I had guessed I was going to spend the whole night wide awake, and sure enough, I was right

My heart was fluttering in my chest, though my head was hurting like hell with thousands of thoughts racing around my head.

I need to break his trust and escape

But I want to stay and feel the comfort of Francis.

I could see the strong line between want and need. And I had already made up my mind, even though it broke my heart.

All of my thoughts came to a halt as there was a knock on the door, I knew it was Xavier, so I didn't do anything to prepare myself.

"Come in," I croaked, rolling my head over on the carpet. That's right, carpet.

I couldn't even make it to the bed, so I just collapsed on the floor, swallowing with my conscious.

As the door opened, the man gasped and frantically put the breakfast on the table, leaning down to see if my eyes were open, and I squinted one open, just to reassure him before closing it again.

"What are you doing on the floor?" Xavier said in a worried tone, pulling me off the floor, sliding one of my arms on his shoulders then laying me on the bed delicately. Which I sided to as my body was to limp of tiredness.

"How long have you been there?" I asked lying next to me to look me in the eye.

"Since last night," I said warily, already being led back into my thoughts, but I was pulled to a stop as Xavier laughed.

"What?" I chuckled, seeing the awe in his eyes.

"You were with him weren't you?" he mused.

I looked away not wanting to bare the look in his eyes. "How'd you know?"

"He was acting different today," he explains. "Happier"

I nod and sit up, taking the plate of food and eating it all with only a few bites. Trying to distract my consciousness with food was working but not well enough as the guard could see my flushed face.

"Not. Another. Word." I demanded as he opened his mouth, making him immediately close it. I rub my temples, as I feel the overwhelming thoughts come back. "Anything else I should know?"

Xavier ponders for a moment before he clicks his tongue looking back at me.

"Oh yes! Francis said that you are allowed outside your room, but whenever you leave there will be two guards waiting for you outside your doors at all times. Do not- I repeat, do not try to escape. He got some of the top guards on you."

I snickered to myself, trying hard not to laugh, and turned around from the door to face the emerald eye man.

"A you not a top guard?" I raise an eyebrow, making him scoff.

"No, I'm second in command, " he snaps back, making me roll my eyes.

"Then I won't keep you any longer sir. " I joke, doing a little bow before exiting, closing the door behind me.

To my left and right, there were two buff men, who I could probably never take down, so I need to think about this strategically.

"Men," I acknowledge nodding to both of them and strutting down the hallway, causing them to follow me. So that's how it is.

I quicken my pace, making them both look at each other knowingly and follow my movement closer. I looked around the hallways and realised I was lost so I turned around and gave out a shy smile.

"Would you men happen to know where the library is?" I ask, hesitantly, they looked at each other before back at me and nodding, leading the way. It was a pure guess that there was a library here but judging by the size there was sure to be one here, and sure enough, I was right.

At the first glance of the entrance, you could tell it was a large room since it had large twin doors. As the two guards stepped aside on each door, they opened them, timing it perfectly so that I walked through without stopping.

I let out a small gasp to myself as I lifted my head to view a huge library.

There were aisles and aisles of books, and then the walls were covered with more shelves leading up to the high raised roof, and ladders so that you could reach the books on taller shelves. There was also an inside balcony with stairs and a little table, stacked with books. All in a dark academia theme with dark oak wood.

I trotted down the wood aisles to the fiction section, my feet clicking under me, behind hearing the guard's footsteps. I stopped at the shelf that looked to have an interesting book and flicked through the pages. Game time.

After a while of looking at random books, I shot my head up and looked at the open library door for a few seconds then back at the guards, with a curious face.

"Did you not hear that?" I questioned slowly and they both shook their head, making me shake my head in disapproval.

"Francis is calling for you," I said slyly, flicking a page as the pair froze.

"W-we better go." one says to the other and I could feel mentally high-fiving myself.

"You won't go anywhere will you?" The other questions me and I nod innocently as I looked at the book so they could see I was intrigued and would stay put.

They both ran off frantically not giving a second thought to their single designated job, now slipping from their grasp.

