Pitter pattering of rain reached her ears. It was the same rain that she had witnessed countless times during her short life span yet it sounded very different. She heard a fat water droplet descending from the sky sliding off the wet surface of a leaf, land on the ground with a soft splash, creating ripples in a muddy puddle. Her mind was able to distinguish every sound.

She felt herself move forwards. Leather shoes produced a light tapping against the wet gravel. The clouds roared, drowning out most of the sound. A door opened with a loud creak.

The scene lit up with a bright flash of lightening. There were rows and rows of benches on her both sides. A big wooden cross hung from the wall in front of the room. A loud booming sound followed, rattling the numerous glass windows lining the walls. She continued to walk. The elegance in her gait drew everyone's attention, as they turned in their seats to look at the demanding presence that had stepped foot inside their vicinty. Recognition shone in their eyes as all of them stood up in respect.

'Ares...' She trailed off. That name was enough to explain everything.

She saw the scene unfold through his eyes. People were less apprehensive of him in this memory. They were in the middle of a mass service. 'He can enter a church? So he isn't affected by a cross?'

He gestured with his hand for everyone to resume their seats. They reluctantly obeyed. He sat in one of the benches at the end, where he had a panoramic view of the church. The service started. He remained still, calmly observing every move of the people present in there.

After the service had ended, a man with salt and pepper hair, standing on the pulpit, stepped down. He wore a long tunic that reached his feet. A silver cross dangled from his neck as he approached Ares with a warm smile, "You are new here, lad."

She felt Ares eyeing the man in a scrutinizing way. "I'm the new Lord assigned here by the king."

Something flicked across the man's eyes. It was gone in the next moment. Ares narrowed his eyes. The man seemed suspicious.

"Milord," He bowed slightly, "I'm Father Gabriel."

He seemed familiar. She observed him intently. 'Where have I seen him before?' She racked her brain for answers. 'Who is he?' Suddenly something clicked inside her.

His eyes. She had seen his eyes before. He shared the same eyes with her. Her eyes were unique. She had never seen anyone with the same big pools of greyish blue hue. Seeing the similar storm captured in this strange man's eyes, scared her.

She remembered what Ares had called in her dream,

She woke up with a sudden jolt. Her breaths were coming out in short pants. She put a hand to her forehead. She was drenched in her own sweat. She sat there for some time, rocking herself back and forth, trying to calm herself down. She passed a hand through her damp hair. 'What's dream? What's real? I can't get it anymore.' The lines between reality and fantasy were beginning to get blurred. 'Maybe a shower would help.' She got out of the bed to head in the bathroom's direction.

~*~

She was drying her hair with a towel when her phone's screen lit up casting a dull glow in the dark room. She went to the bedside to pick it up. Shock crossed her face as her mouth dropped open slightly. She clutched the phone tightly.

Her thumb slid across the screen gingerly as she she brought it closer to her ear.

"Faith." His voice sounded worn out.

"Dad..." She trailed off, not knowing what to say. It had been months since she had last talked to him. She had left him angry and hurt when she had decided to continue her studies in Europe. That man depised everything related to the continent.

She, on the other hand, was over the moon when her application got accepted in one of the universities in London. They had offered her a scholarship too. She had begged her dad for weeks to let her go but he wouldn't budge. In the end, she prepared herself to go there without his permission. She didn't want to upset him. She loved him to pieces. But she couldn't give up on her mother. She had to get to the root of the matter.

That was the reason, she came to her mother's homeland despite her father's constant protests.

"Faith?" His voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Yes. Yes, Father?" She replied hastily.

"Don't be so formal with me, dear." She could picture her father gripping his hair in his hands. She decided to break the ice.

"I missed you, Dad." Her eyes turned glassy. She had indeed missed his warm embrace. His calming voice. His silly jokes.

"I missed you too, princess." He paused for a moment, "How's everything going? Have you settled down? You made new friends. Right?"

"Slow down, Dad. Everything's going fine. Yes, I've settled down. And yes, I made some really good friends," She smiled thinking about April. "How have you been?"

"I'm goo-"

A light knock sounded on her bedroom's door. "Milady."

