I had been so close to finally telling him my secret, when he took off and left. I stared at the empty corridor and wondered when he would return. Part of me just wanted to get it over and done with so we could move on with our lives. Maybe he would be okay with it, but even if he wasn't then at least I knew. Part of the agony I'd been going through was the uncertainty of not knowing how he was going to react - at least know we'd finally be able to find out.

I pulled myself up off the floor and tenderly touched my lips. They were still aching from where he had kissed me. I'd missed his physically touch so badly, in fact I had never craved anything in this world as much as I craved him - he was like a drug I couldn't live without.

I smoothed my hair over where he had ruffled it up and straightened my clothes out. Any minute now he would return with his personal guards and I would finally get to go to the palace I'd heard so much about. Excitedly I thought about gathering a few things from my bedroom to take with me. I should probably grab the old queen's journal from the hidden room and take it with me.

I ran upstairs and quickly changed into some appropriate clothes and shoe, and found a backpack to store all my items into. Then heading downstairs I entered the reading room and found the knife Henrietta had given me. I wrapped it up in the cloth and placed it into my backpack, ensuring the blade was not going to accidentally cut through the backpack and stab me. I glanced into the sitting room and was surprised to see it was still empty - what was taking Luc so long?

Slipping into the secret room, I found the old queen's journal and tucked it away next to the blade. I searched the room for anything else of interest but found nothing. I returned back to the reading room and thought if there was anything else I might need. The reading room floor was now in complete chaos. There were books, torn pages, and splinters of wood littered across the floor. I used the tip of my shoe to nudge around the piles of debris, searching for anything I may have forgotten. As I pushed aside one piece of fractured door panel, I found the brass key that had been hidden inside the volume of Shakespeare. Picking it up I remembered what the note attached to it had said about this key unlocking a hidden escape. I'm glad I never ended up having to use this, especially since I couldn't even find the damn key hole.

I tossed it back in my bag and began to walk towards the sitting room. Outside heard footsteps and my heart lifted. "Luc," I called out. "Come here, I have something to show you."

I wanted to show him everything that I had found. The books, the key and even the secret room. I excitedly turned the corner to greet him and stopped dead in my tracks. My heart dropped and my breath quickened. Shakily I raised my hand to cover my mouth as I saw Louis' body twitching.

Shit, shit, shit...he wasn't dead.

His head was facing away from me, at an odd angle, and he was struggling to climb up on to his feet. I retreated silently back into the shadows, and carefully walked backwards into the reading room. He was still alive? How could he be still alive! Oh shit, what was I going to do... I could call for help, but Luc might not be in ear shot and I didn't want to reveal my position. Also Louis was right in front of the door way, so it wasn't like I could slip around him either, which meant I was trapped - completely and utterly trapped.

Or was I?

I glanced down at my backpack and saw the brass key glinting at me in the moonlight. I picked it up and went over to the window seat. Outside I could her scratching and growling as Louis sniffed around the sitting room. He was looking for me. Holding my breath I quietly felt around the edge of the seat looking for the secret key hole. Occasionally I'd stop to quickly check over my shoulder that Louis wasn't behind me. My heart was fluttering wildly in my chest like a trapped bird.

I needed to get out of here, I couldn't face Louis alone, but I still couldn't find the secret keyhole. The window seat itself was made out of a solid piece of hard wood, that had been beautifully varnished then upholstered in a material which I imagined was once a brilliant red velvet, but now was a thread bare pale pink. I had checked the edges, but I hadn't checked underneath the cushioning. I dug my fingernail into the cloth and gently tore a large hole in the seat. Old saw dust and yellow fluff was packed tightly inside it, and I began clawing it out. I paused quickly to check over my shoulder. The room was still empty, but I could hear Louis out in the sitting room, growling.

I worked faster until I reached the wooden bottom, then felt with my fingertips for a key hole. I held my breathe and then found it, tucked away in the corner of the cushioning. I grabbed the key and placed it in the hidden keyhole and turned slowly. The key was stiff, but I gave it hard turn and there was a loud grinding squeak as the door finally unlocked. Relief washed over me and I gently lifted up the window seat to reveal my escape - a two storey drop.

"You got to be kidding me- " I grumbled then stopped when I heard deep raspy breathing behind me.

The blood in my veins turned to ice as I slowly looked over my shoulder to see Louis crouched in the doorway. He had found me.

I had no choice... I had to jump.