Putting the book back carefully, I tiptoed out of the library and found the door closest to the library and hid in there, and as I looked around I realised I was in the janitor's closet. Disgusting.

I was about to open the door and go to another room, but I heard heavy footsteps and muttered curses.

"That girl thought we were dumb enough to stay away for so long," one grunted to the other as they ran past the door. "She couldn't have gotten far." Oh, but I could.

I popped out the door, just in time to see them turning the corner away from me and I giggled, running the other way.

The red carpeted hallway was soft on my feet and the wind of the hallways brushed through my hair as I ran freely. I smiled subconsciously and finally got tired, so I started to search for a room to rest in, besides mine, of course, the guards were probably there looking for me.

I finally found a room that had dark decor, and the curtains were closed making it even darker.

There was a black circular bed and fancy lamps on the bedside tables that matched the colour theme. In the middle of the overly large bedroom, is a conversational pit with white and black couches, and a single circle table in the middle. Even though everything was beautiful about this bedroom the only thing that was putting me off was the mess, shirts, and rubbish everywhere. I sighed and took it upon my duty to clean it, knowing that there are probably guards outside looking for me.

I went into the walk-in wardrobe there and found an array of sweaters, so I took one. Then I started to clean

Starting, I opened the curtains, making the whole room better already and picked up the clothes but stopped mid crouch as there was a door open and growl from the entrance of the room. Making my head shoot up.

And low and behold the birdman himself.

He was looking at me shocked, so I stood straight up and looked back at him.

"What?" I sneered as I threw the dirty clothes into what looked to be the washing basket.

"What are you doing in my room," he said slowly making me freeze and my head shoots to him.

"Your room?" I asked, my mouth agape making Francis's glare deepen, but not answer my question.

I looked him up and down to see that his wings had spread out from their folded position. The black and fading storm grey feathers matched his hair and the decor of the room. How didn't I notice that?

"Well- really sorry about that, I better let you get back to whatever you were doing," I mumbled and I tried to sneak out, but he spread his wing so that I was blocked from leaving. I looked at him weirdly and his eyes were back at me darkly, his head still straight forward.

"And just where might your guards be?" he hissed under his breath, though more a statement than a question.

I can't believe some of my guards were idiotic enough to leave their one assigned task alone; when I gave them the rule that under every circumstance, they couldn't leave her by herself, so she could waltz into my room and mess it up. I knew Valentina was smart, but I didn't count on this.

"How did you get them to leave you?" I said in a low voice as she tried to sneak out of the doorway, but I fanned one wing out so that she couldn't

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently, looking up at me with her crystal eyes, batting her eyelashes. I scoffed and pinched the bridge of my nose trying to suppress my anger toward her.

"Don't play dumb, Angel," I demand looking down at her, making her scoff and fold her arms together.

"Fine. I tricked them into leaving me in the library, saying I could hear you calling for them" she boasted simply raising an eyebrow at me, so I returned the gesture.

Of course, she would use their fear of me against them. She's so smart. I praise her secretly but scoffed and grabbed her by the waist, picking her up and slinging her over my shoulder, making her shriek and wave her hands so I pinned them behind her back, making her whine more.

When I side-glared her, walking out of the room and down the hallway, and that's when her sweater caught my eye. I knew it from anywhere. They were my clothes.

I knew she hadn't realised what she was wearing yet, so I decided to beat her around the bush.

"Where'd you get the jumper." I snickered to myself, and she froze, and look down at it.

"From the- Uhm.." Seeing her realise where she got it from, I laughed to myself making her head snap to see me.

"You know where it's from," she huffed and slumped into my shoulder, so I freely laugh. I could feel her heart beating on me, making my own heart beat faster and put her down, as we arrived at our destination.

Opening the doors, there was a long pool and two spas on either side of the room, whilst on the outside there were luxurious plants and greenery, there were also koi fish in little pools. All lined against the glass wall that revealed the garden and forest outside, the sun perfectly shining and bouncing light off the water.

