I stood outside the Lancer and glanced around while I waited for Logan to get out of the car. We were parked just off to the side in the courtyard of what looked like a farm. However I could still see residential houses surrounding the white picket fence that enclosed the yard. So we were still somewhere in the suburbs. A large, brick water fountain, only half full, sat in the centre of the yard. The noise of the water was the only noise I could hear. Trees and shrubs lined the yard and there was a small barn or shed off to the side. There wasn’t a single person in sight.
Great, just great, I thought. “Well, we’re not I Kansas anymore,” I mumbled under my breath. I pivoted on my heel and peered at Logan as he shut the Lancer door and walked around to me. “Um, Logan, where are we?” I asked, wondering if I really wanted to know.
“We’re at the Lodge.” He answered.
“As in the hotel?” I bit the inside of my mouth. I recalled the hunters mentioning that it was full. “I thought there weren’t enough rooms here. Wasn’t that why you were staying at the Manor?” I kicked at the gravel with my right boot as I spoke; making dirt and dust blow up into the air.
“It is full, or it was. Frank was able to call in a favour; you know pull a few strings, and get a couple of extra rooms.” He shrugged. “I don’t know Rox. Come on they’re expecting us,” he said motioning me forward.
I stayed where I was. “It looks too deserted to be a hotel, aren’t they supposed to be busy?” I hedged.
He sighed, and rolled his eyes. “It’s more of a bed and breakfast. The privacy here is fairly good. They don’t ask questions and we don’t give them any information. We like to be inconspicuous, remember?”
I did remember. I nodded and followed a few feet after Logan as he started to walk towards a long building, situated in the centre of the property. It was a panelled, creamy building, with its foundation was raised up. It was a two story building and windows were scattered along the higher level. A brown porch ran along the front of the building.
As we neared, I heard faint, quiet voices and soon two hunters emerged from around the side of the Lodge. One of them was the red-headed one who’d had the black eye from our warehouse siege and the other was a shorter man, with a bald head and a scar across his cheek.
Logan stopped walking and turned to me. “Roxi, toss me the SVU keys.”
I reached into the pocket of my jeans and tossed him the keys.
He caught them automatically and easily, in one hand, before turning to the approaching hunters. “Sam, can you and Dave go and pick up the SUV that’s parked outside the church on Browning Street?”

The red hunter glanced at me quickly, an unreadable expression on his face before nodding at Logan. Sam walked over and took the keys from Logan’s outstretched hand before turning back and moving off with the other hunter, who I’m guessing was Dave.
Logan waited until they were out of earshot before walking back to me. “Come on Roxi,” he said quietly, placing a hand behind my back and steering me towards the steps of the Lodge.
The steps creaked as we walked up them and I half expected them to cave in under me. This whole place need’s work, I thought. Logan walked ahead of me and stopped briefly, opening a screen door and beckoning me in first.
I slipped through and paused once I did, as I took in the inside of the Lodge warily. I must admit, the inside was much better than the outside. It was simply furnished, with white walls and yellow spotted curtains framing in the windows. The floor was simple, wooden floor boards, which could use a good polish, with numerous rugs covering the ground.
Logan stepped through the door, letting it close quietly, and stepped around me towards a large black desk that was situated at the very end of the small foyer area. Behind the desk sat a middle aged woman with dyed blonde hair and way too much make up on. She rose slightly as he approached and even I couldn’t ignore the approving look she gave him as he stopped in front of her.
“Hello, welcome to the Lodge,” she smiled at Logan. “I’m Miriam Sandler, how may I help you.” she had a southern accent, and I noticed that her eyes were only for Logan.
I felt extremely ignored, standing where I was, still in the entrance way. The majority of the walls were bare, except for one that was lined with chairs. I walked over and collapsed into a chair, continuing to look around. Just inside the entrance to the Lodge was a staircase that led upstairs. I briefly wondered where we’d be staying, upstairs or downstairs. I didn’t really care. It was all the same to me. Near the desk, where Miriam was seated, there was a hallway connected. I couldn’t tell from where I sat, but it appeared long and no doubt ran the entire length of the Lodge.

