Emily took an apprehensive step away from her.

"It's okay, child. You can trust me. I won't hurt you. Please, Kyle has the other. He can't get to you now." Anna was holding a towel drenched in blood, but it didn't seem to bother her.

Emily managed one tentative step forward.

Anna smiled again and motioned for the door. "Come, you need to get that looked at."

Emily realized that if Anna wanted to hurt her, she could do it outside. She didn't feel she had an option other than to head inside with the heku.

Anna pressed the towel back to Emily's head while they walked through the castle. They headed to the third floor, one Emily hadn't been on, and she looked at Anna cautiously.

"There are some medical supplies up here, a precaution necessitated by your arrival," Anna explained.

Anna led Emily into a small room that looked similar to a doctor's office. She sat on a chair while Anna pulled back the blood matted red hair and hissed slightly.

"The Chief Enforcer's not going to be happy about this," Anna said, mainly to herself.

Emily winced when Anna poured a stinging liquid into the cut, but it subsided and the pain numbed.

She could tell that Anna was trying to suture the cut. "Do you know what you're doing?"

"Yes, I do," Anna said, her voice light and comforting.

It was over in a few minutes, and Anna handed Emily two white pills, "Take this."

Emily hesitated and looked up at Anna.

"It's for the pain."

She shook her head. "I don't take pain medications."

Anna frowned. "He won't like it if you are in pain."

"He," Emily stressed, "will have to live with it."

A flash of concern crossed Anna's bright face before the smile returned. "As you wish. Let me take you back to your room. You might want to lie down."

Anna was shaking. Emily caught it only briefly but hopped down and followed Anna back to her room. She stepped inside, shut the doors, and looked around at the vast emptiness.

How had she gone from complete bliss to fearing for her life in an instant? Was this how her stay here was going to be? Chevalier assured her that no one would attack her, yet he was out of the way for less than a day, and it happened.

The sharp knock on the doors shocked her. She stared at them, unsure if she should open them or not.

"It's me, Kyle," the soft voice said from behind the door.

Emily relaxed. "Come in, please."

She was glad to see him, and happy to see him calm and relaxed. Emily smiled brightly when he stepped in and shut the doors. She was finally no longer alone. She was with someone she could trust.

"I came to apologize," Kyle said, wringing his hands.

"No, Kyle, that wasn't your fault!" She was afraid he was going to apologize and then leave again. She took a step toward him.

He looked unsure and continued, "It was my fault. I should have been closer to you. I could have stopped him before your horse reacted."

Emily shook her head. "I don't blame you, Kyle. Did you...?" she started, and then paused. "Where is he?"

Kyle watched her for a moment. "I left him for the Chief Enforcer to deal with."

Emily's eyes grew wide. "What will Chev do to him?"

Kyle shook his head. "I don't know. It's not up to me."

Kyle bowed slightly and turned to leave.

"Stay, please," she said, and took another step toward him.

He turned toward her slowly. "You wish for me to stay?"

"Yes." A blush rose to her cheeks.

He thought about it for a moment and then nodded.

Emily smiled, finally relaxed again. "Tomorrow, can we try again and take the horses out?"

Kyle smiled warmly at her. "Anything you wish."

"It's not an order, Kyle. If you don't want to go, then say so, and I'll go by myself."

"No, it's not that. Yes, I do want to go." He walked over to a plush chair and sat down.

She stood for a moment and remembered the blood in her hair. "Let me take a quick shower. You won't leave though, right?"

"I will not."

"Okay, I won't be long." She grabbed clean clothes and headed for the bathroom.

"Shall I get you something to eat?"

"I am kinda hungry." She paused at the French doors and turned around.

"I will have Gordon make you something. What would you like?" He moved so quickly that Emily's eyes couldn't see him. To her, he just suddenly appeared at the double doors.

"Something simple, tell him to surprise me." She disappeared into the bathroom.

Kyle opened the doors and spoke to Anna, then returned to the now empty room. He walked the perimeter of the room. His senses reached out for anything abnormal. When he passed the doors to the balcony, he stopped to lock them, and continued to survey the room. He paused for a moment outside of the French doors and briefly glanced over them.

