"Tell me one more time. Just to be sure."

"I won't say anything until we stop. Concentrate on driving." I pointed to the road in front of us. "We both know what happened last time." I whispered.

"I heard it."

I remained silent.

"Just repeat it to me." He exhaled heavily.

"We have to go back to your place so I can set all that up." I nodded my head to the back seat where the travel bag was. "You don't have to do anything, and I won't limit your security either. It'll be as if I wasn't even there."

"I doubt it."

"I heard it."

"And I tried to make you hear it."

"Are you still going to be this nice to me? It's only been two days." I rolled my eyes.

"If you had told me beforehand, we would have been in a different situation."

"Really? In what situation?" Suddenly I didn't care that he was behind the wheel. I want him to finish it.

"Guess we'll never know." He gave me a quick look and a smile that made my cheeks heat up.

First of all, what is this supposed to mean? Was he flirting with me or did I Imagine that? And secondly, what's going on with my face?

I cleared my throat. "Just drive." I finally got over myself and started watching the road even more carefully than he did.

"Whatever you say." That was the last thing he said for the rest of the drive.

He pulled up in the driveway just outside the entrance and we got out of the car without saying a word. I grabbed my bag from the back seats before he locked it.

I regretted the moment I opened the door to Killian's villa. Luna was standing in the hall with her arms crossed on her chest and a very unpleasant look. Theo stood right behind her, looking like he didn't care.

God, help me.

"I don't need to be here for this." Killian said as he slipped past Luna and nodded to Theo who followed him into the study.

Thank you all, you just left me with the devil here. With the devil, who I ignored for two days and let me tell you he looks really pissed off.

"Do you want to start explaining?"

Do I have any other option at all?

"I know what you're going to say." I slowly put the travel bag on the ground.

"Trust me, you don't." She snorted. "You can't imagine how scared I was. What were you thinking?"

"It was only for two days." I defended myself.

"I don't know if you realize it, but you can die in seconds. Two days is an eternity."

"You're exaggerating Luna."

"Really? What if it was the other way around? If I didn't hear from you day after day. What would you do?"

"That is different...."

"How?" She raised her voice at me. "It's the same situation."

"If we're going to blame each other, we should start with what you were doing in Europe with Theo. Work, huh?" I snorted. "Looks like I'm not the only one to blame here." I crossed my arms over my breasts.

"If I told you, you would stop me."

"Do you really think I would stop you from being happy?" There was pain in my voice. "Luna, I want nothing more than to see you happy. And if it's meant to be with that idiot, I'll support it. You're an adult and I'm not your mother."

"I'm not yours either, but I was still worried about you. If anything happened to you while I was gone, I'd never forgive myself."

"Nothing happened to me. I'm fine." I reassured her.

"Every time you say it, I believe it less and less." I didn't say anything to her, so she continued. "What are you planning now? Are you going to leave New York?"

"Not immediately."

"But soon." She cut me off. "Am I right?"

"I have a plan..."

"But you won't tell me, will you?" She interrupted me again.

"I won't risk anything happening to you."

"You don't get it, do you? I don't care if anything could happen to me. Eris, you're like my sister, even though you might not see it that way. I'd do anything for you."

"Exactly." I said desperately as I took a step towards her. "You could die because of this. I have enough blood on my hands, I will not add yours under any circumstances."

"I get it, you're trying to protect me, but I don't need it.

"I'm not asking you. I'm not going to risk anything. You're the only family I have." My voice broke on the last words.

Well, that's the first time I said it out loud.

Luna means a lot to me. It's always been that way. We have protected each other since we were kids.

That's the exact reason why I don't want to involve her in anything. She means too much to me.

"So please." I cleared my throat as I had a strange feeling in my throat. "Stay somewhere safe and stay away from me."

"No."

"Luna..."

"No." She cut me off. "Not a chance. You know I can help you. Whatever it is."

"Luna please..."

"No." She repeated. "Now tell me what you want to do. I won't let it go until you tell me. I have time."

"Why can't you just...." I let out a frustrated breath. "The first step is to kidnap Nyx." I finally said.

"Are you crazy? You wanted to leave me out of that? Can't you think about me at least once? Am I not your friend? If I had three wishes, this would be one of them."

"Luna, this is not a game."

"I'm not saying it is. But look, if you're going to do this, you're going to need help."

"I have help."

"Really?" She snorted. "Who? Killian? Are you really going to rely on him and not me?"

"You know that's not what this is about."

"What kind of relationship do you two have anyway?"

"None." I answered immediately. "Purely business."

"So none or purely business?"

"You know what I meant."

"I know and yet I don't believe half a word you say. Okay, I got off topic. How are we going to kidnap Nyx?" She said with a smile on her face.

"I really don't want you there, but you're not giving me a choice, are you?"

"Nope."

"Fine." I exhaled heavily and picked up the bag from the ground. "I need to set this up around and then we can talk about next steps."

This is a bad idea. She shouldn't get involved. What if something happens to her? One woman I met in Italy lost her best friend a few months back. I can't imagine the feeling. And I don't even want to.

I've already lost enough people, I don't intend to lose anyone else. Even if I had to pay for it with my life.



I looked up as the door flew open and Luna was standing in it.

"Sure, why even bother knocking." I said sarcastically.

Luna just rolled her eyes and turned to Theo, who was sitting on the couch with a cell phone in his hand. "Can you give us a minute?"

"Sure." He said carefully and slowly started to walk towards the door. "Don't provoke her." He whispered as he passed me.

If she doesn't, I won't either.

