Ria was woken from a fitful sleep by Jessie's gentle prodding. Bleary eyed, she stared at the woman, realising she had put her trust in a stranger. The woman who befriended her several years ago was not the same woman she saw now. Deep down, Ria believed what Jess had told her. She didn't want to, but one look at Jessie's pointed ears and extended incisors, and Ria couldn't deny the evidence.

Her dreams had been full of dark eyes and dark thoughts. That voice from the alley whispered to her all day. Now she was awake, she struggled to shake the sense of foreboding they left her with.

"How are you feeling?"

Ria rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up. It took her a moment to realise where she was, but she soon recognised the lumpy sofa that had doubled as her bed. She'd slept on Jessie's sofa before, so the crick in her neck was oddly comforting. It was good to know some things hadn’t changed.

She glanced over at an expectant looking Jess and remembered she'd asked her a question. "Not too bad, I think," she replied.

"Are you hungry?"

Ria's stomach rumbled as soon as she asked. She felt her eyes widen as fear crept through her. If she was hungry, did that mean she'd have to bite someone? If it did, where would she find someone? What if she killed them? She gulped hard. She wasn't ready for that. In truth, she didn't know if she'd ever be ready.

"Fry up okay with you?"

Ria's brow knitted. "What?"

"Do you fancy a fry up for breakfast?"

Her stomach rumbled again. "Are you teasing me?"

"What on earth are you talking about?

"Why are you talking about food? What about, you know, the blood?"

"Oh that!" Jess laughed. "You'll need some soon seeing as though you just transitioned, but we still eat real food, Ria."

"Oh!"

Jessie smiled back at her. "Now do you want some breakfast or not?”

Her stomach seemed to understand the question better than she did and let out another rumble. She laughed. "I think that means yes, please."

It seemed like only seconds later and Ria was sitting at the kitchen table, staring at an empty plate. Only the crumbs from some toast and a smudge of tomato sauce remained. She hadn't realised just how hungry she was until Jess handed her the plate. She wiped her mouth and looked up to see Jessie staring at her. Embarrassed, her gaze dropped back down.

Jessie laughed. "You really were hungry."

The food hadn't even touched the sides and she was still ravenous.

"Don't worried about it, hun. Transitioning takes a lot out of you." She got up and went to the fridge, pulling out what looked like a juice box. "Here. Try this," she said as she passed it to Ria.

Ria inspected the carton. She didn't recognise the Rayo Rojo brand on the side, but figured Jess must have got it at one of her alternative health shops. "What is this? Some kind of energy drink?"

"Yeah. You could say that."

Ria shrugged as she tore the little straw from its plastic wrapper. She felt so drained, she could drink a dozen Red Bulls and still feel sleepy, so she was willing to give anything a go. She had too much to think about to waste time sleeping. She jammed the straw through the little silver circle on top of the box.

As soon as the straw punctured the foil film, a curious aroma assaulted her. It reminded her of copper and blackberries all at once. It was an odd smell for a drink to have, but she couldn't ignore it. It called to her. Made her feel giddy in anticipation. She lifted the straw to her lips and took a tentative sip. That first drop was unlike anything she'd ever tasted. It seemed to fizzle along her taste buds, sending tiny fissions of energy to her brain. It was all the encouragement she needed. She took a long hard suck on the straw and felt her eyes widen at the resulting energy she imbibed. It was as if her insides sighed with relief.

A buzzing energy swept through her, reaching every part of her, awakening a power she never knew she had. She drank more, sucking hard on that little straw until the nectar was all gone. Even then she moved the straw around, searching for the few drops of juice left in the carton, making gurgling noises as she tried to suck up the last dregs of deliciousness. Only when she was absolutely sure there was nothing left did she set the carton back on the table and lift her gaze to Jess.

She felt her eyes widen. She had thought her vision improved after her transition yesterday, but what she saw now was nothing short of impossible. She could see every strand of Jessie's jeweled hair, see every tiny line in her flawless, porcelain skin, count every single thread of her goth couture. She looked around the room, seeing minuscule specks of dust in the air. She could hear every breath Jess took, the dripping water from the leaky tap at the sink, even the footsteps of an ant as it made its way across the outside of the window. She focused on the tiny creature and could see every hair on its tiny, glistening body. How was that possible?

