Julia smiled, simply enjoying the midnight stroll that had seem all but impossible only a day before. She wondered how things were able to change so quickly. "You have feelings for John , don't you."

Julia's breath caught in her throat as her eyes flew wide open after walking so long with them closed beside Draco. She looked to him in slight horror, hot embarrassment, and bitter regret. "What- Why are you asking me that?" she asked, pulling back slightly to see him better, although the night's cover made the task rather difficult. Feelings was never something she was used to talking about, especially to the prince of vampires. What made this even more difficult, was that she was unsure how she felt about Draco himself. "John is simply a friend and has been for awhile now. I don't think it concerns you how I feel about him." Her words were soft and unconfident.

Draco turned to Julia. He had to know the question , she had been here only a week but he knew she had a crush on John and he just wanted to know. He wanted to know because of the chance if got Julia to be his girlfriend he would find a way to use her against him. And Draco couldn't bare to ever hurt Julia.
" you relize that even thou we just metyesterday I've been spying on you before we met. You had a bit of fond for John."

Julia blinked in shock, her mind unable to wrap around one fact that he said. "You have been spying on me? What for... I am just a servant to the castle." She blushed profusely, extremely grateful that Draco could not see her as she messed with her hair to preoccupy her hands in a nervous fidget. She thought of what he said. Could it be true? Of course not.

But then again, she had seen the prince around often. It was only a coincidence. Wasn't it? Doubt and confusion flooded her mind. "I... I may. I mean, I do.. or did." Her words were short as her mind scrambled for the answer. Julia questioned if even she knew the answer. "John was one of the few existing servants that showed me kindness," she explained. "He was patient as I learned the chores and tasks expected of me. Like many of the servants he doesn't like it here, but he just doesn't realize what a good person you are like you have shown me." Her cheeks deepened, now confused by her own words. Was she trying to say that she now cared for Draco? They had just met. And she was a human. "Draco, I don't understand. Why were you watching me?" she pestered, unable to get that thought away.

Draco thought about the words she said about why he watched her. He truely only had one answer to that question , he was thinking weather or not he should say it.
" you fasinated me for some reason. Something about you made me what to get to know you better. Do you think it was an accident that I happened to meet you in the kitchen?" draco paused " I think I know more about you than you know about me" Draco suddenly remembered her say something about a locket. " your mother gave you a locket before she died"

Instinctually, Julia's hand flew up to clutch the locked concealed beneath her shirt, eyes wide and gazing to Draco. How could he have known... "Yes, she did," Julia said softly, lifting the precious item into the night air and rubbing her thumb against the cool metal. "It's all I have left of her, and my father. They were killed when I was a child by.... Vampires." She closed her eyes softly and took a deep breath, wondering if she had offended him. "I don't mean anything by that.. but it is the truth. That's why I get scared sometimes when I am alone in the castle. I was young when it happened, but I watched the entire scene hidden in an ally where my mother managed to stuff me before the vampire noticed I was there. It was horrible. Ever since then, I have been alone." She looked to him, unsure what he would say.

Draco looked at Julia with sad eyes. He to knew what it was like to loose his family. But she would remember her mother , all Draco had were faint memories that were slowly fading. But he did remember his mother scream of pain when the vampire slowly broke everyone of her bones till she died from the pain of her flesh being peeled from her skin.
Draco gasped at how well he remembered that memory. His father , a very un caring man told Draco he loved him when he died.
" I know you wouldn't believe it but I was human once. The king turned me when I was twenty and I will forever be twenty. And he killed my parents same as yours."

Julia blinked in surprise to this, turning toward Draco in understanding. "I'm sorry Draco. When you said that he just needed an heir, I did not think that he would..." she shook her head unable to continue the sentence. She had almost forgotten that humans were able to be turned into vampires, the concept was difficult to grasp. Many thoughts past her mind. How would it feel? Would it hurt? Was is scary? She remained mute on the topics, all except one. She took his hand and lead him to a fallen log to sit upon. "Was it lonely?" she asked softly.

When asked if it was lonly he nodded. He remembered how he would get attacted to a teacher and they would either die or be excuted. " You think your lonly now? What if you were turned and there was no one to look after you?" Draco growled at the thought of his first teacher. " Believe me when I say this... I hate the the king as much as anyone of the servants."
Draco's heart flamed at the thought of the king killing the only other father he had ever known. " he took everthing from me!" Draco roared and stood up slamming his fist at a tree. " he took my mother , my father , my teachers , and my lover." Draco shook his head at the thought of Elizabeth.

