"Again."

I glare up at Zach from my position on the floor, rubbing the sore spot on my lower back. This is the seventh time that he's managed to take me down this morning. Anger seems to fuel his every movement and the relaxed Zach that I've seen glimpses of, has been nowhere in sight today. Something's clearly bothering him and he won't tell me what it is, but it's obviously making him irritable and anxious.

More so than usual.

"Give me a moment to catch my breath," I beg.

"Vampires don't give you 'moments to catch your breath', Peyton. They will use that time to kill you." He holds out a hand to help me up, pulling me to my feet roughly. Taking a step back, he gets into position, raising his fists to eye level.

"Now, come at me."

I never thought I would say this, but I think I prefer training with Caleb.

"Zacharias," I groan, and he narrows his eyes at me. "Can we not take a break?" We've been at it for hours without even stopping for water. Over the past few days, training with Zach had involved the occasional bout of laughter and ten minute rests. Today he has been intense, continuously flooring me and telling me what I'm doing wrong.

"No," he barks. "Come on, Peyton, you haven't managed to take me down once today."

"Okay." I can't take any more of this overly moody Zach. "What's got your panties in a twist?"

"I don't wear 'panties', Peyton," he counters. "I prefer briefs."

"Okay first of all, that was just a saying. Second of all, that was far too much information."

"I understand that it was just a saying, Peyton. I'm not completely dense. Now, come at me," he repeats, impatience written all over his face.

"Seriously, Zach," I press, determined to get an answer out of him. Maybe it's something that I could help him with? Or maybe I've upset him in some way, in which case I need to apologise to him. "You're more uptight than usual. What's wrong?"

He finally lowers his fists, looking at me with something close to sympathy in his eyes. "Nothing."

"Lying doesn't suit you."

"Well, being nosy doesn't suit you. Oh right, I forgot, that's just who you are," he says nastily.

"Wow, retract the claws." I raise my hands in surrender and take a step back. He is right though, my curiosity always gets the better of me.

He eyes me for a long moment before he sighs, running his hands through his hair in frustration. "I'm sorry, Peyton. I find myself with information that I have been instructed not to tell you. But I feel like it's something you deserve to know."

"And that's why you're so upset?"

"Yes, being dishonest doesn't sit well with me. We have recently become close, and I don't want to hide things from you," he says softly. His words take me by surprise, not only because he has admitted that we are becoming friends, despite his reluctance. But also because, not long ago he had no problem hiding Lideri's plan to pacify me when we killed Henry.

"Does this information affect me?" I ask. I shouldn't pressure him into telling me when he's already so conflicted about it. But I can't help it, my curiosity is officially piqued.

"Yes it does but-,"

"Zach! Jennings!" A voice interrupts us before Zach can finish. I turn to see Caleb walking into the training room with a big smile on his face.

"Caleb!"

My curiosity momentarily forgotten, I rush straight to him, leaping into his arms. He just manages to catch me, staggering backwards slightly, but remaining upright.

"Wow, Jennings, one would think you were happy to see me." He releases me with a cheeky grin, his emerald eyes sparkling.

"One would be absolutely correct."

"Caleb." Zach reaches us and slaps him on the back, his face stretched into the widest smile I have ever seen on him. "I take it the tests were all clear?"

"My blood work was spotless," Caleb tells him just as I'm wondering what the hell they're talking about. "No venom in sight. All thanks to you."

It's not hard to put the pieces together after that, but I ask anyway. "Do they take blood samples to test for vampire venom in your system?"

"Of course. How else would they do it?" Zach's smile was short-lived and he's back to his previous frown. "Caleb, you're just in time to watch the end of our training, unless you would rather take over?"

"I'll watch." Caleb smirks and heads over to a chair in the corner.

"Again."

¤

Later that evening when I'm in my room, a knock sounds on the door.

A long hot bath has helped ease some of the pain from training with Zach, but it's unfortunately given me too much time to think about what he wants to tell me. It has to be something bad for him to be so conflicted. My mind keeps drifting to when Lideri was planning on going back on his word, and I can't help but think that this might be something similar.

I get up from my bed, where I've once again been reading, trying to keep my mind busy so I don't overthink. The book, which is a personal journal written by the Lideri before this one, clatters to the floor in my haste to make it to the door when the person behind it knocks again.

"Jennings." Caleb's standing behind it with his fist raised and a big smile on his face. He steps into my room without being invited, and kicks the door closed with his foot. I should have guessed that it would be him.

His hand reaches up to cup my face, gently tracing my cheek with the pad of his thumb. "I missed you," he mutters softly.

"I missed you, too," I breathe, taken aback by his proximity. "I was so worried about you."

"You didn't need to be. You still owe me a favour, there's no way I wouldn't collect."