She looked back at her friend, saw Jess's amethyst eyes sparkle with amusement.

"W-what's going on?" Ria whispered, frightened even the sound of her own voice would be deafening. "What was in that juice?"

Jessie grinned. "O negative."

"Sorry?"

"O negative." she said again. "Of course there are other flavours available, but O negative is a good all rounder."

"It was blood?" Ria asked, horrified.

"Oh don't look at me like that, Ria. You needed it."

Given how she felt after drinking it, she supposed the woman was right, but... "That's besides the point! You could have warned me."

"And have you refuse to drink it?"

She made a good point. Staring at the discarded box, horrible visions of Vampires draining humans and siphoning their blood into innocent looking juice cartons entered her mind. She had assumed she'd have to find a willing donor and bite them at some point, which was horrible enough, but mass production of blood filled juice boxes seemed even more abhorrent. "Where did the blood come from?"

"The factory, of course."

Ria jumped up out of her seat sending the rickety chair crashing to the floor. The factory? There was a factory of humans being drained? It was even worse than she feared. She began pacing the small kitchen. "That's disgusting, Jess! You said you didn't kill humans, but you can't just pack them off to some factory to be drained!"

"Calm down! It's not real blood!"

Ria stopped. "What do you mean it's not real? You just said it was O negative. That's pretty real in my book."

The other woman sighed as she rose from her seat and grabbed Ria's empty juice box. Shoving it in her face she said, "Look! Read that."

Ria snatched the box from Jess's hand. On the back, after all the flowery language about nutrition and taste, she read the words, simulated blood, manufactured in Britain for Blackwood Industries. Not for use on humans or animals.

"See? It's synthetic."

Ria thought she might cry. "Synthetic. So no one got hurt?"

"Not even a paper cut," Jess assured her.

Ria read the label again, just to be sure, but there it was in black and white. Something else stirred in her mind. "Why does Blackwood Industries ring a bell?"

"Ah. Well, that's because we work for them."

"Wait. What?" Ria and Jess worked in the sales and marketing department of a technology company called Logan Consulting. They sold search engine optimization and domain names. They had nothing to do with blood, synthetic or otherwise.

"Blackwood Industries own Logan Consulting. Don't you pay attention to those end of year updates they make us go to? Blackwood Industries is painted all over everything."

Honestly, Ria wondered how anyone paid attention at those meetings. They were mandatory, but that didn't mean her mind was always in attendance. Thinking about it though, she did vaguely remember something about it. "So do Blackwood Industries know they're in league with Vampires?"

Jess just stared at her.

"They are Vampires, aren't they?"

"Got it in one."

Jesus. How could she have got through nearly twenty-six years of life being so oblivious? How many of these Vampire conglomerates were there? How many humans were unwittingly advancing Vampire and Fae interests? Worse, what if they were helping the Fallen? It didn't bare thinking about.

"C'mon. Let's get ready," Jess said, pulling Ria from her thoughts.

"Get ready? Get ready for what?"

A mischievous smile formed on the woman's lips. "You'll see."

* * *

BANG!

The book fell from atop Lena's head for the thirty-second time that hour.

Anger and frustration welled in the pit of her stomach as she recovered it from the floor. Again. "This is ridiculous!"

Soraya sighed. "It takes practice, that's all. Come along. Try again."

Lena scowled at the Princess as the woman once again demonstrated just how easy it was to glide across the room, chin held high, balancing a volume of the bloody Chronicles on her head as she went. Teaching Soraya to wield a sword had been a trade off against the Princess's deportment lessons. Lena had thought she was joking. She wasn't.

Soraya placed the copy of Land Heritage on Lena's head again. "Now remember to glide! Stomping around in those clodhoppers does you no favours at all."

Lena glanced down at her Doc Martens. She loved those boots.

"Lena, are you even listening to me?"