Val gasped and within seconds she was trying to wriggle out of my grasp, which I allowed this once.

As her feet were on the floor she sprinted to the fish pond and got the fish food next to the pond and fed the fish from her hands that seemed to like her. Happily eating from her hand, one even brushing past her, making her giggle at the tickle. Wish I could make her laugh like that.

I hung my head backwards and sighed, walking to the bathroom and making Angel turn her head around.

"What are we doing here anyway?" she questions, and I point to the bathroom next to the boys.

"There are clothes for you there," I tell her before I close the door behind me but stay there listening to what she is doing.

She grunts and I hear her footsteps go to the room behind me, making me smile. I had changed into a pair of shorts, leaving my wings on my back exposed and free.

I walked out of the room, only to see that Valentina was sitting on the edge of the pool, dipping her feet in the water.

She was wearing the one piece that I had bought for her, it was smoky white and simple but went along with her body shape perfectly, the bathers hugging all of the curves, making her blue eyes on her tanned skin stand out more.

She turned around and acknowledged me by nodding her head at me before dipping her feet in further. Her smile melted my heart and made me want to hold her and inhale her scent for all my days.

I knew she was the one, all I had to do was convince her the same thing for me. Seeing it in her eyes, she was still itching to escape, be free. But then I need her with me now. So, I have a plan that needs preparation, for her to trust me completely. It needs two months at least.

I walk up to her, and she looks me up and down her eye focusing on my wings, with a curious glint in her eye.

"Is there a problem Angel?" I snickered, making her eyes snap to mine and shake her head as she stands up and looks at my now outstretched hand. "Shall we then?"

Val does a little bow with a cheeky smile before putting her small hand on mine, so I clutch it tightly like she was going to leave at any second and dragged her along the poolside and went to the circular stair descending into the cold water and I started walking in, making her flinch back, but I just tightened my hand's grip on hers.

I bent my arm, making her come closer to me, she eventually went along and followed my lead until she was fully submerged in the water, up to her neck and her hair was floating on top of the water. Whilst the water was only on up to my chest

She was shivering so I move over to her and shield her with my wings, giving her my body heat. I felt her shift around more into my wings and her body tenseness release.

"Do you like them?" I ask, looking down at her, making my queen drop her head back to look me in the eye too.

"Hm?" She questions obviously dazed out

"My wings?" I chuckle lowly, curving the one huddling her, move closer, making her flinch but lean into it too.

I let out a sigh and she look at me confused but before she could ask, I pull away, making her fall into the water, screeching.

"What the hell!" she yells, spluttering out water, and sending me a glare before attempting to get out on the side but I pulled her back in by the ankle, like a predator trying to catch his prey.

She laughs as she struggles to get out of my clutches, and I pull her back to my chest. She laughed for a bit before it died down and the large room was left in silence. Shifting uncomfortably, she dropped out of my arms, and I put my hand out, trying to stop her but hesitated.

"Angel-?" I was about to ask if she was okay, but she turned around, quickly interrupting me.

"It's cold! I'm wanting to go into the warm spa" she says in a cheery tone but I could tell it was fake, and so was her smile.

Stopping myself from demanding her to tell me what was wrong, I simply nodded with a blank face, and she skipped over and plopped into the bubbling hot tub with an actual smile, making me smile on the inside too.

I was going to miss her tomorrow.. tomorrow! I haven't told her yet.

"Forgot to tell you, but I won't be here all day and night. I have a mission to attend to. But don't worry, you'll get the strongest and smartest guards this time" I snicker but stopped when I look over at her and see her with a weak grin.

"Okay.." she sighs and oozes into the hot tub further, making me furrow my eyebrows.

I just hope she doesn't try anything...

I'm escaping tomorrow. I have to.

But what if he catches me, or someone else does?!

I guess that that will be my funeral then..

I sigh, sliding deeper and deeper into the spa. I knew Francis had good intentions, for me at least, but I couldn't return them. It was completely wrong to be with him. He was a criminal and I'm just a psychologist. It's not my place to be here.

I'm leaving.

One way or another.