towards the door. I heard him groan behind me, making me snicker. "You're really sure you can do this?" He came up behind, as I grabbed the door handle. Wrapping his arms
around my waist he trapped me against him. "One hundred per cent," I answered, standing on my tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek.
He released me from his hold but placed a palm on the door so I couldn't open it. Groaning in annoyance, I turned to look at him. "What now?"
He looked me up and down, barely concealing his laughter. "What?" I repeated, growing more annoyed by the second. What was he laughing at? Why couldn't I be allowed to just go
and get some food? It wasn't a hard task.
"MaryLynnette, love. There'll be a lot of people down there, do you really think that's the best outfit choice?" I looked down at myself to see that I was still wearing the dress from
the night before. Not only did it still adorn my dried blood, but it was torn in some places, covered in dirt, and well, just not exactly suitable for breakfast. It was such a nice dress;
it was a shame that it was ruined. Another problem was that I didn't actually have anything else to wear; all of my stuff was at the hotel we'd booked into.
Seeing my dilemma, Ash walked over to the opposite side of the room. He swung the wardrobe door open and produced a suitcase, placing it on the end of the bed. Not just a
suitcase though, but my suitcase. How had he gotten it here?
"Jade brought it over," Ash supplied, no doubt guessing my thoughts. "Everything you packed should be in there."
"Jade's here?" I asked in confusion, but I could also feel relief swelling inside me. At least there'd be one familiar face down stairs. "Yeah, so are Kestrel, Rowan and Mark. I had to
barricade the door just to keep them out of here. Especially Mark, he was practically in hysterics when he heard what happened. Thea thought it wouldn't be wise to let him see you
while he was in such a state."
Immediately I felt guilty for causing Mark so much stress. I knew that he wasn't good at handling difficult situations, and that being added to this new, strange location, probably
wouldn't have helped him cope. At least now I could go and reassure him that I was fine, and that there was nothing to worry about. Not for the first time, I was thankful he had
Jade. "Hey, he's okay now. And I'm sure seeing his big sis will put his mind at ease." Ash said, pulling me to him in a one armed hug. "Now go get ready."
I rushed over to the case, unzipping it, and throwing the lid open. It was so stuffed that I was surprised the plastic hadn't burst, trying to contain everything. I rifled through my
piles of clothes until I found a pair of jeans and a simple tshirt. I made for the bathroom, and then on second thought, grabbed my bag of toiletries too. While I was in there, I might as well make myself halfway presentable and less gross. I queried a shower for a few seconds, but my stomach wouldn't allow me to wait that long.
"You ready to go?" Ash asked as I exited the bathroom, feeling overall more refreshed and ready to face the world. "Yeah, I'm good to go."
The mansion was exquisite. Large and grander than any place I'd ever been before. Whilst our Vegas hotel had been fancy, this was all together on another level. At my intake of
breath, I saw Ash's face split into a huge grin. "Pretty amazing, huh?" He asked, leaning lazily against the bannister on the staircase. The hallway reminded me of a palace, with marble floors and a great big chandelier, hanging from the ceiling.
I nodded my head, too speechless to form a better reply. "I knew you'd love it," he said, taking my hand. I had to pry my eyes off of the magnificent sight, as he lead me to what I
assumed was the kitchen.
People stood crowded around the large space, either sitting at the table or leaning against worktops. A loud murmur of conversation filled the room, creating a chorus of different
voices. The smell of bacon and other breakfast foods being cooked bombarded my nose with delicious scents.
As soon as Ash and me stepped in the doorway, everyone froze, each pair of eyes turning in our direction. I could see that everyone in the kitchen was around my age, give or take
a few years. It was also obvious, that while some of the crowd were human like me, others clearly belonged to the Night World. A mixture of vampires, werewolves, witches and
shape shifters, littered the crowd.
The eyes boring into me started to make me uncomfortable, and I subconsciously moved closer to Ash. I was grateful when he finally spoke. "Everyone, this is MaryLynnette, my
soul mate."
That seemed to be the cue for everyone to burst back into action, as if someone had just pressed the play button. Everyone seemed friendly enough, introducing themselves and
asking how I was. My answer was always the same: "I'm doing much better, thanks." Then I'd move on to the next person and repeat the same line.
At some point Ash had left my side, confident that I'd be okay by myself. I kind of felt as if he'd just left me to fend for myself against a pack of wolves. While everyone seemed
friendly, all of the attention was a little overwhelming. That, and some of the people seemed strangely wary of me, eyeing me carefully before giving me their name. One girl in
particular seemed to be cautious when approaching me. She had copper curls, obviously was a vampire, and looked like a pixie. I wondered what her problem was? I'd have to ask
Ash later.
Suddenly, I was almost knocked off my feet as I was embraced into a tight hug. "MareBear, I'm so glad you're okay! I was so worried about you," Jade exclaimed not letting go of
the hug. Mark finally peeled her off. Taking her place, he pulled me in a more human appropriate hug that didn't cut off my airways. "I was so worried," he whispered, burying his
chin in my shoulder. "I'm okay," I whispered back. "Sorry to give you such a scare."