Lena blinked at the woman. "Sorry, it's just I don't think I was built for gliding."

"Rubbish. You are full of grace."

Lena actually snorted. "Yeah, okay.”

"I'm serious. You move with grace and elegance. You have a beautiful determination."

Lena's brows shot skyward. Words like grace, elegance, and beautiful were not ones she applied to herself, but she could tell from Soraya's aura that the woman meant everything she said.

"Of course, you usually have a sword in your hands," Soraya added with a gentle laugh.

Lena joined the laughter, but her levity was cut short when that fucking book toppled from her head and slammed into the floor. Soraya's book stayed perfectly perched on top of her head. "For fuck's sake!"

Ryver chose that moment to come crashing through the door. "For the love of Goddess, Lena. Will you stop dropping the damned book!"

* * *

Lena spun on her heels to face him. "Whoa. Who took the jam outta your doughnut?"

Honestly, he didn't know what was wrong with him. He'd felt on edge all night. He felt thirstier than he ever had since his transition, yet a couple of blood boxes later and his thirst still wasn't quenched. He'd retreated to the library for some peace and quiet. That all went out the window when Lena and Soraya started their stupid book carrying exercises. The sound of that tome hitting the parquet flooring reverberated through the house one time too many. Ryver just couldn't stand it anymore.

He looked at the two women and realised he'd probably come across a bit strong. He held his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry."

Lena scooped the book off the floor and set it on Soraya's dainty coffee table. As she flopped on the sofa, she said, "What's going on? You look done in."

The Princess crossed the room to join Lena, though she sat down with far more finesse. "I agree with Lena, Guardian. You do not look well.'

The Princess's shields slipped a little as genuine concern for his welfare distracted her. He could hear her already planning new tests, certain she'd missed something when he was in the medical facility. No way he was going back there.

Sighing, he folded himself into Soraya's Queen Anne armchair. "I'm fine, honestly."

Both of their minds practically shouted their disbelief. Brilliant.

"Look. It's just been a really long day"—he glanced at his watch—"and night."

"That reminds me. How did the interviews go?" Lena hid her disgust well when she spoke out loud. In her mind though, she still wasn't happy at the idea of recruiting anyone.

Ryver smirked. "Couple of weirdos, one founding member of the Thorn Blackwood fan club, but we did have some success."

"Oh goodie," Lena replied, full of sarcasm.

"Lena, I do wish you wouldn't be so dismissive. The Keeper of the Watch would not raise the call if he did not think it necessary. He would never take a decision like that lightly."

Now that was interesting. Though Soraya took great pains to use the boss man's official title, Ryver caught the very slight hitch in her breath at the mention of him. Automatically, he went in search of her true thoughts and came up against a perfectly constructed wall. What intrigued him was that her other defences were more easily penetrated. He could catch snippets of information from all over her mind. Everything except any mention of Kaden.

"So c'mon then. Who'd we end up with?" Lena sounded sulky.

Ryver blinked, still caught up in Soraya's thoughts. "Well, we found Thorn a secretary."

Lena raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

Before her mind started racing, Ryver sought to reassure her. "An old guy, Lena. Super qualified, but seriously, he's older than Methuselah."

The green-eyed monster threatening to rampage through her mind quieted. Thank you, Goddess.

"There's two possibles for the security team. They interviewed well, but Kaden and Mercury need to put them through their paces before the offer is made."

Lena nodded, though Ryver knew damned well she was determined not to be impressed with whoever these two dickheads were.

Ryver chuckled as he shook his head. “I do have one thing that'll cheer you up."

Lena rolled her eyes. "Go on. Amaze me."

"Roarke is joining as comms tech."

A smile crept across her face. Her immediate thought was pride that he'd escaped his mother's clutches. "Well good for him!"

"I do not believe I know this Roarke," Soraya said.

"Roarke of House Bowman, youngest son of Maluth, Larissa Bowman," Lena explained. "Honestly, I think he might rival Mercury in the tech department."

"Well he sounds like an excellent recruit," Soraya said.

"I'd have loved to see his mother's face when he told her he was leaving her House."