I closed my eyes, leaned forward and tumbled through the open hole. The hatch slammed shut behind me and I heard Louis screeching as he bounded after me. But that soon became a distant memory as I found myself hurtling towards the ground. Keeping my eyes firmly shut, I braced for impact and pain - lots of pain.

Air whistled around me and I suddenly landed with a surprisingly mild thud.

"Jesus, you're heavy," a familiar voice groaned beneath me.

I opened my eyes and looked down. "Jacques?"

Jacques lay beneath me, on his back, staring up at me. His brown hair was ruffled and he was still wearing his same stupid leather jacket. I rolled off him in surprise and he winced in pain. "Great save, huh?" he smiled at me.

"Wait - what are you doing here?" I asked confused.

"Saving your pretty ass - I told you, I'd be back for you," he replied.

"What?" I breathed.

Above us there was a loud cracking noise and Jacques grabbed my arm. "Come on, we have to move."

He dragged me out the way as the wooden hatch came tumbling to the ground in a million pieces. I screamed in shock as Louis suddenly dropped to the ground in front of us. Jacques swore in surprise too and unexpectedly scooped me into his arms and began backing away. He gave me a calm look and said, "Don't worry, we've got this under control."

"What do you mean by 'we' - is Nico here?" I asked looking around.

"No, he's lying up still recovering from his wounds. He's lack the accelerated healing that most vampires possess," he explained.

"Then who is with you?" I replied.

"I am," a voice replied from behind us.

I turned my head to see a man walk past Jacques. I had never seen him before, but he was strangely familiar. He was roughly the same height as Luc, and shared the same features, except he was blonde with icy pale blue eyes. He strode past Jacques and as he did so, he patted Jacques shoulder and said, "Keep her safe."

I blinked - no it couldn't be...

Louis hissed at the man and leapt at him, but he sidestepped Louis, grabbing onto his head. Jacques' arms tightened around me and he whispered, "Don't look."

"I'm not scared anymore," I replied, as I watched the man rip Louis' head clean from his shoulders.

The man swung round, still holding on to the head and said, "We need to get out of here before Luc comes."

I wriggled in Jacques' arms in protest and said, "No, wait. I want to stay."

The man drops the head to the ground and kicks it nonchalantly into the bushes. He then turns to me and with a smile says, "Forgive me little sister, but I'm going to need you as political leverage against my big brother."

"What?" I gasped.

"Things between me and my brother are less than peachy. I'm sure Luc has told you all about me, the murdering younger brother who coveted his older brother's wife," he said bitterly. "Well, I've managed to break free after all these long years of incarceration and I'm going to need you as life insurance against my brother - at least until I can prove my innocence... But don't look so worried, I promise to treat you well."

"No, you can't take me. I won't go! LUC-" I start to scream but Jacques clamps his hand over my mouth.

"Sorry, Mia," he whispers in my ear apologetically. "But this isn't forever. Hopefully we can both look back on this one day and laugh."

I stare at him and Casper in disbelief - they were kidnapping me.

*****

Hi angels,

Hope you enjoyed that update! It hasn't been long since the last one so I won't bother asking another question yet. But please continue to leave your comments below and let me know what you think! I know you guys were thinking Mia was going to get to reveal her big secret to Luc in this chapter, but sadly Casper has come to snatch it away. I kinda of felt bad for doing this to you, but this is what I had planned for ages, so sorry not sorry... please don't eat me.

It is also time to for a new dream cast! We will be saying goodbye to the creative dream cast by Izla, and hello to another completely original dream cast by Megk – this cast is really beautiful, I loved putting it together in Pintrest.

Remember if you want to submit a dream cast then all you need to do is send me a PM on either wattpad or facebook with your cast suggestions for all these character: Luc, Mia, Jacques, Nico, Jacques, Henrietta, Louis and Casper!

If you want to add any other characters like Laura or Celia, then please do!

Note: I am behind on messaging people back because I've been ill but I'm catching up so if you've submitted a dream cast and not heard back from me, please don't worry!!! Xxx

Remember with your cast suggestions I will make a beautiful Pinterest board which I'll share on social media and the image sections of the chapters!

Plus each week, I'll be posting your cast suggestions onto the official story's cast!

So here is this week's official dream cast by Megk!

Luc – Dave Franco

Mia – Adelaide Kane

Nico – Diego Barrueco

Jacques – Josh Hutcherson

Henrietta – Lily Alridge

Louis – Johannes Huebl

Casper – Simon Nessman