"Peyton." The knock on my door is accompanied by Zach's voice. "Are you in there?"

It's the evening after Zach and I's successful mission. Last night, when we arrived back, Zach immediately disappeared to go find Lideri and update him. I had spent a few hours trying to find the isolation rooms, before eventually giving up and heading to bed. Today had been spent in the training room, shooting arrow after arrow until Zach was confident that my aim had improved. He also made me run laps whilst holding my bow, to prove that I wouldn't trip over it again, which I did a couple of times, much to his amusement.

Is it weird that I'm almost starting to miss uptight Zach?

"No," I answer, unable to stop the smile from sliding onto my face. After the way Zach laughed at me today, it's nice to be able to tease him back a little.

"Okay, I will come back later."

"Wait," I call out. He could need to tell me something important and I don't want to chase him away. I jump up from my bed and run to the door, flinging it open to see Zach walking away down the hall. "I was joking."

"I know." He stops and turns around, looking back at me. "I assumed you were busy and didn't want to be disturbed."

"I'm not. I was just reading." I quickly close my door and make my way over to him.

His eyebrows quirk up, a soft smile playing on his face. "You know how to read?"

"I'm starting to regret teaching you sarcasm," I mumble. "Yes, I was reading up on Sir Edward Cartell."

"I assume you found the library then?"

"Yes." By pure accident I had stumbled upon it while trying to find my way to the isolation rooms last night. But I don't want to admit that to him.

It was a surprising find, as no one had ever mentioned it to me before. The large room was lined with shelves, all stocked with different books, some of which were personal journals of previous Hunters, others which contained details about the mythical creatures that roam the world. I had borrowed a few in the hopes of learning more about the organisation that I'm now involved in.

"That's wonderful. I probably should have taken you there sooner, but with everything going on, it completely slipped my mind. There's a wealth of knowledge in that room, it will do you good to read as many of those books as you can."

"I plan on it," I tell him. "Although I will miss bombarding you with questions, Zacharias."

He frowns, but doesn't correct me like he usually does. "I was wondering," he pauses as though he is unsure of his next words. "If you would like to take a walk with me?"

My eyes widen at his suggestion and I just manage to stop my jaw from falling to the floor. "Are you offering to willingly spend time with me outside of missions and the training rooms?"

"Don't make me regret it, Peyton. Just follow me." And with that he turns and strides up the hall. I quickly catch up to him, falling into step.

"So how have you been?" I ask when the silence becomes unbearably awkward.

"You mean, since I saw you at dinner an hour ago? I've been fine, thank you."

We lapse into silence again as he leads me down the halls, taking two lefts and then going down a small ladder. Our footsteps echo down the otherwise empty passageway, matched in a perfect rhythm. "Where are we going?" I ask after a while.

"For a walk," he answers.

Well, I know Zach's not the most talkative person in the world, but this is slightly uncomfortable. His shoulders are tense and his mouth set in a firm line. I can't help but wonder if it's because he dislikes my proximity or if it's because he's going to show me something terrible. My mind runs through all of the possibilities but none of them seem plausible.

Trying to think of something else and quell my rising apprehension, I ask him something that's been on my mind the last couple of days. "Zach, the choice that Caleb made-,"

"I made the same one," he says before I can finish.

"Do you ever regret it?"

He stops walking so abruptly that I'm a couple of steps ahead of him before I realise it. I turn back to look at him, my gaze meeting his ocean blue eyes for a few moments before he answers. "Sometimes, I do. But, this life is full of sacrifices, Peyton. Often, we have to make decisions for the greater good."

"I don't believe that for a second. I can't imagine that losing you would ever be for the 'greater good'." And I mean it. Zach is skilled and smart. He's able to keep a level-head in terrible situations, like when Caleb was bitten. He could be utilised the same way Caleb's mother is. He's what Lideri would call an 'asset', one of the highest calibre, and he's next in line to be Lideri when this one steps down.

More than that, he's a genuinely good person, one who is finally opening up. Surely that must mean something?

Zach's ears turn a soft shade of pink and he quickly ducks his head to hide the smile that creeps onto his face. "Yes, well." He clears his throat loudly. "Thank you, Peyton. We should continue, we're almost there."

I know better than to ask where we are going again, so I just follow him as he continues forward. This time, the silence between us is a comfortable one as the narrow hallway opens up into a wide room. On the one side is a wall full of glass, sectioned off into what looks like four cells that are bathed in darkness. The fifth one on the far left, is the only one that has a light on.

And in it, sitting on a narrow bed and leafing through a book, is Caleb.

He looks up as we approach, his mouth popping open. His green eyes register shock as he stands up and comes closer to the glass, reaching a hand out to rest on it. "Jennings?"

