“I didn't think you would come, not after the incident with Ryan earlier today,” my father says when he opens his door that I've just knocked on. I smooth down the tight red dress I'm wearing, plastering on a fake smile as I look up at him.

“It was an accident, and I’ve learnt that I need more control over my emotions and powers,” I say as he steps out the way and waves me into his room. The entrance hall is large, as big as my bedroom with two doors on either side. It has gold carpets, gold walls and expensive looking paintings on them. The whole entrance hall looks like it costs more than my old home.

“Well you are young, and that is what we are here for, to teach you control,” he tells me and I smile tightly. I will show him control when I shove my fist into his face.

“Hello, Miss Crowe,” Mr Daniels says as he steps out the door to the left, dressed in a suit that makes him look more attractive than should be allowed. His brown hair is styled out of his green eyes, which seem to lock onto my own. I want to forgive him for everything he has done, but I still can't get the thought that he runs this place out of my head . That he betrayed me from the second we met, even if he decided to side with me in the end. What changed his mind? Was it knowing I would die?

“Mr Daniels,” I reply, my voice more neutral than I thought it would be. We both seem to just stare at each other, both of us needing to say something, anything, but we don't. We can’t.

“Let's get on with this dinner, you are fifty minutes late already, Mackenzie. The poor cooks have been keeping the food warm the whole time,” my father scolds me.

“Miss Crowe has an issue with being on time, it’s something you should grow to expect from her, Alaric,” Mr Daniels says, making me glare at him as I follow my father through the door that Mr Daniels holds open. When I pass Mr Daniels, his fingers graze down my back slowly, making me shiver and look behind me to see him smirking at me.

“Oh, she did turn up then, it’s not like we’ve been waiting for ages,” I hear Verity's whiny voice say. I look over to see her sitting at the table, a smug grin on her face as she turns to pointedly look to her left. I follow her gaze to see Enzo sitting next to her, holding her hand on the table. Anger and fury burns through my mind, and only Enzo's little shake of his head makes me calm down. I have to remind myself that he wouldn't really be dating her. That this must be a part of the plan or something, but it doesn't stop how much it hurts. Or how much I want to pick the knife up from the table and stab them both with it. Repeatedly.

“Hello, Verity, Enzo.” I smile tightly, walking towards the seat opposite Enzo that my father holds out for me. As I sit, I can't help but trail my eyes over Enzo in his suit, reluctantly noting how fucking good he looks.

“You shouldn't stare, it's rude,” Enzo says and I laugh.

“It's rude to bring a girl on a date with another girl you’ve seen half-naked and kissed, and yet here we are. All together,” I say, laughing more when Verity glares at me. I look away as Mr Daniels sits next to me and places his hand on my knee under the table, squeezing once. My father sits at the head of the table, and lifts a glass. I look around at the expensive looking table, the gold plates and crystal glasses. The large fireplace and paintings in the room. It’s clear my father likes to live in luxury, like a king or something.

“A toast,” he pauses as everyone picks up their glass. I watch his calculating eyes as they look around the table, pausing on how close Mr Daniels is to me and then back up to my eyes as he starts talking. Why do I feel like I'm a mouse in his trap?

“To our families, to changing this world for the better, and to Mackenzie. Who is the only one that can make all this happen,” he toasts and everyone drinks from their glass, as I lock eyes with my father and put my drink down. I'm not toasting to that.

“How can I make what happen?” I ask, and he chuckles.

“I will tell you what your twelfth power is, if you do something for me,” he offers, and I tilt my head to the side.

“What?” I ask, curious as to what he would want.

“You let my scientists and doctors examine you, test your powers.”

“No, that could be dangerous for Mackenzie and everyone here,” Mr Daniels snaps, his grip on my leg is borderline painful as it tightens on my knee.

“Would they hurt me?” I ask, curious to see him lie straight to my face once again.

“No, not at all. We just want to learn about you,” my father answers, keeping eye contact with me the whole time and ignoring Mr Daniels completely. He’s a good liar, I will give him that.

“Fine. One week of testing and you tell me what my twelfth power is,” I reply, and look over to see Mr Daniels giving me a look that suggests I should stop talking.

“I love how demanding you are, just like your mother,” he answers, not exactly agreeing with me.

“I want you to promise me, and don’t speak about my mother,” I snap and he laughs under his breath, leaning back in his seat.

“I promise to show you exactly what your twelfth power is in one week, Mackenzie. Now, we should eat,” he says, clapping his hands, and the door to the right is opened as people start carrying food in. They place the plates between us, with roast chicken and a mixture of vegetables. I pile some food on my plate at the same time everyone else does, and we all start eating in silence.

“So, it’s Enzo, correct?” my father asks.

“Yes,” Enzo replies, looking over at my father.

“I have brought Verity up, like a daughter if you will. I hope you will treat her right,” he says, making me tighten my grip on my fork.

“I was only invited for dinner, this isn’t a date,” Enzo replies coldly, and I hold back a smirk when Verity's face drops. “What a shame, I had such high hopes. With your eleven marks and Verity's ten, you'd be such a good match,” Alaric says. I look between Enzo and him curiously.

“What do you mean by that?” I ask, and he smiles thinly at me.

“Well, here we believe that those with more power should look to partner with someone else who has a similar level of power. To ensure a pure next generation for us all,” he explains plainly, and I feel my stomach twist. He can't be serious? Enzo coughs, looking severely uncomfortable, and Verity has a determined look on her face. I really don't like that look.