“Hi,” Logan greeted Miriam, stopping directly in front of her and standing tall. “We’re with Frank Morgan’s group.” Logan had a small polite smile on his lips. It wasn’t encouraging, but it wasn’t rude either. I supposed Logan dealt with interested women all the time. But honestly, Miriam looked old enough to be his mother.
“I’m afraid he’s not here at the moment. He stepped out a few minutes ago.” She glanced down and began rummaging through her desk. Even from where I sat I could tell it was very messy. “Ah,” she said, pulling out a slightly bulky, yellow envelope and holding it out to Logan, her red fake nails catching the light streaming through the window behind her. “You must be Mr. Miller; I was, however, instructed to give this to you upon your arrival. I believe your room key is inside. ”
“Thanks,” Logan told her, taking the envelope from her outstretched hand and opening it. Along with a set of keys, he pulled out a piece of paper and begun reading it. While he was doing this I stood up and slowly walked over to where he stood, still with Miriam.
Miram’s gaze flicked from Logan to me, noticing me for the first time. “Oh, my good lord,” she exclaimed, taking in my appearance and momentary forgetting her attraction to Logan. “You poor dear thing,” she said, her accent was thick. “What in the world happened to you?”
I stared back at her, unwilling to explain my horrible situation to a woman I didn’t know. I said nothing, only stayed quiet.
Logan glanced up from the letter he was reading, and looked at me with a sad expression, before turning his gaze to Miriam. “It’s been a long day,” he told her, revealing nothing.
She nodded, a sad frown on her pink lip-sticked lips, seeming to understand we would say nothing more. “I’m sure it has been,” she said, smiling at me kindly. Her smile was warm and caring and absolutely genuine. “We have a laundry room out back, with a washer and dryer. If you’d give me your clothes, I’d be happy to wash them for you,” she quickly glanced at Logan, “both of you.” she looked at me again, her face thoughtful. Her eyes wrinkled at the corners. “Also I’m sure I have some old clothes around here somewhere that would fit you until your own are clean,” she told me. “If you give me 10 minutes, I’ll go see if I can find them for you. I’ll bring them to your room.”
I swallowed. “That would be great.” I said, taken back. “Thank-you,” I told her, meaning it. I was surprised, and oddly touched, by her kindness. Her kindness for me, a complete stranger. For a slight moment I thought of Callie. And the way she used to be, always happy to help someone she didn’t know. I felt a pang in my heart. Used to be, being the appropriate words. She was gone now and she wasn’t coming back. I had to get used to and accept that. Only I didn’t know how, or even if I could.

I felt my eyes getting wet and I realised that both Miriam and Logan were staring at me. Miriam looked alarmed. She obviously wanted to help, I thought, but she just had no clue how to handle a crying girl. Only I wasn’t crying, almost, but not crying. Yet. I wouldn’t cry, I told myself, I wouldn’t.
“Rox, come on. Let’s check out the room, it’s this way.” Logan signalled for me to walk down the hall.
I gave Miriam a glance and nodded my thanks once more, before starting to walk down the hallway. She smiled sadly back at me.
“Thanks’ again.” I heard Logan tell Miriam from behind me as I started to walk down the hall. The hall was as long as I’d thought it was and very wide. A long leopard print carpet ran along its length and we passed many doors as we walked.
“Like I told you before, the Lodge was initially booked out, but Franks has a few friends who were more than happy to pull some strings. He only got one or two extra rooms for those hunters who were staying at the Manor,” Logan mentioned as he walked. “Oh and obviously you,” he added. He was looking at the room numbers on the door, as we went.
He stopped at room no. 207 and turned to look at me. “In most rooms there are two people, in some three. We’ll be sharing a room.” He swallowed and actually looked embarrassed. At any other moment in time I would have found that funny. Not now. Now then. “If that bother’s you, let me know and I’ll see if I can I’ll see if I can squeeze in with some of the other guys.”
“It doesn’t,” I assured him. Ha, I thought dryly. Guess no one else wanted to bunk with the vampire.
He nodded. “Ok, good. Well, this is it,” he said stepping around me and unlocking the door with the key. It creaked and refused to open, but with a small shove he managed to get it unstuck and he stepped through, holing it open for me.
I stepped over the threshold and gazed around at the place I would now be spending a good majority of the next week, or maybe longer, at. It was a large sized room, with plenty of space. It was carpeted, unlike the rest of the Lodge; however the walls were still the same shade of white. It still had the same look, simple and retro, with nothing really matching. It looked as though they’d bought a bunch of furniture with no real design or look in mind. The tables and one dresser that sat along one wall, in the room were mismatched, both in colour and style. There were wall lamps along the walls, and a few plants that sat atop tables in the corners of the room. I could see a door in one corner that led off to the small bathroom. In the middle of the room there was a double bed. The only bed.

