Doe's POV:

I've realized that it sometimes slips my mind what a half-hour under some near-boiling water could accomplish.

Xander would always complain, saying that he didn't understand how I had any skin left with the settings I'd leave the shower at, and that he's burned himself multiple times because of it.

And I always return it saying that he just needs tougher skin.

In more ways than one.

To me, it was relaxing. It was an artificial warmth I couldn't quite get from anything else, and it especially helped while I was in circumstances like this.

I could barely feel the aches my body had prior, and the entirety of me was now alleviated overall.

I can't imagine that the amount of stress I'd been handling lately was working in my favor either.

So I took this short amount of time I had to enjoy this feeling as I could.

I glanced up from the sink, meeting myself in the mirror.

That feeling in my throat had gotten a little bit better but...

My eyes slowly fell to the bruise that sat there.

...It's gonna take a little more than just a shower to make that feel completely fine.

I lightly drew my fingers across the darkened skin there, even my own touch causing my shoulders to tighten.

The entirety of me was highly reactive to any sort of touch, but I got the harshest creation whenever it came to my neck or anywhere close.

I set my hands on the comparatively cold marble sink and leaned forward, closer to the mirror.

Lifting my chin just a bit, my eyes went over each of the multitudes of scars.

Not all of them left scars, but most of Laylas did.

She didn't just bite, she bit and tore like some sort of deranged animal.

Of course, I knew she was basically a deranged animal, I just kept trying to find some sort of logic as to why she couldn't at least be clean with her bites.

As a royal, that etiquette was expected, but she failed in even that.

I leaned back with a quiet sigh, taking a second to remind myself that I needed to cherish the time I had to relax.

These three days were going to be over before I knew it.

Quickly fixing the tie of the light blue robe I wore, I reached for the comb I used when my hair was wet.

Only to nearly drop it once I heard the unmistakable sound of the front door unlocking and opening.

Making every last thought of being able to enjoy the rest of my night slip right through my fingers.

I forced myself to not overreact immediately, instead staying completely still with the hope that It was just Xander either leaving or returning.

But once I heard the door slam shut hard, there was no mistaking who had just walked in.

My head snapped to the door of the bathroom, double-checking that It was locked.

Not that it would have made much of a difference but it would still be a small obstacle.

What was she doing here?!

"Good evening Alex," I could barely hear the purr in her voice through the door.

And the sound of it nearly made my heart sink, the thought of him disregarding his brother's request just to please her growing by the second.

I shook myself out of my frozen state, willing myself to take the few silent steps it would take me to reach the door.

Something deep inside of me pushed back for every step forward I took, as If I was willingly walking towards my demise.

But my need to hear what was about to happen came out on top.

If he was going to end up giving in to her, I'd at least like to be able to hear it coming.

It'll give me more time to get out my last words.

Realistically I had nowhere else to run regardless.

Carefully setting my hands against the door, I leaned in to hear as much as I could.

"Oh, Layla," He sounded just as confused as I was at her arrival.

The sound of his chair rolling backward followed.

His next words came out a bit more confidently, "What's up?"

I could tell the footsteps were hers from the click of the heels she wore everywhere.

"I was just returning home from a long, exhausting day, and figured I could stop by for a little ehm-" She paused for a second, and I could only imagine she was looking for me. "bit..."

My teeth clamped down onto the inside of my lower lip.

Another sound of the chair moving and a few steps from different footsteps told me that Xander stood.

"Oh, of course, You know you're welcome anytime." He spoke joyfully.

He always spoke to her with that prep in his voice, but something this time wavered.

I knew she didn't just come here to chat.

I feel like we both did.

Whether he wanted to accept it or not.

That small change in his voice gave me just enough hope that he had had. At least for tonight.

That bit of hesitance gave me the hope that maybe he was actually going to listen to his brother.

I wanted to be able to tell myself that I knew that he would.

He wasn't that much of a monster.

He knew my limits and he knew the stakes.

And despite how much I refused to believe it, according to him, he dosent want me dead.

As much as he tried to convince everyone else otherwise, he wasn't clueless in this sense.

But that doubt... that knowledge that he'll do almost anything just to get her to smile at him kept me fearing the worst through all of it.

"Yes, and you know I appreciate it, Alex. But where is um..."

My fingers dug deeper into the door.

I knew she was aware of my presence.

Whether through my scent or hearing my racing heartbeat, it was nearly impossible to hide from a vampire.

If I had to guess, she was waiting for him to make a move.

To prove that he was still hers to play with.

She wanted him to point me out or go fetch me himself.

She wanted him to make it easy for her.

And with every second that he didn't make any sort of response, I began to think he was about to give in.

"Doe is uh... recovering," He finally said, "She caught something and has been bedridden all day," He hesitated, "When I took her to Nico, he advised against feeding on her for a little bit. Nico's orders."

I think I nearly collapsed against the door as the words left his mouth.

Thank God.

Oh thank God, I was safe. I was actually safe for these next few days.

"Nico's orders, huh...," She began.

Xander knew what he was doing by saying that.

And even last night when he did something similar.

She listened whenever Nico was involved.

