I stayed in the bathroom until Henrietta had arrived. After Nico had threatened and man handled me this morning I was determined not to find myself alone with him. Once I had thought of him as a friend but now I knew better. Henrietta had been right when she said that I could not trust him.

Henrietta had been right when she said I could not trust anyone.

Nico had knocked on the bathroom door when Henrietta arrived. I walked out the bathroom refusing to acknowledge Nico and headed straight to the foyer where Henrietta was waiting. When Henrietta saw me she ran across the room and threw her arms around me, pulling me in close for a tight hug.

"Are you okay?" She asked holding me close.

"I think so," I replied shakily hugging her back.

Henrietta pulled away and we both smiled at each other. For the first time this morning I felt happy to see a friend. Henrietta took my hand in hers and ushered me into one of the reception rooms away from Nico and her guards. She closed the door and asked me in quiet voice "What happened this morning?"

Quietly I leaned forward and mouthed the word 'ghost'.

Immediately Henrietta raised her finger to her lips urging me to remain silent. She glanced around the room and then took my hand leading me to a corner of the room. There she pulled out her cell phone and began typing. I waited a couple of second and she handed me her phone.

'It is not safe to talk here.'

I cleared the text field on her phone and replied, 'I know, but Jacques is in danger. He knows my secret.'

I handed the phone back to Henrietta who paled at my reply. She cleared my message and typed back, 'This is very bad.'

I nodded my head in agreement trying to hold it together. Outside there was a noise and Henrietta quickly shoved her phone into her purse and said loudly, "I can imagine it must have been a nasty shock to have nearly been abducted by Jacques- thank goodness Nico and Luc were there to save you."

The reception room door opened and Nico stepped in holding a silver tray with two crystal cut glasses filled with blood. He looked at both of us like naughty children and walked into the room. Henrietta flashed him a broad smile and said, "Mia tells me that you saved her Captain."

Nico regarded her with a cool stare and said, "It is my responsibility to protect the Prince and Princess from danger."

Henrietta pleasantly smiled back at him and replied, "And I thank the stars that we have you here to protect Mia. She is quite shaken up from her ordeal. Perhaps she should come back with me to my apartment-"

"That is not possible your Majesty," Nico said firmly, "The King and Prince have ordered that the Princess remain here."

Annoyance flickered across Henrietta's eyes. I could see she was trying to get me away from Nico so we could find a safe place to talk, but Nico was not having any of it. He was determined to stay by my side in this apartment.

"Oh well then," Henrietta said nonchalantly, "If Mia has to stay in this apartment then I will remain here with her until Luc returns."

Nico did not look happy about this revelation but proceeded to bite his tongue and place the silver tray of drinks on the coffee table. Henrietta watched him and waited for him to straighten up and start to walk out the room. The moment Nico began to turn his back Henrietta shot me a michevious glance and called out, "Oh Captain there is something I must ask of you."

Nico's shoulders visibly tensed and he swung round to face Henrietta with an expression of repressed hatred for the woman. Henrietta felt his displeasure and responded with a polite smile which seemed to irritate him even more.

"Seeing that I cannot possibly leave Mia alone in this emotional state, I would ask you to run some errands for me in town," She said.

Nico opened his mouth to protest but Henrietta raised her hand to silence him, "Mia will remain in the apartment with myself and my guards. She will be perfectly safe for half an hour while you pick up my dry cleaning."

Nico wanted to argue the point but he knew better than to argue with the Queen. Reluctantly he nodded and said, "I will leave immediately and return as soon as possible."

"Thank you Captain, I wouldn't normally ask this of a guard but these are exceptional circumstances," Henrietta replied.

Nico walked out the room and closed the door behind him. As soon as the door was shut both Henrietta and I grinned at each other in triumphant. Finally we had outwitted the King's lapdog. Standing by the window we watched the blacked out SUV leave the building with Nico in it.

"Finally we can talk," Henrietta said as the SUV disappeared around the corner.

"What about your guards?" I asked.

"Both are idiots and are both thankfully lacking in the special ability to hear through walls," Henrietta explained and then with a wink added, "I know how to pick my guards."

I smiled at her joke then in hushed voice told her about what had happened. I told her about the ghost in the bathroom and the burnt woman in the garage. I told her about Laura Taylor and how her arm had been snapped in two when my bedroom door slammed shut on her. I told her everything and Henrietta quietly listened taking in every single detail.

After I had finished she said nothing, her face expressionless like she was deep in thought. Impatiently I said, "What am I going to do? I'm being haunted by these- I don't know what they are, but when they appear bad things happen."

Henrietta nodded sympathetically, "I understand but I don't know what to do- I've never met anybody with your gift before."

"There must be others like me, maybe hiding..." I said.

"There could be, but it's unlikely they would advertise their abilities" Henrietta explained.

"Why?" I asked.

"Vampires with your abilities have always been regarded with suspicion and even hatred. It has something to do you not being thought of as a full vampire due to the fact part of your soul remains in the otherworld. I wish I could give you something positive here Mia but I can't."

"Maybe I could just tell Luc, he might understand-" I began but Henrietta cut me off.

"I know Luc, if you told him about what you could do, he would tell Nico who would tell Louis and before you know it the whole court would know about your ability."

"You don't know that- Luc loves me and I don't think he would ever let anyone hurt me."

"Luc wouldn't see the danger like I do," Henrietta paused looking out the window. I glanced outside and saw Nico's black SUV was returning from town. Henrietta cursed under her breath, "Listen, we do not have much time but if you want to understand more then you need to ask Luc about the history of Port Cressida- ask him about the temple."

"I don't understand," I replied confused.

Henrietta gave me a pained look and said, "Oh Mia... the vampire city that will be your home, and the palace you will one day live in was built on the blood and ashes of innocent vampires like yourself."