Engel slowly opens her eyes and tries to stretch but stops as she cannot move her body, she slowly looks at the arm around her waist and turns to find someone behind her.

Her first thought is to scream but she just smiles and as slowly as she can she turns to face her mate.

Touching his face, she lightly traces his jaw line, which has traces of his unsaved beard.

"Gio," Engel whispers trying to wake him up.

Gio stiffens at first, realizing he fall asleep with his mate and now she was awake. He braces himself for her to shout but when he slowly opens his eyes, much to his surprise he finds her softly smiling his way.

Now, that was again the first time in many years that he saw his mate smile, that too in front of him for him. He smiles backs, as he never thought he would be able to see her smile again.

His smile widens as he finds her hands slowly tracing on his jaw-line.

"Engel" he sighs contently as this is the first time in years that she initiated any touches willingly.

"Where were you?" she asks him as she goes to bury her face in his neck and tightens her grip on his shoulder.

"Where you wanted me to, away from you," he answers straight to her not believing his luck.

"I want you here with me, never leave me like this please," she pleads not wanting to let him go, ever.

"Do you know how much I have been dying to hear those words from your lips?" he asks, as he does not let her go either.

"I'm so, so sorry for being such a bad person to you" she apologizes as she feels guilty for how she treated him.

"Hey now, don't say that and make me feel guilty" he chides her teasingly before pulling her face away from his neck and watching her.

"This is not a dream right, when I open my eyes again, you will not throw me out of your life, right?" he asks feeling emotional as well vulnerable.

"I won't, I promise," Engel smiles teary-eyed as she cannot believe how insecure her mate was.

"Thank you, My Engel" Gio whispers as this time he buries his head in her neck and leaves a small kiss on the side of her neck.

"When did you arrive?" she asks him after a while still wrapped up in his arms.

"To tell the truth I never left, just was no where in your sight"

"Does that mean you were in the house all alone?" she asks him surprised.

"Not in that way, I did leave the house at the dawn and arrive back just when you fell asleep"

"Pervert" she scolds teasingly.

"Of course I am, I have been a pervert just for you even before you were born," he agrees winking her way.

"I hurt you so much, didn't I?" she asks sadly running her fingers through his hair.

"It okay, baby, you can hurt me as much as you want. I won't complain" he grins.

"But, it hurts to hurt you; it always hurts me to hurt you. I am so sorry Gio; I thought I was doing the right thing...

However, I was so wrong; I was so scared without you around. I do not want to leave your side. I want to stay right here with you forever," she cries confessing it to him.

"Ssh...hey, hey, no one is going anywhere okay; I am right here and so are you. I will not let you leave my side...

I will never leave your side, whatever this is we will fight it together, baby, you and me" Gio promises as he wipes her tears before getting up and sitting with his back to the headboard and pulling her between his leg.

"I am so scared, Gio, what if the next time I fall asleep I never wake up?" she asks holding him tightly to her.

"Don't be sacred, baby, I won't let that happen. You trust me right?" he asks trying to assure her.

Engel stares deep in his eyes before nodding her head, yes.

"We will find a way out, don't worry" he promises as he moves forward and kisses her forehead.

"I hope so," Engel sighs holding onto him.

*******

"Oh there they are" Rose exclaims as she claps her hands excitedly seeing her son along with his mate.

"It seems you prepared a feast, how did you know?" Gio asks amused as he pulls the chair out for Engel before kissing his mother's cheek.

"You never left" she smiles knowingly before serving them all breakfast.

"How are you feeling now?" Ryan asks to Engel as he passes her a glass of juice.

"What kind of question is that? Of course, she feels good look at the glow in both of their faces....

Ah, young love" Rose sighs happily looking at her kids.

"Mom, stop it" Gio laughs as he shakes his head.

"What, can I not tease my son and enjoy it a bit, I hardly get to see you and especially so happy" Rose chides him as she puts her palm on his cheek.

"Then you should come visit me, don't you feel lonely in here?" Gio asks as he leaves a light kiss on her palm.

"Of course not, the city is too noisy and with Ryan by my side, how can I get bored," she answers happily.

"Yes, but I am not here all the time" Ryan replies as he pecks Rose's cheeks.

