"Callan, are you ok?" I said running up to a bruised and bleeding vampire who was lying on a hard wooden table in the middle of this so-called 'safe house', which was just an abandoned warehouse in the middle of nowhere.

"I'm doing great. Feel good as new." Callan put on a brave smile as I touched his hand.

"Stop moving." I heard Jake grumble and noticed he was sewing Callan up near his stomach as the same thick black liquid that was on Mr Morgan when we were on the rooftop was now covering Callan's entire body. "Brace yourself, this might hurt." Jake smiled almost like he was enjoying inflicting pain on his friend. Callan's fist hit the table hard as Jake pushed his body together.

"Oh, my goodness." I gasped as I paid attention to what Jake was doing. Vinnie was holding down Callan's legs as Jake sewed him up like a pair of jeans. They were literally putting him back together. "You're almost in two pieces Callan."

"Correction, he was most definitely in two pieces," Vinnie smirked.

My eyes widened at Vinnie's words, and I covered my mouth in complete shock.

"I'll be ok; it's just a war wound," Callan said clenching his fist and groaning in pain. "The bastards corned me in the alleyway and attacked but I got off easy. Can't say the same for some of them." Callan boasted. "I'm glad you're ok though. When my father arrived and ordered me to leave, I was anxious that something had happened to you." He groaned again loudly as Jake and Vinnie held his stomach together and put more stitches across his torso.

"Suck it up, princess," Jake laughed digging in the needle once more and winking at Vinnie. "Take it like a man."

"Fuck you," Callan said as he closed his eyes and pressed his lips together in pain.

"Now now, language," Jake smirked as he clipped Callan across the head.

"You are so fucken dead." Callan tried to move but decided that was a bad idea as I could see the pain in his face. He retreated to lying still on the table without another word.

"Good boy." Jake laughed and looked over at Carter who had entered the room. "Boss, you ok over there?"

"I'll be fine; it's just a flesh wound. Callan, I'm glad to see you are doing better. Well, at least in one piece again anyway." Carter replied, smiling at his son who was now bitting down on a wooden spoon, Vinnie was pouring alcohol on his wounds to clean them and finding absolute joy in Callan's pain.

"Stop hurting me on purpose you asshole," Callan yelled.

"Stop getting cut into two pieces like a little bitch then," Jake said making a face.

Carter sighed loudly and shook his head. "Ebony, can I talk to you for a second please?" he said, taking my hand and pulling me to another dark room.

"Sir, I mean Carter; you need to let the boys fix you up. You're still bleeding rather badly and ...."

"I'll be fine, as I told you before, I have a very high pain threshold, unlike my son." he rolled his aqua eyes as he shook his head. "I need to talk to you about tonight." He wiped his face with a cloth from the table, removing all the black blood from his face and neck, but he was still wearing the blood-soaked shirt. I somehow knew it wasn't his blood though as it was red.

I tried to concentrate on him rather than the blood, but it was harder than I thought. My eyes must have given away what was going through my head though and Carter read me like a book.

"I'm sorry, I didn't even think. This blood must be making you very uncomfortable. I'll just take it off." he said suddenly unbuttoning his white, now blood-stained shirt and revealing his muscular body underneath it. My mouth almost dropped to the floor at the sight of him standing there, but I took a big breath and looked away. He walked over to a basin on the wall and began wiping the blood off his arms, hands, and body. I watched as the water trickled down his back and I suddenly wished I was the little white towel drying him.

"You're still bleeding," I said, walking to him and holding a hand towel to his side. "You need to sit down or something."

"That's very nice of you to worry, but I assure you, I'll be fine in the morning." he smiled.

I just nodded. "So, that was your brother, huh?" I said, standing up and trying to keep my eyes away from his body.

"Indeed, he thought if he attacked Callan while I was away, he would get you. Luckily, my son is a good boy, and he protected you," he put his hand on my cheek, and my heart fluttered. He smiled at my reaction. "I just noticed that you have flecks of grey in your eyes, like mine." his thumb brushed over my skin.

"Your eyes are turning silver right now," I said, biting my bottom lip. He just stared at me as his eyes twinkled like glitter. For a moment we just stared at each other, neither one of us wanted to break the connection that was happening between us. For the first time in a very long time, I felt wanted, I felt needed, and I felt safe, and he didn't need any words to make me feel like this.

"Boss, we just got a call from the boys to say they found... Oh, sorry." Jake said, walking into the room and then quickly existing as he saw Carter's hand on my face. We both pulled apart, and I awkwardly tried to catch my breath, I think I forgot to breathe while I was staring at him.

Carter cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck as he picked up his shirt. "I should probably go and see what Jacob needs."

"Oh, yeah, no problem. All good, I'll just, I'll hang back here and stay out of the way then." That was not cool, not cool at all.

