Hey guys, I'm sorry I've been gone for awhile. I've been having some writers block and was struggling with some of the chapters.

But I'm back, so here's a new chapter, I'll be uploading another one tomorrow so stay tuned.

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"Are your teeth brushed?"

"Yes Daddy."

"Hair brushed?"

"Yes Daddy."

"Are you sure? They don't look very brushed to me." Daddy said in his don't lie to me voice, me and Matt hated it when he spoke like that.

I looked over to my brother who had his head down, staring at his hands. Matt has never been good at lying, meaning I was always the one who had to try and pull us out of situations. Meeting daddy's eyes again he held the same look on his face, I sighed, he wasn't going to let it go.

"Maybe we didn't brush our hair, daddy." I knew it was always better not to lie or we'd get lectured and daddy and papa would get mad at us.

He sighed softly but picked up the brush on the nightstand and sat on the bed. "Right, Damien come here. Vladimir, can you brush Matt's hair?"

He pulled me into his lap with my back to his chest and began running the brush through my hair, gently smoothing out the tangles I had built up throughout the night. Papa came in through the door a few minutes later and picked up Matt, settling him on his lap on the bed and doing the same.

"Ow papa." I looked to my left to see Matt who had a pained look on his face.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, I'll be done in a moment."

Matt hated getting his hair brushed, his hair always got more tangled than mine so the pain was slightly more intense for him. That and he avoided his hair being brushed more than me.

"You boys remember that your papa and I have to leave tonight on important business?" Daddy said, he set the brush down after a few strokes and then pulled me into his chest.

"Yes daddy, and uncle Carden will be here like always." I liked Carden, he always let me and Matt stay up a little later and play games, even read to us.

Daddy shared a look with Papa before turning me in his lap to look at him. I saw Papa do the same with Matt, I didn't like this, that look never meant anything good.

"There's been a few changes, Carden has had to accompany us so he'll be gone with us all day."

I frowned, "But then who is staying with us, no one but Carden has ever stayed with us before?"

"Ye." Matt said quietly, he looked just as confused as I did.

"Because Carden had to leave on such short notice, Ren said he'd watch over you both."

My eyes went wide, Ren Masters would be staying with us. Daddy went to try and say something but I was already shaking my head.

"No daddy no, why him? He's so scary." I looked over at Matt who had tears building up in his eyes.

"Don't be like that, either of you. Ren is a good man who has been more than kind and loyal to our family. Not to mention he's the mate of Carden, and you wouldn't want Carden to think you hated his partner would you?" Papa spoke in a tone that left no room for arguing.

I looked down at my lap as guilt washed over me, we loved uncle Carden and the last thing we wanted was to hurt him.

"No Papa." me and Matt said in unison.

"Good. They'll be here soon so I want you both to be on your best behaviour."

"Yes Papa."

"Good boys."

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I tossed and turned for like I had been doing since daddy and papa left. They had read to us until we fell asleep, they assumed we were asleep. But I wasn't.

I've been awake for ages now and my body was starting to feel the effects of it. I tried thinking about things, anything. A book I wanted papa to read to us, maybe games Matt and I could play tomorrow but nothing seemed to make me tired.

And if I wasn't already struggling enough, quiet whimpers started to come from Matt, like they did every other day.

A nightmare.

They were frequent, recurring. They used to only come once or twice a week but now they are happening almost every day.

Some days he'd be woken up either screaming or crying, other days papa and daddy had to.

When I glance over at him he's covered in sweat, his hands gripping tightly to the sheets as his whimpers got louder and louder. I sighed to myself, daddy and papa weren't here and there's no way Matt would want Mr Masters hearing him. He was here, I know he is, he probably arrived soon after we 'fell asleep'.

I reached my hand over and tried to shake him awake but that seemed to only upset him more, but I had to wake him.

"Matt, hey it's okay. Matt please wake up." I tried shaking him more but he wasn't waking up, this was so strange he always woke up.