“I’ll sleep on the floor,” Logan yawned, running his hand through his dirty hair.
I smiled dryly. “Don’t be ridiculous,” I told him, walking over and perching on the end of the bed. After all we were both adult’s, I thought. I knew Logan, and trusted him, enough to know he wouldn’t try anything, what with everything that was currently going on. No matter how close we’d been in the study that time, back at the Manor. Thing’s were different now, our whole situation was different.
He looked relieved. “Okay.” He gazed around briefly, before stepping to the bathroom. “There are towels in there,” he said, emerging a minute later. “That mean’s we’ll be able to get cleaned up.” He walked over and rested on the corner of the bed near me. “First though, I have to go and see if I can hunt up Greg or someone else who knows what’s going on. We need to know what we’re gonna do now and of cause we need to figure out some thing’s about Micah. I need to know what’s going on.” His eyes burrowed into my own and he continued to look at me intently. I knew instantly he didn’t want to leave me alone.
I looked away from his eyes and yawned. “I’ll be fine on my own Logan,” I mumbled, assuring him. I wasn’t incapable of caring for myself. “I’ll take a shower while you’re gone. I’m sure that Miriam lady with come with some clothes soon.”
He nodded, accepting what I was saying. His eyes were still tight and I knew he was worried, but I didn’t want him to be. Now at this current moment. I’m sure there would be time for him to be plenty worried about me, and that time was to come.
I looked back at him and raised my eyebrows, saying nothing.

“Alright,” he told me, taking my hint and standing up. He stretched then reached down and ran his hand along my cheek. “I won’t be long. I’m just gonna see if I can find Greg. I’ll be back soon.” He moved towards the door, and was able to open it without as much trouble.
I waited until he was out of the room before lying back on the bed. I pulled myself up and across the bed, and rested my head on the pillow, pulling one corner of the blanket over me, so that I was half covered. My mind was spinning with questions. What were we going to do now? How would the hunters handle this? What about me? Where did this leave me? I must admit, I couldn’t recall knowing a vampire outside the covenant. Other than Micah. I felt a twinge in my heart at the thought of him. He’d done this to me; he’d taken away almost all the people I loved. And who was left in my life? My family, Logan? I didn’t doubt that he’d use my family to get to me, if he thought that would help. And what about Logan? He’d already said that he had plans for the hunters. I didn’t know what they were, but I didn’t know if I could deal with it if they were similar to the plans Micah’d had for the covenant. Because I knew how those plans had turned out. I remembered how Micah had known there was something between Logan and I. Who knew what he’d do if the thought he’d lost his chance with me. I didn’t want to think about what he’d do. Most likely kill me. And Logan.
My heart raced, beating so fast and hard in my chest that it hurt. My breathing was faster and heavier. How were we supposed to fix this? This wasn’t something I could fix; it wasn’t something that anyone could fix. The hurt and the sadness were eating me up, because I knew this was my fault. They were all gone because of me, because Micah wanted me. Knowing me had caused their deaths. How could I live with that?
I rolled over and lay on my side. My body ached too, I’d still been recovering and I probably shouldn’t have pushed myself. But I had and I was feeling it now. My body throbbed, with my muscles feeling stiff and sore. Without intending to, I brought my left had up and ran my fingers along my neck. I traced over where Micah had bitten me. The skin was flawless and untarnished. The only reminder of that night being my own, foggy memories.
I brought my hand from my neck and loosely gripped the edge of the blanket in my fingers. I yawned again and I could feel my eyelid’s droop. I was tired. So, so tired. I was tried of feeling like this; I was tied of dealing with Micah. I was just tired. Both my mind and my body were exhausted. I just wanted to sleep and forget everything that was happening. I wanted to pretend, if only for a few hours, that this wasn’t happening. Then, maybe then, could I actually be able to start to really deal with this. I closed my eyes and tried to relax my mind, thinking of nothing. It worked. Within a few minutes I was asleep.