"That's unkind, Lena!" Soraya scolded.

"Trust me, Soraya, the woman is horrible. I'd challenge even you not to dislike her."

"I'm with Lena on this one," Ryver said. "She's not a nice woman, and her eldest son is worse. Roarke is better off outta there. Anyway, he didn't tell her. He sent a message with the butler and just walked right out the front door!"

Soraya looked aghast while Lena whooped with delight before asking, "When does he arrive?"

"He's already here!"

Lena jumped up from her seat. "Why didn't you say so?"

Ryver laughed. "I would have if you'd given me the chance."

"I'm sorry, Soraya. I'll have to take a rain check on the lessons. The poor guy is probably crapping himself if you've left him with the guys. I gotta go check on him."

Soraya smiled. "Of course. But it is only a postponement."

Some of the joy left Lena's eyes, but she conceded with a nod before rushing from the room.

Ryver had never been alone with the Princess in her suite before. He suddenly felt very uncomfortable and rose to leave.

"Are you sure you are quite well, Ryver?" Soraya asked just as he was about to take his leave.

He sighed. "I'm fine."

"I fear you are lying to me, but I won't press the issue if you don't want me to." She rose from the sofa and offered her hand. "My door is always open, however, if you do wish to talk to me"

He took her outstretched hand. "Thank y—"

As soon as they touched, Ryver was transported to a part of Soraya's mind he'd never seen before. Like swirling smoke, a rainbow of colour enveloped him. A voice he didn't recognise whispered so quietly, he struggled to catch the words. He looked at Soraya's expressionless face and saw a flash of silver shimmer in her ordinarily golden eyes. That strange voice grew louder, thundering through Soraya's mind.

"One born in shadows, the other in light, two rivers will change history and forge new futures. One will save the other, but until darkness knows its true self, the light will continue to fade."

The thundering faded, the swirl of colors disappeared, and they were left in silence. Ryver blinked as his mind retreated from Soraya's, struggling to understand what he'd heard. He looked down at the Princess who still held onto his hand with a surprisingly strong grip. The silver slid from her eyes and she took a deep, shaky breath. Her brow knitted as she came back to herself.

"I-I'm sorry, Ryver. I don't know what came over me."

"Was that what I think it was?" He was still reeling from the experience.

She seemed to realise she was still holding his hand and let go before sinking down to the sofa. Ryver could sense her feeling of disorientation, like she'd sleep-walked and couldn't quite work out where she was or what she was doing. He had no clue how to comfort her since he was still totally confused himself.

He sat back down in the armchair. "Is it always like that?"

Soraya stared into space. "Hmm?"

"Is it always like that?" he asked again.

This time she seemed to understand what he was asking, but couldn't hide her shock. "You... You heard?"

Ryver nodded. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude, but once I took your hand, I couldn't escape." He shuddered. "I was trapped there with you."

Sadness tinged the air. "It is of some comfort not to have faced it alone this time."

He swallowed hard. He'd never really understood the burden she carried. Seeing the future was a gift, but if that was what she experienced when she had her visions, he was glad he didn't have to bear it. "Are the messages always riddles?"

She nodded. "Usually I have time to decipher them."

The sorrow he felt moments before became tainted with bitterness. She left it unsaid, but Ryver understood. Sometimes she didn't have time to decipher them. Sometimes she couldn't find the meaning in the riddles. Sometimes awful things happened and she was powerless to stop them.

"Do you know what this one means?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Not yet."

He was damned if he had the first clue what it was all about. A person could go mad searching for answers.

In the distance, he heard Kaden's mind turning over a calculation for yet another quadratic equation and realised he was still alone with Soraya.

"Do you need anything, Soraya? Can I get you something?" he offered.

She raised her chin, a new sense of calm and determination settling within her. Her golden eyes shone as she smiled at him. "I am quite recovered, thank you."

"Then I will take my leave of you. The Keeper is on his way and I think I've stayed too long."

She stood to say goodbye, assuring him again that she was fine. She didn't offer him her hand this time and he was grateful.