And despite how much Xander hated bringing Nico's name into the conversation, he was well aware of what power it had.

And it was a power he was using a lot more now since my medical help resigned.

"Hmm. I guess it can't be helped then. Did he give a specific time frame for when I'm- I mean, we can feed on her again?"

"He didn't give any specifics, no, but I'll check in with him again in a few days. You know I'll keep you updated." He responded.

My eyes widened at his casual lie.

He was buying me more time.

...Why?

"I see," Layla sighed, "This is why I always advise against even taking your pet out of your room. Humans are so helpless against everything its truly pitiful,"

With my safety confirmed for tonight, the familiarity of my worry shifting to annoyance worked its way through me.

She didn't give Xander a chance to respond, not that I think he'd know how to respond to that.

"Speaking of Nico though," I could only imagine the break in Xander's exterior as she said that, "How did she and his new doll get along."

My face contorted in disgust at her wording.

Doll.

"I'm assuming that's what ours has gotten sick from, the place he retrieved that new pet from is truly one of the more detestable, lower quality pet shops." she finally concluded.

Oh, I got sick from something detestable alright.

"Ah, right," He began, now having to build more upon his lie, "It went well, but it was short-lived due to how fast the illness acted on Doe," He explained.

"Did he let you get a taste?" She asked, her voice deepening a hint into that malicious tone.

There was a small silence, as I can only imagine it caught both of us off guard.

"What?"

"Nico's pet," She clarified, "Did he let you get a taste. I can only imagine given how dreadful her pet shop was that he had to have purchased her because of her blood."

I wondered for a moment if he was going to keep lying, but he didn't keep me wondering for long.

"Oh, uh no," He replied, " Nico's not too fond of sharing."

"Is that so?" She was silent which created an awkward atmosphere that I could feel from here, "I was hoping to see what could have been so favorable to him but..."

This new silence built it even more.

I had no idea where she was trying to go with this.

She never really stayed and conversed this long for me to try to figure it out.

Which only meant that she wanted something, she was just trying to figure out how to word it to get Xander to agree.

Either way, I didn't like where this was going.

"Tell you what," She finally started, "Get a taste of her for me, and I'll accept that as proper compensation for you letting our pet get sick."

What?!

Xander promptly voiced my exact thought.

Was she serious?!

"You heard me, Alex," Her stern words clashed with that soft coo in her voice she used whenever she wanted him to do something, "Just a taste. It shouldn't be too difficult for my Alex to pull off, right?"

My anger was starting to boil.

Every single time she walked into my life she gave me a brand new reason to absolutely despise her.

"He's never gonna let me-" I could clearly hear the panic in his voice before she cut off his desperate explanation.

"You won't know until you try, hm? You're his brother, after all, he'll be more inclined to let you get a taste than me. Plus our little pet being out of commission really ruins my routine, and I'd hate for my visits here to become less reliable if you're going to keep putting her in situations where she gets sick." She chastised.

No, it was less of a chastizement and more of a threat.

A threat of never coming back here unless he pulls off this act that we both know isn't going to happen.

Which honestly doesn't seem so bad.

The more I thought about it there weren't any downsides, but I knew Xander felt the exact opposite.

She knew that too.

She was breaking him down in a way only she could and she was taking full advantage of that.

Of him.

"Right," his defeated voice spoke, "I'll... I'll try."

"There's my Alex," She cooed with an instant cheery disposition, "I'll stop by in a couple days for an update then."

I heard the door open again as she attempted a hasty getaway as to not give him a chance to change his mind.

"I'll see you then." Was all he said before the door slammed shut again.

I waited a few seconds myself to make sure she was really gone before quietly cracking open the bathroom door.

He was just standing there with his back to me, facing the door.

His shoulders were rigid, and his hair half-way tied up with the hair tie I had given him prior.

He didn't make any move to show that he heard me take a step out, his head probably racing with what he just agreed to.

There's no way he's going to try it.

His relationship with Nico was already so messed up because of her.

And he was right when he said Nico didn't share.

"You lied to her about me,"

He turned his head immediately to face me, his body following suit after a few seconds.

His next words came out piteously and at a volume I could only barely hear, "I told you I was going to keep you alive, and with the blood moon approaching I need you healthy."

I just looked at him for a second, noticing the newfound dread in his eyes that so harshly contrasted with what I saw less than an hour ago by the window with him.

The weight of what she requested from him and the threat she left if he didn't accomplish it.

"You're not really going to try to steal Khloe's blood, right?" I asked as more of a plead.

Him and I being a part of her nonsensical schemes was enough, there was no need for us to drag Khloe or even Nico into it as well.

"No," He responded with a hopeless laugh, like even the thought itself was impossible to imagine as successful.

But the speed at which he answered caused me to believe him.

"Even if I wanted to, there's no way in hell Nico would let me, and I doubt I'd ever find myself in a situation where both she and I are there and he's not. He'd absolutely kill me."

His eyes flickered away doing that last sentence.

He was already slowly accepting his defeat...

"What are you going to do then?"

He swallowed hard, turning his head back towards the door.

"I don't know."