I woke up to the sound of loud shouting coming from the hallway. I recognised Carter's voice straight away and sat up in the bed, rubbing my eyes. What time is it? I checked my phone it was four pm which means the sun is still up. Why is he even awake? I pulled the sheets off me and walked towards the door as the shouting become louder.

"What the hell do you mean she is dead?" Carter bellowed.

"I'm sorry boss, but we found her body an hour ago. It's definitely her." That was Jake's voice, but he sounded different, he sounded scared.

"Fuck," Carter yelled so loudly it echoed through the house. "Who did this?"

"We don't know," Jake replied. "The cameras missed who it was but boss I'm telling you; it was Leon. Her body was torn apart, just like a rabid animal attack. He's here boss, and he's only going to get closer if we stay. We need to end this shit now; he has to die before we do." Jake was pleading with Carter.

"Leave me," Carter bellowed and then I heard nothing but silence. I took this as my opportunity to leave the room and opened the door. I saw Carter standing by the top of the stairs in his grey sweats, his hands on his head as he paced back and forth angrily.

"Carter," I said gently, I knew he was mad, and I didn't know how he would react to me right now.

He looked at me, standing in the hallway in my oversized white T-shirt and relaxed his tensed body. "I'm sorry, did I wake you? He said, looking to the floor awkwardly.

"What's going on?" I walked to him and stood in front of him. "Are you ok?"

He looked at me with sorrow in his eyes. "Genevieve is dead, Ebony. She was found just before in the garden; she was torn to shreds. She didn't deserve to die like that; she died because of me and my mistake of letting my little brother live. She is dead because she loved me."

I threw my arms around him and hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry for your loss, I know she meant something to you and Callan. Oh, my goodness, Callan. Is he ok?"

Carter shook his head. "He didn't take it so well. He's upstairs, and I don't know how to handle this. I don't know what to say to him, and I don't know what to do right now." Carter cupped my face in his hands. "How could this happen?" He pulled me towards his chest and held me tightly. "I need your warmth right now," he mumbled to the top of my head. "I need your sunshine."

"You need to talk to your son. He needs you right now."

"I don't think he wants to see me. He blames me for all of this."

"It's not your fault, Carter."

"It is. I told Genevieve to meet me in the garden after you fell asleep. I wanted to tell her that she needed to move on with her life, and so did I but I fell asleep next to you and, this is my fault. She is dead because of me." he closed his eyes and let his head fall back as he sighed loudly. "I need to be alone," he suddenly pulled himself away from me and started to pace around the floor again. "Just leave me, please."

"Carter, this isn't your fault. You had no control over...."

"Ebony, stop." He cut me off.

"No, you need to talk to your son."

"Leave me, Ebony." He said firmly.

"I just want to help you. Maybe if you.."

"I SAID LEAVE ME" he bellowed so loudly my ears hurt, and I noticed his eyes were the colour of blood red. I didn't say anything else to him. I just ran to the bedroom, closed the door and covered myself with the blankets like a child who had just seen the boogieman.

--------

"Ebony, we are leaving in two hours," Jake called through the wooden door of the bedroom. "We need to get out of here fast."

I hadn't left the bedroom since Carter yelled at me. I also hadn't seen him all night.

I ran to the door and opened it. "Jake, what is going on? Where is Carter?"

"I don't know, he's been missing for hours now, but we can't wait anymore. We need to get out of here. Callan is coming with us." Jake walked away running his hands through his hair.

The thought of Callan alone right now made me feel sick to my stomach, so I ran down the hallway to Callan's room and knocked. "Callan, can I come in?"'

The door slowly creaked open, and there stood Callan looking at me furiously. His mother's dark brown eyes looked into my very soul as he said nothing.

"I'm so sorry about this Callan; I know you must be upset right now but ...."

"Was he with you last night?" He said coldly.

"What?"

"My father, was he with you last night?" He repeated just as coldly.

"He said he fell asleep and when I woke up he was gone."

"That's not what I asked you. When you left the dance last night, was he with you all night?"

I stared into his dark eyes and felt tears in my eyes. "Yes," I whispered. "But we both just fell asleep."

"My father is not the hero you think he is Ebony. He hurts everyone and everything around him, and you are no different. My grandparents died because he left them alone and now my mother is dead because he left her for you. It's only a matter of time before he leaves you for the next victim. He's not the good guy here."