Julia had no response for him. It sounded horrible and she could not imagine such a life. Her sympathy for Draco soared as she looked to him sorrowfully. Of all the words he said, however, one held the strongest impact. My lover.

Something flared inside her at this simple phrase. It felt similar to... Jealousy. Could she be jealous of this person that she had never met before? Was that even possible? Julia slowed her breath, trying to to show anything that she felt. She was positive something was wrong with her. Even so, she could not help the flow of her next question: "Your lover, what was she like?"

When Julia asked
what his lover was like he turned towards her. She was many things sweet , caring , adveturious. It was the same reason why he had spyied on Julia so much. He thought Julia was her who had some hoe come back from the dead
" you remind me of her."

Julia looked down softly, unsure how to interpret Draco's words. Surely it was meant as a compliment, but Julia questioned what other hidden meaning it could have. To remind him of his lover, did that mean he felt something towards her? Julia could not deny how perfectly she allowed herself to fit into Draco's world, but she was flustered when it came to the thought that something could be there. Julia looked to him directly. "She was a lucky girl," Julia said with soft confidence. "It is not everyone who can find such love in this dark world."

Julia chewed the inside of her cheek, unsure what else to say. She closed her eyes as Draco instructed earlier to try and perceive the world as he did. She was shocked by the sudden awareness that she felt of everything around her. She could hear the creatures of the forest and the rustle of the leaves from a soft breeze that kissed her cheek. Most importantly, she could feel Draco near her. His presence seemed to cloud her mind as if she could not forget about him even for a moment. His silent being seemed to scream out to her awareness, trying to make itself known to her. Julia sighed as she felt slightly overwhelmed. "Is the outside everything you imagined?" Julia asked softly, trying to break her frozen state of mind.

When Julia asked about if he liked it outside he couldn't help but smile. As his last friend she could change the subject just like Elizabeth. Draco grinned and turned to face Julia. He took his arms and wrapped them around Julia as sort of a hug. He smiled a her and kissed her forehead.
" Yes , it has now." Draco smiled at Julia till her hear a vioce and he growled.
"Julia?!" Draco looked up and he relized it as John.

Julia looked up to Draco with surprise and fear as he wrapped his arms around her. She was not afraid of him, but what was happening. She felt exposed and uncertain. Never before had she allowed someone this close to her before. Julia also knew that now it had begun, it could not be stopped. She looked at his smiling face, hoping that it was herself that caused him such happiness.

"Julia?!"

Julia gasped, instinctively pulling back from Draco's embrace. Her eyes were wide in fright as she looked up to see John. Slowly Julia stood, her lips refusing to form words. "J.. John. What are you doing here?"

John scowled, anger rising in his eyes. "I should be asking you that. I couldn't find you in the castle so I asked around. One of the guards said that he saw you being tied and dragged by the Prince. I rushed out here to save you only to find you... you..." He took a deep breath, his gaze switching from Julia to the Prince. "You are just like the King, toying with her. Julia, go back to the castle. He cannot be trusted. He is no better than any of the other monsters."

Julia stepped back, her gaze flickering between the men in confusion. "John, he isn't like that. Give him a chance."

The man's gaze turned upon her, angry and hurt. "Julia, he is playing with you. He brought you out here to kill you. It is what his kind does. Come back to the castle or better yet, we can run away together."

Julia gasped, unable to move from her spinning head. John was suggesting to leave. Julia looked to Draco and then the human. Did she love them both? She shook slightly, unable to make up her mind. "I see then," John said, seeing her hesitation. he decided to end it there. Slipping his hand from his pocket, John darted forward at Draco with a dagger aimed to kill. Anger was pent inside him. John had seen how Draco always seemed to be around Julia, just standing and watching her. He decided to end it there once and for all.

Julia watched helplessly, covering her mouth in fear as she shouted, "NO!"

Draco saw the dagger come at him and he looked at John in confusion. He would never intently hurt a human , even if it was John. But when John came at him with a dagger he growled , the vampire side of him came out in him. First all Draco had to do was sidestep. He kicked John to the ground and toweredover him.
" I would insult your intellagence but that's not in my nature too." Draco glance at Julia.

Julia watched in horror as the event unfolded. There was nothing she could do but stare at John charging and then Draco's quick and elegant movement. As he towered over the human, Julia ran forward and snatch his hand. " Come on, let's go," she said to Draco, trying to get him away from this
. It was obvious that she had made her decision between the boys.

Draco followed Julia , it was probley best that she try and make him leave. Just because Draco was more calmer didn't mean he would spare a life if they charged. He followed Julia to the gate till he stopped and re-tied her hands. He opened the door and lead Julia in. He pasted the guard and pasted the kitchen.
" if you want to go back to your room you can , or you can stay in my room again." Draco stopped and thought "I would perfer you sleep in here but you may chioce."

