Aria hated being in the safe room. It was the epitome of everything she disliked about this situation. The guys were at their meeting with the vampires who had taken her, and now she was trapped in the basement with Everly and Ember. It made her feel like a prisoner.

The sooner she got out of here, the better. But she had to believe that the dragons were trying to protect her. If she didn't, she would lose her mind.

She was beginning to like Dax. She’d enjoyed their date, and there was something about him that she understood, deep down. She just couldn't get over this sinking feeling that her life was being taken from her and her choices were not her own.

Everly rocking Ember in a rocking chair. The baby slept soundly against her chest and Everly seemed blissful as she rubbed the child's back. Aria frowned. She wished she could feel that content. But she didn’t.

The door to the safe room opened and Kian stood on the other side. Everly's eyes lit up with excitement upon seeing him. He walked in and kissed her on the forehead.

"How did it go?" Everly asked.

"They've agreed to leave Aria alone. But I doubt they'll keep their word."

Aria put down the book she’d been reading and crossed her arms over her chest. As far as she knew, this was all a big pack of lies. She let out a deep sigh and stood.

"What now?" Aria asked.

"I suggest you continue to stay safe inside the boundaries of our compound. Either that or stay with one of the guardians. It’s the only way we can protect you.”

"I've lost my job," she said. “I called this morning, and I've been fired."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Aria. I'm sure that we could pull some strings and get you a new job," he said. “When this all blows over."

"When will it blow over?" she asked.

"There's no way of knowing. My main priority is to protect you, Everly, Ember, and my men. Secondly, we have made a solemn vow to protect the people of this planet from the vampires, and we will continue to do that.”

Aria sighed and walked past them, down the hall, and up the stairs to the main floor of the mansion. She found Dax sitting with Aiden in the living room as Aiden played his guitar. His tattooed arm moved up and down as his fingers expertly plucked at the strings.

Dax stood when he saw her and crossed the space between them. They had kissed goodnight on their date but hadn't seen each other since. She looked down at the ground, feeling shy and uncertain. She wanted this all to be over, to go back to her old life, where she had some sense of control, where she felt she had a place. The smell of Dax's cologne filled her nose, and she took a deep breath as he stood close to her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, putting his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to go to the safe room."

"Being cooped up in there just made this whole business even worse," she said.

"I wish there were some way I could make it up to you."

“It's okay. I’m trying to deal with it," she said. “Kian made it clear that he's just trying to protect me. And I appreciate it. I wouldn't want the vampires to come and take me again. That's my worst nightmare. I really am grateful to all of you for saving me. But you have to understand this is all so disorienting."

"I do," he said.

There was something in his eyes, a longing that she recognized in herself. He wanted to connect with her, to be closer to her. His hand remained on her shoulder, and for a moment she was tempted to throw herself into his arms. But she couldn't, she needed to be alone.

"We’re making lunch and it will be ready soon," Everly said behind her.

"I need to go to my room. I'll be down in a bit," Aria said, turning away.

Dax let his hand drop from her shoulder as she turned to the stairs. Walking up to her room, she clenched her fists and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so confused. Even after all the first days in the new schools she'd gone to, moving from place to place as her dad’s company transferred him from one state to the next, she'd at least understood how to handle it, how to be the new kid. But now she was in a completely new world, a world she couldn't comprehend. There was danger at every turn. She didn't know if she would ever feel good again. She’d found it challenging to understanding her place in the world before, but now it was nearly impossible.

She went to bathroom and splashed cold water on her face, washing away the tears that threatened to fall. She clenched her teeth and looked at herself in the mirror, her mascara dripping under her eyes.

"You’ve got to get it together, Aria," she told herself. “You've always known there was magic in the world. Just look at yourself. Why are you so surprised there are dragons and vampires?" She watched herself in the mirror and then let out a deep sigh. “I’ve got to try to make it work.”

Her new life wasn’t all bad. She did enjoy Dax’s company since he’d started to settle down. He was sweet and charming in his own awkward way and that was appealing to her, she had to admit. She was used to being awkward herself. Always feeling out of place and new. She never quite understood what the kids were like in the new schools she went to. She could only imagine how Dax was feeling, waking up on a new planet a million years after he had last been aware.

He had no concept of human culture or society. She had to give him a break. She wanted to. If it could be only so easy. If she could just accept that she was his mate and they would happily ever after in this beautiful house. Wouldn't that be wonderful? But she wasn't ready to let her guard down. Not yet. There were still so many unanswered questions. But, she told herself, she'd try to remain open. She walked downstairs and found Everly, standing at the stove, making grilled cheese sandwiches.

“Are you ready for some lunch?” Everly asked Aria.

“That sounds lovely,” she said.

Everly slid the final sandwich onto a plate and set them at the kitchen table. Everly had cooked stacks of sandwiches for the whole crew. The guys filtered into the kitchen a moment later, Cato carrying his laptop, Aiden with noise canceling headphones over his ears and his iPod gripped in his long fingers. Kian kissed Everly on the cheek when he entered, and Dax slid into the seat beside Aria.