Before I can respond, he leans down and places his mouth on mine. His kiss is different this time. It's soft, tender and gentle, as though he is savouring the moment. His hands trail down my ribs, before firmly grasping my waist, pulling me even closer. Despite my conflicted feelings for him, I lean into the kiss, so grateful that he's still alive and relishing the sparks that seem to jump between us.

"You know." He pulls away from me, his minty breath fanning my face. "The first time I kissed you was just a distraction."

I smile at the memory, which seems so long ago even though I know it wasn't. "Rule number four, I remember. I knew that's what you were doing."

"But." He tucks my hair behind my ear, further reminding me of that day. "As soon as I kissed you I realised; I wasn't your weakness, but you sure as hell are mine."

"Are you trying to seduce me, Calloway?" I smirk, my heart fluttering at his words.

"I sure hope so. These last few days without you have been hell. I missed your fire, your spark, your stupid jokes. I don't want to keep my distance any more. I don't think I ever did."

"Caleb," I start but he cuts me off with another kiss that I feel all the way to my toes.

"Jennings," he mutters when he breaks away, leaning his forehead against mine. "For once, can you try not to ruin the moment?"

"I think that we need to talk about this. Whatever this is," I insist.

"Okay." He takes a step back from me, his hands falling to his sides. "Let's talk, then."

Now that he's given me the chance to talk about my feelings, I falter. I've never been good at these kinds of 'talks' and I'm not even sure where to start. "Caleb," I begin. "I think you're really great-,"

"Are you breaking up with me, Jennings?" He gasps dramatically and his hand flies to his chest over his heart. "Just when I thought things were going so well." His tone is playful, but underneath I can detect a layer of sadness that he's trying to hide.

"No I just, I'm not sure I... I mean, obviously you're like really hot and stuff, but..." I am so bad at this. "And like, we have so much fun together, I mean when you're not kicking my ass but-,"

Caleb, who had been watching me attempt to stutter my way through an explanation, steps closer and takes one of my hands in his, effectively cutting me off before I can make an even bigger fool of myself. "Jennings, it's okay, I understand. You're afraid to let someone in after Henry."

"It's not just that, though." My free hand runs through my hair in frustration. I'm so annoyed that I can't put my feelings into words and Caleb deserves better than some half-assed apology from me.

"You're overthinking this," Caleb says. "Look, clearly there's a ridiculous amount of chemistry between us, I know that you can feel it too. But I'm not going to force you into feeling something you don't. If chemistry is all this is, I'm okay with that. I like spending time with you. And," he winks at me and steps closer. "You're really hot, too."

I blush to the roots of my hair at his compliment. And he's right, I am overthinking this. I enjoy spending time with him, and even if it never leads anywhere, I know we will be able to go back to being friends. "Caleb-,"

This time it's not Caleb that interrupts me, it's a knock on the door. We spring apart as though we have been electrocuted. Caleb wanders over to my dressing table and picks up a book, flipping through the pages as though that's what he's been doing the whole time.

It doesn't look obvious at all.

I can feel the blush that crawls up my cheeks as I slowly crack the door open to see Zach there. "Zacharias, what can I do for you this fine evening?"

"Peyton." He peeks over my shoulder. "Caleb. I should have known you would be here."

"I was just reading." Caleb lifts up the book in his hands as proof. I doubt he even knows what it's called.

"Clearly." Zach frowns, his eyes shifting back to me. "Peyton, I need you to come with me, please. Caleb, you too."

"Are we in trouble?" I ask, my mind immediately going to Lideri's disapproval of relationships between Hunters and Caleb's presence in my room.

Zach shakes his head but the worried look in his eye concerns me. I suddenly remember that there was something he had wanted to tell me earlier. My conversation with Caleb had made me forget all about it, but now I wonder if that's the reason for his late night visit.

"Let me just put shoes on," I say, trying to ignore my rapidly pounding heart.

Ten minutes later we arrive in front of Lideri's doors. The cold metal has never looked so daunting to me before. I'm not sure I want to know what lies behind them. Judging by the look on Zach's face, it's bad. Is Lideri going to kick me out of the organisation? Has he finally had enough of my antics?

"Peyton." Zach places a hand on my shoulder as I hesitate outside. His ocean eyes are swimming with regret and his touch is unexpectedly gentle. "I am truly sorry I never told you."

"Told me what?"

But he doesn't answer me. I look to Caleb whose mouth is set in a thin line and I know that whatever is going on, he's aware of it. He doesn't say anything to me though, averting his guilty gaze away from my questioning one. Zach releases my shoulder and leans forward to knock, pushing the doors open without waiting for a response.

With my heart in my throat, I step inside, immediately seeing Lideri in his usual spot at the head of the table. He slowly gets to his feet, nodding at me with a solemn expression on his face. I barely notice him, for once. All my attention is fixated on the person that stands to the right of him; someone I haven't seen in months.

"Mom?"