Julia's gaze was filled with thought and confusion as Draco led her inside the castle. Of course he had made the right decision in follow Draco. At the sound of his voice, she picked her head up to look at him carefully. Of course John had been wrong about him, he didn't even know Draco. But still, Julia felt tortured by her thoughts and doubts. "Thank you for not hurting him. John is just confused," she said softly.

In response to Draco's question, Julia walked into his room. "I'll stay," she said. "I feel safer around you, and I want to learn more about you. It is unfair that you seem to already know so much about me when I know nothing vapor yourself." She smiled and turned to him. "But you should unbound me first," she chuckled, holding out her wrists that were still tied. "That is, unless you prefer girls this way," she joked.

Draco smiled and un-tied her and set the rope in his closet. Draco walked to his bed and layer down , he was so tired but was so afraid to sleep and was determined to answer Julia's question. Draco was probley shore he wouldn't get all his questions right on a count of his slowly fading memory.
Draco did remember his one true friend from which he had ever since he was born. A grey tabby jumped up on the bed and meowed. Draco sat up and petted Midnight who started to purr. Midnight walked over to Julia.

" Julia this is Midnight , he has been my friend ever since I was born. That was about three thousand years ago."

Julia smiled as the cat padded over to her. She took a dramatic bow to the feline in humor. "How do you do, Sir Midnight?" she said, laughing as soon as she straightened out. Julia pet the cat on the head and sat beside Draco on the bed. She looked around the room, wondering how someone could tolerate such confinement for three thousand years. She sighed and rested her head on Draco's shoulder while still petting the Midnight. "I cannot imagine what you had to go through, all those years of being alone. But, for now at least, that ends. I won't leave you as long as I am alive."

Draco smiled at Julia's words and how she would never leave him. He smiled at the thought and stroked your cheeck. Draco petted Midnight who was basking in the love of his friend and the female. Draco turned to Julia.
" would you like to see something cool?" When you said yes Draco grinned evily. Draco took Midnight and sat him on a table. " Midnight ," The cats' golden eyes stared at Draco , waiting for his command." Speak please."

" And why should I do that?" The tabby spoke the sentence cleary and licked his paw before looking at Julia. " You always love to show me off don't you Drake?"

Julia jumped at the cat's voice, her mouth practically hitting the floor as she tossed her head between Draco and Midnight. "W... what?" she managed to studded in shock. She shook her head softly. "I expected that Midnight wasn't normal from his age but... I just figured... He talks?" Julia said again, obviously stunned out of her mind. "What is he?" Julia asked, still trying to process everything. Threatened to be killed, a fight between lovers, falling for a vampire, staying in a vampire's room, and now a talking cat. Julia's day was going great.

Draco laughed at Julia's reaction. He smiled but ended up laughing again. Midnight padded over to him and meowed , Draco sat up petted the cat , remaining calm. The cat showed it's pentacle necklace and it meowed again. Draco took off the collor and Midnight transformed into a little boy.
"midnight's a shapeshifter. He perfers to stay a cat because of all the vampires... But he's okay with me." the little boy smiled and put the collor back on, changing to the cat again.

"Oh," Julia said simply, still amazed by the cat-little boy-shapeshifter- thing. She smiled and blushed softly as Draco laughed. She was not insulted by it as she also found her dumb-struck state rather amusing. "Well, thank you for showing me your other side, Midnight," she said with a smile while petting the cat. "I promise not to tell. Although, even if i did the others would probably just think I went crazy." She laughed, glad to have found such friends in a place like this. Her eyes caught sight of the pendant on Midnight's collar and touched it softly. "Does this symbol mean anything?" she asked, looking to Draco. "I saw that you also have it tattooed on your shoulder."

Draco stopped laughing at the mention of his shoulder. Of course it ment something , he wouldn't have put it on his shoulder if it didn't mean something. But he wasn't about to tell Julia that. It's not her fault she didn't know these things. He took off his jacket and looked at it.
" it represents the five main elements. Earth , air , fire , water , and spirit. Most witches wear these as necklaces , hoping to give them power of the elements . For shapeshifters it helps them stay in the animal form."

Julia nodded in understandment. She had heard about the five elements and knew a little about them. There were always cults in her town and people that believed themselves to be witches. But still, something was missing. "But, you are not a shapeshifter or a witch." She pulled Midnight to have him sit in her lap and stoked behind his ear softly. "Why do you wear it? I didn't think vampires connected themselves with the elements."