"Do you want something on it?" he asked, but I shook my head. Usually I loved my toast smothered in butter but for some reason, feeling the way I did, it didn't appeal to me.

He put the bread into the toaster and a couple of minutes later the toast popped out.

I felt Catherine's eyes on me as I watched Jared place my toast on a plate. I wondered if it upset her to be this close to me when I was emotionless and Hue-like. Jared's father had been a Hue, and he'd raped her. Surely sitting this close to an enemy would upset her, but it didn't seem to. She calmly sipped her coffee as she kept her gaze on me.

He pushed a plate with toast in front of me. I looked at him and then picked up a piece of toast. I ate it mechanically. It really didn't taste like much. I wasn't eating because I enjoyed the taste; I simply needed to fuel my body.

I watched Jared make himself coffee and he sat down next to me. He watched me like a hawk. No one said anything. They didn't know how to act around me, but I didn't care. I drank my water and I ate my toast in silence. When I was finished I pushed the empty glass and plate away from me.

Jared put his half-empty cup of coffee down.

"Do you want to shower?" he asked.

I nodded. His scent still lingered on me from sleeping beside each other and the smell was giving me a slight headache. I pushed back the stool and stood up, following him to his room where he handed me a towel. He left me alone in his room. It was only when I was about to walk into the bathroom that I noticed my duffel bag filled with clothes next to Jared's desk. They must have packed it on Friday. I walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

I turned the shower on and set the temperature of the water. I got in and washed my body and hair. I was quick and to the point. After I got out, I dried my body and towel dried my hair and then I wrapped the towel around my body. Quickly, I brushed my teeth again. I noticed a set of my clothes was folded on Jared's neatly made bed when I walked back into his room. It was a pair of jeans, a T-shirt and a change of underwear too. I got dressed quickly.

When I was finished, I sat on the bed and waited for Jared. I looked around his room as I waited. I heard a noise coming from outside. Curious, I got up and walked to the window. I looked out.

I heard the noise again. It sounded like someone whistling, and I looked toward the source of the distinctive sound. Across the road stood a figure standing on the opposite side of the street next to the forest. It was a male with blond hair. I recognized the features of the person that had been ingrained in my worst nightmares and fears: it was Mason.

Without emotions, there was no fear. From the window, I watched him. His dark blue eyes met mine as I continued to stare at him.

He was dressed casually in jeans and a white T-shirt, and was standing as he was watching me intently. He smiled at me; it was a cold, calculating smile. A strange feeling came over me while I held his gaze, unable to pull away from him. I was drawn to him. A need to go to him took hold of me. I clasped my hands together as my agitation increased with a need.

Feeling the new impulse to go to him, I turned and walked out of the room. I couldn't help myself; it was like a power stronger than myself was driving my actions. Jared appeared at the entrance to the kitchen as I reached the bottom of the stairs.

I stopped as he smiled at me. But he wasn't the one I needed. I needed Mason. I ignored him and walked past him, but as I was about to open the front door Jared grabbed my wrist, halting my escape.

"Where are you going?" he asked with a crease in his forehead. Beneath his hands, my skin felt irritated, as though his hands were sandpaper chafing against my skin. I yanked my arm from his hand and turned to look at him. I didn't like to be touched by him.

"I need to go," I informed him coldly. The place where he had grabbed my arm had begun to itch, so I scratched at it. "I need to go," I repeated. His frown deepened while he took a step closer to me.

"Where do you need to go?" he asked gently as he raised his hands to reassure me he wasn't going to touch me again.

"I have to go to him." At the word 'him' I saw a confused look on his face.

"Who?" he asked quietly as he tilted his head to the side. It was like he was talking to a child.

"Mason," I informed him.

Anger flared on his face at the mention of his brother's name. His hands balled into fists at his sides as he tried to keep his expression calm.

"I need to go to Mason," I insisted. I didn't know why, but I had to go to him. There was a struggle within Jared as he stood in front of me.

The need inside me grew and I turned to try to open the door again. This time Jared held my arm more forcefully. I turned around and dropped my gaze to where his hand had wrapped around my wrist, but he refused to let me go.

"I can't let you go, Ava," he told me with a steeliness that reinforced that he wasn't going to back down. I tried to pull my arm out of his hold, but he held firm. The skin beneath his hand began to itch more intensely.

"You can't stop me," I stated. With a fierce look on his face, he straightened his stance and cocked his head to the side.

"Yes, I can."

Gone was the gentle boy, and in his place was a hard and powerful leader. He was the leader of the Archaic, and he was right, he could stop me if he wanted to—and he wanted to.

"Let me go," I insisted again as I tried to pull my arm free, but he refused to let go. The longer he held my arm the more painful it became. It felt like his skin was chafing my skin off.

"No," he replied calmly. I didn't want to let him see that he was inflicting pain on me. I didn't want to show him any sign of weakness. With his free hand, he reached for his phone and he dialed someone.

"I need you. Get Tyler as well."

I assumed he was talking to Danny, but I wasn't sure. Maybe he was talking to Nathaniel. My arm felt like it was on fire now. I didn't know how, but I still continued to hide the pain.

"I need to go." I raised my voice. Power began to build up inside me. He was going to get hurt if he didn't let me go. I needed to go.

Mason.

I didn't understand this burning need to go to Mason; all I knew was I had to follow it. The pain in my arms was so intense I wanted to scream, but I pressed my lips together and held it in.

"No." He wasn't backing down. His hold on my wrist tightened.

I felt the power flare up within me. If he wouldn't let me go, I would make him. Energy began to flow in me. He wasn't going to let go. That meant he was going to get hurt. I didn't care. Did I?

Catherine appeared in the hallway. She'd heard the altercation. She stood behind her son, watching us with a nervous look in her features.

She knew that I was in an emotionless state at the moment. I could see there was some confusion, because she didn't understand why I wanted to leave. It was something that I'd never done before.

I hesitated. I tried to pull my arm from his hold, but he wouldn't budge. My arm hurt so much that I couldn't suppress it any longer and I released a scream.

I felt a pull through me and realized that I was feeling weak. My energy was being drained. Confusion set in. I didn't understand how or why my power was being drained. At least the pain where Jared held my arm began to ease. As the energy seeped from me, I began to feel tired.

I looked at him. His emerald eyes had glazed over to become silver. Was he draining my energy? I felt weaker. I swayed. I felt his other hand hold my other arm. My knees buckled and I passed out.