He stopped near her, but recovered and continued. I guess he wanted to kiss her. I don't know what has changed between them in almost two weeks, and I really don't want to. It's their business. I've interfered once before, even though it wasn't my place.

Luna closed the door behind Theo and walked closer to me. She stood behind the chair and leaned against it. She put on her serious face and glared at me.

"If you want to waste my time, I'll charge you for it." I leaned back and crossed my arms over my chest.

"I really don't understand Eris. What does she see in you?" She looked at me.

Does Eris see something in me? I would like to know what. I unintentionally flirted with her today. I don't know why I did it. And when I think about it, I've done it more than once. I doubt she noticed though.

"My amazing personality. Pretty face." I stroked my beard. "Killer body..."

"And your incredible modesty." She cut me off with a sarcastic remark.

"You asked. I answered." I defended myself.

"What type of relationship do you two have anyway?"

"None. Purely business." I answered her without hesitation, but her reaction surprised me slightly. She looked surprised.

"Oh god. It's uncanny how alike you two are."

"What do you mean?" I frowned.

"It doesn't matter." She shook her head. "I need something from you."

"I must be dreaming."

"You're an even bigger idiot than I remember."

"Calling someone you want help from an idiot is not a good strategy."

"Can you be professional for at least five minutes!" She raised her voice at me.

Again the side that I haven't seen often in the past.

"Five minutes."

"Eris won't tell me everything, but to you, for some reason, she will. I need you to tell me everything."

"You want me to snitch on her?" I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"You may not care about her safety, but I do. I know things you don't, and you know things I don't." Well, aren't we the perfect couple? "We both know Eris, so we both know she can't stay out of trouble."

"Are you trying to suggest some form of alliance to me here?"

"I don't want to lose her, and if you have even an ounce of understanding, you'll help me."

"And if not?" As if that was even a possibility. For some reason, I can't just leave them to struggle with what's in front of them. Something tells me I would never forgive myself.

I haven't felt guilty in years, but I remember the feeling. I don't want to go back to it. It was not the most pleasant.

"I'm not leaving unless you say yes. And let's face it, you'll do anything to get rid of me."

"It's nothing personal."

"Everything is personal." She snorted.

"Fine."

"Fine?" She looked at me in surprise.

"Fine. I'll help you. I'll make sure Eris doesn't do anything to endanger herself. Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked as I noticed her confused expression.

"It was almost too easy."

"What did you expect?" I frowned.

"Everything but this." She was still talking, slightly surprised.

"Is it really that surprising that I want to help you?"

"Yes." She answered immediately.

"You caught me on a good day, I suggest you don't question it if you don't want me to change my mind."

"Okay. I won't ask any more questions." She put her hands in a defensive gesture. She turned on the spot and started walking towards the door.

"Luna?" I stopped her before she came out. She turned to me. "Did Eris ever tell you about her family?"

"Eris and talk about her family?" She snorted. "Biological one?" She raised an eyebrow and I just nodded. "That would have to be a miracle."

"So she never told you anything?"

"It was the past we should have left behind. Wait, why are you asking that?" She frowned.

"Just so." I shrugged.

"Sure." She said softly and walked out of my office. She closed the door behind her, and I immediately put my laptop in front of me and opened it.

I tried to look up Eris's real name in the database, Lyssa Laurent, but I couldn't find any information about her. As if she didn't even exist. She wouldn't give me a fake name, so why can't I find her?

*****

"You look busy." I stopped in the garden next to Eris who looked like she was setting up an electric fence.

"That's because I am." She gave me a quick glance. "These sensors monitor all movement around the villa. They are useful."

"Do you need help?"

"Nope." She stood up and brushed the grass and dirt off her knees. "I am done." She smiled. "You're going to need this." She bent down to pick up a tablet and handed it to me. "I also connected your cameras there." She handed it to me. "You have it all in one place and it's clear." She was smiling proudly.

"Thanks." I scanned the tablet with one eye before turning it off and giving her my full attention. "How are you feeling by the way? Your injury." I clarified.

"It's fine." She smiled. "It's healing well and I'm functioning normally now. I can get you on your knees in seconds without pain."

I wanted to tell her that she didn't even have to try to bring me to her knees, but I preferred to change the subject. "I came to ask if you talked to Luna about the tracking device." I nodded at her hand.

That's not why I came here, but it's a good excuse.

"Oh yeah. She was here a while ago to help me, but it looks like I was the only one. I guess they knew I was going to cause trouble." She picked up her already empty travel bag and started walking back to the villa, with me on her heels.

"So what are you up to now?"

"I'll go back to the apartment, I need to think and at least get a few hours of sleep."

"You know you can stay here, right?" I raised an eyebrow. "Looks like Luna's staying here with Theo." That's a lie, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind. "I said it last time, there are spare rooms. You would have saved time. More hours of sleep." I proposed to her.

"Are you trying to keep me here Killy?" She smiled at me and I swear it did something to me. Shit, why?

"It was only a suggestion." I shrugged.

"Can Odin sleep with me?"

I bit the inside of my mouth to keep from smiling. "If you promise I won't find you giving him treats at night, then yes."

"I promise nothing."

"I thought so." This time I couldn't help but smile. What is happening to me?

"But if we happen to meet in the kitchen at night," my thoughts went in the wrong direction, get it together Killian, "you could cook something again. I wouldn't complain."

I cleared my throat nervously. "We will see."

Maybe it's not the best idea to let her sleep here. My head is not in the right place. But it's too late to back out.

I brought this suffering on myself. I will be my own undoing.

***** M

ore chapters because why not, right?

Hope you enjoyed. <3