" Where is he?" I demanded of Nicky. But it was Brian who answered, " He went back to her."

I stared at Brian for a moment. Even knowing what the answer would be did nothing to prepare me for the confirmation. I shook my head at him in bewilderment.

"I need to get out of here. We need to leave. Pack up the house and just go," I said with renewed determination.

" Where will we go?" Asked Brian reminding me that he was still in my care and that my own apartment couldn't accommodate two restless vampires.

"We will go where we're least expected. We will go to Lucian's, " I said simply to the shocked stares of the two. This time I was not letting Lucian go without a fight. This time I would do whatever it takes.

Nicky sped about arranging for my discharge and then the three of us were off bumbling down the road in my dad's old pick-up truck towards his farm. I didn't linger on ariving. Instead I made straight for the shed that doubled up as a store and dug out all the suitcases.

The better part of the week was spent packing and selling off the livestock. Everything went. The contract from Coleman arrived too and with it was the deposit. I signed on the dotted line and banked the deposit into my mum's bank account. I had managed to get in touch with them on their tours and they had been unsurprised to learn of the sale of their home. But I set aside the pinch of regret in not being able to serve them better. This had simply been beyond me. Just like everything else in my life. Lucian specifically.

But him I would pursue to the ends of the worlds if need be.

Then the packaging was done. I sent the bulk of it all to store, selling off the excess vehicles and machinery. I swept through the empty farm house one last time before moving out to the waiting car. Nicky and Brian was already buckled in with Nicky taking the drivers seat. We exchanged a long silent look and then we were off heading back towards the city and most importantly to Lucian.

We arrived at night fall to a house that was dark and silent. From all appearance there was no one home. But I knew better. I felt him... his presence. I slammed out of the car and made for the door leaving Nicky and Brian to sort out the luggage.

The door was unlocked and swung open with just the touch of my hand. The room was in deep shadows from the doused sunlight. Yet I made my way through it with the ease of familiarity and the unerring draw of the man I love.

"You shouldn't be here, " said the voice in the dark. " You shouldn't have come."

I shook my head at that knowing that he could see me. "You cannot run from me any longer. You belong to me," I said instead.

" I have only ever hurt you," said Lucian without inflection.

" And you will always have that power to do so. You have brought me nothing but hurt. Nothing but pain. Yet here I am with you still. Here is where I will always be. I don't think you or I have a real say in it. There's just something greater at play here. Something that wants us to be," I said softly but earnestly. " I am willing to trust my life on that something."

But he didn't respond. My eyes adjusted to the gloom and then I saw him sprawled across the lounging chair. His whole frame looked dejected. I was willing to bet he had stationed himself there on having left me and had not moved an inch since.

" You didn't go back to her did you? " I asked softly already knowing the truth. "You didn't go back to Vanessa. "

" Why in the hell would I ever do that?" Came his explosive response from the dark.

The stark relief I felt was spellbounding. I stood there in the dark in silence. Letting my presence absorb the essence of his.