He was startled to see her in the shower. The glass doors hid nothing from his keen eyes. He marveled at her tone body, the soft whiteness of her skin, and the perfect curves she hid beneath unflattering clothing. He inhaled deeply, salivating at the aroma of her blood. He could picture the throbbing vein of her neck in his mind.

Kyle jerked suddenly, aware of what he was doing, and then he proceeded to ascertain if her room was secure. He cursed himself. That brief lapse in judgment could cost him his life. Chevalier had made it abundantly clear that Emily belonged to him and was to be left alone, yet here he was, walking around her bedroom while she stood naked just a few yards from him.

"Much better," she said, stepping out of the bathroom. She was brushing her hair, making sure she didn't brush near the stitches.

"Your meal should be here soon." He felt like keeping formality would save him from further distractions.

Emily nodded and sat down next to him. Kyle stood up nervously and began to stoke the fire.

"May I ask you a question?" Emily asked.

Kyle nodded, still focused on the fire.

"What exactly were Chev's orders? I mean... what did he tell everyone about me?" She waited for him to turn, but he sat where he was, facing away from her.

"I'm not sure he meant for you to hear them." His tone was even and controlled.

"I'm sure he didn't, but I still want to know."

"Then, my dear, you should take that up with him."

Emily nodded. "Why is everyone so afraid of him? What has he done to deserve so much compliance?"

She could see that Kyle was smiling. "He is the Chief Enforcer, which is enough."

"Enforcing what exactly?"

"The laws and rules of the faction and this coven."

"And what does he do if those rules aren't obeyed?" She leaned toward him, anxious for an answer.

Kyle turned and looked at her. "You are full of questions, aren't you? Again, that's something you should take up with Chevalier."

Emily wrinkled her nose. "Faithful to the last drop. Have you ever defied him?"

Kyle's mind quickly replayed the image of her in the shower. "No."

"Hrm... dedicated."

Kyle stood up and headed for the door.

"Please, don't leave," she said, and stood up.

"I'm simply answering the door. Your meal is here," he told her, opening the double doors.

Emily hadn't heard the knock. It was frustrating how much better the heku could hear than she could.

Kyle returned with a tray and set it on the table by Emily's chair. The smell of the food drifted up to her, and she realized she was very hungry and the food smelled delicious. She looked down and cringed at the size of the hamburger and the mound of cheese covered fries beside it.

"Wow, Gordon must think he's feeding an army," she commented, stealing a French fry and savoring the taste.

"Are they to your liking?" Kyle sat down again.

"Oh... very much. These are amazing." She picked up the hamburger and took a bite, chewing slowly. Suddenly, she felt awkward eating in front of him. She grabbed the plate and held it out for him.

Kyle chuckled. "No, thank you."

Emily shrugged and set the plate back down. "What do you all eat anyway? I'd think with a thousand of you here, it would be hard to keep the blood supply going."

He frowned slightly. It wasn't natural for her to speak of such things. "We have our ways."

"You're not going to tell me, are you?" She grabbed another fry.

Kyle smiled. "No, I am not."

Her mood became more serious. "Did anyone come looking for Keith?" She took another bite of the steaming hot hamburger.

"Yes." He tensed when he remembered what Keith had done to her, and his hands balled into fists.

"Who?"

"Someone named Cassi," he said, and watched for a reaction. When she frowned, he felt bad for telling her.

Emily looked over toward the curtained window and then back to Kyle. "What time is it?"

"8:41 pm"

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Tell the time without a clock." She was curious, because she'd seen no clocks or watches in the entire building.

Kyle cocked his head to the side curiously. "I just know the time."

Emily raised her eyebrows. "How?"

Kyle smiled. "It's a natural ability. If you would like, I can get a clock in here for you."

Her mouth was full of fries, so she just nodded vehemently.

When she was finished eating, she pulled her knees up into the chair and wrapped her arms around them as she watched the fire.

"I should be going now," Kyle said, and stood up.

"No!" The sound in her voice made him jump.

"Is there a problem? Something I should know about? Is someone bothering you?" Kyle surveyed the room again. It hadn't dawned on him that with her human senses, he would be well aware of an intruder before she would.

Emily stood up. "No, please, don't leave me alone."