SURVIVE (THRIVE: Book Two)

Chapter 44- The Moral Code

Warning: Implications to Assault

"So, I obviously recognized that hex on your face as soon as we met, plus I saw that you clearly have a pretty good grasp on navigating The Gate. I'm curious, what else have you learned to do?" I ask inquisitively as I stare at his forehead.

"Quite a bit, but I don't use any of it really." he sighs "How about you? I heard that you're a wind manipulator," he asks curiously.

"Something like that." I state as I push a gentle gust across the room "It's weird though, I was never taught how to do that. It just kind of ...happened one day." I explain.

"Same." he states as he points to his forehead "Believe it or not, this has been here since I was born. I know my father had the same one."

"It carried over from him to you?" I ask as I begin to study it more closely "That's so weird."

"I guess strange things happen when you have such bizarre parents." he says as he rolls his head back to stare at the ceiling "It would have been nice to actually know them I guess, it might make some of this make more sense." he sighs.

"You still could someday." I offer cautiously "My mother will eventually come back after all. It might be hard, but-"

"I'm not ready." he states bluntly as he looks back at me "Thank you for the offer, but I don't know what I would do if I ever came face to face with her." he sighs as he leans back on his wrists.

"I suppose I understand." I sigh as I look down at my knees "Right now, I feel like I don't even know them anymore." I explain as I start to pick at the wound on my knees, suddenly realizing that it's mostly healed "Holy shit, that was quick." I say as I run my fingers over the skin.

"He's a damn good healer, that's for sure." Kai states as he starts looking at the bandage on my arm "How long ago did he work on that?" he asks curiously. As I look over the bandage, I realize that it still appears clean.

"Maybe an hour ago? I'm not sure." I say as I examine it.

"Take it off." Kai says as he starts to lean forward, suddenly hesitating "May I?" he asks politely. I nod my head as I watch him start to gently unwrap the gauze. There's a faint amount of blood left behind on the bandage and my skin, but as he wipes it away, it's as though it never even happened.

"What the fuck..." I say as I poke at it.

"I told you, he's a damn good healer." Kai smiles as he leans back, setting the gauze off to the side.

"Yeah, I guess so." I sigh as I tuck my legs back into my chest.

"What's wrong?" he asks, confused.

"I... I don't like that he's trying to take care of me." I sigh as I look around the room "It's confusing, it's like he's trying to act like everything he's doing is okay because he's cleaning up after himself." I explain worriedly.

"I definitely can't disagree with you," he states as he begins to stand up "Lucius, or, Sterling, he has a strange moral code that has never really made sense to me."

"What do you mean?" I ask as I watch him walk across the room.

"He's a gentleman for the most part, more respectful than the rest of us, that's for sure. But then, his taste for blood makes him shift and become someone aggressive and abusive. I don't understand how he can be both without feeling guilty about it." he explains suddenly starting to laugh to himself "I mean, Ember is a psychotic bitch, but at least she owns up to it."

"Yeah, I gathered that." I state, then suddenly become sad when I think about Artemis "My friend deserved better than to just get consumed by her." I sigh, once again trying not to cry. Kai suddenly turns around and sees this, looking guilty

"I'm sorry that you had to see that." he sighs "She seemed like a good person, but she got tied up in all this since she knew that Sterling wasn't himself anymore. He must have seen her as a liability," he explains.

"Speaking of which," I begin, my sadness suddenly turning to anger "My best friend was brought here too, and after we talked, she disappeared. Where the hell did they take her?" I ask bluntly. Kai seems to have to think for a moment before answering.

"I'm honestly not sure, Winona seems to be working on something lately, but I don't know what she would need her for." he sighs "I could try to peek around, but, depending on what I found out, you might not want to know," he explains worriedly.

"Anything is better than not knowing." I state "I'm tired of being left in the dark."

A week has passed since I was brought here, and my family doesn't seem any closer to finding me. Kai usually comes around at least once a day to talk, and honestly, it's been nice getting to know him despite my situation. Sterling has been acting the same, confusingly hospitable while also feeding off of me like some kind of animal. That entire act is making me more and more unnerved, I never know which side of him is going to walk through the door. He was right about one thing, he was keeping me safe from the others and not letting them in to see me. I suppose they all don't have a use for me, and even if they did, he already seemed to claim rights over my fate here. Kai has tried to investigate Winona's projects, but she's secretive and has been keeping her room locked up when she's not there. Along with that, she's still going to the temple like normal, presumably 'working' with Aurora and the others to find me. There's no doubt in my mind that she's somehow thwarting the process.

I haven't left this room since Sterling dragged me here, and slowly the constant solitude of it is driving me insane. All I can do is lie on the bed and stare at the ceiling wondering what the hell is happening out there. Never in my life have I felt this useless.

"Knock knock, princess." I hear Sterling say as he comes in, seeming excited about something.

"Welcome back," I state sarcastically as I continue to stare at the ceiling. As he walks in, he seems to set a few new bottles down on the counter. From what I can tell, they look like more wine.

"What have you been up to today, doll?" he asks curiously as he makes his way over to me.

"You're looking at it." I state bluntly as he looks over my body "Bored as all hell and nowhere to go."

"It could always be worse," he sighs as he sits down beside me "Ember has been desperate to get in here; you're lucky that I'm still protecting you."

"Oh yes, thank you so much for keeping me locked up in here, sharing a bedroom with a bloodthirsty vampire," I say as I glance over at him. He suddenly looks irritated at me.

"You know that I hate that term, it has a bad connotation to it." he says frustratedly "Have a little gratitude, I could be doing far worse to you," he explains as if I should be thanking him.

"Oh, of course, how could I forget." I say irritatedly "You could bleed me dry, blah blah blah, it's not like I can do anything about it. At this point, I'd practically welcome it, you can't keep me locked up forever." I explain.

"That wasn't what I meant, love," he states, his voice suddenly shifting to become dark and methodical. At this moment, I realize that I shouldn't have poked the bear.

"Sterling, I didn't mean to..." I say, but suddenly he lunges on top of me, pinning me to the bed "Please stop." I begin to cry, his strength is far too powerful for me, I can barely even struggle under his grasp.

"Sweet little princess, your essence is far more delicious than anything that I've ever tasted before with its sweet, yet bitter finish. But..." he says as he begins to stare down at my body "I've been curious, how does the rest of you compare? I've been intrigued to find out for days, and I'm growing tired of waiting." he explains as he gazes at me longingly. I feel paralyzed with fear as he licks his lips, and just as I feel as though I'm going to break, he suddenly releases me, stepping off of the bed "I may be a connoisseur of some of the finer things, but I am not a monster that will take something that can never be returned. You do your best to remember that."

Cherry Wine- Hozier