“What else happened on your mission?” Everly asked Kian, taking a bite of sandwich.

“I don’t think the threat is over,” Kian said.

Aria frowned.

“I will protect you,” Dax said.

“I know,” she said, not sure how to handle his intense commitment to her.

Something inside her called out for him, every time she looked at him. She felt a flurry of longing in her heart. It was as if she could rest her head upon his shoulder, and he could take away all the darkness. That didn’t make it any less confusing. She needed to take her mind off of things and try to relax. Being cooped up in the basement had reminded her too much of being kidnapped by the vampires. She had to find a way to reaffirm to herself that she wasn’t a prisoner here.

“I saw a pool out on the grounds today,” she said, grasping for something to make her feel better. “I love swimming. I was on the swim team in one of the high schools I went to.”

“Really?”

“My team went to the state championships. But my family had to move right after.”

“I'll heat up the pool and then we can go for a swim,” Dax said.

“Awesome,” she said, beginning to feel a bit better.

The group shared their lunch, Kian and Cato discussing the meeting with the vampires while Aiden listened to his music. She and Dax talked about her childhood years.

“Did you move around a lot as a child?” he asked.

“My dad was a traveling-salesman, so we moved quite a bit. I never felt like I belonged anywhere. It’s made it really hard to make friends.”

“I hope we can be friends.”

Aria smiled at him. She could see his sweet side more and more. Part of her really wanted to finally connect with someone, to feel at home the way Everly did with Kian. But she was still afraid to show her true self, especially where her power was concerned. Hiding her heart and her power had become such a habit, it had become second nature.

“I'll go change into my swimsuit,” she said after she’d finished eating.

She hurried upstairs, excited at the prospect of relaxing in the heated pool and slipped into her one-piece swimsuit. A few moments later, there was a knock at the door.

“The pool is all set,” he said, standing before her in his swim trunks.

The sight of Dax’s chest sent a quiver of desire through her entire body. He was so built and so sexy. Like a football player mixed with a surfer. She bit her lip, wanting to reach out and stroke his chiseled chest. But she held herself back.

“I'll just grab my towel,” she said, growing embarrassed.

She pulled on a fuzzy bathrobe, grabbed her towel, and slipped into a pair of flip-flops before following Dax outside to the swimming pool. He yipped and jumped into the water, sending a spray up into the air and all around her.

She shrieked excitedly, dropped her robe on a lounge chair, and jumped in herself. The water was heavenly and warm. She hadn't been expecting it to feel so good. Dax swam several laps in the pool, faster than humanly possible. Of course, he wasn’t a human. He was a dragon.

She tried to catch up with him, swimming as hard as she could, remembering her strokes from swim team. But she couldn't possibly keep up. He turned at the other end of the pool and swam back, grabbing her as she swam into his arms. She squealed as he twirled her around. He stopped, and they faced each other in the pool. He held her close as she heaved breathlessly, looking up into his face.

“Got you,” he said. She wrapped her arms around his neck and look up into his eyes. “I've been waiting for you for a million years,” he said with a low growl.

“I didn't even know I was looking for you. But here you are. It's like a dream.”

She licked her bottom lip. He growled and claimed her mouth with his. The warm water all around them made her melt into him as her body gushed with hot desire. She felt the hard planes of his chest against her breasts as he wrapped his big strong arms around her waist.

Her hands gripped his neck and she ran her fingers through his shaggy blond hair. Their tongues twirled each other as the warm water held them suspended its weightlessly in space. She groaned as she felt his growing desire. He rose hard against her, and she shuddered with need.

She pulled away, confused and unsure. She wasn't used to feeling such intense longing. She'd had a boyfriend or two in her life, but it had never felt like this. She felt so close to the edge of control that it scared her. She couldn’t even fathom what was happening in her life, let alone her overpowering attraction for Dax.

“Oh Dax,” she breathed as he rested her his forehead against hers.

“You are so lovely,” he said. “I can’t resist you.”

“This scares me.”

“There's no reason to be afraid.”

“But I barely know you. How can I be having these feelings?”

“Because you are my mate, and I am yours. We belong together and that is the end of the story.”

“I just learned that vampires and dragons exist. The vampires are hunting me. How can I fall in love with all of that happening around me?”

“I will never let them touch you again. You are mine, and I protect what is mine.”

“I’d like to believe in this fairytale you’re telling me, but I just can’t. Not yet.”

“I know that I am a clumsy fool when it comes to romance. But I'm trying. I want to give you everything you've ever dreamed of.”

“I've never dreamed of any of this. All I've ever wanted was to help people.”

“And that is what I want for you too.”

He leaned in and kissed her again. She relaxed against him. She wanted to let go, to feel his love and believe that everything could be as he promised. But she instead she felt hunted and trapped. It was hard to believe she could have the beautiful life he talked about.