I woke up in my dorm the next day. Because I was there and not in Nero's cabin, I thought everything that happened the night before was just a dream. But when I tried to get out of bed, I could barely move.

I was sore. Everywhere.

"Oh my God," I gasped. "I really did it."

"Hmm? Did what?"

I jumped out of bed with a yelp.

Standing at the foot of my bed was the last person I ever wanted to see.

His snow-white hair was combed back in it's usual style, and his khakis were immaculately pressed. Yet despite how put together he looked, there was a melancholy air about him, a pitiful sadness just behind his blue eyes.

Good.

"Dean Lachlan," I said tartly. "What are you doing here?"

"Well," he looked briefly lost while rubbing the back of his neck. "I noticed you weren't at the banquet hall this morning."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "So?"

"So, I decided to bring you breakfast." He gestured to a cart on his right. "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I brought a little of everything."

He wasn't kidding. All three shelves on the cart were stuffed with everything from waffles and bacon to fruit bowls and toast.

My stomach growled at the sight of some scrambled eggs, but I couldn't bring myself to accept anything from him.

My pride wouldn't let me.

Instead, I stormed past him to the bathroom, wincing with every step. "Not hungry."

"Please, Miss Ridley, if you would--"

I slammed the door in his face before he could finish speaking. "Not interested."

Hoping that would be the end of his visit, I brushed my teeth and started up the shower.

But Dean Lachlan was persistent.

"Miss Ridley," he tapped on the door. "Please, just let me explain--"

I yanked the door open, stopping him short. "Oh, you mean the way you explained things yesterday morning?"

A myriad of emotions suddenly flashed across his face. His assault against me was playing in his head, just as it was in mine; I could see it in his eyes. Something else was there too, something that completely blindsided me.

Tears.

"Please," he bowed deeply. "Allow me to give you my most sincerest apologies. I never intended to hurt you, my queen. I...I am disgusted by my abhorrent behavior."

"You should be." Maybe it was the depressed tone of his voice, or the amazing sex with Nero from the night before. Maybe it was both. Regardless of the reason, I could feel myself softening to Dean Lachlan a little.

"Yes. I know." He said, still bowing. "And I know that apologizing isn't enough to erase what I have done. But if you would grant me the opportunity, I swear to spend my every waking moment trying to atone for my sins."

He seemed genuinely remorseful. Heartbroken, even. But I didn't want to be foolish and forgive him just to end up regretting it later on. "How do I know that you won't do something else horrible if things don't go your way?"

"Well, I haven't harmed Nero."

My heart stuttered before shooting up my throat. "Nero? What does Nero have to do with this?"

No, he couldn't know about that. Unless...no way. Duke wouldn't have ratted us out. Would he?

"I know you slept together last night." Dean Lachlan straightened up to gaze at me, devoid of emotion.

My head was spinning, a sickening knot sunk to the pit of my stomach. I could barely speak. "How?"

"I went to find Nero this morning to apologize. Instead I found you."

His voice shook, his hands were clenched at his sides.

"Naked."

He closed his eyes, and spoke through gritted teeth. "Discarded on the floor like a used piece of garbage."

In a blink, Dean Lachlan's fists were on fire. And faster than I could see, he plunged one through the bathroom door, a foot away from my head.

I flinched at the impact.

"I'm...I should go." Dean Lachlan abruptly sounded distant as he pulled his hand out of the door. "Apologies for the door. I'll have it taken care of immediately."