“That sounds... interesting,” I manage to force out. There's a moment of awkward silence.

“Well, this food is fantastic,” Mr Daniels says, breaking the silence. I turn my head to look at him, grateful for the subject change. It occurs to me how weird it is that I don't know his first name, and yet I feel so close to him. I squeeze his hand under the table, and make a mental note to ask next time I see him. It doesn't help that everyone either calls him Mr Daniels or just Daniels, meaning I haven't been able to catch it from anyone else either.

“Yes, it's delicious,” Verity says, and I turn my head in her direction. She's not looking at the food. I feel my hands clench, and Mr Daniels uncurls the one he's holding, and rubs the palm of my hand with his thumb soothingly. Looking down, I take a deep breath.

“Personally, I think it's a little tasteless,” Enzo remarks, making me look up. His dark eyes lock with mine, and I flash a grateful smile at him.

“Children, please play nicely,” Alaric remarks in a humorous tone.

“This is nice, I mean, nobody's been set on fire yet. That’s what you like to do when things don't go your way, isn't it, Kenzie? Just go around setting people on fire? Like a little toddler having a tantrum,” Verity says, narrowing her green eyes on me.

“Fuck you,” I say plainly, over this whole polite dinner pretence. I'm so done with this dinner, done with this whole damn day. I stand, pushing my chair back, and dropping Mr Daniels' hand. His sister is a freaking nightmare.

“Going somewhere, Mackenzie?” Alaric asks.

“Yes, I'm going anywhere that bitch isn't,” I snap, already walking out the room.

“Mackenzie, don't act so childish. Come back here and finish your dinner,” he calls after me.

“Go to hell, daddy-dearest,” I call over my shoulder sarcastically, leaving the room and that hellish dinner behind me. I walk quickly from the property, noticing all the guards along the perimeter wall, as I head back towards the main building where my room is located.

“Crowe, wait up!” Enzo's voice shouts from behind me. I turn to see him running in my direction.

“What are you doing here?” I question, slowing down slightly.

“I came to see if you were okay… and to escape the psycho bunny boiler, but mainly to make sure you're okay,” he says, flashing me a grin. I try not to return the smile, but fail.

“I'm fine. I just needed to get out of there before I really did set her on fire. I can't believe she's Mr Daniels’ sister, they're so different.”

“She was always a little evil and out of control, but coming here really changed her. Your father changed her,” he says, reaching for my hand and pulling me to stop.

“So you're saying it's his fault, and she's a victim?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at him in question.

“Definitely not, I'm just telling you how she got the way she is. No matter what she's done, she's still his sister, and he wants to save her. Don't tell me you wouldn't do the same thing for Ryan,” Enzo whispers.

“Ryan can still be saved, I know he can. He's not bad inside, but that woman is. She's got issues of the major kind, Enzo. They're not comparable.”

“I think they're more alike than you'd care to admit,” he comments.

“They're not. At least, I hope they aren't,” I reply tightly. He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me close.

“How about we take your mind off her and your brother for a little while?” he suggests in a low voice, making me shiver.

“What did you have in mind?” I ask, feeling a little breathless.

“Something a little like this...” he trails off, leaning down and locking his lips with mine. His hands grip my waist tightly as he kisses me, and he bites my lower lip, making me gasp from the shock of the sensation. He deepens the kiss, our tongues intertwining as he holds me close to him, and when he pulls away, I wish he didn't.

“I better stop now, before I can't,” he whispers begrudgingly.

“What if I don't want you to?” the words slip out of my mouth before I can stop them.

“Well, then I'd at least suggest we find somewhere more private,” he teases, gesturing around us, to the fact that we're in the middle of the open space in the compound, and there are guards watching us. I feel the heat creep into my cheeks.

“Yeah, maybe not right here,” I reply, choking out a laugh.

“I have a surprise for you anyway, come with me,” he says, tugging me with him. I follow after him, and he leads me to the block where I know East is being kept. He scans an access card on the door. An access card that certainly doesn't have his name.

“You stole that?” I ask quietly, not wanting to be overheard.

“I borrowed it. There's definitely a difference,” he says lightly, making me laugh.

“Sure there is, thank you,” I say, giving him a quick kiss.

“I figured you'd like to see East without the feeling of eyes watching you. They're so sure of the main grounds’ security, there's nobody in here watching him at night. Just need the right access to get in and out. They figure even if he did manage to somehow escape this building, he'd never make it past the outside wall.”

“Seems a little stupid to me,” I comment as we walk down the corridor.

“It is. That's why Daniels suggested it,” Enzo says, grinning. We stop outside the door and Enzo scans the card, unlocking it as the light flashes green. He hands me the card and turns away.

“Aren't you coming in?” I ask him, and he shakes his head.

“No, I thought you guys would like some privacy. I'll need that card back in the morning though, and you need to leave here before 6am, 5:30 to be extra careful,” he says. I nod and head for the door to East's cell. I pause and turn back to Enzo.

“Thank you, you didn't have to do this,” I say.

“I know, but I also know it would make you happy, Crowe, and I've decided I like how happy looks on you,” he smiles, none of his usual sarcasm or snark is in his tone.

I give him one last smile, and push open the door to the cell, stepping in and closing it behind me.