April's POV

I felt something heavy draped over my stomach and I sunk into a warm mattress. I rested my head upon something hard and pulled the blankets closer.

"Wakey wakey sunshine," a voice whispered in my ear. 

Then, my eyes flung open and I nearly stopped breathing when I saw Aiden's face next to my own. I quickly sat up straight, fumbling at the covers that were wrapped around me like a cocoon, leaving Aiden with no blanket. As soon as I had sat up a sharp pain shot up my neck and I winced, touching it. Events of yesterday flooded back to me: going to the ball, seeing Kayla and Noah, running to the gardens, Aiden... biting me.

My eyes widened and I stumbled out of the black bed sheets. We were in his room I noticed, and sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting the room in an early morning glow. 

"What the hell?" I yelled, cowering back against the wall. "You – you bit me!" My eyes scanned the room for a weapon. I spotted a lamp and grabbed it, pulling it clean out of its socket. I raised it slightly, looking at him warily, but he was lying on the bed, rolling his eyes. Looking down, I saw I wasn't in the ball gown anymore, but had a thick, woolly pyjamas and a t-shirt on.

"Put the lamp down April." 

"Did you damn well bite me last night? Your eyes... your teeth! My neck!" 

"Yeah, yeah, yeah – I'm the big bad wolf," he said sarcastically, holding up his hands.

I mumbled to myself incoherently and instinctively went to reach my neck. I had expected a huge lump of bloody flesh or a gaping hole, but I didn't find any signs of physical injury. I frowned and patted around my neck harder this time, wincing.

He looked alert and swung his legs out of the bed. "Are you okay?" I couldn't help but notice the tattoos scrawled across his body, not a tatty way, but in a beautiful way, as though the tattoos had an intertwining layer of meaning within them. The swirling words 'Luna Mater' were inscribed on his ribcage as his shirt rode up slightly. "April? Are you okay?" He repeated.

I began to nod, before remembering the situation. "No. What the hell are you?" I held the lamp higher.

"April, put it down."

"I swear to everything holy Aiden, I will knock you out if you come any closer. I know MMA fight moves and I'm not afraid to use them. Stay back!" He sighed in response.

My lip curled and I threw the lamp at him anyway. He ducked with ease so that it smashed just above his head. I quickly picked up an alarm clock, probably worth the cost of my car, and threw it after him quickly. He caught it and crushed it under his fingers. What the hell? I gulped, scrambling on the desk for something else I could use, but there was only a bottle of alcohol lying on the floor. I quickly bent to pick it up but I was crashed back into the wall before I could compose myself. My body vibrated with shock from the impact. 

Aiden was breathing heavily, his eyes dark. His hands were either side of my head, trapping me. I gulped raising my knee to his groin, ready for a quick escape. He kneed my own knee down and I glared at him. "I told you to stop." 

"And I asked you a question too."

"It's... complicated." 

"Well, you're the one who bit me. And I'm pretty sure that's not how you give hickeys, I Googled it, okay." I shot back, moments later. Then, I paused, realizing what I had just said. 

He burst out laughing, releasing his hands from besides my head but I didn't feel like moving away from him yet - he wouldn't let me past. He was ridiculously fast. "And why is that so funny?" I retorted.

"You have to Google this because it's never happened to you! And what made you think I wanted to give you a hickey? Do you want me to?"

"That," I said wrinkling my nose in disgust, "is disgusting! You are disgusting." I replied , shuddering to emphasize my point and crossing my arms over my chest in embarrassment.

He became serious. "You won't be so prude once you've kissed me," he smirked, his head dipping dangerously low to my face. I found myself not wanting to pull away, but I managed to keep a level head and pushed him away roughly, muttering foul insults under my breath. 

"Tell me what happened yesterday? Right now." I demanded, stepping away from him, feeling cold all of a sudden. "What are you? Why am I here, in your room? Did anything happen?" I said quickly, looking at the bed suddenly. He sobered up.

"No, don't worry," he assured, any sign of sarcasm or a smirk gone. "I only put you in my bed because you were shivering like a leaf from the rain last night and your neck was bleeding badly. I cleaned it up for you and I had to sleep near you, so you could gain body heat from me, otherwise you would have developed hypothermia. The blankets and clothes weren't enough to keep you warm – I swear I didn't do anything." He said gently.

I touched my neck again, my brow creasing. Did I imagine his teeth and eyes? No. I couldn't have – it all looked too real. 

"Who changed my clothes?" 

"Emma found you clothes," he replied quickly, rubbing his neck awkwardly and looking down. "I didn't, don't worry -" he said shortly at the silence that lingered after his first statement. He sighed after I fell silent. I wasn't sure why I wasn't shaking and screaming and fighting my way out of here. I mean, he'd bit me. At least, I'm fairly certain he bit me – he didn't look human – his eyes... his teeth... 

"I'll explain everything to you downstairs. So will the rest of the gang – don't worry, you'll understand it all. What happened last night, why you're here, what's going on. I messed up big time." He finished, clenching his jaw in anger, his eyes dilating into the familiar black orbs I'd screamed because of yesterday. 

I nodded, dropping my head, letting my hair fall loosely over my face. "Can I have a shower first?" I asked tentatively. He nodded distractedly and I quickly walked past him and he stiffened. He looked as though he wanted to say something or stop me, but he let it pass and opened the door for me to walk out. Before I shut the door, I saw him groan, dropping his head into his hands. 

I frowned and found my legs walking back to my room. I showered and cleaned myself absent-mindedly, my mind drifting back to Aiden constantly, again and again. I shut my eyes against the warmth of the shower and eventually got out and dried myself and my hair. I wanted to hide my neck. After yesterday I felt vulnerable and defenseless and I hated feeling that way.

My mind drifted to Kayla and her change in attitude. Something wasn't right with her. I mentally listed it as one of my questions to ask and was surprised at how calm I felt about the situation. I'm in a potentially life-threatening situation and yet I feel so calm about it – it's not right. I frowned to myself, and debated calling up Nina to see how she was. But then how are you going to answer her questions? Explain things without sounding crazy?

I decided to call her later and I sighed, glancing at my reflection in the mirror. I looked like the old April, and yet something had stirred within me. Despite my weary expression, my eyes looked more alive and if I looked carefully enough, I thought I could make out the faint mark of two holes punched into my neck. And if I looked even closer, the mark of a beautiful silver, almost ghost-like wolf marked my skin, and as I moved my neck around, it glinted a golden-brown in the sunlight, gleaming like the clash of emeralds and stormy, grey seas.