"We will leave for Russia tonight; Germany is too dangerous for you right now. You will stay with me for the rest of the trip; I'll make sure you are safe," he said as he walked to the door.

"Carter,"

He stopped and slowly turned to me.

"I just wanted to tell you thank you for protecting me tonight. I don't know what to say other than, thank you. I trust you more than anyone I've ever met in my life, and you're probably the only guy I've ever felt safe with. I just ...." I sighed and closed my eyes "I just wanted you to know that." I pressed my lips together feeling more vulnerable than I ever have before in my life.

He just shook his head softly "I'm no hero Ebony, I can assure you, but I'll always protect you, even from me." he stared at me with his now aqua eyes and then walked away, leaving me standing there in the darkness by myself.

-----

I woke up with a jolt as I felt my stomach churn; it felt like I was falling in mid-air. I sat up and looked around, rubbing my eyes.

"Oh, you're awake finally? You've been asleep for hours," Callan said gently as I stretched my body. "We are just about to land. Jake and Vinnie are already there; they said it's snowing."

"I forgot it snows in Russia. I've never seen it before. I'm so excited," I said, clapping my hands. "Wow, you look brand new. There is not a bruise on you? How is that even possible?" I walked to Callan's seat and touched his now healed face. "Perfect,"

He instantly smiled "My family heals very quickly." he lifted his shirt to reveal nothing but a six-pack and a tiny scar where his massive cut was last night.

I blushed and cleared my throat. "That's amazing. I had no idea, no wonder your father laughed at me when I panicked over his wound. Where is he?" I looked around, hoping to see his handsome face.

"He's in the back on the phone. He's organising our new accommodation while we are there. I heard him say that you are staying in his room?" He raised his eyebrow at me and smiled "When did this happen?"

"Oh, stop it. It's not like that; he's just worried that we will get attacked again and he will have my blood on his hands. Trust me; nothing is going on between your father and me." I wish there were, though.

"Sure, ok? I'll believe that. I keep a girl in my room in case of an attack too, sometimes more than one." he smiled.

"You have more than one at the same time?" I winked.

He shrugged. "Depends on the girls,"

"I'll bet it does." I laughed.

"You bet what does?" Carter said, walking towards us with his phone in his hand.

"Ummmmm..."

"We were talking about threesomes," Callan said, smiling at his father.

"Excuse me?" Carter glared at his son.

"Oh, come on father, don't act all innocent now. I grew up in your house; I know all about your.."

"You know nothing, and that is the end of this conversation." Carter sneered as he cut Callan off. "Not another word."

"Fine, but the truth will come out eventually." Callan teased.

Carter hit him across the head as he walked past.

"Why does everyone keep doing that?" Callan grumbled rubbing the back of his head.

"Now, I have organised for us to say at my friend's house so we will be safe." Carter gave me a reassuring smile.

"When did you get a friend?" Callan laughed as Carter hit him in the head again.

"As I was saying, we will all be staying in this house as it is fully guarded, and nothing can get in or out without me knowing about it. We travel together, and no one is to be left on their own at any time." Carter said, sitting across from us.

"Are there enough rooms for everyone?" Callan said, nudging me. I made a face at him and he laughed quietly.

"We will deal with that when we get there, and before you even ask me, no Ebony will not be staying in your room." Carter smiled at his son.

"So, just yours then?" Callan crossed his arms over his broad chest and smiled back at his father.

"Ok, I think that's enough testosterone flinging for one night. So, tell me about this ball?" I said, trying to defuse the father/son rivalry going on right now.

"Well, it's a night of drinking, eating and dancing for all my clients. It's usually a perfect night, and I'm sure you will enjoy yourself. It's a good place to forget about everything else and just have some much-needed fun," Carter smiled at me.

"Will mother be staying with us?" Callan said abruptly.

"Unfortunately, she will be," Carter said, looking away and clearing his throat.

"Wonderful, and does she know that you will have a human in your room?" He grinned at his father.

"What I do with my human is not your mother's concern. Thank you very much," Carter growled.

"Excuse me? Your human?" I said, looking at him.

"Don't look at me like that and before you yell at me, just listen." Carter held up his hands in defence. "I know this term may insult you Ebony, but to other vampires, you will be known as MY human. It only means that no other vampire can hurt you or touch you. It is simply to keep you safe from others." Carter said, now looking back at the phone.

"Oh, yeah. Of course," I tried not to sound disappointed.

"If you were my human Ebony, I'd let you do anything you...."

"Callan," Carter cut him off and glared at his son again. "We are about to land; I suggest you prepare yourself."

"Of course, father." Callan smiled and winked at me as he walked to the back of the plane, laughing to himself.