"Matt, come on please wake up."

I shake him again but nothing changes, tears now starting to fall down his cheeks.

"Matt, goddess come on-"

My words are caught in my throat as I hear the door open slightly, my blood running cold. I try steadying my breathing as I turn my head towards the direction of the door. Stood in the doorway was a tall dark silhouette, his long hair tied loosely in a plait resting over his right shoulder, his red eyes were all that peaked through the darkness.

"M-Mr Masters…I'm sorry w-we woke you it's just…" I stuttered out not really sure what to say. Was he mad, would I be punished for being awake?

He slowly raised his hand and started walking closer to the bed, my body froze all over as his footsteps got closer and closer. When he reached Matt's side of the bed, the faint amount of light that shone through the drapes against the window showed his full form to me.

I prepared myself for the worst, I'd be punished for being awake, and he'd tell our parents.

But when I looked at his face I didn't see anger. Sure his face was stone cold, but he always looked like that. But there was no such anger, maybe even a hint of concern, but I couldn't quite read him. No one could really.

"Is your brother having a nightmare?" he asks quietly.

"Y-Yes, but how did you…"

"Your parents informed me before they left, I assume you're having trouble waking him?"

I was so confused, he wasn't angry with us, what I saw really was concern.

"Of course I'm concerned."

Without warning he pulled back the covers and lifted Matt's body into his arms.

"Hey wait-"

"Ssh, he must be woken up carefully, we don't want to scare him further."

He sat down on the bed and lay Matt sideways in his arms, his whimpers growing even louder as he started thrashing a little. Daddy and papa didn't usually lift him until after he was awake.

"Matt, can you wake up for me? There's a good boy come on." he said gently, rocking him in a soothing motion. His cries quietened down some but he was still deep into the nightmare.

"Damien, can you do me a favour?"

"Y-Yes?"

"I want you to stroke your hand through your brother's hair, it'll comfort him to feel a familiar presence."

I give a nod okay and place my hand through Matt's long black hair, stroking in circular motions. It seemed to do something as the thrashing came to a stop, leaving just Mr Masters gentle movements.

"Matt, can you hear me, wake up for us. Come on sweet boy, wake up, listen to my voice and find your way back to us."

I sat in surprise and watched my brother's eyes slowly open to Mr Masters looking down on him. I expected him to freeze, freak out or even scream. But he just lay there and stared up at his face, not moving an inch as his tears were wiped away.

"It's all okay now, they're not going to hurt you."

There was no reply but it was as if Matt spoke with his eyes, like they could understand each other. As if I wasn't already shocked enough, Matt then reached up and wrapped his arms around Mr Masters neck and hugged him tightly. He rubbed his back soothingly.

"How did you, how did you calm him?" None of this made sense, it would usually take daddy and papa ages to calm him, a good few minutes if they were lucky and the nightmare wasn't too bad.

"Familiarity."

What?

He sighed deeply, reaching one of his hands up to stroke Matt's hair.

"I suffer from nightmares too, your brother can sense it. He knows I'm safe, that I'm here to offer comfort, that I'm not a threat."

"Is that why he woke up so quickly?"

"Yes. He knows I won't hurt him."

"Why do you get nightmares?" I got the feeling I shouldn't have asked that, he looked as if wanted to throw up.

"It's complicated. When you're a bit older you'll understand."

I decided not to pry, it wasn't my place. I could see however that he had a story to tell, a long and difficult story that probably brought him great pain.

He managed to get Matt to settle down again, took a little while but his breathing eventually evened out and he was being laid down next to me again, the sheets pulled up to our chests.

I smiled to myself as I yawned for the first time all day. I watched him get up and walk back towards the door as I struggled to keep my eyes open.

"Thank you." I managed out before I felt sleep overcome me, finally taking me captive.

"You're welcome."

The words were faint, almost too quiet but I heard them. Maybe Mr Masters wasn't so bad after all?