I opened my eyes just in time to see him slip quietly out of the room, looking utterly defeated.

~~~

Dean Lachlan's visit left me tired all over. Too tired to stand up for a shower. Luckily Jo and I had a shower/tub combo in our bathroom.

It hadn't occurred to me that I was dressed until then. It wasn't much, though; just a navy blue blazer. And it wasn't mine.

Oh, Gabriel.

I felt a sudden pang of guilt at the sight of his jacket draped over my shoulders. He'd saved my life by giving me his blood, and how did I repay him? By losing my virginity to one of his co-workers.

He saved my life. So what? I thought with a sigh. That didn't make me obligated to save myself for him.

He'd violated me. He tried to kill his friends. He damned me to be stuck here with our marriage being my only way out.

But he hadn't done those things because he simply felt like it. No. His crimes were crimes of passion, blossoming from his feelings for me. From his love for--

"Nope." I shook the notion away. "Nuh-uh. Not going there."

Gingerly, I slipped into the tub, and closed my eyes while the foamy water lapped at my aching muscles.

I shouldn't feel guilty for what Nero and I did.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that that wasn't the case. I didn't feel guilty about having sex with Nero. I felt guilty for getting caught.

I placed a washcloth over my face and slid deeper into the bubbles. "Ugh, what a mess."

"Yeah, no kidding."

I was startled yet again, but didn't dare jump out of the bath.

The bubbles were my only cover.

"Damnit, Aiden." I moved the rag to glare at him. "What are you doing here?"

He was peeking through the hole in my bathroom door, turquoise eyes alight with mirth. "Oh, me? I'm here to fill your hole."

"Ha ha." I replied flatly. "That's the only hole of mine you'll ever get to fill."

"Ouch," he winced playfully. "Someone's got her sassy pants on."

I lied back in the tub, re-covering my face with the washcloth. "With the way I'm feeling, those will probably be the only pants I'll wear today."

"You promise?"

"You wish."

We both let out a hearty laugh, and my tension began to evaporate.

"I don't think I can fill this hole." Aiden mumbled, serious.

Feeling bubbly, I asked with a snicker, "how many times have you said that before?"

"Oh, ha ha." He tried to sound dry, but his impishness was too hard to hide. "You know, you're so much cuter when you don't talk."

I let out another laugh. "Ooh, you're such a charmer."

"So I've been told." Aiden volleyed, distracted. "This door can't be fixed. We'll have to replace it."

I sat up to look at him, letting my rag plop into the water. "Really? How long will that take?"

"Not very," he shrugged. "There's a couple of replacements in the maintenance shed. I'll take this one off and go fetch a new one."

"Okay, great." I nodded. "Thanks, Aiden."

He smiled pleasantly. "You are most welcome."

I leaned back into the bath, oddly comforted by the sounds of Aiden taking the door off its hinges, when he called to me. "Hey, Audrey."

"Yeah?"

"Check this out." He was grinning as he moved the now detached door and poked his face through the hole. "Here's Johnny!"

"Cute." I mumbled, smirking. "But I think Nicholson done it better."

He let out a bark of a laugh. "Agreed. Although I'm surprised you got the reference."

"Me?" I giggled, incredulous. "I'm surprised that a centuries-old vampire even knows what The Shining is."

"Are you kidding me?" He placed the door under his arm, his fingertips barely reaching the knob. "That movie is a classic!"

I smiled genuinely, for the first time that day. "Huh, who'd have thought. Aiden-- living fossil and movie buff."

Chuckling, he waved off my comment with his free hand, and made to leave. "Be back in a few."

Then he was gone.

I finished bathing in a much better mood, but the feeling was fleeting. By the time I got out and dressed, it felt like an anchor was attached to my heart.

Why wasn't Nero in the cabin with me this morning? Had he freaked out and ran?

Maybe it didn't mean anything to him. Maybe he took off because he was afraid I'd think there was more to it than he did. Was it just a one night stand?

Did Nero use me?

I sat down on the bed, putting my face in my hands. No. No, Nero wouldn't do that.

But how could I be certain? Because he said he loved me? He could've easily been lying. I mean, I hardly knew the guy...or any of the other vampires on Lachlan Island, for that matter... including Dean Lachlan.

How did I know that he wasn't lying?

He could have killed Nero in a jealous rage, set him on fire like he had done to Duke.

Tears stung my eyes at the thought, my chest ached harshly.

A light tap on the door pulled me from those dark thoughts, and I slowly rose to answer it.

But no one was there.

"Hello?" I scanned the hall, wondering if it was just Aiden trying to mess with me. Then I looked down.

There was a small cardboard box on the floor. I picked it up to examine it, and felt a cold chill creep up my spine. Smeared on top in dark-red globs of paint were two simple words: Queen Audrey.

Curious, I opened the box to find a bloody note clutched inside a severed, long-fingered hand.