Julia peeled open her eyes, the world around her was fuzzy and out of focus. Confused she started running through everything that had happened to her. The last thing she remembered before she blacked out was making it to the car and passing through the town's barrier. Sitting up, she looked around. Her mouth dropped open; she found herself in an opulent room.

The bed she was lying in was enormous. Turning her head she took in the ornate headboard that had beautiful carved mahogany roses. Dark walnut panelled the walls making the room feel closed in. The only window in the room drew her gaze; a huge sash window almost as tall as her, the shadowy russet curtains pulled back, letting in a shaft of light.

She sat up in bed, noticing the part of the floor not covered by the Oriental rug had the same wood as the walls. As the dark crimsons, indigos and jades colours of the rug assaulted her eyes she rubbed them. Argh. This room is so oppressive. Scrunching her forehead, she looked down at the blood-red silk bedding. What the hell is going on? And who has red sheets these days for that matter? Talk about over the top.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement and froze, fisting her hands in the sheets. When her heart rate slowed down, she turned her head and saw Damien sitting in a beautiful leather wingback chair.

Slumping back on the bed she peppered him with questions. "How did we get here? Where are we?"

He looked tense as he sat in the chair. When their eyes met his lips curled up and his expression softened as he walked over to the bed. Sitting down he laced his fingers in hers and then stroked her hair. He was acting strange, and it was making her uncomfortable.

"Damien, what is going on?" she asked again, this time there was an edge to her voice. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, her whole body screamed that something was amiss. Her mind churned with only one word: RUN.

As if on cue, the door swung open and Thorsen walked in. He was carrying a glass and a decanter of red liquid. Looking at the two of them he smiled warmly and walked over to the bed. "Good, you're awake, my dear."

She could tell Thorsen's friendliness was an act. There was nothing kind or caring about him. He was cold and calculating like a bull shark circling its prey waiting to attack.

Julia looked at Damien and huddled closer to him. As he wrapped his arms around her, she wondered if this was the reason he was acting strange. Thinking he felt guilty for letting them get captured she said, "It's okay I don't blame you. There were so many of Thorsen's forces attacking the town. I'm surprised we didn't get captured in the woods when we were with the others." She glared at Thorsen. "What are you going to do with us now that you've got us?" her tone as arctic. "You must know the others will look for us."

Thorsen laughed as he sat down on the bed. "My dear, you seem to be under the wrong impression. I know we got off to a bad start. I hold my hands up; I overdid things a bit."

Anger flared up inside of her and her eyes burned with indignation. She shot up out of Damien's arms. "You think! I wouldn't call attacking a town full of innocent people and stabbing my mom overdoing it a bit. I'd call it going over the freaking edge."

Thorsen cut in, almost losing his temper, "Your mother is no saint, nor are the Council of Elders in that town of yours." He took a deep breath and put his mask of serenity back on. "My dear, we are family. I've been waiting a very long time to meet you. Believe it or not I am sorry our first meeting got off to a bad start. I just couldn't wait around while your mother continued filling your head with lies."

Julia got in his face and spat back, "The only liar I see here is you."

He a bold grin stretched across his face. "Who, me? I wasn't the one who lied to you about what you are and where you came from. I wasn't the one who selfishly bound your powers and made your life miserable. That was all your mother's doing she even had your so-called friends to lie to you."

She scoffed at him. He may have been right, but he had an agenda and it was obvious he would say just about anything to get his way. "So what? They did it to protect me from you."

Thorsen held out the crystal wine glass for Julia to take. When she didn't, Damien took it. "That may be so," he said. "But, you know they are still keeping you very much in the dark. I want to tell you the truth however, my dear, you just aren't ready yet," his voice laced with venom.

"More lies. You only twist things to suit your purpose. I don't even know you and I can see that." The words flew out of her mouth before she had time to think about his reaction.

A wicked smile cut across Thorsen's face. "Such a smart girl. Even in this life you are still sharp and you still place your trust and faith in the wrong people."

Damien shook his head. "Thorsen, don't do this; she's not ready."

Lost, she looked between the two of them, not having a clue what was transpiring.

"My dear, no one will look for you," Thorsen cut him off and enlightened her. "As far as they're concerned you and Damien are still hiding out. Damien is working for me. He has been for a very, very long time. And I have you to thank for that."

