The cheering died down and all eyes were back on me, "thank you everyone, I know that for years this Institute was set on getting peace by eliminating an entire race but I know we can achieve peace in a civil way. As soon-to-be Queen, me and Ash will strive for a future where vampires and human co-exist." I smile wiping the tears off my face.

The 200 hundred pairs of eyes, stare at me trust gleaming in their eyes, we got this I say in my head. "So from now on no killing vampires, if anything happens I need you to report it to the Co-Leaders, and with great pleasure I'd like to announce that Peter Brooks and Elliot Wilson will look after the Institute while I am away. Will you two please come to the stage," I declare arms gesturing for them to come up to my side.

Peter stands and makes his way to the stage, Eli following behind him. "I trust that together they will be just as good as me," I giggle, "as I will be away living at the castle, I don't want the Institute to be neglected so I would like Peter to cater to the Institute and all of you, while Eli having newly formed vampire contacts will help with vampire related problems and help welcome you to them. I truly believe that everyone will get along with the vampires, just keep an open mind and trust me, they are all not as bad as you think they are." Smiling I step away and let Eli and Peter introduce themselves.

I continue ringing my hands, heart still beating hard, "I did it, we did it," I whisper, smiling sadly to myself. Everyone claps, happiness fills the air, the family you helped create will live on James, I promise.

The clapping comes to a slow stop, I step back up a smiling ear to ear, "meeting adjourned."

I asked Peter and Eli, to follow me back to our new office.

"I apologise for not warning you both on your new positions, I hope I'm not in too much trouble," I smile at Peter and Eli.

"Of course not," Eli says, Peter nods then says, "thank you for putting your faith in us, we will do our hardest."

"Peter I also hate to spring this on you, but Eli is also dating a vampire, as you saw from last time, so you will be one of the first to be acquainted with one." I quickly say, waiting for a reaction.

His face remains professional even with a smile, "it would be my honour to meet Prince Clyde, I'd like to help others acquaint with future vampires also, I'm certain that I can handle it."

I then turn to Eli, "is that ok with you Eli, I'm sure you can coax Clyde into agreeing, but I do realise if that's not ok with you and him that is," I ramble.

"It's fine Elle, he said he would go anywhere as long as it's with me, I'm sure a few miles off the palace is no exception," Eli responds taking my hand, "thank you for giving me something, not going to lie but those few days at the palace were so boring, I live for being with Clyde and all but he hardly let me out of the room, I barely escaped today," he laughs.

"Nice to know we are both going to be in a little trouble. Speaking of which we need to go soon, Peter I trust that you'll be able to take care of things until Eli can come back to help," I ask Peter.

"Of course but Elle there's something I need to tell you first, James told me to keep it a secret, what I am that is."

"Yes..." I say unsure of what he had to say.

"I'm half demon too, and the other half healer, James told me my mother was a healer and that my father was a demon," he paused and thought about wether or not to say this next part but he did, "there's also something else, the day we stormed the palace, we saw this woman, she had sandy hair and grey eyes, she looked young too, James, he seemed shocked, like he had seen a ghost. He also said something, a name, I think it was Eliza."

"That was my mother's name," I whisper, racking my brain, the description of that woman, had I seen her before.

Then the face dawned on me, Freya. He was describing Freya.

I felt like such an idiot, how did I not realise the eerie resemblance, their hair falling in the same ringlets, the high cheek bones, the colours of their hair and eye different but the features identical.

The features I studied off my late mother's photographs, the features I didn't have. James always said I looked more like my father and him, the same dark hair and coloured eyes.

Did Freya know my mother? Were they related somehow?

Eli rubs my back to calm me, I didn't realise I was shaking until I stopped, "I shouldn't have told you, sorry. I didn't think of how much it would hurt you," Peter apologises.

"No, no I'm glad you did, maybe we can practice our magic sometime, " I grin, "and the woman I think I now her, we should go," I grab Eli's hand. Before we disappear, I glanced at Peter, his gleaming smile, sharp structured face, the shining blue eyes and golden curls, was he the little boy in the picture? But how?