"You have ten minutes," Zach mutters beside me before turning and walking back the way we came.

"Caleb." I reach the cell, laying my hand on the glass, right over his. I can't believe that Zach brought me here. His stiff posture on our way suddenly makes sense. Lideri had explicitly told me that I wasn't allowed to come down here, Zach would have been uncomfortable disobeying his orders.

"You shouldn't be here." Caleb casts a dark glance towards Zach's retreating figure. Then he looks back at me and his face softens. "But I'm glad you are."

I can't help the smile that crosses my face. "How are you holding up?"

"Oh you mean with the wild parties every night? I'm coping."

"Any," I gulp. "Any signs that you might-,"

"No," he answers before I even manage to finish asking. "But I still have to wait another day or so to be safe."

"That's good." It feels as though a weight has been lifted off my chest and like I am finally able to breathe properly again. It may be a little too soon to celebrate, but I can't help but hope that this means that Caleb is out of the woods.

"I believe you and Zach took down a vampire without me?" He smiles, pride shining through his green eyes as he looks at me.

"I told you I took archery in high school."

His laugh echoes through his cell, bouncing off the cold concrete and glass. "I never doubted you for a second, Jennings."

"We both know that you did." I grin, thankful for the chance to laugh and joke with him, even just for a few minutes. "I'm glad I got to prove you wrong."

"So am I." He looks down to the floor before glancing up again. "I missed you. Life has been very boring without your snarky humour."

"Don't worry, soon you'll be out and sick to death of me again." My phrase reminds me of something else I wanted to talk to him about, even though I'm pretty sure it's not the right time. "Can we talk about your decision?"

"The one where I refuse to live out my days as a vampire? It's one that you will have to start thinking about soon as well, Jennings."

"You should have told me though," I insist. "I mean, don't you think that's something I should have known? We're friends, aren't we?"

He's silent for a long moment, eyeing me warily. "Jennings, I have no idea what we are. As for me not telling you, it never came up, I didn't think it ever would. But my decision stays the same. I don't want to be a vampire."

"I resent that," a voice comes from the darkness in the next cell. "Vampires don't necessarily have to be bad." The light floods on, revealing an older woman standing near the glass. Her eyes are a startling green, her hair a dark brown.

Caleb sighs heavily. "Jennings, meet my mother."

His introduction was unnecessary, they look so similar, it's easy to see that they're related. And I remember, all too well, Caleb's story about his mother being bitten by a vampire and handing herself over.

"Peyton." She smiles, that mischievous grin that seems to run in their family. "I've heard all about you."

I glance at Caleb who avoids my gaze, staring down at the floor. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs Calloway."

"Please." She waves a hand, her eyes sparkling. "It's Kathryn. Feel free to ignore Caleb's anti-vampire rule. He gets that from his father. He just doesn't want to end up like me, living out his days in isolation."

"Mom, I told you-,"

"Anyway," she talks right over him. "Your surname is Jennings, yes?" Something flashes in her eyes that I can't quite decipher.

"Mom," Caleb's voice is low as though he's warning her against something. "Don't start."

"I'm not starting anything. It's just nice to see a new face, that's all. It gets lonely down here and you don't visit often enough. Peyton, you'll take care of my boy when he gets released, won't you?"

A blush floods my cheeks, but I'm saved from having to respond by the reappearance of Zach. "Peyton, we better get you back in your room."

I nod once, grateful for the escape from what could turn into an awkward conversation. "Nice to meet you, Kathryn. Caleb, I will see you soon." It's a promise, because I refuse to believe that this will be the last time I will ever see him. Hope burns in my chest, bright and steady, a warmth that spreads through my whole body. He had said he wasn't showing any signs, but talking to him has just made me more confident that he's going to be okay.

"Soon, Jennings."

As I turn to walk away with Zach I hear Kathryn loud and clear, "so that's her then?"

But I don't get to hear Caleb's response as we turn into the hallway. I'm almost tempted to turn back and eavesdrop, but I don't think Zach would appreciate it too much.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," I say to Zach. "Would you not get into trouble from bringing me here?"

"I believed you should have the chance to see him." He avoids my question.

He didn't answer me, but he didn't need to. I know that he would be in serious trouble with Lideri if he were to ever find out. My chest fills with warmth at the thought of the usually uptight Zach risking getting into trouble just to ease my concerns. I grab his hand to stop him from walking, and wrap my arms around his shoulders, pulling him close.

His whole body goes rigid, and I get the feeling it's been a long time since someone hugged him. Eventually though, I feel him let out a deep breath, relaxing his posture slightly. His arms wrap around my back and he awkwardly pats my shoulder.

"Thank you, Zach."

He leans his cheek against my head. "You're welcome Peyton."