THE LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS - BWS

sixteen

Caelan brought me to one of the bedrooms upstairs. My heart skipped a beat when I noticed which one. If the walk-in closet didn't make it clear that the bedroom belonged to William, the familiar smell of dry cedar and pepper definitely did.

"Is everything okay?" Caelan asked as he looked at me with raised eyebrows. Stupid heart. I needed to do a better job of controlling my emotions.

"Apart from the fact that I'm being held here against my will? Yeah, everything's just peachy."

Caelan laughed softly but didn't comment on my answer.

"The bathroom's right there," he said, stretching his arm towards a door next to the closet. "You should find everything you need to—" he started before hesitating. "Well to wash yourself and your little friend here. Try to do a good job, Will's a little— sensitive those days. I can't guarantee your safety if you don't wash all the blood off. Leave your clothes at the door and I'll get rid of them."

My breath caught in my throat. That was the reminder I needed. William was nothing else than a blood-thirsty creature. I couldn't see him any other way. And the same went for Caelan.

I nodded slowly, trying to keep my heartbeat steady.

"I'll leave you to it then. If you need anything, say my name and I'll be right there. No need to yell, I'll hear you even if you whisper it," he added with a wink and my heart skipped a beat. They really could hear anything. I started to worry that I said things I shouldn't have.

He turned on his heels and started walking to the door.

"Wait!" I called out. I couldn't stay here. This was clearly William's room and considering how our earlier conversation ended, he was certainly not going to be happy to find me in his bed, whether he actually used it or not.

Caelan turned around, his eyebrows arched again.

"Isn't this... isn't it William's bed?" I hesitated, bracing myself for another one of his laughing fits. But his face stayed serious.

"No," he answered. "His coffin is in another room."

My eyes widened. Were the fictional legends true? Before I could open my mouth to ask the thousands of questions burning my tongue, Caelan started laughing hysterically. He was laughing so hard that he was holding onto his stomach. I gave him the deadliest stare and he eventually gathered himself.

"Sorry— that was too tempting. The look on your face—,' he said between two laughs. "God, I wish Will could have seen it."

"So very funny," I said, unimpressed. Really, what kind of vampires were they? Today was making me question everything I knew about— well, everything.

"Did you seriously think we sleep in coffins?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"I don't care where you sleep. Now answer my question, is this William's room?"

His eyebrows flexed with curiosity.

"Why does it matter whose room it is? We don't sleep much, so it's available."

"It matters because William isn't going to be pleased if I stay here. He barely tolerates me, and I don't want to find out what he'd do to me if—"

"He's not gonna do anything to you," Caelan cut me off. "You need a bed, here's one."

I didn't fight his argument. What was the point? He seemed determined to have me stay here.

"Why are you so certain he's gonna hurt you?" he asked when I stayed quiet. His smile was gone from his face, but he had the same interested and intrigued look William often had when he looked at me.