"How many are there?" She sounds calm but I can hear the undertone of fear in her voice. The atmosphere in the room is tense, all humour gone. "In the family I mean? How big are they?" So I know how many people I have to avoid. Her thoughts sound as tense as her voice.
                          
"Eight in total. Martel and Melantha are the parents and they have six kids. Three girls - Katerina, Calista and Belladonna- and three boys-Ariel, Kazimir and Haydon. All are incredibly powerful and I'd suggest you stay away from them. Both of you." Ash looks between Rosa and Mara who both nod.
                          
"Why Mara?" I know my question sounds strange but I can't wrap my head around the idea that she'd also have to hide from them. Rosa looks at me with a puzzled frown on her face before she seems to follow my pattern of thinking. "She's not like Rosa, so surely she wouldn't have to hide."
                          
"But they do spend an abnormally large amount of time together. Enough that some of Rosa's scent could rub off on her and then she'd also be in danger," Ash counters and I nod when the realisation kicks in. Of course. "I'd also be careful between the two of you," Ash's voice snaps my mind back to the present and I'm confused when I see him looking between me and Rosa.
                          
She apparently feels the same. "Why Ash? What's wrong?" 
                          
"Whatever's going on between you and my brother." Her cheeks flush scarlet and she looks down - seemingly misinterpreting what he said. "I'm not holding it against you but have either of you stopped to think about the fact that if I can figure it out and I'm not around you all the time how long do you think it's going to take for other people to figure it out?" His implied meaning is just as clear: If I can tell there's something going on between you how long before someone else will?
                          
"Shit I didn't think of that." I groan in frustration and look towards the window where the lavender hush of a new dawn is peeking over the horizon. I should feel exhausted but something keeps me awake. Possibly the small sparks of static electricity that keep passing between me and the girl on my lap. "What do we do?" How can I keep her safe? The question flitters around in my head until I feel like I'll go mad. 
                          
Ash saves me though. "Do what I did. Make her either you blood, pleasure or personal slave." I shoot him a daggered glare and he backtracks slightly. "I'm not saying to treat her like I did - hell I shouldn't have done that- but by labelling her as that it gives you an excuse to be around her more. So you can keep her safe." While I can't argue with Ash's seemingly flawless logic something feels off. Suspicious even.
                          
"I'm still suspicious as to why they're coming," Eris speaks up from where she's stood near Ash by the window. Still seemingly too afraid to sit back at the desk. "I mean why now of all times? What would they gain?"
                          
"I for one would like to know that," I mutter angrily under my breath and Rosa leans further into my backwards embrace until she's almost lain over me. When she moves her hair falls away from her throat and my pulse spikes. I haven't fed in a while and need blood. But I won't take hers. She glances at me upside down before switching to look at me properly. I know what she sees: the deep green-violet colour of my eyes swirling too fast with the gold almost completely gone. Darkened by the need. You ok? Her eyes seem to ask and I nod once slowly. She glares once before I sigh and shake my head tapping towards my teeth. She seems to read my signal and discretely taps her wrist but I shake my head. "I'll manage," I whisper.
                          
"Manage what?" Ash calls over and I curse inwardly.
                          
"Nothing," I reply and Rosa glares at me, seemingly upset at my lie. Guess we have that in common since I can't stand liars. She looks at me suspiciously for a moment before the expression leaves her face and she snuggles more carefully against my shoulder. A few seconds later I can hear her mumbling something but I can't figure out what she's saying. "Rosa, what's wrong?" She keeps muttering until she sits up ramrod straight and looks forward with a shocked expression in her eyes. "What?"