"Please don't say that, I know you two have had issues before but ...."

"It's only a matter of time," Callan said, walking back into his room.

"Please don't push me away, I know you are hurting right now, and I want to help you." I followed him into the room and watched him collapse on the bed. "Callan, please."

"Why do you care?" He said, sitting up. "You don't even know me."

"Because that's what humans do, we care about others that are hurting purely because they are hurting. I care about you and your father, and to some extent maybe Jake and I don't like seeing you all like this. You lost someone significant to you all, and I just care OK!" I yelled a little too loudly. "I want to help you all get through this, but the vampire way of doing that is acting like a complete douche."

He looked stunned at my words.

"Now, get showered and get dressed so we can get the hell out of here," I said, throwing a shirt at him.

"Is it weird that I like you a little better when you're angry?" He said, raising his eyebrows.

"Shut it and get ready," I smiled as I walked towards the door. "If you need me, you know where I am." I walked quickly down the hallway and into the bedroom. I sat at the bedroom window and sighed loudly as I watched the snowfall onto the ground. How could this happen? How did Leon even get in here? I wish Carter were here.

I turned around slowly as if my thoughts had magical powers and I would see him standing behind me in his pristine suit and slicked-back hair, but he wasn't there, and my stomach knotted at the thought of him hurting right now. He was so mad, and why did his eyes change to red? Like the night I first meet him. Is he becoming the monster again?

"Ebony," a deep voice said in my ear, and I jumped.

"Carter?" I turned to see him standing next to me and threw my arms around him tightly. "Oh my god, are you ok? I'm sorry about before, I was just so worried about you."

"Ebony, I have to go away for a while," he touched my face with his thumb. "I may be gone a while."

"What? Where are you going?"

"My world has contacted me, and they have ordered that I return to them. My presence here threatens the vampire world, and they want to take over the hunt for Leon. I must return. I'm sorry."

"You're leaving me? Here with Leon? Are you serious? Without you here I'm as good as dead and you're just going to leave me here? You promised me you would keep me safe Carter." I pushed myself away from him as I yelled.

"I don't have a choice here. The vampire council is furious over Genevieve's death, and I must return. My presence here is putting you in more danger."

"So that's it then, I'm dead."

"You don't think this is killing me leaving you here like this?"

"Then, why are you?" I yelled, walking away, wiping my tears. "He said you would do this,"

"Who?"

I didn't answer him.

"WHO?" He bellowed loudly.

"It doesn't matter because you're leaving, just go Carter. Leave me alone." I picked up my suitcase and walked towards the door. Callan was right after all.

"I have never in my entire life questioned the vampire council as it usually results in death, yet today I stood in front of my elders and told them I didn't want to leave this world because of a human girl, a girl I care about more than anything else. I told them I refuse to leave you behind, and I would rather die than see you get hurt."

I turned to look at him as tears ran down my face.

"I told them you were my one, and without you, this life is not worth living anymore. I chose you." my breath hitched in my throat at his words.

"Then why are you leaving me here?" I cried out.

"Because they told me if I chose to stay here with you and defy their order, they would have you captured and put you to death. I can't let that happen, and I won't. I don't want to leave you, Ebony, I just want to keep you safe," he walked towards me and cupped my face in his hands gently. "I have been searching for you my whole life, and now I have to let you go. I now understand the fear and the powerful force it has on one. I fear that I will not see you again, and that feels worse than death to me."

"I don't want you to go," I cried as he wiped the tears running down my face. "I know I shouldn't be, but I'm developing very strong feelings for you, Carter, and I don't want you to go."

He rested his head on mine and closed his eyes. "Is that what this feeling is inside me? Is this what it feels like? Every thought I have is about you, and the thought of being without you makes me feel even emptier inside, and I would rather die than see you hurt, is that what this is supposed to feel like?"

"Yes," I said, looking up into his now silver eyes.

"Then I too, think I have feelings for you." he smiled and moved his lips closer to mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me. Our lips touched ever so slightly, and he closed his eyes as we kissed softly. His lips were soft and cold like he had just eaten an ice block, but everything about that moment was perfect. The way he ran his fingers through my hair, the way he picked me up in his arms without breaking the kiss and the way my body reacted to his touch. It was everything a kiss should be, and neither one of us wanted it to end.