doing, I failed to hear the knock as the girls returned.

“Kira?” I barely managed to drop back into the bath as they opened the door, both carrying two different outfits between them. As they walked further into the room, I took the chance to take in their appearance, feeling slightly ashamed that I hadn’t bothered before. The girls smelled like humans, and considering their shared curly blond hair, I assumed they were sisters. One of the sisters had bright blue eyes and the other had a light brown, but I knew the brown-eyed one was older. She carried herself with a maturity the other didn’t have and she was definitely the one who kept her younger sister in check,

“Sorry, I’m… almost done.” I managed and the oldest sister smiled brightly as they set the clothes down on a bench near the bath.

“There’s no rush. Most of the Masters will be heading to bed soon, so it’ll really only be you and the rest of us servants for a while,” she chuckled, clearly excited about having the mansion to herself. I wasn’t able to mask the confusion on my face and she shook her head as she watched me. “I’m guessing you don’t know much about the Masters?”

“Only rumors.” I admitted, and the younger sister seemed giddy with her excitement.

“Oh, can I tell them, Alora, can I, can I?” She begged and her older sister shook her head, putting her hands on her hips. My heart ached slightly at seeing their relationship, but I did my best to hide it as she reprimanded her.

“We can tell them everything when we give them the tour. For now, let them finish their bath, Amelia,” Alora insisted, and I could still see the excitement in Amelia’s face as she was shepherded back toward the door. As it closed behind them, I sighed, looking at the small pile of clothes they had brought me. It seemed a towel had been included and I quickly stood from the bath, deciding there was no reason to waste time.

Best to learn what I could of this place I found myself in and see if I could find my opportunity to leave.