Be Careful When You Bite Me

I dragged myself back to my room where there was a new tray of food but I couldn't bring myself to eat, despite my stomachs rumbling. I changed my clothes and decided back down to the garden. The fresh air had seemed to make me feel better before and I am hoping it will do the same this time around.

I found myself back at the garden from the night of my failed ritual. I walked up the fountain and found pleasure in getting lost with the flow of the water. The sun had set but it wasn't quite dark just yet. In my pocket, I pulled out a small plastic bag that I had wrapped my sandwich in and attempted to nibble on it.

I breathed in and out and mentally prayed for a way out of here. I didn't care how, I just knew I needed an escape and I needed it now.

"Meow."

Startled by the sudden sound, I spun around and averted my attention back to reality.

Did I just hear a cat?

Damon's Pov

I already knew what father was planning as soon as he said to make sure that Holly was to be present tonight at the hearing.

The human, I corrected myself, the foreigner.

Tomorrow night at nine pm he will bring the jester out and once and for all; decide his fate. I wondered why he wouldn't just drain him and send his corpse to the wolves to finish off like he does with all dead villagers. I knew this was another one of his tactics in trying to teach me a lesson.

Never show compassion to a villager.

They are humans after all, humans who torched and killed our ancestors, and once given a slither of compassion, will turn around and stake you through the chest.

I wondered why he wanted Holly there. He certainly didn't think that I cared for her, did he?

I felt a sense of confusion and self-doubt as I made myself down to the main garden where the guards had said Holly would be.

I caught sight of her in the distance as soon as I opened the doors. She was dressed in the original clothing she had from the night we had found her, a pair of black jeans and a baggy sweatshirt with a school sports team logo at the back of it. The subtle wind played with her long and wavy chocolate brown hair and she lifted her fingers to move the loose strands out of her face.

I watched as she leaned forward closer to the fountain where Gremlin, the castles cat, nestled on the edge.

"Hi," although she merely whispered it, I still heard her soft and gentle voice," whatcha doin' there?"

"Meow."

and I realized that that was the first time I had seen her

hands up to pet the cat and Gremlin purred in satisfaction. Holly picked a piece off the sandwich she held in her other hand and fed

stares adoringly at

stopped dead in my tracks for minutes now and had been staring at the scene. I felt something odd stir in my chest and forced myself to push it down. I had never seen someone

honestly say it was the most

as she jumped up and dropped the piece of food in her hand

Underoworld would have sensed me coming from

you,"

guilty. They sparkled off something I

She's beautiful, I realized.

the scar Xavier had given her was still slightly bleeding and wondered if he had tricked her into feeding from

lives here." She

the quarters, at 9pm," I spoke sternly, keeping

turned to

about me?" she interrupted, her soft voice attempting to be stern," Did they find a witch

at her hopeful eyes and felt the strong need

back into the castle. Walking away, I felt a strange

Holly's POV

wondered why Damon had seemed so cold. The last time I had seen him he was when he had pulled me into the closet and asked me about the scar on my neck. Could that be why he was so stern, to remind me

learning that Isabelle, the women whom he loves, and Seth, his own brother, are plotting his downfall. I wanted to tell him, but I

finally got to my room, I opened the doors to reveal Xavier standing

his blue eyes shunned in excitement when

greeted," I'm starving

doing here?" I

second, he had crossed the

you forget about our deal?" He whispered, his voice

you?" I forced myself to

anyone, we

intense aura. It was hard

the witch," I asked," the one you were supposed

uninterested in the conversation," she doesn't like it here, so she's a