"True, but it's okay, I would get bored seeing you everyday anyway," Rose laughs.

"As you wish my queen," Ryan jokes as he bows dramatically in front of her.

"Thank you my King" she winks bringing laughter to the table.

*******

After the relaxed breakfast, Ryan and Gio walk out of the breakfast area leaving the Ladies alone.

"I heard Eric is back," Ryan states as soon as they are out of earshot of the girls.

"Yes, I know. I met him few days ago. He is Ariel's mate" Gio nods not knowing why Ryan was talking about it.

"I did not want to alarm or worry Engel for nothing but it will be better if you kept that information to yourself,"

"What do you mean?'

"Dante's direct order, he thinks that may be they are not mates"

"Does that even make sense? I mean obviously both of them are sure, else why would he want to take her with him or she even agree to go?" Gio asks surprised by the revelation.

"I don't know but it has something to do with Ariel's blood. I know that you being Engel's mate may think of her first but it seems Eric has been doing a few things that has gained council's attention"

"Council's or Dante's" Gio asks straight

"I know most of you may think it has something to do with his personal matters but no, that is not the case...

Actually, as soon as Eric was caught being in the party last time Dante had asked Ethan to keep a eye on the boy, we are worried that he has gone too far away with his experiments" Ryan explains to him

"What experiments?" Gio asks dreading about the answer.

"First, we let it go thinking he was doing it all to search the antidote for Engel but it seems it's not the case"

"What do you mean?" Gio asks once again wanting the answers fast.

"The mandrakes, the new ones that was seen around Jasmine, we found some clue that it was his doing"

"What? How can that be possible?" Gio shouts shocked before he composes himself.

"I know it has come as surprised to you trust me we all are shocked as well. We have not told anyone about it...

Not even Enzo, I am telling you this because I am worried with the new found bond you have formed with Engel you may get emotional and make some choices that will affect the future" Ryan speaks patting on Gio's arm lightly trying to calm the boy.

"Wait, didn't the new set of mandrakes get created by Thomas? I mean how can Eric be involved in all this, he was a mere kid when they attacked Jasmine's pack, how does this all add up?" Gio points it out.

"I know a few things don't add up and there are loop holes in this but from what we found all of the evidences, it points out that somehow Eric is creating those monsters...

May be he is helping someone now, it's just a guess but what if he is creating to get the perfect combination of venom that affected Erika while Engel was in her womb...

It would be easier to find an antidote if we got the perfect venom, it is just what we think but there is no confirmation. Let us wait and watch how everything turns out" Ryan advices to Gio who nods in understanding.

"What now?" Gio asks still shocked about it all.

"For now, Ariel is back in her home. Devilin has brought her back; I am surprised Eric even let her go so easily...

It seems their bond is not as strong as we thought, but this information is between us, you will not speak on the matter until said so. Once Enzo is back, we plan to explain the situation to him and go accordingly," Ryan explains the plan.

"Okay, may be you are right, both of them met two years ago and seeing how it took both of them so long to process and act of their bond, it's no surprise...

Now that I think about it, Advin, he too did not acknowledge his mating bond for years, I do not know how he could even fight the mate call, I mean I cannot stay away from Engel even for a night but he...

Do you think because Scarlet was not Adrian's first mate, his kids somehow have the power to remain untouched by their mating bond or calls? Do you not find it strange that both of Adrian's kids, their reaction on their mate are so late?" Gio pin points, which makes Ryan to think about it.

"May be, I think we will have to talk about this as well. May be it is the blood's side effect or something else...

I mean we know Enzo had tried to fight his mating calls for many years and who can forget Dante's celibacy but Advin's situation is different; he knew she was his mate, even when his wolf accepted her, his human side did not...

Either it is the blood effect or Scarlet being a human has to be the answer. Whatever it is we need to solve all of this soon, before something bad happens...

Eric, that boy, something is so strange about him. We cannot even do anything, as he is Enzo's son, a direct linkage to be an Alpha...

Everything is a mess" Ryan sighs rubbing on his temple.

"I am sure we will find answers in time" Gio tries to remain positive.

If Eric was the one who is creating the new generations of mandrakes then things will turn ugly.