I peered over his shoulder to see all three sisters, watching us with smiling faces. Apart from Kestrel who just looked bored with the whole situation. "Please don't tell me MareBear
has become a permanent thing," I grumbled. I felt Mark's chest vibrate beneath me as he laughed. "I'm afraid so sis."
"I like it," a voice said from behind as I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist. I threw Ash a glare, before giving my brother and each of the sisters traitorous looks,
especially Kestrel who came up with the name in the first place. "It's a horrible name," I moaned, but knew it would do no good. Now that Ash had picked up on the nickname, I'd
never live it down.
"Will this make up for it?" Ash asked, handing me a slice of toast. I guessed that was where he'd disappeared off to earlier. The promise of food made me forgive him for ditching me, but not for liking the nickname. "No, but I'll take it anyway," I replied, plucking it from his hand and taking a bite.
Even after polishing off the toast, as well as an apple, I didn't feel like going back up to my room. I wanted to stay down here where all the people were, not be stuck in bed with
only Ash for company, although he was the best company there was. Still, despite Gillian's worrying about me needing rest, and Ash agreeing with her, I told them repeatedly that I
didn't need it. It was true. The medicine was still going strong and I felt as right as rain.
I noticed that Ash always kept a watchful eye on me, even when we were part of two different conversations, and I couldn't help but feel that his worry was unnecessary. The
witches had done a good job healing me, better than any hospital could.
"I've got to go speak with someone, you'll be okay here for a bit won't you?" Ash asked, worry lacing his tone. I rolled my eyes at his concern. "Yes, Ash. It may surprise you, but I
can cope for more that five minutes without you by my side. Believe it or not, I was actually on this earth for seventeen years before I met you, and I managed just fine."
He chuckled at my response, planting a kiss o
n my head and telling me he'd be back shortly. My eyes followed him as he walked out of the kitchen, going up to a girl around my
age with blonde hair.
"Who's that?" I asked, nudging Jade in the shoulder. She followed my gaze, her eyes lighting up when she saw who I was looking at. "That's Thea Harman, she's like a cousin to us,
to Ash especially. We didn't see much of her because we were on the island, but I know her and her cousin are pretty close with Ash."
The two disappeared from my line of sight as they walked down the corridor. "What do you think they're talking about?" I asked, curiosity taking hold of me. Jade shrugged, picking
at a bowl of cereal that she'd acquired at some point. "Don't know. But I do know that Thea was one of the witches who healed you last night. Maybe he's just checking some things
over."
"Yeah, maybe," I trailed off. Somehow I didn't think that was the case. We'd spoken to Gillian multiple time this morning. If Ash had needed to know something about my condition,
he could have just asked her. Unless there was something I didn't know about.
"I'm going to get a glass of water," I informed Jade, leaving before she had a chance to respond. I could feel her green eyes on the back of my head as I walked away. I knew she
felt guilty about what happened last night, and had a feeling she would never let me out of her sight again.
I reached the sink and poured myself a glass of water. The liquid felt good against my dry throat, and until this moment, I hadn't realised just how thirsty I was. Looking out the
window, I could watch over the extensive gardens that were every bit as beautiful as the mansion. I didn't know a lot about plants or flowers, but the vibrant colours were dazzling.
This was the sort of place I knew I could live happily in.
The thought made me smile, but not as much as the idea of living her with Ash did. I was making myself giddy just thinking about it. I had to remind myself that the future still
wasn't set for me. Whilst I knew Ash had changed for the better, for which I was very proud of him for, there was still the problem of us being a different species. Whilst it wasn't
such a big deal right now, it would be in the future. I would eventually die, and Ash wouldn't, it was as simple as that. And I still wasn't ready, or may never be ready, to become
part of the Night World for good.
Suddenly, a fit of racking coughs over came me. They were more violent than normal coughs, shaking me from the core, and forcing me to hold onto the sink to keep myself
steady. I pressed a hand to my mouth, attempting to keep the coughs inside me, not to make a scene. I received worried looks from those near me, all of who knew about my
attack. They started asking me if I was okay, or if they should fetch Gillian or Thea, but I waved them off with a smile. What was a little coughing? I didn't need to hassle someone
for such little things.
Once the coughs had subsided, and I felt it safe to remove my hand from my mouth to speak. "I'm fine," I assured them. "The water just went down the wrong way, that's all." They
didn't look entirely convinced, but must have gotten the vibe that I didn't want their concern, because they all turned back to the conversation they were having. I still saw a few of
them giving me glances out of the corner of their eyes, but I pretended not to notice.
Turning back to the sink, I reached for the tap, intending to pour myself another glass of water. My mum had always said water helped with coughing fits, and I had no reason not
to believe it
I looked at my cousin, but her eyes weren't focused on me. Instead they followed the movements of my soul mate as she conversed jovially with Jade. Looking at her like this, I
could almost believe that nothing was wrong. It made me hopeful that the curse wasn't there after all.