"See you later Peter," I smile, I had so many questions but knew, completely, that Peter had told me all the knowledge he possessed. The answers I needed would come from the duo in the second image, I just had to figure out who they were.

With my thoughts jumbled, I cleared my mind and filled it with Ash. My magic was confused with the questions seeping back in and the need to teleport not only me but Eli too.

Suddenly the scenery changed and we reappeared in an unfamiliar section of the castle. My eyes squeezed shut and body braced for impact as this time instead of feet firmly placed on the ground we were in mid air but not for long as gravity took affect.

"There you are," a voice growls, "where were you?"

Once more instead of hitting the ground I was tucked in Ash's arms.

I look up to meet Ash's gaze, his eyes not their deep chocolate brown but a cold purple. Shit, he's mad.

"Shit indeed, love," he snarls quietly into my ear. Ash pulls away from the room with me in his arms, behind Ash I spot Eli in Clyde's, he mouths, "a little trouble."

I mouth back, "yep."

.....

He quickly sped through the hallways, his heart beating fast and his breathing heavy.

Reaching our room he threw me onto the bed. "Ow," I yelped, sitting up to face him, the purple hue in his eyes growing as he glared at me.

"Oh sorry, did that hurt?" A sarcastic and rhetorical question, "do you have any how hurt I was when I woke up to you missing," he spit, a flash of sadness crossing his features.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly, ashamed, for making him worried.

He continued voice breaking as he ranted, "I asked everyone, searched the grounds, you- you're hurt, I thought you had something worse, I thought you had left me for good," his thoughts played out as he spoke, the vivid sensations of panic and chaos choking me.

His eyes stopped glowing, once filled with anger now overwhelmed with pain and relief. His vulnerability and emotions making me cry, my already puffy face saturated with tears again.

His arms incased me in a warm hug, my crying drowning out his quiet sniffles. "I'm sorry," I said again this time louder, "I went to Thistle I had to know what happened to James after yesterday, they held a funeral, you know." I took a shaky breath, "I got to say goodbye and give him a real send off. Put his soul at rest." I rambled, holding him tight.

I had stopped crying, and so had he, but he didn't let me see his face. His thoughts relaying "I can't let her see me cry, I have to be strong."

I held his hand squeezing it tight, placing a kiss on the back of his neck, "hey, showing emotion isn't a weakness," I reassure him, "you're emotions show your true self, it shows that you care," he didn't listen and kept me tight in a hug, his face out of my sight.

"So you don't care?" I ask. No response.

"Then am I weak?" I say, "for crying, I'm not strong," I state sadly.

He hisses then grabs my arms pushing me down, "Elouise Nightshade, no wife of mine is weak, you are the strongest woman I have ever met. I will not have you doubting the strength you possess, not now, not ever."

"I know," I grin, "I just needed you to look at me."

His red nose and slightly swollen eyes looked adorable. Nose twitching, his eyes gleamed in defeat but his smile mirrored my own, "your intelligence never ceases too impress me," he smirks planting a kiss on my lips.

"I have something else to tell you," I mumble against his lips.

"It can wait," he replies, his hands trailing down my body, slowly undoing the tie to my dress, he purred, "tonight I want you to be mine, all mine," his pupils dilated with desire.

Want over took me as he stripped me, leaving me bare under him. His lips captured mine roughly, causing a mewl of pleasure to escape my lips. His tongue inserting dominance as soon as he entered my mouth. My hands pulling at his shirt, breaking our kiss he tosses it to the side.

My eyes watch as his hands caress my skin, heat spreading with every touch, I couldn't wait any longer, I needed him.

"I want you please, I'm yours, all yours." I begged as he inched closer to my core.

Bare bodies pressed tightly against each other, two souls joined as one, a beautiful tangle of limbs experiencing both pain and pleasure.

Ending satisfied and in the safety of a new union.

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I tried to not make it too detailed or cringy but I couldn't ignore the fact that this scene would have happened at some point so haha there it is.

Anyway, anyone notice the increase in updates, all thanks to being on a relaxing holiday with not much to do but write. Plus I've actually figured where the story is going, what an accomplishment.

Enami out ;-)