Antonio's will definitely try to protect him, if not then they will try to prove him innocent and then there is Erika. They cannot even imagine Erika's reaction if shit hits the fan and as for Enzo he will have no choice but to choose between his family and duty.

All they can pray is that Eric is innocent and someone was framing him, else a new set of storms will brim destroying them all, affecting them in one way or another.

*******

Eric stays still, his body full alert as he hears the door of his house opening, he tries to smell the intruder but he gets nothing. He slowly gets up from his chair walking towards the door when he halts.

"For the love of technology" Adriana curses as she pushes past the stubborn door and crashes into something in the process.

Eric smiles as he opens the door and walks out to find her on the floor with things scattered all around the room.

He raises a brow in amusement as finds out what those things were.

"I just offered you a drink and you crash in here with these?" he asks picking up a vibrator.

"You, you left me alone" she accuses as she snatches the toy away from his hands and pushes it inside her bag.

"I am sorry, something came up so I had to leave without saying anything, but what are you doing here at this time, with these?" he asks curiously as he helps her in getting up.

"What do you think? I have no place to go, so I was hoping you would let me crash here for the night...

I won't disturb or make any noise, I promise" she smiles looking at him hopefully.

"I can see that, but don't you think it is a bit dangerous for you to come in some stranger's house asking to crash down?" he asks her in amusement.

"If you were a dangerous man, you would have drugged me in that bar and taken advantage of me, not leave me alone and run away...

There is this saying, give a man a free hand and he will try to put it all over you. Seeing, you did nothing like that, I can say that I am safe...

So, where should I crash, if you let me I will repay you with one of the toys I have" she offers dangling the bag in front of him.

"You are one strange girl, you know that? Are you not embarrassed to walk around with these things?" he asks walking towards a room and coming out with some pillows and a blanket.

"What's there to be embarrassed about? It is not as if I am using these in front of you, I will go and rest properly now, okay?" she grins before taking the pillow and blanket and sleeping on the bed he had for patients.

"Okay" Eric chuckles before he goes back to his work.

*******

Eric sighs when he hears a knock and Adriana's head pokes in, he raise his brow waiting for her to speak.

"I have a bad case of insomnia, some nights I sleep like a log but others I can hardly close my eyes...

And today is one of those days"

"Want me to boil you milk?" he offers kindly.

"Awe, Eric, no, no you do what you are doing. I will just sit and watch you" she waves his off before pulling a chair closer to him.

"Okay, well try not to be curious and don't touch anything," he warns her before going back to his work.

Adriana remains silent as he works all for five seconds.

"What is it?" Eric asks turning to her.

Adriana gulps huge breathes before she smiles innocently.

"I tried, I really tried to not get curious believe me, but you know. So, what are you doing?" she asks him pointing at the tubes on the desk.

"I am sampling some blood"

"Why?"

"Trying to find a perfect combo"

"How?"

"I am trying to find the reaction, when I mix the blood of one kind with the other...wait...here, check this out," he offers pulling the microscope near her.

"This is a blood of a vampire I took few days ago and this; this one is of an animal; a goat, now look carefully...

When I mix these two bloods what happens," he explains as he shows it to her.

"Wow, the vampire's blood cells are dominating the goat's blood, oh...oh it's growing" Adriana exclaims excitedly.

"Exactly, a vampire's blood cell even if out of the body is stronger; it tries to survive as long as it can...

When I put the goat's blood with it, it tries to survive by sucking the blood cells of the goat and grows stronger" Eric explains it to her.

"Superb, I have never witnessed such a thing, thank you" Adriana claps her hands impressed.

"You are welcome"

"So, is this what you do in here, keep vampire's blood alive?" she asks him curiously while he just smiles in answer.

"It's too late, I cannot play with you anymore, why don't you go and sleep, little one," he orders and she slowly gets up from her seat and walks out.

The next morning Eric finds the bed Adriana sleeping empty with the blanket wrapped and a note on the bed thanking him for letting her crash for the night.

She leaves the message that she has to be somewhere so she left without a proper good-bye.

"Silly girl" Eric sighs before he throws the note in the dustbin and walks out of the house to get some breakfast before he starts with his day.