Days turned to weeks, weeks changed into a month. His traces were starting to disappear from her life. She hadn't seen him since that night. He stopped visiting her in her dreams, too. She settled back into her previous routine. Her life seemed to be going back in its usual direction. Everything was normal, except for her. She didn't feel like herself. She didn't feel whole. He left her with a gape in her chest. A gape only his presence could fill.

His thoughts accompanied her all the time like an unwelcomed guest. It didn't matter wherever she went, whatever she did, they stayed lingering in the back of her mind, rendering her unable to concentrate on anything. At nights, she would lie awake for hours, brooding over his vanishing existence as those thoughts held her tighter in their embrace, smothering her. Her disheveled appearance bore witness to this silent torment she was going through, day in and day out.

Occasionally, she'd get an insane idea of endangering herself, hoping he'd come save her again. But the thought of someone getting sucked dry because of her, didn't settle well. Bad or not, she didn't want to be the cause of someone's death.

There were nights she could sense him near, sneaking inside her room, watching her sleep. Large rough hands would touch her cheeks lovingly, tracing every nook and cranny of her soft features. But evertime she forced her eyelids apart through her sleeping haze, he'd be gone like the wind. These incidents made her question her sanity. Was it really him? Or was it her own mind playing tricks on her?

"Excuse me? You're sitting in my seat."

She looked up at a tall woman smiling politely at her. She realised the train had come to a stop.

"Oh, I'm sorry for the inconvenience." She slung her bag over her shoulder, scurrying out of the seat.

'April was right. I've become extremely absent minded these days.' She stepped out on the station gazing around at her surroundings. Because of her nervousness, she hadn't paid much attention to it last time. The train station was just like the town it belonged to. Unmodernised. Its red brick building casted a dull shadow on the pavement as the sun glared down at it from behind. She stood there for a moment, staring at it. History always fascinated her. But she had no idea that it wasn't history that tugged her towards itself. It was the one who lived in the history.

She walked out of the station shaking her head. 'Now I know why they say love makes you poetic.'

She had called a cab on her way out. The driver arrived in about 10 minutes. She climbed inside, facing forward to find the driver already staring back at her through the rear view mirror.

"Where to?" He was a gruff middle aged man. A cigarette hung from his half parted lips. She narrowed her eyes at the cancer stick, but refrained from saying anything.

"Uh, There's a castle near the outskirts of the town. Not exactly near but..." She left her sentence hanging in the middle

The man looked at her quizzically, "Do you mean Ypres Tower?"

"No, No. It's an abandoned castle situated on top of the hills. No one goes there anymore. It's a manor of a medieval Lord." She licked her dry lips. Saying his name out loud felt ominous. "Lord Ares King."

The driver looked at her weirdly. 'Great. Now he thinks I'm stupid.'

"Not many people know about this castle. Good for you, I'm one of those who do. I can take you there but this car isn't in a good condition to move uphill. You'd have to climb up on your own."

"No problem. Thank you!" She felt ecstatic. She hadn't thought about the consequences of her actions, when she had left her apartment early in the morning. She just wanted to see him one more time. She didn't care that she'd be in an unknown town with no address whatsoever to reach his forbidding manor. The need to be with him was too strong.

The car's engine roared to life as she turned to look out of the window, watching the scenes blurring past her.

She had no idea how much time passed before the buildings started to be replaced by tall trees, making her feel a knot in the pit of her stomach. Will I even find him there? She was afraid of going in that lost manor alone. The thought of coming away empty-handed filled her with dread.

She noticed the car slow down, coming to a halt. "Miss, you're on your own from here on."

She paid the driver. Thanking him, she got out of the car swiftly. The driver drove past her, his car disappearing from her sight after some time. She craned her neck to look up at the huge castle nestled on top of the steep hill.

She adjusted her bag on her shoulder as she started ascending the hill. She moved lanky branches out of her way, carefully avoiding tripping over the roots. It was easier than the last time, without rain or darkness hindering her path. In less than half an hour, she was standing at the iron gates, awestruck.

The castle walls were cleared of every vine that stuck to its exterior the last time she visited. No traces of moss ever lining them. The black stone reflected sunlight from its corners, giving it an etheral look. She touched the iron bars. Their previous rusty look was replaced by a shiny metal coating.

"What are you doing here?" A rough voice addressed her from behind the gates, scaring her. She released the rods hastily, looking up to see a pale man glaring at her with disgust. He covered himself with a long coat. Its hood shielded his face away from the sun gleaming above their heads.

'Why is he covering himself from head to toe? Winters are still some months away.' She looked closely at him. Something striked inside her. 'Vampire.'

"What are you staring at? This is private property. Scram!" His tone got more aggressive but he made no attempt to move.

'Private Property.. But it was open last time. No one was guarding it. Did someone else buy it?' Her heart sank. 'No. He must be inside. Why else a vampire would be guiding the entrance? I have to try.'

She looked at him firmly. "I'm here to meet the owner."

"Ha! Like the owner has enough time to entertain your mere presence." He smirked looking down at her.

She wanted to slap the smirk off his face. "Look. I know the owner. I'm his... . Can you please tell him that Faith Matthaeus is here to see him?

The guard looked her up and down. She suddenly became increasingly aware of her washed jeans and plaid shirt.

"You," He paused, pointing at her, "know HIM?" He put great emphasis on his last word, pointing back towards the fancy castle. He was mocking her.

She gripped the bars with both hands, "I'm not lying! You can ask hi-" She stopped midsentence, seeing him charge at her.

She backed away swiftly to avoid his grip. Her back colliding with a hard surface. She turned around to find a familiar man looking down at her. Shaggy brown hair. Chocolate brown eyes. He was the man from her dream. The one she saw in Ares' memory. Her eyes widened with disbelief. 'How is he alive? Is he a vampire too? He didn't look like one in that memory.'

He moved away from her, avoiding to touch her as if she were a plague. His foot came to a halt at the entrance as he stared at the guard with a blank expression. "Do we pay you for this? Why is this strange woman causing a scene here?"

The guard opened the gate for him, bowing slightly in respect. "Sir, I-" He stopped the guard with a sharp look, "No excuses. Clear the area."

She saw his retreating back. This was her chance. "Henry!"

He paused in his step, standing with his back to her. Not wasting any time, she continued blabbering whatever came to her mind. "Henry, I'm Faith. I'm here to see your Lord. He must've told you about me. He hasn't visited me in a month. I.. I need to see him. The bond is making it more and more difficult for me to stay away from him. I'm in a terrible condition. I need him. Please."

A few moments passed. No movements were made from his side. She thought he'd ask the guard to throw her out of the property. She repeated her last word in a low mumble. "Please." She knew he'd be able to hear it.

Henry gave her a side glance, scanning her eyes. His emotionless eyes stared into her soul as if he were trying to uncover every deep and dark secret hiding inside her. He lowered his eyes when he couldn't detect any trace of dishonesty in them. After contemplating for a moment, he gestured to the guard, "Let your Queen in."