She jumped away from Damien and glared at him. "How could you? I trusted you. Alex trusted you!"

Before Damien could reply Thorsen cut in again. "Dear old Alexander. It always seems to come back to him. Julia, give Damien a break. He has loved you for so long, yet you keep crushing his heart."

She scrunched her forehead. "I don't understand what you're talking about. Damien and I haven't known each other that long."

Thorsen poured the red liquid into the glass Damien was holding. "You will, Julia. Soon everything will come back to you. The truth can enlighten, but it can also destroy you." He leaned into her and whispered, "I am hoping for a bit of both."

He took the glass out of Damien's hand and gave him the decanter. Holding the glass out to Julia he said, "Now drink up. I need you strong for what is coming."

"What is that, poison or drugs or maybe both?" she snapped crossing her arms she wasn't about to take the glass.

The smile slid off Thorsen's face; it turned as hard as stone. "My patience only goes so far, girl. Don't test me because you won't like the outcome. This is blood, dark faerie blood to be precise. It's not the first time you've drunk this blood," he pointed at the decanter, "and you will drink all of this."

She looked at the contents of the decanter and realisation slapped her in the face. Sucking in a shuddering breath she finally made the connection. All the small bottles of so called 'juice' that Damien gave her had been that blood. She shot Damien an accusing look as white-hot-rage consumed her.

"You can drink it of your own free will. Or I can get Mormo and he will force you. One way or another, you will drink every drop," Thorsen said with absolute certainty.

This snapped her back to reality, and she took the glass fighting the urge to throw it in his face. "You guys tricked me. I never drank this of my free will," she said, glaring at Thorsen as she scooted to the other side of the bed.

It was like he could tell exactly what she wanted to do because he gave her a snide smirk. "And if you think throwing it on the floor will get you out of drinking it, think again. I will make you lick every drop of blood off the floor." He looked at Damien. "I'll be back in an hour. She had better finish drinking the blood by then." His tone was final, letting them both know there would be repercussions if she didn't comply.

Thorsen got up and walked, around the bed, over to where she was sitting, and held her face in his hand, turning it from side to side. "Remarkable, simply remarkable." Then let her face go and left the room.

Anger radiated off her as she turned and glared at Damien and screamed, "I can't believe you're a traitor!"

He set the decanter down on the bedside table and crawled over to her. "Julia, I can explain," his voice was desperate and pleading.

"I don't trust you and I certainly don't want to hear your lies. Get the hell away from me."

She'd had enough of everyone keeping secrets and lying to her. Her whole life seemed to be one big lie after another. Julia started to cry, overwhelmed by everything. "I trusted you, Damien. I even loved you. I know it's not in the way you want. But it's the only way I could. So many people have been lying to me my whole life. I thought at least you and Alex were not part of that. Now I don't know who my friends are and who I can trust."

Damien inched closer to her and slowly reached out wiping the tears away. "Julia, I'm sorry. I know you won't believe me and I don't blame you. However, I did what I did to protect you. I failed you once, I won't do it again."

She looked at him knowing he was only giving her half the story and it pissed her off. "Damn it, Damien, why can't you just tell me the truth. Why are you and everyone else so intent on keeping me in the dark?"

He gave her a pained expression. "Thorsen was right. You're not ready to know the truth yet." He held his hand up to stop her talking. "You will be soon, but you have to go through the process and that starts with drinking this blood."

Her need to know the truth outweighed everything else. She brought the glass to her lips and drank. Her whole body came alive again as if starved of a vital element for weeks. Everything was brighter and crisper, she relished in the warm glow that bathed her whole body, as she drained the glass.

"What is so special about this blood?" Julia asked gulping down another glass of it. It was so addictive and the more she drank the more it filled her body with energy. It felt as if she was gaining more of herself.

He poured her another glass. "This blood is a part of you. I can't elaborate any further I'm sorry."

She raised her eyebrows at him and shook her head disapprovingly, yet more secrets, she thought.

She knew Thorsen held the keys to her hidden past and was determined to find out the truth no matter what it cost her. She gulped down more blood knowing she was stepping into a viper's pit. But there had been way too many secrets and lies and now she was taking hold of her future, determined the lies about her past would stop.