"No," I replied. Only now did Thea tear her eyes away from Mare, staring at me with an emotion I couldn't place. But I'd seen that expression on her face before. She would look at
Blaise the same way whenever she got them kicked out of another school, after pulling some dangerous stunt, resulting in a magnitude of casualties.
"What?" I asked defensively, uncomfortable under her stare. She sighed and looked away, shaking her head minutely. "It's only a matter of time before she finds out. I think it
would be better for her to hear it from you, and as soon as possible. The longer you leave it, the worse it will be."
I nodded my head in understanding. Thea was right; it was only a matter of time. I was pretty sure that MaryLynnette already suspected that there was something I wasn't telling
her. The only thing that had saved me from her questions earlier, had been her relief that nothing was wrong. How could I take that relief away from her?
"Who else knows?" I pulled Thea gently by the crook of her elbow, guiding her so that we were out of view of the doorway. Even though I didn't think anyone was listening, I kept my voice low.
"No one apart from us," Thea replied, peeking over her shoulder cautiously, as if she too, was worried about being over heard. "But Gillian knows that something is up. She didn't
see the mark, and she hasn't been practicing magic long enough to sense this sort of thing. But she's a good witch, Ash. She can tell something isn't right."
That was bad news. If Gillian suspected something, there was a very real possibility she'd tell MaryLynnette. I didn't know the young witch well, but knew enough to tell that she
wasn't big on keeping secrets. Unlike most of us here, she hadn't grown up with the knowledge of the Night World. She hadn't adapted to keeping things hidden.
"How long do you think it'll be until she susses it out?" I asked urgently. Thea shrugged her shoulders, shaking her head. "I don't know. The mark has completely faded, so there's
no chance of her finding out because of that. But honestly Ash, Gillian isn't your biggest problem."
I frowned at that. If Gillian wasn't my biggest problem, what was? How else would MaryLynnette find out, if not by Gillian? "What do you mean?" I asked Thea, my brows furrowing
in confusion.
"Me and Gillian aren't the only witches in this mansion, Ash," Thea started, staring at me intently as if waiting for me to catch on. When I didn't, she continued. "Winnie's out on a mission with Keller and Nissa at the moment, but she'll be back in less than a week. I'm telling you now, the second she walks through the front door she'll be able to tell
something's off."
"Really?"
"Yes, Ash. Winnie isn't like Gillian who's only just coming to terms with her powers. She's a seasoned witch, one who's been part of circle Daybreak for even longer than I have. Winnie's specialty is using her magic to fight, whether it be vampires, dragons, or other witches. That means she's made it her business to know what she might be up against. If
this curse is as dark and dangerous as I think it is, Winnie will be able to spot that sort of power from a mile off."
I nodded my head as the wheels of my mind starting churning. Of course Winnie would be able to spot this sort of thing. After being around her for so long and seeing how sweet
and innocent she was, it was easy to forget that she was a fighter. And like Thea had said, that meant Winnie was able to sense any sort of dark magic within close proximity. Once Winnie was back from her mission, the game was up.
A new idea sparked in my brain. "If Winnie is as good as you say she is, then maybe she can find a way to help. Maybe she'll know what to do."
"Maybe," Thea answered, but I could tell both from her tone, and from her expression, that she was doubtful. I immediately felt my own hopes drop. After a few moments of
silence, Thea spoke up again.
"You need to tell her, Ash. Whether anyone else finds out or not, she deserves to know."
I groaned, running my hands through my hair, before pressing my palms against my eyes. I'd been through this debate over and ove
r again in my mind, weighing the benefits and
drawbacks of telling Mare the truth. "I can't," I muttered. I knew it was a lame excuse, but I couldn't come up with a better one.
"Yes, you can," Thea said firmly. I took my hands away from my eyes to see her stern expression. I let out a humourless laugh. What did she know about telling the one you loved
that they were cursed? It was easy enough for her to dictate my actions when she wasn't the one who'd have to deal with the after math.
"I can't," I repeated, putting more force behind my words. I could see that she was about to argue my point again, but I cut her off before she could. "Thea, you don't understand.
Do you think I like keeping things from her, especially something as big as this? Do you think this is easy for me, to pretend that nothing is wrong? Hell, this whole situation is
tearing me up inside! You don't know what MaryLynnette has been through this past year, the things she's had to do, the things she's faced just to keep those she cares about safe.
So forgive me if I think she deserves just a little bit of peace." I stopped to take a breath, realising that my voice had risen as I'd spoken. I carefully looked around to see if anyone
had heard, but thankfully no one was around.
Looking toward Thea, I could see that her mind was still set. Although her features had softened, showing her sympathy, it was clear nothing was going to change her mind. "I get
it, Ash. We've all been through so much just to get to the position we're in at the moment. You're not the only one who has been faced with life threatening obstacles. But keeping
her from the truth won't protect her from this."
"If you were in my position, and Eric was the one with the curse, would you tell him? I've seen how happy you two are together, could you take that away?" I saw slight hesitation
in her eyes before she answered. And whatever words came out of her mouth, I knew from that brief pause that she wasn't as certain as she made out to be. "Yes," she said firmly,
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