There was a silence on the other side for a good second. Then all hell broke loose. "Faith Evangeline Matthaeus! Is that a man's voice? You're living with a man? Why did he call you Milady? Are you in some cosplay restaurant? But it must be morning in there. Did you stay there for the whole night?!" She held the phone some distance away from her ear.

"No, Dad. That's my," She paused thinking for any sort of excuse, "r-roommate's boyfriend! He's a weird creep. Oh I suddenly remembered I have a lot of laundry to do. Bye Dad! Love you!"

"Fai-" She tapped the red button on her screen. The room was once again engulfed in silence. She felt bad for hanging up on her father but she wasn't ready to answer his questions. She covered her face with her hands.

'Henry!' She realised he was still outside.

She threw her phone on the bed as she went to open the door quickly. A blank faced Henry stood there holding a tray full of food. "May I enter your chambers, Milady?"

She could only nod in response. 'Always so serious. Just like his Lord.'

He walked inside, placing the tray on her bedside table. He turned around briskly to go out when she called out his name. "Henry!"

He stopped in his tracks, replying after a brief pause. "Yes, Milady?"

"Do you mind me calling you by your name?" His stiffness hadn't gone unnoticed by her.

"No, Milady..." He was hesitating.

"You can speak freely." She felt like a noble allowing her underling to speak informaly with her.

"Only Milord calls me 'Henry.' Hearing it coming out of someone else is a bit odd. But I'd get used to it." He seemed to be a big fan of Ares. That man practically kissed the ground his Lord walked on. 'Does he have a secret Ares fan club? I wouldn't mind joining in too.' She snickered to herself. Henry kept his blank stare on the floor. She composed herself quickly.

"Can I leave, Milady?"

"You can call me, Faith." She smiled softly at him.

"I'd rather call you 'Milady' if that doesn't make you uncomfortable." He remained standing in the same position. His eyes casted down.

She rubbed the back of her head. "Will you answer one of my questions?"

"I'll try." He replied back curtly.

"What's a beloved, Henry?" He lifted his eyes at her question. His stare was making her uncomfortable. When he didn't speak for some time, she thought he had refused to answer her question. She sighed, grabbing a toast from the tray. She was applying butter on it when she heard him open his mouth. "A beloved is a vampire's soulmate."

Her hand stopped moving. He continued to speak. "Someone destined to share eternity with them. Soulmates are two scattered pieces of one soul. They feel whole when they come together. Strongest when they coexist. Tearing them apart is almost impossible once they're bound together. But if someone manages to do so, it's a death verdict for the vampire."

She gulped placing the toast back on the tray. She didn't feel hungry anymore. "Can a human be a vampire's beloved?"

Henry's mouth tilted to one side. A slight smile had taken oven his lips. "Don't you already know the answer to that, Milady?" She pressed her lips together.

"Yes. It is possible but in extremely rare cases. Vampires are powerful creatures. They do not allow themselves to keep something so fragile by their sides. It would be an open invitation to their enemies. They usually kill their own mates without forming a bond."

She sat there frozen in horror. 'I thought they were taking care of me. They're actually fattening up the goat before its slaughter.'

Henry could read her thoughts written all over her face. He gave her a loop sided grin. "My Lord would never kill you. He has awaited this day for too long."

"What do you mean?" She couldn't help her curiosity.

"I've already said too much. I have some work to do. I'll come after some time to collect the dishes. Allow me to leave, Milady." He began to walk out of the room.

"Henry!" She stopped him for the umpteenth time.

"Yes, Milady?"

That man had some patience. He didn't sound the least bit annoyed.

"Does.." She looked down to hide her embarrassment, "Does Ares want me?"

"He has never wanted anything more in his life." He replied in a heartbeat. He was so sure of it, it shocked her.

"He doesn't show it." She complained thinking about his cold behaviour.

"Vampires don't wear their emotions on their sleeves, Milady. It's best if you ask this from him." He turned around to leave. She sat there staring at her interlaced finger resting in her lap.

"Milady." She blinked. Henry was still standing at her doorway. "He's a good man." He disappeard from her view in a flash.

Her gaze remained fixated on the space he once occupied. His words ringing in her ears.

"He's a good man."