I wasn't too sure where Nick was heading off to. A random corner, a random direction, it didn't seem like he was fully intent on helping me out still, even though he did claim otherwise.

But can you really blame me for the lack of faith? He was cooperative in the most uncooperative way possible… I wouldn't be surprised if he actually did just wander off and never came back for the sake of divine retribution for my sins or whatever.

Seriously, I only trusted him as far as I could throw him. Here's the catch though, ready? I couldn't throw him. You get it? That means I couldn't actually trust - I metaphor good.

But surprisingly enough, this time he actually sought out to prove me wrong… returning from that corner, from that random direction, with a petite figure as pale and grey as a rain cloud in the sky, shambling ever closer alongside him.

Two things I observed. One, side to side, Adalia was practically a tiny child when compared to Nick. Two, Adalia was clearly not looking her best right then.

Her eyes, meeting mine, were drab and dim, her complexion equally as gaunt and grim. She looked as if she just crawled out of a warzone.

She didn't utter a single word, no greeting exchanged - the first thing she did upon catching sight of me was to immediately bury herself into my arm once more, both her hands clinging tight and never letting go.

Only then did she finally make a noise, a single sigh… her heavy breath filtering through the fabric and blowing onto my bare skin with a chill that instantly shot up my spine.

I held my gasp, for her sake, and instead kept whatever sound that came from me next as soft and gentle as possible.

"Adalia, you okay there?"

Stupid question, no she wasn't… and she made that fact plenty clear already.

I tried again. "What happened?"

Her lips moved slowly, I could feel them move slowly… fangs and all.

"Too many… lights… too many… noises..." She said, her voice an uphill struggle to hear beneath the fabric. "I let go… of you… I ran… I hid…"

"And then?"

"I got… lost…"

"Couldn't find us?"

Adalia shook her head, and I practically could feel every move of it, nose and all.

"Too many... lights..." She said again. "Too many…"

"Noises, right," I finished for her.

"Couldn't… focus…" She slowly continued on. "Hurts me… too much..."

"Sorry about that."

"Not… your fault…"

Not my fault despite the fact I literally was the one that dragged her through the thick of it all.

Her sister better not hear about this, I have a feeling she'd think otherwise… and no doubt, I'll be hearing about that sometime anytime when I'm least suspecting it.

Speaking of suspect, Nick's gaze was brimming full of it, to me, to Adalia.

If he's thinking what I think he's thinking, he's gonna need to stop thinking it, because he's thinking it plenty wrong.

Then again, considering what he was seeing before him, what the hell was he supposed to think?

I needed to stop that train of thought. As gentle, as subtle as I could, I nudged my arm.

"So, uh, Adalia… what are you doing now?"

"Resting… myself…"

"I get that," I said, trying for a nudge again. "But on me?"

She clung on even tighter. "You don't… hurt me..."

Fine, whatever. Keep your misunderstandings, Nick. I'm not gonna push her away one inch just cause your scowl got a bit more scowl-ier.

"So, that's it then, yes?" Nick asked, crossing his burly arms with a stare still crossed. "Or is there another problem that I need to be dealing with?"

"I guess that sorta depends on you," I told him. "Why? Do you see any other problems around here?"

His eyes looked at me as if he did, but his voice spoke out to me as if he didn't. "I suppose not."

"Then, I guess we're done here. Thanks for the help, Nick."

He flattened his lips. "Don't mention it."

Slow and steady, I hobbled Adalia and I away and passed the giant of a man… bringing us somewhere over where he could leer and glare at us no longer.

But, as per ongoing tradition now, I chance a glance back one more time at him, and indeed as always, he continued to watch us go - it was slowly becoming a staple of his character that he had to watch us go… and it was slowly becoming a staple of mine to think that that must be the last I'd see of him.

I've already been proven wrong thrice, and I am not holding my breath for a fourth. I know I'll see him again… sometime, somewhere… it's only a matter of when and how. Security, Farmer, Receptionist… What a man of many talents he is.

Lucky he wasn't a hitman, I'd never see him coming - hell, I never see him coming either way.

"Oh yeah, come to think of it," I angled my gaze a sharp curve down to meet the misty eyes that were only slightly peeking up at me. "Where were you when he went to get you?"

"He saw… I was uncomfortable…" Adalia said, also turning back at him. "He brought me to a room… somewhere quiet… brought me… water… said I could rest there… while waiting… for you…"

"He knew I was coming?"

"He told his colleagues… to look... for you… He said… he'll find you… for me..." She looked back at me. "He was… nice… to me…"

Nice. I don't know Nick nice. Nick and Nice was like seeing a Leprechaun riding a Unicorn under the gates of Atlantis, meaning to say it's nothing but a tall tale with absolutely no basis to it.

However, it was a Matriarch Vampire from another world telling me then otherwise so it just kinda ringed around back into the realm of possibility. If Adalia says he can be nice… then alright, he actually was nice.

For once. Maybe Leprechauns and Unicorns do stand at the entrance of Atlantis for once too. I wouldn't know. I never saw.

Anyways, moving on. Objective accomplished, Adalia has joined the party once more.

Since rowdy crowds were an absolute no-go, meaning I couldn't keep a lookout for the ever-elusive Sera even if I wanted to, I thought instead we could just sit out somewhere in the quiet outskirts of town under the shade of a tree until Amanda gave us the all-clear.

Then next thing I knew, I was hearing the unexpected, reaching my ears, as muffled as it was soft.

"There's something… I want to do… with you…"

I looked down again. "What?"

"There's a library..." Adalia said, pointing a pointed finger into the depths of the loud chatter and clamor of town centre. "There's a game… being played… I want to play it… with you…"

Once again, I was hearing the unexpected. "What kind of game?"

"I'm not… sure..." She said, lifting her head up finally, her blank gaze straight onto mine. "But I saw… the prize…"

"So you're in it to win it, alright," I said, nodding. "Must be a pretty enticing reward if you're willing to give yourself a headache for it."

"It is…" Adalia nodded along. "My sister… will surely appreciate… it…"

It's for her sister? Alright. "Now you got me curious, what is it?"

As it turns out, it was a gemstone that glittered blood red. Not just any gemstone, however, it was one intricately sculpted to look like a unique ore you'd find in Asteria, and to add even more flair to its ethos, Vampires

in particular, had attained a certain fondness for its shine and luster to the point of desire.

In a way, I'm guessing it was like catnip but for vampires. Vampnip. Slap that on a jar.

Although the catnip being offered here was obviously just an imitation of the real thing, it was close enough to the genuine article to elicit the same emotional response, albeit, just not as strongly.

Put in a ring, fit it into a necklace… apparently back in Kronocia, Amelia had amassed an impressive collection she wore with pride. Not anymore, sadly… and that's something Adalia was hoping to change by winning herself first place.

"So… if it's alright… with you…" She said, looking up at me with those wide white eyes. "Will you play… with me…?"

Even with a magnifying glass looking under the scope of a microscope, I'd be hard-pressed to find any reason why I couldn't. We somehow win this, that's easy brownie points with Amelia.

My way of apologizing for accidentally siccing Tyler onto her that one time. Yeah, that'll do nicely.

"It'd be my pleasure, actually," I said, just as we reached an entrance into the hustle and bustle of cobblestone streets. "My only concern is that it wouldn't be yours. I'm sure you know, but it gets pretty hectic in there. You sure you'll be fine?"

Her gaze drifted onto the crowd, and I felt her grip on me grow tighter again.

"I'll… be fine…" She reassured, crossing over the threshold, for once, her feet before mine. "You're here… now…"